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Zhao W, Jia Z, Bauman WA, Qin Y, Peng Y, Chen Z, Cardozo CP, Wang D, Qin W. Targeted-delivery of nanomedicine-enabled methylprednisolone to injured spinal cord promotes neuroprotection and functional recovery after acute spinal cord injury in rats. NANOMEDICINE : NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOLOGY, AND MEDICINE 2024; 60:102761. [PMID: 38871068 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2024.102761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
To date, no therapy has been proven to be efficacious in fully restoring neurological functions after spinal cord injury (SCI). Systemic high-dose methylprednisolone (MP) improves neurological recovery after acute SCI in both animal and human. MP therapy remains controversial due to its modest effect on functional recovery and significant adverse effects. To overcome the limitation of MP therapy, we have developed a N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide copolymer-based MP prodrug nanomedicine (Nano-MP) that can selectively deliver MP to the SCI lesion when administered systemically in a rat model of acute SCI. Our in vivo data reveal that Nano-MP is significantly more effective than free MP in attenuating secondary injuries and neuronal apoptosis. Nano-MP is superior to free MP in improving functional recovery after acute SCI in rats. These data support Nano-MP as a promising neurotherapeutic candidate, which may provide potent neuroprotection and accelerate functional recovery with improved safety for patients with acute SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhao
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA; Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Zhenshan Jia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - William A Bauman
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Yiwen Qin
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA; GCM Grosvenor, New York, USA
| | - Yuanzhen Peng
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Zihao Chen
- Departments of Biotechnology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Christopher P Cardozo
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA; Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Dong Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
| | - Weiping Qin
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA; Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
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Siddiq MM, Toro CA, Johnson NP, Hansen J, Xiong Y, Mellado W, Tolentino RE, Johnson K, Jayaraman G, Suhail Z, Harlow L, Dai J, Beaumont KG, Sebra R, Willis DE, Cardozo CP, Iyengar R. Spinal cord injury regulates circular RNA expression in axons. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1183315. [PMID: 37692100 PMCID: PMC10483835 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1183315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Neurons transport mRNA and translational machinery to axons for local translation. After spinal cord injury (SCI), de novo translation is assumed to enable neurorepair. Knowledge of the identity of axonal mRNAs that participate in neurorepair after SCI is limited. We sought to identify and understand how axonal RNAs play a role in axonal regeneration. Methods We obtained preparations enriched in axonal mRNAs from control and SCI rats by digesting spinal cord tissue with cold-active protease (CAP). The digested samples were then centrifuged to obtain a supernatant that was used to identify mRNA expression. We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGS) after SCI and mapped them to various biological processes. We validated the DEGs by RT-qPCR and RNA-scope. Results The supernatant fraction was highly enriched for mRNA from axons. Using Gene Ontology, the second most significant pathway for all DEGs was axonogenesis. Among the DEGs was Rims2, which is predominately a circular RNA (circRNA) in the CNS. We show that Rims2 RNA within spinal cord axons is circular. We found an additional 200 putative circRNAs in the axonal-enriched fraction. Knockdown in primary rat cortical neurons of the RNA editing enzyme ADAR1, which inhibits formation of circRNAs, significantly increased axonal outgrowth and increased the expression of circRims2. Using Rims2 as a prototype we used Circular RNA Interactome to predict miRNAs that bind to circRims2 also bind to the 3'UTR of GAP-43, PTEN or CREB1, all known regulators of axonal outgrowth. Axonally-translated GAP-43 supports axonal elongation and we detect GAP-43 mRNA in the rat axons by RNAscope. Discussion By enriching for axonal RNA, we detect SCI induced DEGs, including circRNA such as Rims2. Ablation of ADAR1, the enzyme that regulates circRNA formation, promotes axonal outgrowth of cortical neurons. We developed a pathway model using Circular RNA Interactome that indicates that Rims2 through miRNAs can regulate the axonal translation GAP-43 to regulate axonal regeneration. We conclude that axonal regulatory pathways will play a role in neurorepair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa M. Siddiq
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Carlos A. Toro
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nicholas P. Johnson
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jens Hansen
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yuguang Xiong
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Rosa E. Tolentino
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kaitlin Johnson
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Gomathi Jayaraman
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zaara Suhail
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lauren Harlow
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jinye Dai
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kristin G. Beaumont
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Studies, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Icahn Genomics Institute, Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Robert Sebra
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Studies, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Icahn Genomics Institute, Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Dianna E. Willis
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, NY, United States
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christopher P. Cardozo
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ravi Iyengar
- Pharmacological Sciences and Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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Toro CA, Hansen J, Siddiq MM, Johnson K, Cao J, Pero A, Iyengar R, Cai D, Cardozo CP. Synaptojanin 1 Modulates Functional Recovery After Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury in Male Apolipoprotein E Epsilon 4 Mice. Neurotrauma Rep 2023; 4:464-477. [PMID: 37528868 PMCID: PMC10389254 DOI: 10.1089/neur.2023.0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (ApoE4) is the second most common variant of ApoE, being present in ∼14% of the population. Clinical reports identify ApoE4 as a genetic risk factor for poor outcomes after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and spinal cord diseases such as cervical myelopathy. To date, there is no intervention to promote recovery of function after SCI/spinal cord diseases that is specifically targeted at ApoE4-associated impairment. Studies in the human and mouse brain link ApoE4 to elevated levels of synaptojanin 1 (synj1), a lipid phosphatase that degrades phosphoinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) into inositol 4-monophosphate. Synj1 regulates rearrangements of the cytoskeleton as well as endocytosis and trafficking of synaptic vesicles. We report here that, as compared to ApoE3 mice, levels of synj1 messenger RNA and protein were elevated in spinal cords of healthy ApoE4 mice associated with lower PIP2 levels. Using a moderate-severity model of contusion SCI in mice, we found that genetic reduction of synj1 improved locomotor function recovery at 14 days after SCI in ApoE4 mice without altering spared white matter. Genetic reduction of synj1 did not alter locomotor recovery of ApoE3 mice after SCI. Bulk RNA sequencing revealed that at 14 days after SCI in ApoE4 mice, genetic reduction of synj1 upregulated genes involved in glutaminergic synaptic transmission just above and below the lesion. Overall, our findings provide evidence for a link between synj1 to poor outcomes after SCI in ApoE4 mice, up to 14 days post-injury, through mechanisms that may involve the function of excitatory glutaminergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A. Toro
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jens Hansen
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mustafa M. Siddiq
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kaitlin Johnson
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Jiqing Cao
- Research and Development, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Adriana Pero
- Research and Development, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ravi Iyengar
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dongming Cai
- Neurology Service, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Research and Development, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Christopher P. Cardozo
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Rehabilitative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Toro CA, Johnson K, Hansen J, Siddiq MM, Vásquez W, Zhao W, Graham ZA, Sáez JC, Iyengar R, Cardozo CP. Boldine modulates glial transcription and functional recovery in a murine model of contusion spinal cord injury. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1163436. [PMID: 37416508 PMCID: PMC10321410 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1163436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane channels such as those formed by connexins (Cx) and P2X7 receptors (P2X7R) are permeable to calcium ions and other small molecules such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and glutamate. Release of ATP and glutamate through these channels is a key mechanism driving tissue response to traumas such as spinal cord injury (SCI). Boldine, an alkaloid isolated from the Chilean boldo tree, blocks both Cx and Panx1 hemichannels (HCs). To test if boldine could improve function after SCI, boldine or vehicle was administered to treat mice with a moderate severity contusion-induced SCI. Boldine led to greater spared white matter and increased locomotor function as determined by the Basso Mouse Scale and horizontal ladder rung walk tests. Boldine treatment reduced immunostaining for markers of activated microglia (Iba1) and astrocytic (GFAP) markers while increasing that for axon growth and neuroplasticity (GAP-43). Cell culture studies demonstrated that boldine blocked glial HC, specifically Cx26 and Cx30, in cultured astrocytes and blocked calcium entry through activated P2X7R. RT-qPCR studies showed that boldine treatment reduced expression of the chemokine Ccl2, cytokine IL-6 and microglial gene CD68, while increasing expression of the neurotransmission genes Snap25 and Grin2b, and Gap-43. Bulk RNA sequencing revealed that boldine modulated a large number of genes involved in neurotransmission in spinal cord tissue just caudal from the lesion epicenter at 14 days after SCI. Numbers of genes regulated by boldine was much lower at 28 days after injury. These results indicate that boldine treatment ameliorates injury and spares tissue to increase locomotor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A. Toro
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kaitlin Johnson
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Jens Hansen
- Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mustafa M. Siddiq
- Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Walter Vásquez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario De Neurociencia De Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Wei Zhao
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zachary A. Graham
- Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Pensacola, FL, United States
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Research Service, Birmingham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Juan C. Sáez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario De Neurociencia De Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Ravi Iyengar
- Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christopher P. Cardozo
- Spinal Cord Damage Research Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Rehabilitative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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Toro CA, Johnson K, Hansen J, Siddiq MM, Vásquez W, Zhao W, Graham ZA, Sáez JC, Iyengar R, Cardozo CP. Boldine modulates glial transcription and functional recovery in a murine model of contusion spinal cord injury. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.15.528337. [PMID: 36824813 PMCID: PMC9949031 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.15.528337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Membrane channels such as connexins (Cx), pannexins (Panx) and P2X 7 receptors (P2X 7 R) are permeable to calcium ions and other small molecules such as ATP and glutamate. Release of ATP and glutamate through these channels is a key mechanism driving tissue response to traumas such as spinal cord injury (SCI). Boldine, an alkaloid isolated from the Chilean boldo tree, blocks both Cx hemichannels (HC) and Panx. To test if boldine could improve function after SCI, boldine or vehicle was administered to treat mice with a moderate severity contusion-induced SCI. Boldine led to greater spared white matter and increased locomotor function as determined by the Basso Mouse Scale and horizontal ladder rung walk tests. Boldine treatment reduced immunostaining for markers of activated microglia (Iba1) and astrocytic (GFAP) markers while increasing that for axon growth and neuroplasticity (GAP-43). Cell culture studies demonstrated that boldine blocked glial HC, specifically Cx26 and Cx30, in cultured astrocytes and blocked calcium entry through activated P2X 7 R. RT-qPCR studies showed that boldine treatment reduced expression of the chemokine Ccl2, cytokine IL-6 and microglial gene CD68, while increasing expression of the neurotransmission genes Snap25 and Grin2b, and Gap-43. Bulk RNA sequencing (of the spinal cord revealed that boldine modulated a large number of genes involved in neurotransmission in in spinal cord tissue just below the lesion epicenter at 14 days after SCI. Numbers of genes regulated by boldine was much lower at 28 days after injury. These results indicate that boldine treatment ameliorates injury and spares tissue to increase locomotor function.
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