1
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Mast N, Butts M, Pikuleva IA. Unbiased Insights into the Multiplicity of the CYP46A1 Brain Effects in 5XFAD Mice Treated with Low Dose Efavirenz. J Lipid Res 2024:100555. [PMID: 38719151 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
CYP46A1 is the CNS-specific cholesterol 24-hydroxylase that controls cholesterol elimination and turnover in the brain. In mouse models, pharmacologic CYP46A1 activation with low dose efavirenz (EFV) or by gene therapy mitigates the manifestations of various brain disorders, neurologic and non-neurologic, by affecting numerous, apparently unliked biological processes. Accordingly, CYP46A1 is emerging as a promising therapeutic target; however, the mechanisms underlying the multiplicity of the brain CYP46A1 activity effects are currently not understood. We proposed the chain reaction hypothesis, according to which CYP46A1 is important for the three primary (unifying) processes in the brain (sterol flux through the plasma membranes, acetyl-CoA and isoprenoid production), which in turn affect a variety of secondary processes. We already identified several processes secondary to changes in sterol flux and herein undertook a multiomics approach to compare the brain proteome, acetylproteome, and metabolome of 5XFAD mice (an Alzheimer's disease model), control and treated with low dose EFV. We found that the latter had increased production of phospholipids from the corresponding lysophospholipids and a globally increased protein acetylation (including histone acetylation). Apparently, these effects were secondary to increased acetyl-CoA production. Signaling of small GTPases due to their altered abundance or abundance of their regulators could be affected as well, potentially via isoprenoid biosynthesis. In addition, the omics data related differentially abundant molecules to other biological processes either reported previously or new. Thus, we obtained unbiased mechanistic insights and identified potential players mediating the multiplicity of the CYP46A1 brain effects and further detailed our chain reaction hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Mast
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Makaya Butts
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Irina A Pikuleva
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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2
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Kim JB, Kim SJ, So M, Kim DK, Noh HR, Kim BJ, Choi YR, Kim D, Koo H, Kim T, Woo HG, Park SM. Artificial intelligence-driven drug repositioning uncovers efavirenz as a modulator of α-synuclein propagation: Implications in Parkinson's disease. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116442. [PMID: 38513596 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with an unclear etiology. Despite significant research efforts, developing disease-modifying treatments for PD remains a major unmet medical need. Notably, drug repositioning is becoming an increasingly attractive direction in drug discovery, and computational approaches offer a relatively quick and resource-saving method for identifying testable hypotheses that promote drug repositioning. We used an artificial intelligence (AI)-based drug repositioning strategy to screen an extensive compound library and identify potential therapeutic agents for PD. Our AI-driven analysis revealed that efavirenz and nevirapine, approved for treating human immunodeficiency virus infection, had distinct profiles, suggesting their potential effects on PD pathophysiology. Among these, efavirenz attenuated α-synuclein (α-syn) propagation and associated neuroinflammation in the brain of preformed α-syn fibrils-injected A53T α-syn Tg mice and α-syn propagation and associated behavioral changes in the C. elegans BiFC model. Through in-depth molecular investigations, we found that efavirenz can modulate cholesterol metabolism and mitigate α-syn propagation, a key pathological feature implicated in PD progression by regulating CYP46A1. This study opens new avenues for further investigation into the mechanisms underlying PD pathology and the exploration of additional drug candidates using advanced computational methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Bong Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Soo-Jeong Kim
- Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | | | - Dong-Kyu Kim
- Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hye Rin Noh
- Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Beom Jin Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Yu Ree Choi
- Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Doyoon Kim
- Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | | | | | - Hyun Goo Woo
- Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Sang Myun Park
- Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Center for Convergence Research of Neurological Disorders, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
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3
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Nunes MJ, Carvalho AN, Reis J, Costa D, Moutinho M, Mateus J, Mendes de Almeida R, Brito S, Risso D, Nunes S, Castro-Caldas M, Gama MJ, Rodrigues CMP, Xapelli S, Diógenes MJ, Cartier N, Chali F, Piguet F, Rodrigues E. Cholesterol redistribution triggered by CYP46A1 gene therapy improves major hallmarks of Niemann-Pick type C disease but is not sufficient to halt neurodegeneration. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:166993. [PMID: 38142760 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CYP46A1) is an exclusively neuronal cytochrome P450 enzyme responsible for converting cholesterol into 24S-hydroxycholesterol, which serves as the primary pathway for eliminating cholesterol in the brain. We and others have shown that increased activity of CYP46A1 leads to reduced levels of cholesterol and has a positive effect on cognition. Therefore, we hypothesized that CYP46A1 could be a potential therapeutic target in Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease, a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by cholesterol accumulation in endolysosomal compartments. Herein, we show that CYP46A1 ectopic expression, in cellular models of NPC and in Npc1tm(I1061T) mice by adeno-associated virus-mediated gene therapy improved NPC disease phenotype. Amelioration in functional, biochemical, molecular and neuropathological hallmarks of NPC disease were characterized. In vivo, CYP46A1 expression partially prevented weight loss and hepatomegaly, corrected the expression levels of genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis, and promoted a redistribution of brain cholesterol accumulated in late endosomes/lysosomes. Moreover, concomitant with the amelioration of cholesterol metabolism dysregulation, CYP46A1 attenuated microgliosis and lysosomal dysfunction in mouse cerebellum, favoring a pro-resolving phenotype. In vivo CYP46A1 ectopic expression improves important features of NPC disease and may represent a valid therapeutic approach to be used concomitantly with other drugs. However, promoting cholesterol redistribution does not appear to be enough to prevent Purkinje neuronal death in the cerebellum. This indicates that cholesterol buildup in neurons might not be the main cause of neurodegeneration in this human lipidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Nunes
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Andreia Neves Carvalho
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Reis
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniela Costa
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Moutinho
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Mateus
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita Mendes de Almeida
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Brito
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniela Risso
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sofia Nunes
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Margarida Castro-Caldas
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Maria João Gama
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cecília M P Rodrigues
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Xapelli
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria José Diógenes
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nathalie Cartier
- NeuroGenCell, INSERM U1127, Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Sorbonne University, CNRS, APHP, University Hospital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Farah Chali
- NeuroGenCell, INSERM U1127, Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Sorbonne University, CNRS, APHP, University Hospital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Françoise Piguet
- NeuroGenCell, INSERM U1127, Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Sorbonne University, CNRS, APHP, University Hospital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Elsa Rodrigues
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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4
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Tsitsou-Kampeli A, Suzzi S, Kenigsbuch M, Satomi A, Strobelt R, Singer O, Feldmesser E, Purnapatre M, Colaiuta SP, David E, Cahalon L, Hahn O, Wyss-Coray T, Shaul Y, Amit I, Schwartz M. Cholesterol 24-hydroxylase at the choroid plexus contributes to brain immune homeostasis. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101278. [PMID: 37944529 PMCID: PMC10694665 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The choroid plexus (CP) plays a key role in remotely controlling brain function in health, aging, and disease. Here, we report that CP epithelial cells express the brain-specific cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CYP46A1) and that its levels are decreased under different mouse and human brain conditions, including amyloidosis, aging, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using primary mouse CP cell cultures, we demonstrate that the enzymatic product of CYP46A1, 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol, downregulates inflammatory transcriptomic signatures within the CP, found here to be elevated across multiple neurological conditions. In vitro, the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) downregulates CYP46A1 expression, while overexpression of CYP46A1 or its pharmacological activation in mouse CP organ cultures increases resilience to TNF-α. In vivo, overexpression of CYP46A1 in the CP in transgenic mice with amyloidosis is associated with better cognitive performance and decreased brain inflammation. Our findings suggest that CYP46A1 expression in the CP impacts the role of this niche as a guardian of brain immune homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefano Suzzi
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Mor Kenigsbuch
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Akisawa Satomi
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Romano Strobelt
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Oded Singer
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ester Feldmesser
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | | | - Eyal David
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Liora Cahalon
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Oliver Hahn
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tony Wyss-Coray
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yosef Shaul
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ido Amit
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Michal Schwartz
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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5
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Haider A, Zhao C, Wang L, Xiao Z, Rong J, Xia X, Chen Z, Pfister SK, Mast N, Yutuc E, Chen J, Li Y, Shao T, Warnock GI, Dawoud A, Connors TR, Oakley DH, Wei H, Wang J, Zheng Z, Xu H, Davenport AT, Daunais JB, Van RS, Shao Y, Wang Y, Zhang MR, Gebhard C, Pikuleva I, Levey AI, Griffiths WJ, Liang SH. Assessment of cholesterol homeostasis in the living human brain. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eadc9967. [PMID: 36197966 PMCID: PMC9581941 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adc9967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in brain cholesterol homeostasis have been broadly implicated in neurological disorders. Notwithstanding the complexity by which cholesterol biology is governed in the mammalian brain, excess neuronal cholesterol is primarily eliminated by metabolic clearance via cytochrome P450 46A1 (CYP46A1). No methods are currently available for visualizing cholesterol metabolism in the living human brain; therefore, a noninvasive technology that quantitatively measures the extent of brain cholesterol metabolism via CYP46A1 could broadly affect disease diagnosis and treatment options using targeted therapies. Here, we describe the development and testing of a CYP46A1-targeted positron emission tomography (PET) tracer, 18F-CHL-2205 (18F-Cholestify). Our data show that PET imaging readouts correlate with CYP46A1 protein expression and with the extent to which cholesterol is metabolized in the brain, as assessed by cross-species postmortem analyses of specimens from rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans. Proof of concept of in vivo efficacy is provided in the well-established 3xTg-AD murine model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), where we show that the probe is sensitive to differences in brain cholesterol metabolism between 3xTg-AD mice and control animals. Furthermore, our clinical observations point toward a considerably higher baseline brain cholesterol clearance via CYP46A1 in women, as compared to age-matched men. These findings illustrate the vast potential of assessing brain cholesterol metabolism using PET and establish PET as a sensitive tool for noninvasive assessment of brain cholesterol homeostasis in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Haider
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Emory University, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, 1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Chunyu Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Emory University, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, 1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lu Wang
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Zhiwei Xiao
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Emory University, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, 1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jian Rong
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Emory University, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, 1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Xiaotian Xia
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022 Wuhan, China
| | - Zhen Chen
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Stefanie K. Pfister
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Natalia Mast
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Eylan Yutuc
- Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, SA2 8PP Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Emory University, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, 1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Yinlong Li
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Emory University, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, 1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Tuo Shao
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Geoffrey I. Warnock
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Molecular Cardiology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Alyaa Dawoud
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, 11835, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Theresa R. Connors
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Derek H. Oakley
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114-2696, USA
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Huiyi Wei
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Jinghao Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Zhihua Zheng
- Guangdong Province Pharmaceutical Association, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - April T. Davenport
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - James B. Daunais
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Richard S. Van
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Yihan Shao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Yuqin Wang
- Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, SA2 8PP Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Ming-Rong Zhang
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Catherine Gebhard
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Molecular Cardiology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Irina Pikuleva
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Allan I. Levey
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - William J. Griffiths
- Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, SA2 8PP Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Steven H. Liang
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Emory University, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, 1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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6
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Ikeda S, Kajita Y, Miyamoto M, Matsumiya K, Ishii T, Nishi T, Gay SC, Lane W, Constantinescu CC, Alagille D, Papin C, Tamagnan G, Kuroita T, Koike T. Design and synthesis of aryl-piperidine derivatives as potent and selective PET tracers for cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CH24H). Eur J Med Chem 2022; 240:114612. [PMID: 35863274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CH24H, CYP46A1) is a cytochrome P450 family enzyme that maintains the homeostasis of brain cholesterol. Soticlestat, a potent and selective CH24H inhibitor, is in development as a therapeutic agent for Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Herein, we report the discovery of aryl-piperidine derivatives as potent and selective CH24H positron emission tomography (PET) tracers which can be used for dose guidance of a clinical CH24H inhibitor and as a diagnostic tool for CH24H-related pathology. Starting from compound 1 (IC50 = 16 nM, logD = 1.7), which was reported as a CH24H inhibitor with lower lipophilicity, a18F-labeling site (3-fluoroazetidine) was incorporated by structure-based drug design (SBDD) utilizing the co-crystal structure of a compound 1 analog. Subsequent optimization to adjust key parameters for PET tracers, such as potency, lipophilicity, brain penetration, and unbound plasma protein binding, enabled compounds 3f (IC50 = 8.8 nM) and 3g (IC50 = 8.7 nM) as PET imaging candidates. Selectivity of these compounds for CH24H was validated by a brain distribution study using CH24H-WT and KO mice. In non-human primate PET imaging, [18F]3f and [18F]3g showed similar regional uptake in the brain, indicating that these tracers were specific to the CH24H-expressed regions and validated the expression of CH24H in the living brain by different tracers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhei Ikeda
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., 26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, 2-Chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Yuichi Kajita
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., 26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, 2-Chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Maki Miyamoto
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., 26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, 2-Chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Kouta Matsumiya
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., 26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, 2-Chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Ishii
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., 26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, 2-Chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Toshiya Nishi
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., 26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, 2-Chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Sean C Gay
- Takeda California, Inc., 9625 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, CA, 92121, United States
| | - Weston Lane
- Takeda California, Inc., 9625 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, CA, 92121, United States
| | | | - David Alagille
- Invicro, LLC, 60 Temple Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States
| | - Caroline Papin
- Invicro, LLC, 60 Temple Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States
| | - Gilles Tamagnan
- Invicro, LLC, 60 Temple Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States
| | - Takanobu Kuroita
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., 26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, 2-Chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Koike
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., 26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, 2-Chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 251-8555, Japan.
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7
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Mast N, Li Y, Pikuleva IA. Increased Acetylcholine Levels and Other Brain Effects in 5XFAD Mice after Treatment with 8,14-Dihydroxy Metabolite of Efavirenz. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147669. [PMID: 35887013 PMCID: PMC9317559 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Efavirenz (EFV), an FDA-approved anti-HIV drug, has off-target binding to CYP46A1, the CNS enzyme which converts cholesterol to 24-hydroxycholesterol. At small doses, EFV allosterically activates CYP46A1 in mice and humans and mitigates some of the Alzheimer's disease manifestations in 5XFAD mice, an animal model. Notably, in vitro, all phase 1 EFV hydroxymetabolites activate CYP46A1 as well and bind either to the allosteric site for EFV, neurotransmitters or both. Herein, we treated 5XFAD mice with 8,14-dihydroxyEFV, the binder to the neurotransmitter allosteric site, which elicits the highest CYP46A1 activation in vitro. We found that treated animals of both sexes had activation of CYP46A1 and cholesterol turnover in the brain, decreased content of the amyloid beta 42 peptide, increased levels of acetyl-CoA and acetylcholine, and altered expression of the brain marker proteins. In addition, male mice had improved performance in the Barnes Maze test and increased expression of the acetylcholine-related genes. This work expands our knowledge of the beneficial CYP46A1 activation effects and demonstrates that 8,14-dihydroxyEFV crosses the blood-brain barrier and has therapeutic potential as a CYP46A1 activator.
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El-Darzi N, Mast N, Buchner DA, Saadane A, Dailey B, Trichonas G, Pikuleva IA. Low-Dose Anti-HIV Drug Efavirenz Mitigates Retinal Vascular Lesions in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:902254. [PMID: 35721135 PMCID: PMC9198296 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.902254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A small dose of the anti-HIV drug efavirenz (EFV) was previously discovered to activate CYP46A1, a cholesterol-eliminating enzyme in the brain, and mitigate some of the manifestation of Alzheimer's disease in 5XFAD mice. Herein, we investigated the retina of these animals, which were found to have genetically determined retinal vascular lesions associated with deposits within the retinal pigment epithelium and subretinal space. We established that EFV treatment activated CYP46A1 in the retina, enhanced retinal cholesterol turnover, and diminished the lesion frequency >5-fold. In addition, the treatment mitigated fluorescein leakage from the aberrant blood vessels, deposit size, activation of retinal macrophages/microglia, and focal accumulations of amyloid β plaques, unesterified cholesterol, and Oil Red O-positive lipids. Studies of retinal transcriptomics and proteomics identified biological processes enriched with differentially expressed genes and proteins. We discuss the mechanisms of the beneficial EFV effects on the retinal phenotype of 5XFAD mice. As EFV is an FDA-approved drug, and we already tested the safety of small-dose EFV in patients with Alzheimer's disease, our data support further clinical investigation of this drug in subjects with retinal vascular lesions or neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole El-Darzi
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Natalia Mast
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - David A. Buchner
- Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Aicha Saadane
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Brian Dailey
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Georgios Trichonas
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Irina A. Pikuleva
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States,*Correspondence: Irina A. Pikuleva,
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Pikuleva IA. Targeting cytochrome P450 46A1 and brain cholesterol 24-hydroxylation to treat neurodegenerative diseases. EXPLORATION OF NEUROPROTECTIVE THERAPY 2021; 1:159-172. [PMID: 35156102 DOI: 10.37349/ent.2021.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The brain cholesterol content is determined by the balance between the pathways of in situ biosynthesis and cholesterol elimination via 24-hydroxylation catalyzed by CYP46A1 (cytochrome P450 46A1). Both pathways are tightly coupled and determine the rate of brain cholesterol turnover. Evidence is accumulating that modulation of CYP46A1 activity by gene therapy or pharmacologic means could be beneficial in case neurodegenerative and other brain diseases and affect brain processes other than cholesterol biosynthesis and elimination. This minireview summarizes these other processes, most common of which include abnormal protein accumulation, memory and cognition, motor behavior, gene transcription, protein phosphorylation as well as autophagy and lysosomal processing. The unifying mechanisms, by which these processes could be affected by CYP46A targeting are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Pikuleva
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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Characterizations of Hamster Retina as a Model for Studies of Retinal Cholesterol Homeostasis. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10101003. [PMID: 34681102 PMCID: PMC8533155 DOI: 10.3390/biology10101003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary This work represents a comprehensive evaluation of hamster retina by state-of-the-art methodologies and provides evidence that hamsters may represent a better model for studies of retinal cholesterol maintenance than mice. The latter is an important finding, as disturbances in retinal cholesterol homeostasis are linked to age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, which are blinding diseases. Abstract Cholesterol homeostasis in the retina, a sensory organ in the back of the eye, has been studied in mice but not hamsters, despite the latter being more similar to humans than mice with respect to their whole-body cholesterol maintenance. The goal of this study was to begin to assess hamster retina and conduct initial interspecies comparisons. First, young (3-month old) and mature (6-month old) Syrian (golden) hamsters were compared with 3- and 6-month old mice for ocular biometrics and retinal appearance on optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography. Of the 30 evaluated hamsters, seven had retinal structural abnormalities and all had increased permeability of retinal blood vessels. However, hamsters did not carry the mutations causing retinal degenerations 1 and 8, had normal blood glucose levels, and only slightly elevated hemoglobin A1c content. Cholesterol and six other sterols were quantified in hamster retina and compared with sterol profiles in mouse and human retina. These comparisons suggested that cholesterol turnover is much higher in younger than mature hamster retina, and that mature hamster and human retinas share similarities in the ratios of cholesterol metabolites to cholesterol. This study supports further investigations of cholesterol maintenance in hamster retina.
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Pikuleva IA, Cartier N. Cholesterol Hydroxylating Cytochrome P450 46A1: From Mechanisms of Action to Clinical Applications. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:696778. [PMID: 34305573 PMCID: PMC8297829 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.696778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol, an essential component of the brain, and its local metabolism are involved in many neurodegenerative diseases. The blood-brain barrier is impermeable to cholesterol; hence, cholesterol homeostasis in the central nervous system represents a balance between in situ biosynthesis and elimination. Cytochrome P450 46A1 (CYP46A1), a central nervous system-specific enzyme, converts cholesterol to 24-hydroxycholesterol, which can freely cross the blood-brain barrier and be degraded in the liver. By the dual action of initiating cholesterol efflux and activating the cholesterol synthesis pathway, CYP46A1 is the key enzyme that ensures brain cholesterol turnover. In humans and mouse models, CYP46A1 activity is altered in Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases, spinocerebellar ataxias, glioblastoma, and autism spectrum disorders. In mouse models, modulations of CYP46A1 activity mitigate the manifestations of Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Nieman-Pick type C, and Machao-Joseph (spinocerebellar ataxia type 3) diseases as well as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, glioblastoma, and prion infection. Animal studies revealed that the CYP46A1 activity effects are not limited to cholesterol maintenance but also involve critical cellular pathways, like gene transcription, endocytosis, misfolded protein clearance, vesicular transport, and synaptic transmission. How CYP46A1 can exert central control of such essential brain functions is a pressing question under investigation. The potential therapeutic role of CYP46A1, demonstrated in numerous models of brain disorders, is currently being evaluated in early clinical trials. This review summarizes the past 70 years of research that has led to the identification of CYP46A1 and brain cholesterol homeostasis as powerful therapeutic targets for severe pathologies of the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Pikuleva
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Nathalie Cartier
- NeuroGenCell, Paris Brain Institute, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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Mast N, Petrov AM, Prendergast E, Bederman I, Pikuleva IA. Brain Acetyl-CoA Production and Phosphorylation of Cytoskeletal Proteins Are Targets of CYP46A1 Activity Modulation and Altered Sterol Flux. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:2040-2060. [PMID: 34235635 PMCID: PMC8609074 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01079-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol and 24-hydroxycholesterol are the most abundant brain sterols and represent the substrate and product, respectively, of cytochrome P450 46A1 (CYP46A1), a CNS-specific enzyme. CYP46A1 controls cholesterol elimination and turnover in the brain, the two processes that determine the rate of brain sterol flux through the plasma membranes and thereby the properties of these membranes. Brain sterol flux is decreased in Cyp46a1-/- mice compared to wild-type mice and increased in 5XFAD mice (a model of Alzheimer's disease) when they are treated with a small dose of efavirenz, a CYP46A1 activator. Herein, we first assessed the brain proteome (synaptosomal fractions) and phospho-proteome (synaptosomal fractions and brain homogenates) of efavirenz-treated and control 5XFAD mice. Then, based on the pattern of protein abundance change, we conducted acetyl-CoA measurements (brain homogenates and mitochondria) and metabolic profiling (brain homogenates). The phospho-proteomics datasets were used for comparative analyses with the datasets obtained by us previously on mice with the same changes (efavirenz-treated and control 5XFAD mice from a different treatment paradigm) or with changes in the opposite direction (Cyp46a1-/- vs wild-type mice) in brain sterol flux. We found that CYP46A1 activity or the rate of brain sterol flux affects acetyl-CoA-related metabolic pathways as well as phosphorylation of cytoskeletal and other proteins. Knowledge of the key roles of acetyl-CoA and cytoskeletal phosphorylation in cell biology expands our understanding of the significance of CYP46A1-mediated cholesterol 24-hydroxylation in the brain and provides an additional explanation for why CYP46A1 activity modulations are beneficial in mouse models of different brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Mast
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Alexey M Petrov
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Laboratory of Biophysics of Synaptic Processes, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center, Kazan Scientific Center of RAS", 2/31 Lobachevsky Street, Box 30, 420111, Kazan, Russia
- Institute of Neuroscience, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, 420012, Kazan, Russia
| | - Erin Prendergast
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ilya Bederman
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Irina A Pikuleva
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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Sheng Y, Yang H, Wu T, Zhu L, Liu L, Liu X. Alterations of Cytochrome P450s and UDP-Glucuronosyltransferases in Brain Under Diseases and Their Clinical Significances. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:650027. [PMID: 33967789 PMCID: PMC8097730 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.650027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are both greatly important metabolic enzymes in various tissues, including brain. Although expressions of brain CYPs and UGTs and their contributions to drug disposition are much less than liver, both CYPs and UGTs also mediate metabolism of endogenous substances including dopamine and serotonin as well as some drugs such as morphine in brain, demonstrating their important roles in maintenance of brain homeostasis or pharmacological activity of drugs. Some diseases such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease are often associated with the alterations of CYPs and UGTs in brain, which may be involved in processes of these diseases via disturbing metabolism of endogenous substances or resisting drugs. This article reviewed the alterations of CYPs and UGTs in brain, the effects on endogenous substances and drugs and their clinical significances. Understanding the roles of CYPs and UGTs in brain provides some new strategies for the treatment of central nervous system diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Sheng
- Center of Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hanyu Yang
- Center of Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Center of Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liang Zhu
- Center of Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Liu
- Center of Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaodong Liu
- Center of Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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