scholarly journals Cathepsin L in COVID-19: From Pharmacological Evidences to Genetics

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caio P. Gomes ◽  
Danilo E. Fernandes ◽  
Fernanda Casimiro ◽  
Gustavo F. da Mata ◽  
Michelle T. Passos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Antigen Processing ◽  
Cathepsin L ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Immunological Response ◽  
Multiple Organ ◽  
Bone Diseases ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Matrix Remodeling ◽  
Inflammatory Status

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemics is a challenge without precedent for the modern science. Acute Respiratory Discomfort Syndrome (ARDS) is the most common immunopathological event in SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV infections. Fast lung deterioration results of cytokine storm determined by a robust immunological response leading to ARDS and multiple organ failure. Here, we show cysteine protease Cathepsin L (CatL) involvement with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and COVID-19 from different points of view. CatL is a lysosomal enzyme that participates in numerous physiological processes, including apoptosis, antigen processing, and extracellular matrix remodeling. CatL is implicated in pathological conditions like invasion and metastasis of tumors, inflammatory status, atherosclerosis, renal disease, diabetes, bone diseases, viral infection, and other diseases. CatL expression is up-regulated during chronic inflammation and is involved in degrading extracellular matrix, an important process for SARS-CoV-2 to enter host cells. In addition, CatL is probably involved in processing SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. As its inhibition is detrimental to SARS-CoV-2 infection and possibly exit from cells during late stages of infection, CatL could have been considered a valuable therapeutic target. Therefore, we describe here some drugs already in the market with potential CatL inhibiting capacity that could be used to treat COVID-19 patients. In addition, we discuss the possible role of host genetics in the etiology and spreading of the disease.

scholarly journals The Role of Extracellular Matrix Components in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1122
Author(s):  
Alicja Derkacz ◽  
Paweł Olczyk ◽  
Krystyna Olczyk ◽  
Katarzyna Komosinska-Vassev
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Immunological Response ◽  
Matrix Remodeling ◽  
Ecm Remodeling ◽  
Intestinal Fibrosis ◽  
Extracellular Matrix Components ◽  
Bowel Diseases ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel

The remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the intestine tissues, which simultaneously involves an increased degradation of ECM components and excessive intestinal fibrosis, is a defining trait of the progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), which include ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). The increased activity of proteases, especially matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), leads to excessive degradation of the extracellular matrix and the release of protein and glycoprotein fragments, previously joined with the extracellular matrix, into the circulation. MMPs participate in regulating the functions of the epithelial barrier, the immunological response, and the process of wound healing or intestinal fibrosis. At a later stage of fibrosis during IBD, excessive formation and deposition of the matrix is observed. To assess changes in the extracellular matrix, quantitative measurement of the concentration in the blood of markers dependent on the activity of proteases, involved in the breakdown of extracellular matrix proteins as well as markers indicating the formation of a new ECM, has recently been proposed. This paper describes attempts to use the quantification of ECM components as markers to predict intestinal fibrosis and evaluate the healing process of the gut. The markers which reflect increased ECM degradation, together with the ones which show the process of creating a new matrix during IBD, allow the attainment of important information regarding the changes in the intestinal tissue, epithelial integrity and extracellular matrix remodeling. This paper contains evidence confirming that ECM remodeling is an integral part of directional cell signaling in the progression of IBD, and not only a basis for the ongoing processes.

scholarly journals Inflammation, Extracellular Matrix Remodeling, and Proteostasis in Tumor Microenvironment

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8102
Author(s):  
Marina Marozzi ◽  
Arianna Parnigoni ◽  
Aide Negri ◽  
Manuela Viola ◽  
Davide Vigetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Inflammatory Factors ◽  
Matrix Remodeling ◽  
Surface Receptors ◽  
Degrading Enzymes

Cancer is a multifaceted and complex pathology characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis. Most cancers are recognized by an inflammatory environment rich in a myriad of factors produced by immune infiltrate cells that induce host cells to differentiate and to produce a matrix that is more favorable to tumor cells’ survival and metastasis. As a result, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is changed in terms of macromolecules content, degrading enzymes, and proteins. Altered ECM components, derived from remodeling processes, interact with a variety of surface receptors triggering intracellular signaling that, in turn, cancer cells exploit to their own benefit. This review aims to present the role of different aspects of ECM components in the tumor microenvironment. Particularly, we highlight the effect of pro- and inflammatory factors on ECM degrading enzymes, such as metalloproteases, and in a more detailed manner on hyaluronan metabolism and the signaling pathways triggered by the binding of hyaluronan with its receptors. In addition, we sought to explore the role of extracellular chaperones, especially of clusterin which is one of the most prominent in the extracellular space, in proteostasis and signaling transduction in the tumor microenvironment. Although the described tumor microenvironment components have different biological roles, they may engage common signaling pathways that favor tumor growth and metastasis.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 Viral Entry Proteins in Hyperandrogenemic Female Mice: Implications for Women with PCOS and COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4472
Author(s):  
Alexandra M. Huffman ◽  
Samar Rezq ◽  
Jelina Basnet ◽  
Licy L. Yanes Cardozo ◽  
Damian G. Romero
Keyword(s):  
Viral Entry ◽  
Fasting Glucose ◽  
Polycystic Ovary ◽  
Cathepsin L ◽  
Multiple Organ ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Female Mice ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Organ Systems

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, infects host cells using the angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as its receptor after priming by host proteases, including TMPRSS2. COVID-19 affects multiple organ systems, and male patients suffer increased severity and mortality. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive-age women and is characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphology. PCOS is associated with obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities, both being risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 pathology. We hypothesize that elevated androgens in PCOS regulate SARS-CoV-2 entry proteins in multiple tissues increasing the risk for this population. Female mice were treated with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) for 90 days. Body composition was measured by EchoMRI. Fasting glucose was determined by an enzymatic method. mRNA and protein levels of ACE2, Tmprss2, Cathepsin L, Furin, Tmprss4, and Adam17 were quantified by RT-qPCR, Western-blot, or ELISA in tissues, serum, and urine. DHT treatment increased body weight, fat and lean mass, and fasting glucose. Ace2 mRNA was upregulated in the lung, cecum, heart, and kidney, while downregulated in the brain by DHT. ACE2 protein was upregulated by DHT in the small intestine, heart, and kidney. The SARS-CoV-2 priming proteases Tmprss2, Cathepsin L, and Furin mRNA were upregulated by DHT in the kidney. ACE2 sheddase Adam17 mRNA was upregulated by DHT in the kidney, which corresponded with increased urinary ACE2 in DHT treated mice. Our results highlight the potential for increased cardiac, renal, and gastrointestinal dysfunction in PCOS women with COVID-19.

scholarly journals The Dynamic Interaction between Extracellular Matrix Remodeling and Breast Tumor Progression

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1046
Author(s):  
Jorge Martinez ◽  
Patricio C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Type I Collagen ◽  
Cell Metabolism ◽  
Breast Tumors ◽  
Extracellular Matrix Remodeling ◽  
Type I ◽  
Matrix Remodeling ◽  
Desmoplastic Reaction ◽  
The Impact

Desmoplastic tumors correspond to a unique tissue structure characterized by the abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix. Breast tumors are a typical example of this type of lesion, a property that allows its palpation and early detection. Fibrillar type I collagen is a major component of tumor desmoplasia and its accumulation is causally linked to tumor cell survival and metastasis. For many years, the desmoplastic phenomenon was considered to be a reaction and response of the host tissue against tumor cells and, accordingly, designated as “desmoplastic reaction”. This notion has been challenged in the last decades when desmoplastic tissue was detected in breast tissue in the absence of tumor. This finding suggests that desmoplasia is a preexisting condition that stimulates the development of a malignant phenotype. With this perspective, in the present review, we analyze the role of extracellular matrix remodeling in the development of the desmoplastic response. Importantly, during the discussion, we also analyze the impact of obesity and cell metabolism as critical drivers of tissue remodeling during the development of desmoplasia. New knowledge derived from the dynamic remodeling of the extracellular matrix may lead to novel targets of interest for early diagnosis or therapy in the context of breast tumors.

scholarly journals Electrospun Nanofibers of Natural and Synthetic Polymers as Artificial Extracellular Matrix for Tissue Engineering

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Mina Keshvardoostchokami ◽  
Sara Seidelin Majidi ◽  
Peipei Huo ◽  
Rajan Ramachandran ◽  
Menglin Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Polymer Composite ◽  
Electrospun Nanofibers ◽  
Synthetic Polymer ◽  
Inorganic Materials ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Natural Polymer ◽  
Reinforced Polymers ◽  
Nanofibrous Scaffolds ◽  
Artificial Extracellular Matrix

Many types of polymer nanofibers have been introduced as artificial extracellular matrices. Their controllable properties, such as wettability, surface charge, transparency, elasticity, porosity and surface to volume proportion, have attracted much attention. Moreover, functionalizing polymers with other bioactive components could enable the engineering of microenvironments to host cells for regenerative medical applications. In the current brief review, we focus on the most recently cited electrospun nanofibrous polymeric scaffolds and divide them into five main categories: natural polymer-natural polymer composite, natural polymer-synthetic polymer composite, synthetic polymer-synthetic polymer composite, crosslinked polymers and reinforced polymers with inorganic materials. Then, we focus on their physiochemical, biological and mechanical features and discussed the capability and efficiency of the nanofibrous scaffolds to function as the extracellular matrix to support cellular function.

scholarly journals A decellularized human corneal scaffold for anterior corneal surface reconstruction

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naresh Polisetti ◽  
Anke Schmid ◽  
Ursula Schlötzer-Schrehardt ◽  
Philip Maier ◽  
Stefan J. Lang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Sodium Deoxycholate ◽  
Nuclear Material ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Human Cornea ◽  
Human Donor ◽  
Short Period

AbstractAllogenic transplants of the cornea are prone to rejection, especially in repetitive transplantation and in scarred or highly vascularized recipient sites. Patients with these ailments would particularly benefit from the possibility to use non-immunogenic decellularized tissue scaffolds for transplantation, which may be repopulated by host cells in situ or in vitro. So, the aim of this study was to develop a fast and efficient decellularization method for creating a human corneal extracellular matrix scaffold suitable for repopulation with human cells from the corneal limbus. To decellularize human donor corneas, sodium deoxycholate, deoxyribonuclease I, and dextran were assessed to remove cells and nuclei and to control tissue swelling, respectively. We evaluated the decellularization effects on the ultrastructure, optical, mechanical, and biological properties of the human cornea. Scaffold recellularization was studied using primary human limbal epithelial cells, stromal cells, and melanocytes in vitro and a lamellar transplantation approach ex vivo. Our data strongly suggest that this approach allowed the effective removal of cellular and nuclear material in a very short period of time while preserving extracellular matrix proteins, glycosaminoglycans, tissue structure, and optical transmission properties. In vitro recellularization demonstrated good biocompatibility of the decellularized human cornea and ex vivo transplantation revealed complete epithelialization and stromal repopulation from the host tissue. Thus, the generated decellularized human corneal scaffold could be a promising biological material for anterior corneal reconstruction in the treatment of corneal defects.

scholarly journals COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Lysosomes and Lysosomotropism Implicate New Treatment Strategies and Personal Risks

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Blaess ◽  
Lars Kaiser ◽  
Martin Sauer ◽  
René Csuk ◽  
Hans-Peter Deigner
Keyword(s):  
Viral Entry ◽  
Cathepsin L ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Cytokine Release ◽  
Early Administration ◽  
Lysosomal Ph ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Exposure Prophylaxis

In line with SARS and MERS, the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic is one of the largest challenges in medicine and health care worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 infection/COVID-19 provides numerous therapeutic targets, each of them promising, but not leading to the success of therapy to date. Neither an antiviral nor an immunomodulatory therapy in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection/COVID-19 or pre-exposure prophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2 has proved to be effective. In this review, we try to close the gap and point out the likely relationships among lysosomotropism, increasing lysosomal pH, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and disease process, and we deduce an approach for the treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19, and cytokine release syndrome (CRS)/cytokine storm triggered by bacteria or viruses. Lysosomotropic compounds affect prominent inflammatory messengers (e.g., IL-1B, CCL4, CCL20, and IL-6), cathepsin-L-dependent viral entry of host cells, and products of lysosomal enzymes that promote endothelial stress response in systemic inflammation. As supported by recent clinical data, patients who have already taken lysosomotropic drugs for other pre-existing conditions likely benefit from this treatment in the COVID-19 pandemic. The early administration of a combination of antivirals such as remdesivir and lysosomotropic drugs, such as the antibiotics teicoplanin or dalbavancin, seems to be able to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and transition to COVID-19.

scholarly journals Activation of transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase DDR1-STAT3 cascade by extracellular matrix remodeling promotes liver metastatic colonization in uveal melanoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Dai ◽  
Shenglan Liu ◽  
Shubo Wang ◽  
Li Zhao ◽  
Xiao Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Uveal Melanoma ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Type I ◽  
Matrix Remodeling ◽  
Metastatic Colonization ◽  
Tgf Β1

AbstractColonization is believed a rate-limiting step of metastasis cascade. However, its underlying mechanism is not well understood. Uveal melanoma (UM), which is featured with single organ liver metastasis, may provide a simplified model for realizing the complicated colonization process. Because DDR1 was identified to be overexpressed in UM cell lines and specimens, and abundant pathological deposition of extracellular matrix collagen, a type of DDR1 ligand, was noted in the microenvironment of liver in metastatic patients with UM, we postulated the hypothesis that DDR1 and its ligand might ignite the interaction between UM cells and their surrounding niche of liver thereby conferring strengthened survival, proliferation, stemness and eventually promoting metastatic colonization in liver. We tested this hypothesis and found that DDR1 promoted these malignant cellular phenotypes and facilitated metastatic colonization of UM in liver. Mechanistically, UM cells secreted TGF-β1 which induced quiescent hepatic stellate cells (qHSCs) into activated HSCs (aHSCs) which secreted collagen type I. Such a remodeling of extracellular matrix, in turn, activated DDR1, strengthening survival through upregulating STAT3-dependent Mcl-1 expression, enhancing stemness via upregulating STAT3-dependent SOX2, and promoting clonogenicity in cancer cells. Targeting DDR1 by using 7rh, a specific inhibitor, repressed proliferation and survival in vitro and in vivo outgrowth. More importantly, targeting cancer cells by pharmacological inactivation of DDR1 or targeting microenvironmental TGF-β1-collagen I loop exhibited a prominent anti-metastasis effect in mice. In conclusion, targeting DDR1 signaling and TGF-β signaling may be a novel approach to diminish hepatic metastasis in UM.

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