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Tremolanti C, Angeloni E, Da Pozzo E, Germelli L, Giacomelli C, Scalzi E, Taliani S, Da Settimo F, Mensah-Nyagan AG, Martini C, Costa B. Human oligodendrocyte-like cell differentiation is promoted by TSPO-mediated endogenous steroidogenesis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024:167174. [PMID: 38631406 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167174] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) arise from oligodendrocyte precursor cells that, in case of demyelination, are recruited at the lesion site to remyelinate the axons and therefore restore the transmission of nerve impulses. It has been widely documented that exogenously administered steroid molecules are potent inducers of myelination. However, little is known about how neurosteroids produced de novo by OLs can impact this process. Here, we employed a human OL precursor cell line to investigate the role of de novo neurosteroidogenesis in the regulation of OLs differentiation, paying particular attention to the 18 kDa Translocator Protein (TSPO) which controls the rate-limiting step of the neurosteroidogenic process. Our results showed that, over the time of OL maturation, the availability of cholesterol, which is the neurosteroidogenesis initial substrate, and key members of the neurosteroidogenic machinery, including TSPO, were upregulated. In addition, OLs differentiation was impaired following neurosteroidogenesis inhibition and TSPO silencing. On the contrary, TSPO pharmacological stimulation promoted neurosteroidogenic function and positively impacted differentiation. Collectively, our results suggest that de novo neurosteroidogenesis is actively involved in the autocrine and paracrine regulation of human OL differentiation. Moreover, since TSPO was able to promote OL differentiation through a positive modulation of the neurosteroid biosynthetic process, it could be exploited as a promising target to tackle demyelinating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tremolanti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Elisa Angeloni
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Da Pozzo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), Via Santa Maria 53, 56126 Pisa. Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Germelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Chiara Giacomelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), Via Santa Maria 53, 56126 Pisa. Italy.
| | - Eduardo Scalzi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sabrina Taliani
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Federico Da Settimo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), Via Santa Maria 53, 56126 Pisa. Italy.
| | - Ayikoé-Guy Mensah-Nyagan
- Biopathologie de la Myéline, Neuroprotection et Stratégies Thérapeutiques, INSERM U1119, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Université de Strasbourg, Bâtiment CRBS de la Faculté de Médecine, 1 rue Eugène Boeckel, 67 000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Claudia Martini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), Via Santa Maria 53, 56126 Pisa. Italy.
| | - Barbara Costa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), Via Santa Maria 53, 56126 Pisa. Italy.
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Angeloni E, Germelli L, Marchetti L, Da Pozzo E, Tremolanti C, Wetzel CH, Baglini E, Taliani S, Da Settimo F, Martini C, Costa B. The human microglial surveillant phenotype is preserved by de novo neurosteroidogenesis through the control of cholesterol homeostasis: Crucial role of 18 kDa Translocator Protein. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023; 1869:166751. [PMID: 37169037 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166751] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disease-associated microglia commonly exhibit harmful cholesterol accumulation that impairs their ability to resolve the neuroinflammatory response, contributing to disease onset and progression. Neurosteroids, whose levels have been often found significantly altered in brain diseases, are the most potent endogenous anti-inflammatory molecules exerting beneficial effects on activities of brain cells, including microglia. For the first time, the impact of neurosteroidogenesis on cholesterol homeostasis for the immune surveillance phenotype maintenance was investigated in a human microglia in vitro model. To enhance and inhibit neurosteroidogenesis, pharmacological stimulation and knock-down of 18 kDa Translocator Protein (TSPO), which is involved in the neurosteroidogenesis rate-limiting step, were used as experimental approaches, respectively. The obtained results point to an essential autocrine control of neurosteroidogenesis in orchestrating cholesterol trafficking in human microglia. TSPO pharmacological stimulation ensured cholesterol turnover by strengthening cholesterol efflux systems and preserving healthy immune surveillant phenotype. Conversely, TSPO knock-down induced an impairment of the controlled interplay among cholesterol synthesis, efflux, and metabolism mechanisms, leading to an excessive cholesterol accumulation and acquisition of a chronically activated dysfunctional phenotype. In this model, the exogenous neurosteroid administration restored proper the cholesterol clearance. The TSPO ability in promoting native neurosteroidogenesis opens the way to restore cholesterol homeostasis, and thus to maintain microglia proper functionality for the treatment of neuroinflammation-related brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Angeloni
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Germelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Laura Marchetti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing University of Pisa (CISUP), Lungarno Pacinotti, 43/44, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Da Pozzo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing University of Pisa (CISUP), Lungarno Pacinotti, 43/44, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Chiara Tremolanti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Christian H Wetzel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Neurosciences, University of Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Emma Baglini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Sabrina Taliani
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Federico Da Settimo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Claudia Martini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Barbara Costa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing University of Pisa (CISUP), Lungarno Pacinotti, 43/44, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
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Tremolanti C, Germelli L, Barresi E, Da Pozzo E, Simorini F, Castellano S, Taliani S, Da Settimo F, Martini C, Costa B. Translocator Protein 18-kDa: a promising target to treat neuroinflammation-related degenerative diseases. Curr Med Chem 2022; 29:4831-4861. [PMID: 35430971 DOI: 10.2174/0929867329666220415120820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In the nervous system, inflammatory responses physiologically occur as defense mechanisms triggered by damaging events. If improperly regulated, neuroinflammation can contribute to the development of chronically activated states of glial cells, with the perpetuation of inflammation and neuronal damage, thus leading to neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Interestingly, neuroinflammation is associated with the overexpression of the mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) in activated glia. Despite the precise role of TSPO in the immunomodulatory mechanisms during active disease states is still unclear, it has emerged as a promising target to promote neuroprotection. Indeed, TSPO ligands have been shown to exert beneficial effects in counteracting neuroinflammation and neuronal damage in several in vitro and in vivo models of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, the regulation of neurosteroids' production, cytokine release, metabolism of radical oxidative species, and cellular bioenergetics appear to be the main cellular events that underlie the observed effects. The present review aims to illustrate and summarize recent findings on the potential effect of TSPO ligands against neuroinflammation and related neurodegenerative mechanisms, taking into consideration some pathologies of the nervous system in which inflammatory events are crucial for the onset and progression of the disease, and attempting to shed light on the immunomodulatory effects of TSPO.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Sabrina Castellano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Sabrina Taliani
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Martini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Barbara Costa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Puxeddu M, Shen H, Bai R, Coluccia A, Bufano M, Nalli M, Sebastiani J, Brancaccio D, Da Pozzo E, Tremolanti C, Martini C, Orlando V, Biagioni S, Sinicropi MS, Ceramella J, Iacopetta D, Coluccia AML, Hamel E, Liu T, Silvestri R, La Regina G. Discovery of pyrrole derivatives for the treatment of glioblastoma and chronic myeloid leukemia. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 221:113532. [PMID: 34052717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Long-term survivors of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are at high risk of developing second primary neoplasms, including leukemia. For these patients, the use of classic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as imatinib mesylate, is strongly discouraged, since this treatment causes a tremendous increase of tumor and stem cell migration and invasion. We aimed to develop agents useful for the treatment of patients with GBM and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) using an alternative mechanism of action from the TKIs, specifically based on the inhibition of tubulin polymerization. Compounds 7 and 25, as planned, not only inhibited tubulin polymerization, but also inhibited the proliferation of both GMB and CML cells, including those expressing the T315I mutation, at nanomolar concentrations. In in vivo experiments in BALB/cnu/nu mice injected subcutaneously with U87MG cells, in vivo, 7 significantly inhibited GBM cancer cell proliferation, in vivo tumorigenesis, and tumor growth, tumorigenesis and angiogenesis. Compound 7 was found to block human topoisomerase II (hTopoII) selectively and completely, at a concentration of 100 μM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Puxeddu
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Hongliang Shen
- Department of Urology, Capital Medical University Beijing Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Ruoli Bai
- Molecular Pharmacology Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, United States
| | - Antonio Coluccia
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Marianna Bufano
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Marianna Nalli
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Jessica Sebastiani
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Diego Brancaccio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples"Federico II", Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Eleonora Da Pozzo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno Pisano 6, I-56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Tremolanti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno Pisano 6, I-56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Martini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno Pisano 6, I-56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Viviana Orlando
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Stefano Biagioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Stefania Sinicropi
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, I-87036, Rende, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Jessica Ceramella
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, I-87036, Rende, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Domenico Iacopetta
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, I-87036, Rende, Cosenza, Italy
| | | | - Ernest Hamel
- Molecular Pharmacology Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, United States
| | - Te Liu
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, I-73100, Lecce, Italy; Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 365 South Xiangyang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China.
| | - Romano Silvestri
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe La Regina
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185, Roma, Italy.
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5
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Da Pozzo E, Tremolanti C, Costa B, Giacomelli C, Milenkovic VM, Bader S, Wetzel CH, Rupprecht R, Taliani S, Da Settimo F, Martini C. Microglial Pro-Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Phenotypes Are Modulated by Translocator Protein Activation. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184467. [PMID: 31510070 PMCID: PMC6770267 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A key role of the mitochondrial Translocator Protein 18 KDa (TSPO) in neuroinflammation has been recently proposed. However, little is known about TSPO-activated pathways underlying the modulation of reactive microglia. In the present work, the TSPO activation was explored in an in vitro human primary microglia model (immortalized C20 cells) under inflammatory stimulus. Two different approaches were used with the aim to (i) pharmacologically amplify or (ii) silence, by the lentiviral short hairpin RNA, the TSPO physiological function. In the TSPO pharmacological stimulation model, the synthetic steroidogenic selective ligand XBD-173 attenuated the activation of microglia. Indeed, it reduces and increases the release of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, respectively. Such ligand-induced effects were abolished when C20 cells were treated with the steroidogenesis inhibitor aminoglutethimide. This suggests a role for neurosteroids in modulating the interleukin production. The highly steroidogenic ligand XBD-173 attenuated the neuroinflammatory response more effectively than the poorly steroidogenic ones, which suggests that the observed modulation on the cytokine release may be influenced by the levels of produced neurosteroids. In the TSPO silencing model, the reduction of TSPO caused a more inflamed phenotype with respect to scrambled cells. Similarly, during the inflammatory response, the TSPO silencing increased and reduced the release of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, respectively. In conclusion, the obtained results are in favor of a homeostatic role for TSPO in the context of dynamic balance between anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory mediators in the human microglia-mediated inflammatory response. Interestingly, our preliminary results propose that the TSPO expression could be stimulated by NF-κB during activation of the inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Da Pozzo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.D.P.); (C.T.); (C.G.); (S.T.); (F.D.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Chiara Tremolanti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.D.P.); (C.T.); (C.G.); (S.T.); (F.D.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Barbara Costa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.D.P.); (C.T.); (C.G.); (S.T.); (F.D.S.); (C.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Chiara Giacomelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.D.P.); (C.T.); (C.G.); (S.T.); (F.D.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Vladimir M. Milenkovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Neurosciences, University of Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany; (V.M.M.); (S.B.); (C.H.W.); (R.R.)
| | - Stefanie Bader
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Neurosciences, University of Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany; (V.M.M.); (S.B.); (C.H.W.); (R.R.)
| | - Christian H. Wetzel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Neurosciences, University of Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany; (V.M.M.); (S.B.); (C.H.W.); (R.R.)
| | - Rainer Rupprecht
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Neurosciences, University of Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany; (V.M.M.); (S.B.); (C.H.W.); (R.R.)
| | - Sabrina Taliani
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.D.P.); (C.T.); (C.G.); (S.T.); (F.D.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Federico Da Settimo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.D.P.); (C.T.); (C.G.); (S.T.); (F.D.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Claudia Martini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.D.P.); (C.T.); (C.G.); (S.T.); (F.D.S.); (C.M.)
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