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Rodríguez M, Quiroga J, Cortés B, Morán G, Henríquez C. Effects of tamoxifen on the immune response phenotype in equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1381162. [PMID: 38659456 PMCID: PMC11041636 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1381162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Tamoxifen (TAM) is widely utilized in the prevention and treatment of human breast cancer and has demonstrated the potential to modulate the immune response. It has been proposed as a therapeutic tool for immune-mediated diseases. TAM has been investigated as a possible treatment for asthma-like conditions in horses, revealing specific impacts on the innate immune system. While the effects of TAM on equine neutrophils are well-documented, its influence on lymphocytes and the modulation of the immune response polarization remains unclear. This in vitro study employed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy horses, exposing them to varying concentrations of the TAM and assessing the expression of genes involved in the polarization of the immune response (TBX21, IFNG, GATA3, IL4, IL10, FOXP3, and CTLA4) in PBMC stimulated or not with PMA/ionomycin. Additionally, the effect of TAM over the proportion of regulatory T cells (Treg) was also assessed. TAM did not significantly affect the expression of these genes and Treg at low concentrations. However, at the highest concentration, there was an impact on the expression of GATA3, IL4, IL10, and CTLA4 genes. These alterations in genes associated with a Th2 and regulatory response coincided with a noteworthy increase in drug-associated cytotoxicity but only at concentrations far beyond those achieved in pharmacological therapy. These findings suggest that the effects of TAM, as described in preclinical studies on asthmatic horses, may not be attributed to the modification of the adaptive response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gabriel Morán
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Claudio Henríquez
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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Salinas C, Barriga K, Albornoz A, Alarcon P, Quiroga J, Uberti B, Sarmiento J, Henriquez C, Ehrenfeld P, Burgos RA, Moran G. Tamoxifen triggers the in vitro release of neutrophil extracellular traps in healthy horses. Front Vet Sci 2023; 9:1025249. [PMID: 36686170 PMCID: PMC9853556 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1025249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils display an array of biological functions including the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), web-like structures specialized in trapping, neutralizing, killing and preventing microbial dissemination within the host. However, NETs contribute to a number of inflammatory pathologies, including severe equine asthma. Tamoxifen (TX) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator which belongs to the triphenylethyllenes group of molecules, and which is used as a treatment in all stages of estrogen-positive human breast cancer. Our previous results suggest that tamoxifen can modulate neutrophil functionality and promote resolution of inflammation; this would partly explain the clinical beneficial effect of this drug in horses with airway inflammation. Enhanced NETs production has been reported with tamoxifen use in humans, but minimal data exists regarding the drug's effect on NETs in horses. The aim of this study is to assess the in vitro effect of TX on NETs formation from peripheral blood of healthy horses. Five clinically healthy mixed-breed adult horses were enrolled in the study. For this, cellular free DNA quantification, immunofluorescence for the visualization of NETs, assessment of different types of NETs, and detection of mitochondrial superoxide. TX induced NETs formation at a concentration of 10 uM. Our results show that only two types of NETs were induced by TX: 95% spread NETs (sprNETs) and 5% aggregated NETs (aggNETs). Furthermore, induction of these NETs could be influenced by mitochondrial ROS. Future research should involve an In vivo study of horses with severe asthma and TX treatment, to evaluate BALF neutrophil NET formation. In conclusion, this in vitro study suggests that the resolution of inflammation by TX in horses with airway inflammation is due to inhibition of other neutrophilic functions but not to NET formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza Salinas
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Kassandra Barriga
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Alejandro Albornoz
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Pablo Alarcon
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - John Quiroga
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Benjamín Uberti
- Instituto de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - José Sarmiento
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Claudio Henriquez
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Pamela Ehrenfeld
- Instituto de Anatomía, Histología y Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Rafael A. Burgos
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Gabriel Moran
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile,*Correspondence: Gabriel Moran ✉
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Albornoz A, Morales N, Uberti B, Henriquez C, Burgos RA, Alarcon P, Moran G. Tamoxifen and its metabolites induce mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspase-3 activation in equine neutrophils. Vet Med Sci 2020; 6:673-678. [PMID: 32558352 PMCID: PMC7738725 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils participate in innate immunity as the first line of host defence against microorganisms. However, persistent neutrophil activity and delayed apoptosis can be harmful to surrounding tissues; this problem occurs in diverse inflammatory diseases, including asthma‐affected horses. Previous studies in horses with acute lung inflammation indicated that treatment with tamoxifen (TX), a selective oestrogen receptor modulator, produces a significant decrease in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) neutrophil content. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tamoxifen and its metabolites (N‐desmethyltamoxifen and endoxifen) on the mitochondrial membrane potential assay by flow cytometry, and the activation of effector caspase‐3 through immunoblotting, in peripheral blood neutrophils obtained from healthy horses (n = 5). Results show that tamoxifen, N‐desmethyltamoxifen and endoxifen depolarize the mitochondrial membrane and activate caspase‐3 in healthy equine neutrophils in vitro. These findings suggest that tamoxifen and its metabolites may activate the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in equine neutrophils. However, more studies are necessary to further explore the signalling pathways of these drugs in the induction of apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Albornoz
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Natalia Morales
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Graduate School, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Benjamin Uberti
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Claudio Henriquez
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Rafael A Burgos
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Pablo Alarcon
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Gabriel Moran
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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Gajardo G, López-Muñoz R, Plaza A, Uberti B, Sarmiento J, Morán G, Henríquez C. Tamoxifen in horses: pharmacokinetics and safety study. Ir Vet J 2019; 72:5. [PMID: 31249663 PMCID: PMC6587269 DOI: 10.1186/s13620-019-0143-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tamoxifen (TAM), a selective modulator of estrogen receptors (SERMs) has been recently explored as a therapeutic option for the oral treatment of airway inflammation in the horse. The objective of this work was to establish pharmacokinetic parameters of TAM and its main metabolites in equines, as well as to determine its clinical safety in short-term treatments. Results We determined TAM and its three main metabolites (4-OH tamoxifen, endoxifen, and N-desmethyl tamoxifen) in plasma after single administration of 0.25 mg/kg in healthy adult horses (n = 12). A maximum concentration of TAM was achieved 3 h after the oral administration (4.65 pg/mL ± 1.69); 4-OH tamoxifen was the metabolite that reached the highest concentration (78 pg/mL ± 70), followed by N-desmethyl tamoxifen (0.43 pg / mL ± 0.48), and finally endoxifen (0.17 pg/mL ± 0.17). All metabolites showed peak concentration 2 h after oral administration of the drug. Oral TAM bioavailability was 13,15% ± 4,18, with a steady state volume of distribution of 7831 ± 2922 (L/kg). Elimination half-life was 15.40 ± 5.80 h, and clearance was 5876 ± 699 (mL/kg/min). Clinical safety of TAM was determined over a 7-day course of treatment (0.25 mg/kg, orally q 24 h, n = 20). No adverse effects were observed through clinical examination, blood hematology, serum biochemistry, ophthalmological and reproductive examinations. Endometrial edema observed in some mares was attributed to normal cyclic activity. Conclusions Tamoxifen has moderate oral bioavailability and a large volume of distribution, with three main metabolites in horses. Additionally, oral TAM administration over a 7-day treatment period demonstrated to be clinically safe, without adverse effects on clinical, hematological or serum biochemical parameters. These data could contribute to the continued research into this drug’s potential for the treatment of different inflammatory conditions in equine species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13620-019-0143-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Gajardo
- 1Escuela de Graduados, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Rodrigo López-Muñoz
- 2Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Anita Plaza
- 3Instituto de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Benjamin Uberti
- 4Instituto de Ciencias Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - José Sarmiento
- 5Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Gabriel Morán
- 2Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Claudio Henríquez
- 2Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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