Joy Wang

LINGO-1 antagonist promotes functional recovery and axonal sprouting after spinal cord injury

LINGO-1 is a CNS-specific protein and a functional component of the NgR1/p75/LINGO-1 and NgR1/TAJ(TROY)/LINGO-1 signaling complexes that mediate inhibition of axonal outgrowth. These receptor complexes mediate the axonal growth inhibitory effects of Nogo, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein (OMgp) via RhoA activation. Soluble LINGO-1 (LINGO-1-Fc), which acts as an antagonist of these pathways by blocking LINGO-1 binding to NgR1, was administered to rats after dorsal or lateral hemisection of the spinal cord. LINGO-1-Fc treatment significantly improved functional recovery, promoted axonal sprouting and decreased RhoA activation and increased oligodendrocyte and neuronal survival after either rubrospinal or corticospinal tract transection. These experiments demonstrate an important role for LINGO-1 in modulating axonal outgrowth in vivo and that treatment with LINGO-1-Fc can significantly enhance recovery after spinal cord injury.

Assessment of functional recovery and axonal sprouting in oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein (OMgp) null mice after spinal cord injury

Oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein (OMgp) is a myelin component that has been shown in vitro to inhibit neurite outgrowth by binding to the Nogo-66 receptor (NgR1)/Lingo-1/Taj (TROY)/p75 receptor complex to activate the RhoA pathway. To investigate the effects of OMgp on axon regeneration in vivo, OMgp(-/-) mice on a mixed 129/Sv/C57BL/6 (129BL6) or a C57BL/6 (BL6) genetic background were tested in two spinal cord injury (SCI) models - a severe complete transection or a milder dorsal hemisection. OMgp(-/-) mice on the mixed 129BL6 genetic background showed greater functional improvement compared to OMgp(+/+) littermates, with increased numbers of cholera toxin B-labeled ascending sensory axons and 5-HT(+) descending axons and less RhoA activation after spinal cord injury. Myelin isolated from OMgp(-/-) mice (129BL6) was significantly less inhibitory to neurite outgrowth than wild-type (wt) myelin in vitro. However, OMgp(-/-) mice on a BL/6 genetic background showed neither statistically significant functional recovery nor axonal sprouting following dorsal hemisection.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Can Be Used as a Surrogate to Assess Brain Exposures of Breast Cancer Resistance Protein and P-Glycoprotein Substrates

The objectives of the study were to characterize the selectivity of dantrolene to breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp) and to evaluate whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can be used as a surrogate to assess brain exposures of BCRP and P-glycoprotein (Pgp) substrates. The impact of Bcrp and Pgp on dantrolene exposures in brain and CSF was examined in Bcrp and Mdr1a/1b knockout mice and was further investigated in wild-type mice in the presence of the Bcrp inhibitor (3S,6S,12aS)-1,2,3,4,6,7,12,12a-octahydro-9-methoxy-6-(2-methylpropyl)-1,4-dioxopyrazino[1′,2′:1,6]pyrido[3,4-b]indole-3-propanoic acid 1,1-dimethylethyl ester (Ko143), the Pgp inhibitor 6-[(2S,4R,6E)-4-methyl-2-(methylamino)-3-oxo-6-octenoic acid]-7-l-valine-cyclosporine A (PSC833), and the dual inhibitor N-(4-[2-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6,7-dimethoxy-2-isoquinolinyl)ethyl]-phenyl)-9,10-dihydro-5-methoxy-9-oxo-4-acridine carboxamide (GF120918). The effect of Bcrp and Pgp on digoxin exposures in brain and CSF was investigated in wild-type mice in the presence of the inhibitors. In vivo studies showed dantrolene exposures in brain and CSF, but not the blood, increased in Bcrp(−/−) and Mdr1a/1b(−/−)/Bcrp(−/−) mice, or in the presence of the Bcrp inhibitors Ko143 or GF120918. Inhibition of Pgp by GF120918 and PSC833 significantly increased digoxin exposures in brain, CSF, and blood to a lesser extent. Results from the present study demonstrated that inhibition of Bcrp and Pgp increased not only the exposures of dantrolene and digoxin in brain, but also the exposures in CSF. In addition, the change of exposures in CSF reflected the changes in brain. The present study strongly suggests that the dantrolene and digoxin exposures in CSF are primarily determined by the rapid transport from brain to CSF, and inhibition of Bcrp and Pgp exhibits little impact on using CSF as surrogates to assess brain exposures of Bcrp and Pgp substrates.

Resolution of disulfide heterogeneity in Nogo receptor 1 fusion proteins by molecular engineering

NgR1 (Nogo‐66 receptor) is part of a signalling complex that inhibits axon regeneration in the central nervous system. Truncated soluble versions of NgR1 have been used successfully to promote axon regeneration in animal models of spinal‐cord injury, raising interest in this protein as a potential therapeutic target. The LRR (leucine‐rich repeat) regions in NgR1 are flanked by N‐ and C‐terminal disulfide‐containing ‘cap’ domains (LRRNT and LRRCT respectively). In the present work we show that, although functionally active, the NgR1(310)‐Fc fusion protein contains mislinked and heterogeneous disulfide patterns in the LRRCT domain, and we report the generation of a series of variant molecules specifically designed to prevent this heterogeneity. Using these variants we explored the effects of modifying the NgR1 truncation site or the spacing between the NgR1 and Fc domains, or replacing cysteines within the NgR1 or IgG hinge regions. One variant, which incorporates replacements of Cys266 and Cys309 with alanine residues, completely eliminated disulfide scrambling while maintaining functional in vitro and in vivo efficacy. This modified NgR1‐Fc molecule represents a significantly improved candidate for further pharmaceutical development, and may serve as a useful model for the optimization of other IgG fusion proteins made from LRR proteins.

Stereochemistry activity relationship of orally active tetralin S1P agonist prodrugs

Modifying FTY720, an immunosuppressant modulator, led to a new series of well phosphorylated tetralin analogs as potent S1P1 receptor agonists. The stereochemistry effect of tetralin ring was probed, and (-)-(R)-2-amino-2-((S)-6-octyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)propan-1-ol was identified as a good SphK2 substrate and potent S1P1 agonist with good oral bioavailability.