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Ramos A, Ishizuka K, Hayashida A, Namkung H, Hayes LN, Srivastava R, Zhang M, Kariya T, Elkins N, Palen T, Carloni E, Tsujimura T, Calva C, Ikemoto S, Rais R, Slusher BS, Niwa M, Saito A, Saitoh T, Takimoto E, Sawa A. Nuclear GAPDH in cortical microglia mediates cellular stress-induced cognitive inflexibility. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02553-1. [PMID: 38615102 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02553-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
We report a mechanism that underlies stress-induced cognitive inflexibility at the molecular level. In a mouse model under subacute cellular stress in which deficits in rule shifting tasks were elicited, the nuclear glyceraldehyde dehydrogenase (N-GAPDH) cascade was activated specifically in microglia in the prelimbic cortex. The cognitive deficits were normalized with a pharmacological intervention with a compound (the RR compound) that selectively blocked the initiation of N-GAPDH cascade without affecting glycolytic activity. The normalization was also observed with a microglia-specific genetic intervention targeting the N-GAPDH cascade. At the mechanistic levels, the microglial secretion of High-Mobility Group Box (HMGB), which is known to bind with and regulate the NMDA-type glutamate receptors, was elevated. Consequently, the hyperactivation of the prelimbic layer 5 excitatory neurons, a neural substrate for cognitive inflexibility, was also observed. The upregulation of the microglial HMGB signaling and neuronal hyperactivation were normalized by the pharmacological and microglia-specific genetic interventions. Taken together, we show a pivotal role of cortical microglia and microglia-neuron interaction in stress-induced cognitive inflexibility. We underscore the N-GAPDH cascade in microglia, which causally mediates stress-induced cognitive alteration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Ramos
- Departments of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Koko Ishizuka
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Arisa Hayashida
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- International Collaborative Research Administration, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ho Namkung
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lindsay N Hayes
- Departments of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rupali Srivastava
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Manling Zhang
- Departments of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Taro Kariya
- Departments of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Noah Elkins
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Trexy Palen
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elisa Carloni
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tsuyoshi Tsujimura
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Coleman Calva
- Neurocircuitry of Motivation Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Satoshi Ikemoto
- Neurocircuitry of Motivation Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Departments of Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Departments of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Departments of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Departments of Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Minae Niwa
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Atsushi Saito
- Departments of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Eiki Takimoto
- Departments of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Akira Sawa
- Departments of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Departments of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Departments of Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Departments of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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2
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Bonifazi A, Ellenberger M, Farino ZJ, Aslanoglou D, Rais R, Pereira S, Mantilla-Rivas JO, Boateng CA, Eshleman AJ, Janowsky A, Hahn MK, Schwartz GJ, Slusher BS, Newman AH, Freyberg Z. Development of novel tools for dissection of central versus peripheral dopamine D 2-like receptor signaling in dysglycemia. bioRxiv 2024:2024.02.21.581451. [PMID: 38529497 PMCID: PMC10962703 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.21.581451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) D2-like receptors in both the central nervous system (CNS) and the periphery are key modulators of metabolism. Moreover, disruption of D2-like receptor signaling is implicated in dysglycemia. Yet, the respective metabolic contributions of CNS versus peripheral D2-like receptors including D2 (D2R) and D3 (D3R) receptors remain poorly understood. To address this, we developed new pharmacological tools, D2-like receptor agonists with diminished and delayed blood-brain barrier capability, to selectively manipulate D2R/D3R signaling in the periphery. We designated bromocriptine methiodide (BrMeI), a quaternary methiodide analogue of D2/3R agonist and diabetes drug bromocriptine, as our lead compound based on preservation of D2R/D3R binding and functional efficacy. We then used BrMeI and unmodified bromocriptine to dissect relative contributions of CNS versus peripheral D2R/D3R signaling in treating dysglycemia. Systemic administration of bromocriptine, with unrestricted access to CNS and peripheral targets, significantly improved both insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in obese, dysglycemic mice in vivo. In contrast, metabolic improvements were attenuated when access to bromocriptine was restricted either to the CNS through intracerebroventricular administration or delayed access to the CNS via BrMeI. Our findings demonstrate that the coordinated actions of both CNS and peripheral D2-like receptors are required for correcting dysglycemia. Ultimately, the development of a first-generation of drugs designed to selectively target the periphery provides a blueprint for dissecting mechanisms of central versus peripheral DA signaling and paves the way for novel strategies to treat dysglycemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Bonifazi
- Medicinal Chemistry Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael Ellenberger
- Medicinal Chemistry Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Zachary J. Farino
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Rana Rais
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sandra Pereira
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Comfort A. Boateng
- Medicinal Chemistry Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amy J. Eshleman
- Research Service, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Aaron Janowsky
- Research Service, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- Methamphetamine Abuse Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Margaret K. Hahn
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gary J. Schwartz
- The Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amy Hauck Newman
- Medicinal Chemistry Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Zachary Freyberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Lead Contact
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3
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Wiseman RL, Bigos KL, Dastgheyb RM, Barker PB, Rubin LH, Slusher BS. Brain N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG) is associated with cognitive function in older virally-suppressed people with HIV. AIDS 2024:00002030-990000000-00455. [PMID: 38411600 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES : Cognitive impairment persists in virally-suppressed people with HIV (VS-PWH) especially in higher order domains. One cortical circuit, linked to these domains, is regulated by N-acetyl-aspartyl glutamate (NAAG), the endogenous agonist of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 3. The enzyme glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) catabolizes NAAG and is upregulated in aging and disease. Inhibition of GCPII increases brain NAAG and improves learning and memory in rodent and primate models. DESIGN As higher-order cognitive impairment is present in VS-PWH, and NAAG has not been investigated in earlier magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies (MRS), we investigated if brain NAAG levels measured by MRS were associated with cognitive function. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of 7-Tesla MRS data from a previously published study on cognition in older VS-PWH. The original study did not separately quantify NAAG, therefore work for this report focused on relationships between regional NAAG levels in frontal white matter (FWM), left hippocampus, left basal ganglia and domain-specific cognitive performance in 40 VS-PWH after adjusting for confounds. Participants were >50 years of age, negative for affective and neurologic disorders, and had no prior 3-month psychoactive-substance use. RESULTS Higher NAAG levels in FWM were associated with better attention/working memory. Higher left basal ganglia NAAG related to better verbal fluency. There was a positive relationship between hippocampal NAAG and executive function which lost significance after correction for confounds. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest brain NAAG serves as a biomarker of cognition in VS-PWH. Pharmacological modulation of brain NAAG warrants investigation as a therapeutic approach for cognitive deficits in VS-PWH. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest brain NAAG serves as a biomarker of cognition in VS-PWH. Pharmacological modulation of brain NAAG warrants investigation as a therapeutic approach for cognitive deficits in VS-PWH. GRAPHICALABSTRACT http://links.lww.com/QAD/D137.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn L Wiseman
- epartment of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- ohns Hopkins Drug Discovery; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kristin L Bigos
- epartment of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Raha M Dastgheyb
- epartment of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter B Barker
- ussell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leah H Rubin
- epartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- epartment of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- ohns Hopkins Drug Discovery; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- epartment of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- he Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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4
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Mueller LG, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T. Empirical Analysis of Drug Targets for Nervous System Disorders. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:394-399. [PMID: 38237559 PMCID: PMC10988710 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery and development of drugs to treat diseases of the nervous system remains challenging. There is a higher attrition rate in the clinical stage for nervous system experimental drugs compared to other disease areas. In the preclinical stage, additional challenges arise from the considerable effort required to find molecules that penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) coupled with the poor predictive value of many preclinical models of nervous system diseases. In the era of target-based drug discovery, the critical first step of drug discovery projects is the selection of a therapeutic target which is largely driven by its presumed pathogenic involvement. For nervous system diseases, however, the feasibility of identifying potent molecules within the stringent range of molecular properties necessary for BBB penetration should represent another important factor in target selection. To address the latter, the present review analyzes the distribution of human protein targets of FDA-approved drugs for nervous system disorders and compares it with drugs for other disease areas. We observed a substantial difference in the distribution of therapeutic targets across the two clusters. We expanded on this finding by analyzing the physicochemical properties of nervous and non-nervous system drugs in each target class by using the central nervous system multiparameter optimization (CNS MPO) algorithm. These data may serve as useful guidance in making more informed decisions when selecting therapeutic targets for nervous system disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis G. Mueller
- Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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5
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Helms RS, Marin-Gonzalez A, Patel CH, Sun IH, Wen J, Leone RD, Duvall B, Gao RD, Ha T, Tsukamoto T, Slusher BS, Pomerantz JL, Powell JD. SIKs Regulate HDAC7 Stabilization and Cytokine Recall in Late-Stage T Cell Effector Differentiation. J Immunol 2023; 211:1767-1782. [PMID: 37947442 PMCID: PMC10842463 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms underlying the acquisition and maintenance of effector function during T cell differentiation is important to unraveling how these processes can be dysregulated in the context of disease and manipulated for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we report the identification of a previously unappreciated regulator of murine T cell differentiation through the evaluation of a previously unreported activity of the kinase inhibitor, BioE-1197. Specifically, we demonstrate that liver kinase B1 (LKB1)-mediated activation of salt-inducible kinases epigenetically regulates cytokine recall potential in effector CD8+ and Th1 cells. Evaluation of this phenotype revealed that salt-inducible kinase-mediated phosphorylation-dependent stabilization of histone deacetylase 7 (HDAC7) occurred during late-stage effector differentiation. HDAC7 stabilization increased nuclear HDAC7 levels, which correlated with total and cytokine loci-specific reductions in the activating transcription mark histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27Ac). Accordingly, HDAC7 stabilization diminished transcriptional induction of cytokine genes upon restimulation. Inhibition of this pathway during differentiation produced effector T cells epigenetically poised for enhanced cytokine recall. This work identifies a previously unrecognized target for enhancing effector T cell functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S. Helms
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney-Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alberto Marin-Gonzalez
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chirag H. Patel
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney-Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Im-Hong Sun
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney-Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jiayu Wen
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney-Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert D. Leone
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney-Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Run-Duo Gao
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Taekjip Ha
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joel L. Pomerantz
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute for Cell Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jonathan D. Powell
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney-Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
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6
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Ismail MS, Peters DE, Rowe SP, Salavati A, Sharma S, Anders RA, Pomper M, Slusher BS, Selaru FM. PSMA-Targeted PET Radiotracer [ 18F]DCFPyL as an Imaging Biomarker in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Clin Exp Gastroenterol 2023; 16:237-247. [PMID: 38090679 PMCID: PMC10714977 DOI: 10.2147/ceg.s404009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is highly and specifically upregulated in active-inflamed mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We hypothesized that this upregulation would be detectable using a PSMA-targeted positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging agent, [18F]DCFPyL, enabling non-invasive visualization of inflammation. A noninvasive means of detecting active inflammation would have high clinical value in localization and management of IBD. Study We performed [18F]DCFPyL imaging in three IBD patients with active disease. Abnormally increased gastrointestinal [18F]DCFPyL uptake was observed in areas with endoscopic, histologic, and immunohistochemical inflammation, demonstrating partial overlap of segments of bowel with abnormal [18F]DCFPyL uptake and active inflammation. Conclusion This study demonstrates that PSMA-targeted [18F]DCFPyL PET can effectively detect regions of inflamed mucosa in patients with IBD, suggesting its utility as a non-invasive imaging agent to assess location, extent, and disease activity in IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Saleh Ismail
- Division of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Diane E Peters
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Steven P Rowe
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ali Salavati
- Ahmanson Translational Theranostics Division, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sowmya Sharma
- Division of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert A Anders
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Martin Pomper
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Florin M Selaru
- Division of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
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7
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Tallon C, Bell BJ, Malvankar MM, Deme P, Nogueras-Ortiz C, Eren E, Thomas AG, Hollinger KR, Pal A, Mustapic M, Huang M, Coleman K, Joe TR, Rais R, Haughey NJ, Kapogiannis D, Slusher BS. Inhibiting tau-induced elevated nSMase2 activity and ceramides is therapeutic in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:56. [PMID: 38049923 PMCID: PMC10694940 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00383-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau) propagation between neurons along synaptically connected networks, in part via extracellular vesicles (EVs). EV biogenesis is triggered by ceramide enrichment at the plasma membrane from neutral sphingomyelinase2 (nSMase2)-mediated cleavage of sphingomyelin. We report, for the first time, that human tau expression elevates brain ceramides and nSMase2 activity. METHODS To determine the therapeutic benefit of inhibiting this elevation, we evaluated PDDC, the first potent, selective, orally bioavailable, and brain-penetrable nSMase2 inhibitor in the transgenic PS19 AD mouse model. Additionally, we directly evaluated the effect of PDDC on tau propagation in a mouse model where an adeno-associated virus (AAV) encoding P301L/S320F double mutant human tau was stereotaxically-injected unilaterally into the hippocampus. The contralateral transfer of the double mutant human tau to the dentate gyrus was monitored. We examined ceramide levels, histopathological changes, and pTau content within EVs isolated from the mouse plasma. RESULTS Similar to human AD, the PS19 mice exhibited increased brain ceramide levels and nSMase2 activity; both were completely normalized by PDDC treatment. The PS19 mice also exhibited elevated tau immunostaining, thinning of hippocampal neuronal cell layers, increased mossy fiber synaptophysin immunostaining, and glial activation, all of which were pathologic features of human AD. PDDC treatment reduced these changes. The plasma of PDDC-treated PS19 mice had reduced levels of neuronal- and microglial-derived EVs, the former carrying lower pTau levels, compared to untreated mice. In the tau propagation model, PDDC normalized the tau-induced increase in brain ceramides and significantly reduced the amount of tau propagation to the contralateral side. CONCLUSIONS PDDC is a first-in-class therapeutic candidate that normalizes elevated brain ceramides and nSMase2 activity, leading to the slowing of tau spread in AD mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Benjamin J Bell
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Medhinee M Malvankar
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Pragney Deme
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Carlos Nogueras-Ortiz
- Intramural Research Program, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Blvd, Ste 8C228, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Erden Eren
- Intramural Research Program, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Blvd, Ste 8C228, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kristen R Hollinger
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Maja Mustapic
- Intramural Research Program, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Blvd, Ste 8C228, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Meixiang Huang
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kaleem Coleman
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Tawnjerae R Joe
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Norman J Haughey
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Rangos 278, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Pathology 517, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
| | - Dimitrios Kapogiannis
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Intramural Research Program, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Blvd, Ste 8C228, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Rangos 278, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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8
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Lemberg KM, Ali ES, Krecmerova M, Aguilar JMH, Alt J, Peters DE, Zhao L, Wu Y, Nuha N, Asara JM, Staedtke V, Pratilas CA, Majer P, Rais R, Ben-Sahra I, Slusher BS. Pro-905, a Novel Purine Antimetabolite, Combines with Glutamine Amidotransferase Inhibition to Suppress Growth of Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor. Mol Cancer Ther 2023; 22:1390-1403. [PMID: 37616542 PMCID: PMC10690047 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are highly aggressive soft-tissue sarcomas that arise from neural tissues and carry a poor prognosis. Previously, we found that the glutamine amidotransferase inhibitor JHU395 partially impeded tumor growth in preclinical models of MPNST. JHU395 inhibits de novo purine synthesis in human MPNST cells and murine tumors with partial decreases in purine monophosphates. On the basis of prior studies showing enhanced efficacy when glutamine amidotransferase inhibition was combined with the antimetabolite 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), we hypothesized that such a combination would be efficacious in MPNST. Given the known toxicity associated with 6-MP, we set out to develop a more efficient and well-tolerated drug that targets the purine salvage pathway. Here, we report the discovery of Pro-905, a phosphoramidate protide that delivered the active nucleotide antimetabolite thioguanosine monophosphate (TGMP) to tumors over 2.5 times better than equimolar 6-MP. Pro-905 effectively prevented the incorporation of purine salvage substrates into nucleic acids and inhibited colony formation of human MPNST cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, Pro-905 inhibited MPNST growth and was well-tolerated in both human patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and murine flank MPNST models. When combined with JHU395, Pro-905 enhanced the colony formation inhibitory potency of JHU395 in human MPNST cells and augmented the antitumor efficacy of JHU395 in mice. In summary, the dual inhibition of the de novo and purine salvage pathways in preclinical models may safely be used to enhance therapeutic efficacy against MPNST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M. Lemberg
- Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Eunus S. Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Marcela Krecmerova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Diane E. Peters
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Liang Zhao
- Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Naziba Nuha
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - John M. Asara
- Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Verena Staedtke
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christine A. Pratilas
- Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Issam Ben-Sahra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Departments of Medicine, Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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9
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Novotná K, Tenora L, Prchalová E, Paule J, Alt J, Veeravalli V, Lam J, Wu Y, Šnajdr I, Gori S, Mettu VS, Tsukamoto T, Majer P, Slusher BS, Rais R. Discovery of tert-Butyl Ester Based 6-Diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine Prodrugs for Enhanced Metabolic Stability and Tumor Delivery. J Med Chem 2023; 66:15493-15510. [PMID: 37949450 PMCID: PMC10683027 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The glutamine antagonist 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) exhibits remarkable anticancer efficacy; however, its therapeutic potential is hindered by its toxicity to gastrointestinal (GI) tissues. We recently reported the discovery of DRP-104, a tumor-targeted DON prodrug with excellent efficacy and tolerability, which is currently in clinical trials. However, DRP-104 exhibits limited aqueous solubility, and the instability of its isopropyl ester promoiety leads to the formation of an inactive M1-metabolite, reducing overall systemic prodrug exposure. Herein, we aimed to synthesize DON prodrugs with various ester and amide promoieties with improved solubility, GI stability, and DON tumor delivery. Twenty-one prodrugs were synthesized and characterized in stability and pharmacokinetics studies. Of these, P11, tert-butyl-(S)-6-diazo-2-((S)-2-(2-(dimethylamino)acetamido)-3-phenylpropanamido)-5-oxo-hexanoate, showed excellent metabolic stability in plasma and intestinal homogenate, high aqueous solubility, and high tumor DON exposures and preserved the ideal tumor-targeting profile of DRP-104. In conclusion, we report a new generation of glutamine antagonist prodrugs with improved physicochemical and pharmacokinetic attributes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateřina Novotná
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry v.v.i., Academy of Sciences
of the Czech Republic, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
- Department
of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Tenora
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry v.v.i., Academy of Sciences
of the Czech Republic, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Prchalová
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry v.v.i., Academy of Sciences
of the Czech Republic, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - James Paule
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Vijay Veeravalli
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Jenny Lam
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Ivan Šnajdr
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry v.v.i., Academy of Sciences
of the Czech Republic, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Sadakatali Gori
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Vijaya Saradhi Mettu
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry v.v.i., Academy of Sciences
of the Czech Republic, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns
Hopkins Drug Discovery, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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10
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Parveen S, Shen J, Lun S, Zhao L, Alt J, Koleske B, Leone RD, Rais R, Powell JD, Murphy JR, Slusher BS, Bishai WR. Glutamine metabolism inhibition has dual immunomodulatory and antibacterial activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7427. [PMID: 37973991 PMCID: PMC10654700 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43304-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
As one of the most successful human pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has evolved a diverse array of determinants to subvert host immunity and alter host metabolic patterns. However, the mechanisms of pathogen interference with host metabolism remain poorly understood. Here we show that a glutamine metabolism antagonist, JHU083, inhibits Mtb proliferation in vitro and in vivo. JHU083-treated mice exhibit weight gain, improved survival, a 2.5 log lower lung bacillary burden at 35 days post-infection, and reduced lung pathology. JHU083 treatment also initiates earlier T-cell recruitment, increased proinflammatory myeloid cell infiltration, and a reduced frequency of immunosuppressive myeloid cells when compared to uninfected and rifampin-treated controls. Metabolomic analysis of lungs from JHU083-treated Mtb-infected mice reveals citrulline accumulation, suggesting elevated nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, and lowered levels of quinolinic acid which is derived from the immunosuppressive metabolite kynurenine. JHU083-treated macrophages also produce more NO potentiating their antibacterial activity. When tested in an immunocompromised mouse model of Mtb infection, JHU083 loses its therapeutic efficacy suggesting the drug's host-directed effects are likely to be predominant. Collectively, these data reveal that JHU083-mediated glutamine metabolism inhibition results in dual antibacterial and host-directed activity against tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadiya Parveen
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jessica Shen
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shichun Lun
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Liang Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin Koleske
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert D Leone
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan D Powell
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Calico, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John R Murphy
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - William R Bishai
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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11
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Novotna K, Thomas AG, Stepanek O, Murphy B, Hin N, Skacel J, Mueller L, Tenora L, Pal A, Alt J, Wu Y, Paule J, Rais R, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 inhibitors based on the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-amine scaffold. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 259:115674. [PMID: 37536209 PMCID: PMC10529203 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) has gained increasing attention as a therapeutic target to regulate ceramide production in various disease conditions. Phenyl (R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl)-pyrrolidin-3-yl)carbamate (PDDC) is a submicromolar nSMase2 inhibitor and has been widely used to study the pharmacological effects of nSMase2 inhibition. Through screening of compounds containing a bicyclic 5-6 fused ring, larotrectinib containing a pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ring was identified as a low micromolar inhibitor of nSMase2. This prompted us to investigate the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-amine ring as a novel scaffold to replace the imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine-8-amine ring of PDDC. A series of molecules containing a pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-amine ring were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit human nSMase2. Several compounds exhibited nSMase2 inhibitory potency superior to that of PDDC. Among these, N,N-dimethyl-5-morpholinopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-amine (11j) was found to be metabolically stable in liver microsomes and orally available with a favorable brain-to-plasma ratio, demonstrating the potential of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ring as an effective scaffold for nSMase2 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Novotna
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic V.v.i., Prague, 166 00, Czech Republic; Department of Organic Chemistry, Charles University, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ondrej Stepanek
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States
| | - Brennan Murphy
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States
| | - Niyada Hin
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States
| | - Jan Skacel
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States
| | - Louis Mueller
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States
| | - Lukas Tenora
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic V.v.i., Prague, 166 00, Czech Republic
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States
| | | | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States; Department of Neurology, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States.
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12
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Lal B, Kulkarni A, McDermott J, Rais R, Alt J, Wu Y, Lopez-Bertoni H, Sall S, Kathad U, Zhou J, Slusher BS, Bhatia K, Laterra J. Preclinical Efficacy of LP-184, a Tumor Site Activated Synthetic Lethal Therapeutic, in Glioblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:4209-4218. [PMID: 37494541 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-0673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common brain malignancy with median survival <2 years. Standard-of-care temozolomide has marginal efficacy in approximately 70% of patients due to MGMT expression. LP-184 is an acylfulvene-derived prodrug activated by the oxidoreductase PTGR1 that alkylates at N3-adenine, not reported to be repaired by MGMT. This article examines LP-184 efficacy against preclinical GBM models and identifies molecular predictors of LP-184 efficacy in clinical GBM. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN LP-184 effects on GBM cell viability and DNA damage were determined using cell lines, primary PDX-derived cells and patient-derived neurospheres. GBM cell sensitivities to LP-184 relative to temozolomide and MGMT expression were examined. Pharmacokinetics and CNS bioavailability were evaluated in mice with GBM xenografts. LP-184 effects on GBM xenograft growth and animal survival were determined. Machine learning, bioinformatic tools, and clinical databases identified molecular predictors of GBM cells and tumors to LP-184 responsiveness. RESULTS LP-184 inhibited viability of multiple GBM cell isolates including temozolomide-resistant and MGMT-expressing cells at IC50 = approximately 22-310 nmol/L. Pharmacokinetics showed favorable AUCbrain/plasma and AUCtumor/plasma ratios of 0.11 (brain Cmax = 839 nmol/L) and 0.2 (tumor Cmax = 2,530 nmol/L), respectively. LP-184 induced regression of GBM xenografts and prolonged survival of mice bearing orthotopic xenografts. Bioinformatic analyses identified PTGR1 elevation in clinical GBM subtypes and associated LP-184 sensitivity with EGFR signaling, low nucleotide excision repair (NER), and low ERCC3 expression. Spironolactone, which induces ERCC3 degradation, decreased LP-184 IC50 3 to 6 fold and enhanced GBM xenograft antitumor responses. CONCLUSIONS These results establish LP-184 as a promising chemotherapeutic for GBM with enhanced efficacy in intrinsic or spironolactone-induced TC-NER-deficient tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bachchu Lal
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | | | - Rana Rais
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hernando Lopez-Bertoni
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sophie Sall
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | | | - Barbara S Slusher
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - John Laterra
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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13
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Bathla S, Datta D, Liang F, Barthelemy N, Wiseman R, Slusher BS, Asher J, Zeiss C, Ekanayake‐Alper D, Holden D, Terwilliger G, Duque A, Arellano J, van Dyck C, Bateman RJ, Xie Z, Nairn AC, Arnsten AFT. Chronic GCPII (glutamate-carboxypeptidase-II) inhibition reduces pT217Tau levels in the entorhinal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices of aged macaques. Alzheimers Dement (N Y) 2023; 9:e12431. [PMID: 37915375 PMCID: PMC10617575 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Current approaches for treating sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD) focus on removal of amyloid beta 1-42 (Aβ1-42) or phosphorylated tau, but additional strategies are needed to reduce neuropathology at earlier stages prior to neuronal damage. Longstanding data show that calcium dysregulation is a key etiological factor in sAD, and the cortical neurons most vulnerable to tau pathology show magnified calcium signaling, for example in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and entorhinal cortex (ERC). In primate dlPFC and ERC, type 3 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR3s) are predominately post-synaptic, on spines, where they regulate cAMP-calcium signaling, a process eroded by inflammatory glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) actions. The current study tested whether enhancing mGluR3 regulation of calcium via chronic inhibition of GCPII would reduce tau hyperphosphorylation in aged macaques with naturally-occurring tau pathology. Methods Aged rhesus macaques were treated daily with the GCPII inhibitor, 2-MPPA (2-3-mercaptopropyl-penanedioic acid (2-MPPA)),Aged rhesus macaques were treated daily with the GCPII inhibitor, 2-MPPA (2-3-mercaptopropyl-penanedioic acid (2-MPPA)). Results Aged macaques that received 2-MPPA had significantly lower pT217Tau levels in dlPFC and ERC, and had lowered plasma pT217Tau levels from baseline. pT217Tau levels correlated significantly with GCPII activity in dlPFC. Both 2-MPPA- and vehicle-treated monkeys showed cognitive improvement; 2-MPPA had no apparent side effects. Exploratory CSF analyses indicated reduced pS202Tau with 2-MPPA administration, confirmed in dlPFC samples. Discussion These data provide proof-of-concept support that GCPII inhibition can reduce tau hyperphosphorylation in the primate cortices most vulnerable in sAD. GCPII inhibition may be particularly helpful in reducing the risk of sAD caused by inflammation. These data in nonhuman primates should encourage future research on this promising mechanism. Highlights Inflammation is a key driver of sporadic Alzheimer's disease.GCPII inflammatory signaling in brain decreases mGluR3 regulation of calcium.Chronic inhibition of GCPII inflammatory signaling reduced pT217Tau in aged monkeys.GCPII inhibition is a novel strategy to help prevent tau pathology at early stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shveta Bathla
- Departments of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Dibyadeep Datta
- Departments of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Departments of NeuroscienceYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Feng Liang
- Department of AnesthesiologyHarvard University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Nicolas Barthelemy
- Department of NeurologyWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Robyn Wiseman
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Jennifer Asher
- Departments of Comparative MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Caroline Zeiss
- Departments of Comparative MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Dil Ekanayake‐Alper
- Departments of Comparative MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Daniel Holden
- Departments of RadiologyYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Gordon Terwilliger
- Departments of Comparative MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Alvaro Duque
- Departments of NeuroscienceYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Jon Arellano
- Departments of NeuroscienceYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Christopher van Dyck
- Departments of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Randall J. Bateman
- Departments of RadiologyYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Zhongcong Xie
- Departments of Comparative MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Angus C. Nairn
- Departments of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Amy F. T. Arnsten
- Departments of NeuroscienceYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
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14
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Huang M, Tallon C, Zhu X, Huizar KDJ, Picciolini S, Thomas AG, Tenora L, Liyanage W, Rodà F, Gualerzi A, Kannan RM, Bedoni M, Rais R, Slusher BS. Microglial-Targeted nSMase2 Inhibitor Fails to Reduce Tau Propagation in PS19 Mice. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2364. [PMID: 37765332 PMCID: PMC10536502 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) correlates with the propagation of hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau) from the entorhinal cortex to the hippocampus and neocortex. Neutral sphingomyelinase2 (nSMase2) is critical in the biosynthesis of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which play a role in pTau propagation. We recently conjugated DPTIP, a potent nSMase2 inhibitor, to hydroxyl-PAMAM-dendrimer nanoparticles that can improve brain delivery. We showed that dendrimer-conjugated DPTIP (D-DPTIP) robustly inhibited the spread of pTau in an AAV-pTau propagation model. To further evaluate its efficacy, we tested D-DPTIP in the PS19 transgenic mouse model. Unexpectantly, D-DPTIP showed no beneficial effect. To understand this discrepancy, we assessed D-DPTIP's brain localization. Using immunofluorescence and fluorescence-activated cell-sorting, D-DPTIP was found to be primarily internalized by microglia, where it selectively inhibited microglial nSMase2 activity with no effect on other cell types. Furthermore, D-DPTIP inhibited microglia-derived EV release into plasma without affecting other brain-derived EVs. We hypothesize that microglial targeting allowed D-DPTIP to inhibit tau propagation in the AAV-hTau model, where microglial EVs play a central role in propagation. However, in PS19 mice, where tau propagation is independent of microglial EVs, it had a limited effect. Our findings confirm microglial targeting with hydroxyl-PAMAM dendrimers and highlight the importance of understanding cell-specific mechanisms when designing targeted AD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meixiang Huang
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Xiaolei Zhu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kaitlyn D. J. Huizar
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
| | - Silvia Picciolini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), 20148 Milan, Italy; (S.P.); (F.R.); (A.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lukas Tenora
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Wathsala Liyanage
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; (W.L.); (R.M.K.)
| | - Francesca Rodà
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), 20148 Milan, Italy; (S.P.); (F.R.); (A.G.); (M.B.)
- Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 42100 Modena, Italy
| | - Alice Gualerzi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), 20148 Milan, Italy; (S.P.); (F.R.); (A.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Rangaramanujam M. Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; (W.L.); (R.M.K.)
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Marzia Bedoni
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), 20148 Milan, Italy; (S.P.); (F.R.); (A.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (M.H.); (C.T.); (X.Z.); (K.D.J.H.); (A.G.T.); (L.T.); (R.R.)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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15
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Boateng CA, Nilson AN, Placide R, Pham ML, Jakobs FM, Boldizsar N, McIntosh S, Stallings LS, Korankyi IV, Kelshikar S, Shah N, Panasis D, Muccilli A, Ladik M, Maslonka B, McBride C, Sanchez MX, Akca E, Alkhatib M, Saez J, Nguyen C, Kurtyan E, DePierro J, Crowthers R, Brunt D, Bonifazi A, Newman AH, Rais R, Slusher BS, Free RB, Sibley DR, Stewart KD, Wu C, Hemby SE, Keck TM. Pharmacology and Therapeutic Potential of Benzothiazole Analogues for Cocaine Use Disorder. J Med Chem 2023; 66:12141-12162. [PMID: 37646374 PMCID: PMC10510399 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological targeting of the dopamine D4 receptor (D4R)─expressed in brain regions that control cognition, attention, and decision-making─could be useful for several neuropsychiatric disorders including substance use disorders (SUDs). This study focused on the synthesis and evaluation of a novel series of benzothiazole analogues designed to target D4R. We identified several compounds with high D4R binding affinity (Ki ≤ 6.9 nM) and >91-fold selectivity over other D2-like receptors (D2R, D3R) with diverse partial agonist and antagonist profiles. Novel analogue 16f is a potent low-efficacy D4R partial agonist, metabolically stable in rat and human liver microsomes, and has excellent brain penetration in rats (AUCbrain/plasma > 3). 16f (5-30 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently decreased iv cocaine self-administration in rats, consistent with previous results produced by D4R-selective antagonists. Off-target antagonism of 5-HT2A or 5-HT2B may also contribute to these effects. Results with 16f support further efforts to target D4R in SUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Comfort A. Boateng
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Ashley N. Nilson
- Molecular
Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Rebekah Placide
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Mimi L. Pham
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Franziska M. Jakobs
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Noelia Boldizsar
- Molecular
Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Scot McIntosh
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Leia S. Stallings
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Ivana V. Korankyi
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Shreya Kelshikar
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Nisha Shah
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Diandra Panasis
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Abigail Muccilli
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Maria Ladik
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Brianna Maslonka
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Connor McBride
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Moises Ximello Sanchez
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Ebrar Akca
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Mohammad Alkhatib
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Julianna Saez
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Catherine Nguyen
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Emily Kurtyan
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Jacquelyn DePierro
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Raymond Crowthers
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Dylan Brunt
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Alessandro Bonifazi
- Medicinal
Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch,
National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Amy Hauck Newman
- Medicinal
Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch,
National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Rana Rais
- Department
of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department
of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - R. Benjamin Free
- Molecular
Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - David R. Sibley
- Molecular
Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Kent D. Stewart
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Chun Wu
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Scott E. Hemby
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Thomas M. Keck
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
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16
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Peters DE, Norris LD, Tenora L, Šnajdr I, Ponti AK, Zhu X, Sakamoto S, Veeravalli V, Pradhan M, Alt J, Thomas AG, Majer P, Rais R, McDonald C, Slusher BS. A gut-restricted glutamate carboxypeptidase II inhibitor reduces monocytic inflammation and improves preclinical colitis. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eabn7491. [PMID: 37556558 PMCID: PMC10661206 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abn7491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to develop therapeutics for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) because up to 40% of patients with moderate-to-severe IBD are not adequately controlled with existing drugs. Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target. This enzyme is minimally expressed in normal ileum and colon, but it is markedly up-regulated in biopsies from patients with IBD and preclinical colitis models. Here, we generated a class of GCPII inhibitors designed to be gut-restricted for oral administration, and we interrogated efficacy and mechanism using in vitro and in vivo models. The lead inhibitor, (S)-IBD3540, was potent (half maximal inhibitory concentration = 4 nanomolar), selective, gut-restricted (AUCcolon/plasma > 50 in mice with colitis), and efficacious in acute and chronic rodent colitis models. In dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis, oral (S)-IBD3540 inhibited >75% of colon GCPII activity, dose-dependently improved gross and histologic disease, and markedly attenuated monocytic inflammation. In spontaneous colitis in interleukin-10 (IL-10) knockout mice, once-daily oral (S)-IBD3540 initiated after disease onset improved disease, normalized colon histology, and attenuated inflammation as evidenced by reduced fecal lipocalin 2 and colon pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-17. Using primary human colon epithelial air-liquid interface monolayers to interrogate the mechanism, we further found that (S)-IBD3540 protected against submersion-induced oxidative stress injury by decreasing barrier permeability, normalizing tight junction protein expression, and reducing procaspase-3 activation. Together, this work demonstrated that local inhibition of dysregulated gastrointestinal GCPII using the gut-restricted, orally active, small-molecule (S)-IBD3540 is a promising approach for IBD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane E. Peters
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lauren D. Norris
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lukáš Tenora
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 160 00 Prague, Czechia
| | - Ivan Šnajdr
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 160 00 Prague, Czechia
| | - András K. Ponti
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Xiaolei Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shinji Sakamoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Vijayabhaskar Veeravalli
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Manisha Pradhan
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 160 00 Prague, Czechia
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Christine McDonald
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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17
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Tallon C, Bell BJ, Malvankar MM, Deme P, Nogueras-Ortiz C, Eren E, Thomas AG, Hollinger KR, Pal A, Mustapic M, Huang M, Coleman K, Joe TR, Rais R, Haughey NJ, Kapogiannis D, Slusher BS. Inhibiting tau-induced elevated nSMase2 activity and ceramides is therapeutic in murine Alzheimer's disease. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-3131295. [PMID: 37502930 PMCID: PMC10371082 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3131295/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with prion-like tau propagation between neurons along synaptically connected networks, in part via extracellular vesicles (EV). EV biogenesis is triggered by ceramide enrichment at the plasma membrane from neutral sphingomyelinase2(nSMase2)-mediated cleavage of sphingomyelin. We report, for the first time, that tau expression triggers an elevation in brain ceramides and nSMase2 activity. Methods To determine the therapeutic benefit of inhibiting this elevation, we evaluated the efficacy of PDDC, the first potent, selective, orally bioavailable, and brain-penetrable nSMase2 inhibitor, in the PS19 tau transgenic AD murine model. Changes in brain ceramide and sphingomyelin levels, Tau content, histopathology, and nSMase2 target engagement were monitored, as well as changes in the number of brain-derived EVs in plasma and their Tau content. Additionally, we evaluated the ability of PDDC to impede tau propagation in a murine model where an adeno-associated virus(AAV) encoding for P301L/S320F double mutant human tau was stereotaxically-injected unilaterally into the hippocampus and the contralateral transfer to the dentate gyrus was monitored. Results Similar to human AD, PS19 mice exhibited increased brain ceramides and nSMase2 activity; both were completely normalized by PDDC treatment. PS19 mice exhibited elevated tau immunostaining, thinning of hippocampal neuronal cell layers, increased mossy fiber synaptophysin immunostaining, and glial activation, all pathologic features of human AD. PDDC treatment significantly attenuated these aberrant changes. Mouse plasma isolated from PDDC-treated PS19 mice exhibited reduced levels of neuron- and microglia-derived EVs, the former carrying lower phosphorylated Tau(pTau) levels, compared to untreated mice. In the AAV tau propagation model, PDDC normalized the tau-induced increase in brain ceramides and significantly decreased tau spreading to the contralateral side. Conclusions PDDC is a first-in-class therapeutic candidate that normalizes elevated brain ceramides and nSMase2 activity leading to the slowing of tau spread in AD mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Erden Eren
- National Institute on Aging Laboratory of Clinical Investigation
| | | | | | | | - Maja Mustapic
- National Institute on Aging Laboratory of Clinical Investigation
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18
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Yoo SW, Waheed AA, Deme P, Tohumeken S, Rais R, Smith MD, DeMarino C, Calabresi PA, Kashanchi F, Freed EO, Slusher BS, Haughey NJ. Inhibition of neutral sphingomyelinase 2 impairs HIV-1 envelope formation and substantially delays or eliminates viral rebound. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219543120. [PMID: 37406092 PMCID: PMC10334757 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219543120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although HIV-1 Gag is known to drive viral assembly and budding, the precise mechanisms by which the lipid composition of the plasma membrane is remodeled during assembly are incompletely understood. Here, we provide evidence that the sphingomyelin hydrolase neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) interacts with HIV-1 Gag and through the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin creates ceramide that is necessary for proper formation of the viral envelope and viral maturation. Inhibition or depletion of nSMase2 resulted in the production of noninfectious HIV-1 virions with incomplete Gag lattices lacking condensed conical cores. Inhibition of nSMase2 in HIV-1-infected humanized mouse models with a potent and selective inhibitor of nSMase2 termed PDDC [phenyl(R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2, 6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl) pyrrolidin-3-yl)-carbamate] produced a linear reduction in levels of HIV-1 in plasma. If undetectable plasma levels of HIV-1 were achieved with PDDC treatment, viral rebound did not occur for up to 4 wk when PDDC was discontinued. In vivo and tissue culture results suggest that PDDC selectively kills cells with actively replicating HIV-1. Collectively, this work demonstrates that nSMase2 is a critical regulator of HIV-1 replication and suggests that nSMase2 could be an important therapeutic target with the potential to kill HIV-1-infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Abdul A. Waheed
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV-1 Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Pragney Deme
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Sehmus Tohumeken
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Matthew D. Smith
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Catherine DeMarino
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA20110
| | - Peter A. Calabresi
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Fatah Kashanchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA20110
| | - Eric O. Freed
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV-1 Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21224
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
| | - Norman J. Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21210
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19
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Waheed AA, Zhu Y, Agostino E, Naing L, Hikichi Y, Soheilian F, Yoo SW, Song Y, Zhang P, Slusher BS, Haughey NJ, Freed EO. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 is required for HIV-1 maturation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219475120. [PMID: 37406093 PMCID: PMC10334776 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219475120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 assembly occurs at the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane (PM) in highly ordered membrane microdomains. The size and stability of membrane microdomains is regulated by activity of the sphingomyelin hydrolase neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) that is localized primarily to the inner leaflet of the PM. In this study, we demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition or depletion of nSMase2 in HIV-1-producer cells results in a block in the processing of the major viral structural polyprotein Gag and the production of morphologically aberrant, immature HIV-1 particles with severely impaired infectivity. We find that disruption of nSMase2 also severely inhibits the maturation and infectivity of other primate lentiviruses HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus, has a modest or no effect on nonprimate lentiviruses equine infectious anemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, and has no effect on the gammaretrovirus murine leukemia virus. These studies demonstrate a key role for nSMase2 in HIV-1 particle morphogenesis and maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul A. Waheed
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Yanan Zhu
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, OxfordOX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Agostino
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Lwar Naing
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Yuta Hikichi
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Ferri Soheilian
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Seung-Wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Yun Song
- Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, DidcotOX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, OxfordOX3 7BN, United Kingdom
- Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, DidcotOX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute, University of Oxford, OxfordOX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Norman J. Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Eric O. Freed
- Virus-Cell Interaction Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
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20
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Zhang F, Zhang Z, Alt J, Kambhampati SP, Sharma A, Singh S, Nance E, Thomas AG, Rojas C, Rais R, Slusher BS, Kannan RM, Kannan S. Dendrimer-enabled targeted delivery attenuates glutamate excitotoxicity and improves motor function in a rabbit model of cerebral palsy. J Control Release 2023; 358:27-42. [PMID: 37054778 PMCID: PMC10330216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), localized on the surface of astrocytes and activated microglia, regulates extracellular glutamate concentration in the central nervous system (CNS). We have previously shown that GCPII is upregulated in activated microglia in the presence of inflammation. Inhibition of GCPII activity could reduce glutamate excitotoxicity, which may decrease inflammation and promote a 'normal' microglial phenotype. 2-(3-Mercaptopropyl) pentanedioic acid (2-MPPA) is the first GCPII inhibitor that underwent clinical trials. Unfortunately, immunological toxicities have hindered 2-MPPA clinical translation. Targeted delivery of 2-MPPA specifically to activated microglia and astrocytes that over-express GCPII has the potential to mitigate glutamate excitotoxicity and attenuate neuroinflammation. In this study, we demonstrate that 2-MPPA when conjugated to generation-4, hydroxyl-terminated polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers (D-2MPPA) localize specifically in activated microglia and astrocytes only in newborn rabbits with cerebral palsy (CP), not in controls. D-2MPPA treatment led to higher 2-MPPA levels in the injured brain regions compared to 2-MPPA treatment, and the extent of D-2MPPA uptake correlated with the injury severity. D-2MPPA was more efficacious than 2-MPPA in decreasing extracellular glutamate level in ex vivo brain slices of CP kits, and in increasing transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) level in primary mixed glial cell cultures. A single systemic intravenous dose of D-2MPPA on postnatal day 1 (PND1) decreased microglial activation and resulted in a change in microglial morphology to a more ramified form along with amelioration of motor deficits by PND5. These results indicate that targeted dendrimer-based delivery specifically to activated microglia and astrocytes can improve the efficacy of 2-MPPA by attenuating glutamate excitotoxicity and microglial activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhang
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Siva P Kambhampati
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Anjali Sharma
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Sarabdeep Singh
- Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Elizabeth Nance
- Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Camilo Rojas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rangaramanujam M Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
| | - Sujatha Kannan
- Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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21
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Lee K, Thompson EA, Gharaie S, Patel CH, Kurzhagen JT, Pierorazio PM, Arend LJ, Thomas AG, Noel S, Slusher BS, Rabb H. T cell metabolic reprogramming in acute kidney injury and protection by glutamine blockade. JCI Insight 2023:160345. [PMID: 37166984 PMCID: PMC10371253 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.160345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells play an important role in acute kidney injury (AKI). Metabolic programming of T cells regulates their function, is a rapidly emerging field, and is unknown in AKI. We induced ischemic AKI in C57B6 mice and collected kidneys and spleens at multiple time points. T cells were isolated and analyzed by an immune-metabolic assay. Unbiased machine learning analyses identified a distinct T cell subset with reduced VDAC1 and mTOR expression in post-AKI kidneys. Ischemic kidneys showed higher expression of trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27Me3) and glutaminase. Splenic T cells from post-AKI mice had higher expression of GLUT1, hexokinase II, and CPT1a. Human nonischemic and ischemic kidney tissue displayed similar findings to mouse kidneys. Given a convergent role for glutamine in T cell metabolic pathways and the availability of a relatively safe glutamine antagonist JHU083, effects on AKI were evaluated. JHU083 attenuated renal injury and reduced T cell activation and proliferation in ischemic and nephrotoxic AKI, whereas T cell-deficient mice were not protected by glutamine blockade. In vitro hypoxia demonstrated upregulation of glycolysis-related enzymes. T cells undergo metabolic reprogramming during AKI, and reconstitution of metabolism by targeting T cell glutamine pathway could be a promising novel therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungho Lee
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A Thompson
- Department of Oncology, Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Sepideh Gharaie
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Chirag H Patel
- Department of Oncology, Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Johanna T Kurzhagen
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Phillip M Pierorazio
- Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Lois J Arend
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Department of Neurology and Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Sanjeev Noel
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Hamid Rabb
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
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22
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Gao RD, Taylor M, McInnis T, Chen Z, Gori SS, LaPorte HM, Siegler MA, Neisewander JL, Mach RH, Singh M, Slusher BS, Rais R, Luedtke RR, Tsukamoto T. Synthesis and Pharmacological Characterization of a Difluorinated Analogue of Reduced Haloperidol as a Sigma-1 Receptor Ligand. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:947-957. [PMID: 36780706 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduced haloperidol (1) was previously reported to act as a potent sigma-1 receptor (S1R) ligand with substantially lower affinity to the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) compared to haloperidol. It was also found to facilitate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) secretion from astrocytic glial cell lines in a sigma-1 receptor (S1R)-dependent manner. Although an increase in BDNF secretion may have beneficial effects in some neurological conditions, the therapeutic utility of reduced haloperidol (1) is limited because it can be oxidized back to haloperidol in the body, a potent dopamine D2 receptor antagonist associated with well-documented adverse effects. A difluorinated analogue of reduced haloperidol, (±)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(3,3-difluoro-4-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-hydroxybutyl)piperidin-4-ol (2), was synthesized in an attempt to minimize the oxidation. Compound (±)-2 was found to exhibit high affinity to S1R and facilitate BDNF release from mouse brain astrocytes. It was also confirmed that compound 2 cannot be oxidized back to the corresponding haloperidol analogue in liver microsomes. Furthermore, compound 2 was distributed to the brain following intraperitoneal administration in mice and reversed the learning deficits in active avoidance tasks. These findings suggest that compound 2 could serve as a promising S1R ligand with therapeutic potential for the treatment of cognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Run-Duo Gao
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Michelle Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, United States
| | - Tamara McInnis
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, United States
| | - Zhenglan Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, United States
| | - Sadakatali S Gori
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Heather M LaPorte
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois 60153, United States
| | - Maxime A Siegler
- Department of Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Janet L Neisewander
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Robert H Mach
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Meharvan Singh
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois 60153, United States
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Robert R Luedtke
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, United States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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23
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Parveen S, Shen J, Lun S, Zhao L, Koleske B, Leone RD, Rais R, Powell JD, Murphy JR, Slusher BS, Bishai WR. Glutamine metabolism inhibition has dual immunomodulatory and antibacterial activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. bioRxiv 2023:2023.02.23.529704. [PMID: 36865287 PMCID: PMC9980128 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.23.529704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
As one of the most successful human pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has evolved a diverse array of determinants to subvert host immunity and alter host metabolic patterns. However, the mechanisms of pathogen interference with host metabolism remain poorly understood. Here we show that a novel glutamine metabolism antagonist, JHU083, inhibits Mtb proliferation in vitro and in vivo. JHU083-treated mice exhibit weight gain, improved survival, a 2.5 log lower lung bacillary burden at 35 days post-infection, and reduced lung pathology. JHU083 treatment also initiates earlier T-cell recruitment, increased proinflammatory myeloid cell infiltration, and a reduced frequency of immunosuppressive myeloid cells when compared to uninfected and rifampin-treated controls. Metabolomics analysis of lungs from JHU083-treated Mtb-infected mice revealed reduced glutamine levels, citrulline accumulation suggesting elevated NOS activity, and lowered levels of quinolinic acid which is derived from the immunosuppressive metabolite kynurenine. When tested in an immunocompromised mouse model of Mtb infection, JHU083 lost its therapeutic efficacy suggesting the drug's host-directed effects are likely to be predominant. Collectively, these data reveal that JHU083-mediated glutamine metabolism inhibition results in dual antibacterial and host-directed activity against tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadiya Parveen
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jessica Shen
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Shichun Lun
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Liang Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Benjamin Koleske
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Robert D. Leone
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jonathan D. Powell
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - John R. Murphy
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - William R. Bishai
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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24
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Tohumeken S, Deme P, Yoo SW, Gupta S, Rais R, Slusher BS, Haughey NJ. Neuronal deletion of nSMase2 reduces the production of Aβ and directly protects neurons. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 177:105987. [PMID: 36603748 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.105987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been proposed to regulate the deposition of Aβ. Multiple publications have shown that APP, amyloid processing enzymes and Aβ peptides are associated with EVs. However, very little Aβ is associated with EVs compared with the total amount Aβ present in human plasma, CSF, or supernatants from cultured neurons. The involvement of EVs has largely been inferred by pharmacological inhibition or whole body deletion of the sphingomyelin hydrolase neutral sphingomyelinase-2 (nSMase2) that is a key regulator for the biogenesis of at-least one population of EVs. Here we used a Cre-Lox system to selectively delete nSMase2 from pyramidal neurons in APP/PS1 mice (APP/PS1-SMPD3-Nex1) and found a ∼ 70% reduction in Aβ deposition at 6 months of age and ∼ 35% reduction at 12 months of age in both cortex and hippocampus. Brain ceramides were increased in APP/PS1 compared with Wt mice, but were similar to Wt in APP/PS1-SMPD3-Nex1 mice suggesting that elevated brain ceramides in this model involves neuronally expressed nSMase2. Reduced levels of PSD95 and deficits of long-term potentiation in APP/PS1 mice were normalized in APP/PS1-SMPD3-Nex1 mice. In contrast, elevated levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and TNFα in APP/PS1 mice were not normalized in APP/PS1-SMPD3-Nex1 mice compared with APP/PS1 mice. Mechanistic studies showed that the size of liquid ordered membrane microdomains was increased in APP/PS1 mice, as were the amounts of APP and BACE1 localized to these microdomains. Pharmacological inhibition of nSMase2 activity with PDDC reduced the size of the liquid ordered membrane microdomains, reduced the localization of APP with BACE1 and reduced the production of Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42. Although inhibition of nSMase2 reduced the release and increased the size of EVs, very little Aβ was associated with EVs in all conditions tested. We also found that nSMase2 directly protected neurons from the toxic effects of oligomerized Aβ and preserved neural network connectivity despite considerable Aβ deposition. These data demonstrate that nSMase2 plays a role in the production of Aβ by stabilizing the interaction of APP with BACE1 in liquid ordered membrane microdomains, and directly protects neurons from the toxic effects of Aβ. The effects of inhibiting nSMase2 on EV biogenesis may be independent from effects on Aβ production and neuronal protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sehmus Tohumeken
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Neurology, United States of America
| | - Pragney Deme
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Neurology, United States of America
| | - Seung Wan Yoo
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Neurology, United States of America
| | - Sujasha Gupta
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Neurology, United States of America
| | - Rana Rais
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry, United States of America
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Neurology, United States of America; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States of America; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry, United States of America; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, United States of America; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Department of Oncology, United States of America; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Department of Neuroscience, United States of America; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Department of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Norman J Haughey
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Neurology, United States of America; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Departments of Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, United States of America.
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25
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Tsai J, Gori S, Alt J, Tiwari S, Iyer J, Talwar R, Hinsu D, Ahirwar K, Mohanty S, Khunt C, Sutariya B, Jani K, Venkatasubbaiah V, Patel A, Meghapara J, Joshi K, Sahu R, Rana V, Nigade P, Talluri RS, Murty KVSN, Joshi K, Ramanathan V, Li A, Islam N, Snajdr I, Majer P, Rais R, Slusher BS, Garza LA. Topical SCD-153, a 4-methyl itaconate prodrug, for the treatment of alopecia areata. PNAS Nexus 2023; 2:pgac297. [PMID: 36712931 PMCID: PMC9832969 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Alopecia areata is a chronic hair loss disorder that involves autoimmune disruption of hair follicles by CD8+ T cells. Most patients present with patchy hair loss on the scalp that improves spontaneously or with topical and intralesional steroids, topical minoxidil, or topical immunotherapy. However, recurrence of hair loss is common, and patients with extensive disease may require treatment with oral corticosteroids or oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, both of which may cause systemic toxicities with long-term use. Itaconate is an endogenous molecule synthesized in macrophages that exerts anti-inflammatory effects. To investigate the use of itaconate derivatives for treating alopecia areata, we designed a prodrug of 4-methyl itaconate (4-MI), termed SCD-153, with increased lipophilicity compared to 4-MI (CLogP 1.159 vs. 0.1442) to enhance skin and cell penetration. Topical SCD-153 formed 4-MI upon penetrating the stratum corneum in C57BL/6 mice and showed low systemic absorption. When added to human epidermal keratinocytes stimulated with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) or interferon (IFN)γ, SCD-153 significantly attenuated poly I:C-induced interleukin (IL)-6, Toll-like receptor 3, IL-1β, and IFNβ expression, as well as IFNγ-induced IL-6 expression. Topical application of SCD-153 to C57BL/6 mice in the resting (telogen) phase of the hair cycle induced significant hair growth that was statistically superior to vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide), the less cell-permeable itaconate analogues 4-MI and dimethyl itaconate, and the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib. Our results suggest that SCD-153 is a promising topical candidate for treating alopecia areata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Tsai
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sadakatali Gori
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sandhya Tiwari
- In Vitro Biology, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Jitesh Iyer
- In Vitro Biology, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Rashmi Talwar
- In Vitro Biology, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Denish Hinsu
- Preclinical Pharmacology, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Kailash Ahirwar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar 382355, India
| | - Swayam Mohanty
- Preclinical Pharmacology, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Chintan Khunt
- Preclinical Pharmacology, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Brijesh Sutariya
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Kaushal Jani
- Preclinical Pharmacology, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | | | - Ashok Patel
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Jasmin Meghapara
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Kaushal Joshi
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Rajanikanta Sahu
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Vijay Rana
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Prashant Nigade
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli, 391770, India
| | - Ravi S Talluri
- Clinical Pharmacology, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Mahakali, Mumbai 400093, India
| | | | - Kiritkumar Joshi
- Medicinal Chemistry, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli 391770, India
| | - Vikram Ramanathan
- Translational Development, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Savli 391770, India
| | - Ang Li
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Nasif Islam
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ivan Snajdr
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Rana Rais
- To whom correspondence should be addressed:
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26
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Kaushik AK, Tarangelo A, Boroughs LK, Ragavan M, Zhang Y, Wu CY, Li X, Ahumada K, Chiang JC, Tcheuyap VT, Saatchi F, Do QN, Yong C, Rosales T, Stevens C, Rao AD, Faubert B, Pachnis P, Zacharias LG, Vu H, Cai F, Mathews TP, Genovese G, Slusher BS, Kapur P, Sun X, Merritt M, Brugarolas J, DeBerardinis RJ. In vivo characterization of glutamine metabolism identifies therapeutic targets in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabp8293. [PMID: 36525494 PMCID: PMC9757752 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abp8293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Targeting metabolic vulnerabilities has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Here, we analyzed the metabolism of patient-derived xenografts (tumorgrafts) from diverse subtypes of RCC. Tumorgrafts from VHL-mutant clear cell RCC (ccRCC) retained metabolic features of human ccRCC and engaged in oxidative and reductive glutamine metabolism. Genetic silencing of isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 or isocitrate dehydrogenase-2 impaired reductive labeling of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates in vivo and suppressed growth of tumors generated from tumorgraft-derived cells. Glutaminase inhibition reduced the contribution of glutamine to the TCA cycle and resulted in modest suppression of tumorgraft growth. Infusions with [amide-15N]glutamine revealed persistent amidotransferase activity during glutaminase inhibition, and blocking these activities with the amidotransferase inhibitor JHU-083 also reduced tumor growth in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice. We conclude that ccRCC tumorgrafts catabolize glutamine via multiple pathways, perhaps explaining why it has been challenging to achieve therapeutic responses in patients by inhibiting glutaminase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash K. Kaushik
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Amy Tarangelo
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lindsey K. Boroughs
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Mukundan Ragavan
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Cheng-Yang Wu
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Xiangyi Li
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kristen Ahumada
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jui-Chung Chiang
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Vanina T. Tcheuyap
- Kidney Cancer Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Faeze Saatchi
- Kidney Cancer Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Quyen N. Do
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Cissy Yong
- Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tracy Rosales
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Christina Stevens
- Kidney Cancer Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Aparna D. Rao
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Brandon Faubert
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Panayotis Pachnis
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lauren G. Zacharias
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Hieu Vu
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Feng Cai
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Thomas P. Mathews
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Giannicola Genovese
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology and Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Payal Kapur
- Kidney Cancer Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Xiankai Sun
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Kidney Cancer Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Matthew Merritt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - James Brugarolas
- Kidney Cancer Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ralph J. DeBerardinis
- Children’s Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Kidney Cancer Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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Tallon C, Bell BJ, Malvankar M, Thomas AG, Yoo SW, Pal A, Wu Y, Coleman K, Joe TR, Sharma A, Eren E, Zhu X, Kannan RM, Kapogiannis D, Haughey NJ, Rais R, Slusher BS. nSMase2 inhibition reduces tau propagation in Alzheimer’s Disease mouse models. Alzheimers Dement 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.063639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Benjamin J Bell
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | | | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Seung Wan Yoo
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Kaleem Coleman
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Tawnjerae R Joe
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Anjali Sharma
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Erden Eren
- National Institute on Aging/National Institutes of Health Baltimore MD USA
| | - Xiaolei Zhu
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | | | | | | | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
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28
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Rais R, Lemberg KM, Tenora L, Arwood ML, Pal A, Alt J, Wu Y, Lam J, Aguilar JMH, Zhao L, Peters DE, Tallon C, Pandey R, Thomas AG, Dash RP, Seiwert T, Majer P, Leone RD, Powell JD, Slusher BS. Discovery of DRP-104, a tumor-targeted metabolic inhibitor prodrug. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabq5925. [PMID: 36383674 PMCID: PMC9668306 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
6-Diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) is a glutamine antagonist that suppresses cancer cell metabolism but concurrently enhances the metabolic fitness of tumor CD8+ T cells. DON showed promising efficacy in clinical trials; however, its development was halted by dose-limiting gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities. Given its clinical potential, we designed DON peptide prodrugs and found DRP-104 [isopropyl(S)-2-((S)-2-acetamido-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-propanamido)-6-diazo-5-oxo-hexanoate] that was preferentially bioactivated to DON in tumor while bioinactivated to an inert metabolite in GI tissues. In drug distribution studies, DRP-104 delivered a prodigious 11-fold greater exposure of DON to tumor versus GI tissues. DRP-104 affected multiple metabolic pathways in tumor, including decreased glutamine flux into the TCA cycle. In efficacy studies, both DRP-104 and DON caused complete tumor regression; however, DRP-104 had a markedly improved tolerability profile. DRP-104's effect was CD8+ T cell dependent and resulted in robust immunologic memory. DRP-104 represents a first-in-class prodrug with differential metabolism in target versus toxicity tissue. DRP-104 is now in clinical trials under the FDA Fast Track designation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kathryn M. Lemberg
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lukáš Tenora
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Prague 16000, Czech Republic
| | - Matthew L. Arwood
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jenny Lam
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Liang Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Diane E. Peters
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rajeev Pandey
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ranjeet P. Dash
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Tanguy Seiwert
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Prague 16000, Czech Republic
| | - Robert D. Leone
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jonathan D. Powell
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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29
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Gao RD, Maeda M, Tallon C, Feinberg AP, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T. Effects of 6-Aminonicotinic Acid Esters on the Reprogrammed Epigenetic State of Distant Metastatic Pancreatic Carcinoma. ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:1892-1897. [DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Run-Duo Gao
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Masahiro Maeda
- Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Andrew P. Feinberg
- Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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30
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Tallon C, Bell BJ, Sharma A, Pal A, Malvankar MM, Thomas AG, Yoo SW, Hollinger KR, Coleman K, Wilkinson EL, Kannan S, Haughey NJ, Kannan RM, Rais R, Slusher BS. Dendrimer-Conjugated nSMase2 Inhibitor Reduces Tau Propagation in Mice. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14102066. [PMID: 36297501 PMCID: PMC9609094 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14102066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive accumulation of amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau), which can spread throughout the brain via extracellular vesicles (EVs). Membrane ceramide enrichment regulated by the enzyme neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) is a critical component of at least one EV biogenesis pathway. Our group recently identified 2,6-Dimethoxy-4-(5-Phenyl-4-Thiophen-2-yl-1H-Imidazol-2-yl)-Phenol (DPTIP), the most potent (30 nM) and selective inhibitor of nSMase2 reported to date. However, DPTIP exhibits poor oral pharmacokinetics (PK), modest brain penetration, and rapid clearance, limiting its clinical translation. To enhance its PK properties, we conjugated DPTIP to a hydroxyl-PAMAM dendrimer delivery system, creating dendrimer-DPTIP (D-DPTIP). In an acute brain injury model, orally administered D-DPTIP significantly reduced the intra-striatal IL-1β-induced increase in plasma EVs up to 72 h post-dose, while oral DPTIP had a limited effect. In a mouse tau propagation model, where a mutant hTau (P301L/S320F) containing adeno-associated virus was unilaterally seeded into the hippocampus, oral D-DPTIP (dosed 3× weekly) significantly inhibited brain nSMase2 activity and blocked the spread of pTau to the contralateral hippocampus. These data demonstrate that dendrimer conjugation of DPTIP improves its PK properties, resulting in significant inhibition of EV propagation of pTau in mice. Dendrimer-based delivery of DPTIP has the potential to be an exciting new therapeutic for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Bell
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Anjali Sharma
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | | | - Seung-Wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Kaleem Coleman
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Elizabeth L. Wilkinson
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Moser Center for Leukodystrophies at Kennedy Krieger, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sujatha Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy-Krieger Inc., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Norman J. Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rangaramanujam M. Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Moser Center for Leukodystrophies at Kennedy Krieger, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Correspondence: (R.R.); (B.S.S.); Tel.: +1-410-800-8049 (R.R.); +1-410-960-6162 (B.S.S.)
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Correspondence: (R.R.); (B.S.S.); Tel.: +1-410-800-8049 (R.R.); +1-410-960-6162 (B.S.S.)
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31
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Gori SS, Thomas AG, Pal A, Wiseman R, Ferraris DV, Gao RD, Wu Y, Alt J, Tsukamoto T, Slusher BS, Rais R. D-DOPA Is a Potent, Orally Bioavailable, Allosteric Inhibitor of Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14102018. [PMID: 36297453 PMCID: PMC9608075 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14102018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate carboxypeptidase-II (GCPII) is a zinc-dependent metalloenzyme implicated in numerous neurological disorders. The pharmacophoric requirements of active-site GCPII inhibitors makes them highly charged, manifesting poor pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. Herein, we describe the discovery and characterization of catechol-based inhibitors including L-DOPA, D-DOPA, and caffeic acid, with sub-micromolar potencies. Of these, D-DOPA emerged as the most promising compound, with good metabolic stability, and excellent PK properties. Orally administered D-DOPA yielded high plasma exposures (AUCplasma = 72.7 nmol·h/mL) and an absolute oral bioavailability of 47.7%. Unfortunately, D-DOPA brain exposures were low with AUCbrain = 2.42 nmol/g and AUCbrain/plasma ratio of 0.03. Given reports of isomeric inversion of D-DOPA to L-DOPA via D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), we evaluated D-DOPA PK in combination with the DAAO inhibitor sodium benzoate and observed a >200% enhancement in both plasma and brain exposures (AUCplasma = 185 nmol·h/mL; AUCbrain = 5.48 nmol·h/g). Further, we demonstrated GCPII target engagement; orally administered D-DOPA with or without sodium benzoate caused significant inhibition of GCPII activity. Lastly, mode of inhibition studies revealed D-DOPA to be a noncompetitive, allosteric inhibitor of GCPII. To our knowledge, this is the first report of D-DOPA as a distinct scaffold for GCPII inhibition, laying the groundwork for future optimization to obtain clinically viable candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadakatali S. Gori
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Robyn Wiseman
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Dana V. Ferraris
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Run-duo Gao
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Correspondence: (B.S.S.); (R.R.)
| | - Rana Rais
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Correspondence: (B.S.S.); (R.R.)
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32
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Huang M, Xiong D, Pan J, Zhang Q, Sei S, Shoemaker RH, Lubet RA, Montuenga LM, Wang Y, Slusher BS, You M. Targeting Glutamine Metabolism to Enhance Immunoprevention of EGFR-Driven Lung Cancer. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2022; 9:e2105885. [PMID: 35861366 PMCID: PMC9475521 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Vaccination against EGFR can be one of the venues to prevent lung cancer. Blocking glutamine metabolism has been shown to improve anticancer immunity. Here, the authors report that JHU083, an orally active glutamine antagonist prodrug designed to be preferentially activated in the tumor microenvironment, has potent anticancer effects on EGFR-driven mouse lung tumorigenesis. Lung tumor development is significantly suppressed when treatment with JHU083 is combined with an EGFR peptide vaccine (EVax) than either single treatment. Flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing of the lung tumors reveal that JHU083 increases CD8+ T cell and CD4+ Th1 cell infiltration, while EVax elicits robust Th1 cell-mediated immune responses and protects mice against EGFRL858R mutation-driven lung tumorigenesis. JHU083 treatment decreases immune suppressive cells, including both monocytic- and granulocytic-myeloid-derived suppressor cells, regulatory T cells, and pro-tumor CD4+ Th17 cells in mouse models. Interestingly, Th1 cells are found to robustly upregulate oxidative metabolism and adopt a highly activated and memory-like phenotype upon glutamine inhibition. These results suggest that JHU083 is highly effective against EGFR-driven lung tumorigenesis and promotes an adaptive T cell-mediated tumor-specific immune response that enhances the efficacy of EVax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mofei Huang
- Center for Cancer PreventionHouston Methodist Cancer CenterHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Donghai Xiong
- Center for Cancer PreventionHouston Methodist Cancer CenterHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Jing Pan
- Center for Cancer PreventionHouston Methodist Cancer CenterHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Qi Zhang
- Center for Cancer PreventionHouston Methodist Cancer CenterHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Shizuko Sei
- Chemopreventive Agent Development Research GroupDivision of Cancer PreventionNational Cancer InstituteBethesdaMD20850USA
| | - Robert H. Shoemaker
- Chemopreventive Agent Development Research GroupDivision of Cancer PreventionNational Cancer InstituteBethesdaMD20850USA
| | - Ronald A. Lubet
- Chemopreventive Agent Development Research GroupDivision of Cancer PreventionNational Cancer InstituteBethesdaMD20850USA
| | - Luis M. Montuenga
- Program in Solid Tumors and BiomarkersCenter for Applied Medical Research (CIMA)University of NavarraPamplona31009Spain
- Department of Histology and PathologyUniversity of NavarraPamplona31009Spain
- Respiratory Tract Tumors GroupIdisnaPamplona31000Spain
- Respiratory Tract Tumors ProgramCIBERONCMadrid28013Spain
| | - Yian Wang
- Center for Cancer PreventionHouston Methodist Cancer CenterHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD21205USA
- Department of NeurologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD2128USA
| | - Ming You
- Center for Cancer PreventionHouston Methodist Cancer CenterHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
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Pal A, Gori S, Yoo SW, Thomas AG, Wu Y, Friedman J, Tenora L, Bhasin H, Alt J, Haughey N, Slusher BS, Rais R. Discovery of Orally Bioavailable and Brain-Penetrable Prodrugs of the Potent nSMase2 Inhibitor DPTIP. J Med Chem 2022; 65:11111-11125. [PMID: 35930706 PMCID: PMC9980655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can carry pathological cargo and play an active role in disease progression. Neutral sphingomyelinase-2 (nSMase2) is a critical regulator of EV biogenesis, and its inhibition has shown protective effects in multiple disease states. 2,6-Dimethoxy-4-(5-phenyl-4-thiophen-2-yl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenol (DPTIP) is one of the most potent (IC50 = 30 nM) inhibitors of nSMase2 discovered to date. However, DPTIP exhibits poor oral pharmacokinetics (PK), limiting its clinical development. To overcome DPTIP's PK limitations, we synthesized a series of prodrugs by masking its phenolic hydroxyl group. When administered orally, the best prodrug (P18) with a 2',6'-diethyl-1,4'-bipiperidinyl promoiety exhibited >fourfold higher plasma (AUC0-t = 1047 pmol·h/mL) and brain exposures (AUC0-t = 247 pmol·h/g) versus DPTIP and a significant enhancement of DPTIP half-life (2 h vs ∼0.5 h). In a mouse model of acute brain injury, DPTIP released from P18 significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced EV release into plasma and attenuated nSMase2 activity. These studies report the discovery of a DPTIP prodrug with potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arindom Pal
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Sadakatali Gori
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Seung-wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Jacob Friedman
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Lukáš Tenora
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Harshit Bhasin
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Norman Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Departments of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Corresponding Authors: . Tel: 410-502-0497. Fax: 410-614-0659 (R.R.), . Tel: 410-614-0662. Fax: 410-614-0659 (B.S.S.)
| | - Rana Rais
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA,Corresponding Authors: . Tel: 410-502-0497. Fax: 410-614-0659 (R.R.), . Tel: 410-614-0662. Fax: 410-614-0659 (B.S.S.)
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34
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Bell BJ, Hollinger KR, Deme P, Sakamoto S, Hasegawa Y, Volsky D, Kamiya A, Haughey N, Zhu X, Slusher BS. Glutamine antagonist JHU083 improves psychosocial behavior and sleep deficits in EcoHIV-infected mice. Brain Behav Immun Health 2022; 23:100478. [PMID: 35734753 PMCID: PMC9207540 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Combined antiretroviral therapy ushered an era of survivable HIV infection in which people living with HIV (PLH) conduct normal life activities and enjoy measurably extended lifespans. However, despite viral control, PLH often experience a variety of cognitive, emotional, and physical phenotypes that diminish their quality of life, including cognitive impairment, depression, and sleep disruption. Recently, accumulating evidence has linked persistent CNS immune activation to the overproduction of glutamate and upregulation of glutaminase (GLS) activity, particularly in microglial cells, driving glutamatergic imbalance with neurological consequences. Our lab has developed a brain-penetrant prodrug of the glutamine antagonist 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON), JHU083, that potently inhibits brain GLS activity in mice following oral administration. To assess the therapeutic potential of JHU083, we infected mice with EcoHIV and characterized their neurobehavioral phenotypes. EcoHIV-infected mice exhibited decreased social interaction, suppressed sucrose preference, disrupted sleep during the early rest period, and increased sleep fragmentation, similar to what has been reported in PLH but not yet observed in murine models. At doses shown to inhibit microglial GLS, JHU083 treatment ameliorated all of the abnormal neurobehavioral phenotypes. To explore potential mechanisms underlying this effect, hippocampal microglia were isolated for RNA sequencing. The dysregulated genes and pathways in EcoHIV-infected hippocampal microglia pointed to disruptions in immune functions of these cells, which were partially restored by JHU083 treatment. These findings suggest that upregulation of microglial GLS may affect immune functions of these cells. Thus, brain-penetrable GLS inhibitors like JHU083 could act as a potential therapeutic modality for both glutamate excitotoxicity and aberrant immune activation in microglia in chronic HIV infection.
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Zhu X, Hollinger KR, Huang Y, Borjabad A, Kim BH, Arab T, Thomas AG, Moniruzzaman M, Lovell L, Turchinovich A, Witwer KW, Volsky DJ, Haughey NJ, Slusher BS. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 inhibition attenuates extracellular vesicle release and improves neurobehavioral deficits in murine HIV. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 169:105734. [PMID: 35462006 PMCID: PMC9202342 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
People living with HIV (PLH) have significantly higher rates of cognitive impairment (CI) and major depressive disorder (MDD) versus the general population. The enzyme neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) is involved in the biogenesis of ceramide and extracellular vesicles (EVs), both of which are dysregulated in PLH, CI, and MDD. Here we evaluated EcoHIV-infected mice for behavioral abnormalities relevant to depression and cognition deficits, and assessed the behavioral and biochemical effects of nSMase2 inhibition. Mice were infected with EcoHIV and daily treatment with either vehicle or the nSMase2 inhibitor (R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl)pyrrolidin-3-yl)-carbamate (PDDC) began 3 weeks post-infection. After 2 weeks of treatment, mice were subjected to behavior tests. EcoHIV-infected mice exhibited behavioral abnormalities relevant to MDD and CI that were reversed by PDDC treatment. EcoHIV infection significantly increased cortical brain nSMase2 activity, resulting in trend changes in sphingomyelin and ceramide levels that were normalized by PDDC treatment. EcoHIV-infected mice also exhibited increased levels of brain-derived EVs and altered microRNA cargo, including miR-183-5p, miR-200c-3p, miR-200b-3p, and miR-429-3p, known to be associated with MDD and CI; all were normalized by PDDC. In conclusion, inhibition of nSMase2 represents a possible new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HIV-associated CI and MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Zhu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kristen R. Hollinger
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yiyao Huang
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alejandra Borjabad
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Boe-Hyun Kim
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Tanina Arab
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mohammed Moniruzzaman
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lyndah Lovell
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrey Turchinovich
- Heidelberg Biolabs GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany,Division of Cancer Genome Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kenneth W. Witwer
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David J. Volsky
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Norman J. Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Corresponding author at: 855 N. Wolfe Street, Rangos 278, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. (B.S. Slusher)
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Pradhan M, Peters DE, Norris LD, Thomas AG, Rais R, Slusher BS. A Novel Oral Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II Inhibitor for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. FASEB J 2022. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.s1.r3089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manisha Pradhan
- Johns Hopkins Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD
| | - Diane E. Peters
- Johns Hopkins Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD
| | - Lauren D. Norris
- Johns Hopkins Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug DiscoveryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD
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37
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Wei H, Moffett JR, Amanat M, Fatemi A, Tsukamoto T, Namboodiri AM, Slusher BS. The pathogenesis of, and pharmacological treatment for, Canavan disease. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:2467-2483. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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38
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Helms RS, Patel CH, Leone RD, Duvall B, Gao RD, Tsukamoto T, Slusher BS, Pomerantz JL, Powell JD. Enhanced T cell effector function upon differentiation of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in the presence of BioE-1197 through potential off target ARK family inhibition. The Journal of Immunology 2022. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.supp.169.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
We sought to evaluate PAS domain containing kinase (PASK) inhibition during T cell differentiation using the previously described PASK inhibitor BioE-1197. Notably, CD8+, Th1, and Th2 T cells activated and expanded in the presence of BioE-1197 display elevated lineage specific cytokine production upon restimulation compared to control differentiated T cells, suggesting BioE-1197 may prove to be a powerful means to enhance T cell function. Curiously however, BioE-1197 mediated these effects even in PASK KO T cells suggesting its mechanism of action was independent of PASK. BLAST alignment of the PASK kinase domain revealed members of the AMPK related kinases (ARK) family as potential targets of BioE-1197. ARKs phosphorylate class IIa histone deacetylases (HDACs) in response to activation. To assess whether BioE-1197 inhibits ARK family member activity, we activated and expanded CD8+ T cells with or without BioE-1197. Control differentiated CD8s show elevated phosphorylated and total HDAC7 over time after activation. However, BioE-1197 differentiated cells do not exhibit elevated phosphorylation or total expression of HDAC7 after activation. Concurrent reduction of phosphorylation and total HDAC7 is a phenotype previously reported in cells treated with ARK family kinase inhibitors, suggesting BioE-1197 may be functioning to inhibit an ARK family member(s). Ongoing work aims to definitively demonstrate that the ability of BioE-1197 to enhance effector function is via inhibition of ARK family members and the subsequent regulation of HDAC7. Overall these studies identify BioE-1197 as a novel agent to enhance effector T cell function and suggests potential utility in tumor immunotherapy and enhancing vaccine efficacy.
Supported by grants from NIH (P41EB028239-03, R01AI077610-10) and the Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.
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Parkhurst A, Wang SZ, Findlay TR, Malebranche KJ, Odabas A, Alt J, Maxwell MJ, Kaur H, Peer CJ, Figg WD, Warren KE, Slusher BS, Eberhart CG, Raabe EH, Rubens JA. Dual mTORC1/2 inhibition compromises cell defenses against exogenous stress potentiating Obatoclax-induced cytotoxicity in atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:410. [PMID: 35484114 PMCID: PMC9050713 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04868-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAtypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT) are the most common malignant brain tumors of infancy and have a dismal 4-year event-free survival (EFS) of 37%. We have previously shown that mTOR activation contributes to AT/RT’s aggressive growth and poor survival. Targeting the mTOR pathway with the dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor TAK-228 slows tumor growth and extends survival in mice bearing orthotopic xenografts. However, responses are primarily cytostatic with limited durability. The aim of this study is to understand the impact of mTOR inhibitors on AT/RT signaling pathways and design a rational combination therapy to drive a more durable response to this promising therapy. We performed RNASeq, gene expression studies, and protein analyses to identify pathways disrupted by TAK-228. We find that TAK-228 decreases the expression of the transcription factor NRF2 and compromises AT/RT cellular defenses against oxidative stress and apoptosis. The BH3 mimetic, Obatoclax, is a potent inducer of oxidative stress and apoptosis in AT/RT. These complementary mechanisms of action drive extensive synergies between TAK-228 and Obatoclax slowing AT/RT cell growth and inducing apoptosis and cell death. Combination therapy activates the integrative stress response as determined by increased expression of phosphorylated EIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP, and disrupts the protective NOXA.MCL-1.BIM axis, forcing stressed cells to undergo apoptosis. Combination therapy is well tolerated in mice bearing orthotopic xenografts of AT/RT, slows tumor growth, and extends median overall survival. This novel combination therapy could be added to standard upfront therapies or used as a salvage therapy for relapsed disease to improve outcomes in AT/RT.
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40
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Berhane I, Hin N, Thomas AG, Huang Q, Zhang C, Veeravalli V, Wu Y, Ng J, Alt J, Rojas C, Hihara H, Aoki M, Yoshizawa K, Nishioka T, Suzuki S, He SQ, Peng Q, Guan Y, Dong X, Raja SN, Slusher BS, Rais R, Tsukamoto T. Thieno[2,3- d]pyrimidine-Based Positive Allosteric Modulators of Human Mas-Related G Protein-Coupled Receptor X1 (MRGPRX1). J Med Chem 2022; 65:3218-3228. [PMID: 35119273 PMCID: PMC9176367 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X1 (MRGPRX1) is a human sensory neuron-specific receptor and potential target for the treatment of pain. Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of MRGPRX1 have the potential to preferentially activate the receptors at the central terminals of primary sensory neurons and minimize itch side effects caused by peripheral activation. Using a high-throughput screening (HTS) hit, a series of thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based molecules were synthesized and evaluated as human MRGPRX1 PAMs in HEK293 cells stably transfected with human MrgprX1 gene. An iterative process to improve potency and metabolic stability led to the discovery of orally available 6-(tert-butyl)-5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-(2-(trifluoromethoxy)phenoxy)thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine (1t), which can be distributed to the spinal cord, the presumed site of action, following oral administration. In a neuropathic pain model induced by sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI), compound 1t (100 mg/kg, po) reduced behavioral heat hypersensitivity in humanized MRGPRX1 mice, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of MRGPRX1 PAMs in treating neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilyas Berhane
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Niyada Hin
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Qian Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Vijayabhaskar Veeravalli
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Justin Ng
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Camilo Rojas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Hiroe Hihara
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd.,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Mika Aoki
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd.,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Kyoko Yoshizawa
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd.,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Tomoki Nishioka
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd.,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Shuichi Suzuki
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd.,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Shao-Qiu He
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Qi Peng
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yun Guan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Xinzhong Dong
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Srinivasa N. Raja
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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41
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Dasovich M, Zhuo J, Goodman JA, Thomas A, McPherson RL, Jayabalan AK, Busa VF, Cheng SJ, Murphy BA, Redinger KR, Alhammad YMO, Fehr AR, Tsukamoto T, Slusher BS, Bosch J, Wei H, Leung AKL. High-Throughput Activity Assay for Screening Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Mac1 Macrodomain. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:17-23. [PMID: 34904435 PMCID: PMC8691451 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Macrodomains are a class of conserved ADP-ribosylhydrolases expressed by viruses of pandemic concern, including coronaviruses and alphaviruses. Viral macrodomains are critical for replication and virus-induced pathogenesis; therefore, these enzymes are a promising target for antiviral therapy. However, no potent or selective viral macrodomain inhibitors currently exist, in part due to the lack of a high-throughput assay for this class of enzymes. Here we developed a high-throughput ADP-ribosylhydrolase assay using the SARS-CoV-2 macrodomain Mac1. We performed a pilot screen that identified dasatinib and dihydralazine as ADP-ribosylhydrolase inhibitors. Importantly, dasatinib inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV Mac1 but not the closest human homologue, MacroD2. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of identifying selective inhibitors based on ADP-ribosylhydrolase activity, paving the way for the screening of large compound libraries to identify improved macrodomain inhibitors and to explore their potential as antiviral therapies for SARS-CoV-2 and future viral threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Dasovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Krieger School of Arts and
Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218,
United States
| | - Junlin Zhuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Jack A. Goodman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Ajit Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205,
United States
| | - Robert Lyle McPherson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Aravinth Kumar Jayabalan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Veronica F. Busa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetics Medicine,
School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United
States
| | - Shang-Jung Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Brennan A. Murphy
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Karli R. Redinger
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case
Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United
States
| | - Yousef M. O. Alhammad
- Department of Molecular Biosciences,
University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United
States
| | - Anthony R. Fehr
- Department of Molecular Biosciences,
University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United
States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205,
United States
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205,
United States
| | - Jürgen Bosch
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case
Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United
States
- InterRayBio, LLC,
Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Huijun Wei
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205,
United States
| | - Anthony K. L. Leung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetics Medicine,
School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United
States
- Department of Oncology and Department of
Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United
States
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Abstract
Metabolic inhibitors have been used in oncology for decades, dating back to antimetabolites developed in the 1940s. In the past 25 years, there has been increased recognition of metabolic derangements in tumor cells leading to a resurgence of interest in targeting metabolism. More recently there has been recognition that drugs targeting tumor metabolism also affect the often acidic, hypoxic, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and non-tumor cell populations within it, including immune cells. Here we review small-molecule metabolic inhibitors currently in clinical development for oncology applications. For each agent, we evaluate the preclinical studies demonstrating antitumor and TME effects and review ongoing clinical trials. The goal of this Review is to provide an overview of the landscape of metabolic inhibitors in clinical development for oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M. Lemberg
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery
- Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | | | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery
- Department of Neurology
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery
- Department of Neurology
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery
- Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Neurology
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
- Department of Medicine, and
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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43
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Hollinger KR, Sharma A, Tallon C, Lovell L, Thomas AG, Zhu X, Wiseman R, Wu Y, Kambhampati SP, Liaw K, Sharma R, Rojas C, Rais R, Kannan S, Kannan RM, Slusher BS. Dendrimer-2PMPA selectively blocks upregulated microglial GCPII activity and improves cognition in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Nanotheranostics 2022; 6:126-142. [PMID: 34976589 PMCID: PMC8671953 DOI: 10.7150/ntno.63158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a common aspect of multiple sclerosis (MS) for which there are no treatments. Reduced brain N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) levels are linked to impaired cognition in various neurological diseases, including MS. NAAG levels are regulated by glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), which hydrolyzes the neuropeptide to N-acetyl-aspartate and glutamate. GCPII activity is upregulated multifold in microglia following neuroinflammation. Although several GCPII inhibitors, such as 2-PMPA, elevate brain NAAG levels and restore cognitive function in preclinical studies when given at high systemic doses or via direct brain injection, none are clinically available due to poor bioavailability and limited brain penetration. Hydroxyl-dendrimers have been successfully used to selectively deliver drugs to activated glia. Methods: We attached 2-PMPA to hydroxyl polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers (D-2PMPA) using a click chemistry approach. Cy5-labelled-D-2PMPA was used to visualize selective glial uptake in vitro and in vivo. D-2PMPA was evaluated for anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-treated glial cultures. In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)-immunized mice, D-2PMPA was dosed biweekly starting at disease onset and cognition was assessed using the Barnes maze, and GCPII activity was measured in CD11b+ hippocampal cells. Results: D-2PMPA showed preferential uptake into microglia and robust anti-inflammatory activity, including elevations in NAAG, TGFβ, and mGluR3 in glial cultures. D-2PMPA significantly improved cognition in EAE mice, even though physical severity was unaffected. GCPII activity increased >20-fold in CD11b+ cells from EAE mice, which was significantly mitigated by D-2PMPA treatment. Conclusions: Hydroxyl dendrimers facilitate targeted drug delivery to activated microglia. These data support further development of D-2PMPA to attenuate elevated microglial GCPII activity and treat cognitive impairment in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anjali Sharma
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lyndah Lovell
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiaolei Zhu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robyn Wiseman
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Siva P Kambhampati
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kevin Liaw
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rishi Sharma
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Camilo Rojas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sujatha Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rangaramanujam M Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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44
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Tallon C, Sharma A, Zhang Z, Thomas AG, Ng J, Zhu X, Donoghue A, Schulte M, Joe TR, Kambhampati SP, Sharma R, Liaw K, Kannan S, Kannan RM, Slusher BS. Dendrimer-2PMPA Delays Muscle Function Loss and Denervation in a Murine Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:274-288. [PMID: 34984651 PMCID: PMC9130402 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01159-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease where muscle weakness and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) denervation precede motor neuron cell death. Although acetylcholine is the canonical neurotransmitter at the mammalian NMJ synapse, glutamate has recently been identified as a critical neurotransmitter for NMJ development and maintenance. One source of glutamate is through the catabolism of N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG), which is found in mM concentrations in mammalian motoneurons, where it is released upon stimulation and hydrolyzed to glutamate by the glial enzyme glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII). Using the SOD1G93A model of ALS, we found an almost fourfold elevation of GCPII enzymatic activity in SOD1G93A versus WT muscle and a robust increase in GCPII expression which was specifically associated with activated macrophages infiltrating the muscle. 2-(Phosphonomethyl)pentanedioic acid (2PMPA) is a potent GCPII inhibitor which robustly blocks glutamate release from NAAG but is highly polar with limited tissue penetration. To improve this, we covalently attached 2PMPA to a hydroxyl polyamidoamine (PAMAM-G4-OH) dendrimer delivery system (D-2PMPA) which is known to target activated macrophages in affected tissues. Systemic D-2PMPA therapy (20 mg/kg 2PMPA equivalent; IP 2 × /week) was found to localize in muscle macrophages in SOD1G93A mice and completely normalize the enhanced GCPII activity. Although no changes in body weight or survival were observed, D-2PMPA significantly improved grip strength and inhibited the loss of NMJ innervation in the gastrocnemius muscles. Our finding that inhibiting elevated GCPII activity in SOD1G93A muscle can prolong muscle function and delay NMJ denervation may have early therapeutic implications for ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Anjali Sharma
- Center for Nanomedicine-Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Center for Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI, 48128, USA
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Justin Ng
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Xiaolei Zhu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Amanda Donoghue
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Michael Schulte
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Tawnjerae R Joe
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Siva P Kambhampati
- Center for Nanomedicine-Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Rishi Sharma
- Center for Nanomedicine-Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Kevin Liaw
- Center for Nanomedicine-Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Sujatha Kannan
- Center for Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy-Krieger, Inc, Baltimore, USA
| | - Rangaramanujam M Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine-Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy-Krieger, Inc, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Rangos 278, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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45
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Yang S, Datta D, Elizabeth Woo, Duque A, Morozov YM, Arellano J, Slusher BS, Wang M, Arnsten AFT. Inhibition of glutamate-carboxypeptidase-II in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: potential therapeutic target for neuroinflammatory cognitive disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4252-4263. [PMID: 35732693 PMCID: PMC9718677 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01656-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Glutamate carboxypeptidase-II (GCPII) expression in brain is increased by inflammation, e.g. by COVID19 infection, where it reduces NAAG stimulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 3 (mGluR3). GCPII-mGluR3 signaling is increasingly linked to higher cognition, as genetic alterations that weaken mGluR3 or increase GCPII signaling are associated with impaired cognition in humans. Recent evidence from macaque dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) shows that mGluR3 are expressed on dendritic spines, where they regulate cAMP-PKA opening of potassium (K+) channels to enhance neuronal firing during working memory. However, little is known about GCPII expression and function in the primate dlPFC, despite its relevance to inflammatory disorders. The present study used multiple label immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy to localize GCPII in aging macaque dlPFC, and examined the effects of GCPII inhibition on dlPFC neuronal physiology and working memory function. GCPII was observed in astrocytes as expected, but also on neurons, including extensive expression in dendritic spines. Recordings in dlPFC from aged monkeys performing a working memory task found that iontophoresis of the GCPII inhibitors 2-MPPA or 2-PMPA markedly increased working memory-related neuronal firing and spatial tuning, enhancing neural representations. These beneficial effects were reversed by an mGluR2/3 antagonist, or by a cAMP-PKA activator, consistent with mGluR3 inhibition of cAMP-PKA-K+ channel signaling. Systemic administration of the brain penetrant inhibitor, 2-MPPA, significantly improved working memory performance without apparent side effects, with largest effects in the oldest monkeys. Taken together, these data endorse GCPII inhibition as a potential strategy for treating cognitive disorders associated with aging and/or neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengtao Yang
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Dibyadeep Datta
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Elizabeth Woo
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Alvaro Duque
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Yury M. Morozov
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Jon Arellano
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department Neurology and Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Min Wang
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Amy F. T. Arnsten
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
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46
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Krečmerová M, Majer P, Rais R, Slusher BS. Phosphonates and Phosphonate Prodrugs in Medicinal Chemistry: Past Successes and Future Prospects. Front Chem 2022; 10:889737. [PMID: 35668826 PMCID: PMC9163707 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.889737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Compounds with a phosphonate group, i.e., -P(O)(OH)2 group attached directly to the molecule via a P-C bond serve as suitable non-hydrolyzable phosphate mimics in various biomedical applications. In principle, they often inhibit enzymes utilizing various phosphates as substrates. In this review we focus mainly on biologically active phosphonates that originated from our institute (Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague); i.e., acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs, e.g., adefovir, tenofovir, and cidofovir) and derivatives of non-nucleoside phosphonates such as 2-(phosphonomethyl) pentanedioic acid (2-PMPA). Principal strategies of their syntheses and modifications to prodrugs is reported. Besides clinically used ANP antivirals, a special attention is paid to new biologically active molecules with respect to emerging infections and arising resistance of many pathogens against standard treatments. These new structures include 2,4-diamino-6-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethoxy]pyrimidines or so-called "open-ring" derivatives, acyclic nucleoside phosphonates with 5-azacytosine as a base moiety, side-chain fluorinated ANPs, aza/deazapurine ANPs. When transformed into an appropriate prodrug by derivatizing their charged functionalities, all these compounds show promising potential to become drug candidates for the treatment of viral infections. ANP prodrugs with suitable pharmacokinetics include amino acid phosphoramidates, pivaloyloxymethyl (POM) and isopropoxycarbonyloxymethyl (POC) esters, alkyl and alkoxyalkyl esters, salicylic esters, (methyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxol-4-yl) methyl (ODOL) esters and peptidomimetic prodrugs. We also focus on the story of cytostatics related to 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]guanine and its prodrugs which eventually led to development of the veterinary drug rabacfosadine. Various new ANP structures are also currently investigated as antiparasitics, especially antimalarial agents e.g., guanine and hypoxanthine derivatives with 2-(phosphonoethoxy)ethyl moiety, their thia-analogues and N-branched derivatives. In addition to ANPs and their analogs, we also describe prodrugs of 2-(phosphonomethyl)pentanedioic acid (2-PMPA), a potent inhibitor of the enzyme glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), also known as prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Glutamate carboxypeptidase II inhibitors, including 2-PMPA have been found efficacious in various preclinical models of neurological disorders which are caused by glutamatergic excitotoxicity. Unfortunately its highly polar character and hence low bioavailability severely limits its potential for clinical use. To overcome this problem, various prodrug strategies have been used to mask carboxylates and/or phosphonate functionalities with pivaloyloxymethyl, POC, ODOL and alkyl esters. Chemistry and biological characterization led to identification of prodrugs with 44-80 fold greater oral bioavailability (tetra-ODOL-2-PMPA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Krečmerová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASCR), Prague, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Marcela Krečmerová,
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASCR), Prague, Czechia
| | - Rana Rais
- Departments of Neurology, Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Departments of Neurology, Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, Oncology, Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Baltimore, MD, United States
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47
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Datta D, Leslie SN, Woo E, Amancharla N, Elmansy A, Lepe M, Mecca AP, Slusher BS, Nairn AC, Arnsten AFT. Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II in Aging Rat Prefrontal Cortex Impairs Working Memory Performance. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:760270. [PMID: 34867287 PMCID: PMC8634091 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.760270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) expression in brain is increased by inflammation, and reduces NAAG (N-acetyl aspartyl glutamate) stimulation of mGluR3 signaling. Genetic insults in this signaling cascade are increasingly linked to cognitive disorders in humans, where increased GCPII and or decreased NAAG-mGluR3 are associated with impaired prefrontal cortical (PFC) activation and cognitive impairment. As aging is associated with increased inflammation and PFC cognitive deficits, the current study examined GCPII and mGluR3 expression in the aging rat medial PFC, and tested whether GCPII inhibition with 2-(3-mercaptopropyl) pentanedioic acid (2-MPPA) would improve working memory performance. We found that GCPII protein was expressed on astrocytes and some microglia as expected from previous studies, but was also prominently expressed on neurons, and showed increased levels with advancing age. Systemic administration of the GCPII inhibitor, 2-MPPA, improved working memory performance in young and aged rats, and also improved performance after local infusion into the medial PFC. As GCPII inhibitors are well-tolerated, they may provide an important new direction for treatment of cognitive disorders associated with aging and/or inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Shannon N Leslie
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Elizabeth Woo
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Nishita Amancharla
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ayah Elmansy
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Miguel Lepe
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Adam P Mecca
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Department of Neurology and Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Angus C Nairn
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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48
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Tallon C, Bell BJ, Malvankar M, Hollinger KR, Thomas AG, Yoo SW, Chaudhuri AD, Wu Y, Rais R, Haughey NJ, Slusher BS. The neutral sphingomyelinase 2 inhibitor PDDC reduces tau burden in Alzheimer’s disease mice. Alzheimers Dement 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.054502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Benjamin J Bell
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | | | | | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Seung Wan Yoo
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | | | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
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49
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Tallon C, Picciolini S, Yoo SW, Thomas AG, Pal A, Alt J, Carlomagno C, Gualerzi A, Rais R, Haughey NJ, Bedoni M, Slusher BS. Inhibition of neutral sphingomyelinase 2 reduces extracellular vesicle release from neurons, oligodendrocytes, and activated microglial cells following acute brain injury. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 194:114796. [PMID: 34678224 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are implicated in the spread of pathogenic proteinsin a growing number of neurological diseases. Given this, there is rising interest in developing inhibitors of Neutral Sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2), an enzyme critical in EV biogenesis. Our group recently discovered phenyl(R)-(1-(3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-8-yl)pyrrolidin-3-yl)carbamate (PDDC), the first potent, selective, orally-available, and brain-penetrable nSMase2 inhibitor, capable of dose-dependently reducing EVs release in vitro and in vivo. Herein, using multiplexed Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi), we evaluated which brain cell-derived EVs were affected by PDDC following acute brain injury. Mice were fed PDDC-containing chow at doses which gave steady PDDC brain exposures exceeding its nSMase2 IC50. Mice were then administered an intra-striatal IL-1β injection and two hours later plasma and brain were collected. IL-1β injection significantly increased striatal nSMase2 activity which was completely normalized by PDDC. Using SPRi, we found that IL-1β-induced injury selectively increased plasma levels of CD171 + and PLP1 + EVs; this EV increase was normalized by PDDC. In contrast, GLAST1 + EVs were unchanged by IL-1β or PDDC. IL-1β injection selectively increased EVs released from activated versus non-activated microglia, indicated by the CD11b+/IB4 + ratio. The increase in EVs from CD11b + microglia was dramatically attenuated with PDDC. Taken together, our data demonstrate that following acute injury, brain nSMase2 activity is elevated. EVs released from neurons, oligodendrocytes, and activated microglial are increased in plasma and inhibition of nSMase2 with PDDC reduced these IL-1β-induced changes implicating nSMase2 inhibition as a therapeutic target for acute brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Silvia Picciolini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), Milan, Italy
| | - Seung-Wan Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Cristiano Carlomagno
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Gualerzi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), Milan, Italy
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Norman J Haughey
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Marzia Bedoni
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics (LABION), Milan, Italy.
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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50
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Gao RD, Hin N, Prchalová E, Pal A, Lam J, Rais R, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T. Model studies towards prodrugs of the glutamine antagonist 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) containing a diazo precursor. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 50:128321. [PMID: 34400301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Two distinct diazo precursors, imidazotetrazine and nitrous amide, were explored as promoieties in designing prodrugs of 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON), a glutamine antagonist. As a model for an imidazotetrazine-based prodrug, we synthesized (S)-2-acetamido-6-(8-carbamoyl-4-oxoimidazo[5,1-d][1,2,3,5]tetrazin-3(4H)-yl)-5-oxohexanoic acid (4) containing the entire scaffold of temozolomide, a precursor of the DNA-methylating agent clinically approved for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. For a nitrous amide-based prodrug, we synthesized 2-acetamido-6-(((benzyloxy)carbonyl)(nitroso)amino)-5-oxohexanoic acid (5) containing a N-nitrosocarbamate group, which can be converted to a diazo moiety via a mechanism similar to that of streptozotocin, a clinically approved diazomethane-releasing drug containing an N-nitrosourea group. Preliminary characterization confirmed formation of N-acetyl DON (6), also known as duazomycin A, from compound 4 in a pH-dependent manner while compound 5 did not exhibit sufficient stability to allow further characterization. Taken together, our model studies suggest that further improvements are needed to translate this prodrug approach into glutamine antagonist-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Run-Duo Gao
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Niyada Hin
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Eva Prchalová
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jenny Lam
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rana Rais
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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