@article{slifer_hernandez_pridgen_carlson_messenger_madan_krishnan_laumas_blikslager_2021, title={Larazotide acetate induces recovery of ischemia-injured porcine jejunum via repair of tight junctions}, volume={16}, ISSN={["1932-6203"]}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0250165}, abstractNote={Intestinal ischemia results in mucosal injury, including paracellular barrier loss due to disruption of tight junctions. Larazotide acetate (LA), a small peptide studied in Phase III clinical trials for treatment of celiac disease, regulates tight junctions (TJs). We hypothesized that LA would dose-dependently hasten recovery of intestinal ischemic injury via modulation of TJs. Ischemia-injured tissue from 6-8-week-old pigs was recovered in Ussing chambers for 240-minutes in the presence of LA. LA (1 μM but not 0.1 μM or 10 μM) significantly enhanced transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) above ischemic injured controls and significantly reduced serosal-to-mucosal flux LPS (P<0.05). LA (1 μM) enhanced localization of the sealing tight junction protein claudin-4 in repairing epithelium. To assess for the possibility of fragmentation of LA, anin vitroenzyme degradation assay using the brush border enzyme aminopeptidase M, revealed generation of peptide fragments. Western blot analysis of total protein isolated from uninjured and ischemia-injured porcine intestine showed aminopeptidase M enzyme presence in both tissue types, and mass spectrometry analysis of samples collected duringex vivoanalysis confirmed formation of LA fragments. Treatment of tissues with LA fragments had no effect alone, but treatment with a fragment missing both amino-terminus glycines inhibited barrier recovery stimulated by 1 μM LA. To reduce potential LA inhibition by fragments, a D-amino acid analog of larazotide Analog #6, resulted in a significant recovery response at a 10-fold lower dose (0.1 μM) similar in magnitude to that of 1 μM LA. We conclude that LA stimulates repair of ischemic-injured epithelium at the level of the tight junctions, at an optimal dose of 1 μM LA. Higher doses were less effective because of inhibition by LA fragments, which could be subverted by chirally-modifying the molecule, or microdosing LA.}, number={4}, journal={PLOS ONE}, author={Slifer, Zachary M. and Hernandez, Liliana and Pridgen, Tiffany A. and Carlson, Alexandra R. and Messenger, Kristen M. and Madan, Jay and Krishnan, B. Radha and Laumas, Sandeep and Blikslager, Anthony T.}, year={2021}, month={Apr} }
 @misc{slifer_krishnan_madan_blikslager_2021, title={Larazotide acetate: a pharmacological peptide approach to tight junction regulation}, volume={320}, ISSN={["1522-1547"]}, DOI={10.1152/ajpgi.00386.2020}, abstractNote={ Larazotide acetate (LA) is a single-chain peptide of eight amino acids that acts as a tight junction regulator to restore intestinal barrier function. LA is currently being studied in phase III clinical trials and is orally administered to adult patients with celiac disease as an adjunct therapeutic to enhance intestinal barrier function that has been disrupted by gliadin-induced immune reactivity. Mechanistically, LA is thought to act as a zonulin antagonist to reduce zonulin-induced increases in barrier permeability and has been associated with the redistribution and rearrangement of tight junction proteins and actin filaments to restore intestinal barrier function. More recently, LA has been linked to inhibition of myosin light chain kinase, which likely reduces tension on actin filaments, thereby facilitating tight junction closure. Small (rodent) and large (porcine) animal studies have been conducted that demonstrate the importance of LA as a tight junction regulatory peptide in conditions other than celiac disease, including collagen-induced arthritis in mice and intestinal ischemic injury in pigs. }, number={6}, journal={AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-GASTROINTESTINAL AND LIVER PHYSIOLOGY}, author={Slifer, Zachary M. and Krishnan, B. Radha and Madan, Jay and Blikslager, Anthony T.}, year={2021}, month={Jun}, pages={G983–G989} }
 @article{huml_uspenskaya-cadoz_dawson_slifer_2020, title={Updating the Clinical Picture of Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy: Ramifications for Drug Development With Potential Solutions}, volume={54}, ISSN={["2168-4804"]}, DOI={10.1007/s43441-019-00038-w}, abstractNote={{"Label"=>"BACKGROUND"} Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a complex, inheritable, and rare muscle disease that affects the entire body. The major symptom of FSHD is progressive weakening and loss of skeletal muscles. The usual location of these weaknesses at onset is the origin of the name: face (facio), shoulder girdle (scapulo), and upper arms (humeral). FSHD appears to have varying molecular and genetic determinants with commensurate differences in disease progression. {"Label"=>"METHODS"} Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (MD) is probably the most prevalent form of MD but has neither disease-modifying treatments nor a cure. As the mechanism of action becomes further elucidated, more biopharmaceutical companies are investing capital into finding treatments for patients with FSHD. Sponsors of treatments for FSHD patients should be aware of some of the common misconceptions associated with FSHD drug development with the goal of optimizing the chance to prove safety and efficacy for each potential treatment for FSHD in the clinical trial setting. {"Label"=>"RESULTS"} Four major topics with potential clinical manifestations for patients with FSHD will be discussed related to muscle weakness, respiratory issues, animal models and prevalence. {"Label"=>"CONCLUSION"} The authors offer multiple solutions to help counteract misconceptions with each scenario during clinical trial drug development.}, number={1}, journal={THERAPEUTIC INNOVATION & REGULATORY SCIENCE}, author={Huml, Raymond A. and Uspenskaya-Cadoz, Olga and Dawson, Jill and Slifer, Zachary}, year={2020}, month={Jan}, pages={144–150} }