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Wolff AW, Peine J, Höfler J, Zurek G, Hemker C, Lingor P. SAFE-ROCK: A Phase I Trial of an Oral Application of the ROCK Inhibitor Fasudil to Assess Bioavailability, Safety, and Tolerability in Healthy Participants. CNS Drugs 2024; 38:291-302. [PMID: 38416402 PMCID: PMC10980656 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-024-01070-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The intravenous (IV) formulation of Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor fasudil has been approved for the treatment of subarachnoid haemorrhage since 1995. Additionally, fasudil has shown promising preclinical results for various chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and dementia, in which long-term intravenous (IV) administration might not be suitable. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the absolute bioavailability of oral, in comparison to IV, application of the approved formulation of fasudil (ERIL®) and to evaluate the safety and tolerability of the oral application of fasudil. METHODS This was a phase I, single-center, open-label, randomized, two period cross-over clinical trial in healthy women and men. By applying a cross-over design, each subject served as their own control. Two treatments were investigated, separated by a wash out phase of at least 3 days. Oral fasudil was administered once on day 1 to assess pharmacokinetics and three times on day 2, at an interval of 8 ± 1 h, to assess safety and gastrointestinal tolerability. For pharmacometrics of IV fasudil, it was administered once on day 1. Plasma profiles of fasudil and its active metabolite hydroxyfasudil after oral or IV administration were measured by liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Tolerability was assessed as proportion of subjects without significant drug intolerance, and safety was assessed by the proportion of subjects without clinical or laboratory treatment-associated serious adverse events. Gastrointestinal safety was assessed by applying the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS). RESULTS Fourteen subjects aged 30-70 years were included in this trial. After oral administration, fasudil concentrations in blood were mostly very low [1.4 g/L; coefficient of variation (CV) 41.0%]. After IV application, the peak concentration was 100.6 µg/L (CV 74.2%); however, a high variance in peak concentrations were assessed for both treatments. The maximal concentrations of hydroxyfasudil in blood were similar after oral and IV treatment [111.6 µg/L (CV 24.1%) and 108.4 µg/L (CV 19.7%), respectively]. Exposure of hydroxyfasudil (assessed as AUC0-tz) differed between both treatments, with 449 µg × h/L after IV treatment and 309 µg × h/L after oral treatment. Therefore, the absolute bioavailability of hydroxyfasudil after the oral treatment was approximately 69% of the IV treatment. No serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred during this trial, and good tolerability of oral fasudil (90 mg/day) was documented. CONCLUSIONS Oral fasudil was generally well tolerated in the studied population, and no safety concerns were identified. However, systemic bioavailability of oral hydroxyfasudil corresponded to 69%, and dose adjustments need to considered. The results presented here lay grounds for future trials of fasudil in chronic diseases, which require an oral long-term application. This trial was registered with EudraCT (no. 2019-001805-26).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas W Wolff
- Clinical Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Jörg Peine
- Institute for Clinical Research, AtoZ-CRO GmbH, Overath, Germany
| | | | | | - Claus Hemker
- CTC North GmbH & Co. KG at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul Lingor
- Clinical Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany.
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
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Wolff AW, Bidner H, Remane Y, Zimmer J, Aarsland D, Rascol O, Wyse RK, Hapfelmeier A, Lingor P. Protocol for a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase IIa study of the safety, tolerability, and symptomatic efficacy of the ROCK-inhibitor Fasudil in patients with Parkinson's disease (ROCK-PD). Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1308577. [PMID: 38419648 PMCID: PMC10899319 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1308577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Fasudil has shown symptomatic and disease-modifying effects in Parkinson's disease (PD) models in vitro and in vivo. In Japan, Fasudil has been approved for the treatment of subarachnoid haemorrhage since 1995 and shows a favourable safety profile. Objectives/design To investigate the safety, tolerability, and symptomatic efficacy of ROCK-inhibitor Fasudil in comparison to placebo in a randomized, national, multicenter, double-blind phase IIa study in patients with PD. Methods/analysis We plan to include 75 patients with at least 'probable' PD (MDS criteria), Hoehn and Yahr stages 1-3, and age 30-80 years in 13 German study sites. Patients must be non-fluctuating and their response to PD medication must have been stable for 6 weeks. Patients will be randomly allocated to treatment with the oral investigational medicinal product (IMP) containing either Fasudil in two dosages, or placebo, for a total of 22 days. As primary analysis, non-inferiority of low/high dose of Fasudil on the combined endpoint consisting of occurrence of intolerance and/or treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs) over 22 days will be assessed in a sequential order, starting with the lower dose. Secondary endpoints will include tolerability alone over 22 days and occurrence of treatment-related SAEs (SARs) over 22 and 50 days and will be compared on group level. Additional secondary endpoints include efficacy on motor and non-motor symptoms, measured on established scales, and will be assessed at several timepoints. Biomaterial will be collected to determine pharmacokinetics of Fasudil and its active metabolite, and to evaluate biomarkers of neurodegeneration. Ethics/registration/discussion After positive evaluation by the competent authority and the ethics committee, patient recruitment started in the 3rd quarter of 2023. ROCK-PD is registered with Eudra-CT (2021-003879-34) and clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05931575). Results of this trial can pave way for conducting extended-duration studies assessing both symptomatic efficacy and disease-modifying properties of Fasudil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas W Wolff
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Helen Bidner
- Münchner Studienzentrum (MSZ), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Yvonne Remane
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Drug Safety Center, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Janine Zimmer
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Drug Safety Center, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dag Aarsland
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Age-Related Research, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Olivier Rascol
- Clinical Investigation Center CIC1436, Departments of Clinical Pharmacology and Neurosciences, University of Toulouse 3, University Hospital of Toulouse, INSERM, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Alexander Hapfelmeier
- Institute of AI and Informatics in Medicine, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Paul Lingor
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
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Nabeh OA, Saud AI, Amin B, Khedr AS, Amr A, Faoosa AM, Esmat E, Mahmoud YM, Hatem A, Mohamed M, Osama A, Soliman YMA, Elkorashy RI, Elmorsy SA. A Systematic Review of Novel Therapies of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Am J Cardiovasc Drugs 2024; 24:39-54. [PMID: 37945977 PMCID: PMC10805839 DOI: 10.1007/s40256-023-00613-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive, cureless disease, characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance and remodeling, with subsequent ventricular dilatation and failure. New therapeutic targets are being investigated for their potential roles in improving PAH patients' symptoms and reversing pulmonary vascular pathology. METHOD We aimed to address the available knowledge from the published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the role of Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitors, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) inhibitors, estrogen inhibitors, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activators on the PAH evaluation parameters. This systematic review (SR) was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (CDR42022340658) and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. RESULTS Overall, 5092 records were screened from different database and registries; 8 RCTs that met our inclusion criteria were included. The marked difference in the study designs and the variability of the selected outcome measurement tools among the studies made performing a meta-analysis impossible. However, the main findings of this SR relate to the powerful potential of the AMPK activator and the imminent antidiabetic drug metformin, and the BMP2 inhibitor sotatercept as promising PAH-modifying therapies. There is a need for long-term studies to evaluate the effect of the ROCK inhibitor fasudil and the estrogen aromatase inhibitor anastrozole in PAH patients. The role of tacrolimus in PAH is questionable. The discrepancy in the hemodynamic and clinical parameters necessitates defining cut values to predict improvement. The differences in the PAH etiologies render the judgment of the therapeutic potential of the tested drugs challenging. CONCLUSION Metformin and sotatercept appear as promising therapeutic drugs for PAH. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION This work was registered in PROSPERO (CDR42022340658).
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Affiliation(s)
- Omnia Azmy Nabeh
- Medical Pharmacology, Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Alaa I Saud
- Kasralainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Basma Amin
- Kasralainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Alaa Amr
- Kasralainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Eshraka Esmat
- Kasralainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Aya Hatem
- Kasralainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mariam Mohamed
- Kasralainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Alaa Osama
- Kasralainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Reem Ibrahim Elkorashy
- Pulmonology, Pulmonary Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Soha Aly Elmorsy
- Medical Pharmacology, Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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Auth R, Klinger JR. Emerging pharmacotherapies for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2023; 32:1025-1042. [PMID: 37881882 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2023.2274439] [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: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and life-threatening disease. Approved treatment options currently primarily target abnormal cell signaling pathways involved in vasoconstriction and proliferation, such as those mediated by prostacyclin, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, and endothelin. AREAS COVERED Recent advancements have led to new applications and modes of delivery of currently approved PAH medications. At the same time, novel drugs targeting specific molecular pathways involved in PAH pathogenesis have been developed and are being investigated in clinical trials. This review summarizes investigational drug trials for PAH gathered from a comprehensive search using PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov between 2003 and 2023. It includes both currently approved medications studied at different doses or new administration forms and experimental drugs that have not yet been approved. EXPERT OPINION Approved treatments for PAH target imbalances in pulmonary vasoactive pathways that work primarily on enhancing pulmonary vasodilation with less salient effects on pulmonary vascular remodeling. The advent of more locally acting inhaled medications offers additional therapeutic options that may improve the ease of drug delivery and reduce adverse systemic effects. The more recent emphasis on developing and applying therapeutics that directly impact the aberrant signaling pathways implicated in PAH appears more likely to advance the treatment of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Auth
- Division of Pulmonary, Sleep and Critical Care Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - James R Klinger
- Division of Pulmonary, Sleep and Critical Care Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Abedi F, Omidkhoda N, Arasteh O, Ghavami V, Hosseinzadeh H. The Therapeutic Role of Rho Kinase Inhibitor, Fasudil, on Pulmonary Hypertension; a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Drug Res (Stuttg) 2023; 73:5-16. [PMID: 36216340 DOI: 10.1055/a-1879-3111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pathophysiological disorder, which involves multiple clinical conditions such as the upregulation of the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway. On the other hand, fasudil as a Rho kinase inhibitor has been investigated in the treatment of PH in some clinical studies. OBJECTIVES The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the human clinical trials regarding the efficacy of fasudil in the management of PH. METHODS Databases were searched with pre-defined search terms, up to December 2021. Efficacy measures were such as mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), systolic PAP (sPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), systolic vascular resistance (SVR) and cardiac index (CI). RESULTS A total of 12 studies involving 575 PH patients were included in our research. Eight short-term trials and four mid-term trials were found (no clinical trials on the long-term effects). Short-term trials had a before-after study design and measuring pulmonary hemodynamic parameters' intervention revealed a statistically significant improvement of mPAP, sPAP, PVR, SVR, and CI in the meta-analysis of five eligible studies. Three mid-term trials also revealed improvement in some pulmonary hemodynamic parameters with fasudil and in another mid-term trial, fasudil significantly decreased rehospitalization and mortality in PH patients. No serious adverse effects with fasudil were reported in these trials. CONCLUSION Fasudil therapy is efficacious and probably safe in the improvement of some hemodynamics in PH patients along short and mid-term periods. However, long-term randomized controlled trials comparing fasudil with placebo and other treatments are warranted for confirmation of these benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farshad Abedi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Navid Omidkhoda
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Omid Arasteh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Vahid Ghavami
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hossein Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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New progress in diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Cardiothorac Surg 2022; 17:216. [PMID: 36038916 PMCID: PMC9422157 DOI: 10.1186/s13019-022-01947-y] [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: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease. Although great progress has been made in its diagnosis and treatment in recent years, its mortality rate is still very significant. The pathophysiology and pathogenesis of PAH are complex and involve endothelial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, smooth muscle cell proliferation, pulmonary arteriole occlusion, antiapoptosis and pulmonary vascular remodeling. These factors will accelerate the progression of the disease, leading to poor prognosis. Therefore, accurate etiological diagnosis, treatment and prognosis judgment are particularly important. Here, we systematically review the pathophysiology, diagnosis, genetics, prognosis and treatment of PAH.
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Xiao F, Zhang R, Wang L. Inhibitors of Mitochondrial Dynamics Mediated by Dynamin-Related Protein 1 in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:913904. [PMID: 35846374 PMCID: PMC9280643 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.913904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic, lethal pulmonary disease characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling. It leads to malignant results, such as rupture of pulmonary arterial dissection, dyspnea, right heart failure, and even death. Previous studies have confirmed that one of the main pathological changes of this disease is abnormal mitochondrial dynamics, which include mitochondrial fission, fusion, and autophagy that keep a dynamic balance under certain physiological state. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), the key molecule in mitochondrial fission, mediates mitochondrial fission while also affecting mitochondrial fusion and autophagy through numerous pathways. There are various abnormalities of Drp1 in PAH pathophysiology, including Drp1 overexpression and activation as well as an upregulation of its outer mitochondrial membrane ligands. These aberrant alterations will eventually induce the development of PAH. With the process of recent studies, the structure and function of Drp1 have been gradually revealed. Meanwhile, inhibitors targeting this pathway have also been discovered. This review aims to shed more light on the mechanism of Drp1 and its inhibitors in the abnormal mitochondrial dynamics of PAH. Furthermore, it seeks to provide more novel insights to clinical therapy.
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Chen D, Yuan T, Chen Y, Zhang H, Niu Z, Fang L, Du G. DL0805-1, a novel Rho-kinase inhibitor, attenuates lung injury and vasculopathy in a rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 919:174779. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.174779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Role of the Immune System Elements in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10163757. [PMID: 34442052 PMCID: PMC8397145 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10163757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a relatively rare disease, but, today, its incidence tends to increase. The severe course of the disease and poor patient survival rate make PAH a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. For this reason, a thorough understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease is essential to facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic targets. Research shows that the development of PAH is characterized by a number of abnormalities within the immune system that greatly affect the progression of the disease. In this review, we present key data on the regulated function of immune cells, released cytokines and immunoregulatory molecules in the development of PAH, to help improve diagnosis and targeted immunotherapy.
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Ali MK, Ichimura K, Spiekerkoetter E. Promising therapeutic approaches in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 59:127-139. [PMID: 34217109 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a debilitating multifactorial disease characterized by progressive pulmonary vascular remodeling, elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance, resulting in right ventricular failure and subsequent death. Current available therapies do not reverse the disease, resulting in a persistent high morbidity and mortality. Thus, there is an urgent unmet medical need for novel effective therapies to better treat patients with PAH. Over the past few years, enthusiastic attempts have been made to identify novel effective therapies that address the essential roots of PAH with targeting key signaling pathways in both preclinical models and patients with PAH. This review aims to discuss the most emerging and promising therapeutic interventions in PAH pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Khadem Ali
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford Medical School, USA; Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Kenzo Ichimura
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford Medical School, USA; Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Edda Spiekerkoetter
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford Medical School, USA; Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
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ROCK Inhibition as Potential Target for Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071648. [PMID: 34209333 PMCID: PMC8303917 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a cardiovascular disease caused by extensive vascular remodeling in the lungs, which ultimately leads to death in consequence of right ventricle (RV) failure. While current drugs for PH therapy address the sustained vasoconstriction, no agent effectively targets vascular cell proliferation and tissue inflammation. Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCKs) emerged in the last few decades as promising targets for PH therapy, since ROCK inhibitors demonstrated significant anti-remodeling and anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, current aspects of ROCK inhibition therapy are discussed in relation to the treatment of PH and RV dysfunction, from cell biology to preclinical and clinical studies.
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Mukherjee D, Konduri GG. Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension: Definitions, Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Compr Physiol 2021; 11:2135-2190. [PMID: 34190343 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c200023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a multifactorial disease with diverse etiologies and presenting features. Pulmonary hypertension (PH), defined as elevated pulmonary artery pressure, is the presenting feature for several pulmonary vascular diseases. It is often a hidden component of other lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Alterations in lung development and genetic conditions are an important contributor to pediatric pulmonary hypertensive disease, which is a distinct entity from adult PH. Many of the causes of pediatric PH have prenatal onset with altered lung development due to maternal and fetal conditions. Since lung growth is altered in several conditions that lead to PPH, therapy for PPH includes both pulmonary vasodilators and strategies to restore lung growth. These strategies include optimal alveolar recruitment, maintaining physiologic blood gas tension, nutritional support, and addressing contributing factors, such as airway disease and gastroesophageal reflux. The outcome for infants and children with PH is highly variable and largely dependent on the underlying cause. The best outcomes are for neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) and reversible lung diseases, while some genetic conditions such as alveolar capillary dysplasia are lethal. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:2135-2190, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devashis Mukherjee
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Research Institute, Children's Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, USA
| | - Girija G Konduri
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Research Institute, Children's Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, USA
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Liu P, Huang W, Ding Y, Wu J, Liang Z, Huang Z, Xie W, Kong H. Fasudil Dichloroacetate Alleviates SU5416/Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by Ameliorating Dysfunction of Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2021; 15:1653-1666. [PMID: 33935492 PMCID: PMC8076841 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s297500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an incurable disease that urgently needs therapeutic approaches. Based on the therapeutic effects of fasudil and dichloroacetate (DCA) on PAH, we aimed to explore the effects and potential mechanism of a new salt, fasudil dichloroacetate (FDCA), in a SU5416 plus hypoxia (SuHx)-induced rat model of PAH. Methods The rat model of PAH was established by a single subcutaneous injection of SU5416 (20 mg/kg) followed by hypoxia (10% O2) exposure for 3 weeks. FDCA (15, 45, or 135 mg/kg i.g. daily) or the positive control, bosentan (100 mg/kg i.g. daily), were administered from the first day after SU5416 injection. After 3-week hypoxia, hemodynamic parameters, and histological changes of the pulmonary arterial vessels and right ventricle (RV) were assessed. Additionally, in vitro, the effects of FDCA (50 μM), compared with equimolar doses of fasudil, DCA, or fasudil+DCA, on the proliferation, migration, and contraction of human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) under hypoxia (1% O2) were evaluated. Results FDCA dose-dependently attenuated SuHx-induced PAH, with significant reductions in RV systolic pressure, pulmonary artery wall thickness, pulmonary vessel muscularization, perivascular fibrosis, as well as RV hypertrophy and fibrosis. In vitro, FDCA inhibited hypoxia-induced PASMC proliferation, migration, and contraction to a greater degree than fasudil or DCA alone by restoring mitochondrial function, reducing intracellular Ca2+, and inhibiting calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase (Ca2+/CaMK) activity as well as Rho-kinase activity. Conclusion FDCA ameliorates hypoxia-induced PASMC dysfunction by inhibiting both Ca2+/CaMK and Rho-kinase signaling pathways, as well as maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, thus alleviating SuHx-induced PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Huang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Yirui Ding
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianbing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuangzhuang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhangjian Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiping Xie
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Kong
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
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Basarici I, Özen N, Kilavuz E, Kısak F, Basrali F, Yaras N, Koksoy S, Celik ML, Ulker P. Concealed role of red blood cells in pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension: Decreased red blood cell nitric oxide generation and effect of Rho-Kinase inhibitor fasudil. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 2021; 76:535-548. [PMID: 32804118 DOI: 10.3233/ch-200892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease characterized with alterations in pulmonary vasculature yielding increased pulmonary arterial resistance. Emerging evidences suggest important regulatory roles of red blood cells (RBCs) on nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, mainly by modulating their endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) enzyme activity. OBJECTIVE The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the alterations in RBC eNOS activity and intracellular NO generation in PAH patients and the modulatory effects of Rho-Kinase (ROCK) inhibitors. METHODS RBCs were isolated from patients with PAH and age-matched healthy subjects and were analyzed for their eNOS activity and NO generation capacity under the conditions of the presence or absence of ROCK inhibitor, fasudil. Phosphotidylserine (PS) exposure was also defined. RESULTS eNOS activity and intracellular NO generation were lower in RBC from PAH patients. ROCK inhibitor increased basal eNOS activity and improved NO generation capacity of RBC of PAH patients to healthy control levels. PS exposure levels were also higher in RBC of PAH patients. CONCLUSIONS This study provides first evidences for decreased RBC eNOS activity due to its ROCK mediated negative regulation in PAH patients. Considering increased ROCK activity contribution to progression of PAH, ROCK inhibition influences NO bioavailability through RBC eNOS, in addition to endothelial eNOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Basarici
- Department of Cardiology, Medical Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Nur Özen
- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Ece Kilavuz
- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Fatih Kısak
- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Filiz Basrali
- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Nazmi Yaras
- Department of Biophysics, Medical Faculty, AkdenizUniversity, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Sadi Koksoy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical Faculty, AkdenizUniversity, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Mukadder Levent Celik
- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Health Sciences Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Pinar Ulker
- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
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15
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Ren X, Meng T, Ren X, Li X, Lu L. Fasudil alleviates acetaminophen-induced liver injury via targeting Rhoa/ROCK signal pathway. J Toxicol Sci 2021; 46:255-262. [PMID: 34078832 DOI: 10.2131/jts.46.255] [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: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Fasudil is an inhibitor of Rhoa/ROCK signaling, which is involved in anti-inflammatory and anti-injury effects. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Fasudil on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury and reveal its potential molecular mechanism. In this study, C57BL/6 J mice were divided into different groups and treated with APAP and specified dose of Fasudil. HE staining was used to detect the changes of liver pathological tissues induced by APAP. ELISA assay was performed to detected the level of related factors. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Rhoa, ROCK1, ROCK2. CD86 and CD6 were determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining detected the difference in CD86 expression. Rhoa/ROCK expression was increased in APAP-induced liver injury, and Fasudil targeted the expression of Rhoa/ROCK. Fasudil inhibits APAP-induced hepatic pathological changes and liver function injury. Fasudil inhibits the release of APAP-induced systemic inflammatory factors in liver tissue. Fasudil inhibits the activity of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation and macrophage infiltration induced by APAP in liver tissues. Fasudil alleviates APAP-induced liver injury via targeting Rhoa/ROCK signal pathway, indicating the possibility for clinical use of Fasudil in APAP-induced liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tong Meng
- Department of Orthodontics, Linyi People's Hospital, China
| | - Xingbin Ren
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Department of gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, China
| | - Lin Lu
- Qingdao University, China
- Department of gastroenterology, Linyi People's Hospital, China
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16
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Norton CE, Jernigan NL, Walker BR, Resta TC. Membrane depolarization is required for pressure-dependent pulmonary arterial tone but not enhanced vasoconstriction to endothelin-1 following chronic hypoxia. Pulm Circ 2020; 10:2045894020973559. [PMID: 33343882 PMCID: PMC7731711 DOI: 10.1177/2045894020973559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhanced vasoconstriction is increasingly identified as an important contributor to the development of pulmonary hypertension. Chronic hypoxia results in enhanced Rho kinase mediated Ca2+ sensitization contributing to pressure-dependent pulmonary arterial tone as well as augmented vasoconstriction to endothelin-1 and depolarizing stimuli. We sought to investigate the interaction between these vasoconstrictor stimuli in isolated, pressurized, pulmonary arteries. We used the K+ ionophore, valinomycin, to clamp membrane potential (Vm) to investigate the role of membrane depolarization in endothelin-1 and pressure-dependent constriction, and endothelin-1 receptor inhibitors to determine whether membrane depolarization or stretch signal through endothelin-1 receptors. Clamping Vm prevented pressure-dependent tone, but not enhanced vasoconstriction to endothelin-1 following chronic hypoxia. Furthermore, endothelin-1 receptor inhibition had no effect on either pressure-dependent tone or vasoconstriction to KCl. As Src kinases contribute to both pressure-dependent tone and enhanced endothelin-1 vasoconstriction following chronic hypoxia, we further investigated their role in depolarization-induced vasoconstriction. Inhibition of Src kinases attenuated enhanced vasoconstriction to KCl. We conclude that membrane depolarization contributes to pressure-dependent tone but not enhanced vasoconstriction to ET-1, and that Src kinases serve as upstream mediators facilitating enhanced Rho kinase-dependent vasoconstriction following chronic hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles E Norton
- Vascular Physiology Group, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Nikki L Jernigan
- Vascular Physiology Group, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Benjimen R Walker
- Vascular Physiology Group, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Thomas C Resta
- Vascular Physiology Group, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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17
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Huang W, Lan Q, Jiang L, Yan W, Tang F, Shen C, Huang H, Zhong H, Lv J, Zeng S, Li M, Mo Z, Hu B, Liang N, Chen Q, Zhang M, Xu F, Cui L. Fasudil attenuates glial cell-mediated neuroinflammation via ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways after optic nerve crush. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:8963-8973. [PMID: 33161529 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05953-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the functional role of fasudil in optic nerve crush (ONC), and further explore its possible molecular mechanism. After ONC injury, the rats were injected intraperitoneally either with fasudil or normal saline once a day until euthanized. RGCs survival was assessed by retrograde labeling with FluoroGold. Retinal glial cells activation and population changes (GFAP, iba-1) were measured by immunofluorescence. The expressions of cleaved caspase 3 and 9, p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT were detected by western blot. The levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Fasudil treatment inhibited RGCs apoptosis and reduced RGCs loss demonstrated by the decreased apoptosis-associated proteins expression and the increased fluorogold labeling of RGCs after ONC, respectively. In addition, the ONC + fasudil group compared had a significantly lower expression of GFAP and iba1 compared with the ONC group. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly reduced in the ONC + fasudil group than in the ONC group. Furthermore, the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and AKT (p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT) were obviously elevated by the fasudil treatment. Our study demonstrated that fasudil attenuated glial cell-mediated neuroinflammation by up-regulating the ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways in rats ONC models. We conclude that fasudil may be a novel treatment for traumatic optic neuropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Qianqian Lan
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Wenya Yan
- Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Fen Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Chaolan Shen
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Hui Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Haibin Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Jian Lv
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Siming Zeng
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhongxiang Mo
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Bing Hu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Ning Liang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Mingyuan Zhang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Fan Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
| | - Ling Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
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18
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Yang Y, Lin F, Xiao Z, Sun B, Wei Z, Liu B, Xue L, Xiong C. Investigational pharmacotherapy and immunotherapy of pulmonary arterial hypertension: An update. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 129:110355. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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19
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Wang L, Chitano P, Seow CY. Mechanopharmacology of Rho-kinase antagonism in airway smooth muscle and potential new therapy for asthma. Pharmacol Res 2020; 159:104995. [PMID: 32534100 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The principle of mechanopharmacology of airway smooth muscle (ASM) is based on the premise that physical agitation, such as pressure oscillation applied to an airway, is able to induce bronchodilation by reducing contractility and softening the cytoskeleton of ASM. Although the underlying mechanism is not entirely clear, there is evidence to suggest that large-amplitude stretches are able to disrupt the actomyosin interaction in the crossbridge cycle and weaken the cytoskeleton in ASM cells. Rho-kinase is known to enhance force generation and strengthen structural integrity of the cytoskeleton during smooth muscle activation and plays a key role in the maintenance of force during prolonged muscle contractions. Synergy in relaxation has been observed when the muscle is subject to oscillatory length change while Rho-kinase is pharmacologically inhibited. In this review, inhibition of Rho-kinase coupled to therapeutic pressure oscillation applied to the airways is explored as a combination treatment for asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- The Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Pasquale Chitano
- The Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chun Y Seow
- The Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Canada
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