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Abo-Elmagd I, Mahmoud AM, Al-Ghobashy MA, Nebsen M, El Sayed NS, Nofal S, Soror SH, Todd R, Elgebaly SA. Impedimetric Sensors for Cyclocreatine Phosphate Determination in Plasma Based on Electropolymerized Poly( o-phenylenediamine) Molecularly Imprinted Polymers. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:31282-31291. [PMID: 34841172 PMCID: PMC8613875 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cyclocreatine and its water-soluble derivative, cyclocreatine phosphate (CCrP), are potent cardioprotective drugs. Based on recent animal studies, CCrP, FDA-awarded Orphan Drug Designation, has a promising role in increasing the success rate of patients undergoing heart transplantation surgery by preserving donor hearts during transportation and improving the recovery of transplanted hearts in recipient patients. In addition, CCrP is under investigation as a promising treatment for creatine transporter deficiency, an X-linked inborn error resulting in a poor quality of life for both the patients and the caregiver. A newly designed molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) material was fabricated by the anodic electropolymerization of o-phenylenediamine on screen-printed carbon electrodes and was successfully applied as an impedimetric sensor for CCrP determination to dramatically reduce the analysis time during both the clinical trial phases and drug development process. To enhance the overall performance of the proposed sensor, studies were performed to optimize the electropolymerization conditions, incubation time, and pH of the background electrolyte. Scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry were used to characterize the behavior of the developed ultrathin MIP membrane. The CCrP-imprinted polymer has a high recognition affinity for the template molecule because of the formation of 3D complementary cavities within the polymer. The developed MIP impedimetric sensor had good linearity, repeatability, reproducibility, and stability within the linear concentration range of 1 × 10-9 to 1 × 10-7 mol/L, with a low limit of detection down to 2.47 × 10-10 mol/L. To verify the applicability of the proposed sensor, it was used to quantify CCrP in spiked plasma samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim
F. Abo-Elmagd
- Bioanalysis
Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Newgiza
University, Giza 12256, Egypt
| | - Amr M. Mahmoud
- Analytical
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Medhat A. Al-Ghobashy
- Bioanalysis
Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Newgiza
University, Giza 12256, Egypt
- Analytical
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
- Central
Administration for Drug Control, Egyptian
Drug Authority (EDA), Cairo 12654, Egypt
| | - Marianne Nebsen
- Analytical
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Nesrine S. El Sayed
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Shahira Nofal
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Helwan, Cairo 11795, Egypt
| | - Sameh H. Soror
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Helwan, Cairo 11795, Egypt
- Center
for Scientific Excellence, Helwan Structural Biology Research (HSBR),
Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Helwan, Cairo 11795, Egypt
| | - Robert Todd
- ProChem
International, LLC, Sheboygan, Wisconsin 53085-3325, United States
| | - Salwa A. Elgebaly
- Nour
Heart, Inc., Vienna, Virginia 22180, United
States
- Faculty
of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, United States
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2
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Ghirardini E, Calugi F, Sagona G, Di Vetta F, Palma M, Battini R, Cioni G, Pizzorusso T, Baroncelli L. The Role of Preclinical Models in Creatine Transporter Deficiency: Neurobiological Mechanisms, Biomarkers and Therapeutic Development. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12081123. [PMID: 34440297 PMCID: PMC8392480 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Creatine (Cr) Transporter Deficiency (CTD) is an X-linked metabolic disorder, mostly caused by missense mutations in the SLC6A8 gene and presenting with intellectual disability, autistic behavior, and epilepsy. There is no effective treatment for CTD and patients need lifelong assistance. Thus, the research of novel intervention strategies is a major scientific challenge. Animal models are an excellent tool to dissect the disease pathogenetic mechanisms and drive the preclinical development of therapeutics. This review illustrates the current knowledge about Cr metabolism and CTD clinical aspects, with a focus on mainstay diagnostic and therapeutic options. Then, we discuss the rodent models of CTD characterized in the last decade, comparing the phenotypes expressed within clinically relevant domains and the timeline of symptom development. This analysis highlights that animals with the ubiquitous deletion/mutation of SLC6A8 genes well recapitulate the early onset and the complex pathological phenotype of the human condition. Thus, they should represent the preferred model for preclinical efficacy studies. On the other hand, brain- and cell-specific conditional mutants are ideal for understanding the basis of CTD at a cellular and molecular level. Finally, we explain how CTD models might provide novel insight about the pathogenesis of other disorders, including cancer.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Biomarkers/metabolism
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/metabolism
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/pathology
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/therapy
- Central Nervous System/pathology
- Creatine/deficiency
- Creatine/metabolism
- Disease Models, Animal
- Humans
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/metabolism
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/pathology
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/therapy
- Mice
- Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins/deficiency
- Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins/metabolism
- Rats
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Ghirardini
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, I-56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.G.); (G.S.); (R.B.); (G.C.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), I-56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.V.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
| | - Francesco Calugi
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), I-56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.V.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, I-50135 Florence, Italy
| | - Giulia Sagona
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, I-56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.G.); (G.S.); (R.B.); (G.C.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, I-50135 Florence, Italy
| | - Federica Di Vetta
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), I-56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.V.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Martina Palma
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), I-56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.V.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, I-50135 Florence, Italy
| | - Roberta Battini
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, I-56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.G.); (G.S.); (R.B.); (G.C.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, I-56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.G.); (G.S.); (R.B.); (G.C.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Tommaso Pizzorusso
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), I-56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.V.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, I-50135 Florence, Italy
| | - Laura Baroncelli
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, I-56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.G.); (G.S.); (R.B.); (G.C.)
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), I-56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.V.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
- Correspondence:
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Do MHT, Cavagnaro J, Butt M, Terse PS, McKew JC. Use of an animal model of disease for toxicology enables identification of a juvenile no observed adverse effect level for cyclocreatine in creatine transporter deficiency. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2021; 123:104939. [PMID: 33961952 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2021.104939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In standard general toxicology studies in two species to support clinical development, cyclocreatine, a creatine analog for the treatment of creatine transporter deficiency, caused deaths, convulsions, and/or multi-organ pathology. The potential translatability of these findings to patients was evaluated by comparing toxicity of cyclocreatine in wild-type mice to creatine transporter-deficient mice, a model of the human disease. A biodistribution study indicated greater accumulation of cyclocreatine in the brains of wild-type mice, consistent with its ability to be transported by the creatine transporter. Subsequent toxicology studies confirmed greater sensitivity of wild-type mice to cyclocreatine-induced toxicity. Exposure at the no observed adverse effect level in creatine transporter-deficient (554 μg*hr/ml) mice exceeded exposure at the maximum tolerated dose in wild-type (248 μg*hr/ml) mice. When dosed at 300 mg/kg/day for 3 months, cyclocreatine-related mortality, convulsions, and multi-organ pathology were observed in wild-type mice whereas there were no adverse findings in creatine transporter-deficient mice. Brain vacuolation was common to both strains. Although transporter-deficient mice appeared to be more sensitive, the finding had no functional correlates in this strain. The results highlight the importance of considering models of disease for toxicology in cases where they may be relevant to assessing safety in the intended patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh-Ha Thi Do
- Lumos Pharma, 4200 Marathon Blvd Suite 200, Austin, TX, 78756, USA
| | | | - Mark Butt
- Tox Path Specialists, 8420 Gas House Pike Suite G, Frederick, MD, 21701, USA
| | - Pramod S Terse
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institute of Health, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - John C McKew
- Lumos Pharma, 4200 Marathon Blvd Suite 200, Austin, TX, 78756, USA.
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Cacciante F, Gennaro M, Sagona G, Mazziotti R, Lupori L, Cerri E, Putignano E, Butt M, Do MHT, McKew JC, Alessandrì MG, Battini R, Cioni G, Pizzorusso T, Baroncelli L. Cyclocreatine treatment ameliorates the cognitive, autistic and epileptic phenotype in a mouse model of Creatine Transporter Deficiency. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18361. [PMID: 33110151 PMCID: PMC7591530 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75436-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Creatine Transporter Deficiency (CTD) is an inborn error of metabolism presenting with intellectual disability, behavioral disturbances and epilepsy. There is currently no cure for this disorder. Here, we employed novel biomarkers for monitoring brain function, together with well-established behavioral readouts for CTD mice, to longitudinally study the therapeutic efficacy of cyclocreatine (cCr) at the preclinical level. Our results show that cCr treatment is able to partially correct hemodynamic responses and EEG abnormalities, improve cognitive deficits, revert autistic-like behaviors and protect against seizures. This study provides encouraging data to support the potential therapeutic benefit of cyclocreatine or other chemically modified lipophilic analogs of Cr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Cacciante
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy.,BIO@SNS Lab, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, 56125, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mariangela Gennaro
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Sagona
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, 50135, Florence, Italy.,Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128, Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Mazziotti
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Leonardo Lupori
- BIO@SNS Lab, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, 56125, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisa Cerri
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elena Putignano
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mark Butt
- Tox Path Specialists, Frederick, MD, 21701, USA
| | | | | | | | - Roberta Battini
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Tommaso Pizzorusso
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, 50135, Florence, Italy
| | - Laura Baroncelli
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy. .,Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128, Pisa, Italy.
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Farr CV, El-Kasaby A, Freissmuth M, Sucic S. The Creatine Transporter Unfolded: A Knotty Premise in the Cerebral Creatine Deficiency Syndrome. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:588954. [PMID: 33192443 PMCID: PMC7644880 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.588954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Creatine provides cells with high-energy phosphates for the rapid reconstitution of hydrolyzed adenosine triphosphate. The eponymous creatine transporter (CRT1/SLC6A8) belongs to a family of solute carrier 6 (SLC6) proteins. The key role of CRT1 is to translocate creatine across tissue barriers and into target cells, such as neurons and myocytes. Individuals harboring mutations in the coding sequence of the human CRT1 gene develop creatine transporter deficiency (CTD), one of the pivotal underlying causes of cerebral creatine deficiency syndrome. CTD encompasses an array of clinical manifestations, including severe intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism, development delay, and motor dysfunction. CTD is characterized by the absence of cerebral creatine, which implies an indispensable role for CRT1 in supplying the brain cells with creatine. CTD-associated variants dramatically reduce or abolish creatine transport activity by CRT1. Many of these are point mutations that are known to trigger folding defects, leading to the retention of encoded CRT1 proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum and precluding their delivery to the cell surface. Misfolding of several related SLC6 transporters also gives rise to detrimental pathologic conditions in people; e.g., mutations in the dopamine transporter induce infantile parkinsonism/dystonia, while mutations in the GABA transporter 1 cause treatment-resistant epilepsy. In some cases, folding defects are amenable to rescue by small molecules, known as pharmacological and chemical chaperones, which restore the cell surface expression and transport activity of the previously non-functional proteins. Insights from the recent molecular, animal and human case studies of CTD add toward our understanding of this complex disorder and reveal the wide-ranging effects elicited upon CRT1 dysfunction. This grants novel therapeutic prospects for the treatment of patients afflicted with CTD, e.g., modifying the creatine molecule to facilitate CRT1-independent entry into brain cells, or correcting folding-deficient and loss-of-function CTD variants using pharmacochaperones and/or allosteric modulators. The latter justifies a search for additional compounds with a capacity to correct mutation-specific defects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sonja Sucic
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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