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Oduro-Kwateng E, Ali M, Kehinde IO, Zhang Z, Soliman MES. De Novo Rational Design of Peptide-Based Protein-Protein Inhibitors (Pep-PPIs) Approach by Mapping the Interaction Motifs of the PP Interface and Physicochemical Filtration: A Case on p25-Cdk5-Mediated Neurodegenerative Diseases. J Cell Biochem 2024:e30633. [PMID: 39148280 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30633] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions, or PPIs, are a part of every biological activity and have been linked to a number of diseases, including cancer, infectious diseases, and neurological disorders. As such, targeting PPIs is considered a strategic and vital approach in the development of new medications. Nonetheless, the wide and flat contact interface makes it difficult to find small-molecule PP inhibitors. An alternative strategy would be to use the PPI interaction motifs as building blocks for the design of peptide-based inhibitors. Herein, we designed 12-mer peptide inhibitors to target p25-inducing-cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk5) hyperregulation, a PPI that has been shown to perpetuate neuroinflammation, which is one of the major causal implications of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and frontotemporal dementia. We generated a library of 5 062 500 peptide combination sequences (PCS) derived from the interaction motif of Cdk5/p25 PP interface. The 20 amino acids were differentiated into six groups, namely, hydrophobic (aliphatic), aromatic, basic, acidic, unique, and polar uncharged, on the basis of their physiochemical properties. To preserve the interaction motif necessary for ideal binding, de novo modeling of all possible peptide sequence substitutions was considered. A set of filters, backed by the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm, was then used to create a shortlisted custom peptide library that met specific bioavailability, toxicity, and therapeutic relevance, leading to a refined library of 15 PCS. A greedy algorithm and coarse-grained force field were used to predict peptide structure and folding before subsequent modeling studies. Molecular docking was performed to estimate the relative binding affinities, and out of the top hits, Pep15 was subjected to molecular dynamics simulations and binding free-energy calculations in comparison to a known peptide inhibitor with experimental data (template peptide). Interestingly, the identified peptide through our protocol, Pep15, was found to show a significantly higher binding affinity than the reference template peptide (-48.10 ± 0.23 kcal/mol and -17.53 ± 0.27 kcal/mol, respectively). In comparison to the template peptide, Pep15 was found to possess a more compact and buried surface area, tighter binding landscape, and reduced conformational variability, leading to enhanced structural and kinetic stability of the Cdk5/p25 complex. Notably, both peptide inhibitors were found to have a minimal impact on the architectural integrity of the Cdk5/p25 secondary structure. Herein, we propose Pep15 as a novel and potentially disruptive peptide drug for Cdk5/p25-mediated neurodegenerative phenotypes that require further clinical investigation. The systematic protocol and findings of this report would serve as a valuable tool in the identification of critical PPI interface reactive residues, designing of analogs, and identification of more potent peptide-based PPI inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Oduro-Kwateng
- Molecular Bio-Computation and Drug Design Research Group, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa
| | - Musab Ali
- Molecular Bio-Computation and Drug Design Research Group, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa
| | - Ibrahim Oluwatobi Kehinde
- Molecular Bio-Computation and Drug Design Research Group, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa
| | - Zhichao Zhang
- School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Mahmoud E S Soliman
- Molecular Bio-Computation and Drug Design Research Group, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa
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Pao PC, Seo J, Lee A, Kritskiy O, Patnaik D, Penney J, Raju RM, Geigenmuller U, Silva MC, Lucente DE, Gusella JF, Dickerson BC, Loon A, Yu MX, Bula M, Yu M, Haggarty SJ, Tsai LH. A Cdk5-derived peptide inhibits Cdk5/p25 activity and improves neurodegenerative phenotypes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217864120. [PMID: 37043533 PMCID: PMC10120002 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217864120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activity of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk5) has been implicated in various neurodegenerative diseases. This deleterious effect is mediated by pathological cleavage of the Cdk5 activator p35 into the truncated product p25, leading to prolonged Cdk5 activation and altered substrate specificity. Elevated p25 levels have been reported in humans and rodents with neurodegeneration, and the benefit of genetically blocking p25 production has been demonstrated previously in rodent and human neurodegenerative models. Here, we report a 12-amino-acid-long peptide fragment derived from Cdk5 (Cdk5i) that is considerably smaller than existing peptide inhibitors of Cdk5 (P5 and CIP) but shows high binding affinity toward the Cdk5/p25 complex, disrupts the interaction of Cdk5 with p25, and lowers Cdk5/p25 kinase activity. When tagged with a fluorophore (FITC) and the cell-penetrating transactivator of transcription (TAT) sequence, the Cdk5i-FT peptide exhibits cell- and brain-penetrant properties and confers protection against neurodegenerative phenotypes associated with Cdk5 hyperactivity in cell and mouse models of neurodegeneration, highlighting Cdk5i's therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Chieh Pao
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Jinsoo Seo
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute for Science and Technology, Daegu42988, South Korea
| | - Audrey Lee
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Oleg Kritskiy
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Debasis Patnaik
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Jay Penney
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Ravikiran M. Raju
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Ute Geigenmuller
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - M. Catarina Silva
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Diane E. Lucente
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
- Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Gerontology Research Unit, and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - James F. Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Bradford C. Dickerson
- Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Gerontology Research Unit, and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Anjanet Loon
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Margaret X. Yu
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Michael Bula
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Melody Yu
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Stephen J. Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
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Terse A, Amin N, Hall B, Bhaskar M, Binukumar B, Utreras E, Pareek TK, Pant H, Kulkarni AB. Protocols for Characterization of Cdk5 Kinase Activity. Curr Protoc 2021; 1:e276. [PMID: 34679246 PMCID: PMC8555461 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are generally known to be involved in controlling the cell cycle, but Cdk5 is a unique member of this protein family for being most active in post-mitotic neurons. Cdk5 is developmentally important in regulating neuronal migration, neurite outgrowth, and axon guidance. Cdk5 is enriched in synaptic membranes and is known to modulate synaptic activity. Postnatally, Cdk5 can also affect neuronal processes such as dopaminergic signaling and pain sensitivity. Dysregulated Cdk5, in contrast, has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite primarily being implicated in neuronal development and activity, Cdk5 has lately been linked to non-neuronal functions including cancer cell growth, immune responses, and diabetes. Since Cdk5 activity is tightly regulated, a method for measuring its kinase activity is needed to fully understand the precise role of Cdk5 in developmental and disease processes. This article includes methods for detecting Cdk5 kinase activity in cultured cells or tissues, identifying new substrates, and screening for new kinase inhibitors. Furthermore, since Cdk5 shares homology and substrate specificity with Cdk1 and Cdk2, the Cdk5 kinase assay can be used, with modification, to measure the activity of other Cdks as well. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA. Basic Protocol 1: Measuring Cdk5 activity from protein lysates Support Protocol 1: Immunoprecipitation of Cdk5 using Dynabeads Alternate Protocol: Non-radioactive protocols to measure Cdk5 kinase activity Support Protocol 2: Western blot analysis for the detection of Cdk5, p35, and p39 Support Protocol 3: Immunodetection analysis for Cdk5, p35, and p39 Support Protocol 4: Genetically engineered mice (+ and - controls) Basic Protocol 2: Identifying new Cdk5 substrates and kinase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Terse
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Niranjana Amin
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bradford Hall
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Manju Bhaskar
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - B.K Binukumar
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Elias Utreras
- Department of Biology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Harish Pant
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ashok B. Kulkarni
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Govindarajulu M, Pinky PD, Bloemer J, Ghanei N, Suppiramaniam V, Amin R. Signaling Mechanisms of Selective PPAR γ Modulators in Alzheimer's Disease. PPAR Res 2018; 2018:2010675. [PMID: 30420872 PMCID: PMC6215547 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2010675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease characterized by abnormal protein accumulation, synaptic dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. The continuous increase in the incidence of AD with the aged population and mortality rate indicates the urgent need for establishing novel molecular targets for therapeutic potential. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone reduce amyloid and tau pathologies, inhibit neuroinflammation, and improve memory impairments in several rodent models and in humans with mild-to-moderate AD. However, these agonists display poor blood brain barrier permeability resulting in inadequate bioavailability in the brain and thus requiring high dosing with chronic time frames. Furthermore, these dosing levels are associated with several adverse effects including increased incidence of weight gain, liver abnormalities, and heart failure. Therefore, there is a need for identifying novel compounds which target PPARγ more selectively in the brain and could provide therapeutic benefits without a high incidence of adverse effects. This review focuses on how PPARγ agonists influence various pathologies in AD with emphasis on development of novel selective PPARγ modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Govindarajulu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Priyanka D. Pinky
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Jenna Bloemer
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Nila Ghanei
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Vishnu Suppiramaniam
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Rajesh Amin
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
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Xu MX, Yu R, Shao LF, Zhang YX, Ge CX, Liu XM, Wu WY, Li JM, Kong LD. Up-regulated fractalkine (FKN) and its receptor CX3CR1 are involved in fructose-induced neuroinflammation: Suppression by curcumin. Brain Behav Immun 2016; 58:69-81. [PMID: 26765996 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that diet-induced fractalkine (FKN) stimulates neuroinflammation in animal models of obesity, yet how it occurs is unclear. This study investigated the role of FKN and it receptor, CX3CR1, in fructose-induced neuroinflammation, and examined curcumin's beneficial effect. Fructose feeding was found to induce hippocampal microglia activation with neuroinflammation through the activation of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) signaling, resulting in the reduction of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of mice. Serum FKN levels, as well as hypothalamic FKN and CX3CR1 gene expression, were significantly increased in fructose-fed mice with hypothalamic microglia activation. Hippocampal gene expression of FKN and CX3CR1 was also up-regulated at 14d and normalized at 56d in mice fed with fructose, which were consistent with the change of GFAP. Furthermore, immunostaining showed that GFAP and FKN expression was increased in cornu amonis 1, but decreased in DG in fructose-fed mice. In vitro studies showed that GFAP and FKN expression was stimulated in astrocytes, and suppressed in mixed glial cells exposed to 48h-fructose, with the continual increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, increased FKN and CX3CR1 may cause a cross-talk between activated glial cells and neurons, playing an important role in the development of neuroinflammation in fructose-fed mice. Curcumin protected against neuronal damage in hippocampal DG of fructose-fed mice by inhibiting microglia activation and suppressed FKN/CX3CR1 up-regulation in the neuronal network. These results suggest a new therapeutic approach to protect against neuronal damage associated with dietary obesity-associated neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Xuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Rong Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Li-Fei Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Yan-Xiu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Chen-Xu Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Xin-Meng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Wen-Yuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Jian-Mei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China.
| | - Ling-Dong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China.
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Corona JC, Duchen MR. PPARγ as a therapeutic target to rescue mitochondrial function in neurological disease. Free Radic Biol Med 2016; 100:153-163. [PMID: 27352979 PMCID: PMC5145801 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence for the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of many of the major neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, suggesting that mitochondrial and antioxidant pathways may represent potential novel therapeutic targets. Recent years have seen a rapidly growing interest in the use of therapeutic strategies that can limit the defects in, or even to restore, mitochondrial function while reducing free radical generation. The peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), a ligand-activated transcription factor, has a wide spectrum of biological functions, regulating mitochondrial function, mitochondrial turnover, energy metabolism, antioxidant defence and redox balance, immune responses and fatty acid oxidation. In this review, we explore the evidence for potential beneficial effects of PPARγ agonists in a number of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington's disease, ischaemia, autoimmune encephalomyelitis and neuropathic pain. We discuss the mechanisms underlying those beneficial effects in particular in relation to mitochondrial function, antioxidant defence, cell death and inflammation, and suggest that the PPARγ agonists show significant promise as therapeutic agents in otherwise intractable neurological disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Corona
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Laboratory of Neurosciences, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Michael R Duchen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
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Song N, Zhang L, Chen W, Zhu H, Deng W, Han Y, Guo J, Qin C. Cyanidin 3- O -β-glucopyranoside activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and alleviates cognitive impairment in the APP swe /PS1 ΔE9 mouse model. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2016; 1862:1786-800. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2016.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Rozas P, Lazcano P, Piña R, Cho A, Terse A, Pertusa M, Madrid R, Gonzalez-Billault C, Kulkarni AB, Utreras E. Targeted overexpression of tumor necrosis factor-α increases cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activity and TRPV1-dependent Ca2+ influx in trigeminal neurons. Pain 2016; 157:1346-1362. [PMID: 26894912 PMCID: PMC4868804 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
We reported earlier that TNF-α, a proinflammatory cytokine implicated in many inflammatory disorders causing orofacial pain, increases the activity of Cdk5, a key kinase involved in brain development and function and recently found to be involved in pain signaling. To investigate a potential mechanism underlying inflammatory pain in trigeminal ganglia (TGs), we engineered a transgenic mouse model (TNF) that can conditionally overexpresses TNF-α upon genomic recombination by Cre recombinase. TNF mice were bred with Nav1.8-Cre mouse line that expresses the Cre recombinase in sensory neurons to obtain TNF-α:Nav1.8-Cre (TNF-α cTg) mice. Although TNF-α cTg mice appeared normal without any gross phenotype, they displayed a significant increase in TNF-α levels after activation of NFκB signaling in the TG. IL-6 and MCP-1 levels were also increased along with intense immunostaining for Iba1 and GFAP in TG, indicating the presence of infiltrating macrophages and the activation of satellite glial cells. TNF-α cTg mice displayed increased trigeminal Cdk5 activity, and this increase was associated with elevated levels of phospho-T407-TRPV1 and capsaicin-evocated Ca influx in cultured trigeminal neurons. Remarkably, this effect was prevented by roscovitine, an inhibitor of Cdk5, which suggests that TNF-α overexpression induced sensitization of the TRPV1 channel. Furthermore, TNF-α cTg mice displayed more aversive behavior to noxious thermal stimulation (45°C) of the face in an operant pain assessment device as compared with control mice. In summary, TNF-α overexpression in the sensory neurons of TNF-α cTg mice results in inflammatory sensitization and increased Cdk5 activity; therefore, this mouse model would be valuable for investigating the mechanism of TNF-α involved in orofacial pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Rozas
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Pain, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory of Cellular and Neuronal Dynamics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Lazcano
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Pain, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory of Cellular and Neuronal Dynamics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ricardo Piña
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrew Cho
- Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anita Terse
- Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maria Pertusa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodolfo Madrid
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Gonzalez-Billault
- Laboratory of Cellular and Neuronal Dynamics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ashok B. Kulkarni
- Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elias Utreras
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Pain, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Therapeutic Actions of the Thiazolidinediones in Alzheimer's Disease. PPAR Res 2015; 2015:957248. [PMID: 26587016 PMCID: PMC4637502 DOI: 10.1155/2015/957248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial metabolic brain disorder characterized by protein aggregates, synaptic failure, and cognitive impairment. In the AD brain is common to observe the accumulation of senile plaques formed by amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide and the neurofibrillary tangles composed of modified tau protein, which both lead to cellular damage and progressive neurodegeneration. Currently, there is no effective therapy for AD; however several studies have shown that the treatments with the peroxisome proliferators activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) agonists known as thiazolidinedione drugs (TZDs), like rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, attenuate neurodegeneration and improve cognition in mouse models and patients with mild-to-moderate AD. Furthermore, studies on animal models have shown that TZDs inhibit neuroinflammation, facilitate amyloid-β plaque clearance, enhance mitochondrial function, improve synaptic plasticity, and, more recently, attenuate tau hyperphosphorylation. How TZDs may improve or reduce these pathologic signs of AD and what the mechanisms and the implicated pathways in which these drugs work are are questions that remain to be answered. However, in this review, we will discuss several cellular targets, in which TZDs can be acting against the neurodegeneration.
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Boulahjar R, Ouach A, Bourg S, Bonnet P, Lozach O, Meijer L, Guguen-Guillouzo C, Le Guevel R, Lazar S, Akssira M, Troin Y, Guillaumet G, Routier S. Advances in tetrahydropyrido[1,2-a]isoindolone (valmerins) series: Potent glycogen synthase kinase 3 and cyclin dependent kinase 5 inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2015; 101:274-87. [PMID: 26142492 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.06.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
An efficient synthetic strategy was developed to modulate the structure of the tetrahydropyridine isoindolone (Valmerin) skeleton. A library of more than 30 novel final structures was generated. Biological activities on CDK5 and GSK3 as well as cellular effects on cancer cell lines were measured for each novel compound. Additionally docking studies were performed to support medicinal chemistry efforts. A strong GSK3/CDK5 dual inhibitor (38, IC50 GSK3/CDK5 32/84 nM) was obtained. A set of highly selective GSK3 inhibitors was synthesized by fine-tuning structural modifications (29 IC50 GSK3/CDK5 32/320 nM). Antiproliferative effects on cells were correlated with the in vitro kinase activities and the best effects were obtained with lung and colon cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajâa Boulahjar
- Univ Orleans, CNRS UMR 7311, Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique, rue de Chartres, BP 6759, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - Aziz Ouach
- Univ Orleans, CNRS UMR 7311, Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique, rue de Chartres, BP 6759, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - Stéphane Bourg
- Univ Orleans, CNRS UMR 7311, Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique, rue de Chartres, BP 6759, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - Pascal Bonnet
- Univ Orleans, CNRS UMR 7311, Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique, rue de Chartres, BP 6759, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - Olivier Lozach
- C.N.R.S., 'Protein Phosphorylation & Human Disease' Group, USR3151, Station Biologique, BP 74, 29682 Roscoff Cedex, France
| | - Laurent Meijer
- C.N.R.S., 'Protein Phosphorylation & Human Disease' Group, USR3151, Station Biologique, BP 74, 29682 Roscoff Cedex, France
| | - Christiane Guguen-Guillouzo
- Plateforme ImPACcell-SFR BIOSIT UMS-CNRS3480 UMS-INSERM018, Université de Rennes1, 35043 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Rémy Le Guevel
- Plateforme ImPACcell-SFR BIOSIT UMS-CNRS3480 UMS-INSERM018, Université de Rennes1, 35043 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Saïd Lazar
- Laboratoire de Chimie, Bioorganique et Analytique, URAC 22 pôle Répam, Université Hassan II Mohammedia-Casablanca, BP 146, 28800 Mohammedia, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Akssira
- Laboratoire de Chimie, Bioorganique et Analytique, URAC 22 pôle Répam, Université Hassan II Mohammedia-Casablanca, BP 146, 28800 Mohammedia, Morocco
| | - Yves Troin
- Clermont Université, ENSCCF, Laboratoire de Chimie des Hétérocycles et des Glucides, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Gérald Guillaumet
- Univ Orleans, CNRS UMR 7311, Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique, rue de Chartres, BP 6759, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France.
| | - Sylvain Routier
- Univ Orleans, CNRS UMR 7311, Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique, rue de Chartres, BP 6759, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France.
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Role of PPAR γ in the Differentiation and Function of Neurons. PPAR Res 2014; 2014:768594. [PMID: 25246934 PMCID: PMC4160645 DOI: 10.1155/2014/768594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Revised: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 08/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal processes (neurites and axons) have an important role in brain cells communication and, generally, they are damaged in neurodegenerative diseases. Recent evidence has showed that the activation of PPARγ pathway promoted neuronal differentiation and axon polarity. In addition, activation of PPARγ using thiazolidinediones (TZDs) prevented neurodegeneration by reducing neuronal death, improving mitochondrial function, and decreasing neuroinflammation in neuropathic pain. In this review, we will discuss important evidence that supports a possible role of PPARγ in neuronal development, improvement of neuronal health, and pain signaling. Therefore, activation of PPARγ is a potential target with therapeutic applications against neurodegenerative disorders, brain injury, and pain regulation.
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