Commentary
Abstract
In this issue of the JCI, Casas et al. define a previously unknown role of the NADPH oxidase catalytic subunit NOX5 in cerebral infarction. Using a mouse expressing human NOX5 in the endothelium, the investigators show that NOX5 is activated and plays a deleterious role in promoting edema, infarction, and ultimately, worsened neurological function following cerebral ischemia. They provide evidence that this is due to the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and that a unique pharmacological inhibitor of NOX5, ML090, if given early, around the time of reoxygenation, can maintain BBB integrity. Future studies of NOX5 inhibition in humans, particularly in the setting of thrombolysis, are warranted.
Authors
Luciana Simão do Carmo, Bradford C. Berk, David G. Harrison
Abstract
Survivors of sepsis and other forms of critical illness frequently experience significant and disabling cognitive and affective disorders. Inflammation, ischemia, and glial cell dysfunction contribute to this persistent brain injury. In this issue of the JCI, Hippensteel et al. show that endothelial injury in animal models of sepsis or endotoxemia leads to shedding of heparan fragments from the endothelial glycocalyx. These fragments directly sequester brain-derived neurotrophic factor and impair hippocampal long-term potentiation, an electrophysiologic correlate of memory. The authors further explore the specific characteristics of heparan fragments that bind neurotrophins and the presence of these fragments in the circulation of patients who survive sepsis. This study highlights an important mechanism by which vascular injury can impair brain function.
Authors
Benjamin H. Singer
Abstract
Motoneurons are particularly sensitive to mutations in mitofusin-2 (MFN2) that cause the neurological disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2A (CMT2A). MFN2 is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein that, together with its homologue MFN1, fuses mitochondria in most tissues. In this issue of the JCI, Zhou and colleagues show that increasing MFN1 expression in neurons can curtail neurological defects in a CMT2A mouse model. These results show that the ratio of MFN1 to MFN2 can explain the tissue specificity of CMT2A and indicate that augmentation of MFN1 in the nervous system has potential as a possible therapeutic strategy for CMT2A.
Authors
Keiko Iwata, Luca Scorrano
Abstract
Chronic unresolved inflammation contributes to the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a disorder characterized by lipotoxicity, fibrosis, and progressive liver dysfunction. In this issue of the JCI, Han et al. report that maresin 1 (MaR1), a proresolving lipid mediator, mitigates NASH by reprograming macrophages to an antiinflammatory phenotype. Mechanistically, they identified retinoic acid–related orphan receptor α (RORα) as both a target and autocrine regulator of MaR1 production. Because NASH is associated with many widely occurring metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, identification of this endogenous protective pathway could have broad therapeutic implications.
Authors
Matthew Spite
Abstract
The identification of JAK2 mutations as disease-initiating in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) has led to new and effective therapies for these diseases. In a study published in this issue of the JCI, Stivala et al. explored the key observation that JAK inhibition successfully suppresses MAPK activation in MPN cell lines and primary MPN cells in vitro, and the finding that it failed to completely and effectively suppress MAPK activation in vivo in two mouse models. The authors went on to show that dual inhibition of JAK and the MAP kinase pathway provided enhanced therapeutic efficacy in the in vivo models of MPN.
Authors
David A. Williams
Abstract
Genetically engineered T cells have shown promising activity in the treatment of cancer. However, these cells are also potentially susceptible to immune-suppressive pathways in the tumor microenvironment that may limit their efficacy. In this issue of the JCI, Yamamoto et al. describe a new cellular engineering approach to prevent Fas-mediated inhibition of T cell function, which may be exploited to improve cellular therapy for cancer.
Authors
Madhav V. Dhodapkar
Abstract
IgE-mediated activation of mast cells is a hallmark of an anaphylactic reaction to allergen. In this issue of the JCI, Duan et al. describe an approach for suppressing IgE-dependent mast cell activation, thereby suppressing anaphylaxis. Specifically, the authors show that delivery of liposomes containing both the specific antigen recognized by the mast cell–bound IgE and a high-affinity glycan ligand of the inhibitory receptor CD33 (CD33L) to targeted mast cells inhibits antigen-induced, FcεRI-dependent spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) phosphorylation and downstream protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) phosphorylation, Ca++ flux, and β-hexosaminidase release (i.e., degranulation). However, this strategy only worked if both the antigen (reactive with the mast cell–bound IgE) and CD33L were on the same liposome. This approach promises to rapidly reduce IgE-dependent mast cell activation in response to challenge with offending allergens.
Authors
Stephen J. Galli
Abstract
Despite advances in understanding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathogenesis, most clinical trials of new targeted therapies have been met with disappointment. The type I IFN pathway is believed to play an important role in SLE, and the proposed involvement of this pathway helps explain the frustration behind the failure at targeting either IFN-α or the type 1 IFN receptor itself. In this issue of the JCI, Furie et al. report on an intriguing phase 1b study that demonstrates an approach for inhibiting this pathway in the skin using an mAB (BIIB059) that targets the blood DC antigen 2 (BDCA-2) receptor on plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs). BIIB059 decreased IFN expression and improved cutaneous lupus disease activity, with a favorable safety profile. Whether or not this strategy will be effective in managing SLE in other organs remains unanswered. However, these results suggest that closing the door on targeting the type 1 IFN pathway in SLE may be premature and highlight the emerging question of whether an organ-specific approach toward lupus trials and treatment should be the wave of the future.
Authors
Yashaar Chaichian, Daniel J. Wallace, Michael H. Weisman
Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype switching from a contractile state to a synthetic phenotype has been implicated in intimal remodeling during vascular injury. While multiple studies have focused on dedifferentiation of VSMCs, prevention of VSMC-mediated excessive repair remains poorly understood. In this issue of the JCI, Zeng et al. identified a mechanism by which platelet-derived microRNA-223 (miRNA-223) reverses VSMC dedifferentiation. The authors show that suppression of proliferation occurs after platelet internalization by VSMCs. Moreover, they demonstrate that miRNA-223 inhibits dedifferentiation and intimal hyperplasia in diabetic mice by decreasing PDGFRβ expression in VSMCs. Together, these results identify platelet-derived miRNA-223 as a potential therapeutic target in vascular injury.
Authors
Elena V. Dolmatova, Kathy K. Griendling
Abstract
A variety of neurological procedures, including deep brain stimulation and craniotomies that require tissue removal near elegant cortices, require patients to remain awake and responsive in order to monitor function. Such procedures can produce anxiety and are poorly tolerated in some subjects. In this issue of the JCI, Bijanki and colleagues demonstrate that electrical stimulation of the left dorsal anterior cingulum bundle promoted a positive (mirthful) effect and reduced anxiety, without sedation, in three patients with epilepsy undergoing intracranial electrode monitoring. The results of this study highlight the need for further evaluation of anterior cingulum stimulation to reduce anxiety during awake surgery and as a possible approach for treating anxiety disorders.
Authors
Kelly A. Mills
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Copyright © 2019 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)