Mati Fridkin

Enhancement of phagocytosis - a newly found activity of substance P residing in its N-terminal tetrapeptide sequence.

Abstract The undecapeptide Substance P stimulates phagocytosis by mouse macrophages and human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The activity of Substance P resides in its N-terminal tetrapeptide protion. Substance P and its N-terminal tetrapeptide are as active as tuftsin in their phagocytosis-stimulating activity and compete with tuftsin for its binding sites. The phagocytosis-enhancing activity of Substance P may play a role in inflammatory processes of neural origin where the involvement of the peptide has been implicated.

Bacterial induction of autoantibodies to β2-glycoprotein-I accounts for the infectious etiology of antiphospholipid syndrome

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by the presence of pathogenic autoantibodies against beta2-glycoprotein-I (beta2GPI). The factors causing production of anti-beta2GPI remain unidentified, but an association with infectious agents has been reported. Recently, we identified a hexapeptide (TLRVYK) that is recognized specifically by a pathogenic anti-beta2GPI mAb. In the present study we evaluated the APS-related pathogenic potential of microbial pathogens carrying sequences related to this hexapeptide. Mice immunized with a panel of microbial preparations were studied for the development of anti-beta2GPI autoantibodies. IgG specific to the TLRVYK peptide were affinity purified from the immunized mice and passively infused intravenously into naive mice at day 0 of pregnancy. APS parameters were evaluated in the infused mice on day 15 of pregnancy. Following immunization, high titers of antipeptide [TLRVYK] anti-beta2GPI Abs were observed in mice immunized with Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or tetanus toxoid. The specificity of binding to the corresponding target molecules was confirmed by competition and immunoblot assays. Naive mice infused with the affinity-purified antipeptide Abs had significant thrombocytopenia, prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and elevated percentage of fetal loss, similar to a control group of mice immunized with a pathogenic anti-beta2GPI mAb. Our study establishes a mechanism of molecular mimicry in experimental APS, demonstrating that bacterial peptides homologous with beta2GPI induce pathogenic anti-beta2GPI Abs along with APS manifestations.

All-D-magainin: chirality, antimicrobial activity and proteolytic resistance

All‐D‐magainin‐2 was synthesized to corroborate experimentally the notion that the biological function of a surface‐active peptide stems primarily from its unique amphiphilic α ‐helical structure. Indeed, the peptide exhibited antibacterial potency nearly identical to that of the all‐L‐enantiomer. Being highly resistant to proteolysis and non‐hemolytic all‐D‐magainin might have considerable therapeutic importance.

Historic perspective and recent developments on the insulin-like actions of vanadium; toward developing vanadium-based drugs for diabetes

Abstract Intensive studies have been carried out during the last two decades, on the insulinomimetic effects of vanadium. Vanadium compounds mimic most of the metabolic effects of insulin on the main tissues of the hormone in vitro. Vanadium therapy induces normoglycemia and improves glucose homeostasis in insulin deficient and insulin resistant diabetic rodents. Improved sensitivity to insulin in liver and muscle tissues of Type II diabetic patients following vanadium therapy was observed as well. The key mechanisms involved are inhibition of protein–phosphotyrosine phosphatases and activation of nonreceptor protein–tyrosine kinases, in an insulin-receptor tyrosine kinase independent fashion. Vanadate activates glucose-metabolism in vitro at a site preceding activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-kinase). Regarding inhibition of lipolysis, vanadate (but not insulin) acts at a site downstream to the activation of PI3 kinase. Additional vanadium-dependent mechanism, operating in vivo, is the restoration of glucose-6-phosphate levels in liver, muscle and adipose tissue of hyperglycemic diabetic rats. This is attributed to vanadate-dependent inhibition of liver glucose-6-phosphatase, and of nonspecific hexose-6-phosphatases of the diabetic muscle and adipose tissues. Initial clinical studies were already performed. Several beneficial effects were documented. The potential usage of vanadium in the future care of diabetes in human, however, depends on manipulations that would elevate the insulinomimetic efficacy of vanadium without increasing its toxicity. Organically chelated vanadium compounds, in particular, the l -isomer of Glu(γ) monohydroxamate ( l -Glu(γ)HXM) are active in potentiating the capacity of free vanadium to activate glucose metabolism, in vitro and in diabetic rats in vivo. l -Glu(γ)HXM differs from other vanadium ligands in being an amino acid derivative that permeates into peripheral tissues through the amino acid transport system. In rat adipocytes, l -Glu(γ)HXM itself activates partially glucose metabolism, by permeating into cell interior, associating with the minute quantity of intracellular vanadium, and turning it into an insulinomimetic active species. l -Glu(γ)HXM, associates with the vanadyl (+4) cation, and the vanadate (+5) anion, at neutral pH with nearly the same binding affinity. Both these oxidation states of vanadium are insulinomimetic. The therapeutical potency of l -Glu(γ)HXM·vanadium complexes is actively studied. Preliminary results on this issue are to be presented.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide prevents excitotoxic cell death in the murine developing brain.

Excitotoxic damage may be a critical factor in the formation of brain lesions associated with cerebral palsy. When injected at birth, the glutamatergic analog ibotenate induces mouse brain lesions that strikingly mimic human microgyria. When ibotenate is injected at postnatal day 5, it produces transcortical necrosis and white matter cysts that mimic human perinatal hypoxic-like lesions. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has potent growth-related actions and neuroprotective properties that influence mitosis and neuronal survival in culture. The goal of this study was to assess the protective role of VIP against excitotoxic lesions induced by ibotenate in developing mouse brain. VIP cotreatment reduced ibotenate-induced microgyric-like cortical lesions and white matter cysts by up to 77 and 85%, respectively. VIP protective effects were reproduced by a peptide derived from activity-dependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF), a trophic factor released by VIP-stimulated astrocytes, and by stearyl norleucine VIP, a specific VIP agonist that does not activate adenylate cyclase. Neither forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, nor pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide, provided VIP-like protection. VIP and neurotrophic analogs, acting through a cAMP-independent mechanism and inducing ADNF release, could represent new avenues in the understanding and prevention of human cerebral palsy.

Novel multifunctional neuroprotective iron chelator-monoamine oxidase inhibitor drugs for neurodegenerative diseases: in vitro studies on antioxidant activity, prevention of lipid peroxide formation and monoamine oxidase inhibition

Iron‐dependent oxidative stress, elevated levels of iron and of monoamine oxidase (MAO)‐B activity, and depletion of antioxidants in the brain may be major pathogenic factors in Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease and related neurodegenerative diseases. Accordingly, iron chelators, antioxidants and MAO‐B inhibitors have shown efficacy in a variety of cellular and animal models of CNS injury. In searching for novel antioxidant iron chelators with potential MAO‐B inhibitory activity, a series of new iron chelators has been designed, synthesized and investigated. In this study, the novel chelators were further examined for their activity as antioxidants, MAO‐B inhibitors and neuroprotective agents in vitro. Three of the selected chelators (M30, HLA20 and M32) were the most effective in inhibiting iron‐dependent lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenates with IC50 values (12–16 µm), which is comparable with that of desferal, a prototype iron chelator that is not has orally active. Their antioxidant activities were further confirmed using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In PC12 cell culture, the three novel chelators at 0.1 µm were able to attenuate cell death induced by serum deprivation and by 6‐hydroxydopamine. M30 possessing propargyl, the MAO inhibitory moiety of the anti‐Parkinson drug rasagiline, displayed greater neuroprotective potency than that of rasagiline. In addition, in vitro, M30 was a highly potent non‐selective MAO‐A and MAO‐B inhibitor (IC50 < 0.1 µm). However, HLA20 was more selective for MAO‐B but had poor MAO inhibition, with an IC50 value of 64.2 µm. The data suggest that M30 and HLA20 might serve as leads in developing drugs with multifunctional activities for the treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders.

Novel multifunctional neuroprotective iron chelator-monoamine oxidase inhibitor drugs for neurodegenerative diseases. In vivo selective brain monoamine oxidase inhibition and prevention of MPTP-induced striatal dopamine depletion

Several multifunctional iron chelators have been synthesized from hydroxyquinoline pharmacophore of the iron chelator, VK‐28, possessing the monoamine oxidase (MAO) and neuroprotective N‐propargylamine moiety. They have iron chelating potency similar to desferal. M30 is a potent irreversible rat brain mitochondrial MAO‐A and ‐B inhibitor in vitro (IC50, MAO‐A, 0.037 ± 0.02; MAO‐B, 0.057 ± 0.01). Acute (1–5 mg/kg) and chronic [5–10 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) or orally (p.o.) once daily for 14 days]in vivo studies have shown M30 to be a potent brain selective (striatum, hippocampus and cerebellum) MAO‐A and ‐B inhibitor. It has little effects on the enzyme activities of the liver and small intestine. Its N‐desmethylated derivative, M30A is significantly less active. Acute and chronic treatment with M30 results in increased levels of dopamine (DA), serotonin(5‐HT), noradrenaline (NA) and decreases in DOPAC (dihydroxyphenylacetic acid), HVA (homovanillic acid) and 5‐HIAA (5‐hydroxyindole acetic acid) as determined in striatum and hypothalamus. In the mouse MPTP (N‐methy‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine) model of Parkinsons disease (PD) it attenuates the DA depleting action of the neurotoxin and increases striatal levels of DA, 5‐HT and NA, while decreasing their metabolites. As DA is equally well metabolized by MAO‐A and ‐B, it is expected that M30 would have a greater DA neurotransmission potentiation in PD than selective MAO‐B inhibitors, for which it is being developed, as MAO‐B inhibitors do not alter brain dopamine.

Regression of established murine carcinoma metastases following vaccination with tumour-associated antigen peptides

The cure of micrometastases following surgery is the major goal of cancer immunotherapy. We have recently isolated tumour-associated antigen (TAA) peptides, MUT 1 and MUT 2, derived from a mutated connexin 37 gap-junction protein, from the malignant 3LL-D122 murine lung carcinoma. We now report that synthetic MUT 1 or MUT 2 induces effective antitumour cytoxic T lymphocytes. Peptide vaccines protect mice from spontaneous metastases of 3LL-D122 tumours. Moreover, peptide vaccines reduce metastatic loads in mice carrying pre-established micrometastases. Tumour-specific immunity was primarily mediated by CD8+ T cells. This is the first evidence that peptide therapy may be effective in treatment of residual tumours and provides a rationale for the development of peptide vaccines as a modality for cancer therapy.

Learning impairment following intracerebral administration of the HIV envelope protein gp120 or a VIP antagonist

The external envelope glycoprotein (gp120) of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been shown to be toxic to neurons in culture. To further investigate the neurological effects of gp120, the involvement of this protein with the acquisition of spatial discrimination was assessed. Both native and recombinant gp120 were administered into the cerebral ventricles of adult rats and performance was evaluated in the Morris swim maze. Gp120 treatment retarded acquisition after daily administration of 12 ng. The specificity of this impairment was demonstrated in that the performance of animals given the same amount of gp160 from recombinant baculovirus was not different from animals given saline. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been shown to block gp120-induced neurotoxicity in culture and a VIP receptor antagonist has displayed toxic properties to neurons in culture. We show here that this antagonist, which competitively inhibits VIP binding and blocks VIP-mediated functions in cell cultures from the CNS, also produced an impairment of performance. This retardation was attenuated by cotreatment with VIP, supporting the specificity of the observed impairment. Thus, gp120 and the VIP antagonist produced similar retardation of spatial discrimination, suggesting that both may impair memory for spatially related stimulus control.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) prevents neurotoxicity in neuronal cultures: relevance to neuroprotection in Parkinson's disease

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) provides neuroprotection against beta-amyloid toxicity in models of Alzheimers disease. A superactive analogue, stearyl-Nle17-VIP (SNV) is a 100-fold more potent than VIP. In primary neuronal cultures, VIP protective activity may be mediated by femtomolar-acting glial proteins such as activity-dependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF), activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP), peptide derivatives ADNF-9 (9aa) and NAP (8aa), respectively. It has been hypothesized that beta-amyloid induces oxidative stress leading to neuronal cell death. Similarly, dopamine and its oxidation products were suggested to trigger dopaminergic nigral cell death in Parkinsons disease. We now examined the possible protective effects of VIP against toxicity of dopamine, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) in neuronal cultures [rat pheochromocytoma (PC12), human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) and rat cerebellar granular cells]. Remarkably low concentrations of VIP (10(-16)-10(-8) M), ADNF-9 and NAP (10(-18)-10(-10) M) protected against dopamine and 6-OHDA toxicity in PC12 and neuroblastoma cells. VIP (10(-11)-10(-9) M) and SNV (10(-13)-10(-11) M), protected cerebellar granule neurons against 6-OHDA. In contrast, VIP did not rescue neurons from death associated with MPP+. Since dopamine toxicity is linked to the red/ ox state of the cellular glutathione, we investigated neuroprotection in cells depleted of reduced glutathione (GSH). Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), a selective inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, caused a marked reduction in GSH in neuroblastoma cells and their viability decreased by 70-90%. VIP, SNV or NAP (over a wide concentration range) provided significant neuroprotection against BSO toxicity. These results show that the mechanism of neuroprotection by VIP/SNV/NAP may be mediated through raising cellular resistance against oxidative stress. Our data suggest these compounds as potential lead compounds for protective therapies against Parkinsons disease.