Imaging in Type 1 Diabetes, Current Perspectives and Directions.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by the autoimmune-mediated attack of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, leading to reliance on exogenous insulin to control a patient's blood glucose levels. As progress is being made in understanding the pathophysiology of the disease and how to better develop therapies to treat it, there is an increasing need for monitoring technologies to quantify beta cell mass and function throughout T1D progression and beta cell replacement therapy. Molecular imaging techniques offer a possible solution through both radiologic and non-radiologic means including positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, electron paramagnetic resonance imaging, and spatial omics. This commentary piece outlines the role of molecular imaging in T1D research and highlights the need for further applications of such methodologies in T1D.

Recombinant Manganese Peroxidase Reduces A2E Burden in Age-Related and Stargardt's Macular Degeneration Models.

Macular degeneration is hallmarked by retinal accumulation of toxic retinoid species (e.g., A2E) for which there is no endogenous mechanism to eliminate it. This ultimately results in progressive dysfunction and loss of vision either in advanced age for genetically normal patients (age-related macular degeneration) or in adolescence for those with inherited genetic mutations (Stargardt's disease). In this article, we present a proof-of-concept study for an enzyme-based therapy to remove these retinoids, modeled on traditional enzyme replacement therapy. Recombinant manganese peroxidase (rMnP) is produced in Pichia pastoris. In vitro, we demonstrate that rMnP breaks down A2E and other lipofuscin fluorophores with limited cellular toxicity, and as this enzyme is mannosylated, it can be taken up into cells through mannose receptor-dependent endocytosis. In vivo, we demonstrate that rMnP can significantly reduce the A2E burden when administered by intravitreal injections. Together, these data provide encouraging results toward the development of an enzyme-based therapy for macular degeneration and indicate the need for additional work to characterize the molecular mechanism of A2E breakdown and to improve the pharmacological parameters of the enzyme.

Exploring the Multiligand Binding Specificity of Saposin B Reveals Two Binding Sites.

Saposin B (SapB) is a human lysosomal protein, critical for the degradation of O-sulfogalactosylceramide (sulfatide). SapB binds sulfatide and presents it to the active site of the enzyme arylsulfatase A. Deficiency of SapB leads to fatal activator-deficient metachromatic leukodystrophy. Given the conformational flexibility and the large hydrophobic "pocket" produced upon (physiologically relevant) homodimerization, SapB may have broader substrate diversity than originally thought. Herein, we present evidence using fluorescence spectroscopy and computational docking studies that SapB binds a wide variety of ligands at KD values varying from micromolar to nanomolar, with entropy being the primary driving force. We further demonstrate, for the first time, that SapB has two binding sites that can sequentially (and in a preferred order) accommodate up to two ligands at once.

Saposin B Binds the Lipofuscin Bisretinoid A2E and Prevents its Enzymatic and Photooxidation.

Vitamin A based bisretinoid accumulation is a major focus in the study of macular degeneration. Whether specific endogenous lysosomal proteins can bind A2E, a pronounced bisretinoid in lipofuscin granules in retinal pigment epithelial cells, and interfere with enzymatic or photoinduced oxidation of such, has not been explored. Herein, using fluorescence and electronic absorption spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that Saposin B, a critical protein in the degradation of sulfatides and "flushing" of lipids, can bind A2E, preventing its H2O2-dependent enzymatic oxidation by horseradish peroxidase and photooxidation by blue light (λ=450-460 nm).