Biology subjects

Verri, W. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Verri, W. A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Targeting NGF but not VEGF or BDNF signaling reduces endometriosis-associated pain in mice

IntroductionEndometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects [~]10% of women. A significant fraction of patients experience limited or no efficacy with current therapies. Tissue adjacent to endometriosis lesions often exhibits increased neurite and vascular density, suggesting that disease pathology involves neurotrophic activity and angiogenesis. ObjectivesWe aim to evaluate the potential for key tyrosine-kinase-receptor-coupled neurotrophic molecules to contribute to endometriosis-associated pain in mice. MethodsThe levels of VEGFR1 regulators (VEGFA, VEGFB, PLGF, and sVEGFR1) were quantified by ELISA in peritoneal fluid from endometriosis patients undergoing surgery and used to calculate VEGFR1 occupancy. We used genetic depletion, neutralizing antibody, and pharmacological approaches to specifically block ligand (NGF or BDNF) or neurotrophic receptor (VEGFR1, TRKs) in a murine model of endometriosis-associated pain. Endometriosis-associated pain was determined using the von Frey filaments method, quantification of spontaneous abdominal pain-related behavior, and thermal discomfort. Diseases parameters were evaluated by lesion size and prevalence. ResultsWe found that entrectinib (pan-Trk inhibitor) or anti-NGF treatments reduced evoked pain, spontaneous pain, and thermal discomfort. In contrast, even though receptor occupancy revealing that VEGFR1 agonist levels are sufficient to support pain, blocking VEGFR1 signaling via antibody or tamoxifen-induced knockout did not reduce pain or lesion size in mice. Targeting BDNF-TrkB with an anti-BDNF antibody also proved ineffective. ConclusionsThis suggests NGF-TrkA signaling, but not BDNF-TrkB or VEGF-VEGFR1, mediates endometriosis-associated pain. Moreover, entrectinib blocks endometriosis-associated pain and reduces lesion sizes. Our results also indicated that entrectinib-like molecules are promising candidates for endometriosis treatment. Credit author statementConceptualization: T.H. Zaninelli, V. Fattori, and M.S. Rogers; investigation and data curation: T.H. Zaninelli, V. Fattori, O.K. Heintz, K.R. Wright; A.C. Andrello, W.A. Verri Jr, M.S. Rogers; funding acquisition: M.S. Rogers,, S.A. Missmer, R.M. Anchan; methodology: T.H. Zaninelli, V. Fattori, and M.S. Rogers; human sample collection: S.A. Missmer, A.F. Vitonis, K.L. Terry, R.M. Anchan; animal breading and VEGFR1 ablation: D. Sim and H. Bukhari; resources: A.C. Andrello; D. Bree, T. Zheng, J. Wagner, W.A. Verri Jr, and M.S. Rogers; project administration: T.H. Zaninelli; supervision: V. Fattori, W.A. Verri Jr, and M.S. Rogers; visualization: T.H. Zaninelli, V. Fattori, W.A. Verri Jr, and M.S. Rogers; writing-original draft: T.H. Zaninelli; writing - editing and reviewing: all authors. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2023

Nociceptor to macrophage communication through CGRP/RAMP1 signaling drives endometriosis-associated pain and lesion growth

Endometriosis is a debilitating and painful gynecological inflammatory disease affecting approximately 15% of women. Current treatments are ineffective for a significant fraction of patients, underscoring the need for new medical therapies with long-term benefits. Given the genetic correlation between migraines and endometriosis, we sought evidence for the role of CGRP-mediated neuroimmune communication in endometriosis. We found that mouse and human endometriosis lesions contained CGRP and RAMP1. In mice, nociceptor ablation reduced pain, monocyte recruitment, and lesion size, suggesting that nociceptors support endometriosis lesions. In vitro, CGRP-treated macrophages showed impaired efferocytosis and supported endometrial cell growth in a RAMP1-dependent manner. Treatment with FDA-approved drugs that block CGRP-RAMP1 signaling reduced evoked and spontaneous pain, and lesion size. Since the lack of drug efficacy at reducing ongoing pain drives most endometriosis therapy failure, our data demonstrating effectiveness of non-hormonal and non-opioid CGRP/RAMP1 blocking therapies may lead to clinical benefit for endometriosis patients.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

BEHAVIOURAL VOLUNTARY AND SOCIAL BIOASSAYS ENABLING IDENTIFICATION OF COMPLEX AND SEX DEPENDENT PAIN- (-RELATED) PHENOTYPES IN RATS WITH BONE CANCER

Cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) is a common and devastating symptom with limited treatment options in patients, significantly affecting their quality of life. To uncover the mechanisms underlying CIBP, using rodent models is the most common approach; however, the translation of results to the clinic may be hindered because the assessment of pain-related behavior is often based exclusively on reflexive-based methods, which are only partially indicative relevant pain in patients. In order to improve the accuracy and strength of the preclinical experimental model of CIBP in rodents, we used a battery of multimodal behavioral tests that were also aimed at identifying rodent-specific behavioral components by using a homecage monitoring assay (HCM). Rats of all sexes received an injection with either heat-deactivated (sham-group) or potent mammary gland carcinoma Walker 256 cells into the tibia. By integrating multimodal datasets, we assessed pain-related behavioral trajectories of CIBP-phenotype, including evoked and non-evoked based assays and HCM. Using principal component analysis (PCA), we discovered sex-specific differences in establishing the CIBP-phenotype, which occurred earlier (and different) in males. In addition, HCM phenotyping revealed the occurrence of sensory-affective states manifested by mechanical hypersensitivity in sham when housed with a tumor-bearing cagemate (CIBP) of the same sex. This multimodal battery allows an in-depth characterization of the CIBP-phenotype under social aspects in rats. The detailed, sex-specific, and rat-specific social phenotyping of CIBP enabled by PCA provides the basis for mechanism-driven studies to ensure robustness and generalisability of results and provide information for targeted drug development in the future.

cancer biology↗