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Jank L, Kesharwani A, Ryu T, Joshi D, Ladakis DC, Smith MD, Singh S, Arab T, Witwer KW, Calabresi PA, Na CH, Bhargava P. Characterization of spinal cord tissue-derived extracellular vesicles in neuroinflammation. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:154. [PMID: 38851724 PMCID: PMC11162576 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03147-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by all cells, can cross the blood-brain barrier, and have been shown to play an important role in cellular communication, substance shuttling, and immune modulation. In recent years EVs have shifted into focus in multiple sclerosis (MS) research as potential plasma biomarkers and therapeutic vehicles. Yet little is known about the disease-associated changes in EVs in the central nervous system (CNS). To address this gap, we characterized the physical and proteomic changes of mouse spinal cord-derived EVs before and at 16 and 25 days after the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a neuroinflammatory model of MS. Using various bioinformatic tools, we found changes in inflammatory, glial, and synaptic proteins and pathways, as well as a shift in the predicted contribution of immune and glial cell types over time. These results show that EVs provide snapshots of crucial disease processes such as CNS-compartmentalized inflammation, re/de-myelination, and synaptic pathology, and might also mediate these processes. Additionally, inflammatory plasma EV biomarkers previously identified in people with MS were also altered in EAE spinal cord EVs, suggesting commonalities of EV-related pathological processes during EAE and MS and overlap of EV proteomic changes between CNS and circulating EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Jank
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ajay Kesharwani
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Taekyung Ryu
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Deepika Joshi
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dimitrios C Ladakis
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew D Smith
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Saumitra Singh
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tanina Arab
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kenneth W Witwer
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter A Calabresi
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chan-Hyun Na
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pavan Bhargava
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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2
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Wu J, Huang J, Yu J, Xu M, Liu J, Pu K. Exosome-Inhibiting Polymeric Sonosensitizer for Tumor-Specific Sonodynamic Immunotherapy. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2400762. [PMID: 38445783 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202400762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Combination cancer immunotherapy based on electromagnetic energy and immunotherapy shows potent anti-cancer efficacy. However, as a factor that mediates tumor metastasis and immune suppression, the impact of tumor exosomes on therapy under electromagnetic energy stimulation remains unclear. Herein, findings indicate that sonodynamic therapy (SDT) increases serum exosome levels by inducing apoptotic exosomes and loosening the tumor extracellular matrix, promoting lung metastasis. To address this problem, an exosome-inhibiting polymeric sonosensitizer (EIPS) selectively inhibiting tumor exosome generation in response to the tumor biomarker is synthesized. EIPS consists of a semiconducting polymer backbone capable of inducing SDT and a poly(ethylene glycol) layer conjugated with a tumor-specific enzyme-responsive exosome inhibitor prodrug. After being cleaved by tumor Cathepsin B, EIPS releases active exosome inhibitors, preventing tumor exosome-mediated immune suppression and lung metastasis. As a result, EIPS elicits robust antitumor effects through the synergistic effect of SDT and tumor exosome inhibition, completely preventing lung metastasis and establishing a long-term immune memory effect. This is the first example showing that combining SDT with tumor-specific exosome inhibition can elicit a potent immune response without the help of typical immune agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayan Wu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Jingsheng Huang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Jie Yu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Mengke Xu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Jing Liu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Kanyi Pu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 636921, Singapore
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3
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Mousavi H, Rimaz M, Zeynizadeh B. Practical Three-Component Regioselective Synthesis of Drug-Like 3-Aryl(or heteroaryl)-5,6-dihydrobenzo[ h]cinnolines as Potential Non-Covalent Multi-Targeting Inhibitors To Combat Neurodegenerative Diseases. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:1828-1881. [PMID: 38647433 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are one of the prominent health challenges facing contemporary society, and many efforts have been made to overcome and (or) control it. In this research paper, we described a practical one-pot two-step three-component reaction between 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one (1), aryl(or heteroaryl)glyoxal monohydrates (2a-h), and hydrazine monohydrate (NH2NH2•H2O) for the regioselective preparation of some 3-aryl(or heteroaryl)-5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]cinnoline derivatives (3a-h). After synthesis and characterization of the mentioned cinnolines (3a-h), the in silico multi-targeting inhibitory properties of these heterocyclic scaffolds have been investigated upon various Homo sapiens-type enzymes, including hMAO-A, hMAO-B, hAChE, hBChE, hBACE-1, hBACE-2, hNQO-1, hNQO-2, hnNOS, hiNOS, hPARP-1, hPARP-2, hLRRK-2(G2019S), hGSK-3β, hp38α MAPK, hJNK-3, hOGA, hNMDA receptor, hnSMase-2, hIDO-1, hCOMT, hLIMK-1, hLIMK-2, hRIPK-1, hUCH-L1, hPARK-7, and hDHODH, which have confirmed their functions and roles in the neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), based on molecular docking studies, and the obtained results were compared with a wide range of approved drugs and well-known (with IC50, EC50, etc.) compounds. In addition, in silico ADMET prediction analysis was performed to examine the prospective drug properties of the synthesized heterocyclic compounds (3a-h). The obtained results from the molecular docking studies and ADMET-related data demonstrated that these series of 3-aryl(or heteroaryl)-5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]cinnolines (3a-h), especially hit ones, can really be turned into the potent core of new drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), and/or due to the having some reactionable locations, they are able to have further organic reactions (such as cross-coupling reactions), and expansion of these compounds (for example, with using other types of aryl(or heteroaryl)glyoxal monohydrates) makes a new avenue for designing novel and efficient drugs for this purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Mousavi
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia 5756151818, Iran
| | - Mehdi Rimaz
- Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University, P.O. Box 19395-3697, Tehran 19395-3697, Iran
| | - Behzad Zeynizadeh
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia 5756151818, Iran
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4
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Zhang C, Qin C, Dewanjee S, Bhattacharya H, Chakraborty P, Jha NK, Gangopadhyay M, Jha SK, Liu Q. Tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles in cancer invasion and metastasis: molecular mechanisms, and clinical significance. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:18. [PMID: 38243280 PMCID: PMC10797874 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-01932-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The production and release of tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles (TDSEVs) from cancerous cells play a pivotal role in the propagation of cancer, through genetic and biological communication with healthy cells. TDSEVs are known to orchestrate the invasion-metastasis cascade via diverse pathways. Regulation of early metastasis processes, pre-metastatic niche formation, immune system regulation, angiogenesis initiation, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, immune modulation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are among the pathways regulated by TDSEVs. MicroRNAs (miRs) carried within TDSEVs play a pivotal role as a double-edged sword and can either promote metastasis or inhibit cancer progression. TDSEVs can serve as excellent markers for early detection of tumors, and tumor metastases. From a therapeutic point of view, the risk of cancer metastasis may be reduced by limiting the production of TDSEVs from tumor cells. On the other hand, TDSEVs represent a promising approach for in vivo delivery of therapeutic cargo to tumor cells. The present review article discusses the recent developments and the current views of TDSEVs in the field of cancer research and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- The Institute of Skull Base Surgery and Neuro-Oncology at Hunan Province, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Chaoying Qin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- The Institute of Skull Base Surgery and Neuro-Oncology at Hunan Province, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Saikat Dewanjee
- Advanced Pharmacognosy Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, West Bengal, India.
| | - Hiranmoy Bhattacharya
- Advanced Pharmacognosy Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Pratik Chakraborty
- Advanced Pharmacognosy Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Centre of Research Impact and Outreach, Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied & Life Sciences (SALS), Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, 248007, India
| | - Moumita Gangopadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, West Bengal, India
| | - Saurabh Kumar Jha
- Department of Zoology, Kalindi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, 110008, India.
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
- The Institute of Skull Base Surgery and Neuro-Oncology at Hunan Province, Changsha, 410008, China.
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5
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Ramil CP, Xiang H, Zhang P, Cronin A, Cabral L, Yin Z, Hai J, Wang H, Ruprecht B, Jia Y, Sun D, Chen H, Chi A. Extracellular vesicles released by cancer-associated fibroblast-induced myeloid-derived suppressor cells inhibit T-cell function. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2300882. [PMID: 38192443 PMCID: PMC10773711 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2300882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Myeloid cells are known to play a crucial role in creating a tumor-promoting and immune suppressive microenvironment. Our previous study demonstrated that primary human monocytes can be polarized into immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in a 3D co-culture system. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the immunosuppressive function of MDSCs, especially CAF-induced MDSCs, remain poorly understood. Using mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we compared cell surface protein changes among monocytes, in vitro differentiated CAF-induced MDSCs, M1/M2 macrophages, and dendritic cells, and identified an extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated secretory phenotype of MDSCs. Functional assays using an MDSC/T-cell co-culture system revealed that blocking EV generation in CAF-induced MDSCs reversed their ability to suppress T-cell proliferation, while EVs isolated from CAF-induced MDSCs directly inhibited T-cell function. Furthermore, we identified fructose bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1) as a cargo protein that is highly enriched in EVs isolated from CAF-induced MDSCs, and pharmacological inhibition of FBP1 partially reversed the suppressive phenotype of MDSCs. Our findings provide valuable insights into the cell surface proteome of different monocyte-derived myeloid subsets and uncover a novel mechanism underlying the interplay between CAFs and myeloid cells in shaping a tumor-permissive microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Handan Xiang
- Discovery Immunology, Merck & Co. Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Peng Zhang
- Chemical Biology, Merck & Co. Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aileen Cronin
- Chemical Biology, Merck & Co. Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lisia Cabral
- Chemical Biology, Merck & Co. Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Zhizhang Yin
- Neuroimmunology, Merck & Co. Inc, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Josephine Hai
- Quantitative Biosciences, Merck & Co. Inc, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Huijun Wang
- Computational and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co. Inc, Kenilworth, NJ, USA
| | | | - Yanlin Jia
- Discovery Immunology, Merck & Co. Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dongyu Sun
- Quantitative Biosciences, Merck & Co. Inc, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongmin Chen
- Quantitative Biosciences, Merck & Co. Inc, Boston, MA, USA
| | - An Chi
- Chemical Biology, Merck & Co. Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
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6
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Wan X, Fang Y, Du J, Cai S, Dong H. GW4869 Can Inhibit Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Extracellular HSP90α in Gefitinib-Sensitive NSCLC Cells. Onco Targets Ther 2023; 16:913-922. [PMID: 38021444 PMCID: PMC10640835 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s428707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective GW4869 is an exosomal inhibitor. It is necessary to delay the occurrence of gefitinib resistance during non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects of GW4869 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and expression of extracellular heat shock protein 90α (eHSP90α) that contributes to acquired resisitance. Our study provides a new sight into the treatment of EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Materials and Methods We performed western blotting to detect levels of EMT and eHSP90α. Wound healing and transwell assays were performed to evaluate the behavioral dynamics of EMT. A nude mouse model of HCC827 was established in vivo. Results GW4869 inhibited the expression of eHSP90α, EMT, invasion and migration abilities of HCC827 and PC9. GW4869 enhanced sensitivity to gefitinib in BALB/c nude mice bearing tumors of HCC827. Conclusion These studies suggest that GW4869 can inhibit EMT and extracellular HSP90α, providing new strategies for enhancing gefitinib sensitivity in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Wan
- Chronic Airways Diseases Laboratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuting Fang
- BSL-3 Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiangzhou Du
- Chronic Airways Diseases Laboratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shaoxi Cai
- Chronic Airways Diseases Laboratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hangming Dong
- Chronic Airways Diseases Laboratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, People’s Republic of China
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7
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Novotna K, Thomas AG, Stepanek O, Murphy B, Hin N, Skacel J, Mueller L, Tenora L, Pal A, Alt J, Wu Y, Paule J, Rais R, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 inhibitors based on the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-amine scaffold. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 259:115674. [PMID: 37536209 PMCID: PMC10529203 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) has gained increasing attention as a therapeutic target to regulate ceramide production in various disease conditions. Phenyl (R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl)-pyrrolidin-3-yl)carbamate (PDDC) is a submicromolar nSMase2 inhibitor and has been widely used to study the pharmacological effects of nSMase2 inhibition. Through screening of compounds containing a bicyclic 5-6 fused ring, larotrectinib containing a pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ring was identified as a low micromolar inhibitor of nSMase2. This prompted us to investigate the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-amine ring as a novel scaffold to replace the imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine-8-amine ring of PDDC. A series of molecules containing a pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-amine ring were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit human nSMase2. Several compounds exhibited nSMase2 inhibitory potency superior to that of PDDC. Among these, N,N-dimethyl-5-morpholinopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-amine (11j) was found to be metabolically stable in liver microsomes and orally available with a favorable brain-to-plasma ratio, demonstrating the potential of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ring as an effective scaffold for nSMase2 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Novotna
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic V.v.i., Prague, 166 00, Czech Republic; Department of Organic Chemistry, Charles University, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ondrej Stepanek
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States
| | - Brennan Murphy
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States
| | - Niyada Hin
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States
| | - Jan Skacel
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States
| | - Louis Mueller
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States
| | - Lukas Tenora
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic V.v.i., Prague, 166 00, Czech Republic
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States
| | | | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States.
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8
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Huang M, Tallon C, Zhu X, Huizar KDJ, Picciolini S, Thomas AG, Tenora L, Liyanage W, Rodà F, Gualerzi A, Kannan RM, Bedoni M, Rais R, Slusher BS. Microglial-Targeted nSMase2 Inhibitor Fails to Reduce Tau Propagation in PS19 Mice. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2364. [PMID: 37765332 PMCID: PMC10536502 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) correlates with the propagation of hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau) from the entorhinal cortex to the hippocampus and neocortex. Neutral sphingomyelinase2 (nSMase2) is critical in the biosynthesis of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which play a role in pTau propagation. We recently conjugated DPTIP, a potent nSMase2 inhibitor, to hydroxyl-PAMAM-dendrimer nanoparticles that can improve brain delivery. We showed that dendrimer-conjugated DPTIP (D-DPTIP) robustly inhibited the spread of pTau in an AAV-pTau propagation model. To further evaluate its efficacy, we tested D-DPTIP in the PS19 transgenic mouse model. Unexpectantly, D-DPTIP showed no beneficial effect. To understand this discrepancy, we assessed D-DPTIP's brain localization. Using immunofluorescence and fluorescence-activated cell-sorting, D-DPTIP was found to be primarily internalized by microglia, where it selectively inhibited microglial nSMase2 activity with no effect on other cell types. Furthermore, D-DPTIP inhibited microglia-derived EV release into plasma without affecting other brain-derived EVs. We hypothesize that microglial targeting allowed D-DPTIP to inhibit tau propagation in the AAV-hTau model, where microglial EVs play a central role in propagation. However, in PS19 mice, where tau propagation is independent of microglial EVs, it had a limited effect. Our findings confirm microglial targeting with hydroxyl-PAMAM dendrimers and highlight the importance of understanding cell-specific mechanisms when designing targeted AD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meixiang Huang
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Xiaolei Zhu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kaitlyn D. J. Huizar
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
| | - Silvia Picciolini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), 20148 Milan, Italy; (S.P.); (F.R.); (A.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lukas Tenora
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Wathsala Liyanage
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; (W.L.); (R.M.K.)
| | - Francesca Rodà
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), 20148 Milan, Italy; (S.P.); (F.R.); (A.G.); (M.B.)
- Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 42100 Modena, Italy
| | - Alice Gualerzi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), 20148 Milan, Italy; (S.P.); (F.R.); (A.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Rangaramanujam M. Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; (W.L.); (R.M.K.)
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Marzia Bedoni
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), 20148 Milan, Italy; (S.P.); (F.R.); (A.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Moloudizargari M, Hekmatirad S, Gharaghani S, Moghadamnia AA, Najafzadehvarzi H, Asghari MH. Virtual screening reveals aprepitant to be a potent inhibitor of neutral sphingomyelinase 2: implications in blockade of exosome release in cancer therapy. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:7207-7216. [PMID: 36884117 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04674-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Exosomes are membrane-derived nano-vesicles upregulated in pathological conditions like cancer. Therefore, inhibiting their release is a potential strategy for the development of more efficient combination therapies. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) is a key component in exosome release; however, a clinically safe yet efficient nSMase2 inhibitor remains to be used discovered. Accordingly, we made an effort to identify potential nSMase2 inhibitor(s) among the approved drugs. METHODS Virtual screening was performed and aprepitant was selected for further investigation. To evaluate the reliability of the complex, molecular dynamics were performed. Finally, using the CCK-8 assay in HCT116 cells, the highest non-toxic concentrations of aprepitant were identified and the nSMase2 activity assay was performed to measure the inhibitory activity of aprepitant, in vitro. RESULTS To validate the screening results, molecular docking was performed, and the retrieved scores were in line with the screening results. The root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) plot of aprepitant-nSMase2 showed proper convergence. Following treatment with different concentrations of aprepitant in both cell-free and cell-dependent assays, nSMase2 activity was remarkably decreased. CONCLUSION Aprepitant, at a concentration as low as 15 µM, was able to inhibit nSmase2 activity in HCT116 cells without any significant effects on their viability. Aprepitant is therefore suggested to be a potentially safe exosome release inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Moloudizargari
- Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Shirin Hekmatirad
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sajjad Gharaghani
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Drug Design (LBD), Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Moghadamnia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, 4717647745, Iran
| | - Hossein Najafzadehvarzi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, 4717647745, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Asghari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, 4717647745, Iran.
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10
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Tallon C, Bell BJ, Malvankar MM, Deme P, Nogueras-Ortiz C, Eren E, Thomas AG, Hollinger KR, Pal A, Mustapic M, Huang M, Coleman K, Joe TR, Rais R, Haughey NJ, Kapogiannis D, Slusher BS. Inhibiting tau-induced elevated nSMase2 activity and ceramides is therapeutic in murine Alzheimer's disease. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3131295. [PMID: 37502930 PMCID: PMC10371082 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3131295/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with prion-like tau propagation between neurons along synaptically connected networks, in part via extracellular vesicles (EV). EV biogenesis is triggered by ceramide enrichment at the plasma membrane from neutral sphingomyelinase2(nSMase2)-mediated cleavage of sphingomyelin. We report, for the first time, that tau expression triggers an elevation in brain ceramides and nSMase2 activity. Methods To determine the therapeutic benefit of inhibiting this elevation, we evaluated the efficacy of PDDC, the first potent, selective, orally bioavailable, and brain-penetrable nSMase2 inhibitor, in the PS19 tau transgenic AD murine model. Changes in brain ceramide and sphingomyelin levels, Tau content, histopathology, and nSMase2 target engagement were monitored, as well as changes in the number of brain-derived EVs in plasma and their Tau content. Additionally, we evaluated the ability of PDDC to impede tau propagation in a murine model where an adeno-associated virus(AAV) encoding for P301L/S320F double mutant human tau was stereotaxically-injected unilaterally into the hippocampus and the contralateral transfer to the dentate gyrus was monitored. Results Similar to human AD, PS19 mice exhibited increased brain ceramides and nSMase2 activity; both were completely normalized by PDDC treatment. PS19 mice exhibited elevated tau immunostaining, thinning of hippocampal neuronal cell layers, increased mossy fiber synaptophysin immunostaining, and glial activation, all pathologic features of human AD. PDDC treatment significantly attenuated these aberrant changes. Mouse plasma isolated from PDDC-treated PS19 mice exhibited reduced levels of neuron- and microglia-derived EVs, the former carrying lower phosphorylated Tau(pTau) levels, compared to untreated mice. In the AAV tau propagation model, PDDC normalized the tau-induced increase in brain ceramides and significantly decreased tau spreading to the contralateral side. Conclusions PDDC is a first-in-class therapeutic candidate that normalizes elevated brain ceramides and nSMase2 activity leading to the slowing of tau spread in AD mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Erden Eren
- National Institute on Aging Laboratory of Clinical Investigation
| | | | | | | | - Maja Mustapic
- National Institute on Aging Laboratory of Clinical Investigation
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11
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Yoo SW, Waheed AA, Deme P, Tohumeken S, Rais R, Smith MD, DeMarino C, Calabresi PA, Kashanchi F, Freed EO, Slusher BS, Haughey NJ. Inhibition of neutral sphingomyelinase 2 impairs HIV-1 envelope formation and substantially delays or eliminates viral rebound. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219543120. [PMID: 37406092 PMCID: PMC10334757 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219543120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although HIV-1 Gag is known to drive viral assembly and budding, the precise mechanisms by which the lipid composition of the plasma membrane is remodeled during assembly are incompletely understood. Here, we provide evidence that the sphingomyelin hydrolase neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) interacts with HIV-1 Gag and through the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin creates ceramide that is necessary for proper formation of the viral envelope and viral maturation. Inhibition or depletion of nSMase2 resulted in the production of noninfectious HIV-1 virions with incomplete Gag lattices lacking condensed conical cores. Inhibition of nSMase2 in HIV-1-infected humanized mouse models with a potent and selective inhibitor of nSMase2 termed PDDC [phenyl(R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2, 6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl) pyrrolidin-3-yl)-carbamate] produced a linear reduction in levels of HIV-1 in plasma. If undetectable plasma levels of HIV-1 were achieved with PDDC treatment, viral rebound did not occur for up to 4 wk when PDDC was discontinued. In vivo and tissue culture results suggest that PDDC selectively kills cells with actively replicating HIV-1. Collectively, this work demonstrates that nSMase2 is a critical regulator of HIV-1 replication and suggests that nSMase2 could be an important therapeutic target with the potential to kill HIV-1-infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Abdul A. Waheed
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV-1 Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Pragney Deme
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Sehmus Tohumeken
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Matthew D. Smith
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Catherine DeMarino
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA20110
| | - Peter A. Calabresi
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Fatah Kashanchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA20110
| | - Eric O. Freed
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV-1 Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21224
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Norman J. Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
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12
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Waheed AA, Zhu Y, Agostino E, Naing L, Hikichi Y, Soheilian F, Yoo SW, Song Y, Zhang P, Slusher BS, Haughey NJ, Freed EO. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 is required for HIV-1 maturation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219475120. [PMID: 37406093 PMCID: PMC10334776 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219475120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 assembly occurs at the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane (PM) in highly ordered membrane microdomains. The size and stability of membrane microdomains is regulated by activity of the sphingomyelin hydrolase neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) that is localized primarily to the inner leaflet of the PM. In this study, we demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition or depletion of nSMase2 in HIV-1-producer cells results in a block in the processing of the major viral structural polyprotein Gag and the production of morphologically aberrant, immature HIV-1 particles with severely impaired infectivity. We find that disruption of nSMase2 also severely inhibits the maturation and infectivity of other primate lentiviruses HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus, has a modest or no effect on nonprimate lentiviruses equine infectious anemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, and has no effect on the gammaretrovirus murine leukemia virus. These studies demonstrate a key role for nSMase2 in HIV-1 particle morphogenesis and maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul A. Waheed
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Yanan Zhu
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, OxfordOX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Agostino
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Lwar Naing
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Yuta Hikichi
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Ferri Soheilian
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Seung-Wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Yun Song
- Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, DidcotOX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, OxfordOX3 7BN, United Kingdom
- Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, DidcotOX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute, University of Oxford, OxfordOX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Norman J. Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Eric O. Freed
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
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13
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Extracellular vesicles: Critical bilateral communicators in periphery-brain crosstalk in central nervous system disorders. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 160:114354. [PMID: 36753954 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence shows that there is a comorbid mechanism between the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral organs. The bilateral transmission of signal molecules in periphery-brain crosstalk plays an important role in the underlying mechanism, which result from complex networks of neurohumoral circuits. Secreted by almost all cells and considered innovative information transport systems, extracellular vesicles (EVs) encapsulate and deliver nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and various other bioactive regulators. Moreover, EVs can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), they are also identified primarily as essential communicators between the periphery and the CNS. In addition to transporting molecules under physiological or pathological conditions, EVs also show novel potential in targeted drug delivery. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms implicated in the transport of EVs in crosstalk between the peripheral and the central immune systems as well as in crosstalk between the peripheral organs and the brain in CNS disorders, especially in neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and trauma. This work will help in elucidating the contributions of EVs to brain health and disorders, and promote the development of new strategies for minimally invasive treatment.
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14
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Zhang H, Shen Y, Kim IM, Liu Y, Cai J, Berman AE, Nilsson KR, Weintraub NL, Tang Y. Electrical Stimulation Increases the Secretion of Cardioprotective Extracellular Vesicles from Cardiac Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060875. [PMID: 36980214 PMCID: PMC10047597 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials have shown that electric stimulation (ELSM) using either cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) or cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) approaches is an effective treatment for patients with moderate to severe heart failure, but the mechanisms are incompletely understood. Extracellular vesicles (EV) produced by cardiac mesenchymal stem cells (C-MSC) have been reported to be cardioprotective through cell-to-cell communication. In this study, we investigated the effects of ELSM stimulation on EV secretion from C-MSCs (C-MSCELSM). We observed enhanced EV-dependent cardioprotection conferred by conditioned medium (CM) from C-MSCELSM compared to that from non-stimulated control C-MSC (C-MSCCtrl). To investigate the mechanisms of ELSM-stimulated EV secretion, we examined the protein levels of neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2), a key enzyme of the endosomal sorting complex required for EV biosynthesis. We detected a time-dependent increase in nSMase2 protein levels in C-MSCELSM compared to C-MSCCtrl. Knockdown of nSMase2 in C-MSC by siRNA significantly reduced EV secretion in C-MSCELSM and attenuated the cardioprotective effect of CM from C-MSCELSM in HL-1 cells. Taken together, our results suggest that ELSM-mediated increases in EV secretion from C-MSC enhance the cardioprotective effects of C-MSC through an EV-dependent mechanism involving nSMase2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitao Zhang
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yan Shen
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Il-man Kim
- Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 47405, USA
| | - Yutao Liu
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Jingwen Cai
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Adam E. Berman
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Kent R. Nilsson
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University/University of Georgia Partnership, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Neal L. Weintraub
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yaoliang Tang
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Correspondence:
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15
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Formation of pre-metastatic niches induced by tumor extracellular vesicles in lung metastasis. Pharmacol Res 2023; 188:106669. [PMID: 36681367 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
There are a number of malignant tumors that metastasize into the lung as one of their most common sites of dissemination. The successful infiltration of tumor cells into distant organs is the result of the cooperation between tumor cells and distant host cells. When tumor cells have not yet reached distant organs, in situ tumor cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying important biological information. In recent years, scholars have found that tumor cells-derived EVs act as the bridge between orthotopic tumors and secondary metastases by promoting the formation of a pre-metastatic niche (PMN), which plays a key role in awakening dormant circulating tumor cells and promoting tumor cell colonization. This review provides an overview of multiple routes and mechanisms underlying PMN formation induced by EVs and summaries study findings that underline a potential role of EVs in the intervention of lung PMN, both as a target or a carrier for drug design. In this review, the underlying mechanisms of EVs in lung PMN formation are highlighted as well as potential applications to lung metastasis diagnosis and treatment.
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16
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Mühle C, Kornhuber J. Characterization of a Neutral Sphingomyelinase Activity in Human Serum and Plasma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032467. [PMID: 36768790 PMCID: PMC9916453 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations of sphingolipids and their metabolizing enzymes play a role in various diseases. However, peripheral biomarkers for such changes are limited. Particularly, in the increasingly reported involvement of neutral sphingomyelinase (NSM) with four described isoforms in tissues or cells, a peripheral marker is lacking. We here describe the detection of an NSM activity in human serum and plasma samples which hydrolyses fluorescently labeled sphingomyelin to ceramide in a time- and volume-dependent manner. Reaction rates were linear up to 10 days, and serum volumes above 2 vol-% were inhibitory. Biochemical properties were different from acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) with respect to detergent specificity (sodium deoxycholate), pH profile (pH 7-9), and cation dependence: Serum NSM activity was inhibited by EDTA ≥ 1 µM and restored in EDTA-anticoagulated plasma with the addition of ≥ 100 µM Co2+. It was independent of Mg2+, the typical cofactor of cellular NSM species, and even inhibited by [Mg2+] ≥ 20 mM. Serum NSM activity was not correlated with ASM activity and was independent of sex and age in 24 healthy adults. Since human peripheral NSM activity is very low and activities in rodents are even lower or undetectable, future research should aim to increase the reaction rate and determine the source of this enzymatic activity. The established activity could serve as a future biomarker or therapeutic target in diseases affected by sphingolipid derangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Mühle
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-9131-85-44738; Fax: +49-9131-85-36381
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17
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Inhibition of Neutral Sphingomyelinase 2 by Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors Results in Decreased Release of Extracellular Vesicles by Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Attenuated Calcification. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032027. [PMID: 36768348 PMCID: PMC9916533 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular calcification (VC) is an important contributor and prognostic factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. VC is an active process mediated by the release of extracellular vesicles by vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and the enzyme neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2 or SMPD3) plays a key role. Upon activation, the enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin, thereby generating ceramide and phosphocholine. This conversion mediates the release of exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which ultimately forms the nidus for VC. nSMase2 therefore represents a drug target, the inhibition of which is thought to prevent or halt VC progression. In search of novel druglike small molecule inhibitors of nSMase2, we have used virtual ligand screening to identify potential ligands. From an in-silico collection of 48,6844 small druglike molecules, we selected 996 compounds after application of an in-house multi-step procedure combining different filtering and docking procedures. Selected compounds were functionally tested in vitro; from this, we identified 52 individual hit molecules that inhibited nSMase2 activity by more than 20% at a concentration of 150 µM. Further analysis showed that five compounds presented with IC50s lower than 2 µM. Of these, compounds ID 5728450 and ID 4011505 decreased human primary VSMC EV release and calcification in vitro. The hit molecules identified here represent new classes of nSMase2 inhibitors that may be developed into lead molecules for the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of VC.
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18
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Extracellular Vesicles as Drug Targets and Delivery Vehicles for Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122822. [PMID: 36559315 PMCID: PMC9788152 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are particles that are released from cells into the extracellular space both under pathological and normal conditions. It is now well established that cancer cells secrete more EVs compared to non-cancerous cells and that, captivatingly, several proteins that are involved in EV biogenesis and secretion are upregulated in various tumours. Recent studies have revealed that EVs facilitate the interaction between cancer cells and their microenvironment and play a substantial role in the growth of tumours. As EVs are involved in several aspects of cancer progression including angiogenesis, organotropism, pre-metastatic niche formation, fostering of metastasis, and chemoresistance, inhibiting the release of EVs from cancer and the surrounding tumour microenvironment cells has been proposed as an ideal strategy to treat cancer and associated paraneoplastic syndromes. Lately, EVs have shown immense benefits in preclinical settings as a novel drug delivery vehicle. This review provides a brief overview of the role of EVs in various hallmarks of cancer, focusing on (i) strategies to treat cancer by therapeutically targeting the release of tumour-derived EVs and (ii) EVs as valuable drug delivery vehicles. Furthermore, we also outline the drawbacks of the existing anti-cancer treatments and the future prospective of EV-based therapeutics.
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19
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Allosteric Inhibition of Neutral Sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) by DPTIP: From Antiflaviviral Activity to Deciphering Its Binding Site through In Silico Studies and Experimental Validation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213935. [PMID: 36430407 PMCID: PMC9697135 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Flavivirus comprises globally emerging and re-emerging pathogens such as Zika virus (ZIKV), Dengue virus (DENV), and West Nile virus (WNV), among others. Although some vaccines are available, there is an unmet medical need as no effective antiviral treatment has been approved for flaviviral infections. The development of host-directed antivirals (HDAs) targeting host factors that are essential for viral replication cycle offers the opportunity for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals. In the case of flaviviruses, recent studies have revealed that neutral sphingomyelinase 2, (nSMase2), involved in lipid metabolism, plays a key role in WNV and ZIKV infection. As a proof of concept, we have determined the antiviral activity of the non-competitive nSMase2 inhibitor DPTIP against WNV and ZIKV virus. DPTIP showed potent antiviral activity with EC50 values of 0.26 µM and 1.56 µM for WNV and ZIKV, respectively. In order to unravel the allosteric binding site of DPTIP in nSMase2 and the details of the interaction, computational studies have been carried out. These studies have revealed that DPTIP could block the DK switch in nSMase2. Moreover, the analysis of the residues contributing to the binding identified His463 as a crucial residue. Interestingly, the inhibitory activity of DPTIP on the H463A mutant protein supported our hypothesis. Thus, an allosteric cavity in nSMase2 has been identified that can be exploited for the development of new inhibitors with anti-flaviviral activity.
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20
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Han QF, Li WJ, Hu KS, Gao J, Zhai WL, Yang JH, Zhang SJ. Exosome biogenesis: machinery, regulation, and therapeutic implications in cancer. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:207. [PMID: 36320056 PMCID: PMC9623991 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01671-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes are well-known key mediators of intercellular communication and contribute to various physiological and pathological processes. Their biogenesis involves four key steps, including cargo sorting, MVB formation and maturation, transport of MVBs, and MVB fusion with the plasma membrane. Each process is modulated through the competition or coordination of multiple mechanisms, whereby diverse repertoires of molecular cargos are sorted into distinct subpopulations of exosomes, resulting in the high heterogeneity of exosomes. Intriguingly, cancer cells exploit various strategies, such as aberrant gene expression, posttranslational modifications, and altered signaling pathways, to regulate the biogenesis, composition, and eventually functions of exosomes to promote cancer progression. Therefore, exosome biogenesis-targeted therapy is being actively explored. In this review, we systematically summarize recent progress in understanding the machinery of exosome biogenesis and how it is regulated in the context of cancer. In particular, we highlight pharmacological targeting of exosome biogenesis as a promising cancer therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Fang Han
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China ,grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Wen-Jia Li
- grid.412536.70000 0004 1791 7851Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120 China
| | - Kai-Shun Hu
- grid.412536.70000 0004 1791 7851Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120 China
| | - Jie Gao
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China ,Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Wen-Long Zhai
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Jing-Hua Yang
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Clinical Systems Biology Key Laboratories of Henan, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Shui-Jun Zhang
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China ,grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China ,Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China ,Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
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21
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Tallon C, Bell BJ, Sharma A, Pal A, Malvankar MM, Thomas AG, Yoo SW, Hollinger KR, Coleman K, Wilkinson EL, Kannan S, Haughey NJ, Kannan RM, Rais R, Slusher BS. Dendrimer-Conjugated nSMase2 Inhibitor Reduces Tau Propagation in Mice. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:2066. [PMID: 36297501 PMCID: PMC9609094 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14102066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive accumulation of amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau), which can spread throughout the brain via extracellular vesicles (EVs). Membrane ceramide enrichment regulated by the enzyme neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) is a critical component of at least one EV biogenesis pathway. Our group recently identified 2,6-Dimethoxy-4-(5-Phenyl-4-Thiophen-2-yl-1H-Imidazol-2-yl)-Phenol (DPTIP), the most potent (30 nM) and selective inhibitor of nSMase2 reported to date. However, DPTIP exhibits poor oral pharmacokinetics (PK), modest brain penetration, and rapid clearance, limiting its clinical translation. To enhance its PK properties, we conjugated DPTIP to a hydroxyl-PAMAM dendrimer delivery system, creating dendrimer-DPTIP (D-DPTIP). In an acute brain injury model, orally administered D-DPTIP significantly reduced the intra-striatal IL-1β-induced increase in plasma EVs up to 72 h post-dose, while oral DPTIP had a limited effect. In a mouse tau propagation model, where a mutant hTau (P301L/S320F) containing adeno-associated virus was unilaterally seeded into the hippocampus, oral D-DPTIP (dosed 3× weekly) significantly inhibited brain nSMase2 activity and blocked the spread of pTau to the contralateral hippocampus. These data demonstrate that dendrimer conjugation of DPTIP improves its PK properties, resulting in significant inhibition of EV propagation of pTau in mice. Dendrimer-based delivery of DPTIP has the potential to be an exciting new therapeutic for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Bell
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Anjali Sharma
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | | | - Seung-Wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Kaleem Coleman
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Elizabeth L. Wilkinson
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Moser Center for Leukodystrophies at Kennedy Krieger, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sujatha Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy-Krieger Inc., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Norman J. Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rangaramanujam M. Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Moser Center for Leukodystrophies at Kennedy Krieger, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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22
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Pal A, Gori S, Yoo SW, Thomas AG, Wu Y, Friedman J, Tenora L, Bhasin H, Alt J, Haughey N, Slusher BS, Rais R. Discovery of Orally Bioavailable and Brain-Penetrable Prodrugs of the Potent nSMase2 Inhibitor DPTIP. J Med Chem 2022; 65:11111-11125. [PMID: 35930706 PMCID: PMC9980655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can carry pathological cargo and play an active role in disease progression. Neutral sphingomyelinase-2 (nSMase2) is a critical regulator of EV biogenesis, and its inhibition has shown protective effects in multiple disease states. 2,6-Dimethoxy-4-(5-phenyl-4-thiophen-2-yl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenol (DPTIP) is one of the most potent (IC50 = 30 nM) inhibitors of nSMase2 discovered to date. However, DPTIP exhibits poor oral pharmacokinetics (PK), limiting its clinical development. To overcome DPTIP's PK limitations, we synthesized a series of prodrugs by masking its phenolic hydroxyl group. When administered orally, the best prodrug (P18) with a 2',6'-diethyl-1,4'-bipiperidinyl promoiety exhibited >fourfold higher plasma (AUC0-t = 1047 pmol·h/mL) and brain exposures (AUC0-t = 247 pmol·h/g) versus DPTIP and a significant enhancement of DPTIP half-life (2 h vs ∼0.5 h). In a mouse model of acute brain injury, DPTIP released from P18 significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced EV release into plasma and attenuated nSMase2 activity. These studies report the discovery of a DPTIP prodrug with potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arindom Pal
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Sadakatali Gori
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Seung-wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Jacob Friedman
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Lukáš Tenora
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Harshit Bhasin
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Norman Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Departments of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Corresponding Authors: . Tel: 410-502-0497. Fax: 410-614-0659 (R.R.), . Tel: 410-614-0662. Fax: 410-614-0659 (B.S.S.)
| | - Rana Rais
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Corresponding Authors: . Tel: 410-502-0497. Fax: 410-614-0659 (R.R.), . Tel: 410-614-0662. Fax: 410-614-0659 (B.S.S.)
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23
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Zhu X, Hollinger KR, Huang Y, Borjabad A, Kim BH, Arab T, Thomas AG, Moniruzzaman M, Lovell L, Turchinovich A, Witwer KW, Volsky DJ, Haughey NJ, Slusher BS. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 inhibition attenuates extracellular vesicle release and improves neurobehavioral deficits in murine HIV. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 169:105734. [PMID: 35462006 PMCID: PMC9202342 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
People living with HIV (PLH) have significantly higher rates of cognitive impairment (CI) and major depressive disorder (MDD) versus the general population. The enzyme neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) is involved in the biogenesis of ceramide and extracellular vesicles (EVs), both of which are dysregulated in PLH, CI, and MDD. Here we evaluated EcoHIV-infected mice for behavioral abnormalities relevant to depression and cognition deficits, and assessed the behavioral and biochemical effects of nSMase2 inhibition. Mice were infected with EcoHIV and daily treatment with either vehicle or the nSMase2 inhibitor (R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl)pyrrolidin-3-yl)-carbamate (PDDC) began 3 weeks post-infection. After 2 weeks of treatment, mice were subjected to behavior tests. EcoHIV-infected mice exhibited behavioral abnormalities relevant to MDD and CI that were reversed by PDDC treatment. EcoHIV infection significantly increased cortical brain nSMase2 activity, resulting in trend changes in sphingomyelin and ceramide levels that were normalized by PDDC treatment. EcoHIV-infected mice also exhibited increased levels of brain-derived EVs and altered microRNA cargo, including miR-183-5p, miR-200c-3p, miR-200b-3p, and miR-429-3p, known to be associated with MDD and CI; all were normalized by PDDC. In conclusion, inhibition of nSMase2 represents a possible new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HIV-associated CI and MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Zhu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kristen R Hollinger
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yiyao Huang
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alejandra Borjabad
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Boe-Hyun Kim
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Tanina Arab
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mohammed Moniruzzaman
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lyndah Lovell
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrey Turchinovich
- Heidelberg Biolabs GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Cancer Genome Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kenneth W Witwer
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David J Volsky
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Norman J Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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24
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Li F, Kang X, Xin W, Li X. The Emerging Role of Extracellular Vesicle Derived From Neurons/Neurogliocytes in Central Nervous System Diseases: Novel Insights Into Ischemic Stroke. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:890698. [PMID: 35559228 PMCID: PMC9086165 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.890698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurons and neurogliocytes (oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia) are essential for maintaining homeostasis of the microenvironment in the central nervous system (CNS). These cells have been shown to support cell-cell communication via multiple mechanisms, most recently by the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Since EVs carry a variety of cargoes of nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins and mediate intercellular communication, they have been the hotspot of diagnosis and treatment. The mechanisms underlying CNS disorders include angiogenesis, autophagy, apoptosis, cell death, and inflammation, and cell-EVs have been revealed to be involved in these pathological processes. Ischemic stroke is one of the most common causes of death and disability worldwide. It results in serious neurological and physical dysfunction and even leads to heavy economic and social burdens. Although a large number of researchers have reported that EVs derived from these cells play a vital role in regulating multiple pathological mechanisms in ischemic stroke, the specific interactional relationships and mechanisms between specific cell-EVs and stroke treatment have not been clearly described. This review aims to summarize the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action of specific cell-EVs on ischemia. Additionally, this study emphasizes that these EVs are involved in stroke treatment by inhibiting and activating various signaling pathways such as ncRNAs, TGF-β1, and NF-κB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heji Hospital Affiliated Changzhi Medical College, Shanxi, China
| | - Xiaokui Kang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng People's Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Wenqiang Xin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng People's Hospital, Liaocheng, China
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25
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Millner A, Running L, Colon-Rosa N, Aga DS, Frasor J, Atilla-Gokcumen GE. Ceramide-1-Phosphate Is Involved in Therapy-Induced Senescence. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:822-828. [PMID: 35353506 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sphingolipids are key signaling lipids and their dysregulation has been associated with various cellular processes. We have previously shown significant changes in sphingolipids in therapy-induced senescence, a state of cell cycle arrest as a response to chemotherapy, including the accumulation of ceramides, and provided evidence suggesting that ceramide processing is important for this process. Herein, we conducted a focused small molecule inhibitor screen targeting the sphingolipid pathway, which highlighted a new lipid regulator of therapy-induced senescence. Among the inhibitors tested, the inhibition of ceramide kinase by NVP-231 reduced the levels of senescent cells. Ceramide kinase knockdown exhibited similar effects, strongly supporting the involvement of ceramide kinase during this process. We showed that ceramide-1-phosphate was upregulated in therapy-induced senescence and that NVP-231 reduced ceramide-1-phosphate levels in different cell line models of therapy-induced senescence. Finally, ceramide-1-phosphate addition to NVP-231-treated cells reversed the effects of NVP-231 during senescence. Overall, our results identify a previously unknown lipid player in therapy-induced senescence and highlight a potential targetable enzyme to reduce the levels of therapy-induced senescent cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec Millner
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Logan Running
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Nicole Colon-Rosa
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Cayey, 00736, Puerto Rico
| | - Diana S. Aga
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Jonna Frasor
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - G. Ekin Atilla-Gokcumen
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
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26
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Tallon C, Picciolini S, Yoo SW, Thomas AG, Pal A, Alt J, Carlomagno C, Gualerzi A, Rais R, Haughey NJ, Bedoni M, Slusher BS. Inhibition of neutral sphingomyelinase 2 reduces extracellular vesicle release from neurons, oligodendrocytes, and activated microglial cells following acute brain injury. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 194:114796. [PMID: 34678224 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are implicated in the spread of pathogenic proteinsin a growing number of neurological diseases. Given this, there is rising interest in developing inhibitors of Neutral Sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2), an enzyme critical in EV biogenesis. Our group recently discovered phenyl(R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl)pyrrolidin-3-yl)carbamate (PDDC), the first potent, selective, orally-available, and brain-penetrable nSMase2 inhibitor, capable of dose-dependently reducing EVs release in vitro and in vivo. Herein, using multiplexed Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi), we evaluated which brain cell-derived EVs were affected by PDDC following acute brain injury. Mice were fed PDDC-containing chow at doses which gave steady PDDC brain exposures exceeding its nSMase2 IC50. Mice were then administered an intra-striatal IL-1β injection and two hours later plasma and brain were collected. IL-1β injection significantly increased striatal nSMase2 activity which was completely normalized by PDDC. Using SPRi, we found that IL-1β-induced injury selectively increased plasma levels of CD171 + and PLP1 + EVs; this EV increase was normalized by PDDC. In contrast, GLAST1 + EVs were unchanged by IL-1β or PDDC. IL-1β injection selectively increased EVs released from activated versus non-activated microglia, indicated by the CD11b+/IB4 + ratio. The increase in EVs from CD11b + microglia was dramatically attenuated with PDDC. Taken together, our data demonstrate that following acute injury, brain nSMase2 activity is elevated. EVs released from neurons, oligodendrocytes, and activated microglial are increased in plasma and inhibition of nSMase2 with PDDC reduced these IL-1β-induced changes implicating nSMase2 inhibition as a therapeutic target for acute brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Silvia Picciolini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), Milan, Italy
| | - Seung-Wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Cristiano Carlomagno
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Gualerzi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), Milan, Italy
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Norman J Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Marzia Bedoni
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), Milan, Italy.
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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27
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Akeus P, Szeponik L, Langenes V, Karlsson V, Sundström P, Bexe-Lindskog E, Tallon C, Slusher BS, Quiding-Järbrink M. Regulatory T cells reduce endothelial neutral sphingomyelinase 2 to prevent T-cell migration into tumors. Eur J Immunol 2021; 51:2317-2329. [PMID: 34272885 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202149208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Endothelial cells are key regulators of transendothelial migration and their secretion of chemokines and expression of adhesion molecules facilitates lymphocyte entry into tissues. Previously, we demonstrated that Tregs can reduce transendothelial migration of T cells into tumors by decreasing endothelial CXCL10 secretion, but the mechanism by which this occurs is still not known. In this study, we aimed to define how Tregs decrease transendothelial migration into tumors. mRNA sequencing of intestinal tumor endothelial cells from Treg depleted mice identified neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) as a gene downregulated in the presence of Tregs. nSMase2 is expressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and was decreased after coculture with Tregs. Furthermore, blocking of nSMase2 activity in vitro decreased VCAM1, CX3CL1, and CXCL10 expression in HUVECs, mirroring the same decrease found in Treg cocultures. In the APCmin/+ mouse model of intestinal cancer, nSMase2 is lower in tumor endothelial cells than in unaffected small intestine and chronic treatment with a nSMase2 inhibitor suppressed the increased migration that is otherwise seen in the absence of Tregs. We conclude that nSMase2 is an important mediator in endothelial cells supporting transendothelial migration, which may be targeted by Tregs to reduce T-cell migration into tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Akeus
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Louis Szeponik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Veronica Langenes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Viktoria Karlsson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Patrik Sundström
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elinor Bexe-Lindskog
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marianne Quiding-Järbrink
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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28
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Hosseini R, Asef-Kabiri L, Yousefi H, Sarvnaz H, Salehi M, Akbari ME, Eskandari N. The roles of tumor-derived exosomes in altered differentiation, maturation and function of dendritic cells. Mol Cancer 2021; 20:83. [PMID: 34078376 PMCID: PMC8170799 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-021-01376-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) have been shown to impede anti-tumor immune responses via their immunosuppressive cargo. Since dendritic cells (DCs) are the key mediators of priming and maintenance of T cell-mediated responses; thus it is logical that the exosomes released by tumor cells can exert a dominant influence on DCs biology. This paper intends to provide a mechanistic insight into the TDEs-mediated DCs abnormalities in the tumor context. More importantly, we discuss extensively how tumor exosomes induce subversion of DCs differentiation, maturation and function in separate sections. We also briefly describe the importance of TDEs at therapeutic level to help guide future treatment options, in particular DC-based vaccination strategy, and review advances in the design and discovery of exosome inhibitors. Understanding the exosomal content and the pathways by which TDEs are responsible for immune evasion may help to revise treatment rationales and devise novel therapeutic approaches to overcome the hurdles in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Hosseini
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Leila Asef-Kabiri
- Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Yousefi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSUHSC School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA
| | - Hamzeh Sarvnaz
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Salehi
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | | | - Nahid Eskandari
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
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Zhu C, Bilousova T, Focht S, Jun M, Elias CJ, Melnik M, Chandra S, Campagna J, Cohn W, Hatami A, Spilman P, Gylys KH, John V. Pharmacological inhibition of nSMase2 reduces brain exosome release and α-synuclein pathology in a Parkinson's disease model. Mol Brain 2021; 14:70. [PMID: 33875010 PMCID: PMC8056538 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00776-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim We have previously reported that cambinol (DDL-112), a known inhibitor of neutral sphingomyelinase-2 (nSMase2), suppressed extracellular vesicle (EV)/exosome production in vitro in a cell model and reduced tau seed propagation. The enzyme nSMase2 is involved in the production of exosomes carrying proteopathic seeds and could contribute to cell-to-cell transmission of pathological protein aggregates implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Here, we performed in vivo studies to determine if DDL-112 can reduce brain EV/exosome production and proteopathic alpha synuclein (αSyn) spread in a PD mouse model. Methods The acute effects of single-dose treatment with DDL-112 on interleukin-1β-induced extracellular vesicle (EV) release in brain tissue of Thy1-αSyn PD model mice and chronic effects of 5 week DDL-112 treatment on behavioral/motor function and proteinase K-resistant αSyn aggregates in the PD model were determined. Results/discussion In the acute study, pre-treatment with DDL-112 reduced EV/exosome biogenesis and in the chronic study, treatment with DDL-112 was associated with a reduction in αSyn aggregates in the substantia nigra and improvement in motor function. Inhibition of nSMase2 thus offers a new approach to therapeutic development for neurodegenerative diseases with the potential to reduce the spread of disease-specific proteopathic proteins. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13041-021-00776-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunni Zhu
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Tina Bilousova
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.,School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Samantha Focht
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Michael Jun
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Chris Jean Elias
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Mikhail Melnik
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Sujyoti Chandra
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jesus Campagna
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Whitaker Cohn
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Asa Hatami
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Patricia Spilman
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | | | - Varghese John
- Drug Discovery Lab, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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30
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Yang S, Lim KH, Kim SH, Joo JY. Molecular landscape of long noncoding RNAs in brain disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1060-1074. [PMID: 33173194 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00947-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
According to current paradigms, various risk factors, such as genetic mutations, oxidative stress, neural network dysfunction, and abnormal protein degradation, contribute to the progression of brain disorders. Through the cooperation of gene transcripts in biological processes, the study of noncoding RNAs can lead to insights into the cause and treatment of brain disorders. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) which are longer than 200 nucleotides in length have been suggested as key factors in various brain disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests the potential of lncRNAs as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. High-throughput screening-based sequencing has been instrumental in identification of lncRNAs that demand new approaches to understanding the progression of brain disorders. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in the study of lncRNAs, and addresses the pathogenesis of brain disorders that involve lncRNAs and describes the associations of lncRNAs with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD), and neurodevelopmental disorders. We also discuss potential targets of lncRNAs and their promise as novel therapeutics and biomarkers in brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumin Yang
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Key-Hwan Lim
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hyun Kim
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Yeol Joo
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea.
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31
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Tallon C, Hollinger KR, Pal A, Bell BJ, Rais R, Tsukamoto T, Witwer KW, Haughey NJ, Slusher BS. Nipping disease in the bud: nSMase2 inhibitors as therapeutics in extracellular vesicle-mediated diseases. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:1656-1668. [PMID: 33798648 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are indispensable mediators of intercellular communication, but they can also assume a nefarious role by ferrying pathological cargo that contributes to neurological, oncological, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. The canonical pathway for generating EVs involves the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) machinery, but an alternative pathway is induced by the enrichment of lipid membrane ceramides generated by neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2). Inhibition of nSMase2 has become an attractive therapeutic strategy for inhibiting EV biogenesis, and a growing number of small-molecule nSMase2 inhibitors have shown promising therapeutic activity in preclinical disease models. This review outlines the function of EVs, their potential role in disease, the discovery and efficacy of nSMase2 inhibitors, and the path to translate these findings into therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kristen R Hollinger
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Benjamin J Bell
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kenneth W Witwer
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Norman J Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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32
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Skácel J, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T. Small Molecule Inhibitors Targeting Biosynthesis of Ceramide, the Central Hub of the Sphingolipid Network. J Med Chem 2021; 64:279-297. [PMID: 33395289 PMCID: PMC8023021 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ceramides are composed of a sphingosine and a single fatty acid connected by an amide linkage. As one of the major classes of biologically active lipids, ceramides and their upstream and downstream metabolites have been implicated in several pathological conditions including cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, microbial pathogenesis, obesity, and inflammation. Consequently, tremendous efforts have been devoted to deciphering the dynamics of metabolic pathways involved in ceramide biosynthesis. Given that several distinct enzymes can produce ceramide, different enzyme targets have been pursued depending on the underlying disease mechanism. The main objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of small molecule inhibitors reported to date for each of these ceramide-producing enzymes from a medicinal chemistry perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Skácel
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery and Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery and Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery and Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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33
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Kumar A, Kumar S. Inhibition of extracellular vesicle pathway using neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitors as a neuroprotective treatment for brain injury. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:2349-2352. [PMID: 33907005 PMCID: PMC8374560 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.313014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury is a sudden trauma or blow on the head, and severe traumatic brain injury is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. The acute and chronic consequences following traumatic brain injury can lead to progressive secondary neurodegenerative changes and cognitive dysfunction. To date, there is no effective pharmaceutical products for the treatment to reduce secondary damage after brain injury. The discovery of extracellular vesicles has attracted considerable scientific attention due to their role in cell-to-cell communication. Extracellular vesicles have shown their potential to carry not only biological molecules but also as a drug delivery vehicle. As a carrier of molecular information, extracellular vesicles have been involved in physiological functions as well as in the modulation of immune responses. Here, we aim to provide new insights into the contrasting role of extracellular vesicles in the propagation of inflammatory responses after brain injury. As a carrier of pro-inflammatory molecules, their role as functional mediators in the pathophysiology of brain injury is discussed, addressing the inhibition of the extracellular vesicle pathway as an anti-inflammatory or neuroprotective approach to improve the outcome of both acute and chronic inflammation following brain injury. Here, we summarize therapeutic strategies to diminish the risk the neurodegeneration post brain injury and propose that neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitors could be used as potentially useful therapeutic agents for the treatment of brain injury associated neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asit Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
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34
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Zhang H, Lu J, Liu J, Zhang G, Lu A. Advances in the discovery of exosome inhibitors in cancer. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2020; 35:1322-1330. [PMID: 32543905 PMCID: PMC7717571 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2020.1754814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes are small membrane vesicles released by most eukaryotic cells. They are considered to play an essential role in cell-to-cell communication, and It is also found that they serve as functional mediators in many severe diseases, including progression of various types of cancers. Inhibition of exosome release may slow the progression of some cancers; thus, exosome has been an attractive target for cancer treatment. Over the years, considerable efforts have been made to discover novel, highly potent and excellently selective exosome inhibitors. Most of these inhibitors are derived from synthetic compounds, some of which are currently existed drugs and found to have the potential to inhibit exosome release. In this review, we briefly discussed the development of exosome inhibitors that are currently discovered and provided guidance for the future development of inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huarui Zhang
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University Shenzhen Research Institute and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jun Lu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University Shenzhen Research Institute and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University Shenzhen Research Institute and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ge Zhang
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University Shenzhen Research Institute and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Aiping Lu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University Shenzhen Research Institute and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
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35
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Bilousova T, Simmons BJ, Knapp RR, Elias CJ, Campagna J, Melnik M, Chandra S, Focht S, Zhu C, Vadivel K, Jagodzinska B, Cohn W, Spilman P, Gylys KH, Garg NK, John V. Dual Neutral Sphingomyelinase-2/Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:1671-1684. [PMID: 32352753 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We report the discovery of a novel class of compounds that function as dual inhibitors of the enzymes neutral sphingomyelinase-2 (nSMase2) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Inhibition of these enzymes provides a unique strategy to suppress the propagation of tau pathology in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We describe the key SAR elements that affect relative nSMase2 and/or AChE inhibitor effects and potency, in addition to the identification of two analogs that suppress the release of tau-bearing exosomes in vitro and in vivo. Identification of these novel dual nSMase2/AChE inhibitors represents a new therapeutic approach to AD and has the potential to lead to the development of truly disease-modifying therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Bilousova
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Bryan J. Simmons
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Rachel R. Knapp
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Chris J. Elias
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Jesus Campagna
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Mikhail Melnik
- School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Sujyoti Chandra
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Samantha Focht
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Chunni Zhu
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Kanagasabai Vadivel
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Barbara Jagodzinska
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Whitaker Cohn
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Patricia Spilman
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Karen H. Gylys
- School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Neil K. Garg
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Varghese John
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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Šála M, Hollinger KR, Thomas AG, Dash RP, Tallon C, Veeravalli V, Lovell L, Kögler M, Hřebabecký H, Procházková E, Nešuta O, Donoghue A, Lam J, Rais R, Rojas C, Slusher BS, Nencka R. Novel Human Neutral Sphingomyelinase 2 Inhibitors as Potential Therapeutics for Alzheimer's Disease. J Med Chem 2020; 63:6028-6056. [PMID: 32298582 PMCID: PMC8025741 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) catalyzes the cleavage of sphingomyelin to phosphorylcholine and ceramide, an essential step in the formation and release of exosomes from cells that is critical for intracellular communication. Chronic increase of brain nSMase2 activity and related exosome release have been implicated in various pathological processes, including the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), making nSMase2 a viable therapeutic target. Recently, we identified phenyl (R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl)pyrrolidin-3-yl)carbamate 1 (PDDC), the first nSMase2 inhibitor that possesses both favorable pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, including substantial oral bioavailability, brain penetration, and significant inhibition of exosome release from the brain in vivo. Herein we demonstrate the efficacy of 1 (PDDC) in a mouse model of AD and detail extensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies with 70 analogues, unveiling several that exert similar or higher activity against nSMase2 with favorable pharmacokinetic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Šála
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Martin Kögler
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Hubert Hřebabecký
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Eliška Procházková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Nešuta
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Radim Nencka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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37
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The Effects of IL-1β on Astrocytes are Conveyed by Extracellular Vesicles and Influenced by Age. Neurochem Res 2020; 45:694-707. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-019-02937-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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38
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Cell-to-Cell Communication in Learning and Memory: From Neuro- and Glio-Transmission to Information Exchange Mediated by Extracellular Vesicles. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010266. [PMID: 31906013 PMCID: PMC6982255 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Most aspects of nervous system development and function rely on the continuous crosstalk between neurons and the variegated universe of non-neuronal cells surrounding them. The most extraordinary property of this cellular community is its ability to undergo adaptive modifications in response to environmental cues originating from inside or outside the body. Such ability, known as neuronal plasticity, allows long-lasting modifications of the strength, composition and efficacy of the connections between neurons, which constitutes the biochemical base for learning and memory. Nerve cells communicate with each other through both wiring (synaptic) and volume transmission of signals. It is by now clear that glial cells, and in particular astrocytes, also play critical roles in both modes by releasing different kinds of molecules (e.g., D-serine secreted by astrocytes). On the other hand, neurons produce factors that can regulate the activity of glial cells, including their ability to release regulatory molecules. In the last fifteen years it has been demonstrated that both neurons and glial cells release extracellular vesicles (EVs) of different kinds, both in physiologic and pathological conditions. Here we discuss the possible involvement of EVs in the events underlying learning and memory, in both physiologic and pathological conditions.
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39
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Stepanek O, Hin N, Thomas AG, Dash R, Alt J, Rais R, Rojas C, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 inhibitors based on the 4-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2,6-dialkoxyphenol scaffold. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 170:276-289. [PMID: 30921693 PMCID: PMC9850959 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2), a key enzyme in ceramide biosynthesis, is a new therapeutic target for the treatment of neurological disorders and cancer. Using 2,6-dimethoxy-4-[4-phenyl-5-(2-thienyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenol (DPTIP), our initial hit compound (IC50 = 30 nM) from nSMase2 screening efforts, as a molecular template, a series of 4-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2,6-dialkoxyphenol derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated. Systematic examination of various regions of DPTIP identified the key pharmacophore required for potent nSMase2 inhibition as well as a number of compounds with the 4-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2,6-dialkoxyphenol scaffold with similar or higher inhibitory potency against nSMase2 as compared to DPTIP. Among them, 4-(4,5-diisopropyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2,6-dimethoxyphenol (25b) was found to be metabolically stable against P450 metabolism in liver microsomes and displayed higher plasma exposure following oral administration as compared to DPTIP. Analysis of plasma samples identified an O-glucuronide as the major metabolite. Blockade of the phase II metabolism should further facilitate our efforts to identify potent nSMase2 inhibitors with desirable ADME properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondrej Stepanek
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Niyada Hin
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ranjeet Dash
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Camilo Rojas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Address correspondence to: Tel: +1-410-614-0982;
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Snider JM, Luberto C, Hannun YA. Approaches for probing and evaluating mammalian sphingolipid metabolism. Anal Biochem 2019; 575:70-86. [PMID: 30917945 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Sphingolipid metabolism plays a critical role in regulating processes that control cellular fate. This dynamic pathway can generate and degrade the central players: ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate in almost any membrane in the cell, adding an unexpected level of complexity in deciphering signaling events. While in vitro assays have been developed for most enzymes in SL metabolism, these assays are setup for optimal activity conditions and can fail to take into account regulatory components such as compartmentalization, substrate limitations, and binding partners that can affect cellular enzymatic activity. Therefore, many in-cell assays have been developed to derive results that are authentic to the cellular situation which may give context to alteration in SL mass. This review will discuss approaches for utilizing probes for mammalian in-cell assays to interrogate most enzymatic steps central to SL metabolism. The use of inhibitors in conjunction with these probes can verify the specificity of cellular assays as well as provide valuable insight into flux in the SL network. The use of inhibitors specific to each of the central sphingolipid enzymes are also discussed to assist researchers in further interrogation of these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Snider
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; The Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Chiara Luberto
- The Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Yusuf A Hannun
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; The Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; Departments of Biochemistry, Pathology and Pharmacology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
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