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Rajwa P, Borkowetz A, Abbott T, Alberti A, Bjartell A, Brash JT, Campi R, Chilelli A, Conover M, Constantinovici N, Davies E, De Meulder B, Eid S, Gacci M, Golozar A, Hafeez H, Haque S, Hijazy A, Hulsen T, Josefsson A, Khalid S, Kolde R, Kotik D, Kurki S, Lambrecht M, Leung CH, Moreno J, Nicoletti R, Nieboer D, Oja M, Palanisamy S, Prinsen P, Reich C, Raffaele Resta G, Ribal MJ, Gómez Rivas J, Smith E, Snijder R, Steinbeisser C, Vandenberghe F, Cornford P, Evans-Axelsson S, N'Dow J, Willemse PPM. Research Protocol for an Observational Health Data Analysis on the Adverse Events of Systemic Treatment in Patients with Metastatic Hormone-sensitive Prostate Cancer: Big Data Analytics Using the PIONEER Platform. EUR UROL SUPPL 2024; 63:81-88. [PMID: 38572301 PMCID: PMC10987796 DOI: 10.1016/j.euros.2024.02.019] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Combination therapies in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), which include the addition of an androgen receptor signaling inhibitor and/or docetaxel to androgen deprivation therapy, have been a game changer in the management of this disease stage. However, these therapies come with their fair share of toxicities and side effects. The goal of this observational study is to report drug-related adverse events (AEs), which are correlated with systemic combination therapies for mHSPC. Determining the optimal treatment option requires large cohorts to estimate the tolerability and AEs of these combination therapies in "real-life" patients with mHSPC, as provided in this study. We use a network of databases that includes population-based registries, electronic health records, and insurance claims, containing the overall target population and subgroups of patients defined by unique certain characteristics, demographics, and comorbidities, to compute the incidence of common AEs associated with systemic therapies in the setting of mHSPC. These data sources are standardised using the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model. We perform the descriptive statistics as well as calculate the AE incidence rate separately for each treatment group, stratified by age groups and index year. The time until the first event is estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method within each age group. In the case of episodic events, the anticipated mean cumulative counts of events are calculated. Our study will allow clinicians to tailor optimal therapies for mHSPC patients, and they will serve as a basis for comparative method studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Rajwa
- Department of Urology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
- Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Angelika Borkowetz
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Abbott
- European Association of Urology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Alberti
- Unit of Urological Robotic Surgery and Renal Transplantation, University of Florence, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Anders Bjartell
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Riccardo Campi
- Unit of Urological Robotic Surgery and Renal Transplantation, University of Florence, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mauro Gacci
- Unit of Urological Robotic Surgery and Renal Transplantation, University of Florence, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Asieh Golozar
- Odysseus Data Services, New York, NY, USA
- OHDSI Center, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Haroon Hafeez
- Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Tim Hulsen
- Department of Hospital Services & Informatics, Philips Research, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Josefsson
- Department of Urology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Raivo Kolde
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Daniel Kotik
- Center for Advanced Systems Understanding, Görlitz, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
| | | | | | - Chi-Ho Leung
- S.H. Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Rossella Nicoletti
- Unit of Urological Robotic Surgery and Renal Transplantation, University of Florence, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Daan Nieboer
- Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marek Oja
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Peter Prinsen
- Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Reich
- Odysseus Data Services, New York, NY, USA
- OHDSI Center, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giulio Raffaele Resta
- Unit of Urological Robotic Surgery and Renal Transplantation, University of Florence, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Maria J. Ribal
- Uro-Oncology Unit, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Gómez Rivas
- Department of Urology, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emma Smith
- Guidelines Office, European Association of Urology, Arnhem, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | - James N'Dow
- Academic Urology Unit, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Peter-Paul M. Willemse
- Department of Urology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Kutikova L, Brash JT, Helme K, Brewster J, Brand M, Adam A, Seager S, Kostev K, Schelling J. Characteristics and Outcomes for Recipients of NVX-CoV2373: A Real-World Retrospective Study in Germany. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:387. [PMID: 38675769 PMCID: PMC11054037 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12040387] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Real-world evidence supports SARS-CoV-2 vaccination strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This real-world retrospective study utilized the German Disease Analyzer database to characterize recipients of NVX-CoV2373 and explore vaccination outcomes. Recipients (≥12 years) of NVX-CoV2373 as a primary series or booster in Germany were vaccinated between March and December 2022. Outcomes included demographics and clinical characteristics of recipients, tolerability/reactogenicity-related events within 7 and 14 days post-vaccination, and protection from COVID-19. Overall, there were 597 recipients (mean age ~60 years) of NVX-CoV2373; 81% were vaccinated by a general practitioner, and 68% had a Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) high-risk factor. The most common baseline comorbidities were chronic neurological (36%) and chronic intestinal (21%) diseases. Among recipients with metabolic disease (~11%), 65% had diabetes. Tolerability/reactogenicity-related symptoms were recorded in ~1% of recipients. There were no sick-leave notes associated with NVX-CoV2373. After 10 months (median, 7 months) of follow-up, 95% (95% CI, 93-95) of recipients were estimated to be protected from COVID-19. Outcomes were similar across the primary series, booster, and STIKO populations. Tolerability and COVID-19 protection support the use of NVX-CoV2373 as a primary/booster vaccination for all authorized populations, including high-risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James T. Brash
- IQVIA, London W2 1AF, UK; (J.T.B.); (J.B.); (M.B.); (A.A.); (S.S.)
| | | | - Jack Brewster
- IQVIA, London W2 1AF, UK; (J.T.B.); (J.B.); (M.B.); (A.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Milou Brand
- IQVIA, London W2 1AF, UK; (J.T.B.); (J.B.); (M.B.); (A.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Atif Adam
- IQVIA, London W2 1AF, UK; (J.T.B.); (J.B.); (M.B.); (A.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Sarah Seager
- IQVIA, London W2 1AF, UK; (J.T.B.); (J.B.); (M.B.); (A.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Karel Kostev
- IQVIA, Epidemiology, 60549 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jörg Schelling
- Department of Medicine IV, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
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Brash JT, Diez-Pinel G, Colletto C, Castellan RF, Fantin A, Ruhrberg C. The BulkECexplorer compiles endothelial bulk transcriptomes to predict functional versus leaky transcription. Nat Cardiovasc Res 2024; 3:460-473. [PMID: 38708406 PMCID: PMC7615926 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-024-00436-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Transcriptomic data can be mined to understand the molecular activity of cell types. Yet, functional genes may remain undetected in RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) experiments for technical reasons, such as insufficient read depth or gene dropout. Conversely, RNA-seq experiments may detect lowly expressed mRNAs thought to be biologically irrelevant products of leaky transcription. To represent a cell type's functional transcriptome more accurately, we propose compiling many bulk RNA-seq datasets into a compendium and applying established classification models to predict whether detected transcripts are likely products of active or leaky transcription. Here, we present the BulkECexplorer (bulk RNA-seq endothelial cell explorer) compendium of 240 bulk RNA-seq datasets from five vascular endothelial cell subtypes. This resource reports transcript counts for genes of interest and predicts whether detected transcripts are likely the products of active or leaky gene expression. Beyond its usefulness for vascular biology research, this resource provides a blueprint for developing analogous tools for other cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T. Brash
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Chiara Colletto
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Fantin
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Lo Re III V, Cocoros NM, Hubbard RA, Dutcher SK, Newcomb CW, Connolly JG, Perez-Vilar S, Carbonari DM, Kempner ME, Hernández-Muñoz JJ, Petrone AB, Pishko AM, Rogers Driscoll ME, Brash JT, Burnett S, Cohet C, Dahl M, DeFor TA, Delmestri A, Djibo DA, Duarte-Salles T, Harrington LB, Kampman M, Kuntz JL, Kurz X, Mercadé-Besora N, Pawloski PA, Rijnbeek PR, Seager S, Steiner CA, Verhamme K, Wu F, Zhou Y, Burn E, Paterson JM, Prieto-Alhambra D. Risk of Arterial and Venous Thrombotic Events Among Patients with COVID-19: A Multi-National Collaboration of Regulatory Agencies from Canada, Europe, and United States. Clin Epidemiol 2024; 16:71-89. [PMID: 38357585 PMCID: PMC10865892 DOI: 10.2147/clep.s448980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Few studies have examined how the absolute risk of thromboembolism with COVID-19 has evolved over time across different countries. Researchers from the European Medicines Agency, Health Canada, and the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration established a collaboration to evaluate the absolute risk of arterial (ATE) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the 90 days after diagnosis of COVID-19 in the ambulatory (eg, outpatient, emergency department, nursing facility) setting from seven countries across North America (Canada, US) and Europe (England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain) within periods before and during COVID-19 vaccine availability. Patients and Methods We conducted cohort studies of patients initially diagnosed with COVID-19 in the ambulatory setting from the seven specified countries. Patients were followed for 90 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. The primary outcomes were ATE and VTE over 90 days from diagnosis date. We measured country-level estimates of 90-day absolute risk (with 95% confidence intervals) of ATE and VTE. Results The seven cohorts included 1,061,565 patients initially diagnosed with COVID-19 in the ambulatory setting before COVID-19 vaccines were available (through November 2020). The 90-day absolute risk of ATE during this period ranged from 0.11% (0.09-0.13%) in Canada to 1.01% (0.97-1.05%) in the US, and the 90-day absolute risk of VTE ranged from 0.23% (0.21-0.26%) in Canada to 0.84% (0.80-0.89%) in England. The seven cohorts included 3,544,062 patients with COVID-19 during vaccine availability (beginning December 2020). The 90-day absolute risk of ATE during this period ranged from 0.06% (0.06-0.07%) in England to 1.04% (1.01-1.06%) in the US, and the 90-day absolute risk of VTE ranged from 0.25% (0.24-0.26%) in England to 1.02% (0.99-1.04%) in the US. Conclusion There was heterogeneity by country in 90-day absolute risk of ATE and VTE after ambulatory COVID-19 diagnosis both before and during COVID-19 vaccine availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Lo Re III
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Noelle M Cocoros
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca A Hubbard
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sarah K Dutcher
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Craig W Newcomb
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John G Connolly
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Silvia Perez-Vilar
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Dena M Carbonari
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maria E Kempner
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - José J Hernández-Muñoz
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Andrew B Petrone
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Allyson M Pishko
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Meighan E Rogers Driscoll
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Sean Burnett
- Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies (CNODES), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Therapeutics Initiative, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Catherine Cohet
- Data Analytics and Methods Task Force, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Matthew Dahl
- Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies (CNODES), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Antonella Delmestri
- Pharmaco- and Device Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Talita Duarte-Salles
- Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l’Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Laura B Harrington
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Jennifer L Kuntz
- Kaiser Permanente Northwest Center for Health Research, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Xavier Kurz
- Data Analytics and Methods Task Force, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Núria Mercadé-Besora
- Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l’Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Peter R Rijnbeek
- Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Claudia A Steiner
- Kaiser Permanente Colorado Institute for Health Research, Aurora, CO, USA
- Colorado Permanente Medical Group, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Katia Verhamme
- Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fangyun Wu
- Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies (CNODES), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yunping Zhou
- Humana Healthcare Research, Inc., Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Edward Burn
- Pharmaco- and Device Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - J Michael Paterson
- Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies (CNODES), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel Prieto-Alhambra
- Pharmaco- and Device Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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Rashbrook VS, Brash JT, Ruhrberg C. Cre toxicity in mouse models of cardiovascular physiology and disease. Nat Cardiovasc Res 2022; 1:806-816. [PMID: 37692772 PMCID: PMC7615056 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-022-00125-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The Cre-LoxP system provides a widely used method for studying gene requirements in the mouse as the main mammalian genetic model organism. To define the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie cardiovascular development, function and disease, various mouse strains have been engineered that allow Cre-LoxP-mediated gene targeting within specific cell types of the cardiovascular system. Despite the usefulness of this system, evidence is accumulating that Cre activity can have toxic effects in cells, independently of its ability to recombine pairs of engineered LoxP sites in target genes. Here, we have gathered published evidence for Cre toxicity in cells and tissues relevant to cardiovascular biology and provide an overview of mechanisms proposed to underlie Cre toxicity. Based on this knowledge, we propose that each study utilising the Cre-LoxP system to investigate gene function in the cardiovascular system should incorporate appropriate controls to account for Cre toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria S. Rashbrook
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - James T. Brash
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Christiana Ruhrberg
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
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Brash JT, Ruhrberg C, Fantin A. Evaluating VEGF-Induced Vascular Leakage Using the Miles Assay. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2475:289-295. [PMID: 35451766 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2217-9_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Before the endothelial mitogenic activity of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGF) was described, VEGF had already been identified for its ability to induce vascular leakage. VEGF-induced vascular leakage has been most frequently studied in vivo using the Miles assay, a simple yet invaluable technique that has allowed researchers to unravel the molecular mechanisms underpinning vascular leakage both for VEGF and other permeability inducing agents. In this protocol, a mouse is intravenously injected with Evans Blue dye before VEGF is administered locally via intradermal injection. VEGF promotes vascular leak of serum proteins in the dermis, enabling Evans Blue-labeled albumin extravasation from the circulation and subsequent accumulation in the skin. As the volume of dye extravasation is proportional to the degree of vascular leak, it can be quantified as a proxy measurement of VEGF-induced vascular leakage.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Brash
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
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7
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Brash
- From the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, United Kingdom (J.T.B., R.L.B., V.S.R., L.D., C.R.)
| | - Rebecca L Bolton
- From the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, United Kingdom (J.T.B., R.L.B., V.S.R., L.D., C.R.)
| | - Victoria S Rashbrook
- From the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, United Kingdom (J.T.B., R.L.B., V.S.R., L.D., C.R.)
| | - Laura Denti
- From the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, United Kingdom (J.T.B., R.L.B., V.S.R., L.D., C.R.)
| | - Yoshiaki Kubota
- Department of Anatomy, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan (Y.K.)
| | - Christiana Ruhrberg
- From the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, United Kingdom (J.T.B., R.L.B., V.S.R., L.D., C.R.)
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Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) induces angiogenesis and vascular hyperpermeability in ocular tissues and is therefore a key therapeutic target for eye conditions in which these processes are dysregulated. In contrast, the therapeutic potential of VEGF's neurotrophic roles in the eye has remained unexploited. In particular, it is not known whether modulating levels of any of the 3 major alternatively spliced VEGF isoforms might provide a therapeutic approach to promote neural health in the eye without inducing vascular pathology. Here, we have used a variety of mouse models to demonstrate differences in overall VEGF levels and VEGF isoform ratios across tissues in the healthy eye. We further show that VEGF isoform expression was differentially regulated in retinal versus corneal disease models. Among the 3 major isoforms - termed VEGF120, VEGF164, and VEGF188 - VEGF188 was upregulated to the greatest extent in injured cornea, where it was both necessary and sufficient for corneal nerve regeneration. Moreover, topical VEGF188 application further promoted corneal nerve regeneration without inducing pathological neovascularization. VEGF isoform modulation should therefore be explored further for its potential in promoting neural health in the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Brash
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Denti
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Franziska Bucher
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Abstract
The primary function of the vascular endothelium in vertebrate organisms is to serve as a barrier between the blood and each tissue of the body, whereby the permeability of the endothelium to blood cells, plasma macromolecules, and water can be adapted according to the physiological need. In certain diseases, cytokines and growth factors are released that target the endothelial barrier to transiently increase vascular permeability; however, their prolonged presence may cause chronic vascular hyperpermeability and thereby tissue-damaging edema. The Miles assay is an in vivo technique that allows researchers to study vascular hyperpermeability through the proxy measurement of vascular leakage. Here, we provide a detailed protocol on how to perform this procedure in the mouse, which is the most widely used model organism to study mammalian physiology and pathology. The procedure involves the intravenous injection of Evans blue dye to label the circulating albumin followed by multiple intradermal injections of permeability-inducing agents and vehicle control solutions into opposing flanks of the mouse. Consequently, Evans blue dye gradually leaks into the dermis, where it accumulates and can be extracted for quantification as leakage induced by the permeability-inducing agent relative to the vehicle. The Miles assay can be performed in wild type or genetically modified mouse models and may be combined with drug administration to study molecular mechanisms that regulate vascular permeability and identify agents/targets capable of inducing or blocking hyperpermeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Brash
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London
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Fantin A, Lampropoulou A, Senatore V, Brash JT, Prahst C, Lange CA, Liyanage SE, Raimondi C, Bainbridge JW, Augustin HG, Ruhrberg C. VEGF165-induced vascular permeability requires NRP1 for ABL-mediated SRC family kinase activation. J Exp Med 2017; 214:1049-1064. [PMID: 28289053 PMCID: PMC5379968 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20160311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [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: 02/25/2016] [Revised: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Fantin et al. show that the VEGF isoform VEGF165 signals through a complex of VEGFR2 and NRP1, in which the NRP1 cytoplasmic domain promotes the ABL-mediated activation of SRC family kinases to evoke a hyperpermeability response, a known cause of pathological edema. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) isoform VEGF165 stimulates vascular growth and hyperpermeability. Whereas blood vessel growth is essential to sustain organ health, chronic hyperpermeability causes damaging tissue edema. By combining in vivo and tissue culture models, we show here that VEGF165-induced vascular leakage requires both VEGFR2 and NRP1, including the VEGF164-binding site of NRP1 and the NRP1 cytoplasmic domain (NCD), but not the known NCD interactor GIPC1. In the VEGF165-bound receptor complex, the NCD promotes ABL kinase activation, which in turn is required to activate VEGFR2-recruited SRC family kinases (SFKs). These results elucidate the receptor complex and signaling hierarchy of downstream kinases that transduce the permeability response to VEGF165. In a mouse model with choroidal neovascularisation akin to age-related macular degeneration, NCD loss attenuated vessel leakage without affecting neovascularisation. These findings raise the possibility that targeting NRP1 or its NCD interactors may be a useful therapeutic strategy in neovascular disease to reduce VEGF165-induced edema without compromising vessel growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Fantin
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, England, UK
| | | | - Valentina Senatore
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, England, UK
| | - James T Brash
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, England, UK
| | - Claudia Prahst
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Clemens A Lange
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, England, UK
| | - Sidath E Liyanage
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, England, UK
| | - Claudio Raimondi
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, England, UK
| | - James W Bainbridge
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, England, UK
| | - Hellmut G Augustin
- Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christiana Ruhrberg
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, England, UK
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Raimondi C, Brash JT, Fantin A, Ruhrberg C. NRP1 function and targeting in neurovascular development and eye disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2016; 52:64-83. [PMID: 26923176 PMCID: PMC4854174 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) is expressed by neurons, blood vessels, immune cells and many other cell types in the mammalian body and binds a range of structurally and functionally diverse extracellular ligands to modulate organ development and function. In recent years, several types of mouse knockout models have been developed that have provided useful tools for experimental investigation of NRP1 function, and a multitude of therapeutics targeting NRP1 have been designed, mostly with the view to explore them for cancer treatment. This review provides a general overview of current knowledge of the signalling pathways that are modulated by NRP1, with particular focus on neuronal and vascular roles in the brain and retina. This review will also discuss the potential of NRP1 inhibitors for the treatment for neovascular eye diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Raimondi
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - James T Brash
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Alessandro Fantin
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Christiana Ruhrberg
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK.
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Gravells P, Ahrabi S, Vangala RK, Tomita K, Brash JT, Brustle LA, Chung C, Hong JM, Kaloudi A, Humphrey TC, Porter ACG. Use of the HPRT gene to study nuclease-induced DNA double-strand break repair. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:7097-110. [PMID: 26423459 PMCID: PMC4654060 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of chromosomal double-strand break repair (DSBR) provides insight into genome instability, oncogenesis and genome engineering, including disease gene correction. Research into DSBR exploits rare-cutting endonucleases to cleave exogenous reporter constructs integrated into the genome. Multiple reporter constructs have been developed to detect various DSBR pathways. Here, using a single endogenous reporter gene, the X-chromosomal disease gene encoding hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT), we monitor the relative utilization of three DSBR pathways following cleavage by I-SceI or CRISPR/Cas9 nucleases. For I-SceI, our estimated frequencies of accurate or mutagenic non-homologous end-joining and gene correction by homologous recombination are 4.1, 1.5 and 0.16%, respectively. Unexpectedly, I-SceI and Cas9 induced markedly different DSBR profiles. Also, using an I-SceI-sensitive HPRT minigene, we show that gene correction is more efficient when using long double-stranded DNA than single- or double-stranded oligonucleotides. Finally, using both endogenous HPRT and exogenous reporters, we validate novel cell cycle phase-specific I-SceI derivatives for investigating cell cycle variations in DSBR. The results obtained using these novel approaches provide new insights into template design for gene correction and the relationships between multiple DSBR pathways at a single endogenous disease gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polly Gravells
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
| | - Sara Ahrabi
- CRUK MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Rajani K Vangala
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
| | - Kazunori Tomita
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
| | - James T Brash
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
| | - Lena A Brustle
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
| | - Christopher Chung
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
| | - Julia M Hong
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
| | - Aikaterini Kaloudi
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
| | - Timothy C Humphrey
- CRUK MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Andrew C G Porter
- Gene Targeting Group, Centre for Haematology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London W120NN, UK and
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