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Somanader DVN, Zhao P, Widdop RE, Samuel CS. The involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade in fibrosis progression and its therapeutic targeting by relaxin. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 223:116130. [PMID: 38490518 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116130] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Organ scarring, referred to as fibrosis, results from a failed wound-healing response to chronic tissue injury and is characterised by the aberrant accumulation of various extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Once established, fibrosis is recognised as a hallmark of stiffened and dysfunctional tissues, hence, various fibrosis-related diseases collectively contribute to high morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Despite this, these diseases are ineffectively treated by currently-available medications. The pro-fibrotic cytokine, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, has emerged as the master regulator of fibrosis progression, owing to its ability to promote various factors and processes that facilitate rapid ECM synthesis and deposition, whilst negating ECM degradation. TGF-β1 signal transduction is tightly controlled by canonical (Smad-dependent) and non-canonical (MAP kinase- and Rho-associated protein kinase-dependent) intracellular protein activity, whereas its pro-fibrotic actions can also be facilitated by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. This review outlines the pathological sequence of events and contributing roles of TGF-β1 in the progression of fibrosis, and how the Wnt/β-catenin pathway contributes to tissue repair in acute disease settings, but to fibrosis and related tissue dysfunction in synergy with TGF-β1 in chronic diseases. It also outlines the anti-fibrotic and related signal transduction mechanisms of the hormone, relaxin, that are mediated via its negative modulation of TGF-β1 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling, but through the promotion of Wnt/β-catenin activity in acute disease settings. Collectively, this highlights that the crosstalk between TGF-β1 signal transduction and the Wnt/β-catenin cascade may provide a therapeutic target that can be exploited to broadly treat and reverse established fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deidree V N Somanader
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Peishen Zhao
- Drug Discovery Biology Program, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
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2
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Scott TE, Lewis CV, Zhu M, Wang C, Samuel CS, Drummond GR, Kemp-Harper BK. IL-4 and IL-13 induce equivalent expression of traditional M2 markers and modulation of reactive oxygen species in human macrophages. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19589. [PMID: 37949903 PMCID: PMC10638413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46237-2] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In cardiovascular disease, pathological and protective roles are reported for the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13, respectively. We hypothesised that differential effects on macrophage function are responsible. Type I and II receptor subunit (IL-2Rγ, IL-4Rα and IL-13Rα1) and M2 marker (MRC-1, CCL18, CCL22) expression was assessed via RT-qPCR in IL-4- and IL-13-treated human primary macrophages. Downstream signalling was evaluated via STAT1, STAT3 and STAT6 inhibitors, and IL-4- and IL-13-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation assessed. IL-4 and IL-13 exhibited equivalent potency and efficacy for M2 marker induction, which was attenuated by STAT3 inhibition. Both cytokines enhanced PDBu-stimulated superoxide generation however this effect was 17% greater with IL-4 treatment. Type I IL-4 receptor expression was increased on M1-like macrophages but did not lead to a differing ability of these cytokines to modulate M1-like macrophage superoxide production. Overall, this study did not identify major differences in the ability of IL-4 and IL-13 to modulate macrophage function, suggesting that the opposing roles of these cytokines in cardiovascular disease are likely to be via actions on other cell types. Future studies should directly compare IL-4 and IL-13 in vivo to more thoroughly investigate the therapeutic validity of selective targeting of these cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara E Scott
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Caitlin V Lewis
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Mingyu Zhu
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Chao Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Grant R Drummond
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Barbara K Kemp-Harper
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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3
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Li M, Nguyen L, Ferens D, Spizzo I, Wang Y, Denton KM, Del Borgo M, Kulkarni K, Aguilar MI, Qin CH, Samuel CS, Gaspari TA, Widdop RE. Novel AT 2R agonist, β-Pro 7Ang III, is cardio- and vaso-protective in diabetic spontaneously hypertensive rats. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115238. [PMID: 37536036 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115238] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Stimulation of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) evokes protective effects in various cardiovascular diseases. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of AT2R stimulation, with or without AT1R blockade, in a model of hypertension with concomitant type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were given either citrate or a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ; 55 mg/kg, i.p.) to induce diabetes. After 4 weeks of diabetes, animals were administered either a vehicle (saline), AT2R agonist, β-Pro7Ang III (0.1 mg/kg/day via osmotic mini-pump), AT1R blocker, candesartan (2 mg/kg/day via drinking water), or a combination of both for a further 8 weeks. β-Pro7Ang III treatment had no effect on blood pressure, but attenuated the significant increase in cardiac interstitial collagen and protein expression of fibrotic and inflammatory markers, and superoxide levels that was evident in diabetic SHRs. These effects were not observed with candesartan, despite its blood pressure lowering effects. Although β-Pro7Ang III had no effect on aortic fibrosis, it significantly attenuated MCP-1 protein expression and superoxide levels when compared to both the non-diabetic and diabetic SHRs, to a similar extent as candesartan. In both the heart and vasculature, the effects of β-Pro7Ang III in combination with candesartan were similar to those of β-Pro7Ang III alone, and superior to candesartan alone. It was concluded that in hypertension with concomitant diabetes, AT2R stimulation with a novel ligand alone, or in combination with AT1R blockade, improved the cardiac and vascular structural changes that were strongly associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, independent of blood pressure regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Li
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Levi Nguyen
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Dorota Ferens
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Iresha Spizzo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Yan Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Kate M Denton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark Del Borgo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Ketav Kulkarni
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Marie-Isabel Aguilar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Chengxue Helena Qin
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Tracey A Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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4
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Hossain MA, Praveen P, Noorzi NA, Wu H, Harrison IP, Handley T, Selemidis S, Samuel CS, Bathgate RAD. Development of Novel High-Affinity Antagonists for the Relaxin Family Peptide Receptor 1. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:842-853. [PMID: 37200817 PMCID: PMC10186362 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00053] [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: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
H2 relaxin is a peptide hormone that exerts its biological actions through the G protein-coupled receptor, RXFP1. The numerous important biological functions of H2 relaxin, including potent renal, vasodilatory, cardioprotective, and anti-fibrotic actions, have resulted in considerable interest in its use as a therapeutic for various cardiovascular diseases and other fibrotic indications. Interestingly though, H2 relaxin and RXFP1 have been shown to be overexpressed in prostate cancer, allowing for the downregulation or blocking of relaxin/RXFP1 to decrease prostate tumor growth. These findings suggest the application of an RXFP1 antagonist for the treatment of prostate cancer. However, these therapeutically relevant actions are still poorly understood and have been hindered by the lack of a high-affinity antagonist. In this study, we chemically synthesized three novel H2 relaxin analogues that have complex insulin-like structures with two chains (A and B) and three disulfide bridges. We report here the structure-activity relationship studies on H2 relaxin that resulted in the development of a novel high-affinity RXFP1 antagonist, H2 B-R13HR (∼40 nM), that has only one extra methylene group in the side chain of arginine 13 in the B-chain (ArgB13) of H2 relaxin. Most notably, the synthetic peptide was shown to be active in a mouse model of prostate tumor growth in vivo where it inhibited relaxin-mediated tumor growth. Our compound H2 B-R13HR will be an important research tool to understand relaxin actions through RXFP1 and may be a potential lead compound for the treatment of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Akhter Hossain
- Florey
Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
- School
of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
- Department
of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University
of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Praveen Praveen
- Florey
Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nurhayati Ahmad Noorzi
- Cardiovascular
Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Victoria, Australia
- Department
of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hongkang Wu
- Florey
Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
- Department
of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University
of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian P. Harrison
- Cardiovascular
Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Victoria, Australia
- Department
of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas Handley
- Florey
Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stavros Selemidis
- School
of
Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora 3083, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular
Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Victoria, Australia
- Department
of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ross A. D. Bathgate
- Florey
Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
- Department
of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University
of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
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Praveen P, Wang C, Handley TNG, Wu H, Samuel CS, Bathgate RAD, Hossain MA. A Lipidated Single-B-Chain Derivative of Relaxin Exhibits Improved In Vitro Serum Stability without Altering Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076616. [PMID: 37047588 PMCID: PMC10094921 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076616] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Human relaxin-2 (H2 relaxin) is therapeutically very important due to its strong anti-fibrotic, vasodilatory, and cardioprotective effects. Therefore, relaxin’s receptor, relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1), is a potential target for the treatment of fibrosis and related disorders, including heart failure. H2 relaxin has a complex two-chain structure (A and B) and three disulfide bridges. Our laboratory has recently developed B7-33 peptide, a single-chain agonist based on the B-chain of H2 relaxin. However, the peptide B7-33 has a short circulation time in vitro in serum (t1/2 = ~6 min). In this study, we report structure-activity relationship studies on B7-33 utilizing different fatty-acid conjugations at different positions. We have shown that by fatty-acid conjugation with an appropriate spacer length, the in vitro half-life of B7-33 can be increased from 6 min to 60 min. In the future, the lead lipidated molecule will be studied in animal models to measure its PK/PD properties, which will lead to their pre-clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Praveen
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Chao Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Thomas N. G. Handley
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Hongkang Wu
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Ross A. D. Bathgate
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Mohammed Akhter Hossain
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, School of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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Alam F, Gaspari TA, Kemp-Harper BK, Low E, Aw A, Ferens D, Spizzo I, Jefferis AM, Praveen P, Widdop RE, Bathgate RAD, Hossain MA, Samuel CS. The single-chain relaxin mimetic, B7-33, maintains the cardioprotective effects of relaxin and more rapidly reduces left ventricular fibrosis compared to perindopril in an experimental model of cardiomyopathy. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 160:114370. [PMID: 36753958 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114370] [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: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The hormone, relaxin (RLX), exerts various organ-protective effects independently of etiology. However, its complex two-chain and three disulphide bonded structure is a limitation to its preparation and affordability. Hence, a single chain-derivative of RLX, B7-33, was developed and shown to retain the anti-fibrotic effects of RLX in vitro and in vivo. Here, we determined whether B7-33 could retain the other cardioprotective effects of RLX, and also compared its therapeutic efficacy to the ACE inhibitor, perindopril. Adult male 129sv mice were subjected to isoprenaline (ISO; 25 mg/kg/day, s.c)-induced cardiomyopathy, then s.c-treated with either RLX (0.5 mg/kg/day), B7-33 (0.25 mg/kg/day; equivalent dose corrected for MW) or perindopril (1 mg/kg/day) from days 7-14 post-injury. Control mice received saline instead of ISO. Changes in animal body weight (BW) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were measured weekly, whilst cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and measures of vascular dysfunction and rarefaction, left ventricular (LV) inflammation and fibrosis were assessed at day 14 post-injury. ISO-injured mice had significantly increased LV inflammation, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, fibrosis, vascular rarefaction and aortic contractility in the absence of any changes in BW or SBP at day 14 post-injury. Both B7-33 and RLX equivalently reduced LV fibrosis and normalised the ISO-induced LV inflammation and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, whilst restoring blood vessel density and aortic contractility. Comparatively, perindopril lowered SBP and the ISO-induced LV inflammation and vascular rarefaction, but not fibrosis or hypertrophy. As B7-33 retained the cardioprotective effects of RLX and provided rapid-occurring anti-fibrotic effects compared to perindopril, it could be considered as a cost-effective cardioprotective therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariha Alam
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tracey A Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Barbara K Kemp-Harper
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Edward Low
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aaron Aw
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dorota Ferens
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Iresha Spizzo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ann-Maree Jefferis
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Praveen Praveen
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ross A D Bathgate
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mohammed Akhter Hossain
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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7
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Zhang T, Li Y, Wise AF, Kulkarni K, Aguilar MI, Samuel CS, Del Borgo M, Widdop RE, Ricardo SD. The protective effects of a novel AT 2 receptor agonist, β-Pro 7Ang III in ischemia-reperfusion kidney injury. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 161:114556. [PMID: 36948137 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114556] [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: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study investigated the reno-protective effects of a highly selective AT2R agonist peptide, β-Pro7Ang III in a mouse model of acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS C57BL/6 J mice underwent either sham surgery or unilateral kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) for 40 min. IRI mice were treated with either β-Pro7Ang III or perindopril and at 7 days post-surgery the kidneys analysed for histopathology and the development of fibrosis and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 activity. The association of the therapeutic effects of β-Pro7Ang III with macrophage number and phenotype was determined in vivo and in vitro. KEY RESULTS Decreased kidney tubular injury, interstitial matrix expansion and reduced interstitial immune cell infiltration in IRI mice receiving β-Pro7Ang III treatment was observed at day 7, compared to IRI mice without treatment. This correlated to reduced collagen accumulation and MMP-2 activity in IRI mice following β-Pro7Ang III treatment. FACS analysis showed a reduced number and proportion of CD45+CD11b+F4/80+ macrophages in IRI kidneys in response to β-Pro7Ang III, correlating with a significant increase in M2 macrophage markers and decreased M1 markers at day 3 and 7 post-IR injury, respectively. In vitro analysis of cultured THP-1 cells showed that β-Pro7Ang III attenuated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)- 6 production but increased IL-10 secretion, compared to LPS alone. CONCLUSION Administration of β-Pro7Ang III via mini-pump improved kidney structure and reduced interstitial collagen accumulation, in parallel with an alteration of macrophage phenotype and anti-inflammatory cytokine release, therefore mitigating the downstream progression of ischemic AKI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingfang Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Yifang Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Andrea F Wise
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Ketav Kulkarni
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Marie-Isabel Aguilar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Mark Del Borgo
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Sharon D Ricardo
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
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8
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Li Y, Zheng G, Salimova E, Broughton BRS, Ricardo SD, de Veer M, Samuel CS. Simultaneous late-gadolinium enhancement and T1 mapping of fibrosis and a novel cell-based combination therapy in hypertensive mice. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 158:114069. [PMID: 36502754 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.114069] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis is a hallmark of chronic hypertension and disrupts the viability of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) post-transplantation. This study thus, determined whether the anti-fibrotic drug, serelaxin (RLX), could enhance the therapeutic effects of BM-MSCs or BM-MSC-derived exosomes (BM-MSC-EXO) in hypertensive mice. Left ventricular (LV) fibrosis in particular was assessed using conventional histological staining and non-invasive cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). CMRI was employed using a novel magnetisation prepared 2 rapid acquisition gradient echo (MP2RAGE) sequence to simultaneously perform late gadolinium enhancement imaging and T1 mapping. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were uninephrectomised, received deoxycorticosterone acetate and saline to drink (1 K/DOCA/salt) for 21 days, whilst control mice were given normal drinking water for the same time-period. On day 14 post-injury, subgroups of 1 K/DOCA/salt-hypertensive mice were treated with RLX alone or in combination with BM-MSCs or BM-MSC-EXO; or the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, spironolactone. At day 21 post-injury, LV and kidney histopathology was assessed, whilst LV fibrosis and function were additionally analysed by CMRI and echocardiography. 1 K/DOCA/salt-hypertensive mice developed kidney tubular injury, inflammation, fibrosis, and more moderate LV hypertrophy, fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction. RLX and BM-MSCs combined provided optimal protection against these pathologies and significantly reduced picrosirius red-stained organ fibrosis and MP2RAGE analysis of LV fibrosis. A significant correlation between MP2RAGE analysis and histologically-stained interstitial LV fibrosis was detected. It was concluded that the MP2RAGE sequence enhanced the non-invasive CMRI detection of LV fibrosis. Furthermore, combining RLX and BM-MSCs may represent a promising treatment option for hypertensive cardiorenal syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifang Li
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gang Zheng
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ekaterina Salimova
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brad R S Broughton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sharon D Ricardo
- Stem Cells and Development Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael de Veer
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Stem Cells and Development Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Truong SHT, Bonnici B, Rupasinghe S, Kemp-Harper BK, Samuel CS, Broughton BRS. Post-stroke administration of H2 relaxin reduces functional deficits, neuronal apoptosis and immune cell infiltration into the mouse brain. Pharmacol Res 2023; 187:106611. [PMID: 36526079 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106611] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Brain inflammation and apoptosis contribute to neuronal damage and loss following ischaemic stroke, leading to cognitive and functional disability. It is well-documented that the human gene-2 (H2)-relaxin hormone exhibits pleiotropic properties via its cognate receptor, Relaxin Family Peptide Receptor 1 (RXFP1), including anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, thus making it a potential therapeutic for stroke. Hence, the current study investigated whether post-stroke H2-relaxin administration could improve functional and histological outcomes. 8-12-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to sham operation or photothrombotic stroke and intravenously-administered with either saline (vehicle) or 0.02, 0.2 or 2 mg/kg doses of recombinant H2-relaxin at 6, 24 and 48 h post-stroke. Motor function was assessed using the hanging wire and cylinder test pre-surgery, and at 24 and 72 h post-stroke. Brains were removed after 72 h and infarct volume was assessed via thionin staining, and RXFP1 expression, leukocyte infiltration and apoptosis were determined by immunofluorescence. RXFP1 was identified on neurons, astrocytes and macrophages, and increased post-stroke. Whilst H2-relaxin did not alter infarct volume, it did cause a dose-dependent improvement in motor function at 24 and 72 h post-stroke. Moreover, 2 mg/kg H2-relaxin significantly decreased the number of apoptotic cells as well as macrophages and neutrophils within the ischaemic hemisphere, but did not alter T or B cells numbers. The anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of H2-relaxin when administered at 6 h post-cerebral ischaemia may provide a novel therapeutic option for patients following ischaemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley H T Truong
- Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Pharmacology Group, Department of Pharmacology and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Benjamin Bonnici
- Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Pharmacology Group, Department of Pharmacology and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Samoda Rupasinghe
- Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Pharmacology Group, Department of Pharmacology and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Barbara K Kemp-Harper
- Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Pharmacology Group, Department of Pharmacology and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Fibrosis Group, Department of Pharmacology and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Brad R S Broughton
- Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Pharmacology Group, Department of Pharmacology and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
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10
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Bhuiyan S, Widdop RE, Samuel CS. Determination of Interstitial Collagen Deposition and Related Topography Using the Second Harmonic Generation-Based HistoIndex Platform. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2664:173-184. [PMID: 37423990 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3179-9_13] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Interstitial fibrosis is characterized by the increased deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components within the interstitial space of various organs, such as the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, and skin. The primary component of interstitial fibrosis-related scarring is interstitial collagen. Therefore, the therapeutic application of anti-fibrotic medication hinges on the accurate measurement of interstitial collagen levels within tissue samples. Current histological measurement techniques for interstitial collagen are generally semi-quantitative in nature and only provide a ratio of collagen levels within tissues. However, the Genesis™ 200 imaging system and supplemental image analysis software, FibroIndex™, from HistoIndex™, is a novel, automated platform for imaging and characterizing interstitial collagen deposition and related topographical properties of the collagen structures within an organ, in the absence of any staining. This is achieved by using a property of light known as second harmonic generation (SHG). Using a rigorous optimization protocol, collagen structures in tissue sections can be imaged with a high degree of reproducibility and ensures homogeneity across all samples while minimizing the introduction of any imaging artefacts or photobleaching (decreased tissue fluorescence due to prolonged exposure to the laser). This chapter outlines the protocol that should be undertaken to optimize HistoIndex scanning of tissue sections, and the outputs that can be measured and analyzed using the FibroIndex™ software.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadman Bhuiyan
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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Samuel CS, Li Y, Wang Y, Widdop RE. Functional crosstalk between angiotensin receptors (types 1 and 2) and relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1): Implications for the therapeutic targeting of fibrosis. Br J Pharmacol 2022. [PMID: 36560925 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16019] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Class A, rhodopsin-like, G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are by far the largest class of GPCRs and are integral membrane proteins used by various cells to convert extracellular signals into intracellular responses. Initially, class A GPCRs were believed to function as monomers, but a growing body of evidence has emerged to suggest that these receptors can function as homodimers and heterodimers and can undergo functional crosstalk to influence the actions of agonists or antagonists acting at each receptor. This review will focus on the angiotensin type 1 (AT1 ) and type 2 (AT2 ) receptors, as well as the relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1), each of which have their unique characteristics but have been demonstrated to undergo some level of interaction when appropriately co-expressed, which influences the function of each receptor. In particular, this receptor functional crosstalk will be discussed in the context of fibrosis, the tissue scarring that results from a failed wound-healing response to injury, and which is a hallmark of chronic disease and related organ dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yifang Li
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yan Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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12
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Wang Y, Yodgee J, Del Borgo M, Spizzo I, Nguyen L, Aguilar MI, Denton KM, Samuel CS, Widdop RE. The Novel AT2 Receptor Agonist β-Pro7-AngIII Exerts Cardiac and Renal Anti-Fibrotic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects in High Salt-Fed Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214039. [PMID: 36430518 PMCID: PMC9696912 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214039] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A high salt (HS) diet is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and fibrosis is a key contributor to the organ dysfunction involved in CVDs. The activation of the renin angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) has been considered as organ protective in many CVDs. However, there are limited AT2R-selective agonists available. Our first reported β-substituted angiotensin III peptide, β-Pro7-AngIII, showed high selectivity for the AT2R. In the current study, we examine the potential anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of this novel AT2R-selective peptide on HS-induced organ damage. FVB/N mice fed with a 5% HS diet for 8 weeks developed cardiac and renal fibrosis and inflammation, which were associated with increased TGF-β1 levels in heart, kidney and plasma. Four weeks' treatment (from weeks 5-8) with β-Pro7-AngIII inhibited the HS-induced cardiac and renal fibrosis and inflammation. These protective effects were accompanied by reduced local and systemic TGF-β1 as well as reduced cardiac myofibroblast differentiation. Importantly, the anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects caused by β-Pro7-AngIII were attenuated by the AT2R antagonist PD123319. These results demonstrate, for the first time, the cardio- and reno-protective roles of the AT2R-selective β-Pro7-AngIII, highlighting it as an important therapeutic that can target the AT2R to treat end-organ damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Departments of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jonathan Yodgee
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Departments of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Mark Del Borgo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Departments of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Iresha Spizzo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Departments of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Levi Nguyen
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Departments of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Marie-Isabel Aguilar
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Kate M. Denton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Departments of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Robert E. Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Departments of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Royce SG, Licciardi PV, Beh RC, Bourke JE, Donovan C, Hung A, Khurana I, Liang JJ, Maxwell S, Mazarakis N, Pitsillou E, Siow YY, Snibson KJ, Tobin MJ, Ververis K, Vongsvivut J, Ziemann M, Samuel CS, Tang MLK, El-Osta A, Karagiannis TC. Sulforaphane prevents and reverses allergic airways disease in mice via anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and epigenetic mechanisms. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:579. [DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04609-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Samuel CS. Targeting angiopoietin-2 as a novel treatment option for kidney fibrosis. Kidney Int 2022; 102:691-694. [PMID: 36150760 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2022.07.023] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Kidney fibrosis is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease yet is poorly treated. Chang et al. determined that plasma and kidney levels of the vascular growth factor, angiopoietin-2, were elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease and mice with kidney disease. Angiopoietin-2 inhibited the renoprotective effects of angiopoietin-1 and promoted CC chemokine ligand 2-mediated kidney damage, endothelial cell apoptosis, vascular rarefaction, inflammation, fibrosis, and kidney dysfunction. Hence, therapeutically inhibiting angiopoietin-2 may represent a novel means of treating these chronic kidney disease-associated pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Tapia Cáceres F, Gaspari TA, Hossain MA, Samuel CS. Relaxin Inhibits the Cardiac Myofibroblast NLRP3 Inflammasome as Part of Its Anti-Fibrotic Actions via the Angiotensin Type 2 and ATP (P2X7) Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137074. [PMID: 35806076 PMCID: PMC9266307 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic NLRP3 inflammasome activation can promote fibrosis through its production of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. Conversely, recombinant human relaxin (RLX) can inhibit the pro-fibrotic interactions between IL-1β, IL-18 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. Here, the broader extent by which RLX targeted the myofibroblast NLRP3 inflammasome to mediate its anti-fibrotic effects was elucidated. Primary human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs), stimulated with TGF-β1 (to promote myofibroblast (HCMF) differentiation), LPS (to prime the NLRP3 inflammasome) and ATP (to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome) (T+L+A) or benzoylbenzoyl-ATP (to activate the ATP receptor; P2X7R) (T+L+Bz), co-expressed relaxin family peptide receptor-1 (RXFP1), the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) and P2X7R, and underwent increased protein expression of toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18. Whilst RLX co-administration to HCMFs significantly prevented the T+L+A- or T+L+Bz-stimulated increase in these end points, the inhibitory effects of RLX were annulled by the pharmacological antagonism of either RXFP1, AT2R, P2X7R, TLR-4, reactive oxygen species (ROS) or caspase-1. The RLX-induced amelioration of left ventricular inflammation, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis in isoproterenol (ISO)-injured mice, was also attenuated by P2X7R antagonism. Thus, the ability of RLX to ameliorate the myofibroblast NLRP3 inflammasome as part of its anti-fibrotic effects, appeared to involve RXFP1, AT2R, P2X7R and the inhibition of TLR-4, ROS and caspase-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Tapia Cáceres
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (F.T.C.); (T.A.G.)
| | - Tracey A. Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (F.T.C.); (T.A.G.)
| | - Mohammed Akhter Hossain
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia;
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (F.T.C.); (T.A.G.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Correspondence:
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16
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Li Y, Ricardo SD, Samuel CS. Enhancing the Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Based Therapies with an Anti-Fibrotic Agent for the Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116035. [PMID: 35682717 PMCID: PMC9181689 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 1 in 10 members of the general population, placing these patients at an increasingly high risk of kidney failure. Despite the significant burden of CKD on various healthcare systems, there are no effective cures that reverse or even halt its progression. In recent years, human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) have been recognised as a novel therapy for CKDs, owing to their well-established immunomodulatory and tissue-reparative properties in preclinical settings, and their promising safety profile that has been demonstrated in patients with CKDs from several clinical trials. However, renal fibrosis (scarring), a hallmark of CKD, has been shown to impair the viability and functionality of BM-MSCs post-transplantation. This has suggested that BM-MSCs might require a pre-treatment or adjunct therapy that can enhance the viability and therapeutic efficacy of these stromal cells in chronic disease settings. To address this, recent studies that have combined BM-MSCs with the anti-fibrotic drug serelaxin (RLX), have demonstrated the enhanced therapeutic potential of this combination therapy in normotensive and hypertensive preclinical models of CKD. In this review, a critical appraisal of the preclinical data available on the anti-fibrotic and renoprotective actions of BM-MSCs or RLX alone and when combined, as a treatment option for normotensive vs. hypertensive CKD, is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifang Li
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia;
| | - Sharon D. Ricardo
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Correspondence: (S.D.R.); (C.S.S.)
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia;
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Correspondence: (S.D.R.); (C.S.S.)
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Alfian I, Chakraborty A, Yong HEJ, Saini S, Lau RWK, Kalionis B, Dimitriadis E, Alfaidy N, Ricardo SD, Samuel CS, Murthi P. The Placental NLRP3 Inflammasome and Its Downstream Targets, Caspase-1 and Interleukin-6, Are Increased in Human Fetal Growth Restriction: Implications for Aberrant Inflammation-Induced Trophoblast Dysfunction. Cells 2022; 11:1413. [PMID: 35563719 PMCID: PMC9102093 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is commonly associated with placental insufficiency and inflammation. Nonetheless, the role played by inflammasomes in the pathogenesis of FGR is poorly understood. We hypothesised that placental inflammasomes are differentially expressed and contribute to the aberrant trophoblast function. Inflammasome gene expression profiles were characterised by real-time PCR on human placental tissues collected from third trimester FGR and gestation-matched control pregnancies (n = 25/group). The functional significance of a candidate inflammasome was then investigated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced models of inflammation in human trophoblast organoids, BeWo cells in vitro, and a murine model of FGR in vivo. Placental mRNA expression of NLRP3, caspases 1, 3, and 8, and interleukin 6 increased (>2-fold), while that of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, decreased (<2-fold) in FGR compared with control pregnancies. LPS treatment increased NLRP3 and caspase-1 expression (>2-fold) in trophoblast organoids and BeWo cell cultures in vitro, and in the spongiotrophoblast and labyrinth in the murine model of FGR. However, the LPS-induced rise in NLRP3 was attenuated by its siRNA-induced down-regulation in BeWo cell cultures, which correlated with reduced activity of the apoptotic markers, caspase-3 and 8, compared to the control siRNA-treated cells. Our findings support the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the inflammation-induced aberrant trophoblast function, which may contribute to FGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irvan Alfian
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (I.A.); (A.C.); (S.S.); (R.W.K.L.); (S.D.R.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jl. Salemba Raya 6, Jakarta Pusat 10160, Indonesia
| | - Amlan Chakraborty
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (I.A.); (A.C.); (S.S.); (R.W.K.L.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Hannah E. J. Yong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 117609, Singapore;
| | - Sheetal Saini
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (I.A.); (A.C.); (S.S.); (R.W.K.L.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Ricky W. K. Lau
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (I.A.); (A.C.); (S.S.); (R.W.K.L.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Bill Kalionis
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
| | - Evdokia Dimitriadis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Gynaecology Research Centre, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Nadia Alfaidy
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1292, Biologie et Biotechnologie pour la Santé, 38043 Grenoble, France;
- Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Biosciences and Biotechnology Institute of Grenoble, 38054 Grenoble, France
- Service Obstétrique & Gynécologie, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Grenoble Alpes, University Grenoble-Alpes, CEDEX 9, 38043 Grenoble, France
| | - Sharon D. Ricardo
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (I.A.); (A.C.); (S.S.); (R.W.K.L.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (I.A.); (A.C.); (S.S.); (R.W.K.L.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Padma Murthi
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (I.A.); (A.C.); (S.S.); (R.W.K.L.); (S.D.R.)
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
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Badawi A, Jefferson OC, Huuskes BM, Ricardo SD, Kerr PG, Samuel CS, Murthi P. A Novel Approach to Enhance the Regenerative Potential of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040883. [PMID: 35453633 PMCID: PMC9029861 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) facilitate vascular repair in several organs including the kidney but are progressively diminished in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients, which correlates with cardiovascular outcomes and related mortality. We thus determined if enhancing the tissue-reparative effects of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) with the vasculogenic effects of recombinant human relaxin (RLX) could promote EPC proliferation and function. CD34+ EPCs were isolated from the blood of healthy and ESKD patients, cultured until late EPCs had formed, then stimulated with BM-MSC-derived condition media (CM; 25%), RLX (1 or 10 ng/mL), or both treatments combined. Whilst RLX alone stimulated EPC proliferation, capillary tube formation and wound healing in vitro, these measures were more rapidly and markedly enhanced by the combined effects of BM-MSC-derived CM and RLX in EPCs derived from both healthy and ESKD patients. These findings have important clinical implications, having identified a novel combination therapy that can restore and enhance EPC number and function in ESKD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrilmaen Badawi
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.B.); (O.C.J.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Osfred C. Jefferson
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.B.); (O.C.J.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Brooke M. Huuskes
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia;
| | - Sharon D. Ricardo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.B.); (O.C.J.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Peter G. Kerr
- Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia;
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.B.); (O.C.J.); (S.D.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Correspondence: (C.S.S.); (P.M.)
| | - Padma Murthi
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.B.); (O.C.J.); (S.D.R.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Correspondence: (C.S.S.); (P.M.)
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Samuel CS, Bennett RG. Relaxin as an anti-fibrotic treatment: Perspectives, challenges and future directions. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 197:114884. [PMID: 34968489 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis refers to the scarring and hardening of tissues, which results from a failed immune system-coordinated wound healing response to chronic organ injury and which manifests from the aberrant accumulation of various extracellular matrix components (ECM), primarily collagen. Despite being a hallmark of prolonged tissue damage and related dysfunction, and commonly associated with high morbidity and mortality, there are currently no effective cures for its regression. An emerging therapy that meets several criteria of an effective anti-fibrotic treatment, is the recombinant drug-based form of the human hormone, relaxin (also referred to as serelaxin, which is bioactive in several other species). This review outlines the broad anti-fibrotic and related organ-protective roles of relaxin, mainly from studies conducted in preclinical models of ageing and fibrotic disease, including its ability to ameliorate several aspects of fibrosis progression and maturation, from immune cell infiltration, pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokine secretion, oxidative stress, organ hypertrophy, cell apoptosis, myofibroblast differentiation and ECM production, to its ability to facilitate established ECM degradation. Studies that have compared and/or combined these therapeutic effects of relaxin with current standard of care medication have also been discussed, along with the main challenges that have hindered the translation of the anti-fibrotic efficacy of relaxin to the clinic. The review then outlines the future directions as to where scientists and several pharmaceutical companies that have recognized the therapeutic potential of relaxin are working towards, to progress its development as a treatment for human patients suffering from various fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| | - Robert G Bennett
- Research Service, Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4130, USA.
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20
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Derseh HB, Goodger JQD, Scheerlinck JPY, Samuel CS, Woodrow IE, Palombo EA, Cumming A, Snibson K. The efficacy and safety of pinocembrin in a sheep model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260719. [PMID: 34855848 PMCID: PMC8638960 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260719] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary flavonoid, pinocembrin, is thought to have a variety of medical uses which relate to its reported anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties. Some studies have reported that this flavonoid has anti-fibrotic activities. In this study, we investigated whether pinocembrin would impede fibrosis, dampen inflammation and improve lung function in a large animal model of pulmonary fibrosis. Fibrosis was induced in two localized lung segments in each of the 10 sheep participating in the study. This was achieved via two infusions of bleomycin delivered bronchoscopically at a two-week interval. Another lung segment in the same sheep was left untreated, and was used as a healthy control. The animals were kept for a little over 5 weeks after the final infusion of bleomycin. Pinocembrin, isolated from Eucalyptus leaves, was administered to one of the two bleomycin damaged lung segments at a dose of 7 mg. This dose was given once-weekly over 4-weeks, starting one week after the final bleomycin infusion. Lung compliance (as a measure of stiffness) was significantly improved after four weekly administrations of pinocembrin to bleomycin-damaged lung segments. There were significantly lower numbers of neutrophils and inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage of bleomycin-infused lung segments that were treated with pinocembrin. Compared to bleomycin damaged lung segments without drug treatment, pinocembrin administration was associated with significantly lower numbers of immuno-positive CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in the lung parenchyma. Histopathology scoring data showed that pinocembrin treatment was associated with significant improvement in inflammation and overall pathology scores. Hydroxy proline analysis showed that the administration of pinocembrin did not reduce the increased collagen content that was induced by bleomycin in this model. Analyses of Masson’s Trichrome stained sections showed that pinocembrin treatment significantly reduced the connective tissue content in lung segments exposed to bleomycin when compared to bleomycin-infused lungs that did not receive pinocembrin. The striking anti-inflammatory and modest anti-fibrotic remodelling effects of pinocembrin administration were likely linked to the compound’s ability to improve lung pathology and functional compliance in this animal model of pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habtamu B. Derseh
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail: (HBD); (KS)
| | - Jason Q. D. Goodger
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jean-Pierre Y. Scheerlinck
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian E. Woodrow
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Enzo A. Palombo
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Ken Snibson
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail: (HBD); (KS)
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21
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Li Y, Chakraborty A, Broughton BRS, Ferens D, Widdop RE, Ricardo SD, Samuel CS. Comparing the renoprotective effects of BM-MSCs versus BM-MSC-exosomes, when combined with an anti-fibrotic drug, in hypertensive mice. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 144:112256. [PMID: 34607108 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis, a hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD), impairs the viability of human bone marrow derived-mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) post-transplantation. To address this, we demonstrated that combining BM-MSCs with the anti-fibrotic drug, serelaxin (RLX), enhanced BM-MSC-induced renoprotection in preclinical CKD models. Given the increased interest and manufacturing advantages to using stem cell-derived exosomes (EXO) as therapeutics, this study determined whether RLX could enhance the therapeutic efficacy of BM-MSC-EXO, and compared the renoprotective effects of RLX and BM-MSC-EXO versus RLX and BM-MSCs in mice with hypertensive CKD. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were uninephrectomised, received deoxycorticosterone acetate and given saline to drink (1K/DOCA/salt) for 21 days. Control mice were uninephrectomised and given normal drinking water for the same time-period. Subgroups of 1K/DOCA/salt-hypertensive mice were then treated with either RLX (0.5 mg/kg/day) or BM-MSC-EXO (25 μg/mouse; equivalent to 1-2 × 106 BM-MSCs/mouse) alone; combinations of RLX and BM-MSC-EXO or BM-MSCs (1 × 106/mouse); or the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, spironolactone (20 mg/kg/day), from days 14-21. 1K/DOCA/salt-hypertensive mice developed kidney tubular damage, inflammation and fibrosis, and impaired kidney function 21 days post-injury. Whilst RLX alone attenuated the 1K/DOCA/salt-induced fibrosis, BM-MSC-EXO alone only diminished measures of tissue inflammation post-treatment. Comparatively, the combined effects of RLX and BM-MSC-EXO or BM-MSCs demonstrated similar anti-fibrotic efficacy, but RLX and BM-MSCs offered broader renoprotection over RLX and/or BM-MSC-EXO, and comparable effects to spironolactone. Only RLX and BM-MSCs, but not RLX and/or BM-MSC-EXO, also attenuated the 1K/DOCA/salt-induced hypertension. Hence, although RLX improved the renoprotective effects of BM-MSC-EXO, combining RLX with BM-MSCs provided a better therapeutic option for hypertensive CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifang Li
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Amlan Chakraborty
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Brad R S Broughton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Dorota Ferens
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Sharon D Ricardo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Stem Cells and Development Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Stem Cells and Development Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
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Barsha G, Walton SL, Kwok E, Mirabito Colafella KM, Pinar AA, Hilliard Krause LM, Gaspari TA, Widdop RE, Samuel CS, Denton KM. Relaxin Attenuates Organ Fibrosis via an Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor Mechanism in Aged Hypertensive Female Rats. Kidney360 2021; 2:1781-1792. [PMID: 35373008 PMCID: PMC8785838 DOI: 10.34067/kid.0002722021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Background The antifibrotic effects of recombinant human relaxin (RLX) in the kidney are dependent on an interaction between its cognate receptor (RXFP1) and the angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) in male models of disease. Whether RLX has therapeutic effects, which are also mediated via AT2R, in hypertensive adult and aged/reproductively senescent females is unknown. Thus, we determined whether treatment with RLX provides cardiorenal protection via an AT2R-dependent mechanism in adult and aged female stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs). Methods In 6-month-old (6MO) and 15-month-old ([15MO]; reproductively senescent) female SHRSP, systolic BP (SBP), GFR, and proteinuria were measured before and after 4 weeks of treatment with vehicle (Veh), RLX (0.5 mg/kg per day s.c.), or RLX+PD123319 (AT2R antagonist; 3 mg/kg per day s.c.). Aortic endothelium-dependent relaxation and fibrosis of the kidney, heart, and aorta were assessed. Results In 6MO SHRSP, RLX significantly enhanced GFR by approximately 25% (P=0.001) and reduced cardiac fibrosis (P=0.01) as compared with vehicle-treated counterparts. These effects were abolished or blunted by PD123319 coadministration. In 15MO females, RLX reduced interstitial renal (P=0.02) and aortic (P=0.003) fibrosis and lowered SBP (13±3 mm Hg; P=0.04) relative to controls. These effects were also blocked by PD123319 cotreatment (all P=0.05 versus RLX treatment alone). RLX also markedly improved vascular function by approximately 40% (P<0.001) in 15MO SHRSP, but this was not modulated by PD123319 cotreatment. Conclusions The antifibrotic and organ-protective effects of RLX, when administered to a severe model of hypertension, conferred cardiorenal protection in adult and reproductively senescent female rats to a great extent via an AT2R-mediated mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giannie Barsha
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah L. Walton
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Edmund Kwok
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katrina M. Mirabito Colafella
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anita A. Pinar
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lucinda M. Hilliard Krause
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tracey A. Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert E. Widdop
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate M. Denton
- Cardiovascular Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Bhuiyan S, Shen M, Chelvaretnam S, Tan AY, Ho G, Hossain MA, Widdop RE, Samuel CS. Assessment of renal fibrosis and anti-fibrotic agents using a novel diagnostic and stain-free second-harmonic generation platform. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21595. [PMID: 33908676 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002053rrr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Current histological measurement techniques for interstitial collagen, the basis of interstitial fibrosis, are semi-quantitative at best and only provide a ratio of collagen levels within tissues. The Genesis200 imaging system and supplemental image analysis software, FibroIndex from HistoIndex, is a novel, automated platform that uses second-harmonic generation (SHG) for imaging and characterization of interstitial collagen deposition and additional characteristics, in the absence of any staining. However, its ability to quantify renal fibrosis requires investigation. This study compared SHG imaging of renal fibrosis in mice with unilateral ureteric obstruction (UUO), to that of Masson's trichrome staining (MTS) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) of collagen I. Additionally, the platform generated data on collagen morphology and distribution patterns. While all three methods determined that UUO-injured mice underwent significantly increased renal fibrosis after 7 days, the HistoIndex platform additionally determined that UUO-injured mice had a significantly increased collagen-to-tissue cross reticulation ratio (all P < .001 vs sham group). Furthermore, in UUO-injured mice treated with the relaxin family peptide receptor-1 agonists, relaxin (0.5 mg/kg/day) or B7-33 (0.25 mg/kg/day), or angiotensin converting enzyme-inhibitor, perindopril (1 mg/kg/day) over the 7-day period, only the HistoIndex platform determined that the drug-induced prevention of renal fibrosis correlated with significantly reduced collagen fiber thickness and collagen-to-tissue cross reticulation ratio, but increased collagen fiber counts. Relaxin or B7-33 treatment also increased renal matrix metalloproteinase-2 and reduced tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels (all P < .01 vs UUO alone). This study demonstrated the diagnostic value of the HistoIndex platform over currently used staining techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadman Bhuiyan
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew Shen
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sharenya Chelvaretnam
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andre Y Tan
- HistoIndex Pte Ltd, The LaunchPad, Fusionopolis, Singapore
| | - Gideon Ho
- HistoIndex Pte Ltd, The LaunchPad, Fusionopolis, Singapore
| | - Mohammed Akhter Hossain
- Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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24
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Li Y, Shen M, Ferens D, Broughton BRS, Murthi P, Saini S, Widdop RE, Ricardo SD, Pinar AA, Samuel CS. Combining mesenchymal stem cells with serelaxin provides enhanced renoprotection against 1K/DOCA/salt-induced hypertension. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:1164-1181. [PMID: 33450051 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Fibrosis is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that significantly contributes to renal dysfunction, and impairs the efficacy of stem cell-based therapies. This study determined whether combining bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) with the renoprotective effects of recombinant human relaxin (serelaxin) could therapeutically reduce renal fibrosis in mice with one kidney/deoxycorticosterone acetate/salt (1K/DOCA/salt)-induced hypertension, compared with the effects of the ACE inhibitor, perindopril. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Adult male C57BL/6 mice were uni-nephrectomised and received deoxycorticosterone acetate and saline to drink (1K/DOCA/salt) for 21 days. Control mice were uni-nephrectomised but received water over the same time period. Sub-groups of 1K/DOCA/salt-injured mice (n = 5-8 per group) were treated with either serelaxin (0.5 mg·kg-1 ·day-1 ) or BM-MSCs (1 × 106 per mouse) alone; both treatments combined (with 0.5 × 106 or 1 × 106 BM-MSCs per mouse); or perindopril (2 mg·kg-1 ·day-1 ) from days 14-21. KEY RESULTS 1K/DOCA/salt-injured mice developed elevated BP and hypertension-induced renal damage, inflammation and fibrosis. BM-MSCs alone reduced the injury-induced fibrosis and attenuated BP to a similar extent as perindopril. Serelaxin alone modestly reduced renal fibrosis and effectively reduced tubular injury. Strikingly, the combined effects of BM-MSCs (at both doses) with serelaxin significantly inhibited renal fibrosis and proximal tubular epithelial injury while restoring renal architecture, to a greater extent than either therapy alone, and over the effects of perindopril. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Combining BM-MSCs and serelaxin provided broader renoprotection over either therapy alone or perindopril and might represent a novel treatment for hypertensive CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifang Li
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Shen
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dorota Ferens
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brad R S Broughton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Padma Murthi
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sheetal Saini
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sharon D Ricardo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anita A Pinar
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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25
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Barsha G, Mirabito Colafella KM, Walton SL, Gaspari TA, Spizzo I, Pinar AA, Hilliard Krause LM, Widdop RE, Samuel CS, Denton KM. In Aged Females, the Enhanced Pressor Response to Angiotensin II Is Attenuated By Estrogen Replacement via an Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor-Mediated Mechanism. Hypertension 2021; 78:128-137. [PMID: 33966450 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.121.17164] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Giannie Barsha
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology (G.B., KM.M.C., S.L.W., L.M.H.K., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katrina M Mirabito Colafella
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology (G.B., KM.M.C., S.L.W., L.M.H.K., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah L Walton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology (G.B., KM.M.C., S.L.W., L.M.H.K., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tracey A Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology (T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., R.E.W., C.S.S.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Iresha Spizzo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology (T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., R.E.W., C.S.S.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anita A Pinar
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology (T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., R.E.W., C.S.S.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lucinda M Hilliard Krause
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology (G.B., KM.M.C., S.L.W., L.M.H.K., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology (T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., R.E.W., C.S.S.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology (T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., R.E.W., C.S.S.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate M Denton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (G.B., K.M.M.C., S.L.W., T.A.G., I.S., A.A.P., L.M.H.K., R.E.W., C.S.S., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology (G.B., KM.M.C., S.L.W., L.M.H.K., K.M.D.), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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26
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Wang Y, Wang M, Samuel CS, Widdop RE. Preclinical rodent models of cardiac fibrosis. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:882-899. [PMID: 33973236 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac fibrosis (scarring), characterised by an increased deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, is a hallmark of most types of cardiovascular disease and plays an essential role in heart failure progression. Inhibition of cardiac fibrosis could improve outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases and particularly heart failure. However, pharmacological treatment of the ECM build-up is still lacking. In this context, preclinical models of heart disease are important tools for understanding the complex pathogenesis involved in the development of cardiac fibrosis which in turn could identify new therapeutic targets and the facilitation of antifibrotic drug discovery. Many preclinical models have been used to study cardiac fibrosis and each model provides mechanistic insights into the many factors that contribute to cardiac fibrosis. This review discusses the most frequently used rodent models of cardiac fibrosis and also provides context for the use of particular models of heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Miao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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27
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Mahajan R, Lau DH, Brooks AG, Shipp NJ, Wood JPM, Manavis J, Samuel CS, Patel KP, Finnie JW, Alasady M, Kalman JM, Sanders P. Atrial Fibrillation and Obesity: Reverse Remodeling of Atrial Substrate With Weight Reduction. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2021; 7:630-641. [PMID: 33640353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2020.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study sought to evaluate the effect of weight loss on the atrial substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF). BACKGROUND Whether weight loss can reverse the atrial substrate of obesity is not known. METHODS Thirty sheep had sustained obesity induced by ad libitum calorie-dense diet over 72 weeks. Animals were randomized to 3 groups: sustained obesity and 15% and 30% weight loss. The animals randomized to weight loss underwent weight reduction by reducing the quantity of hay over 32 weeks. Eight lean animals served as controls. All were subjected to the following: dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, echocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance, electrophysiological study, and histological and molecular analyses (fatty infiltration, fibrosis, transforming growth factor β1, and connexin 43). RESULTS Sustained obesity was associated with increased left atrium (LA) pressure (p < 0.001), inflammation (p < 0.001), atrial transforming growth factor β1 protein (p < 0.001), endothelin-B receptor expression (p = 0.04), atrial fibrosis (p = 0.01), epicardial fat infiltration (p < 0.001), electrophysiological abnormalities, and AF burden (p = 0.04). Connexin 43 expression was decreased in the obese group (p = 0.03). In this obese ovine model, 30% weight reduction was associated with reduction in total body fat (p < 0.001), LA pressure (p = 0.007), inflammation (p < 0.001), endothelin-B receptor expression (p = 0.01), atrial fibrosis (p = 0.01), increase in atrial effective refractory period (cycle length: 400 and 300 ms; p < 0.001), improved conduction velocity (cycle length: 400 and 300 ms; p = 0.01), decreased conduction heterogeneity (p < 0.001), and decreased AF inducibility (p = 0.03). Weight loss was associated with a nonsignificant reduction in epicardial fat infiltration in posterior LA (p = 0.34). CONCLUSIONS Weight loss in an obese ovine model is associated with structural and electrophysiological reverse remodeling and a reduced propensity for AF. This provides evidence for the direct role of obesity in AF substrate and the role of weight reduction in patients with AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajiv Mahajan
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Lyell McEwin Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Dennis H Lau
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Anthony G Brooks
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Shipp
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - John P M Wood
- Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide; SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Jim Manavis
- Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide; SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Krupesh P Patel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - John W Finnie
- Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide; SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Muayad Alasady
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Jonathan M Kalman
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Prashanthan Sanders
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.
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28
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Chakraborty A, Pinar AA, Lam M, Bourke JE, Royce SG, Selomulya C, Samuel CS. Pulmonary myeloid cell uptake of biodegradable nanoparticles conjugated with an anti-fibrotic agent provides a novel strategy for treating chronic allergic airways disease. Biomaterials 2021; 273:120796. [PMID: 33894403 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.120796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Asthma (chronic allergic airways disease, AAD) is characterized by airway inflammation (AI), airway remodeling (AWR) and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Current treatments for AAD mainly focus on targeting AI and its contribution AHR, with the use of corticosteroids. However, there are no therapies for the direct treatment of AWR, which can contribute to airway obstruction, AHR and corticosteroid resistance independently of AI. The acute heart failure drug, serelaxin (recombinant human gene-2 relaxin, RLX), has potential anti-remodeling and anti-fibrotic effects but only when continuously infused or injected to overcome its short half-life. To alleviate this limitation, we conjugated serelaxin to biodegradable and noninflammatory nanoparticles (NP-RLX) and evaluated their therapeutic potential on measures of AI, AWR and AHR, when intranasally delivered to a preclinical rodent model of chronic AAD and TGF-β1-stimulated collagen gel contraction from asthma patient-derived myofibroblasts. NP-RLX was preferentially taken-up by CD206+-infiltrating and CD68+-tissue resident alveolar macrophages. Furthermore, NP-RLX ameliorated the chronic AAD-induced AI, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α), chemokines (CCL2, CCL11) and the pro-fibrotic TGF-β1/IL-1β axis on AWR and resulting AHR, as well as human myofibroblast-induced collagen gel contraction, to a similar extent as unconjugated RLX. Hence, NP-RLX represents a novel strategy for treating the central features of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amlan Chakraborty
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anita A Pinar
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maggie Lam
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jane E Bourke
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simon G Royce
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Clinical Pathology and Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cordelia Selomulya
- School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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29
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Wang C, Gaspari TA, Ferens D, Spizzo I, Kemp-Harper BK, Samuel CS. Simultaneous targeting of oxidative stress and fibrosis reverses cardiomyopathy-induced ventricular remodelling and dysfunction. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:2424-2442. [PMID: 33660265 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Oxidative stress and fibrosis are hallmarks of cardiomyopathy-induced heart failure yet are not effectively targeted by current frontline therapies. Here, the therapeutic effects of the anti-oxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), were compared and combined with an acute heart failure drug with established anti-fibrotic effects, serelaxin (RLX), in a murine model of cardiomyopathy. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Adult male 129sv mice were subjected to repeated isoprenaline (25 mg·kg-1 )-induced cardiac injury for five consecutive days and then left to undergo fibrotic healing until Day 14. Subgroups of isoprenaline-injured mice were treated with RLX (0.5 mg·kg-1 ·day-1 ), NAC (25 mg·kg-1 ·day-1 ) or both combined, given subcutaneously via osmotic minipumps from Day 7 to 14. Control mice received saline instead of isoprenaline. KEY RESULTS Isoprenaline-injured mice showed increased left ventricular (LV) inflammation (~5-fold), oxidative stress (~1-2.5-fold), cardiomyocyte hypertrophy (~25%), cardiac remodelling, fibrosis (~2-2.5-fold) and dysfunction by Day 14 after injury. NAC alone blocked the cardiomyopathy-induced increase in LV superoxide levels, to a greater extent than RLX. Additionally, either treatment alone only partly reduced several measures of LV inflammation, remodelling and fibrosis. In comparison, the combination of RLX and NAC prevented the cardiomyopathy-induced LV macrophage infiltration, remodelling, fibrosis and cardiomyocyte size, to a greater extent than either treatment alone after 7 days. The combination therapy also restored the isoprenaline-induced reduction in LV function, without affecting systolic BP. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS These findings demonstrated that the simultaneous targeting of oxidative stress and fibrosis is key to treating the pathophysiology and dysfunction induced by cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tracey A Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dorota Ferens
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Iresha Spizzo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Barbara K Kemp-Harper
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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30
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Pinar AA, Yuferov A, Gaspari TA, Samuel CS. Relaxin Can Mediate Its Anti-Fibrotic Effects by Targeting the Myofibroblast NLRP3 Inflammasome at the Level of Caspase-1. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:1201. [PMID: 32848798 PMCID: PMC7417934 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.01201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [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: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The NLRP3 inflammasome produces interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, which when chronically activated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, contribute to fibrosis. The recombinant form of the anti-fibrotic hormone, relaxin (RLX), suppresses the pro-fibrotic influence of TGF-β1 and toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 on NLRP3 inflammasome priming and activity in human cardiac myofibroblasts and mice with cardiomyopathy. However, whether RLX also modulates components of the myofibroblast NLRP3 inflammasome remains unknown. Methods and Results Stimulation of a human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cell line with TGF-β1 [5 ng/ml; to promote myofibroblast (HDMF) differentiation], LPS (100 ng/ml; to prime the NLRP3 inflammasome) and ATP (5 mM; to activate the NLPR3 inflammasome) (T+L+A) significantly increased NLRP3 inflammasome priming and activity after 8 and 72 h; and α-SMA expression (myofibroblast differentiation) and collagen-I deposition after 72 h. siRNA-induced knock-down of NLRP3 inflammasome priming components (NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1) in T+L+A-stimulated HDMFs for 24 h, completely knocked-down each component after 72 h. RLX (100 ng/ml) administration to T+L+A-stimulated HDMFs after control, NLRP3 or ASC siRNA transfection, equivalently suppressed IL-1β, pro-IL-18, α-SMA, and collagen-I protein levels (by 40%–50%; all p<0.05 vs. T+L+A) after 72 h, as determined by Western blotting. These RLX-induced effects were abrogated by siRNA knock-down of caspase-1. Conclusion The anti-fibrotic actions of RLX appear to require modulation of caspase-1 within the myofibroblast NLRP3 inflammasome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita A Pinar
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexander Yuferov
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Tracey A Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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31
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Mazarakis N, Vongsvivut J, Bambery KR, Ververis K, Tobin MJ, Royce SG, Samuel CS, Snibson KJ, Licciardi PV, Karagiannis TC. Investigation of molecular mechanisms of experimental compounds in murine models of chronic allergic airways disease using synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11713. [PMID: 32678217 PMCID: PMC7366655 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68671-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The ovalbumin-induced (OVA) chronic allergic airways murine model is a well-established model for investigating pre-clinical therapies for chronic allergic airways diseases, such as asthma. Here, we examined the effects of several experimental compounds with potential anti-asthmatic effects including resveratrol (RV), relaxin (RLN), l-sulforaphane (LSF), valproic acid (VPA), and trichostatin A (TSA) using both a prevention and reversal model of chronic allergic airways disease. We undertook a novel analytical approach using focal plane array (FPA) and synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared (S-FTIR) microspectroscopic techniques to provide new insights into the mechanisms of action of these experimental compounds. Apart from the typical biological effects, S-FTIR microspectroscopy was able to detect changes in nucleic acids and protein acetylation. Further, we validated the reduction in collagen deposition induced by each experimental compound evaluated. Although this has previously been observed with conventional histological methods, the S-FTIR technique has the advantage of allowing identification of the type of collagen present. More generally, our findings highlight the potential utility of S-FTIR and FPA-FTIR imaging techniques in enabling a better mechanistic understanding of novel asthma therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Mazarakis
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory, Department of Diabetes, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | | | | | - Katherine Ververis
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory, Department of Diabetes, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Mark J Tobin
- ANSTO Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Simon G Royce
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Kenneth J Snibson
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Paul V Licciardi
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Tom C Karagiannis
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory, Department of Diabetes, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. .,Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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32
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McDonald H, Peart J, Kurniawan ND, Galloway G, Royce SG, Samuel CS, Chen C. Hexarelin targets neuroinflammatory pathways to preserve cardiac morphology and function in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 127:110165. [PMID: 32403043 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) underly the detrimental effects of coronary heart disease on the myocardium. Despite the ongoing advances in reperfusion therapies, there remains a lack of effective therapeutic strategies for preventing IRI. Growth hormone secretagogues (GHS) have been demonstrated to improve cardiac function, attenuate inflammation and modulate the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in models of cardiovascular disease. Recently, we demonstrated a reduction in infarct size after administration of hexarelin (HEX), in a murine model of myocardial infarction. In the present study we employed a reperfused ischemic (IR) model, to determine whether HEX would continue to have a cardioprotective influence in a model of higher clinical relevance. Myocardial ischemia was induced by transient ligation of the left descending coronary artery (tLAD) in C57BL/6 J mice followed by HEX (0.3 mg/kg/day; n = 20) or vehicle (VEH) (n = 18) administration for 21 days, first administered immediately prior-to reperfusion. IR-injured and sham mice were subjected to high-field magnetic resonance imaging to assess left ventricular (LV) function, with HEX-treated mice demonstrating a significant improvement in LV function compared with VEH-treated mice. A significant decrease in interstitial collagen, TGF-β1 expression and myofibroblast differentiation was also seen in the HEX-treated mice after 21 days. HEX treatment shifted the ANS balance towards a parasympathetic predominance; combined with a significant decrease in cardiac troponin-I and TNF-α levels, these findings were suggestive of an anti-inflammatory action on the myocardium mediated via HEX. In this model of IR, HEX appeared to rebalance the deregulated ANS and activate vagal anti-inflammatory pathways to prevent adverse remodelling and LV dysfunction. There are limited interventions focusing on IRI that have been successful in improving clinical outcome in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, this study provides compelling evidence towards the translational potential of HEX where all others have largely failed.
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Affiliation(s)
- H McDonald
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - J Peart
- Menzies Health Institute of Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - N D Kurniawan
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - G Galloway
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - S G Royce
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedical Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - C S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedical Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Australia
| | - C Chen
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
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33
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Krishnan SM, Ling YH, Huuskes BM, Ferens DM, Saini N, Chan CT, Diep H, Kett MM, Samuel CS, Kemp-Harper BK, Robertson AAB, Cooper MA, Peter K, Latz E, Mansell AS, Sobey CG, Drummond GR, Vinh A. Pharmacological inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome reduces blood pressure, renal damage, and dysfunction in salt-sensitive hypertension. Cardiovasc Res 2020; 115:776-787. [PMID: 30357309 PMCID: PMC6432065 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvy252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims Renal inflammation, leading to fibrosis and impaired function is a major contributor to the development of hypertension. The NLRP3 inflammasome mediates inflammation in several chronic diseases by processing the cytokines pro-interleukin (IL)-1β and pro-IL-18. In this study, we investigated whether MCC950, a recently-identified inhibitor of NLRP3 activity, reduces blood pressure (BP), renal inflammation, fibrosis and dysfunction in mice with established hypertension. Methods and results C57BL6/J mice were made hypertensive by uninephrectomy and treatment with deoxycorticosterone acetate (2.4 mg/day, s.c.) and 0.9% NaCl in the drinking water (1K/DOCA/salt). Normotensive controls were uninephrectomized and received normal drinking water. Ten days later, mice were treated with MCC950 (10 mg/kg/day, s.c.) or vehicle (saline, s.c.) for up to 25 days. BP was monitored by tail-cuff or radiotelemetry; renal function by biochemical analysis of 24-h urine collections; and kidney inflammation/pathology was assessed by real-time PCR for inflammatory gene expression, flow cytometry for leucocyte influx, and Picrosirius red histology for collagen. Over the 10 days post-surgery, 1K/DOCA/salt-treated mice became hypertensive, developed impaired renal function, and displayed elevated renal levels of inflammatory markers, collagen and immune cells. MCC950 treatment from day 10 attenuated 1K/DOCA/salt-induced increases in renal expression of inflammasome subunits (NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1) and inflammatory/injury markers (pro-IL-18, pro-IL-1β, IL-17A, TNF-α, osteopontin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, CCL2, vimentin), each by 25–40%. MCC950 reduced interstitial collagen and accumulation of certain leucocyte subsets in kidneys of 1K/DOCA/salt-treated mice, including CD206+ (M2-like) macrophages and interferon-gamma-producing T cells. Finally, MCC950 partially reversed 1K/DOCA/salt-induced elevations in BP, urine output, osmolality, [Na+], and albuminuria (each by 20–25%). None of the above parameters were altered by MCC950 in normotensive mice. Conclusion MCC950 was effective at reducing BP and limiting renal inflammation, fibrosis and dysfunction in mice with established hypertension. This study provides proof-of-concept that pharmacological inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome is a viable anti-hypertensive strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini M Krishnan
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yeong H Ling
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brooke M Huuskes
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne Campus, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dorota M Ferens
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Narbada Saini
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne Campus, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher T Chan
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Henry Diep
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne Campus, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michelle M Kett
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Avril A B Robertson
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Matthew A Cooper
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Karlheinz Peter
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eicke Latz
- Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Ashley S Mansell
- Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher G Sobey
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne Campus, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Grant R Drummond
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne Campus, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Antony Vinh
- Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne Campus, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
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34
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Wang C, Pinar AA, Widdop RE, Hossain MA, Bathgate RAD, Denton KM, Kemp-Harper BK, Samuel CS. The anti-fibrotic actions of relaxin are mediated through AT 2 R-associated protein phosphatases via RXFP1-AT 2 R functional crosstalk in human cardiac myofibroblasts. FASEB J 2020; 34:8217-8233. [PMID: 32297670 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201902506r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Fibrosis is a hallmark of several cardiovascular diseases. The relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1) agonist, relaxin, has rapidly occurring anti-fibrotic actions which are mediated through RXFP1 and angiotensin II receptor crosstalk on renal and cardiac myofibroblasts. Here, we investigated whether this would allow relaxin to indirectly activate angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2 R)-specific signal transduction in primary human cardiac myofibroblasts (HCMFs). The anti-fibrotic effects of recombinant human relaxin (RLX; 16.8 nM) or the AT2 R-agonist, Compound 21 (C21; 1 μM), were evaluated in TGF-β1-stimulated HCMFs, in the absence or presence of an RXFP1 antagonist (1 μM) or AT2 R antagonist (0.1 μM) to confirm RXFP1-AT2 R crosstalk. Competition binding for RXFP1 was determined. Western blotting was performed to determine which AT2 R-specific protein phosphatases were expressed by HCMFs; then, the anti-fibrotic effects of RLX and/or C21 were evaluated in the absence or presence of pharmacological inhibition (NSC95397 (1 μM) for MKP-1; okadaic acid (10 nM) for PP2A) or siRNA-knockdown of these phosphatases after 72 hours. The RLX- or C21-induced increase in ERK1/2 and nNOS phosphorylation, and decrease in α-SMA (myofibroblast differentiation) and collagen-I expression by HCMFs was abrogated by pharmacological blockade of RXFP1 or the AT2 R, confirming RXFP1-AT2 R crosstalk in these cells. HCMFs were found to express AT2 R-dependent MKP-1 and PP2A phosphatases, while pharmacological blockade or siRNA-knockdown of either phosphatase also abolished RLX and/or C21 signal transduction in HCMFs (all P < .05 vs RLX or C21 alone). These findings demonstrated that RLX can indirectly activate AT2 R-dependent phosphatase activity in HCMFs by signaling through RXFP1-AT2 R crosstalk, which have important therapeutic implications for its anti-fibrotic actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Anita A Pinar
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Mohammed A Hossain
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ross A D Bathgate
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Kate M Denton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Barbara K Kemp-Harper
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Murthi P, Pinar AA, Dimitriadis E, Samuel CS. Inflammasomes-A Molecular Link for Altered Immunoregulation and Inflammation Mediated Vascular Dysfunction in Preeclampsia. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041406. [PMID: 32093005 PMCID: PMC7073120 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific multisystem disorder and is associated with maladaptation of the maternal cardiovascular system and abnormal placentation. One of the important characteristics in the pathophysiology of PE is a dysfunction of the placenta. Placental insufficiency is associated with poor trophoblast uterine invasion and impaired transformation of the uterine spiral arterioles to high capacity and low impedance vessels and/or abnormalities in the development of chorionic villi. Significant progress in identifying potential molecular targets in the pathophysiology of PE is underway. The human placenta is immunologically functional with the trophoblast able to generate specific and diverse innate immune-like responses through their expression of multimeric self-assembling protein complexes, termed inflammasomes. However, the type of response is highly dependent upon the stimuli, the receptor(s) expressed and activated, the downstream signaling pathways involved, and the timing of gestation. Recent findings highlight that inflammasomes can act as a molecular link for several components at the syncytiotrophoblast surface and also in maternal blood thereby directly influencing each other. Thus, the inflammasome molecular platform can promote adverse inflammatory effects when chronically activated. This review highlights current knowledge in placental inflammasome expression and activity in PE-affected pregnancies, and consequently, vascular dysfunction in PE that must be addressed as an interdependent interactive process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Padma Murthi
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Victoria 3168, Australia; (A.A.P.); (C.S.S.)
- Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3168, Australia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-03-99059917
| | - Anita A. Pinar
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Victoria 3168, Australia; (A.A.P.); (C.S.S.)
| | - Evdokia Dimitriadis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3168, Australia;
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Victoria 3168, Australia; (A.A.P.); (C.S.S.)
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Wang Y, Han L, Shen M, Jones ES, Spizzo I, Walton SL, Denton KM, Gaspari TA, Samuel CS, Widdop RE. Serelaxin and the AT 2 Receptor Agonist CGP42112 Evoked a Similar, Nonadditive, Cardiac Antifibrotic Effect in High Salt-Fed Mice That Were Refractory to Candesartan Cilexetil. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2020; 3:76-87. [PMID: 32259090 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.9b00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Fibrosis is involved in the majority of cardiovascular diseases and is a key contributor to end-organ dysfunction. In the current study, the antifibrotic effects of recombinant human relaxin-2 (serelaxin; RLX) and/or the AT2R agonist CGP42112 (CGP) were compared with those of the established AT1R antagonist, candesartan cilexetil (CAND), in a high salt-induced cardiac fibrosis model. High salt (HS; 5%) for 8 weeks did not increase systolic blood pressure in male FVB/N mice, but CAND treatment alone significantly reduced systolic blood pressure from HS-induced levels. HS significantly increased cardiac interstitial fibrosis, which was reduced by either RLX and/or CGP, which were not additive under the current experimental conditions, while CAND failed to reduce HS-induced cardiac fibrosis. The antifibrotic effects induced by RLX and/or CGP were associated with reduced myofibroblast differentiation. Additionally, all treatments inhibited the HS-induced elevation in tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1, together with trends for increased MMP-13 expression, that collectively would favor collagen degradation. Furthermore, these antifibrotic effects were associated with reduced cardiac inflammation. Collectively, these results highlight that either RXFP1 or AT2R stimulation represents novel therapeutic strategies to target fibrotic conditions, particularly in HS states that may be refractory to AT1R blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Lei Han
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Matthew Shen
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Emma S Jones
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Iresha Spizzo
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Sarah L Walton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Kate M Denton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Tracey A Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia
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Dewage SNV, Organ L, Koumoundouros E, Derseh HB, Perera KUE, Samuel CS, Stent AW, Snibson KJ. The efficacy of pirfenidone in a sheep model of pulmonary fibrosis. Exp Lung Res 2019; 45:310-322. [PMID: 31762329 DOI: 10.1080/01902148.2019.1695019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive fibrotic lung disease with unknown cause. While the drugs nintedanib and pirfenidone have been approved for the treatment of IPF, they only slow disease progression and can induce several side-effects, suggesting that there is still an unmet need to develop new efficacious drugs, and interventions strategies, to combat this disease. We have recently developed a sheep model of pulmonary fibrosis for the preclinical testing of novel anti-fibrotic drugs. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of pirfenidone to ascertain its suitability as a benchmark for comparing other novel therapeutics in this sheep model. To initiate localized fibrosis, sheep were given two infusions of bleomycin (0.6 U/ml per infusion), a fortnight apart, to a specific lung segment. The contralateral lung segment in each sheep was infused with saline to act as an internal control. Two weeks after the final bleomycin infusion, either pirfenidone or methylcellulose (vehicle control) were administered orally to sheep twice daily for 5 weeks. Results showed that sheep treated with pirfenidone had improved lung function, ameliorated fibrotic pathology, lower numbers of active myofibroblasts, and reduced extra cellular matrix deposition when compared with the relevant measurements obtained from control sheep treated with vehicle. This study showed that pirfenidone can attenuate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in sheep, and can therefore be used as a positive control to assess other novel therapeutics for IPF in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasika N V Dewage
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Louise Organ
- Nottingham Respiratory Research Unit, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Emmanuel Koumoundouros
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Habtamu B Derseh
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | | | | | - Andrew W Stent
- Faculty of Veterinary Science and Agricultural Science, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, Australia
| | - Ken J Snibson
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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Cáceres FT, Gaspari TA, Samuel CS, Pinar AA. Serelaxin inhibits the profibrotic TGF-β1/IL-1β axis by targeting TLR-4 and the NLRP3 inflammasome in cardiac myofibroblasts. FASEB J 2019; 33:14717-14733. [PMID: 31689135 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901079rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The recombinant form of the peptide hormone relaxin, serelaxin (RLX), mediates its anti-fibrotic actions by impeding the profibrotic activity of cytokines including TGF-β1 and IL-1β. As IL-1β can be produced by the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, this study determined whether RLX targeted the inflammasome to inhibit the profibrotic TGF-β1/IL-1β axis in primary human cardiac myofibroblasts (HCMFs) in vitro and in mice with isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiomyopathy in vivo. HCMFs stimulated with TGF-β1 (5 ng/ml), LPS (100 ng/ml), and ATP (5 mM) (T+L+A) for 8 h, to induce the NLRP3 inflammasome, demonstrated significantly increased protein expression of markers of NLRP3 priming (NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a C-terminal caspase-recruitment domain, procaspase-1) and activity (IL-1β, IL-18). After 72 h, there was significantly increased neuronal NOS (nNOS), TLR-4, procaspase-1, myofibroblast differentiation, and collagen-I deposition. These measures, along with interstitial TGF-β1 expression and collagen deposition, were also increased in the left ventricle (LV) of ISO-injured mice 14 d postinjury. RLX [16.8 nM (100 ng/ml) in vitro; 0.5 mg/kg per day in vivo] inhibited T+L+A- and ISO-induced TLR-4 expression, NLRP3 priming, IL-1β, IL-18, myofibroblast differentiation, and interstitial collagen deposition at the time points studied, via the promotion of nNOS; with the NLRP3- and IL-1β-inhibitory effects of RLX in HCMFs being abrogated by pharmacological blockade of nNOS or TLR-4. Comparatively, the small molecule NLRP3 inhibitor, N-{[(1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydro-s-indacen-4-yl)amino]carbonyl}-4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-2-furansulfonamide (1 μM in vitro, 10 mg/kg/d in vivo), inhibited components of the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro and in vivo and ISO-induced interstitial LV fibrosis in vivo but did not affect nNOS, TLR-4, myofibroblast differentiation, or myofibroblast-induced collagen deposition. Hence, RLX can inhibit the TGF-β1/IL-1β axis via a nNOS-TLR-4-NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent mechanism on cardiac myofibroblasts.-Cáceres, F. T., Gaspari, T. A., Samuel, C. S., Pinar, A. A. Serelaxin inhibits the profibrotic TGF-β1/IL-1β axis by targeting TLR-4 and the NLRP3 inflammasome in cardiac myofibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Tapia Cáceres
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tracey A Gaspari
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anita A Pinar
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Chow BSM, Kocan M, Shen M, Wang Y, Han L, Chew JY, Wang C, Bosnyak S, Mirabito-Colafella KM, Barsha G, Wigg B, Johnstone EKM, Hossain MA, Pfleger KDG, Denton KM, Widdop RE, Summers RJ, Bathgate RAD, Hewitson TD, Samuel CS. AT1R-AT2R-RXFP1 Functional Crosstalk in Myofibroblasts: Impact on the Therapeutic Targeting of Renal and Cardiac Fibrosis. J Am Soc Nephrol 2019; 30:2191-2207. [PMID: 31511361 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2019060597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [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: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recombinant human relaxin-2 (serelaxin), which has organ-protective actions mediated via its cognate G protein-coupled receptor relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1), has emerged as a potential agent to treat fibrosis. Studies have shown that serelaxin requires the angiotensin II (AngII) type 2 receptor (AT2R) to ameliorate renal fibrogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Whether its antifibrotic actions are affected by modulation of the AngII type 1 receptor (AT1R), which is expressed on myofibroblasts along with RXFP1 and AT2R, is unknown. METHODS We examined the signal transduction mechanisms of serelaxin when applied to primary rat renal and human cardiac myofibroblasts in vitro, and in three models of renal- or cardiomyopathy-induced fibrosis in vivo. RESULTS The AT1R blockers irbesartan and candesartan abrogated antifibrotic signal transduction of serelaxin via RXFP1 in vitro and in vivo. Candesartan also ameliorated serelaxin's antifibrotic actions in the left ventricle of mice with cardiomyopathy, indicating that candesartan's inhibitory effects were not confined to the kidney. We also demonstrated in a transfected cell system that serelaxin did not directly bind to AT1Rs but that constitutive AT1R-RXFP1 interactions could form. To potentially explain these findings, we also demonstrated that renal and cardiac myofibroblasts expressed all three receptors and that antagonists acting at each receptor directly or allosterically blocked the antifibrotic effects of either serelaxin or an AT2R agonist (compound 21). CONCLUSIONS These findings have significant implications for the concomitant use of RXFP1 or AT2R agonists with AT1R blockers, and suggest that functional interactions between the three receptors on myofibroblasts may represent new targets for controlling fibrosis progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryna S M Chow
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Martina Kocan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.,Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Shen
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
| | - Yan Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
| | - Lei Han
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
| | - Jacqueline Y Chew
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
| | - Chao Wang
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
| | - Sanja Bosnyak
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
| | - Katrina M Mirabito-Colafella
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Giannie Barsha
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Belinda Wigg
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth K M Johnstone
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Kevin D G Pfleger
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, ARC Centre for Personalised Therapeutic Technologies, Melbourne, Australia; and.,Dimerix Limited, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kate M Denton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert E Widdop
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
| | - Roger J Summers
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
| | - Ross A D Bathgate
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Tim D Hewitson
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and .,Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology and
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Hewitson TD, Holt SG, Samuel CS, Wigg B, Smith ER. Profiling histone modifications in the normal mouse kidney and after unilateral ureteric obstruction. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2019; 317:F606-F615. [DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00262.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Posttranslational modification of nucleosomal histones is a major determinant of chromatin structure and gene activity. In the present study, we hypothesized that unilateral ureteric obstruction (UUO), a widely used model of tubulointerstitial injury, would be associated with a distinct pattern of histone modifications (marks) in the kidney. Mass spectrometry was used to profile 63 different histone marks in normal mouse kidneys and those after 10 days of UUO. A subsequent histochemical analysis further examined examples of specific marks that changed significantly after UUO for which antisera are available. Histone marks were much more widely distributed and abundant in the normal kidney than is usually appreciated. Although aggregate analysis of the mass spectrometry results revealed net differences between control and UUO groups, residue-specific variations were subtle. Of the 16/63 significant changes ( P < 0.05), only 8 changes were quantitatively different by >5%. Nevertheless, we identified several that are not usually examined in the kidney, including marks in the globular domain of core histones (H3:K79), linker histones (H1.4), and histone variants (H3.1:K27 and H3.3:K27). In several cases, there were complementary changes in different marks on the same amino acid. Using H3:K79ME2 as an example, mark enrichment was heterogeneous but largely colocalized with active transcription in a subset of tubular pathology. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of unbiased screening in examining histone marks. Simultaneous changes in multiple marks on the same amino acid indicate a coordinated histone mark signature. The heterogeneous enrichment of marks, even within the same tubule, highlights the importance of regulatory context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D. Hewitson
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen G. Holt
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S. Samuel
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Belinda Wigg
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Edward R. Smith
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Chelvaretnam S, Shen M, Mountford SJ, Thompson PE, Chai SY, Widdop RE, Samuel CS, Gaspari TA. Abstract 131: Insulin Regulated Aminopeptidase Inhibitors are More Effective Than the ACE Inhibitor, Perindopril in Preventing Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction-Induced Renal Fibrosis in Mice. Hypertension 2019. [DOI: 10.1161/hyp.74.suppl_1.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
New strategies are needed to combat pathological organ fibrosis that leads to end stage organ failure. We have identified the enzyme insulin regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP) as one such promising new target, with IRAP KO mice completely protected, and pharmacological inhibition of IRAP reversing, age-induced cardiac fibrosis. However, the effect of IRAP inhibition in renal fibrosis is unknown. Therefore the objective of this study was to: (1) compare anti-fibrotic efficacy of 2 chemically distinct IRAP inhibitors, HFI-419 and SJM4-164 to the ACE inhibitor, perindopril (PER) in a murine model of unilateral ureteral obstructive (UUO)-induced renal fibrosis; and (2) investigate role of IRAP substrates in mediating ant-fibrotic effect of IRAP inhibitors. Male C57Bl/6J mice (8 weeks old) were assigned to one of the following 7 day protocols (n=6/gp): sham, UUO+Veh, UUO+HFI (0.72mg/kg/d), UUO+SJM (0.72mg/kg/d), or UUO+PER (1mg/kg/d). IRAP substrate involvement was determined using specific receptor blockers for the oxytocin receptor (OTR; Atosiban; 0.6mg/kg/d) or the AT2 receptor (AT2R; PD123319; 10mg/kg/d). Interstitial fibrosis was significantly increased in UUO+Veh-injured kidneys compared to sham (% positive staining: UUO=5.9±0.7 vs Sham=1.2±0.3; p<0.05). HFI and SJM treatment were equally effective in preventing UUO-induced increase in interstitial renal fibrosis (% positive staining: HFI=2.5±0.3, SJM=2.8±0.3, all p<0.05 vs UUO). PER had no effect on UUO-induced increase in interstitial renal fibrosis (PER=6.6±0.7), however it was as effective as the IRAP inhibitors in reducing markers of inflammation, including NFκB activation and macrophage infiltration. The anti-fibrotic effects produced with IRAP inhibition were prevented by OTR or AT2R blockade (% positive staining: OTR=5.0±0.55, AT2R=6±0.8). Overall, this study demonstrated greater reno-protection with IRAP inhibition compared to that achieved using an ACE inhibitor, with IRAP inhibitors exhibiting potent anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, for the first time we show that the anti-fibrotic effects of IRAP inhibition involve activation of receptors associated with endogenous IRAP substrates.
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Zhu M, Lewis CV, Finemore MJ, Lieu M, Widdop RE, Samuel CS, Drummond GR, Kemp-Harper BK. Abstract 119: Ccl18 as a Potential Mediator of the Pro-Fibrotic Actions of M2 Macrophages in the Vessel Wall During Hypertension. Hypertension 2019. [DOI: 10.1161/hyp.74.suppl_1.119] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
M2 macrophages contribute to vascular fibrosis and stiffening in hypertension and may mediate these actions via release of the pro-fibrotic chemokine, CCL18, which they release to a greater extent than TGF-β1. The role of CCL18 and its cognate receptor, CCR8 in hypertension and vascular fibrosis has not been investigated. This study aimed to identify vascular targets of CCL18 and explore its ability to promote fibrosis.
Blood pressure (BP) of saline or angiotensin II (0.7 mg/kg/day, 28 days;
s.c.
)-treated male C57BL/6J mice was measured by tail cuff. Localisation and expression of CCR8 and the murine functional analogue of CCL18, CCL8, were assessed in the thoracic aorta by immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR, respectively. Human aortic adventitial fibroblasts (AoAFs) and endothelial cells were treated with the pro-fibrotic agent TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml) or CCL18 (3-300 ng/ml) for 3-72h or 7d, respectively. In human AoAFs, expression of pro-collagen I, mature collagen I and α-SMA and were measured (qRT-PCR, Western blotting). Endothelial-mesenchymal transition was measured via VE-cadherin and α-SMA protein expression.
Angiotensin II infusion significantly elevated systolic BP (151±5 mmHg, p<0.05) as compared to saline treated mice (111±5 mmHg, n=8). In aortas from hypertensive mice, mRNA expression of CCL8 was elevated 3-fold (p<0.05, n=4-8), and CCL8 expression in the aortic wall was co-localised with the M2 macrophage marker CD206. CCR8 expression was evident in the endothelium, adventitia and perivascular fat. In human AoAFs, TGF-β1 caused a 2-fold increase in protein expression of collagen I (24h, p<0.01) and α-SMA (24-72h, p<0.05). CCL18 (300 ng/ml) did not change α-SMA expression, but increased the protein expression of pro-collagen I by 2-fold (24h; p<0.01), and elevated mature collagen I by 3.6-fold (72h; p<0.05). In human aortic endothelial cells, CCL18 (10 ng/ml) induced a trend towards reduced VE-cadherin, while increasing α-SMA expression (1.5-fold, p<0.05).
CCL18 stimulates collagen synthesis from human AoAFs and may promote endothelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition. Expression of its receptor in the vascular wall suggests that the CCL18-CCR8 axis may serve as a potential target for the treatment of vascular fibrosis during hypertension.
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Wang C, Kemp-Harper BK, Samuel CS. Abstract P2012: Combining the Anti-Fibrotic Actions of Serelaxin With the Anti-Oxidant, N-Acetylcysteine, Abrogates Cardiac Fibrosis in an Isoprenaline-Induced Murine Model of Cardiomyopathy. Hypertension 2019. [DOI: 10.1161/hyp.74.suppl_1.p2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a significant contributor to cardiac fibrosis, particularly in the setting of hypertension. While current frontline medications (such as ACE inhibitors) and anti-oxidants (such as N-Acetylcysteine; NAC) can attenuate the impact of elevated blood pressure (BP) on cardiac fibrosis, it is unclear to what extent established fibrosis can be reduced in the absence of BP regulation. The drug-version of the ovarian and cardiovascular hormone, relaxin, serelaxin (RLX) mediates rapid-occurring anti-fibrotic effects by inhibiting the effects of TGF-β1 on myofibroblast-induced collagen production, independently of BP regulation. In this study, we compared and combined the effects of RLX to the anti-oxidant, NAC, in a normotensive model of heart disease. 14-16 week old adult 129sv mice were subjected to isoprenaline (ISO)-induced cardiomyopathy, which along with saline-treated controls demonstrated equivalent systolic BP (SBP) measurements (122±3 vs 124±4 mmHg, respectively; as determined by tail cuff plethysmography). Sub-groups of ISO-injured mice were treated from days 7-14 post-injury with RLX (0.5mg/kg/day), NAC (25mg/kg/day; s.c) or both combined via osmotic mini-pumps. At day 14 post-injury, the left ventricle (LV) of ISO-injured mice presented with increased macrophage infiltration, phosphorylated IkB levels (a marker of NF-kB activity), oxidative stress, NOX2, NOX4 and TGF-β1 expression, myofibroblast differentiation and interstitial fibrosis (all p<0.05 vs saline-treated controls). RLX decreased cardiac fibrosis (by ~40%; p<0.05 vs ISO alone) independently of effects on macrophage infiltration, NOX2/NOX4 expression or SBP. NAC alone reduced interstitial fibrosis (by ~58%; p<0.01 vs ISO alone; no different to ISO+RLX treatment), while when added in combination, RLX and NAC completely abrogated cardiac fibrosis, returning levels to those measured in saline-treated controls. These finding suggest that NAC can reduce fibrosis without necessarily impacting on the contribution of BP to disease progression, and that the combined effects of RLX and an anti-oxidant may offer superior therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.
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Samuel CS, Nguyen J, Li Y, Shen M, Ferens D, Pinar AA, Ricardo SD. Abstract 063: Evaluation of a Combination Therapy of Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells and Serelaxin Against Established Renal Fibrosis in Normotensive and Hypertensive Models of Disease. Hypertension 2019. [DOI: 10.1161/hyp.74.suppl_1.063] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Fibrosis significantly impairs the viability and therapeutic efficacy of stem cell-based therapies. To overcome this, we demonstrated that the anti-fibrotic drug, serelaxin (recombinant human relaxin; RLX), could prevent renal fibrosis progression in a unilateral ureteric obstruction (UUO)-induced murine model of interstitial renal disease and improve the ability of injected human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) to attenuate renal injury. To advance the therapeutic potential of this combination therapy, we have now investigated its effects as an intervention therapy in the UUO model, and in a uninephrectomised/deoxycorticosterone acetate/drinking saline water (1K/DOCA/salt) model of hypertension. 7-8 week old male C57B6J mice were subjected to UUO or 1K/DOCA/salt (2.4mg/day, s.c; 21 days). Sub-groups of injured mice (n=6/group) were administered RLX (0.5mg/kg/day; s.c) alone, BM-MSCs (1x10
6
/mouse; i.v) alone or both combined 3-days post-UUO or 14 days post-1K/DOCA/salt-treatment. Untreated injured mice and sham-operated or 1K-mice were included as respective controls. Mice were killed 10 days post-UUO or 21 days post-1K/DOCA/salt treatment (7 days post-intervention) for tissue collection and analysis. UUO- and 1K/DOCA/salt-injured mice underwent significant renal damage, inflammation and (interstitial and total collagen-induced) fibrosis at the time-points studied, as determined by histological and biochemical analyses (all p<0.01 vs respective uninjured controls). All 1K/DOCA/salt-treated mice had systolic blood pressure levels of 140-150mmHg over the experimental period, compared to 1K-mice having 115-120mmHg (as measured by tail cuff plethysmography; p<0.01). Unlike BM-MSCs alone, the combined effects of BM-MSCs and RLX significantly reduced established UUO-induced renal damage and fibrosis, primarily by reducing myofibroblast-induced collagen deposition (all p<0.05 vs BM-MSCs alone). Treatment-induced effects of the hypertensive model are currently being evaluated and will be presented. These findings confirm that agents that can effectively reduce established fibrosis can enhance the therapeutic potential of BM-MSCs in treating kidney diseases, when added in combination.
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Royce SG, Patel KP, Mao W, Zhu D, Lim R, Samuel CS. Serelaxin enhances the therapeutic effects of human amnion epithelial cell-derived exosomes in experimental models of lung disease. Br J Pharmacol 2019; 176:2195-2208. [PMID: 30883698 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE There is growing interest in stem cell-derived exosomes for their therapeutic and regenerative benefits given their manufacturing and regulatory advantages over cell-based therapies. As existing fibrosis impedes the viability and efficacy of stem cell/exosome-based strategies for treating chronic diseases, here we tested the effects of the anti-fibrotic drug, serelaxin, on the therapeutic efficacy of human amnion epithelial cell (AEC)-derived exosomes in experimental lung disease. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Female Balb/c mice were subjected to either the 9.5-week model of ovalbumin and naphthalene (OVA/NA)-induced chronic allergic airway disease (AAD) or 3-week model of bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis; then administered increasing concentrations of AEC-exosomes (5 μg or 25μg), with or without serelaxin (0.5mg/kg/day) for 7-days. 1x106 AECs co-administered with serelaxin over the corresponding time-period were included for comparison in both models, as was pirfenidone-treatment of the BLM model. Control groups received saline/corn oil or saline, respectively. KEY RESULTS Both experimental models presented with significant tissue inflammation, remodelling, fibrosis and airway/lung dysfunction at the time-points studied. While AEC-exosome (5 μg or 25μg)-administration alone demonstrated some benefits in each model, serelaxin was required for AEC-exosomes (25μg) to rapidly normalise chronic AAD-induced airway fibrosis and airway reactivity, and BLM-induced lung inflammation, epithelial damage and subepithelial/basement membrane fibrosis. Combining serelaxin with AEC-exosomes (25μg) also demonstrated broader protection compared to co-administration of serelaxin with 1x106 AECs or pirfenidone. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Serelaxin enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of AEC-exosomes in treating basement membrane-induced fibrosis and related airway dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon G Royce
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Krupesh P Patel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - WeiYi Mao
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dandan Zhu
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca Lim
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Valkovic AL, Bathgate RA, Samuel CS, Kocan M. Understanding relaxin signalling at the cellular level. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019; 487:24-33. [PMID: 30592984 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2018.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The peptide hormone relaxin mediates many biological actions including anti-fibrotic, vasodilatory, angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and organ protective effects across a range of tissues. At the cellular level, relaxin binds to the G protein-coupled receptor relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1) to activate a variety of downstream signal transduction pathways. This signalling cascade is complex and also varies in diverse cellular backgrounds. Moreover, RXFP1 signalling shows crosstalk with other receptors to mediate some of its physiological functions. This review summarises known signalling pathways induced by acute versus chronic treatment with relaxin across a range of cell types, it describes RXFP1 crosstalk with other receptors, signalling pathways activated by other ligands targeting RXFP1, and it also outlines physiological relevance of RXFP1 signalling outputs. Comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of relaxin actions in fibrosis, vasodilation, as well as organ protection, will further support relaxin's clinical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam L Valkovic
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Ross Ad Bathgate
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Martina Kocan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
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Kanai AJ, Konieczko EM, Bennett RG, Samuel CS, Royce SG. Relaxin and fibrosis: Emerging targets, challenges, and future directions. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019; 487:66-74. [PMID: 30772373 PMCID: PMC6475456 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The peptide hormone relaxin is well-known for its anti-fibrotic actions in several organs, particularly from numerous studies conducted in animals. Acting through its cognate G protein-coupled receptor, relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1), serelaxin (recombinant human relaxin) has been shown to consistently inhibit the excessive extracellular matrix production (fibrosis) that results from the aberrant wound-healing response to tissue injury and/or chronic inflammation, and at multiple levels. Furthermore, it can reduce established scarring by promoting the degradation of aberrant extracellular matrix components. Following on from the review that describes the mechanisms and signaling pathways associated with the extracellular matrix remodeling effects of serelaxin (Ng et al., 2019), this review focuses on newly identified tissue targets of serelaxin therapy in fibrosis, and the limitations associated with (se)relaxin research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Kanai
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Elisa M Konieczko
- Biology Department, Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences, Gannon University, Erie, PA, USA.
| | - Robert G Bennett
- Research Service, VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; Research Service, VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Theme, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Simon G Royce
- Cardiovascular Disease Theme, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Prahran, VIC, Australia.
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Ng HH, Shen M, Samuel CS, Schlossmann J, Bennett RG. Relaxin and extracellular matrix remodeling: Mechanisms and signaling pathways. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019; 487:59-65. [PMID: 30660699 PMCID: PMC7384500 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2019.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis is associated with accumulation of excess fibrillar collagen, leading to tissue dysfunction. Numerous processes, including inflammation, myofibroblast activation, and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, play a role in the establishment and progression of fibrosis. Relaxin is a peptide hormone with well-known antifibrotic properties that result from its action on numerous cellular targets to reduce fibrosis. Relaxin activates multiple signal transduction pathways as a mechanism to suppress inflammation and myofibroblast activation in fibrosis. In this review, the general mechanisms underlying fibrotic diseases are described, along with the current state of knowledge regarding cellular targets of relaxin. Finally, an overview is presented summarizing the signaling pathways activated by relaxin and other relaxin family peptide receptor agonists to suppress fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hooi Hooi Ng
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Matthew Shen
- Cardiovascular Disease Theme, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Theme, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Jens Schlossmann
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Robert G Bennett
- Research Service, VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Departments of Internal Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
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Huuskes BM, DeBuque RJ, Kerr PG, Samuel CS, Ricardo SD. The Use of Live Cell Imaging and Automated Image Analysis to Assist With Determining Optimal Parameters for Angiogenic Assay in vitro. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:45. [PMID: 31024908 PMCID: PMC6468051 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Testing angiogenic potential and function of cells in culture is important for the understanding of the mechanisms that can modulate angiogenesis, especially when discovering novel anti- or pro-angiogenic therapeutics. Commonly used angiogenic assays include tube formation, proliferation, migration, and wound healing, and although well-characterized, it is important that methodology is standardized and reproducible. Human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are critical for post-natal vascular homeostasis and can be isolated from human peripheral blood. Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) are a subset of EPCs and are of interest as a possible therapeutic target for hypoxic diseases such as kidney disease, as they have a high angiogenic potential. However, once ECFCs are identified in culture, the exact timing of passaging has not been well-described and the optimal conditions to perform angiogenic assays such as seeding density, growth media (GM) concentrations and end-points of these assays is widely varied in the literature. Here, we describe the process of isolating, culturing and passaging ECFCs from patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), aided by image analysis. We further describe optimal conditions, for human bladder endothelial cells (hBECs), challenged in angiogenic assays and confirm that cell density is a limiting factor in accurately detecting angiogenic parameters. Furthermore, we show that GM along is enough to alter the angiogenic potential of cells, seeded at the same density. Lastly, we report on the success of human ECFCs in angiogenic assays and describe the benefits of live-cell imaging combined with time-lapse microscopy for this type of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke M Huuskes
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ryan J DeBuque
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter G Kerr
- Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sharon D Ricardo
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Simcocks AC, Jenkin KA, O’Keefe L, Samuel CS, Mathai ML, McAinch AJ, Hryciw DH. Atypical cannabinoid ligands O-1602 and O-1918 administered chronically in diet-induced obesity. Endocr Connect 2019; 8:203-216. [PMID: 30707678 PMCID: PMC6391900 DOI: 10.1530/ec-18-0535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Atypical cannabinoid compounds O-1602 and O-1918 are ligands for the putative cannabinoid receptors G protein-coupled receptor 55 and G protein-coupled receptor 18. The role of O-1602 and O-1918 in attenuating obesity and obesity-related pathologies is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine the role that either compound had on body weight and body composition, renal and hepatic function in diet-induced obesity. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet (40% digestible energy from lipids) or a standard chow diet for 10 weeks. In a separate cohort, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet for 9 weeks and then injected daily with 5 mg/kg O-1602, 1 mg/kg O-1918 or vehicle (0.9% saline/0.75% Tween 80) for a further 6 weeks. Our data demonstrated that high-fat feeding upregulates whole kidney G protein receptor 55 expression. In diet-induced obesity, we also demonstrated O-1602 reduces body weight, body fat and improves albuminuria. Despite this, treatment with O-1602 resulted in gross morphological changes in the liver and kidney. Treatment with O-1918 improved albuminuria, but did not alter body weight or fat composition. In addition, treatment with O-1918 also upregulated circulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1α, IL-2, IL-17α, IL-18 and RANTES as well as plasma AST. Thus O-1602 and O-1918 appear not to be suitable treatments for obesity and related comorbidities, due to their effects on organ morphology and pro-inflammatory signaling in obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Simcocks
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, St Albans campus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kayte A Jenkin
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, St Albans campus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lannie O’Keefe
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, St Albans campus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chrishan S Samuel
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael L Mathai
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, St Albans campus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew J McAinch
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, St Albans campus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Deanne H Hryciw
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, St Albans campus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Environment and Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
- Correspondence should be addressed to D H Hryciw:
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