Open Access
Maraviroc prevents hcc development by suppressing macrophages and the liver progenitor cell response in a murine chronic liver disease model
(MDPI, 2021) Passman, Adam M.; Strauss, Robyn P.; McSpadden, Sarah B.; Finch-Edmondson, Megan; Andrewartha, Neil; Woo, Ken H.; Diepeveen, Luke A.; Zhao, Weihao; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Medina-Ruiz, Laura; Szpakowska, Martyna; Chevigné, Andy; Park, Hyerin; Carlessi, Rodrigo; Tirnitz-Parker, Janina; Blanco, José R.; London, Roslyn; Callus, Bernard A.; Elsegood, Caryn L.; Baker, Murray V.; Martínez, Alfredo; Yeoh, George C.T.; Ochoa-Callejero, Laura; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Maraviroc (MVC), a CCR5 antagonist, reduces liver fibrosis, injury and tumour burden in mice fed a hepatocarcinogenic diet, suggesting it has potential as a cancer therapeutic. We investigated the effect of MVC on liver progenitor cells (LPCs) and macrophages as both have a role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Mice were fed the hepatocarcinogenic choline-deficient, ethionine-supple-mented diet (CDE) ± MVC, and immunohistochemistry, RNA and protein expression were used to determine LPC and macrophage abundance, migration and related molecular mechanisms. MVC reduced LPC numbers in CDE mice by 54%, with a smaller reduction seen in macrophages. Tran-script and protein abundance of LPC-associated markers correlated with this reduction. The CDE diet activated phosphorylation of AKT and STAT3 and was inhibited by MVC. LPCs did not express Ccr5 in our model; in contrast, macrophages expressed high levels of this receptor, suggesting the effect of MVC is mediated by targeting macrophages. MVC reduced CD45+ cells and macrophage migration in liver and blocked the CDE-induced transition of liver macrophages from an M1-to M2-tumour-associated macrophage (TAM) phenotype. These findings suggest MVC has potential as a re-purposed therapeutic agent for treating chronic liver diseases where M2-TAM and LPC numbers are increased, and the incidence of HCC is enhanced.
Open Access
Familial globular glial tauopathy linked to MAPT mutations: molecular neuropathology and seeding capacity of a prototypical mixed neuronal and glial tauopathy
(Springer, 2020) Ferrer, Isidro; Andrés Benito, Pol; Zelaya Huerta, María Victoria; Erro Aguirre, María Elena; Carmona, Margarita; Ausín, Karina; Lachén Montes, Mercedes; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Río, José Antonio del; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Globular glial tauopathy (GGT) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease involving the grey matter and white matter (WM) and characterized by neuronal deposition of hyper-phosphorylated, abnormally conformed, truncated, oligomeric 4Rtau in neurons and in glial cells forming typical globular astrocyte and oligodendrocyte inclusions (GAIs and GOIs, respectively) and coiled bodies. Present studies centre on four genetic GGT cases from two unrelated families bearing the P301T mutation in MAPT and one case of sporadic GGT (sGGT) and one case of GGT linked to MAPT K317M mutation, for comparative purposes. Clinical and neuropathological manifestations and biochemical profiles of phospho-tau are subjected to individual variations in patients carrying the same mutation, even in carriers of the same family, independently of the age of onset, gender, and duration of the disease. Immunohistochemistry, western blotting, transcriptomic, proteomics and phosphoproteomics, and intra-cerebral inoculation of brain homogenates to wild-type (WT) mice were the methods employed. In GGT cases linked to MAPT P301T mutation, astrocyte markers GFAP, ALDH1L1, YKL40 mRNA and protein, GJA1 mRNA, and AQ4 protein are significantly increased; glutamate transporter GLT1 (EAAT2) and glucose transporter (SLC2A1) decreased; mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 (MPC1) increased, and mitochondrial uncoupling protein 5 (UCP5) almost absent in GAIs in frontal cortex (FC). Expression of oligodendrocyte markers OLIG1 and OLIG2mRNA, and myelin-related genes MBP, PLP1, CNP, MAG, MAL, MOG, and MOBP are significantly decreased in WM; CNPase, PLP1, and MBP antibodies reveal reduction and disruption of myelinated fibres; and SMI31 antibodies mark axonal damage in the WM. Altered expression of AQ4, GLUC-t, and GLT-1 is also observed in sGGT and in GGT linked to MAPT K317M mutation. These alterations point to primary astrogliopathy and oligodendrogliopathy in GGT. In addition, GGT linked to MAPT P301T mutation proteotypes unveil a proteostatic imbalance due to widespread (phospho)proteomic dearrangement in the FC and WM, triggering a disruption of neuron projection morphogenesis and synaptic transmission. Identification of hyper-phosphorylation of variegated proteins calls into question the concept of phospho-tau-only alteration in the pathogenesis of GGT. Finally, unilateral inoculation of sarkosyl-insoluble fractions of GGT homogenates from GGT linked to MAPT P301T, sGGT, and GGT linked to MAPT K317M mutation in the hippocampus, corpus callosum, or caudate/putamen in wild-type mice produces seeding, and time- and region-dependent spreading of phosphorylated, non-oligomeric, and non-truncated 4Rtau and 3Rtau, without GAIs and GOIs but only of coiled bodies. These experiments prove that host tau strains are important in the modulation of cellular vulnerability and phenotypes of phospho-tau aggregates.
Open Access
Alterations of the IKZF1-IKZF2 tandem in immune cells of schizophrenia patients regulate associated phenotypes
(BMC, 2024-12-18) Ballasch, Iván; López-Molina, Laura; Galán-Ganga, Marcos; Sancho-Balsells, Anna; Rodríguez-Navarro, Irene; Borràs-Pernas, Sara; Rabadán, M. Ángeles; Chen, Wanqi; Pastó-Pellicer, Carlota; Flotta, Francesca; Maoyu, Wang; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Aguilar, Ruth; Dobaño, Carlota; Egri, Natalia; Hernández, Carla; Alfonso, Miqueu; Juan, Manel; Alberch, Jordi; Toro, Daniel del; Arranz, Belén; Canals, Josep M.; Giralt, Albert; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Schizophrenia is a complex multifactorial disorder and increasing evidence suggests the involvement of immune dysregulations in its pathogenesis. We observed that IKZF1 and IKZF2, classic immune-related transcription factors (TFs), were both downregulated in patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) but not in their brain. We generated a new mutant mouse model with a reduction in Ikzf1 and Ikzf2 to study the impact of those changes. Such mice developed deficits in the three dimensions (positive-negative-cognitive) of schizophrenia-like phenotypes associated with alterations in structural synaptic plasticity. We then studied the secretomes of cultured PBMCs obtained from patients and identified potentially secreted molecules, which depended on IKZF1 and IKZF2 mRNA levels, and that in turn have an impact on neural synchrony, structural synaptic plasticity and schizophrenia-like symptoms in in vivo and in vitro models. Our results point out that IKZF1-IKZF2-dependent immune signals negatively impact on essential neural circuits involved in schizophrenia.
Open Access
Sex-specific role of galectin-3 in aortic stenosis
(BMC, 2023) Matilla Cuenca, Lara; Martín Núñez, Ernesto; Garaikoetxea Zubillaga, Mattie; Navarro, Adela; Tamayo Rodríguez, Ibai; Fernández Celis, Amaya; Gaínza Calleja, Alicia; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Muntendam, Pieter; Álvarez, Virginia; Sádaba Sagredo, Rafael; Jover, Eva; López Andrés, Natalia; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Background: Aortic stenosis (AS) is characterized by infammation, fbrosis, osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Men and women develop these mechanisms diferently. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a pro-infammatory and pro-osteogenic lectin in AS. In this work, we aim to analyse a potential sex-diferential role of Gal-3 in AS. Methods: 226 patients (61.50% men) with severe AS undergoing surgical aortic valve (AV) replacement were recruited. In AVs, Gal-3 expression and its relationship with infammatory, osteogenic and angiogenic markers was assessed. Valve interstitial cells (VICs) were primary cultured to perform in vitro experiments. Results: Proteomic analysis revealed that intracellular Gal-3 was over-expressed in VICs of male AS patients. Gal-3 secretion was also higher in men’s VICs as compared to women’s. In human AVs, Gal-3 protein levels were signifcantly higher in men, with stronger immunostaining in VICs with myofbroblastic phenotype and valve endothelial cells. Gal-3 levels in AVs were positively correlated with infammatory markers in both sexes. Gal-3 expression was also posi tively correlated with osteogenic markers mainly in men AVs, and with angiogenic molecules only in this sex. In vitro, Gal-3 treatment induced expression of infammatory, osteogenic and angiogenic markers in male’s VICs, while it only upregulated infammatory and osteogenic molecules in women-derived cells. Gal-3 blockade with pharma cological inhibitors (modifed citrus pectin and G3P-01) prevented the upregulation of infammatory, osteogenic and angiogenic molecules. Conclusions: Gal-3 plays a sex-diferential role in the setting of AS, and it could be a new sex-specifc therapeutic target controlling pathological features of AS in VICs.
Open Access
Multi-laboratory experiment PME11 for the standardization of phosphoproteome analysis
(Elsevier, 2022) Colomé, Núria; Abian, Joaquín; Aloria, Kerman; Arizmendi, Jesús M.; Barceló-Batllori, Silvia; Braga-Lagache, Sophie; Burlet-Schiltz, Odile; Carrascal, Montse; Casal, Ignacio J.; Chicano-Gálvez, Eduard; Chiva, Cristina; Clemente, Luis F.; Elortza, Félix; Estanyol, Josep M.; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Fernández-Puente, Patricia; Fidalgo, María J.; Froment, Carine; Fuentes, Manuel; Fuentes-Almagro, Carlos; Gay, Marina; Hainard, Alexandre; Heller, Manfred; Hernández, María Luisa; Ibarrola, Nieves; Iloro, Ibon; Kieselbach, Thomas; Lario, Antonio; Locard-Paulet, Marie; Marina-Ramírez, Anabel; Martín, Luna; Morato-López, Esperanza; Muñoz, Javier; Navajas, Rosana; Odena, Antonia M.; Odriozola, Leticia; Oliveira, Eliandre de; Paradela, Alberto; Pasquarello, Carla; Rios, Vivian de los; Ruiz-Romero, Cristina; Sabidó, Eduard; Sánchez del Pino, Manuel; Sancho, Jaime; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Schaeffer-Reiss, Christine; Schneider, Justine; Torre, Carolina de la; Valero, Luz M.; Vilaseca, Marta; Wu, Shuai; Wu, Linfeng; Ximénez de Embún, Pilar; Canals, Francesc; Corrales, Fernando J.; ProteoRed-ISCIII; EuPA; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Global analysis of protein phosphorylation by mass spectrometry proteomic techniques has emerged in the last decades as a powerful tool in biological and biomedical research. However, there are several factors that make the global study of the phosphoproteome more challenging than measuring non-modified proteins. The low stoichiometry of the phosphorylated species and the need to retrieve residue specific information require particular attention on sample preparation, data acquisition and processing to ensure reproducibility, qualitative and quantitative robustness and ample phosphoproteome coverage in phosphoproteomic workflows. Aiming to investigate the effect of different variables in the performance of proteome wide phosphoprotein analysis protocols, ProteoRed-ISCIII and EuPA launched the Proteomics Multicentric Experiment 11 (PME11). A reference sample consisting of a yeast protein extract spiked in with different amounts of a phosphomix standard (Sigma/Merck) was distributed to 31 laboratories around the globe. Thirty-six datasets from 23 laboratories were analyzed. Our results indicate the suitability of the PME11 reference sample to benchmark and optimize phosphoproteomics strategies, weighing the influence of different factors, as well as to rank intra and inter laboratory performance.
Open Access
Improvement of cognitive function in wild-type and Alzheimer's disease mouse models by the immunomodulatory properties of menthol inhalation or by depletion of T regulatory cells
(Frontiers Media, 2023) Casares, Noelia; Alfaro Larraya, María; Cuadrado-Tejedor, Mar; Lasarte-Cía, Aritz; Navarro Negredo, Flor; Vivas, Isabel; Espelosín, María; Cartas Cejudo, Paz; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; García-Osta, Ana; Lasarte, Juan José; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
A complex network of interactions exists between the olfactory, immune and central nervous systems. In this work we intend to investigate this connection through the use of an immunostimulatory odorant like menthol, analyzing its impact on the immune system and the cognitive capacity in healthy and Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Models. We first found that repeated short exposures to menthol odor enhanced the immune response against ovalbumin immunization. Menthol inhalation also improved the cognitive capacity of immunocompetent mice but not in immunodeficient NSG mice, which exhibited very poor fear-conditioning. This improvement was associated with a downregulation of IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA in the brain´s prefrontal cortex, and it was impaired by anosmia induction with methimazole. Exposure to menthol for 6 months (1 week per month) prevented the cognitive impairment observed in the APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer. Besides, this improvement was also observed by the depletion or inhibition of T regulatory cells. Treg depletion also improved the cognitive capacity of the APPNL-G-F/NL-G-F Alzheimer´s mouse model. In all cases, the improvement in learning capacity was associated with a downregulation of IL-1β mRNA. Blockade of the IL-1 receptor with anakinra resulted in a significant increase in cognitive capacity in healthy mice as well as in the APP/PS1 model of Alzheimer´s disease. These data suggest an association between the immunomodulatory capacity of smells and their impact on the cognitive functions of the animals, highlighting the potential of odors and immune modulators as therapeutic agents for CNS-related diseases.
Open Access
Early-onset molecular derangements in the olfactory bulb of Tg2576 mice: novel insights into the stress-responsive olfactory kinase dynamics in Alzheimer’s disease
(Frontiers Media, 2019) Lachén Montes, Mercedes; González Morales, Andrea; Palomino Alonso, Maialen; Ausín, Karina; Gómez-Ochoa, Marta; Zelaya Huerta, María Victoria; Ferrer, Isidro; Pérez Mediavilla, Alberto; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
The olfactory bulb (OB) is the first processing station in the olfactory pathway. Despite smell impairment, which is considered an early event in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), little is known about the initial molecular disturbances that accompany the AD development at olfactory level. We have interrogated the time-dependent OB molecular landscape in Tg2576 AD mice prior to the appearance of neuropathological amyloid plaques (2-, and 6-month-old), using combinatorial omics analysis. The metabolic modulation induced by overproduction of human mutated amyloid precursor protein (APP) clearly differs between both time points. Besides the progressive perturbation of the APP interactome, functional network analysis unveiled an inverse regulation of downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) routes in 2-month-old Tg2576 mice with respect to wild-type (WT) mice. In contrast, Akt and MAPK kinase 4 (SEK1)/ stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) axis were parallel activated in the OB of 6-months-old-Tg2576 mice. Furthermore, a survival kinome profiling performed during the aging process (2-, 6-, and 18-month-old) revealed that olfactory APP overexpression leads to changes in the activation dynamics of protein kinase A (PKA), and SEK1/MKK4-SAPK/JNK between 6 and 18 months of age, when memory deficits appear and AD pathology is well established in transgenic mice. Interestingly, both olfactory pathways were differentially activated in a stage-dependent manner in human sporadic AD subjects with different neuropathological grading. Taken together, our data reflect the early impact of mutated APP on the OB molecular homeostasis, highlighting the progressive modulation of specific signaling pathways during the olfactory amyloidogenic pathology.
Open Access
Oncolytic adenovirus Delta-24-RGD induces a widespread glioma proteotype remodeling during autophagy
(Elsevier, 2018) González Morales, Andrea; Zabaleta, Aintzane; García Moure, Marc; Alonso Roldán, Marta; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Adenovirus Delta-24-RGD has shown a remarkable efficacy in a phase I clinical trial for glioblastoma. Delta-24-RGD induces autophagy in glioma cells, however, the molecular derangements associated with Delta-24-RGD infection remains poorly understood. Here, proteomics was applied to characterize the glioma metabolic disturbances soon after Delta-24-RGD internalization and late in infection. Minutes post-infection, a rapid survival reprogramming of glioma cells was evidenced by an early c-Jun activation and a time-dependent dephosphorylation of multiple survival kinases. At 48 h post-infection (hpi), a severe intracellular proteostasis impairment was characterized, detecting differentially expressed proteins related to mRNA splicing, cytoskeletal organization, oxidative response, and inflammation. Specific kinase-regulated protein interactomes for Delta-24-RGD-modulated proteome revealed interferences with the activation dynamics of protein kinases C and A (PKC, PKA), tyrosine-protein kinase Src (c-Src), glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) as well as serine/threonine-protein phosphatases 1 and 2A (PP1, PP2A) at 48hpi, in parallel with adenoviral protein overproduction. Moreover, the late activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) correlates with the extracellular increment of specific cytokines involved in migration, and activation of different inflammatory cells. Taken together, our integrative analysis provides further insights into the effects triggered by Delta-24-RGD in the modulation of tumor suppression and immune response against glioma. Significance: The current study provides new insights regarding the molecular mechanisms governing the glioma metabolism during Delta-24-RGD oncolytic adenoviral therapy. The compilation and analysis of intracellular and extracellular proteomics have led us to characterize: i) the cell survival reprogramming during Delta-24-RGD internalization, ii) the proteostatic disarrangement induced by Delta-24-RGD during the autophagic stage, iii) the protein interactomes for Delta-24-RGD-modulated proteome, iv) the regulatory effects on kinase dynamics induced by Delta-24-RGD late in infection, and v) the overproduction of multitasking cytokines upon Delta-24-RGD treatment. We consider that the quantitative molecular maps generated in this study may establish the foundations for the development of complementary adenoviral based-vectors to increase the potency against glioma.
Open Access
Amyloid-driven tau accumulation on mitochondria potentially leads to cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer’s disease
(MDPI, 2021) Cuadrado-Tejedor, Mar; Pérez-González, Marta; Alfaro-Ruiz, Rocío; Badesso, Sara; Sucunza, Diego; Espelosín, María; Ursúa, Susana; Lachén Montes, Mercedes; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Luján, Rafael; García-Osta, Ana; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Despite the well-accepted role of the two main neuropathological markers (β-amyloid and tau) in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the interaction and specific contribution of each of them is not fully elucidated. To address this question, in the present study, an adeno-associated virus (AAV9) carrying the mutant P301L form of human tau, was injected into the dorsal hippocampi of APP/PS1 transgenic mice or wild type mice (WT). Three months after injections, memory tasks, biochemical and immunohistochemical analysis were performed. We found that the overexpression of hTauP301L accelerates memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice, but it did not affect memory function of WT mice. Likewise, biochemical assays showed that only in the case of APP/PS1-hTauP301L injected mice, an important accumulation of tau was observed in the insoluble urea fraction. Similarly, electron microscopy images revealed that numerous clusters of tau immunoparticles appear at the dendrites of APP/PS1 injected mice and not in WT animals, suggesting that the presence of amyloid is necessary to induce tau aggregation. Interestingly, these tau immunoparticles accumulate in dendritic mitochondria in the APP/PS1 mice, whereas most of mitochondria in WT injected mice remain free of tau immunoparticles. Taken together, it seems that amyloid induces tau aggregation and accumulation in the dendritic mitochondria and subsequently may alter synapse function, thus, contributing to accelerate cognitive decline in APP/PS1 mice.
Open Access
Influence of short-term training on functional capacity and (anti-)inflammatory immune signalling in acute hospitalization
(Wiley, 2020) Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Martínez Velilla, Nicolás; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Palomino Echeverría, Sara; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
To investigate the infuence of exercise on inflammatory signalling, it was performed cytokine array profiling in human serum to identify inflammatory cytokines produced after a 3 day in-hospital intervention including individualized moderate-intensity resistance, balance, and walking exercises vs. medical usual-care for acute hospitalization in very elderly patients.