PURPOSE. Prostaglandin F2a analogues are the first-line medication for the treatment of ocular hypertension (OHT), and prostanoid EP2 receptor agonists are under clinical development for this indication. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of F prostanoid (FP) and EP2 receptor activation on the myofibroblast transition of primary trabecular meshwork (TM) cells, which could be a causal mechanism of TM dysfunction in glaucoma.METHODS. Human primary TM cells were treated with either latanoprost or butaprost and TGFb2. Trabecular meshwork contraction was measured in a three-dimensional (3D) TM cellpopulated collagen gel (CPCG) model. Expression of a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA) and phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) were determined by Western blot. Assembly of actin stress fibers and collagen deposition were evaluated by immunocytochemistry. Involvement of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) pathways as well as matrix metalloproteinase activation was tested with specific inhibitors.RESULTS. In one source of validated adult TM cells, latanoprost induced cell contraction as observed by CPCG surface reduction and increased actin polymerization, a-SMA expression, and MLC phosphorylation, whereas butaprost inhibited TGF-b2-induced CPCG contraction, actin polymerization, and MLC phosphorylation. Both agonists inhibited TGF-b2-dependent collagen deposition. The latanoprost effects were mediated by p38 pathway.CONCLUSIONS. Latanoprost decreased TM collagen accumulation but promoted a contractile phenotype in a source of adult TM cells that could modulate the conventional outflow pathway. In contrast, butaprost attenuated both TM contraction and collagen deposition induced by TGF-b2, thereby inhibiting myofibroblast transition of TM cells. These results open new perspectives for the management of OHT.

E-prostanoid receptor subtype 2 (EP2) agonists are currently under clinical development as hypotensive agents for the treatment of ocular hypertension. However, the effects of EP2 receptor agonists on trabecular meshwork (TM) alterations leading to primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) are still unknown. Here, we evaluated whether EP2 receptor activation exhibits protective functions on TM cell death induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We show that the EP2 receptor agonist butaprost protects TM cell death mediated by the ER stress inducer tunicamycin through a cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent mechanism, but independent of the classical cAMP sensors, protein kinase A and exchange proteins activated by cAMP. The ER stress-induced intrinsic apoptosis inhibited by the EP2 receptor agonist was correlated with a decreased accumulation of the cellular stress sensor p53. In addition, p53 down-regulation was associated with inhibition of its transcriptional activity, which led to decreased expression of the pro-apoptotic p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA). The stabilization of p53 by nutlin-3a abolished butaprost-mediated cell death protection. In conclusion, we showed that EP2 receptor activation protects against ER stress-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis through down-regulation of p53. The specific inhibition of this pathway could reduce TM alterations observed in POAG patients.

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Purpose: The role of Cbl-b as an essential modulator of T cell activation has been widely documented, particularly in mouse studies. To substantiate the effects of Cbl-b ablation in human T cells, gene editing conditions were optimized, and gene KO efficiency was evaluated along with T cell response to stimulatory antibodies. Experimental design: Non-preactivated human primary T cells obtained from several donors were electroporated with the CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA ribonucleoprotein complex targeting CBLB gene or controls. Cells were then activated in presence of anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies with or without the immunosuppressive factors PGE2 or TGFβ. Gene editing efficiency was measured using targeted NGS technology and cytokine release (IL2, IFNγ, TNFα), membrane activation markers (CD25, CD69) and cell proliferation were evaluated at various timepoints. Results: Initial studies showed moderate gene editing efficiencies with on average 45% and 25% of out-of-frame mutations using 2 gRNAs targeting different regions of CBLB gene and were correlated with increased IL-2 release. By optimizing gene editing experimental conditions, out-of-frame mutations in CBLB gene reached more than 70% and were associated with higher levels of secreted IL2, IFNγ and TNFα early after T cell stimulation and increased CD25 membrane expression at later timepoints, compared to controls. Furthermore, CBLB gene-edited T cells were less susceptible to PGE2- and TGFβ-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation. Conclusion: The efficient gene editing in human non-preactivated T cells, through the delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA ribonucleoprotein complex, confirms that Cbl-b acts as a negative regulator of T cell activation and further validates its role in transducing immunosuppressive environmental cues. Citation Format: Eric Parmantier, Georges Kalouche, Clara Soulard, Christophe Lanneau, Sophie Boisrobert-Blais, Céline Nicolazzi, Cécile Orsini. Ablation of Cbl-b gene function leads to increased activation and resistance to immunosuppression in human primary T lymphocytes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 3269.