Semaphorin 3A signaling through neuropilin-1 is an early trigger for distal axonopathy in the SOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease characterized by progressive distal axonopathy that precedes actual motor neuron death. Triggers for neuromuscular junction degeneration remain to be determined, but the axon repulsion factor semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), which is derived from terminal Schwann cells, is a plausible candidate. This study examines the hypothesis that Sema3A signaling through its motor neuron neuropilin-1 (NRP1) receptor triggers distal axonopathy and muscle denervation in the SOD1 mouse model of ALS. Neuropilin-1 was found to be expressed in axonal terminals at the mouse neuromuscular junction in vivo and in NSC-34 motor neuron-like cells in vitro. In differentiated NSC-34 cells, an anti-NRP1 antibody that selectively blocks Sema3A binding to NRP1 prevented Sema3A-induced growth cone collapse. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injections of anti-NRP1 antibody administered twice weekly from age 40 days significantly delayed and even temporarily reversed motor functional decline while prolonging the life span of SOD1 mice. Histologic evaluation at 90 and 125 days revealed that anti-NRP1 antibody reduced neuromuscular junction denervation and attenuated pathologic alterations in ventral roots at late-stage disease. These data suggest that peripheral NRP1 signaling is involved in the pathobiology of this ALS model and that antagonizing Sema3A/NRP1 binding or downstream signals could have implications for the treatment of ALS.

The serpin saga; development of a new class of virus derived anti-inflammatory protein immunotherapeutics.

Serine proteinase inhibitors, also called serpins, are an ancient grouping of proteins found in primitive organisms from bacteria, protozoa and horseshoe crabs and thus likely present at the time of the dinosaurs, up to all mammals living today. The innate or inflammatory immune system is also an ancient metazoan regulatory system, providing the first line of defense against infection or injury. The innate inflammatory defense response evolved long before acquired, antibody dependent immunity. Viruses have developed highly effective stratagems that undermine and block a wide variety of host inflammatory and immune responses. Some of the most potent of these immune modifying strategies utilize serpins that have also been developed over millions of years, including the hijacking by some viruses for defense against host immune attacks. Serpins represent up to 2-10 percent of circulating plasma proteins, regulating actions as wide ranging as thrombosis, inflammation, blood pressure control and even hormone transport. Targeting serpin-regulated immune or inflammatory pathways makes evolutionary sense for viral defense and many of these virus-derived inhibitory proteins have proven to be highly effective, working at very low concentrations--even down to the femptomolar to picomolar range. We are studying these viral anti-inflammatory proteins as a new class of immunomodulatory therapeutic agents derived from their native viral source. One such viral serpin, Serp-1 is now in clinical trial (conducted by VIRON Therapeutics, Inc.) for acute unstable coronary syndromes (unstable angina and small heart attacks), representing a 'first in class' therapeutic study. Several other viral serpins are also currently under investigation as anti-inflammatory or anti-immune therapeutics. This chapter describes these original studies and the ongoing analysis of viral serpins as a new class of virus-derived immunotherapeutic.

Structural changes in Alzheimer's disease brain microvessels.

Brain microvascular alterations are thought to contribute to the development of stroke and dementia. Structural changes in capillaries of elderly patients correlate positively with advanced age and dementia. The objective of this study is to use laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy to compare structural (collagen content) and functional (apoptosis) parameters in brain tissues and isolated vessels of AD patients to age-matched controls. Our results show significantly higher fluorescent labeling for apoptosis in AD vessels compared to controls. Also, there is significantly higher autofluorescence (reflecting levels of collagen and other proteins that autofluoresce) in AD brain and vessels compared to controls. Western blot analysis of collagen subtypes shows elevated type I and type III and reduced type IV levels in AD vessels. These data demonstrate that changes in the amount and type of collagen occur in AD brain and suggest that cerebral vessel injury is part of AD pathology.

Myxoma viral serpin, Serp-1, a unique interceptor of coagulation and innate immune pathways.

Serpins maintain haemostasis through regulation of serine proteinases in the thrombotic and thrombolytic pathways. Viruses encode serpins that can alter thrombotic and thrombolytic responses producing, in some cases, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). However, it has not been precisely defined how viral serpins induce these profound responses. The rabbit myxoma viral serpin, Serp-1 inhibits urokinase- and tissue-type plasminogen activators (uPA and tPA), plasmin and factor Xa in vitro and exhibits remarkable anti-inflammatory activity in various animal models. The effects of Serp-1 on activation of human platelets, endothelial cells, monocytes and T cells that mediate thrombosis and innate immune responses were therefore examined. We found that Serp-1 attenuated platelet and mononuclear cell adhesion to fibronectin and collagen. Serp-1 similarly inhibited monocyte migration into the peritoneum. Serp-1 inhibition of monocyte migration was lost in uPA receptor (uPAR) deficient mice. Serp-1 bound to the plasma membrane surface and altered uPA activation of endothelial cells (p=0.001), thrombin activation of platelets (p=0.021) and phorbol ester activation of endothelial (p=0.047), monocyte (p=0.011) and Jurkat T cells (p=0.012) as measured by intracellular calcium. Modulation of cellular activation was confirmed by membrane fluidity analysis. Microarray analysis of Serp-1 treated endothelial cells revealed alterations in Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor type II (ITPR2) a calcium-regulating gene. This study demonstrates the unique capacity of a viral serpin, Serp-1 to modify adhesion, activation, gene expression and calcium homeostasis in a wide range of cells that regulate coagulation and inflammation. Endothelial cells potentially represent a pivotal regulatory point for Serp-1 anti-inflammatory activity.

In vivo optical analysis of quantitative changes in collagen and elastin during arterial remodeling.

Altered collagen and elastin content correlates closely with remodeling of the arterial wall after injury. Optical analytical approaches have been shown to detect qualitative changes in plaque composition, but the capacity for detection of quantitative changes in arterial collagen and elastin content in vivo is not known. We have assessed fluorescence spectroscopy for detection of quantitative changes in arterial composition in situ, in rabbit models of angioplasty and stent implant. Fluorescence emission intensity (FEI) recorded at sites remote from the primary implant site was correlated with immunohistochemical (IH) analysis and extracted elastin and collagen. FEI was significantly decreased (P<0.05) after treatment with anti-inflammatory agents, and plaque area decreased on comparison with saline-treated rabbits after stent implant or angioplasty (Por=0.961) analysis were detected by multiple regression (MR) analysis. Good correlations also were found for FEI with elastin and collagen measured by high-performance liquid chromatography; MR analysis provided highly predictive values for collagen and elastin (R2>or=0.994). Fluorescence spectroscopic analysis detects quantitative compositional changes in arterial connective tissue in vivo, demonstrating changes at sites remote from primary angioplasty and stent implant sites.

Vascular inflammatory, oxidative and protease-based processes: implications for neuronal cell death in Alzheimer's disease.

A substantial literature demonstrates activation of inflammatory processes in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain and an association between inflammation and oxidative stress. We have shown that brain microvessels from AD patients express high levels of inflammatory proteins and that these proteins evoke release of the neurotoxic protease thrombin from brain endothelial cells. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of inflammatory proteins on brain endothelial cell reactive oxygen species generation, protease release and cell apoptosis. Also, the effects of inflammatory proteins on neuronal reactive oxygen species generation, injury and apoptosis were assessed. Treatment of cultured brain endothelial cells with inflammatory proteins (LPS, IL-1beta, IL-6, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha) resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.01) in intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species by 1 h. Inflammatory proteins also caused release of tissue plasminogen activator and increased apoptosis by 24 h in these cells. In cultured neurons, inflammatory proteins caused an increase in reactive oxygen species, membrane fluidity, and apoptosis by 24 h, as detected by fluorescent microscopy. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that vascular inflammatory, oxidative and protease-based processes contribute to neuronal cell death, and suggest that therapies targeted at these mediators and processes could be effective in AD.

Oxidized LDLs affect nitric oxide and radical generation in brain endothelial cells.

There is an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide in the cerebral microcirculation in Alzheimer's disease. The factors that cause this increase in oxidative stress have not been identified. Increasing evidence suggests that there are common mechanisms in atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of oxidized low density lipoproteins (LDLs) on brain endothelial cells. Cultured rat brain endothelial cells were treated with either native LDL (10 microg/ml) or LDL oxidized in vitro using 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE-LDL) (10 microg/ml), for 24h. The results showed that HNE-LDL significantly increased production of nitric oxide (p<0.01), decreased membrane fluidity (p<0.05), and increased reactive oxygen species generation (p<0.01). These data demonstrate that oxidized LDLs affect nitric oxide and radical generation in brain endothelial cells and could contribute to cerebrovascular dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.