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Chiu YS, Wu KJ, Yu SJ, Wu KL, Wang YS, Lin J, Chu CY, Chen S, Chen H, Hsu SC, Wang Y, Chen YH. Peptide immunization against the C-terminal of alpha-synuclein reduces locomotor activity in mice overexpressing alpha-synuclein. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291927. [PMID: 37733672 PMCID: PMC10513202 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291927] [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: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) in the remaining nigra dopaminergic neurons is a common neuropathological feature found in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Antibody-based immunotherapy has been considered a potential approach for PD treatment. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of active immunization against αSyn in a mouse model of PD. Adult mice were immunized with or without a synthetic peptide containing the C-terminal residues of human αSyn and activation epitopes, followed by an intranigral injection of adeno-associated virus vectors for overexpressing human αSyn. Upon the peptide injection, αSyn-specific antibodies were raised, accompanied by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and motor deficits. Furthermore, the induction of neuroinflammation was postulated by the elevation of astroglial and microglial markers in the immunized mice. Instead of lessening αSyn toxicity, this peptide vaccine caused an increase in the pathogenic species of αSyn. Our data demonstrated the potential adverse effects of active immunization to raise antibodies against the C-terminal fragment of αSyn. This drawback highlights the need for further investigation to weigh the pros and cons of immunotherapy in PD. Applying the αSyn C-terminal peptide vaccine for PD treatment should be cautiously exercised. This study provides valuable insights into the intricate interplay among immune intervention, αSyn accumulation, and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Sung Chiu
- Department of Life Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Jen Wu
- National Health Research Institutes, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, Zhunan, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Seong-Jin Yu
- National Health Research Institutes, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Kun-Lieh Wu
- Department of Electrical Engineering of I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Syuan Wang
- National Health Research Institutes, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Jing Lin
- Department of Life Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ying Chu
- Department of Life Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Shuchun Chen
- Department of Life Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- National Health Research Institutes, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Hsi Chen
- National Health Research Institutes, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Ching Hsu
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Science, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan
- Immunology Research and Development Center, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Yun Wang
- National Health Research Institutes, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Hsiang Chen
- Department of Life Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- National Health Research Institutes, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, Zhunan, Taiwan
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Administration of AAV-Alpha Synuclein NAC Antibody Improves Locomotor Behavior in Rats Overexpressing Alpha Synuclein. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12060948. [PMID: 34205689 PMCID: PMC8233769 DOI: 10.3390/genes12060948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of α-Synuclein (αSyn) in nigral dopaminergic neurons is commonly seen in patients with Parkinson′s disease (PD). We recently reported that transduction of intracellular single-chain intrabody targeting the 53–87 amino acid residues of human αSyn by recombinant adeno associated viral vector (AAV-NAC32) downregulated αSyn protein in SH-SY5Y cells and rat brain. This study characterizes the behavioral phenotype and dopaminergic protection in animals receiving AAV-NAC32. Our results show that adult DAT-Cre rats selectively overexpress αSyn in nigra dopaminergic neurons after local administration of AAV-DIO-αSyn. These animals develop PD-like phenotype, including bradykinesia and loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in substantia nigra pars compacta dorsal tier (SNcd). An injection of AAV-NAC32 to nigra produces a selective antibody against αSyn and normalizes the behavior. AAV-NAC32 significantly increases TH, while reduces αSyn immunoreactivity in SNcd. Altogether, our data suggest that an AAV-mediated gene transfer of NAC32 antibody effectively antagonizes αSyn-mediated dopaminergic degeneration in nigra, which may be a promising therapeutic candidate for synucleinopathy or PD.
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The potential of adoptive transfer of γ9δ2 T cells to enhance blinatumomab's antitumor activity against B-cell malignancy. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12398. [PMID: 34117317 PMCID: PMC8195997 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91784-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Blinatumomab, a bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) antibody targeting CD19 and CD3ε, can redirect T cells toward CD19-positive tumor cells and has been approved to treat relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL). However, chemotherapeutic regimens can severely reduce T cells' number and cytotoxic function, leading to an inadequate response to blinatumomab treatment in patients. In addition, it was reported that a substantial portion of R/R B-ALL patients failing blinatumomab treatment had the extramedullary disease, indicating the poor ability of blinatumomab in treating extramedullary disease. In this study, we investigated whether the adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded γ9δ2 T cells could act as the effector of blinatumomab to enhance blinatumomab's antitumor activity against B-cell malignancies in vivo. Repeated infusion of blinatumomab and human γ9δ2 T cells led to more prolonged survival than that of blinatumomab or human γ9δ2 T cells alone in the mice xenografted with Raji cells. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of γ9δ2 T cells reduced tumor mass outside the bone marrow, indicating the potential of γ9δ2 T cells to eradicate the extramedullary disease. Our results suggest that the addition of γ9δ2 T cells to the blinatumomab treatment regimens could be an effective approach to enhancing blinatumomab's therapeutic efficacy. The concept of this strategy may also be applied to other antigen-specific BiTE therapies for other malignancies.
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Liu Y, Huang D, Li B, Liu W, Sooranna SR, Pan X, Huang Z, Guo J. Association between α1-antitrypsin and acute coronary syndrome. Exp Ther Med 2020; 20:119. [PMID: 33005245 PMCID: PMC7523274 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2020.9247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
α1-antitrypsin (AAT) is a protein released as part of the anti-inflammatory response. It regulates the activity of serine proteinases and has a crucial role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The present study aimed to examine its role in patients with ACS. The plasma samples of 117 patients were collected at the Cardiology Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University (Baise, China). These included 46 cases of ACS (who met the diagnostic criteria for ACS and had ≥50% luminal stenosis of any coronary vessel), 35 cases of stable angina (SA; with ≥50% luminal stenosis of any coronary vessel but in a stable condition) and 36 normal healthy controls (subjects with no luminal stenosis in their coronary arteries). Plasma AAT protein concentrations were measured by ELISA and clinical data were collected. The plasma levels of AAT protein in patients with ACS were lower than those in controls and cases of SA (P<0.05), and the levels tended to decrease with the number of coronary artery lesions involved. There were no significant associations of the expression of plasma AAT protein and the number of diseased vessels in patients or the degree of stenosis. There was no correlation between the plasma protein levels of AAT and Gensini scores of patients with ACS. In conclusion, the plasma AAT protein levels in patients with ACS may contribute to the occurrence and development of coronary artery disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China.,Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Da Huang
- Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Beilin Li
- Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Wenjing Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Suren R Sooranna
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London SW10 9NH, UK
| | - Xingshou Pan
- Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Zhaohe Huang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China.,Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Jun Guo
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
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Elmer BM, Swanson KA, Bangari DS, Piepenhagen PA, Roberts E, Taksir T, Guo L, Obinu MC, Barneoud P, Ryan S, Zhang B, Pradier L, Yang ZY, Nabel GJ. Gene delivery of a modified antibody to Aβ reduces progression of murine Alzheimer's disease. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226245. [PMID: 31887144 PMCID: PMC6936806 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) hold promise but have been limited by the inability of these proteins to migrate efficiently across the blood brain barrier (BBB). Central nervous system (CNS) gene transfer by vectors like adeno-associated virus (AAV) overcome this barrier by allowing the bodies’ own cells to produce the therapeutic protein, but previous studies using this method to target amyloid-β have shown success only with truncated single chain antibodies (Abs) lacking an Fc domain. The Fc region mediates effector function and enhances antigen clearance from the brain by neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn)-mediated reverse transcytosis and is therefore desirable to include for such treatments. Here, we show that single chain Abs fused to an Fc domain retaining FcRn binding, but lacking Fc gamma receptor (FcγR) binding, termed a silent scFv-IgG, can be expressed and released into the CNS following gene transfer with AAV. While expression of canonical IgG in the brain led to signs of neurotoxicity, this modified Ab was efficiently secreted from neuronal cells and retained target specificity. Steady state levels in the brain exceeded peak levels obtained by intravenous injection of IgG. AAV-mediated expression of this scFv-IgG reduced cortical and hippocampal plaque load in a transgenic mouse model of progressive β-amyloid plaque accumulation. These findings suggest that CNS gene delivery of a silent anti-Aβ scFv-IgG was well-tolerated, durably expressed and functional in a relevant disease model, demonstrating the potential of this modality for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradford M. Elmer
- Breakthrough Lab, Sanofi, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kurt A. Swanson
- Breakthrough Lab, Sanofi, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Dinesh S. Bangari
- Global Discovery Pathology, Sanofi, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Peter A. Piepenhagen
- Global Discovery Pathology, Sanofi, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Errin Roberts
- Global Discovery Pathology, Sanofi, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tatyana Taksir
- Global Discovery Pathology, Sanofi, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lei Guo
- Translational Sciences, Sanofi, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | | | - Susan Ryan
- Global Discovery Pathology, Sanofi, Framingham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Bailin Zhang
- Translational Sciences, Sanofi, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Zhi-Yong Yang
- Breakthrough Lab, Sanofi, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gary J. Nabel
- Breakthrough Lab, Sanofi, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Neuronal Activation Stimulates Cytomegalovirus Promoter-Driven Transgene Expression. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2019; 14:180-188. [PMID: 31380464 PMCID: PMC6661544 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early promoter has been extensively developed and exploited for transgene expression in vitro and in vivo, including human clinical trials. The CMV promoter has long been considered a stable, constitutive, and ubiquitous promoter for transgene expression. Using two different CMV-based promoters, we found an increase in CMV-driven transgene expression in the rodent brain and in primary neuronal cultures in response to methamphetamine, glutamate, kainic acid, and activation of G protein-coupled receptor signaling using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs). In contrast, promoters derived from human synapsin 1 (hSYN1) gene or elongation factor 1α (EF1α) did not exhibit altered transgene expression in response to the same neuronal stimulations. Overall, our results suggest that the long-standing assertion that the CMV promoter confers constitutive expression in neurons should be reevaluated, and future studies should empirically determine the activity of the CMV promoter in a given application.
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Development and testing of AAV-delivered single-chain variable fragments for the treatment of methamphetamine abuse. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200060. [PMID: 29958300 PMCID: PMC6025879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH) substance abuse disorders have major impact on society, yet no medications have proven successful at preventing METH relapse or cravings. Anti-METH monoclonal antibodies can reduce METH brain concentrations; however, this therapy has limitations, including the need for repeated dosing throughout the course of addiction recovery. An adeno-associated viral (AAV)-delivered DNA sequence for a single-chain variable fragment could offer long-term, continuous expression of anti-METH antibody fragments. For these studies, we injected mice via tail vein with 1 x 1012 vector genomes of two AAV8 scFv constructs and measured long-term expression of the antibody fragments. Mice expressed each scFv for at least 212 days, achieving micromolar scFv concentrations in serum. In separate experiments 21 days and 50 days after injecting mice with AAV-scFvs mice were challenged with METH in vivo. The circulating scFvs were capable of decreasing brain METH concentrations by up to 60% and sequestering METH in serum for 2 to 3 hrs. These results suggest that AAV-delivered scFv could be a promising therapy to treat methamphetamine abuse.
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