Single injection of sustained-release prostacyclin analog ONO-1301-MS ameliorates hypoxic toxicity in the murine model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 27;9(1):5252. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-41771-4.

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by several pathologies including oxidative stress, apoptosis, neuroinflammation, and glutamate toxicity. Although multiple reports suggest that ischemia and hypoxia in the spinal cord plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ALS, the precise role of hypoxia in disease progression remains unknown. In this study, we detected higher expression levels of Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), a key regulator of cellular responses to hypoxia, in the spinal cord of ALS patients and in the transgenic mice overexpressing the familial ALS-associated G93A SOD1 mutation (mSOD1G93A mice) compared to controls. Single subcutaneous administration of sustained-release prostacyclin analog ONO-1301-MS to mSOD1G93A mice abrogated the expression of HIF-1α in their spinal cords, as well as erythropoietin (EPO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), both of which are downstream to HIF-1α. Furthermore, ONO-1301-MS increased the level of mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and ATP production in the spinal cords of mSOD1G93A mice. At late disease stages, the motor function and the survival of motor neurons of ONO-1301-MS-treated mSOD1G93A mice was significantly improved compared to vehicle-treated mSOD1G93A mice. Our data suggest that vasodilator therapy modulating local blood flow in the spinal cord has beneficial effects against ALS disease progression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / drug therapy*
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / metabolism
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / pathology
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Epoprostenol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Motor Neurons / drug effects
  • Motor Neurons / metabolism
  • Motor Neurons / pathology
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Pyridines
  • ONO 1301
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Epoprostenol

Supplementary concepts

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 1