Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumu... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumulates in macrophages, forming insoluble, intracellular crystal-like drug inclusions (CLDIs) during long-term oral dosing. Interestingly, when added to cells in vitro, soluble CFZ is cytotoxic because it depolarizes mitochondria and induces apoptosis. Accordingly, we hypothesized that in vivo, macrophages detoxify CFZ by sequestering it in CLDIs. To test this hypothesis, CLDIs of CFZ-treated mice were biochemically isolated, and then incubated with macrophages in vitro. The cell biological effects of phagocytosed CLDIs were compared to those of soluble CFZ. Unlike soluble CFZ, phagocytosis of CLDIs did not lead to mitochondrial destabilization or apoptosis. Rather, CLDIs altered immune signaling response pathways downstream of Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligation, leading to enhanced interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) production, dampened NF-κB activation and tissue necrosis factor a...
Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, Jan 28, 2016
Clofazimine (CFZ) is a poorly soluble antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug indicated for the tre... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is a poorly soluble antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug indicated for the treatment of leprosy. In spite of its therapeutic value, CFZ therapy is accompanied by the formation of drug biocrystals that accumulate within resident tissue macrophages, without obvious toxicological manifestations. Therefore, to specifically elucidate the off-target consequences of drug bioaccumulation in macrophages, we compared the level of inflammasome activation in CFZ-accumulating organs (spleen, liver and lung) in mice following 2 and 8 weeks of CFZ treatment when the drug exists in soluble and insoluble (biocrystalline) forms, respectively. Surprisingly, the results showed a drastic reduction of caspase 1 and IL-1β cleavage in the livers of 8 week CFZ-treated mice as compared to 2 week CFZ-treated and control mice, which was accompanied by a three-fold increase in hepatic interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) production and a 21-fold increase in serum IL-1RA levels. In the l...
We sought to identify key variables in cellular architecture and physiology that might explain ob... more We sought to identify key variables in cellular architecture and physiology that might explain observed differences in the passive transport properties of small molecule drugs across different airway epithelial cell types. Propranolol (PR) was selected as a weakly basic, model compound to compare the transport properties of primary (NHBE) vs. tumor-derived (Calu-3) cells. Differentiated on Transwell™ inserts, the architecture of pure vs. mixed cell co-cultures was studied with confocal microscopy followed by quantitative morphometric analysis. Cellular pharmacokinetic modeling was used to identify parameters that differentially affect PR uptake and transport across these two cell types. Pure Calu-3 and NHBE cells possessed different structural and functional properties. Nevertheless, mixed Calu-3 and NHBE cell co-cultures differentiated as stable cell monolayers. After measuring the total mass of PR, the fractional areas covered by Calu-3 and NHBE cells allowed deconvoluting the transport properties of each cell type. Based on the apparent thickness of the unstirred, cell surface aqueous layer, local differences in the extracellular microenvironment explained the measured variations in passive PR uptake and permeation between Calu-3 and NHBE cells. Mixed cell co-cultures can be used to compare the local effects of the extracellular microenvironment on drug uptake and transport across two epithelial cell types.
Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumu... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumulates in macrophages, forming insoluble, intracellular crystal-like drug inclusions (CLDIs) during long-term oral dosing. Interestingly, when added to cells in vitro, soluble CFZ is cytotoxic because it depolarizes mitochondria and induces apoptosis. Accordingly, we hypothesized that in vivo, macrophages detoxify CFZ by sequestering it in CLDIs. To test this hypothesis, CLDIs of CFZ-treated mice were biochemically isolated, and then incubated with macrophages in vitro. The cell biological effects of phagocytosed CLDIs were compared to those of soluble CFZ. Unlike soluble CFZ, phagocytosis of CLDIs did not lead to mitochondrial destabilization or apoptosis. Rather, CLDIs altered immune signaling response pathways downstream of Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligation, leading to enhanced interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) production, dampened NF-κB activation and tissue necrosis factor a...
The association between cigarette smoking and atherogenesis is well established. Inflammatory cel... more The association between cigarette smoking and atherogenesis is well established. Inflammatory cells may participate in atherogenesis via activation of the NADPH oxidase and the subsequent production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which exacerbates endothelial injury. However, little is known about the ability of cigarette smoke (CS) to modulate NADPH oxidase protein function. In this study, we investigated the ability of a CS extract derived from a high tar cigarette to alter human neutrophil ROS production and the translocation of two NADPH oxidase proteins, p47phox and p67phox. Phorbol ester-induced intracellular and extracellular production of ROS was reduced following CS treatment as measured by enhanced luminol or isoluminol chemiluminescence, respectively, (luminol AUC was reduced by 59%, p < or =0.0001; isoluminol by 49%, p < or =0.001). The phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation and translocation of p47phox from the cytosol to the membrane was not changed by CS treatment but the translocation of p67phox was reduced. Cigarette smoke treatment alone did not provoke neutrophil ROS production. These findings demonstrate that CS treatment reduced agonist-induced human neutrophil ROS production independent of p47phox phosphorylation and translocation from the cytosol to the membrane. However, this inhibition could be attributed to a reduction in translocation of another cytosolic NADPH oxidase protein, p67phox. Although neutrophil-generated ROS have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, this does not appear to be the mechanism by which CS induces vascular injury.
... Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, C238, University of Colorado Health Scie... more ... Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, C238, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO 80262; e-mail: kathleen.stringer@uchsc. edu. ... Ann Intern Med 1997;127:10401. 2. Marciniak TA, Ellerbeck EF, Radford MJ, et al ...
Clofazimine (CFZ) is an optically active, red-colored chemotherapeutic agent that is FDA approved... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is an optically active, red-colored chemotherapeutic agent that is FDA approved for the treatment of leprosy and is on the World Health Organization's list of essential medications. Interestingly, CFZ massively accumulates in macrophages where it forms crystal-like drug inclusions (CLDIs) after oral administration of the drug in animals and humans. The analysis of the fluorescence spectra of CLDIs formed by resident tissue macrophages revealed that CFZ, when accumulated as CLDIs, undergoes a red shift in fluorescence excitation (from Ex: 540–570 to 560–600 nm) and emission (Em: 560–580 to 640–700 nm) signal relative to the soluble and free-base crystal forms of CFZ. Using epifluorescence microscopy, CLDI(+) cells could be identified, relative to CLDI(−) cells, based on a >3-fold increment in mean fluorescence signal at excitation 640 nm and emission at 670 nm. Similarly, CLDI(+) cells could be identified by flow cytometry, based on a >100-fold increment in mean fluorescence signal using excitation lasers at 640 nm and emission detectors >600 nm. CLDI's fluorescence excitation and emission was orthogonal to that of cell viability dyes such as propidium iodide and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI), cellular staining dyes such as Hoechst 33342 (nucleus) and FM 1-43 (plasma membrane), as well as many other fluorescently tagged antibodies used for immunophenotyping analyses. In vivo, >85% of CLDI(+) cells in the peritoneal exudate were F4/80(+) macrophages and >97% of CLDI(+) cells in the alveolar exudate were CD11c(+). Most importantly, the viability of cells was minimally affected by the presence of CLDIs. Accordingly, these results establish that CFZ fluorescence in CLDIs is suitable for quantitative flow cytometric phenotyping analysis and functional studies of xenobiotic sequestering macrophages.
Clofazimine is an orally administered drug that massively bioaccumulates in macrophages, forming ... more Clofazimine is an orally administered drug that massively bioaccumulates in macrophages, forming membrane-bound intracellular structures possessing nanoscale supramolecular features. Here, a library of phenazine compounds derived from clofazimine is synthesized and tested for ability to accumulate and form ordered molecular aggregates inside cells. Regardless of chemical structure or physicochemical properties, bioaccumulation is consistently greater in macrophages than in epithelial cells. Microscopically, some self-assembled structures exhibit a pronounced, diattenuation anisotropy signal, evident by the differential absorption of linearly polarized light, at the peak absorbance wavelength of the phenazine core. The measured anisotropy is well above the background anisotropy of endogenous cellular components, reflecting the self-assembly of condensed, insoluble complexes of ordered phenazine molecules. Chemical variations introduced at the R-imino position of the phenazine core lead to idiosyncratic effects on the compounds' bioaccumulation behavior as well as on the morphology and organization of the resulting intracellular structures. Beyond clofazimine, these results demonstrate how the self-assembly of membrane permeant, orally bioavailable small molecule building blocks can endow cells with unnatural structural elements possessing chemical, physical, and functional characteristics unlike those of other natural cellular components.
Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumu... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumulates in macrophages, forming insoluble, intracellular crystal-like drug inclusions (CLDIs) during long-term oral dosing. Interestingly, when added to cells in vitro, soluble CFZ is cytotoxic because it depolarizes mitochondria and induces apoptosis. Accordingly, we hypothesized that in vivo, macrophages detoxify CFZ by sequestering it in CLDIs. To test this hypothesis, CLDIs of CFZ-treated mice were biochemically isolated, and then incubated with macrophages in vitro. The cell biological effects of phagocytosed CLDIs were compared to those of soluble CFZ. Unlike soluble CFZ, phagocytosis of CLDIs did not lead to mitochondrial destabilization or apoptosis. Rather, CLDIs altered immune signaling response pathways downstream of Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligation, leading to enhanced interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) production, dampened NF-κB activation and tissue necrosis factor a...
Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumu... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumulates in macrophages, forming insoluble, intracellular crystal-like drug inclusions (CLDIs) during long-term oral dosing. Interestingly, when added to cells in vitro, soluble CFZ is cytotoxic because it depolarizes mitochondria and induces apoptosis. Accordingly, we hypothesized that in vivo, macrophages detoxify CFZ by sequestering it in CLDIs. To test this hypothesis, CLDIs of CFZ-treated mice were biochemically isolated, and then incubated with macrophages in vitro. The cell biological effects of phagocytosed CLDIs were compared to those of soluble CFZ. Unlike soluble CFZ, phagocytosis of CLDIs did not lead to mitochondrial destabilization or apoptosis. Rather, CLDIs altered immune signaling response pathways downstream of Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligation, leading to enhanced interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) production, dampened NF-κB activation and tissue necrosis factor a...
Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, Jan 28, 2016
Clofazimine (CFZ) is a poorly soluble antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug indicated for the tre... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is a poorly soluble antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug indicated for the treatment of leprosy. In spite of its therapeutic value, CFZ therapy is accompanied by the formation of drug biocrystals that accumulate within resident tissue macrophages, without obvious toxicological manifestations. Therefore, to specifically elucidate the off-target consequences of drug bioaccumulation in macrophages, we compared the level of inflammasome activation in CFZ-accumulating organs (spleen, liver and lung) in mice following 2 and 8 weeks of CFZ treatment when the drug exists in soluble and insoluble (biocrystalline) forms, respectively. Surprisingly, the results showed a drastic reduction of caspase 1 and IL-1β cleavage in the livers of 8 week CFZ-treated mice as compared to 2 week CFZ-treated and control mice, which was accompanied by a three-fold increase in hepatic interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) production and a 21-fold increase in serum IL-1RA levels. In the l...
We sought to identify key variables in cellular architecture and physiology that might explain ob... more We sought to identify key variables in cellular architecture and physiology that might explain observed differences in the passive transport properties of small molecule drugs across different airway epithelial cell types. Propranolol (PR) was selected as a weakly basic, model compound to compare the transport properties of primary (NHBE) vs. tumor-derived (Calu-3) cells. Differentiated on Transwell™ inserts, the architecture of pure vs. mixed cell co-cultures was studied with confocal microscopy followed by quantitative morphometric analysis. Cellular pharmacokinetic modeling was used to identify parameters that differentially affect PR uptake and transport across these two cell types. Pure Calu-3 and NHBE cells possessed different structural and functional properties. Nevertheless, mixed Calu-3 and NHBE cell co-cultures differentiated as stable cell monolayers. After measuring the total mass of PR, the fractional areas covered by Calu-3 and NHBE cells allowed deconvoluting the transport properties of each cell type. Based on the apparent thickness of the unstirred, cell surface aqueous layer, local differences in the extracellular microenvironment explained the measured variations in passive PR uptake and permeation between Calu-3 and NHBE cells. Mixed cell co-cultures can be used to compare the local effects of the extracellular microenvironment on drug uptake and transport across two epithelial cell types.
Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumu... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumulates in macrophages, forming insoluble, intracellular crystal-like drug inclusions (CLDIs) during long-term oral dosing. Interestingly, when added to cells in vitro, soluble CFZ is cytotoxic because it depolarizes mitochondria and induces apoptosis. Accordingly, we hypothesized that in vivo, macrophages detoxify CFZ by sequestering it in CLDIs. To test this hypothesis, CLDIs of CFZ-treated mice were biochemically isolated, and then incubated with macrophages in vitro. The cell biological effects of phagocytosed CLDIs were compared to those of soluble CFZ. Unlike soluble CFZ, phagocytosis of CLDIs did not lead to mitochondrial destabilization or apoptosis. Rather, CLDIs altered immune signaling response pathways downstream of Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligation, leading to enhanced interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) production, dampened NF-κB activation and tissue necrosis factor a...
The association between cigarette smoking and atherogenesis is well established. Inflammatory cel... more The association between cigarette smoking and atherogenesis is well established. Inflammatory cells may participate in atherogenesis via activation of the NADPH oxidase and the subsequent production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which exacerbates endothelial injury. However, little is known about the ability of cigarette smoke (CS) to modulate NADPH oxidase protein function. In this study, we investigated the ability of a CS extract derived from a high tar cigarette to alter human neutrophil ROS production and the translocation of two NADPH oxidase proteins, p47phox and p67phox. Phorbol ester-induced intracellular and extracellular production of ROS was reduced following CS treatment as measured by enhanced luminol or isoluminol chemiluminescence, respectively, (luminol AUC was reduced by 59%, p < or =0.0001; isoluminol by 49%, p < or =0.001). The phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation and translocation of p47phox from the cytosol to the membrane was not changed by CS treatment but the translocation of p67phox was reduced. Cigarette smoke treatment alone did not provoke neutrophil ROS production. These findings demonstrate that CS treatment reduced agonist-induced human neutrophil ROS production independent of p47phox phosphorylation and translocation from the cytosol to the membrane. However, this inhibition could be attributed to a reduction in translocation of another cytosolic NADPH oxidase protein, p67phox. Although neutrophil-generated ROS have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, this does not appear to be the mechanism by which CS induces vascular injury.
... Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, C238, University of Colorado Health Scie... more ... Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, C238, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO 80262; e-mail: kathleen.stringer@uchsc. edu. ... Ann Intern Med 1997;127:10401. 2. Marciniak TA, Ellerbeck EF, Radford MJ, et al ...
Clofazimine (CFZ) is an optically active, red-colored chemotherapeutic agent that is FDA approved... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is an optically active, red-colored chemotherapeutic agent that is FDA approved for the treatment of leprosy and is on the World Health Organization's list of essential medications. Interestingly, CFZ massively accumulates in macrophages where it forms crystal-like drug inclusions (CLDIs) after oral administration of the drug in animals and humans. The analysis of the fluorescence spectra of CLDIs formed by resident tissue macrophages revealed that CFZ, when accumulated as CLDIs, undergoes a red shift in fluorescence excitation (from Ex: 540–570 to 560–600 nm) and emission (Em: 560–580 to 640–700 nm) signal relative to the soluble and free-base crystal forms of CFZ. Using epifluorescence microscopy, CLDI(+) cells could be identified, relative to CLDI(−) cells, based on a >3-fold increment in mean fluorescence signal at excitation 640 nm and emission at 670 nm. Similarly, CLDI(+) cells could be identified by flow cytometry, based on a >100-fold increment in mean fluorescence signal using excitation lasers at 640 nm and emission detectors >600 nm. CLDI's fluorescence excitation and emission was orthogonal to that of cell viability dyes such as propidium iodide and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI), cellular staining dyes such as Hoechst 33342 (nucleus) and FM 1-43 (plasma membrane), as well as many other fluorescently tagged antibodies used for immunophenotyping analyses. In vivo, >85% of CLDI(+) cells in the peritoneal exudate were F4/80(+) macrophages and >97% of CLDI(+) cells in the alveolar exudate were CD11c(+). Most importantly, the viability of cells was minimally affected by the presence of CLDIs. Accordingly, these results establish that CFZ fluorescence in CLDIs is suitable for quantitative flow cytometric phenotyping analysis and functional studies of xenobiotic sequestering macrophages.
Clofazimine is an orally administered drug that massively bioaccumulates in macrophages, forming ... more Clofazimine is an orally administered drug that massively bioaccumulates in macrophages, forming membrane-bound intracellular structures possessing nanoscale supramolecular features. Here, a library of phenazine compounds derived from clofazimine is synthesized and tested for ability to accumulate and form ordered molecular aggregates inside cells. Regardless of chemical structure or physicochemical properties, bioaccumulation is consistently greater in macrophages than in epithelial cells. Microscopically, some self-assembled structures exhibit a pronounced, diattenuation anisotropy signal, evident by the differential absorption of linearly polarized light, at the peak absorbance wavelength of the phenazine core. The measured anisotropy is well above the background anisotropy of endogenous cellular components, reflecting the self-assembly of condensed, insoluble complexes of ordered phenazine molecules. Chemical variations introduced at the R-imino position of the phenazine core lead to idiosyncratic effects on the compounds' bioaccumulation behavior as well as on the morphology and organization of the resulting intracellular structures. Beyond clofazimine, these results demonstrate how the self-assembly of membrane permeant, orally bioavailable small molecule building blocks can endow cells with unnatural structural elements possessing chemical, physical, and functional characteristics unlike those of other natural cellular components.
Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumu... more Clofazimine (CFZ) is an FDA-approved leprostatic and anti-inflammatory drug that massively accumulates in macrophages, forming insoluble, intracellular crystal-like drug inclusions (CLDIs) during long-term oral dosing. Interestingly, when added to cells in vitro, soluble CFZ is cytotoxic because it depolarizes mitochondria and induces apoptosis. Accordingly, we hypothesized that in vivo, macrophages detoxify CFZ by sequestering it in CLDIs. To test this hypothesis, CLDIs of CFZ-treated mice were biochemically isolated, and then incubated with macrophages in vitro. The cell biological effects of phagocytosed CLDIs were compared to those of soluble CFZ. Unlike soluble CFZ, phagocytosis of CLDIs did not lead to mitochondrial destabilization or apoptosis. Rather, CLDIs altered immune signaling response pathways downstream of Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligation, leading to enhanced interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) production, dampened NF-κB activation and tissue necrosis factor a...
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Papers by KathleenA Stringer