scholarly journals Inhibition of fibrosis with multi-agent therapy in pulmonary fibrosis: Results of a drug library screening

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassandra Batzlaff Braun ◽  
Megan Girtman ◽  
Paige Jenson ◽  
Michael H Bourne ◽  
JuneMee Chae ◽  
...  

AbstractAimsSuccessful management of IPF will likely require multi-drug therapy as its pathogenesis is thought to be both driven by both pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic pathways. We hypothesized that the available anti-fibrotic agents, pirfenidone and nintedanib, may exhibit synergy in suppressing lung fibroblast extracellular matrix protein generation when administered in combination with other orally active agents.Materials and MethodsA fibroblastic cell line (AKR-2B) was stimulated with TGF-β1 and used to screen a library of over 1500 FDA approved drugs. Extracellular matrix protein generation was assessed via fibronectin ELISA assay and maintenance of cell viability confirmed with XTT assay.ResultsThe screening revealed sixty-two drugs from the repurposed drug-screening library that were shown to significantly suppress fibronectin expression and not result in cell death. Specifically drugs within the category of NSAIDs, steroids, azole antifungal agents, and antipyrine were associated with significant suppression of fibronectin on ELISA analysis. Surprisingly, we observed anti-fibrotic activity across a number of the azole antifungal compounds. We next assessed whether combination of azoles would exhibit synergy when combined with current anti-fibrotic therapies in the stimulated fibroblasts. As proof of concept, we demonstrated in vitro synergy between oxiconazole and nintedanib in suppressing fibroblast generation of extracellular matrix fibronectin.ConclusionsThese results suggest an approach to identify potential combinations of therapy that may improve patient outcomes by reducing cost and potential toxicities during treatment.

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Ge ◽  
Maree H. Poniris ◽  
Lyn M. Moir ◽  
Judith L. Black ◽  
Janette K. Burgess

Background. Persistent asthma is characterized by airway remodeling. Whereas we have previously shown that neither β2-agonists nor corticosteroids inhibit extracellular matrix (ECM) protein release from airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells, the effect of their combination is unknown and this forms the rationale for the present study. Methods. ASM cells from people with and without asthma were stimulated with TGFβ1 (1 ng/ml) with or without budesonide (10-8 M) and formoterol (10-10 and 10-8 M), and fibronectin expression and IL-6 release were measured by ELISA. Bronchial rings from nonasthmatic individuals were incubated with TGFβ1 (1 ng/ml) with or without the drugs, and fibronectin expression was measured using immunohistochemistry. Results. Budesonide stimulated fibronectin deposition, in the presence or absence of TGFβ1, and this was partially reversed by formoterol (10-8 M) in both asthmatic and nonasthmatic cells. Budesonide and formoterol in combination failed to inhibit TGFβ-induced fibronectin in either cell type. A similar pattern of expression of fibronectin was seen in bronchial rings. TGFβ1-induced IL-6 release was inhibited by the combination of drugs. Conclusion. Current combination asthma therapies are unable to prevent or reverse remodeling events regulated by ASM cells.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Przyklenk ◽  
Veronika Georgieva ◽  
Fabian Metzen ◽  
Sebastian Mostert ◽  
Birgit Kobbe ◽  
...  

LTBP1 is a large extracellular matrix protein and an associated ligand of fibrillin-microfibrils. Knowledge of LTBP1 functions is largely limited to its role in targeting and sequestering TGFβ growth factors within the extracellular matrix, thereby regulating their bioavailability. However, the recent description of a wide spectrum of phenotypes in multiple tissues in patients harboring LTBP1 pathogenic variants suggests a multifaceted role of the protein in the homeostasis of connective tissues. To better understand the human pathology caused by LTBP1 deficiency it is important to investigate its functional role in extracellular matrix formation. In this study, we show that LTBP1 coordinates the incorporation of fibrillin-1 and -2 into the extracellular matrix in vitro. We also demonstrate that this function is differentially exerted by the two isoforms, the short and long forms of LTBP1. Thereby our findings uncover a novel TGFβ-independent LTBP1 function potentially contributing to the development of connective tissue disorders.


Kardiologiia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 59-68
Author(s):  
K. V. Dergilev ◽  
Z. I. Tsokolaeva ◽  
Yu. D. Vasilets ◽  
I. B. Beloglazova ◽  
B. N. Kulbitsky ◽  
...  

Aim      To study the effect of hypoxia on the activity of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epicardial cells, which provides formation of a specialized microenvironment.Material and methods   This study used a model of experimental myocardial infarction created by ligation of the anterior descendent coronary artery. The activity of epicardial cells after a hypoxic exposure was studied with the hypoxia marker, pimonidazole, bromodeoxyuridine, immunofluorescent staining of heart cryosections, and in vitro mesothelial cell culture.Results The undamaged heart maintained the quiescent condition of mesothelial cells and low levels of their proliferation, extracellular matrix protein production, and of the EMT activity. Acute ischemic injury induced moderate hypoxia in the epicardial/subepicardial region. This caused a global rearrangement of this region due to the initiation of EMT in cells, changes in the cell composition, and accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins. We found that the initiation of EMT in mesothelial cells may result in the formation of smooth muscle cell precursors, fibroblasts, and a population of Sca-1+ cardiac progenitor cells, which may both participate in construction of new blood vessels and serve as a mesenchymal link for the paracrine support of microenvironmental cells. In in vitro experiments, we showed that 72‑h hypoxia facilitated activation of EMT regulatory genes, induced dissembling of intercellular contacts, cell uncoupling, and increased cell plasticity.Conclusion      The epicardium of an adult heart serves as a “reparative reserve” that can be reactivated by a hypoxic exposure. This creates a basis for an approach to influence the epicardium to modulate its activity for regulating reparative processes.


Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda L Trout ◽  
Zuohui Zhang ◽  
Jill Roberts ◽  
Gillian Grohs ◽  
Ela Patel ◽  
...  

Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID), the second leading cause of dementia behind Alzheimer’s disease (AD), is a broad term that encompasses a spectrum of initial asymptomatic cerebrovascular changes (seen in small vessel disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy where pathologic Aβ1-42 protein accumulates around brain blood vessels) to the profound symptomatic damage following acute stroke(s). Cerebrovascular remodeling and new blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) may represent early compensatory changes to reduced cerebral blood flow that can initiate VCID. Angiogenesis, in turn, is supported by various growth factors and the proteolytic turnover of surrounding extracellular matrix. We have demonstrated that one such extracellular matrix protein, perlecan (a heparan sulfate proteoglycan), possesses a C terminal domain V (DV) protein that upon cleavage greatly enhances brain angiogenesis. We characterized VCID induced changes in DV expression in the human parietal cortex and a distinct mouse model (diabetic APP/PS1 knock in (db/AD)), that has a gradual cognitive decline by 9 months with microangiopathy, Aβ1-42 deposition, aneurysms, and microhemorrhages. We also utilized an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to assess the transport of human Aβ1-42 in the presence of DV. In the human parietal cortex, dementia patients had increased expression of DV despite having fewer cells. In db/AD animals (3-6 months), we observed a decrease in BBB proteins (i.e. claudin-5), indicating that altered function correlated with an increase in brain DV expression during the asymptomatic angiogenic stage, which precedes cognitive changes (9-12 months). In vitro, DV doubled the transport of Aβ1-42 into the lumen of cerebral microvessels over 24 hours with increased activity and total protein expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), one of Aβ’s known transport proteins. Collectively, these data indicate that early cerebrovascular changes induce angiogenic-remodeling that correlates with increased expression of DV. DV, in turn, may further enhance angiogenesis and increase brain Aβ clearance into the vascular compartment through P-gp, suggesting that DV could represent a novel therapeutic for VCID.


2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 3266-3279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladislava Juric ◽  
Chih-Chiun Chen ◽  
Lester F. Lau

ABSTRACT Although Fas ligand (FasL) is primarily expressed by lymphoid cells, its receptor Fas (CD95/Apo-1) is broadly expressed in numerous nonlymphoid tissues and can mediate apoptosis of parenchymal cells upon injury and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Here we show that CCN1 (CYR61) and CCN2 (CTGF), matricellular proteins upregulated at sites of inflammation and wound repair, synergize with FasL to induce apoptosis by elevating cellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). CCN1 acts through engagement of integrin α6β1 and cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans, leading to ROS-dependent hyperactivation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in the presence of FasL to enhance mitochondrial cytochrome c release. We show that CCN1 activates neutral sphingomyelinase, which functions as a key source of CCN1-induced ROS critical for synergism with FasL. Furthermore, Fas-dependent hepatic apoptosis induced by an agonistic monoclonal anti-Fas antibody or intragastric administration of alcohol is severely blunted in knock-in mice expressing an apoptosis-defective Ccn1 allele. These results demonstrate that CCN1 is a physiologic regulator of Fas-mediated apoptosis and that the extracellular matrix microenvironment can modulate Fas-dependent apoptosis through CCN1 expression.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (12) ◽  
pp. 3854-3859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Jia ◽  
Hong Li ◽  
You-Wen He

Leukocyte recruitment to inflammation sites depends on interactions between integrins and extracellular matrix (ECM). In this report we show that mice lacking the ECM protein mindin exhibit severely impaired recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages in 4 different inflammation models. Furthermore, neutrophils directly bind to immobilized mindin, and mindin matrix mediates neutrophil migration in vitro. The adhesion of neutrophils to mindin is blocked by anti–integrin α4, anti–integrin αM, and anti–integrin β2 antibodies. We also show that HEK-293 cells transfected with cDNA encoding these integrins exhibit enhanced binding to immobilized mindin matrix and the increased binding can be blocked by anti-integrin antibodies. Our results suggest that mindin serves as a novel ligand for integrins and mindin-integrin interactions are critical for inflammatory cell recruitment in vivo.


1991 ◽  
Vol 261 (3) ◽  
pp. F488-F494 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Bruggeman ◽  
E. A. Horigan ◽  
S. Horikoshi ◽  
P. E. Ray ◽  
P. E. Klotman

The vasoconstrictor eicosanoid thromboxane plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several renal diseases. As an autacoid, its local release alters blood flow and induces platelet aggregation. We report a direct stimulatory effect of thromboxane on extracellular matrix protein production and gene expression in vitro. Treatment of two cell types, differentiated mouse teratocarcinoma cells (F9+) and human glomerular mesangial cells, with two different thromboxane analogues resulted in increased production of components of the extracellular matrix including fibronectin and the basement membrane proteins laminin and type IV collagen. These responses to thromboxane were not the result of a mitogenic effect of thromboxane nor the result of an increase in total cellular protein. The increased production of extracellular matrix proteins was, at least in part, due to an increase in the steady-state level of mRNA for these genes. Furthermore, the effect of thromboxane was markedly inhibited by cotreatment with a thromboxane-receptor antagonist. These results suggest a new potential role for thromboxane as a mediator of the sclerotic and fibrotic responses to injury.


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