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Cohen C, Mhaidly R, Croizer H, Kieffer Y, Leclere R, Vincent-Salomon A, Robley C, Anglicheau D, Rabant M, Sannier A, Timsit MO, Eddy S, Kretzler M, Ju W, Mechta-Grigoriou F. WNT-dependent interaction between inflammatory fibroblasts and FOLR2+ macrophages promotes fibrosis in chronic kidney disease. Nat Commun 2024; 15:743. [PMID: 38272907 PMCID: PMC10810789 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44886-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem driven by myofibroblast accumulation, leading to interstitial fibrosis. Heterogeneity is a recently recognized characteristic in kidney fibroblasts in CKD, but the role of different populations is still unclear. Here, we characterize a proinflammatory fibroblast population (named CXCL-iFibro), which corresponds to an early state of myofibroblast differentiation in CKD. We demonstrate that CXCL-iFibro co-localize with macrophages in the kidney and participate in their attraction, accumulation, and switch into FOLR2+ macrophages from early CKD stages on. In vitro, macrophages promote the switch of CXCL-iFibro into ECM-secreting myofibroblasts through a WNT/β-catenin-dependent pathway, thereby suggesting a reciprocal crosstalk between these populations of fibroblasts and macrophages. Finally, the detection of CXCL-iFibro at early stages of CKD is predictive of poor patient prognosis, which shows that the CXCL-iFibro population is an early player in CKD progression and demonstrates the clinical relevance of our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Cohen
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Rana Mhaidly
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Hugo Croizer
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Yann Kieffer
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Renaud Leclere
- Department of Diagnostic and Theragnostic Medicine, Institut Curie Hospital Group, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
| | - Anne Vincent-Salomon
- Department of Diagnostic and Theragnostic Medicine, Institut Curie Hospital Group, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Robley
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Dany Anglicheau
- Department of Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, Paris Cité University, Inserm U1151, 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Marion Rabant
- Department of Pathology, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, Paris Cité University, 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Sannier
- Department of Pathology, AP-HP, Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris Cité University, Inserm, U1148, 46, rue Henri Huchard, 75877, Paris, France
| | - Marc-Olivier Timsit
- Department of Urology, Européen George Pompidou Hospital, APHP, Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Sean Eddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Matthias Kretzler
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Wenjun Ju
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Fatima Mechta-Grigoriou
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France.
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France.
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2
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Shrestha B, Tallila M, Matilainen O. Folate receptor overexpression induces toxicity in a diet-dependent manner in C. elegans. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1066. [PMID: 38212621 PMCID: PMC10784478 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51700-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Folate receptor (FR) alpha (FOLR1) and beta (FOLR2) are membrane-anchored folate transporters that are expressed at low levels in normal tissues, while their expression is strongly increased in several cancers. Intriguingly, although the function of these receptors in, for example, development and cancer has been studied intensively, their role in aging is still unknown. To address this, we utilized Caenorhabditis elegans, in which FOLR-1 is the sole ortholog of folate receptors. We found that the loss of FOLR-1 does not affect reproduction, physical condition, proteostasis or lifespan, indicating that it is not required for folate transport to maintain health. Interestingly, we found that FOLR-1 is detectably expressed only in uterine-vulval cells, and that the histone-binding protein LIN-53 inhibits its expression in other tissues. Furthermore, whereas knockdown of lin-53 is known to shorten lifespan, we found that the loss of FOLR-1 partially rescues this phenotype, suggesting that elevated folr-1 expression is detrimental for health. Indeed, our data demonstrate that overexpression of folr-1 is toxic, and that this phenotype is dependent on diet. Altogether, this work could serve as a basis for further studies to elucidate the organismal effects of abnormal FR expression in diseases such as cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bideep Shrestha
- The Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Milla Tallila
- The Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Matilainen
- The Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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3
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Chen Y, Liu F, Chen X, Li W, Li K, Cai H, Wang S, Wang H, Xu K, Zhang C, Ye S, Shen Y, Mou T, Cai S, Zhou J, Yu J. microRNA-622 upregulates cell cycle process by targeting FOLR2 to promote CRC proliferation. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:26. [PMID: 38166756 PMCID: PMC10763126 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11766-6] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic alterations contribute greatly to the development and progression of colorectal cancer, and effect of aberrant miR-622 expression is still controversial. This study aimed to discover miR-622 regulation in CRC proliferation. METHODS miR-622 expression and prognosis were analyzed in clinical CRC samples from Nanfang Hospital. miR-622 regulation on cell cycle and tumor proliferation was discovered, and FOLR2 was screened as functional target of miR-622 using bioinformatics analysis, which was validated via dual luciferase assay and gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS miR-622 overexpression in CRC indicated unfavorable prognosis and it regulated cell cycle to promote tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. FOLR2 is a specific, functional target of miR-622, which negatively correlates with signature genes in cell cycle process to promote CRC proliferation. CONCLUSIONS miR-622 upregulates cell cycle process by targeting FOLR2 to promote CRC proliferation, proposing a novel mechanism and treatment target in CRC epigenetic regulation of miR-622.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuehong Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Wenyi Li
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Kejun Li
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Hailang Cai
- Department of Radiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Shunyi Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Honglei Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Chenxi Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Shengzhi Ye
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Yunhao Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Tingyu Mou
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Shumin Cai
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
| | - Jianwei Zhou
- Department of Medical Imaging Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 1838, Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
| | - Jiang Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
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4
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Qin XY, Ha SY, Chen L, Zhang T, Li MQ. Recent Advances in Folates and Autoantibodies against Folate Receptors in Early Pregnancy and Miscarriage. Nutrients 2023; 15:4882. [PMID: 38068740 PMCID: PMC10708193 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234882] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Though firstly identified in cerebral folate deficiency, autoantibodies against folate receptors (FRAbs) have been implicated in pregnancy complications such as miscarriage; however, the underlying mechanism needs to be further elaborated. FRAbs can be produced via sensitization mediated by folate-binding protein as well as gene mutation, aberrant modulation, or degradation of folate receptors (FRs). FRAbs may interfere with folate internalization and metabolism through blocking or binding with FRs. Interestingly, different types of FRs are expressed on trophoblast cells, decidual epithelium or stroma, and macrophages at the maternal-fetal interface, implying FRAbs may be involved in the critical events necessary for a successful pregnancy. Thus, we propose that FRAbs may disturb pregnancy establishment and maintenance by modulating trophoblastic biofunctions, placental development, decidualization, and decidua homeostasis as well as the functions of FOLR2+ macrophages. In light of these findings, FRAbs may be a critical factor in pathological pregnancy, and deserve careful consideration in therapies involving folic acid supplementation for pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Yun Qin
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China; (X.-Y.Q.); (S.-Y.H.)
| | - Si-Yao Ha
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China; (X.-Y.Q.); (S.-Y.H.)
| | - Lu Chen
- Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Tao Zhang
- Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Ming-Qing Li
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China; (X.-Y.Q.); (S.-Y.H.)
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China
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5
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Moore PK, Anderson KC, McManus SA, Tu TH, King EM, Mould KJ, Redente EF, Henson PM, Janssen WJ, McCubbrey AL. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals unique monocyte-derived interstitial macrophage subsets during lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung inflammation. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2023; 324:L536-L549. [PMID: 36852927 PMCID: PMC10069979 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00223.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Interstitial macrophages (IMs) reside in the lung tissue surrounding key structures including airways, vessels, and alveoli. Recent work has described IM heterogeneity during homeostasis, however, there are limited data on IMs during inflammation. We sought to characterize IM origin, subsets, and transcriptomic profiles during homeostasis and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced acute lung inflammation. During homeostasis, we used three complementary methods, spectral flow cytometry, single-cell RNA-sequencing, and gene regulatory network enrichment, to demonstrate that IMs can be divided into two core subsets distinguished by surface and transcriptional expression of folate receptor β (Folr2/FRβ). These subsets inhabited distinct niches within the lung interstitium. Within FRβ+ IMs we identified a subpopulation marked by coexpression of LYVE1. During acute LPS-induced inflammation, lung IM numbers expand. Lineage tracing revealed IM expansion was due to recruitment of monocyte-derived IMs. At the peak of inflammation, recruited IMs were comprised two unique subsets defined by expression of genes associated with interferon signaling and glycolytic pathways. As recruited IMs matured, they adopted the overall transcriptional state of FRβ- resident IMs but retained expression in several origin-specific genes, such as IL-1β. FRβ+ IMs were of near-pure resident origin. Taken together our data show that during LPS-induced inflammation, there are distinct populations of IMs that likely have unique functions. FRΒ+ IMs comprise a stable, resident population, whereas FRβ- ΙΜs represent a mixed population of resident and recruited IMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter K Moore
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
| | - Kelsey C Anderson
- Center for Genes, Environment, and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
| | - Shannon A McManus
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
| | - Ting-Hui Tu
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
| | - Emily M King
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
| | - Kara J Mould
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
| | - Elizabeth F Redente
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
| | - Peter M Henson
- Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States
| | - William J Janssen
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
| | - Alexandra L McCubbrey
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, United States
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6
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Garcia GE, Lu YJ, Truong LD, Roncal-Jiménez CA, Miyazaki M, Miyazaki-Anzai S, Cara-Fuentes G, Andres-Hernando A, Lanaspa M, Johnson RJ, Leamon CP. A Novel Treatment for Glomerular Disease: Targeting the Activated Macrophage Folate Receptor with a Trojan Horse Therapy in Rats. Cells 2021; 10:2113. [PMID: 34440885 PMCID: PMC8393837 DOI: 10.3390/cells10082113] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Since activated macrophages express a functional folate receptor β (FRβ), targeting this macrophage population with folate-linked drugs could increase selectivity to treat inflammatory diseases. Using a macrophage-mediated anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) glomerulonephritis (GN) in WKY rats, we investigated the effect of a novel folic acid-aminopterin (AMT) conjugate (EC2319) designed to intracellularly deliver AMT via the FR. We found that treatment with EC2319 significantly attenuated kidney injury and preserved renal function. Kidney protection with EC2319 was blocked by a folate competitor, indicating that its mechanism of action was specifically FRβ-mediated. Notably, treatment with methotrexate (MTX), another folic acid antagonist related to AMT, did not protect from kidney damage. EC2319 reduced glomerular and interstitial macrophage infiltration and decreased M1 macrophage recruitment but not M2 macrophages. The expression of CCL2 and the pro-fibrotic cytokine TGF-β were also reduced in nephritic glomeruli with EC2319 treatment. In EC2319-treated rats, there was a significant decrease in the deposition of collagens. In nephritic kidneys, FRβ was expressed on periglomerular macrophages and macrophages present in the crescents, but its expression was not observed in normal kidneys. These data indicate that selectively targeting the activated macrophage population could represent a novel means for treating anti-GBM GN and other acute crescentic glomerulonephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela E. Garcia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.A.R.-J.); (M.M.); (S.M.-A.); (G.C.-F.); (A.A.-H.); (M.L.); (R.J.J.)
| | - Yingjuan J. Lu
- Endocyte, Inc., Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA; (Y.J.L.); (C.P.L.)
| | - Luan D. Truong
- Department of Pathology, The Houston Methodist Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Carlos A. Roncal-Jiménez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.A.R.-J.); (M.M.); (S.M.-A.); (G.C.-F.); (A.A.-H.); (M.L.); (R.J.J.)
| | - Makoto Miyazaki
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.A.R.-J.); (M.M.); (S.M.-A.); (G.C.-F.); (A.A.-H.); (M.L.); (R.J.J.)
| | - Shinobu Miyazaki-Anzai
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.A.R.-J.); (M.M.); (S.M.-A.); (G.C.-F.); (A.A.-H.); (M.L.); (R.J.J.)
| | - Gabriel Cara-Fuentes
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.A.R.-J.); (M.M.); (S.M.-A.); (G.C.-F.); (A.A.-H.); (M.L.); (R.J.J.)
| | - Ana Andres-Hernando
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.A.R.-J.); (M.M.); (S.M.-A.); (G.C.-F.); (A.A.-H.); (M.L.); (R.J.J.)
| | - Miguel Lanaspa
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.A.R.-J.); (M.M.); (S.M.-A.); (G.C.-F.); (A.A.-H.); (M.L.); (R.J.J.)
| | - Richard J. Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.A.R.-J.); (M.M.); (S.M.-A.); (G.C.-F.); (A.A.-H.); (M.L.); (R.J.J.)
| | - Christopher P. Leamon
- Endocyte, Inc., Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA; (Y.J.L.); (C.P.L.)
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7
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Cresswell GM, Wang B, Kischuk EM, Broman MM, Alfar RA, Vickman RE, Dimitrov DS, Kularatne SA, Sundaram CP, Singhal S, Eruslanov EB, Crist SA, Elzey BD, Ratliff TL, Low PS. Folate Receptor Beta Designates Immunosuppressive Tumor-Associated Myeloid Cells That Can Be Reprogrammed with Folate-Targeted Drugs. Cancer Res 2021; 81:671-684. [PMID: 33203700 PMCID: PMC10987201 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-1414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although immunotherapies of tumors have demonstrated promise for altering the progression of malignancies, immunotherapies have been limited by an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that prevents infiltrating immune cells from performing their anticancer functions. Prominent among immunosuppressive cells are myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) that inhibit T cells via release of immunosuppressive cytokines and engagement of checkpoint receptors. Here, we explore the properties of MDSCs and TAMs from freshly isolated mouse and human tumors and find that an immunosuppressive subset of these cells can be distinguished from the nonimmunosuppressive population by its upregulation of folate receptor beta (FRβ) within the TME and its restriction to the TME. This FRβ+ subpopulation could be selectively targeted with folate-linked drugs. Delivery of a folate-targeted TLR7 agonist to these cells (i) reduced their immunosuppressive function, (ii) increased CD8+ T-cell infiltration, (iii) enhanced M1/M2 macrophage ratios, (iv) inhibited tumor growth, (v) blocked tumor metastasis, and (vi) improved overall survival without demonstrable toxicity. These data reveal a broadly applicable strategy across tumor types for reprogramming MDSCs and TAMs into antitumorigenic immune cells using a drug that would otherwise be too toxic to administer systemically. The data also establish FRβ as the first marker that distinguishes immunosuppressive from nonimmunosuppressive subsets of MDSCs and TAMs. Because all solid tumors accumulate MDSCs and TAMs, a general strategy to both identify and reprogram these cells should be broadly applied in the characterization and treatment of multiple tumors. SIGNIFICANCE: FRβ serves as both a means to identify and target MDSCs and TAMs within the tumor, allowing for delivery of immunomodulatory compounds to tumor myeloid cells in a variety of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bingbing Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Erin M Kischuk
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | | | - Rami A Alfar
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Renee E Vickman
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Dimiter S Dimitrov
- Center for Antibody Therapeutics, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | | | - Sunil Singhal
- Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Evgeniy B Eruslanov
- Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Scott A Crist
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Bennett D Elzey
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, West Lafayette, Indiana
- Department of Urology, IU School of Medicine, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Timothy L Ratliff
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, West Lafayette, Indiana.
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Philip S Low
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, Indiana
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
- Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
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8
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Lake AD, Hardwick RN, Leamon CP, Low PS, Cherrington NJ. Folate receptor-beta expression as a diagnostic target in human & rodent nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2019; 368:49-54. [PMID: 30794826 PMCID: PMC6487882 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2019.02.009] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) afflicts 20-36% of individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A lipotoxic hepatic environment, altered innate immune signaling and inflammation are defining features of progression to NASH. Activated resident liver macrophages express folate receptor beta (FR-β) which may be an indicator of progression from steatosis to NASH. The goals of this study were to characterize FR-β protein expression in human NAFLD and rodent models of NASH, and demonstrate liver targeting of an FR-β imaging agent to the liver of a rodent NASH model using FR-β. METHODS Rat liver lysates from methionine choline deficient (MCD) fed rats, high fat diet (HFD) and methionine choline sufficient (MC+) rat controls were analyzed for hepatic FR-β protein. The FR-β-targeted agent, Etarfolatide was injected into MCD and MC + -fed C57BL/6 mice for efficient FastSPECT hepatic imaging. Additionally, FR-β expression across the stages of human NAFLD from normal to NASH was assessed. RESULTS FastSPECT images show targeting of Etarfolatide to the liver of mice fed 8 weeks of MCD diet but not control-fed mice. The MCD rat model exhibited significantly increased protein expression of hepatic FR-β in contrast to HFD or normal samples. Similarly human liver samples categorized as NASH Fatty or NASH Not Fatty showed elevated FR-β protein when compared to normal liver. FR-β transcript expression levels were elevated across both NASH Fatty and NASH Not Fatty samples. CONCLUSION The findings in this study indicate that FR-β expression in NASH may be harnessed to target agents directly to the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- April D Lake
- University of Arizona, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Rhiannon N Hardwick
- University of Arizona, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Philip S Low
- Purdue University, Department of Chemistry, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Nathan J Cherrington
- University of Arizona, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tucson, AZ, USA.
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9
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Chandrupatla DMSH, Molthoff CFM, Lammertsma AA, van der Laken CJ, Jansen G. The folate receptor β as a macrophage-mediated imaging and therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2019; 9:366-378. [PMID: 30280318 PMCID: PMC6328514 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-018-0589-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [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] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages play a key role in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Notably, positive correlations have been reported between synovial macrophage infiltration and disease activity as well as therapy outcome in RA patients. Hence, macrophages can serve as an important target for both imaging disease activity and drug delivery in RA. Folate receptor β (FRβ) is a glycosylphosphatidyl (GPI)-anchored plasma membrane protein being expressed on myeloid cells and activated macrophages. FRβ harbors a nanomolar binding affinity for folic acid allowing this receptor to be exploited for RA disease imaging (e.g., folate-conjugated PET tracers) and therapeutic targeting (e.g., folate antagonists and folate-conjugated drugs). This review provides an overview of these emerging applications in RA by summarizing and discussing properties of FRβ, expression of FRβ in relation to macrophage polarization, FRβ-targeted in vivo imaging modalities, and FRβ-directed drug targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Durga M S H Chandrupatla
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, VU University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Carla F M Molthoff
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan A Lammertsma
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Conny J van der Laken
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, VU University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gerrit Jansen
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, VU University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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10
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Yao Y, Li B, Yin C, Cong F, Ma GS, Liu NF, Fan QL, Teng GJ. A Folate-Conjugated Dual-Modal Fluorescent Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agent that Targets Activated Macrophages In Vitro and In Vivo. J Biomed Nanotechnol 2018; 12:2161-71. [PMID: 29372808 DOI: 10.1166/jbn.2016.2316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Mucin-1 (MUC1), a transmembrane glycoprotein is aberrantly expressed on ∼90% of breast cancer and is an excellent target for nanoparticulate targeted imaging. In this study, the development of a dye-doped NIR emitting mesoporous silica nanoparticles platform conjugated to tumor-specific MUC1 antibody (ab-tMUC1-NIR-MSN) for in vivo optical detection of breast adenocarcinoma tissue is reported. The structural properties, the in vitro and in vivo performance of this nanoparticle-based probe were evaluated. In vitro studies showed that the MSN-based optical imaging nanoprobe is non-cytotoxic and targets efficiently mammary cancer cells overexpressing human tMUC1 protein. In vivo experiments with female C57BL/6 mice indicated that this platform accumulates mainly in the liver and did not induce short-term toxicity. In addition, we demonstrated that the ab-tMUC1-NIR-MSN nanoprobe specifically detects mammary gland tumors overexpressing human tMUC1 in a human MUC1 transgenic mouse model.
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11
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Peng Y, Zhao Z, Liu T, Li X, Hu X, Wei X, Zhang X, Tan W. Smart Human-Serum-Albumin-As 2 O 3 Nanodrug with Self-Amplified Folate Receptor-Targeting Ability for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Treatment. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017; 56:10845-10849. [PMID: 28686804 PMCID: PMC5912668 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201701366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [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: 02/07/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Arsenic trioxide (ATO, As2 O3 ) is currently used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, expanding its use to include high-dose treatment of other cancers is severely hampered by serious side effects on healthy organs. To address these limitations, we loaded ATO onto folate (FA)-labeled human serum albumin (HSA) pretreated with glutathione (GSH) based on the low pH- and GSH-sensitive arsenic-sulfur bond, and we termed the resulting smart nanodrug as FA-HSA-ATO. FA-HSA-ATO could specifically recognize folate receptor-β-positive (FRβ+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells, resulting in more intracellular accumulation of ATO. Furthermore, the nanodrug could upregulate FRβ expression in CML cancer cells and xenograft tumor model, facilitating even more recruitment and uptake of FRβ-targeting drugs. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicate that the nanodrug significantly alleviates side effects and improves therapeutic efficacy of ATO on CML and xenograft tumor model.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Arsenic Trioxide/chemistry
- Arsenic Trioxide/pharmacology
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
- Folate Receptor 2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Folate Receptor 2/metabolism
- Humans
- K562 Cells
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/metabolism
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/pathology
- Mice
- Nanoparticles/chemistry
- Neoplasms, Experimental/drug therapy
- Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- Serum Albumin, Human/chemistry
- Structure-Activity Relationship
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongbo Peng
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
| | - Zilong Zhao
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
| | - Teng Liu
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Xiong Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Hu
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
| | - Xiaoping Wei
- Center for Clinical Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Dis-orders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
| | - Xiaobing Zhang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, UF Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7200, USA
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12
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Nogueira E, Freitas J, Loureiro A, Nogueira P, Gomes AC, Preto A, Carmo AM, Moreira A, Cavaco-Paulo A. Neutral PEGylated liposomal formulation for efficient folate-mediated delivery of MCL1 siRNA to activated macrophages. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2017; 155:459-465. [PMID: 28472749 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2017.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Cationic liposomes are efficient vectors for systemic delivery of therapeutic small interfering RNA (siRNA), taking advantage of RNA interference (RNAi), a naturally occurring gene-silencing mechanism in mammalian cells. However, toxicity at high concentrations, short circulating half-lives and lack of specificity restrict their successful application in a wider scale. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of neutral liposomes containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) to encapsulate siRNA in their aqueous core. This formulation will reduce drastically the toxicity associated to cationic liposomes by bringing surface charge to almost zero, increasing stealth degree and therefore circulation time. In this study, we evaluate the efficiency of folate-targeted liposomes for specific delivery of siRNA to activated macrophages, key effector cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathology which specifically express folate receptor β (FRβ). Myeloid cell leukaemia-1 (Mcl-1) is a protein essential for synovial macrophage survival, since Mcl-1 suppression results in the induction of apoptosis. The effect of MCL1 siRNA incorporated in liposomal formulation was assessed in primary human macrophages and successful inhibition of Mcl-1 expression was achieved. Here we show that the neutral liposomal derived from DOPE (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine) formulation developed is efficient to encapsulate MCL1 siRNA and silencing gene expression in activated human macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugénia Nogueira
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Jaime Freitas
- I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Loureiro
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Nogueira
- I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreia C Gomes
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana Preto
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Alexandre M Carmo
- I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal; ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Moreira
- I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
| | - Artur Cavaco-Paulo
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
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13
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Mohammadi M, Li Y, Abebe DG, Xie Y, Kandil R, Kraus T, Gomez-Lopez N, Fujiwara T, Merkel OM. Folate receptor targeted three-layered micelles and hydrogels for gene delivery to activated macrophages. J Control Release 2016; 244:269-279. [PMID: 27565213 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [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: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
New folic acid (FA) coupled three layered micelles (3LM) were designed to encapsulate DNA, and their application as delivery system that specifically targets activated macrophages was investigated for new treatment options in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). FA coupled poly(l-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (FA-PEG-PLLA) was synthesized via the NHS-ester activated/amine coupling method. Fluorescein labeled folic acid was used for flow cytometric detection of the expression of functional folic receptor β in LPS-activated and resting macrophages. FA coupled 3LM were formulated in a two-step procedure and characterized regarding hydrodynamic diameters and zeta potentials. The presence of the targeting ligand was shown not to increase the size of the 3LM compared to their non-targeted counterparts. Targeted and non-targeted 3LM were used in vitro to optimize uptake conditions in the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. The amount of FA coupled polymer in the final formulation was found to be optimal at 75% FA-PEG-PLLA and 25% PLLA-PEG-PLLA. Subsequently, transgene expression in vitro in RAW 264.7 cells and ex vivo in primary activated and resting mouse macrophages was determined as a function of FR-mediated internalization of 3LM encapsulating GFP expressing plasmid. FR-overexpressing activated cells, as successfully identified by internalization of FA-fluorescein, showed significantly higher GFP expression in vitro and ex vivo than resting macrophages with only a basal level of FR expression. Lastly, injectable hydrogels as depot formulation were formed by stereocomplexation, and their degradation, DNA release profiles, and dissociation into intact 3LM were found to be beneficial for potential in vivo application. Our findings confirm that FA-3LM are taken up by activated macrophages via folate receptor mediated endocytosis and that their hydrogels release intact 3LM for efficient transfection of primary macrophages. Therefore, FA-3LM could become a promising delivery system for receptor-mediated drug or gene delivery and novel therapy for rheumatoid arthritis in an in situ forming gel formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Mohammadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmaceutics, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Daniel G Abebe
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Yuran Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Rima Kandil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmaceutics, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Teresa Kraus
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmaceutics, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology & Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, 275 E. Hancock, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Tomoko Fujiwara
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Olivia M Merkel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmaceutics, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany; Department of Oncology, Molecular Therapeutics Program, Wayne State University, 4100 John R St, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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14
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Lu Y, Parker N, Kleindl PJ, Cross VA, Wollak K, Westrick E, Stinnette TW, Gehrke MA, Wang K, Santhapuram HKR, You F, Hahn SJ, Vaughn JF, Klein PJ, Vlahov IR, Low PS, Leamon CP. Antiinflammatory Activity of a Novel Folic Acid Targeted Conjugate of the mTOR Inhibitor Everolimus. Mol Med 2015; 21:584-96. [PMID: 26181632 PMCID: PMC4656201 DOI: 10.2119/molmed.2015.00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Folate receptor (FR)-β has been identified as a promising target for antimacrophage and antiinflammatory therapies. In the present study, we investigated EC0565, a folic acid-derivative of everolimus, as a FR-specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Because of its amphiphilic nature, EC0565 was first evaluated for water solubility, critical micelle formation, stability in culture and FR-binding specificity. Using FR-expressing macrophages, the effect of EC0565 on mTOR signaling and cellular proliferation was studied. The pharmacokinetics, metabolism and bioavailability of EC0565 were studied in normal rats. The in vivo activity of EC0565 was assessed in rats with adjuvant arthritis, a "macrophage-rich" model with close resemblance to rheumatoid arthritis. EC0565 forms micellar aggregates in physiological buffers and demonstrates good water solubility as well as strong multivalent FR-binding capacity. EC0565 inhibited mTOR signaling in rat macrophages at nanomolar concentrations and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in serum-starved RAW264.7 cells. Subcutaneously administered EC0565 in rats displayed good bioavailability and a relatively long half-life (~12 h). When given at 250 nmol/kg, EC0565 selectively inhibited proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in thioglycollate-stimulated rat peritoneal cells. With limited dosing regimens, the antiarthritic activity of EC0565 was found superior to that of etanercept, everolimus and a nontargeted everolimus analog. The in vivo activity of EC0565 was also comparable to that of a folate-targeted aminopterin. Folate-targeted mTOR inhibition may be an effective way of suppressing activated macrophages in sites of inflammation, especially in nutrient-deprived conditions, such as in the arthritic joints. Further investigation and improvement upon the physical and biochemical properties of EC0565 are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjuan Lu
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Nikki Parker
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Paul J Kleindl
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Vicky A Cross
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Kristin Wollak
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Elaine Westrick
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | | | - Mark A Gehrke
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Kevin Wang
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | | | - Fei You
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Spencer J Hahn
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Jeremy F Vaughn
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Patrick J Klein
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Iontcho R Vlahov
- Endocyte, Inc., West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Philip S Low
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
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15
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Winkel LCJ, Groen HC, van Thiel BS, Müller C, van der Steen AFW, Wentzel JJ, de Jong M, Van der Heiden K. Folate receptor–targeted single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography to detect activated macrophages in atherosclerosis: can it distinguish vulnerable from stable atherosclerotic plaques? Mol Imaging 2014; 13. [PMID: 24757762 DOI: 10.2310/7290.2013.00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The need for noninvasive imaging to distinguish stable from vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques is evident. Activated macrophages play a role in atherosclerosis and express folate receptor folate receptor β (FR-β). The feasibility of folate targeting to detect atherosclerosis was demonstrated in human and mouse plaques, and it was suggested that molecular imaging of FR-β through folate conjugates might be a specific marker for plaque vulnerability. However, these studies did not allow differentiation between stable and vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. We investigated the feasibility of a folate-based radiopharmaceutical (111)In-EC0800) with high-resolution animal single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) to differentiate between stable and vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in apolipoprotein E(−/−) mice in which we can induce plaques with the characteristics of stable and vulnerable plaques by placing a flow-modifying cast around the common carotid artery. Both plaques showed (111)In-EC0800 uptake, with higher uptake in the vulnerable plaque. However, the vulnerable plaque was larger than the stable plaque. Therefore, we determined tracer uptake per plaque volume and demonstrated higher accumulation of (111)In-EC0800 in the stable plaque normalized to plaque volume. Our data show that (111)In-EC0800 is not a clear-cut marker for the detection of vulnerable plaques but detects both stable and vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in a mouse model of atherosclerosis.
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16
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Folate receptor β (FRβ)-expressing macrophages have been identified as activated macrophages. Here, we investigated the infiltration of FRβ-expressing macrophages in a murine model of bleomycin (BLM)-induced skin fibrosis and assessed the antifibrotic effects of depletion of FRβ-expressing macrophages in this model using a recombinant immunotoxin to FRβ. METHODS A recombinant immunotoxin (anti-FRβ-PE38) was prepared by conjugating the Fv portion of the anti-mouse FRβ heavy chain with truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin A (VH-PE38) and the Fv portion of the anti-mouse FRβ light chain. BLM-induced skin fibrosis mice were intravenously treated with either anti-FRβ-PE38 or VH-PE38 as a control protein. Skin fibrosis was evaluated by the change of skin thickness and hydroxyproline content on Day 29. The TGFβ1 mRNA levels in the treated skin were assessed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR on Day 9. RESULTS Numbers of FRβ-expressing macrophages increased in BLM-injected skin. Anti-FRβ-PE38 treatment led to a dramatic reduction in the number of FRβ-expressing macrophages. Additionally, skin thickness and hydroxyproline content, were markedly reduced. TGFβ1 mRNA levels were also down-regulated after the treatment. TGFβ1 expression was enriched in FRβ-expressing macrophages compared with FRβ-negative macrophages. CONCLUSION These results indicated that anti-FRβ-PE38 treatment efficiently depleted FRβ-expressing macrophages and consequently alleviated BLM-induced skin fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Li
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima , Japan
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17
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Müller A, Beck K, Rancic Z, Müller C, Fischer CR, Betzel T, Kaufmann PA, Schibli R, Krämer SD, Ametamey SM. Imaging atherosclerotic plaque inflammation via folate receptor targeting using a novel 18F-folate radiotracer. Mol Imaging 2014; 13:1-11. [PMID: 24622812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Folate receptor β (FR-β) is overexpressed on activated, but not resting, macrophages involved in a variety of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. A pivotal step in atherogenesis is the subendothelial accumulation of macrophages. In nascent lesions, they coordinate the scavenging of lipids and cellular debris to define the likelihood of plaque inflammation and eventually rupture. In this study, we determined the presence of FR-β-expressing macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions by the use of a fluorine-18-labeled folate-based radiotracer. Human endarterectomized specimens were used to measure gene expression levels of FR-β and CD68. Increased FR-β and CD68 levels were found in atherosclerotic plaques compared to normal artery walls by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry demonstrated prominent FR-β protein levels in plaques. FR-β-positive cells colocalized with activated macrophages (CD68) in plaque tissue. Carotid sections incubated with 3'-aza-2'-[18F]fluorofolic acid displayed increased accumulation in atherosclerotic plaques through in vitro autoradiography. Specific binding of the radiotracer correlated with FR-β-expressing macrophages. These results demonstrate high FR-β expression in atherosclerotic lesions of human carotid tissue correlating with CD68-positive macrophages. Areas of high 3'-aza-2'-[18F]fluorofolic acid binding within the lesions represented FR-β-expressing macrophages. Selectively targeting FR-β-positive macrophages through folate-based radiopharmaceuticals may be useful for noninvasive imaging of plaque inflammation.
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18
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Fiehn C. Methotrexate transport mechanisms: the basis for targeted drug delivery and ß-folate-receptor-specific treatment. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2010; 28:S40-S45. [PMID: 21044432] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2010] [Accepted: 08/20/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Methotrexate (MTX) plays a pivotal role in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The transport mechanisms with which MTX reaches is target after application are an important part of MTX pharmacology and its concentration in target tissue such as RA synovial membrane might strongly influence the effectiveness of the drug. Physiological plasma protein binding of MTX to albumin is important for the distribution of MTX in the body and relative high concentrations of the drug are found in the liver. However, targeted drug delivery into inflamed joints and increased anti-arthritic efficiency can be obtained by covalent coupling of MTX ex-vivo to human serum albumin (MTX-HSA) or in-vivo to endogenous albumin mediated through the MTX-pro-drug AWO54. High expression of the folate receptor β (FR-β) on synovial macrophages of RA patients and its capacity to mediate binding and uptake of MTX has been demonstrated. To further improve drug treatment of RA, FR-β specific drugs have been developed and were characterised for their therapeutic potency in synovial inflammation. Therefore, different approaches to improve folate inhibitory and FR-β specific therapy of RA beyond MTX are in development and will be described.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Fiehn
- ACURA Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Baden-Baden, Germany.
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