Dolutegravir Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinases Affects Mouse Neurodevelopment

Dolutegravir induces FOLR1 expression during brain organoid development

During the first month of pregnancy, the brain and spinal cord are formed through a process called neurulation. However, this process can be altered by low serum levels of folic acid, environmental factors, or genetic predispositions. In 2018, a surveillance study in Botswana, a country with a high incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and lacking mandatory food folate fortification programs, found that newborns whose mothers were taking dolutegravir (DTG) during the first trimester of pregnancy had an increased risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). As a result, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have issued guidelines emphasizing the potential risks associated with the use of DTG-based antiretroviral therapies during pregnancy. To elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying the DTG-induced NTDs, we sought to assess the potential neurotoxicity of DTG in stem cell-derived brain organoids. The gene expression of brain organoids developed in the presence of DTG was analyzed by RNA sequencing, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Optical Coherence Elastography (OCE), and Brillouin microscopy. The sequencing data shows that DTG induces the expression of the folate receptor (FOLR1) and modifies the expression of genes required for neurogenesis. The Brillouin frequency shift observed at the surface of DTG-exposed brain organoids indicates an increase in superficial tissue stiffness. In contrast, reverberant OCE measurements indicate decreased organoid volumes and internal stiffness.

Dolutegravir and Folic Acid Interaction during Neural System Development in Zebrafish Embryos

Dolutegravir (DTG) is one of the most prescribed antiretroviral drugs for treating people with HIV infection, including women of child-bearing potential or pregnant. Nonetheless, neuropsychiatric symptoms are frequently reported. Early reports suggested that, probably in relation to folic acid (FA) shortage, DTG may induce neural tube defects in infants born to women taking the drug during pregnancy. Subsequent reports did not definitively confirm these findings. Recent studies in animal models have highlighted the association between DTG exposure in utero and congenital anomalies, and an increased risk of neurologic abnormalities in children exposed during in utero life has been reported. Underlying mechanisms for DTG-related neurologic symptoms and congenital anomalies are not fully understood. We aimed to deepen our knowledge on the neurodevelopmental effects of DTG exposure and further explore the protective role of FA by the use of zebrafish embryos. We treated embryos at 4 and up to 144 h post fertilization (hpf) with a subtherapeutic DTG concentration (1 μM) and observed the disruption of the anterior-posterior axis and several morphological malformations in the developing brain that were both prevented by pre-exposure (2 hpf) and rescued by post-exposure (10 hpf) with FA. By whole-mount in situ hybridization with riboprobes for genes that are crucial during the early phases of neurodevelopment (ntl, pax2a, ngn1, neurod1) and by in vivo visualization of the transgenic Tg(ngn1:EGFP) zebrafish line, we found that DTG induced severe neurodevelopmental defects over time in most regions of the nervous system (notochord, midbrain-hindbrain boundary, eye, forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain, spinal cord) that were mostly but not completely rescued by FA supplementation. Of note, we observed the disruption of ngn1 expression in the dopaminergic regions of the developing forebrain, spinal cord neurons and spinal motor neuron projections, with the depletion of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)+ dopaminergic neurons of the dorsal diencephalon and the strong reduction in larvae locomotion. Our study further supports previous evidence that DTG can interfere with FA pathways in the developing brain but also provides new insights regarding the mechanisms involved in the increased risk of DTG-associated fetal neurodevelopmental defects and adverse neurologic outcomes in in utero exposed children, suggesting the impairment of dopaminergic pathways.

Human iPSC-derived neurons reveal NMDAR-independent dysfunction following HIV-associated insults

The central nervous system encounters a number of challenges following HIV infection, leading to increased risk for a collection of neurocognitive symptoms clinically classified as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Studies attempting to identify causal mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions have historically relied on primary rodent neurons, but a number of recent reports take advantage of iPSC-derived neurons in order to study these mechanisms in a readily reproducible, human model. We found that iPSC-derived neurons differentiated via an inducible neurogenin-2 transcription factor were resistant to gross toxicity from a number of HIV-associated insults previously reported to be toxic in rodent models, including HIV-infected myeloid cell supernatants and the integrase inhibitor antiretroviral drug, elvitegravir. Further examination of these cultures revealed robust resistance to NMDA receptor-mediated toxicity. We then performed a comparative analysis of iPSC neurons exposed to integrase inhibitors and activated microglial supernatants to study sub-cytotoxic alterations in micro electrode array (MEA)-measured neuronal activity and gene expression, identifying extracellular matrix interaction/morphogenesis as the most consistently altered pathways across HIV-associated insults. These findings illustrate that HIV-associated insults dysregulate human neuronal activity and organization even in the absence of gross NMDA-mediated neurotoxicity, which has important implications on the effects of these insults in neurodevelopment and on the interpretation of primary vs. iPSC in vitro neuronal studies.

Long-acting dolutegravir formulations prevent neurodevelopmental impairments in a mouse model

The World Health Organization has recommended dolutegravir (DTG) as a preferred first-line treatment for treatment naive and experienced people living with human immunodeficiency virus type one (PLWHIV). Based on these recommendations 15 million PLWHIV worldwide are expected to be treated with DTG regimens on or before 2025. This includes pregnant women. Current widespread use of DTG is linked to the drug's high potency, barrier to resistance, and cost-effectiveness. Despite such benefits, potential risks of DTG-linked fetal neurodevelopmental toxicity remain a concern. To this end, novel formulation strategies are urgently needed in order to maximize DTG's therapeutic potentials while limiting adverse events. In regard to potential maternal fetal toxicities, we hypothesized that injectable long-acting nanoformulated DTG (NDTG) could provide improved safety by reducing drug fetal exposures compared to orally administered native drug. To test this notion, we treated pregnant C3H/HeJ mice with daily oral native DTG at a human equivalent dosage (5 mg/kg; n = 6) or vehicle (control; n = 8). These were compared against pregnant mice injected with intramuscular (IM) NDTG formulations given at 45 (n = 3) or 25 (n = 4) mg/kg at one or two doses, respectively. Treatment began at gestation day (GD) 0.5. Magnetic resonance imaging scanning of live dams at GD 17.5 was performed to obtain T1 maps of the embryo brain to assess T1 relaxation times of drug-induced oxidative stress. Significantly lower T1 values were noted in daily oral native DTG-treated mice, whereas comparative T1 values were noted between control and NDTG-treated mice. This data reflected prevention of DTG-induced oxidative stress when delivered as NDTG. Proteomic profiling of embryo brain tissues harvested at GD 17.5 demonstrated reductions in oxidative stress, mitochondrial impairments, and amelioration of impaired neurogenesis and synaptogenesis in NDTG-treated mice. Pharmacokinetic (PK) tests determined that both daily oral native DTG and parenteral NDTG achieved clinically equivalent therapeutic plasma DTG levels in dams (4,000-6,500 ng/mL). Importantly, NDTG led to five-fold lower DTG concentrations in embryo brain tissues compared to daily oral administration. Altogether, our preliminary work suggests that long-acting drug delivery can limit DTG-linked neurodevelopmental deficits.

Dolutegravir-induced growth and lifespan effects in Caenorhabditis elegans

BACKGROUND

Integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTIs)-based combination antiretroviral treatment in people living with HIV (PLWH) has been reportedly correlated with several adverse effects, such as weight gain, fetal defects or psychiatric disorders.

METHODS

To comprehensively understand the adverse effect of INSTIs, our study utilized Caenorhabditis Elegans (C. elegans) as a model to investigate how dolutegravir (DTG) affected its life cycle, growth, reproduction and lifespan.

RESULTS

Our results indicated that DTG enhanced body growth at the early stage of treatment, but no change was detected for long-term treatment. The treatment also influenced the reproductive system, decreased egg-hatching but had no effect on egg-laying. Besides, DTG resulted in lifespan reduction, which is dependent on increased levels of reactive oxidative species (ROS) accumulation. Treatment with N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) in worms restrained intracellular ROS accumulation and improved DTG-induced lifespan reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates for the first time the effect of DTG treatment on life cycle. DTG-induced adverse effects are potentially associated with intracellular ROS accumulation. Quenching ROS accumulation might provide a novel strategy for dealing with the adverse effects of INSTIs.

Central nervous system disorders after use of dolutegravir: evidence from preclinical and clinical studies

The evaluation of dolutegravir based on available preclinical and clinical studies reveals a risk of central nervous system (CNS) disorders associated with long-term use of the drug. The available literature on the pharmacokinetics of the drug, including its penetration of the blood-brain barrier, was reviewed, as well as clinical trials assessing the incidence of adverse effects in the CNS and the frequency of its discontinuation. This paper also summarizes the impact of factors affecting the occurrence of CNS disorders and indicates the key role of pharmacovigilance in the process of supplementing knowledge on the safety of drugs, especially those that are newly registered.

Vector-Transmitted Flaviviruses: An Antiviral Molecules Overview

Flaviviruses cause numerous pathologies in humans across a broad clinical spectrum with potentially severe clinical manifestations, including hemorrhagic and neurological disorders. Among human flaviviruses, some viral proteins show high conservation and are good candidates as targets for drug design. From an epidemiological point of view, flaviviruses cause more than 400 million cases of infection worldwide each year. In particular, the Yellow Fever, dengue, West Nile, and Zika viruses have high morbidity and mortality-about an estimated 20,000 deaths per year. As they depend on human vectors, they have expanded their geographical range in recent years due to altered climatic and social conditions. Despite these epidemiological and clinical premises, there are limited antiviral treatments for these infections. In this review, we describe the major compounds that are currently under evaluation for the treatment of flavivirus infections and the challenges faced during clinical trials, outlining their mechanisms of action in order to present an overview of ongoing studies. According to our review, the absence of approved antivirals for flaviviruses led to in vitro and in vivo experiments aimed at identifying compounds that can interfere with one or more viral cycle steps. Still, the currently unavailability of approved antivirals poses a significant public health issue.

Metabolic implications and safety of dolutegravir use in pregnancy

Dolutegravir is recommended for all people living with HIV because of its efficacy, high barrier to resistance, favourable safety and tolerability profile, and affordability. Dolutegravir has the highest rates of viral suppression in pregnancy, therefore preventing perinatal HIV transmission. In view of these benefits, particularly for pregnant women, an important question is if dolutegravir is safe in pregnancy. Dolutegravir has been associated with metabolic complications, including weight gain and rare events of hyperglycaemia, that could affect maternal, fetal, and postnatal health. We review the current clinically and experimentally based literature on the implications of dolutegravir use for pregnant women and for developing embryos and fetuses. Possible effects on folate status, energy metabolism, adipogenesis, and oxidative stress are considered. In many instances, insufficient data are available, pointing to the need for additional research in this important area of HIV treatment.

Folate deficiency increases the incidence of dolutegravir-associated foetal defects in a mouse pregnancy model

BACKGROUND

Dolutegravir (DTG) is a recommended first-line regimen for all people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Initial findings from Botswana, a country with no folate fortification program, showed an elevated prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) with peri-conceptional exposure to DTG. Here we explore whether a low folate diet influences the risk of DTG-associated foetal anomalies in a mouse model.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice fed a folate-deficient diet for 2 weeks, were mated and then randomly allocated to control (water), or 1xDTG (2.5 mg/kg), or 5xDTG (12.5 mg/kg) both administered orally with 50 mg/kg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 33.3 mg/kg emtricitabine. Treatment was administered once daily from gestational day (GD) 0.5 to sacrifice (GD15.5). Foetuses were assessed for gross anomalies. Maternal and foetal folate levels were quantified.

FINDINGS

313 litters (103 control, 106 1xDTG, 104 5xDTG) were assessed. Viability, placental weight, and foetal weight did not differ between groups. NTDs were only observed in the DTG groups (litter rate: 0% control; 1.0% 1xDTG; 1.3% 5xDTG). Tail, abdominal wall, limb, craniofacial, and bleeding defects all occurred at higher rates in the DTG groups versus control. Compared with our previous findings on DTG usage in folate-replete mouse pregnancies, folate deficiency was associated with higher rates of several defects, including NTDs, but in the DTG groups only. We observed a severe left-right asymmetry phenotype that was more frequent in DTG groups than controls.

INTERPRETATION

Maternal folate deficiency may increase the risk for DTG-associated foetal defects. Periconceptional folic acid supplementation could be considered for women with HIV taking DTG during pregnancy, particularly in countries lacking folate fortification programs.

FUNDING

This project has been funded by Federal funds from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. HHSN275201800001I and award #R01HD104553. LS is supported by a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Maternal-Child Health and HIV. HM is supported by a Junior Investigator award from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network.

Gene-nutrient interactions that impact magnesium homeostasis increase risk for neural tube defects in mice exposed to dolutegravir

In 2018, data from a surveillance study in Botswana evaluating adverse birth outcomes raised concerns that women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) containing dolutegravir (DTG) may be at increased risk for neural tube defects (NTDs). The mechanism of action for DTG involves chelation of Mg²⁺ ions in the active site of the viral integrase. Plasma Mg²⁺ homeostasis is maintained primarily through dietary intake and reabsorption in the kidneys. Inadequate dietary Mg²⁺ intake over several months results in slow depletion of plasma Mg²⁺ and chronic latent hypomagnesemia, a condition prevalent in women of reproductive age worldwide. Mg²⁺ is critical for normal embryonic development and neural tube closure. We hypothesized that DTG therapy might slowly deplete plasma Mg²⁺ and reduce the amount available to the embryo, and that mice with pre-existing hypomagnesemia due to genetic variation and/or dietary Mg²⁺ insufficiency at the time of conception and initiation of DTG treatment would be at increased risk for NTDs. We used two different approaches to test our hypothesis: 1) we selected mouse strains that had inherently different basal plasma Mg²⁺ levels and 2) placed mice on diets with different concentrations of Mg²⁺. Plasma and urine Mg²⁺ were determined prior to timed mating. Pregnant mice were treated daily with vehicle or DTG beginning on the day of conception and embryos examined for NTDs on gestational day 9.5. Plasma DTG was measured for pharmacokinetic analysis. Our results demonstrate that hypomagnesemia prior to conception, due to genetic variation and/or insufficient dietary Mg²⁺ intake, increases the risk for NTDs in mice exposed to DTG. We also analyzed whole-exome sequencing data from inbred mouse strains and identified 9 predicted deleterious missense variants in Fam111a that were unique to the LM/Bc strain. Human FAM111A variants are associated with hypomagnesemia and renal Mg²⁺ wasting. The LM/Bc strain exhibits this same phenotype and was the strain most susceptible to DTG-NTDs. Our results suggest that monitoring plasma Mg²⁺ levels in patients on ART regimens that include DTG, identifying other risk factors that impact Mg²⁺ homeostasis, and correcting deficiencies in this micronutrient might provide an effective strategy for mitigating NTD risk.

Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases by HIV-1 integrase strand transfer inhibitors

More than fifteen million women with the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection are of childbearing age world-wide. Due to improved and affordable access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), the number of in utero antiretroviral drug (ARV)-exposed children has exceeded a million and continues to grow. While most recommended ART taken during pregnancy suppresses mother to child viral transmission, the knowledge of drug safety linked to fetal neurodevelopment remains an area of active investigation. For example, few studies have suggested that ARV use can be associated with neural tube defects (NTDs) and most notably with the integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) dolutegravir (DTG). After risk benefit assessments, the World Health Organization (WHO) made recommendations for DTG usage as a first and second-line preferred treatment for infected populations including pregnant women and those of childbearing age. Nonetheless, long-term safety concerns remain for fetal health. This has led to a number of recent studies underscoring the need for biomarkers to elucidate potential mechanisms underlying long-term neurodevelopmental adverse events. With this goal in mind, we now report the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activities by INSTIs as an ARV class effect. Balanced MMPs activities play a crucial role in fetal neurodevelopment. Inhibition of MMPs activities by INSTIs during neurodevelopment could be a potential mechanism for adverse events. Thus, comprehensive molecular docking testing of the INSTIs, DTG, bictegravir (BIC), and cabotegravir (CAB), against twenty-three human MMPs showed broad-spectrum inhibition. With a metal chelating chemical property, each of the INSTI were shown to bind Zn++ at the MMP's catalytic domain leading to MMP inhibition but to variable binding energies. These results were validated in myeloid cell culture experiments demonstrating MMP-2 and 9 inhibitions by DTG, BIC and CAB and even at higher degree than doxycycline (DOX). Altogether, these data provide a potential mechanism for how INSTIs could affect fetal neurodevelopment.

Cabotegravir Exposure of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryos Impacts on Neurodevelopment and Behavior

As most new medications, Cabotegravir (CAB) was recently approved as an antiretroviral treatment of HIV infection without in-depth safety information on in utero exposure. Although no developmental toxicity in rats and rabbits was reported, recent studies demonstrated that CAB decreases pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells. CAB exposure effects during development were assessed in zebrafish embryos by the Fish Embryo Toxicity test after exposure at subtherapeutic concentrations up to 25× the human C_max. Larvae behavior was assessed by the light-dark locomotion test. The expression of factors involved in neurogenesis was evaluated by whole-mount in situ hybridization. CAB did not cause gross morphological defects at low doses, although pericardial edema, uninflated swim bladder, decreased heartbeats, growth delay, and decreased hatching rate were observed at the highest concentrations. Decreased locomotion was observed even at the subtherapeutic dose, suggesting alterations of nervous system integrity. This hypothesis was supported by the observation of decreased expression of crucial factors involved in early neuronal differentiation in diencephalic and telencephalic dopaminergic areas, midbrain/hindbrain boundary, and craniofacial ganglia. These findings support CAB effects on neurogenesis in zebrafish embryos and suggest long-term follow-up of exposed infants to provide data on drug safety during pregnancy.

HIV-1 Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors and Neurodevelopment

Children born to mothers, with or at risk, of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection are on the rise due to affordable access of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to pregnant women or those of childbearing age. Each year, up to 1.3 million HIV-1-infected women on ART have given birth with recorded mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission rates of less than 1%. Despite this benefit, the outcomes of children exposed to antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy, especially pre- and post- natal neurodevelopment remain incompletely understood. This is due, in part, to the fact that pregnant women are underrepresented in clinical trials. This is underscored by any potential risks of neural tube defects (NTDs) linked, in measure, to periconceptional usage of dolutegravir (DTG). A potential association between DTG and NTDs was first described in Botswana in 2018. Incidence studies of neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with DTG, and other integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are limited as widespread use of INSTIs has begun only recently in pregnant women. Therefore, any associations between INSTI use during pregnancy, and neurodevelopmental abnormalities remain to be explored. Herein, United States Food and Drug Administration approved ARVs and their use during pregnancy are discussed. We provide updates on INSTI pharmacokinetics and adverse events during pregnancy together with underlying mechanisms which could affect fetal neurodevelopment. Overall, this review seeks to educate both clinical and basic scientists on potential consequences of INSTIs on fetal outcomes as a foundation for future scientific investigations.