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Goswami DG, Singh SK, Okoyeocha EOM, Roney AK, Madadgar O, Tuttle R, Sosna W, Anantharam P, Croutch CR, Agarwal R, Tewari-Singh N. Dermal Exposure to Vesicating Nettle Agent Phosgene Oxime: Clinically Relevant Biomarkers and Skin Injury Progression in Murine Models. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2024; 388:536-545. [PMID: 37652710 PMCID: PMC10801780 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.001718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosgene oxime (CX), categorized as a vesicating chemical threat agent, causes effects that resemble an urticant or nettle agent. CX is an emerging potential threat agent that can be deployed alone or with other chemical threat agents to enhance their toxic effects. Studies on CX-induced skin toxicity, injury progression, and related biomarkers are largely unknown. To study the physiologic changes, skin clinical lesions and their progression, skin exposure of SKH-1 and C57BL/6 mice was carried out with vapor from 10 μl CX for 0.5-minute or 1.0-minute durations using a designed exposure system for consistent CX vapor exposure. One-minute exposure caused sharp (SKH-1) or sustained (C57BL/6) decrease in respiratory and heart rate, leading to mortality in both mouse strains. Both exposures caused immediate blanching, erythema with erythematous ring (wheel) and edema, and an increase in skin bifold thickness. Necrosis was also observed in the 0.5-minute CX exposure group. Both mouse strains showed comparative skin clinical lesions upon CX exposure; however, skin bifold thickness and erythema remained elevated up to 14 days postexposure in SKH-1 mice but not in C57BL/6 mice. Our data suggest that CX causes immediate changes in the physiologic parameters and gross skin lesions resembling urticaria, which could involve mast cell activation and intense systemic toxicity. This novel study recorded and compared the progression of skin injury to establish clinical biomarkers of CX dermal exposure in both the sexes of two murine strains relevant for skin and systemic injury studies and therapeutic target identification. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Phosgene oxime (CX), categorized as a vesicating agent, is considered as a potent chemical weapon and is of high military and terrorist threat interest since it produces rapid onset of severe injury as an urticant. However, biomarkers of clinical relevance related to its toxicity and injury progression are not studied. Data from this study provide useful clinical markers of CX skin toxicity in mouse models using a reliable CX exposure system for future mechanistic and efficacy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Satyendra K Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Ebenezar O M Okoyeocha
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Andrew K Roney
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Omid Madadgar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Rick Tuttle
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - William Sosna
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Poojya Anantharam
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Claire R Croutch
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Rajesh Agarwal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.G.G., E.O.M.O., A.K.R., O.M., N.T.-S.) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (S.K.S.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri (R.T., W.S., P.A., C.R.C.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (R.A.)
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Mishra N, Kant R, Goswami DG, Petrash JM, Agarwal C, Tewari-Singh N, Agarwal R. Metabolomics for identifying pathways involved in vesicating agent lewisite-induced corneal injury. Exp Eye Res 2023; 236:109672. [PMID: 37797797 PMCID: PMC10843384 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Lewisite (LEW) is an arsenical vesicant that can be a potentially dangerous chemical warfare agent (CWA). Eyes are particularly susceptible to vesicant induced injuries and ocular LEW exposure can act swiftly, causing burning of eyes, edema, inflammation, cell death and even blindness. In our previous studies, we developed a LEW exposure-induced corneal injury model in rabbit and showed increased inflammation, neovascularization, cell death, and structural damage to rabbit corneas upon LEW exposure. In the present study, we further assessed the metabolomic changes to delineate the possible mechanisms underlying the LEW-induced corneal injuries. This information is vital and could help in the development of effective targeted therapies against ocular LEW injuries. Thus, the metabolomic changes associated with LEW exposures in rabbit corneas were assessed as a function of time, to delineate pathways from molecular perturbations at the genomic and proteomic levels. New Zealand white rabbit corneas (n = 3-6) were exposed to LEW vapor (0.2 mg/L; flow rate: 300 ml/min) for 2.5 min (short exposure; low dose) or 7.5 min (long-exposure; high dose) and then collected at 1, 3, 7, or 14 days post LEW exposure. Samples were prepared using the automated MicroLab STAR® system, and proteins precipitated to recover the chemically diverse metabolites. Metabolomic analysis was carried out by reverse phase UPLC-MS/MS and gas chromatography (GC)-MS. The data obtained were analyzed using Metabolon's software. The results showed that LEW exposures at high doses were more toxic, particularly at the day 7 post exposure time point. LEW exposure was shown to dysregulate metabolites associated with all the integral functions of the cornea and cause increased inflammation and immune response, as well as generate oxidative stress. Additionally, all important metabolic functions of the cells were also affected: lipid and nucleotide metabolism, and energetics. The high dose LEW exposures were more toxic, particularly at day 7 post LEW exposure (>10-fold increased levels of histamine, quinolinate, N-acetyl-β-alanine, GMP, and UPM). LEW exposure dysregulated integral functions of the cornea, caused inflammation and heightened immune response, and generated oxidative stress. Lipid and nucleotide metabolism, and energetics were also affected. The novel information about altered metabolic profile of rabbit cornea following LEW exposure could assist in delineating complex molecular events; thus, aid in identifying therapeutic targets to effectively ameliorate ocular trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Mishra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rama Kant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - J Mark Petrash
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Chapla Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rajesh Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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Ebenezar OO, Roney A, Goswami DG, Petrash JM, Sledge D, Komáromy AM, Liby KT, Tewari-Singh N. Ocular injury progression and cornea histopathology from chloropicrin vapor exposure: Relevant clinical biomarkers in mice. Exp Eye Res 2023; 230:109440. [PMID: 36933694 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Ocular tissue is highly sensitive to chemical exposures. Chloropicrin (CP), a choking agent employed during World War I and currently a popular pesticide and fumigating agent, is a potential chemical threat agent. Accidental, occupational, or intentional exposure to CP results in severe ocular injury, especially to the cornea; however, studies on ocular injury progression and underlying mechanisms in a relevant in vivo animal model are lacking. This has impaired the development of effective therapies to treat the acute and long-term ocular toxicity of CP. To study the in vivo clinical and biological effects of CP ocular exposure, we tested different CP exposure doses and durations in mice. These exposures will aid in the study of acute ocular injury and its progression as well as identify a moderate dose to develop a relevant rodent ocular injury model with CP. The left eyes of male BALB/c mice were exposed to CP (20% CP for 0.5 or 1 min or 10% CP for 1 min) using a vapor cap, with the right eyes serving as controls. Injury progression was evaluated for 25 days post-exposure. CP-exposure caused a significant corneal ulceration and eyelid swelling which resolved by day 14 post exposure. In addition, CP-exposure caused significant corneal opacity and neovascularization. Development of hydrops (severe corneal edema with corneal bullae) and hyphema (blood accumulation in the anterior chamber) was observed as advanced CP effects. Mice were euthanized at day 25 post-CP-exposure, and the eyes were harvested to further study the corneal injury. Histopathological analyses showed a significant CP-induced decrease in corneal epithelial thickness and increased stromal thickness with more pronounced damage, including stromal fibrosis, edema, neovascularization, trapped epithelial cells, anterior and posterior synechiae, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Loss of the corneal endothelial cells and Descemet's membrane could be associated with the CP-induced corneal edema and hydrops which could lead to long term term pathological conditions. Although exposure to 20% CP for 1 min caused more eyelid swelling, ulceration, and hyphema, similar effects were observed with all CP exposures. These novel findings following CP ocular exposure in a mouse model outline the corneal histopathologic changes that associate with the continuing ocular clinical effects. The data are useful in designing further studies to identify and correlate the clinical and biological markers of CP ocular injury progression with acute and long-term toxic effects on cornea and other ocular tissues. We take a crucial step towards CP ocular injury model development and in pathophysiological studies to identify molecular targets for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Okoyeocha Om Ebenezar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Andrew Roney
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - J Mark Petrash
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Dodd Sledge
- Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - András M Komáromy
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Karen T Liby
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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Cruz-Hernandez A, Roney A, Goswami DG, Tewari-Singh N, Brown JM. A review of chemical warfare agents linked to respiratory and neurological effects experienced in Gulf War Illness. Inhal Toxicol 2022; 34:412-432. [PMID: 36394251 PMCID: PMC9832991 DOI: 10.1080/08958378.2022.2147257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Over 40% of veterans from the Persian Gulf War (GW) (1990-1991) suffer from Gulf War Illness (GWI). Thirty years since the GW, the exposure and mechanism contributing to GWI remain unclear. One possible exposure that has been attributed to GWI are chemical warfare agents (CWAs). While there are treatments for isolated symptoms of GWI, the number of respiratory and cognitive/neurological issues continues to rise with minimum treatment options. This issue does not only affect veterans of the GW, importantly these chronic multisymptom illnesses (CMIs) are also growing amongst veterans who have served in the Afghanistan-Iraq war. What both wars have in common are their regions and inhaled exposures. In this review, we will describe the CWA exposures, such as sarin, cyclosarin, and mustard gas in both wars and discuss the various respiratory and neurocognitive issues experienced by veterans. We will bridge the respiratory and neurological symptoms experienced to the various potential mechanisms described for each CWA provided with the most up-to-date models and hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Cruz-Hernandez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Andrew Roney
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jared M Brown
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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Abou-Fadel J, Jiang X, Padarti A, Goswami DG, Smith M, Grajeda B, Bhalli M, Le A, Walker WE, Zhang J. mPR-Specific Actions Influence Maintenance of the Blood–Brain Barrier (BBB). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179684. [PMID: 36077089 PMCID: PMC9456378 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are characterized by abnormally dilated intracranial microvascular sinusoids that result in increased susceptibility to hemorrhagic stroke. It has been demonstrated that three CCM proteins (CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3) form the CCM signaling complex (CSC) to mediate angiogenic signaling. Disruption of the CSC will result in hemorrhagic CCMs, a consequence of compromised blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity. Due to their characteristically incomplete penetrance, the majority of CCM mutation carriers (presumed CCM patients) are largely asymptomatic, but when symptoms occur, the disease has typically reached a clinical stage of focal hemorrhage with irreversible brain damage. We recently reported that the CSC couples both classic (nuclear; nPRs) and nonclassic (membrane; mPRs) progesterone (PRG)-receptors-mediated signaling within the CSC-mPRs-PRG (CmP) signaling network in nPR(−) breast cancer cells. In this report, we demonstrate that depletion of any of the three CCM genes or treatment with mPR-specific PRG actions (PRG/mifepristone) results in the disruption of the CmP signaling network, leading to increased permeability in the nPR(−) endothelial cells (ECs) monolayer in vitro. Finally, utilizing our in vivo hemizygous Ccm mutant mice models, we demonstrate that depletion of any of the three CCM genes, in combination with mPR-specific PRG actions, is also capable of leading to defective homeostasis of PRG in vivo and subsequent BBB disruption, allowing us to identify a specific panel of etiological blood biomarkers associated with BBB disruption. To our knowledge, this is the first report detailing the etiology to predict the occurrence of a disrupted BBB, an indication of early hemorrhagic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnathan Abou-Fadel
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Xiaoting Jiang
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Akhil Padarti
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Dinesh G. Goswami
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Mark Smith
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Brian Grajeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79902, USA
| | - Muaz Bhalli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Alexander Le
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Wendy E. Walker
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-915-215-4197
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Goswami DG, Singh SK, Madadgar O, Croutch CR, Noland EL, Brown J, Agarwal R, Tewari‐Singh N. Mechanism of Phosgene Oxime Induced Skin Toxicity in C57BL/6 Mouse Model. FASEB J 2022. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.s1.r4790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Omid Madadgar
- Pharmacology and ToxicologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI
| | | | - Erica L. Noland
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic InvestigationMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI
| | - Jared Brown
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of Colorado DenverAuroraCO
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Goswami DG, Mishra N, Kant R, Agarwal C, Ammar DA, Petrash JM, Tewari-Singh N, Agarwal R. Effect of dexamethasone treatment at variable therapeutic windows in reversing nitrogen mustard-induced corneal injuries in rabbit ocular in vivo model. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2022; 437:115904. [PMID: 35108561 PMCID: PMC8849585 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.115904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Nitrogen mustard (NM) is an analogue of the potent vesicating agent sulfur mustard, with well-established ocular injury models in rabbit eyes to study vesicant-induced ocular toxicity. The effects of NM-exposure to eyes may include irritation, redness, inflammation, fibrosis, epithelial degradation, blurred vision, partial/complete blindness, which may be temporary or permanent, depending on the route, duration, and dosage of exposure. Effective countermeasures against vesicant exposure are presently not available and are warranted in case of any terrorist activity or accidental leakage from stockpiles. Herein, our focus was to evaluate whether dexamethasone (DEX), an FDA approved potent corticosteroid with documented anti-inflammatory activities, could be an effective treatment modality. Accordingly, utilizing NM-induced corneal injuries in rabbit ocular in vivo model, we examined and compared the efficacy of DEX treatments when administration was started at early (2 h), intermediate (4 h), and late (6 h) therapeutic windows of intervention after NM-exposure and administered every 8 h thereafter. The effects of NM-exposure and DEX treatments were evaluated on clinical (corneal opacity, ulceration, and neovascularization), biological (epithelial thickness, epithelial-stromal separation, blood vessels density, and inflammatory cell and keratocyte counts) and molecular (COX-2 and VEGF expression) parameters, at day 1, 3, 7 and 14. Results indicated that DEX treatment markedly and effectively reversed the NM-induced injury markers in rabbit corneas. Early administration of DEX at 2 h was found to be most effective in reversing NM-induced corneal injuries, followed by DEX 4 h and DEX 6 h administration initiation, indicating that DEX has best efficacy at the early therapeutic window in our study model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G. Goswami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Neha Mishra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Rama Kant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Chapla Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - David A. Ammar
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - J. Mark Petrash
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Rajesh Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.
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Goswami DG, Rubio AJ, Mata J, Munoz S, Gallegos A, Walker WE. Large Peritoneal Macrophages and Transitional Premonocytes Promote Survival during Abdominal Sepsis. Immunohorizons 2021; 5:994-1007. [PMID: 34965966 DOI: 10.4049/immunohorizons.2100086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Monocytes and macrophages are early sentinels of infection. The peritoneum contains two resident populations: large and small peritoneal macrophages (LPMs and SPMs). While LPMs self-renew, circulating monocytes enter the peritoneum and differentiate into SPMs. We lack information on the dynamics of monocyte-macrophage trafficking during abdominal sepsis, reflecting an important knowledge gap. In this study, we characterize the presence of LPMs, SPMs, and monocytes in the peritoneum of mice following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis and sham surgery. LPMs rapidly disappeared from the peritoneum and were scarce at 18-66 h after CLP or sham surgery. By 14 d, LPMs returned for sham mice, but they remained scarce in CLP mice. Depletion of LPMs from the peritoneum of CD11b-DTR mice greatly increased animal mortality. These data imply that LPMs are critical for sepsis survival. Monocytes rapidly infiltrated the peritoneum and were abundant at 18-66 h after CLP or sham surgery. Surprisingly, SPMs only increased at 14 d post-CLP. Therefore, monocytes may defend hosts from acute sepsis mortality without generating SPMs. More monocytes were present in mice predicted to survive sepsis versus mice predicted to die. However, altering monocyte numbers via CCR2 deficiency or adoptive transfer did not significantly affect animal survival. We reasoned that animals destined to survive sepsis may exhibit a different monocyte phenotype, rather than merely enhanced numbers. Indeed, mice predicted to survive possessed more CD31+, CXCR4hi transitional premonocytes in their abdomen. Inhibition of CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling via AMD3100 exacerbated sepsis. These data imply that recruitment of transitional premonocytes to the abdomen promotes sepsis survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX
| | - Andres J Rubio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX.,Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX; and.,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX
| | - Jenna Mata
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX
| | - Soraida Munoz
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX
| | - Alejandra Gallegos
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX
| | - Wendy E Walker
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX; .,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX
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9
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Abstract
Purpose Sepsis is a leading cause of hospital admissions and deaths. Older adults (>65 years) are particularly susceptible to sepsis and experience higher morbidity and mortality rates than younger people. We previously showed that interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) contributes to sepsis pathogenesis in young mice subject to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). In this study, we investigated if IRF3 contributes to sepsis in the context of aging. Methods Sepsis was induced in aged wild-type (WT) and IRF3-knock-out (KO) mice, using a clinically-relevant CLP-sepsis model including fluids and antibiotics. Animal survival, disease score and hypothermia were evaluated as indicators of sepsis pathogenesis. Serum cytokines and serum enzymes indicative of organ damage were also measured. Results Aged WT mice were highly susceptible to sepsis (90% mortality). In comparison, aged IRF3-KO mice were significantly protected (20% mortality). Aged IRF3-KO mice showed a lower disease score and reduced hypothermia following CLP, compared to WT mice. Serum cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12/23p40 and macrophage chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and creatinine kinase (CK) were lower in aged IRF3-KO septic mice compared to WT counterparts. Aged male mice were found to be more susceptible to sepsis compared to females. Female mice, however, produced higher levels of serum cytokines and CK. Conclusion These results demonstrate that IRF3 plays a detrimental role in sepsis in aged mice and highlight the impact of biological sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G Goswami
- Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Wendy E Walker
- Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
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10
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Goswami DG, Mishra N, Kant R, Agarwal C, Croutch CR, Enzenauer RW, Petrash MJ, Tewari-Singh N, Agarwal R. Pathophysiology and inflammatory biomarkers of sulfur mustard-induced corneal injury in rabbits. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258503. [PMID: 34637469 PMCID: PMC8509852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfur mustard (SM) is a cytotoxic, vesicating, chemical warfare agent, first used in 1917; corneas are particularly vulnerable to SM exposure. They may develop inflammation, ulceration, neovascularization (NV), impaired vision, and partial/complete blindness depending upon the concentration of SM, exposure duration, and bio-physiological conditions of the eyes. Comprehensive in vivo studies have established ocular structural alterations, opacity, NV, and inflammation upon short durations (<4 min) of SM exposure. In this study, detailed analyses of histopathological alterations in corneal structure, keratocytes, inflammatory cells, blood vessels, and expressions of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and cytokines were performed in New Zealand white rabbits, in a time-dependent manner till 28 days, post longer durations (5 and 7 min) of ocular SM exposure to establish quantifiable endpoints of injury and healing. Results indicated that SM exposure led to duration-dependent increases in corneal thickness, opacity, ulceration, epithelial-stromal separation, and epithelial degradation. Significant increases in NV, keratocyte death, blood vessels, and inflammatory markers (COX-2, MMP-9, VEGF, and interleukin-8) were also observed for both exposure durations compared to the controls. Collectively, these findings would benefit in temporal delineation of mechanisms underlying SM-induced corneal toxicity and provide models for testing therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G. Goswami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Neha Mishra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Rama Kant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Chapla Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Claire R. Croutch
- Medical Countermeasures Division, MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Robert W. Enzenauer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Mark J. Petrash
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Rajesh Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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11
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Singh SK, Goswami DG, Wright HN, Kant R, Ali IA, Braucher LN, Klein JA, Godziela MG, Ammar DA, Pate KM, Tewari-Singh N. Effect of supersaturated oxygen emulsion treatment on chloropicrin-induced chemical injury in ex vivo rabbit cornea. Toxicol Lett 2021; 349:124-133. [PMID: 34153409 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2021.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
With a possibility for the use of chemical weapons in battlefield or in terrorist activities, effective therapies against the devastating ocular injuries, from their exposure, are needed. Oxygen plays a vital role in ocular tissue preservation and wound repair. We tested the efficacy of supersaturated oxygen emulsion (SSOE) in reducing ex vivo corneal and keratocyte injury from chloropicrin (CP). CP, currently used as a pesticide, is a chemical threat agent like the vesicating mustard agents and causes severe corneal injury. Since our previous study in human corneal epithelial cells showed the treatment potential of SSOE (55 %), we further tested its efficacy in an ex vivo CP-induced rabbit corneal injury model. Corneas were exposed to CP (700 nmol) for 2 h, washed and cultured with or without SSOE for 24 h or 96 h. At 96 h post CP exposure, SSOE treatment presented a healing tendency of the corneal epithelial layer, and abrogated the CP-induced epithelial apoptotic cell death. SSOE treatment also reduced the CP induced DNA damage (H2A.X phosphorylation) and inflammatory markers (e.g. MMP9, IL-21, MIP-1β, TNFα). Further examination of the treatment efficacy of SSOE alone or in combination with other therapies in in vivo cornea injury models for CP and vesicants, is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satyendra K Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Dinesh G Goswami
- University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12850 E. Montview Blvd., Aurora, CO, 80045, United States
| | - Holly N Wright
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Rama Kant
- University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12850 E. Montview Blvd., Aurora, CO, 80045, United States
| | - Izza A Ali
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Leah N Braucher
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Joshua A Klein
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Madeline G Godziela
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - David A Ammar
- University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12850 E. Montview Blvd., Aurora, CO, 80045, United States
| | | | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States.
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12
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Pate KM, Goswami DG, Lake M, Lake S, Kant R, Ammar D, Tewari-Singh N. A Supersaturated Oxygen Emulsion for the Topical Treatment of Ocular Trauma. Mil Med 2021; 185:e466-e472. [PMID: 31865377 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usz337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Roughly 13% of all battlefield injuries include some form of ocular trauma. Ocular tissue preservation is critical for wound healing for warfighters with ocular injuries. Our team hypothesized that oxygen plays a vital role in ocular tissue preservation and wound healing and has developed a supersaturated oxygen emulsion (SOE) for the topical treatment of ocular trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS The partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) was measured in the SOE. Safety and efficacy studies were carried out in primary human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells, as the outermost layer is the first barrier to chemical and mechanical injury. Western blot, scratch assay, and MTT assays were conducted to determine the effect of the SOE on various molecular markers, the rate of scratch closure, and cellular viability, respectively. RESULTS Data indicate that the SOE releases oxygen in a time-dependent manner, reaching a partial pressure within the emulsion over four times atmospheric levels. Studies in HCE cells indicate that application of the SOE does not lead to DNA damage, promote cell death, or hinder the rate of scratch closure and enhances cellular viability. Preliminary studies were carried out with chloropicrin (CP; developed as a chemical warfare agent and now a commonly used pesticide) as a chemical agent to induce ocular injury in HCE cells. CP exposures showed that SOE treatment reverses CP-induced DNA damage, apoptotic cell death, and oxidative stress markers. CONCLUSIONS Maintaining adequate tissue oxygenation is critical for tissue preservation and wound repair, especially in avascular tissues like the cornea. Further studies examining the application of the SOE in corneal injury models are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Pate
- Roccor, Department of Combat Casualty Care, 2602 Clover Basin Dr, Suite D, Longmont, CO 80503
| | - Dinesh G Goswami
- University of Colorado, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12850 E. Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Mark Lake
- Roccor, Department of Combat Casualty Care, 2602 Clover Basin Dr, Suite D, Longmont, CO 80503
| | - Sharon Lake
- OE Co, 217 Stephanie Ave, Lafayette, LA 70503
| | - Rama Kant
- University of Colorado, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12850 E. Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - David Ammar
- University of Colorado, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12850 E. Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, B307 Life Science, East Lansing, MI 48824
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13
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Heipertz EL, Harper J, Goswami DG, Lopez CA, Nellikappallil J, Zamora R, Vodovotz Y, Walker WE. IRF3 Signaling within the Mouse Stroma Influences Sepsis Pathogenesis. J Immunol 2020; 206:398-409. [PMID: 33239421 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) is a transcription factor that is activated by multiple pattern-recognition receptors. We demonstrated previously that IRF3 plays a detrimental role in a severe mouse model of sepsis, induced by cecal ligation and puncture. In this study, we found that IRF3-knockout (KO) mice were greatly protected from sepsis in a clinically relevant version of the cecal ligation and puncture model incorporating crystalloid fluids and antibiotics, exhibiting improved survival, reduced disease score, lower levels of serum cytokines, and improved phagocytic function relative to wild-type (WT) mice. Computational modeling revealed that the overall complexity of the systemic inflammatory/immune network was similar in IRF3-KO versus WT septic mice, although the tempo of connectivity differed. Furthermore, the mediators driving the network differed: TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 predominated in WT mice, whereas MCP-1 and IL-6 predominated in IRF3-KO mice. Network analysis also suggested differential IL-6-related inflammatory programs in WT versus IRF3-KO mice. We created bone marrow chimeras to test the role of IRF3 within leukocytes versus stroma. Surprisingly, chimeras with IRF3-KO bone marrow showed little protection from sepsis, whereas chimeras with IRF3-KO stroma showed a substantial degree of protection. We found that WT and IRF3-KO macrophages had a similar capacity to produce IL-6 and phagocytose bacteria in vitro. Adoptive transfer experiments demonstrated that the genotype of the host environment affected the capacity of monocytes to produce IL-6 during sepsis. Thus, IRF3 acts principally within the stromal compartment to exacerbate sepsis pathogenesis via differential impacts on IL-6-related inflammatory programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Heipertz
- Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905
| | - Jourdan Harper
- Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905
| | - Dinesh G Goswami
- Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905
| | - Charlie A Lopez
- Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905
| | - Jose Nellikappallil
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905; and
| | - Ruben Zamora
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Yoram Vodovotz
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Wendy E Walker
- Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905; .,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905; and
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14
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Singh SK, Goswami DG, Wright HN, Braucher LN, Klein JA, Godziela M, Ali IA, Lake S, Pate K, Tewari-Singh N. Supersaturated Oxygen Emulsion for Topical Treatment of Corneal Injuries from Chemical Exposure. Toxicol Lett 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.05.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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15
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Goswami DG, Kant R, Ammar DA, Agarwal C, Gomez J, Agarwal R, Saba LM, Fritz KS, Tewari-Singh N. Toxic consequences and oxidative protein carbonylation from chloropicrin exposure in human corneal epithelial cells. Toxicol Lett 2020; 322:1-11. [PMID: 31884112 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2019.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Chloropicrin (CP), a warfare agent now majorly used as a soil pesticide, is a strong irritating and lacrimating compound with devastating toxic effects. To elucidate the mechanism of its ocular toxicity, toxic effects of CP (0-100 μM) were studied in primary human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. CP exposure resulted in reduced HCE cell viability and increased apoptotic cell death with an up-regulation of cleaved caspase-3 and poly ADP ribose polymerase indicating their contribution in CP-induced apoptotic cell death. Following CP exposure, cells exhibited increased expression of heme oxygenase-1, and phosphorylation of H2A.X and p53 as well as 4-hydroxynonenal adduct formation, suggesting oxidative stress, DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. CP also caused increases in mitogen activated protein kinase-c-Jun N-terminal kinase and inflammatory mediator cyclooxygenase-2. Proteomic analysis revealed an increase in the carbonylation of 179 proteins and enrichment of pathways (including proteasome pathway and catabolic process) in HCE cells following CP exposure. CP-induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation can enhance protein carbonylation, prompting alterations in corneal epithelial proteins as well as perturbing signaling pathways resulting in toxic effects. Pathways and major processes identified following CP exposure could be lead-hit targets for further biochemical and molecular characterization as well as therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Rama Kant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - David A Ammar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Chapla Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Joe Gomez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Rajesh Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Laura M Saba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Kristofer S Fritz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA.
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16
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Klein JA, Singh SK, Goswami DG, Braucher LN, Wright HN, Noland EL, Agarwal R, Tewari-Singh N. Exposure to Environmental Pollutant Benzo[a]pyrene Exacerbates Skin Inflammation in a Mouse Psoriatic Model. FASEB J 2020. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.04117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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17
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Goswami DG, Kant R, Tewari-Singh N, Agarwal R. Efficacy of anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and pleiotropic agents in reversing nitrogen mustard-induced injury in ex vivo cultured rabbit cornea. Toxicol Lett 2018; 293:127-132. [PMID: 29174984 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2017.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Vesicating agent, Sulfur mustard (SM), causes devastating eye injury; however, there are no effective antidotes available. Using nitrogen mustard (NM), a bi-functional analog of SM, we have earlier reported that NM-induced corneal injury in ex vivo rabbit cornea organ culture model parallels corneal injury reported with SM. Using this model, we have demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of dexamethasone (DEX), doxycycline (DOX) and silibinin (SB) in reversing NM (2h exposure)-induced corneal injuries when added immediately after washing NM. In the present study, we further examined the efficacy of similar/higher doses of these agents when added immediately, 2, or 4h after washing NM following its 2h exposure. All three treatment agents caused a reversal in established NM-induced injury biomarkers when added immediately or 2h after washing NM following its 2h exposure; however, when treatments were carried out 4h after washing NM, there was no significant effect. Together, our results further show the beneficial effect of these agents in reversing NM-induced corneal injury and indicate the time window for effective treatment. This could be useful towards future development of targeted therapeutics against vesicant-induced ocular injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rama Kant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rajesh Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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18
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Tewari-Singh N, Goswami DG, Kant R, Ammar DA, Kumar D, Enzenauer RW, Casillas RP, Croutch CR, Petrash JM, Agarwal R. Histopathological and Molecular Changes in the Rabbit Cornea From Arsenical Vesicant Lewisite Exposure. Toxicol Sci 2017; 160:420-428. [PMID: 28973427 PMCID: PMC5837587 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfx198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lewisite (LEW), a potent arsenical vesicating chemical warfare agent, poses a continuous risk of accidental exposure in addition to its feared use as a terrorist weapon. Ocular tissue is exquisitely sensitive to LEW and exposure can cause devastating corneal lesions. However, detailed pathogenesis of corneal injury and related mechanisms from LEW exposure that could help identify targeted therapies are not available. Using an established consistent and efficient exposure system, we evaluated the pathophysiology of the corneal injury in New Zealand white rabbits following LEW vapor exposure (at 0.2 mg/L dose) for 2.5 and 7.5 min, for up to 28 day post-exposure. LEW led to an increase in total corneal thickness starting at day 1 post-exposure and epithelial degradation starting at day 3 post-exposure, with maximal effect at day 7 postexposure followed by recovery at later time points. LEW also led to an increase in the number of blood vessels and inflammatory cells but a decrease in keratocytes with optimal effects at day 7 postexposure. A significant increase in epithelial-stromal separation was observed at days 7 and 14 post 7.5 min LEW exposure. LEW also caused an increase in the expression levels of cyclooxygenase-2, IL-8, vascular endothelial growth factor, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 at all the study time points indicating their involvement in LEW-induced inflammation, vesication, and neovascularization. The outcomes here provide valuable LEW-induced corneal injury endpoints at both lower and higher exposure durations in a relevant model system, which will be helpful to identify and screen therapies against LEW-induced corneal injury.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rama Kant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
| | - David A Ammar
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | | | - Robert W Enzenauer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Robert P Casillas
- Medical Countermeasures Division, MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri 64110
| | - Claire R Croutch
- Medical Countermeasures Division, MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri 64110
| | - J Mark Petrash
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
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19
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Goswami DG, Tewari-Singh N, Agarwal R. Corneal toxicity induced by vesicating agents and effective treatment options. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2016; 1374:193-201. [PMID: 27327041 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The vesicating agents sulfur mustard (SM) and lewisite (LEW) are potent chemical warfare agents that primarily cause damage to the ocular, skin, and respiratory systems. However, ocular tissue is the most sensitive organ, and vesicant exposure results in a biphasic injury response, including photophobia, corneal lesions, corneal edema, ulceration, and neovascularization, and may cause loss of vision. There are several reports on ocular injury from exposure to SM, which has been frequently used in warfare. However, there are very few reports on ocular injury by LEW, which indicate that injury symptoms appear instantly after exposure and faster than SM. In spite of extensive research efforts, effective therapies for vesicant-induced ocular injuries, mainly to the most affected corneal tissue, are not available. Hence, we have established primary human corneal epithelial cells and rabbit corneal organ culture models with the SM analog nitrogen mustard, which have helped to test the efficacy of potential therapeutic agents. These agents will then be further evaluated against in vivo SM- and LEW-induced corneal injury models, which will assist in the development of potential broad-spectrum therapies against vesicant-induced ocular injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Rajesh Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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20
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Tewari-Singh N, Croutch CR, Tuttle R, Goswami DG, Kant R, Peters E, Culley T, Ammar DA, Enzenauer RW, Petrash JM, Casillas RP, Agarwal R. Clinical progression of ocular injury following arsenical vesicant lewisite exposure. Cutan Ocul Toxicol 2016; 35:319-28. [PMID: 27002633 DOI: 10.3109/15569527.2015.1127255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Ocular injury by lewisite (LEW), a potential chemical warfare and terrorist agent, results in edema of eyelids, inflammation, massive corneal necrosis and blindness. To enable screening of effective therapeutics to treat ocular injury from LEW, useful clinically-relevant endpoints are essential. Hence, we designed an efficient exposure system capable of exposing up to six New-Zealand white rabbits at one time, and assessed LEW vapor-induced progression of clinical ocular lesions mainly in the cornea. The right eye of each rabbit was exposed to LEW (0.2 mg/L) vapor for 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 min and clinical progression of injury was observed for 28 days post-exposure (dose-response study), or exposed to same LEW dose for 2.5 and 7.5 min and clinical progression of injury was observed for up to 56 days post-exposure (time-response study); left eye served as an unexposed control. Increasing LEW exposure caused corneal opacity within 6 h post-exposure, which increased up to 3 days, slightly reduced thereafter till 3 weeks, and again increased thereafter. LEW-induced corneal ulceration peaked at 1 day post-exposure and its increase thereafter was observed in phases. LEW exposure induced neovascularization starting at 7 days which peaked at 22-35 days post-exposure, and remained persistent thereafter. In addition, LEW exposure caused corneal thickness, iris redness, and redness and swelling of the conjunctiva. Together, these findings provide clinical sequelae of ocular injury following LEW exposure and for the first time establish clinically-relevant quantitative endpoints, to enable the further identification of histopathological and molecular events involved in LEW-induced ocular injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neera Tewari-Singh
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus , Aurora , CO , USA
| | | | | | - Dinesh G Goswami
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus , Aurora , CO , USA
| | - Rama Kant
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus , Aurora , CO , USA
| | | | | | - David A Ammar
- c Department of Ophthalmology , University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus , Aurora , CO , USA
| | - Robert W Enzenauer
- c Department of Ophthalmology , University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus , Aurora , CO , USA
| | - J Mark Petrash
- c Department of Ophthalmology , University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus , Aurora , CO , USA
| | | | - Rajesh Agarwal
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus , Aurora , CO , USA
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Goswami DG, Kumar D, Tewari-Singh N, Orlicky DJ, Jain AK, Kant R, Rancourt RC, Dhar D, Inturi S, Agarwal C, White CW, Agarwal R. Topical nitrogen mustard exposure causes systemic toxic effects in mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 67:161-70. [PMID: 25481215 DOI: 10.1016/j.etp.2014.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Revised: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Vesicating agents sulfur mustard (SM) and nitrogen mustard (NM) are reported to be easily absorbed by skin upon exposure causing severe cutaneous injury and blistering. Our studies show that topical exposure of NM (3.2mg) onto SKH-1 hairless mouse skin, not only caused skin injury, but also led to significant body weight loss and 40-80% mortality (120 h post-exposure), suggesting its systemic effects. Accordingly, further studies herein show that NM exposure initiated an increase in circulating white blood cells by 24h (neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils) and thereafter a decrease (neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes). NM exposure also reduced both white and red pulp areas of the spleen. In the small intestine, NM exposure caused loss of membrane integrity of the surface epithelium, abnormal structure of glands and degeneration of villi. NM exposure also resulted in the dilation of glomerular capillaries of kidneys, and an increase in blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio. Our results here with NM are consistent with earlier reports that exposure to higher SM levels can cause damage to the hematopoietic system, and kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal tract toxicity. These outcomes will add to our understanding of the toxic effects of topical vesicant exposure, which might be helpful towards developing effective countermeasures against injuries from acute topical exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh G Goswami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dileep Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Neera Tewari-Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - David J Orlicky
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Anil K Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rama Kant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Raymond C Rancourt
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Deepanshi Dhar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Swetha Inturi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Chapla Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Carl W White
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rajesh Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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22
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Anish C, Goswami DG, Kanchan V, Mathew S, Panda AK. The immunogenic characteristics associated with multivalent display of Vi polysaccharide antigen using biodegradable polymer particles. Biomaterials 2012; 33:6843-57. [PMID: 22748669 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2012] [Accepted: 06/04/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Polysaccharides in their great majority are thymus-independent (TI) antigens. Anti-polysaccharide antibody responses are generally weak and characterized by lack of memory, isotype restriction and delayed ontogeny. We report here the generation of protective memory antibody response by multivalent display of polysaccharide antigens on biodegradable polymeric particles. Single dose immunization using polylactide (PLA) polymer particles entrapping Vi capsular polysaccharide antigen from Salmonella typhi promoted isotype switching and induced polysaccharide-specific memory antibody response in experimental animals. PLA nanoparticles as well as microparticles entrapping Vi polysaccharides elicited high IgG titer in comparison to soluble Vi immunization. Immunizations with particles co-entrapping both Vi polysaccharide and tetanus toxoid did not improve the anti-polysaccharide antibody responses. Lower antibody response from co-entrapped formulation was mostly due to inhibition of particle phagocytosis by the macrophages. Immunization using polylactide particles entrapping only Vi polysaccharide with higher density on surface elicited highest secondary antibody response as well as promoted isotype switching. The vaccination potential of particle based immunizations was further confirmed by the generation of quick memory antibody responses while challenging the immunized animals with live S. typhi. This approach provides a multivalent display of polysaccharide antigen using polymer particles and elicits protective memory antibody response without conjugation to a carrier protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chakkumkal Anish
- Product Development Cell, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
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