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Lee DY, Kwon YN, Lee K, Kim SJ, Sung JJ. Dual effects of TGF-β inhibitor in ALS - inhibit contracture and neurodegeneration. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38515326 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16102] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
As persistent elevation of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) promotes fibrosis of muscles and joints and accelerates disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we investigated whether inhibition of TGF-β would be effective against both exacerbations. The effects of TGF-β and its inhibitor on myoblasts and fibroblasts were tested in vitro and confirmed in vivo, and the dual action of a TGF-β inhibitor in ameliorating the pathogenic role of TGF-β in ALS mice was identified. In the peripheral neuromuscular system, fibrosis in the muscles and joint cavities induced by excessive TGF-β causes joint contracture and muscular degeneration, which leads to motor dysfunction. In an ALS mouse model, an increase in TGF-β in the central nervous system (CNS), consistent with astrocyte activity, was associated with M1 microglial activity and pro-inflammatory conditions, as well as with neuronal cell death. Treatment with the TGF-β inhibitor halofuginone could prevent musculoskeletal fibrosis, resulting in the alleviation of joint contracture and delay of motor deterioration in ALS mice. Halofuginone could also reduce glial cell-induced neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis. These dual therapeutic effects on both the neuromuscular system and the CNS were observed from the beginning to the end stages of ALS; as a result, treatment with a TGF-β inhibitor from the early stage of disease delayed the time of symptom exacerbation in ALS mice, which led to prolonged survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Do-Yeon Lee
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young Nam Kwon
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Neurology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kwangkook Lee
- Research Department, Curamys Co., Ltd., Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jung-Joon Sung
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University, Hongcheon, Gangwon-do, South Korea
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