2015 Targeting Trends Review

Vazquez-DeRose J, Schwartz M, Nguyen A, Warrier D, Gulati S, Mathew T, Neylan T, Kilduff T (2016) Hypocretin/orexin antagonism enhances sleep-related adenosine and GABA neurotransmission in rat basal forebrain. Brain Struct Funct 221:923-940. doi: 10.1007/s00429-014-0946-y

Summary: The basal forebrain (BF) is one of the regions receiving excitatory input from orexin neurons. The authors investigated the hypothesis that orexin antagonists induce sleep at least in part by interfering with the facilitation of BF neurons. Rats received bilateral 500-ng injections of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into the BF. Lesioned animals displayed no abnormal responses to a benzodiazepine agonist or vehicle. An orexin antagonist, however, was less effective than the control at inducing sleep in lesioned rats.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Harasawa I, Johansen J, Fields H, Porreca F, Meng I (2016) Alterations in the rostral ventromedial medulla after the selective ablation of μ-opioid receptor expressing neurons. Pain 157:166-173. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000344

Summary: The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) has both excitatory and inhibitory control over nociceptive neurons in the medullary dorsal horn and spinal cord. Previous work has demonstrated that elimination of mu-opioid receptor-expressing neurons in the RVM reduces stress and injury-induced behavioral hypersensitivity, but the effect of losing these cells on the descending inhibitory system has not been examined. The authors administered 1.2 pmol of Dermorphin-SAP (Cat. #IT-12) to each side of the RVM of rats. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. Characterization of RVM neurons in lesioned animals showed a reduction in on- and off-cells, but no change in the number of neutral cells. These data indicate that mu-opioid receptor-expressing cells in the RVM are not needed for analgesia produced by activation of RVM neurons.

Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Helena C, Toporikova N, Kalil B, Stathopoulos A, Pogrebna V, Carolino R, Anselmo-Franci J, Bertram R (2015) KNDy neurons modulate the magnitude of the steroid-induced luteinizing hormone surges in ovariectomized rats. Endocrinology 156:4200-4213. doi: 10.1210/en.2015-1070

Summary: Maturation and reproductive function in mammals is controlled by the kisspeptin neuropeptide. Kisspeptin modulates numerous systems within this framework including the mediation of positive and negative feedback effects of estradiol on luteinizing hormone (LH). In the rat, two kisspeptin neuronal populations exist; one in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV), and the KNDy (kisspeptin/ neurokinin B/dynorphin) neurons in the arcuate nucleus. In this work the authors examine the role of KNDy neurons in estradiol positive feedback effects by administering 10-ng bilateral injections of NK3-SAP (Cat. #IT-63) into the arcuate nucleus of rats. The results indicate that KNDy neurons use dynorphin to inhibit AVPV neurons, establishing a regulatory mechanism for the amplitude of steroid-induced LH surges.

Related Products: NKB-SAP (Cat. #IT-63)

Freiria-Oliveira A, Blanch G, Pedrino G, Cravo S, Murphy D, Menani J, Colombari D (2015) Catecholaminergic neurons in the comissural region of the nucleus of the solitary tract modulate hyperosmolality-induced responses. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 309:R1082-1091. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00432.2014

Summary: Body fluid homeostasis and cardiovascular regulation are thought to be at least in part controlled by noradrenergic A2 neurons found in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). In this work the authors investigated the involvement of A2 neurons of the commissural NTS in arterial pressure, as well as several body fluid homeostasis parameters. Rats received 12.6-ng injections of Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) into the commissural NTS. Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18) was used as a control. Lesioned animals displayed increased c-Fos expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus when treated with hypertonic NaCl, and increased arterial pressure. The data indicate that commissural NTS A2 neurons are essential for inhibitory mechanisms that reduce water intake and pressor response to an acute increase in plasma osmolality.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03), Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18)

Buhr E, Yue W, Ren X, Jiang Z, Liao H, Mei X, Vemaraju S, Nguyen M, Reed R, Lang R, Yau K, Van Gelder R (2015) Neuropsin (OPN5)-mediated photoentrainment of local circadian oscillators in mammalian retina and cornea. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112:13093-13098. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1516259112 PMID: 26392540

Summary: Circadian clocks are found in most mammalian tissues. These clocks are synchronized by the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the brain. The local clock found in the retina does not require rods, cones, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, or the SCN. In order to determine what photopigments are responsible for local retinal photoentrainment, the authors used a candidate gene approach. For immunohistochemical studies on flat mount retinas they used a melanopsin antibody (Cat. #AB-N38) at a 1:1000 dilution. The data indicate that OPN5, also known as neuropsin, has a light-sensing function and is involved in retinal photoentrainment.

Related Products: Melanopsin Rabbit Polyclonal (Cat. #AB-N38)

Pires E, D’Souza R, Needham M, Herr A, Jazaeri A, Li H, Stoler M, Anderson-Knapp K, Thomas T, Mandal A, Gougeon A, Flickinger C, Bruns D, Pollok B, Herr J (2015) Membrane associated cancer-oocyte neoantigen SAS1B/ovastacin is a candidate immunotherapeutic target for uterine tumors. Oncotarget 6:30194-30211. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.4734

Summary: Ovastatin is a zinc matrix metallo-proteinase thought to play roles in sperm-egg interaction and the prevention of polyspermy in eutherians. This protein is not found in normal adult tissues, but is expressed by uterine carcinosarcomas. The authors investigated the possibility of targeting ovastatin as a tumor surface neoantigen for therapeutic purposes. SNU539 cells, a uterine malignant mixed Müllerian tumor-derived cell line, were challenged with 1 μM, 0.1 μM, and 0.01 μM rabbit polyclonal anti-ovastatin coupled to 5.42 nM Fab-ZAP rabbit (Cat. #IT-57). Rabbit IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-35) was used as a control. The results indicate that for this form of uterine cancer, ovastatin is a viable therapeutic target.

Related Products: Fab-ZAP rabbit (Cat. #IT-57), Rabbit IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-35)

Cao Q, Lu J, Li Q, Wang C, Wang X, Lee V, Wang C, Nguyen H, Zheng G, Zhao Y, Alexander S, Wang Y, Harris D (2016) CD103+ dendritic cells elicit CD8+ t cell responses to accelerate kidney injury in adriamycin nephropathy. J Am Soc Nephrol 27:1344-1360. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2015030229

Summary: Although it is known that dendritic cells (DCs) are involved in chronic kidney disease, it is not well understood how they either resolve or aggravate the condition. CD103+ dendritic cells in particular, are known to maintain tolerance through interaction with regulatory T cells, as well as protect against infection through interactions with CD8+ T cells. In this work the authors depleted CD103+ DCs by administering 1 mg/kg of anti-CD103-SAP (Cat. #IT-50) to the intraperitoneal space of mice subject to adriamycin nephropathy. Rat IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-17) was used as a control. Elimination of the CD103+ DCs attenuated the kidney injury, indicating that in murine chronic kidney disease CD103+ DCs are pathogenic rather than therapeutic.

Related Products: Anti-CD103-SAP (Cat. #IT-50), Rat IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-17)

Damelin M, Bankovich A, Park A, Aguilar J, Anderson W, Santaguida M, Aujay M, Fong S, Khandke K, Pulito V, Ernstoff E, Escarpe P, Bernstein J, Pysz M, Zhong W, Upeslacis E, Lucas J, Lucas J, Nichols T, Loving K, Foord O, Hampl J, Stull R, Barletta F, Falahatpisheh H, Sapra P, Gerber H, Dylla S (2015) Anti-EFNA4 calicheamicin conjugates effectively target triple-negative breast and ovarian tumor-initiating cells to result in sustained tumor regressions. Clin Cancer Res 21:4165-4173. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-15-0695

Summary: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by tumors lacking HER2, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor. TNBC has proved to be very difficult to treat, in large part because of the absence of consensus targets on the surface of the tumor cells. In this work the authors empirically established a set of surface markers associated with TNBC tumor initiating cells, as produced by patient-derived xenografts. Ephrin-A4 was selected as a therapeutic target, and a cell line transfected with the ephrin-A4 gene was challenged with two versions of biotinylated anti-ephrin-A4 coupled to Streptavidin-ZAP (Cat. #IT-27). Both the mouse monoclonal and the humanized antibodies reach an EC50 of 10 ng/ml, indicating that ephrin-A4 has promise as a therapeutic target for TNBC.

Related Products: Streptavidin-ZAP (Cat. #IT-27)

Kras J, Weisshaar C, Pall P, Winkelstein B (2015) Pain from intra-articular NGF or joint injury in the rat requires contributions from peptidergic joint afferents. Neurosci Lett 604:193-198. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.07.043

Summary: Both peptidergic and non-peptidergic neurons innervate the facet joint, which is the source of pain in a majority of neck trauma. In this work the authors examined these subpopulations of neurons to determine the contribution of each in facet joint pain. 100 ng of SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11) was injected into bilateral C6/C7 facet joints of rats. Alternatively, rats received 5 μg of rIB4-SAP (Cat. #IT-10) via the same method. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as control. SSP-SAP, but not rIB4-SAP was able to prevent NGF-induced mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. SSP-SAP administration also prevented behavioral hypersensitivity and NGF upregulation in the dorsal root ganglion after facet joint distraction. The data indicate that interference with peptidergic signaling within the facet joint may be a treatment for pain originating in that location.

Related Products: SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11), IB4-SAP (Cat. #IT-10), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Saeed A, Pawlowski S, Ribeiro-da-Silva A (2015) Limited changes in spinal lamina I dorsal horn neurons following the cytotoxic ablation of non-peptidergic C-fibers. Mol Pain 11:54. doi: 10.1186/s12990-015-0060-z

Summary: For the most part nociceptive information is moved from the periphery to the spinal cord through small diameter primary afferents. One subclass of these afferents is further divided into peptidergic and non-peptidergic populations. The authors examined the role of the non-peptidergic afferents in normal nociception and pain, especially the aspect that in rat neuropathic and inflammatory pain models there is novel expression of neurokinin-1 receptors in some neurons normally devoid of this protein. Rats received 4.8-μg injections of rIB4-SAP (Cat. #IT-10) into the left sciatic nerve, over three injection sites. While the number of non-peptidergic neurons was significantly reduced, de novo expression of the neurokinin-1 receptor was not increased in lamina I pyramidal projection neurons.

Related Products: IB4-SAP (Cat. #IT-10)