Project description:Emerging evidence suggests that protease-activated receptors-1 and -2 (PAR1 and PAR2) can signal together in response to proteases found in the rapidly changing microenvironment of damaged blood vessels. However, it is unknown whether PAR1 and PAR2 promote or mitigate the hyperplastic response to arterial injury. Using cell-penetrating PAR1 pepducins and mice deficient in PAR1 or PAR2, we set out to determine the respective contributions of the receptors to hyperplasia and phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in response to arterial injury.SMCs were strongly activated by PAR1 stimulation, as evidenced by increased mitogenesis, mitochondrial activity, and calcium mobilization. The effects of chronic PAR1 stimulation following vascular injury were studied by performing carotid artery ligations in mice treated with the PAR1 agonist pepducin, P1pal-13. Histological analysis revealed that PAR1 stimulation caused striking hyperplasia, which was ablated in PAR1(-/-) and, surprisingly, PAR2(-/-) mice. P1pal-13 treatment yielded an expression pattern consistent with a dedifferentiated phenotype in carotid artery SMCs. Detection of PAR1-PAR2 complexes provided an explanation for the hyperplastic effects of the PAR1 agonist requiring the presence of both receptors.We conclude that PAR2 regulates the PAR1 hyperplastic response to arterial injury leading to stenosis.
Project description:Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) are obtained from the culture of human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (hPBMNC) fractions and are characterised by high proliferative and pro-vasculogenic potential, which makes them of great interest for cell therapy. Here, we describe the detection of protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1 and 2 amongst the surface proteins expressed in ECFCs. Both receptors are functionally coupled to extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2, which become activated and phosphorylated in response to selective PAR1- or PAR2-activating peptides. Specific stimulation of PAR1, but not PAR2, significantly inhibits capillary-like tube formation by ECFCs in vitro, suggesting that tubulogenesis is negatively regulated by proteases able to stimulate PAR1 (e.g. thrombin). The activation of ERKs is not involved in the regulation of tubulogenesis in vitro, as suggested by use of the MEK inhibitor PD98059 and by the fact that PAR2 stimulation activates ERKs without affecting capillary tube formation. Both qPCR and immunoblotting showed a significant downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor 2 (VEGFR2) in response to PAR1 stimulation. Moreover, the addition of VEGF (50-100 ng/ml) but not basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) (25-100 ng/ml) rescued tube formation by ECFCs treated with PAR1-activating peptide. Therefore, we propose that reduction of VEGF responsiveness resulting from down-regulation of VEGFR2 is underlying the anti-tubulogenic effect of PAR1 activation. Although the role of PAR2 remains elusive, this study sheds new light on the regulation of the vasculogenic activity of ECFCs and suggests a potential link between adult vasculogenesis and the coagulation cascade.
Project description:Stimuli-sensitive nanomaterials with cooperative response are capable of converting subtle and gradual biological variations into robust outputs to improve the precision of diagnostic or therapeutic outcomes. In this study, we report the design, synthesis and characterization of a series of degradable ultra-pH sensitive (dUPS) polymers that amplify small acidic pH changes to efficacious therapeutic outputs. A hydrolytically active polycarbonate backbone is used to construct the polymer with pH-dependent degradation kinetics. One dUPS polymer, PSC7A, can achieve activation of the stimulator of interferon genes and antigen delivery upon endosomal pH activation, leading to T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. While a non-degradable UPS polymer induces granulomatous inflammation that persists over months at the injection site, degradable PSC7A primes a transient acute inflammatory response followed by polymer degradation and complete tissue healing. The improved therapeutic window of the dUPS polymers opens up opportunities in pH-targeted drug and protein therapy.
Project description:Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are G-protein-coupled receptors that are activated by proteolytic cleavage and generation of a tethered ligand. High PAR1 expression has been documented in a variety of invasive cancers of epithelial origin. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of the four PAR family members to motility of lung carcinomas and primary tumor samples from patients. We found that of the four PARs, only PAR1 expression was highly increased in the lung cancer cell lines. Primary lung cancer cells isolated from patient lung tumors migrated at a 10- to 40-fold higher rate than epithelial cells isolated from nonmalignant lung tissue. Cell-penetrating pepducin inhibitors were generated against the first (i1) and third (i3) intracellular loops of PAR1 and tested for their ability to inhibit PAR1-driven migration and extracellular regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 activity. The PAR1 pepducins showed significant inhibition of cell migration in both primary and established cell lines similar to silencing of PAR1 expression with short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Unlike i1 pepducins, the i3 loop pepducins were effective inhibitors of PAR1-mediated ERK activation and tumor growth. Comparable in efficacy with Bevacizumab, monotherapy with the PAR1 i3 loop pepducin P1pal-7 provided significant 75% inhibition of lung tumor growth in nude mice. We identify the PAR1-ERK1/2 pathway as a feasible target for therapy in lung cancer.
Project description:Chronic liver inflammation and fibrosis in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure for which there are currently no approved treatments. Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) is an emerging new target expressed on liver stellate cells and hepatocytes that regulates the response to liver injury and inflammation. Here, we identified a pepducin to block the deleterious actions of PAR2 in promoting liver fibrosis. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and early fibrosis were induced by the methionine-choline-deficient diet in mice. Fibrotic liver disease was induced by administering carbon tetrachloride for 8 weeks. Mice were treated with the pepducin PZ-235 either from onset of the experiment or after fibrosis was established. Hepatic fibrosis, collagen content, inflammatory cytokines, steatosis, triglycerides, and NAFLD activity score were assessed as primary outcome parameters depending on the model. The activity of the PAR2 pepducin on cultured stellate cell activation and hepatocyte reactive oxygen species production was evaluated. PZ-235 significantly suppressed liver fibrosis, collagen deposition, inflammatory cytokines, NAFLD activity score, steatosis, triglycerides, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and stellate cell proliferation by up to 50-100%. The PAR2 inhibitor afforded significant protective effects against hepatocellular necrosis and attenuated PAR2-mediated reactive oxygen species production in hepatocytes. PZ-235 was distributed to liver and other mouse tissues and was found to form a well structured ?-helix that closely resembles the juxtamembrane helical region of the analogous TM6 and third intracellular region of the intact receptor that is critical for coupling to internal G proteins. The ability of PZ-235 to effectively suppress fibrosis, hepatocellular necrosis, reactive oxygen species production, steatosis, and inflammation indicates the potential for PAR2 pepducin inhibitors to be broadly efficacious in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
Project description:Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) display anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic properties by inhibiting cyclooxygenases and blocking prostaglandin production. Previous studies, however, suggested that some NSAIDs also modulate peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs), raising the possibility that such off target effects contribute to the spectrum of clinically relevant NSAID actions. In this study, we set out to understand how peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-? (PPAR?/PPARG) interacts with NSAIDs using X-ray crystallography and to relate ligand binding modes to effects on receptor activity. We find that several NSAIDs (sulindac sulfide, diclofenac, indomethacin and ibuprofen) bind PPAR? and modulate PPAR? activity at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. Diclofenac acts as a partial agonist and binds to the PPAR? ligand binding pocket (LBP) in typical partial agonist mode, near the ?-sheets and helix 3. By contrast, two copies of indomethacin and sulindac sulfide bind the LBP and, in aggregate, these ligands engage in LBP contacts that resemble agonists. Accordingly, both compounds, and ibuprofen, act as strong partial agonists. Assessment of NSAID activities in PPAR?-dependent 3T3-L1 cells reveals that NSAIDs display adipogenic activities and exclusively regulate PPAR?-dependent target genes in a manner that is consistent with their observed binding modes. Further, PPAR? knockdown eliminates indomethacin activities at selected endogenous genes, confirming receptor-dependence of observed effects. We propose that it is important to consider how individual NSAIDs interact with PPAR? to understand their activities, and that it will be interesting to determine whether high dose NSAID therapies result in PPAR activation.
Project description:Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAVs) are a group of systemic autoimmune disorders characterized by necrotizing inflammation of medium-to-small vessels, a relative paucity of immune deposits, and an association with detectable circulating ANCAs. AAVs include granulomatosis with polyangiitis (renamed from Wegener's granulomatosis), microscopic polyangiitis, and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss syndrome). Until recently, AAVs have not been viewed as complement-mediated disorders. However, recent findings predominantly from animal studies demonstrated a crucial role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of AAVs. Complement activation or defects in its regulation have been described in an increasing number of acquired or genetically driven forms of thrombotic microangiopathy. Coinciding with this expanding spectrum of complement-mediated diseases, the question arises as to which AAV patients might benefit from a complement-targeted therapy. Therapies directed against the complement system point to the necessity of a genetic workup of genes of complement components and regulators in patients with AAV. Genetic testing together with pluripotent stem cells and bioinformatics tools may broaden our approach to the treatment of patients with aggressive forms of AAV.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the most devastating diffuse fibrosing lung disease that remains refractory to therapy. Despite increasing evidence that protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2) contributes to fibrosis, its importance in pulmonary fibrosis is under debate. We addressed whether PAR-2 deficiency persistently reduces bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis or merely delays disease progression and whether pharmacological PAR-2 inhibition limits experimental pulmonary fibrosis. Bleomycin was instilled intranasally into wild-type or PAR-2-deficient mice in the presence/absence of a specific PAR-2 antagonist (P2pal-18S). Pulmonary fibrosis was consistently reduced in PAR-2-deficient mice throughout the fibrotic phase, as evident from reduced Ashcroft scores (29%) and hydroxyproline levels (26%) at d 28. Moreover, P2pal-18S inhibited PAR-2-induced profibrotic responses in both murine and primary human pulmonary fibroblasts (p < 0.05). Once daily treatment with P2pal-18S reduced the severity and extent of fibrotic lesions in lungs of bleomycin-treated wild-type mice but did not further reduce fibrosis in PAR-2-deficient mice. Importantly, P2pal-18S treatment starting even 7 d after the onset of fibrosis limits pulmonary fibrosis as effectively as when treatment was started together with bleomycin instillation. Overall, PAR-2 contributes to the progression of pulmonary fibrosis, and targeting PAR-2 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating pulmonary fibrosis.
Project description:The G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) belong to a large family of diverse receptors that are well recognized as pharmacological targets. However, very few of these receptors have been pursued as oncology drug targets. The Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1), which is a G-protein coupled receptor, has been shown to act as an oncogene and is an emerging anti-cancer drug target. In this paper, we provide an overview of PAR1's biased signaling role in metastatic cancers of the breast, lungs, and ovaries and describe the development of PAR1 inhibitors that are currently in clinical use to treat acute coronary syndromes. PAR1 inhibitor PZ-128 is in a Phase II clinical trial and is being developed to prevent ischemic and thrombotic complication of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. PZ-128 belongs to a new class of cell-penetrating, membrane-tethered peptides named pepducins that are based on the intracellular loops of receptors targeting the receptor G-protein interface. Application of PZ-128 as an anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic therapeutic agent in breast, lung, and ovarian cancer is being reviewed.
Project description:Protein C is a plasma serine protease zymogen whose active form, activated protein C (APC), exerts potent anticoagulant activity. In addition to its antithrombotic role as a plasma protease, pharmacologic APC is a pleiotropic protease that activates diverse homeostatic cell signaling pathways via multiple receptors on many cells. Engineering of APC by site-directed mutagenesis provided a signaling selective APC mutant with 3 Lys residues replaced by 3 Ala residues, 3K3A-APC, that lacks >90% anticoagulant activity but retains normal cell signaling activities. This 3K3A-APC mutant exerts multiple potent neuroprotective activities, which require the G-protein-coupled receptor, protease activated receptor 1. Potent neuroprotection in murine ischemic stroke models is linked to 3K3A-APC-induced signaling that arises due to APC's cleavage in protease activated receptor 1 at a noncanonical Arg46 site. This cleavage causes biased signaling that provides a major explanation for APC's in vivo mechanism of action for neuroprotective activities. 3K3A-APC appeared to be safe in ischemic stroke patients and reduced bleeding in the brain after tissue plasminogen activator therapy in a recent phase 2 clinical trial. Hence, it merits further clinical testing for its efficacy in ischemic stroke patients. Recent studies using human fetal neural stem and progenitor cells show that 3K3A-APC promotes neurogenesis in vitro as well as in vivo in the murine middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model. These recent advances should encourage translational research centered on signaling selective APC's for both single-agent therapies and multiagent combination therapies for ischemic stroke and other neuropathologies.