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Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. Two important deleterious features are a Ca 2+ dysregulation linked to Ca 2+ influxes associated with ryanodine receptor hyperactivation, and a muscular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ) deficit. Here, we identified that deletion in mdx mice of CD38, a NAD + glycohydrolase-producing modulators of Ca 2+ signaling, led to a fully restored heart function and structure, with skeletal muscle performance improvements, associated with a reduction in inflammation and senescence markers. Muscle NAD + levels were also fully restored, while the levels of the two main products of CD38, nicotinamide and ADP-ribose, were reduced, in heart, diaphragm, and limb. In cardiomyocytes from mdx/CD38 -/- mice, the pathological spontaneous Ca 2+ activity was reduced, as well as in myotubes from DMD patients treated with isatuximab (SARCLISA ® ) a monoclonal anti-CD38 antibody. Finally, treatment of mdx and utrophin-dystrophin-deficient (mdx/utr -/- ) mice with CD38 inhibitors resulted in improved skeletal muscle performances. Thus, we demonstrate that CD38 actively contributes to DMD physiopathology. We propose that a selective anti-CD38 therapeutic intervention could be highly relevant to develop for DMD patients., (© 2022 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.)

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels decline during aging, contributing to physical and metabolic dysfunction. The NADase CD38 plays a key role in age-related NAD decline. Whether the inhibition of CD38 increases lifespan is not known. Here, we show that the CD38 inhibitor 78c increases lifespan and healthspan of naturally aged mice. In addition to a 10% increase in median survival, 78c improved exercise performance, endurance, and metabolic function in mice. The effects of 78c were different between sexes. Our study is the first to investigate the effect of CD38 inhibition in naturally aged animals., (© 2022 The Authors. Aging Cell published by Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Steatosis is the most important prognostic histologic feature in the setting of liver procurement. The currently utilized diagnostic methods, including gross evaluation and frozen section examination, have important shortcomings. Novel techniques that offer advantages over the current tools could be of significant practical utility. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of surface color spectrophotometry in the quantitative assessment of steatosis in a murine model of fatty liver. C57BL/6 mice were divided into a control group receiving normal chow (n = 19), and two steatosis groups receiving high-fat diets for up to 20 weeks-mild steatosis (n = 10) and moderate-to-severe steatosis (n = 19). Mouse liver surfaces were scanned with a hand-held spectrophotometer (CM-600D; Konica-Minolta, Osaka, Japan). Spectral reflectance data and color space values (L*a*b*, XYZ, L*c*h*, RBG, and CMYK) were correlated with histopathologic steatosis evaluation by visual estimate, digital image analysis (DIA), as well as biochemical tissue triglyceride measurement. Spectral reflectance and most color space values were very strongly correlated with histologic assessment of total steatosis, with the best predictor being % reflectance at 700 nm (r = 0.91 [0.88-0.94] for visual assessment, r = 0.92 [0.88-0.95] for DIA of H&E slides, r = 0.92 [0.87-0.95] for DIA of oil-red-O stains, and r = 0.78 [0.63-0.87] for biochemical tissue triglyceride measurement, p < 0.0001 for all). Several spectrophotometric parameters were also independently predictive of large droplet steatosis. In conclusion, hepatic steatosis can accurately be assessed using a portable, commercially available hand-held spectrophotometer device. If similarly accurate in human livers, this technique could be utilized as a point-of-care tool for the quantitation of steatosis, which may be especially valuable in assessing livers during deceased donor organ procurement., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology.)

Decreased NAD + levels have been shown to contribute to metabolic dysfunction during aging. NAD + decline can be partially prevented by knockout of the enzyme CD38. However, it is not known how CD38 is regulated during aging, and how its ecto-enzymatic activity impacts NAD + homeostasis. Here we show that an increase in CD38 in white adipose tissue (WAT) and the liver during aging is mediated by accumulation of CD38 + immune cells. Inflammation increases CD38 and decreases NAD + . In addition, senescent cells and their secreted signals promote accumulation of CD38 + cells in WAT, and ablation of senescent cells or their secretory phenotype decreases CD38, partially reversing NAD + decline. Finally, blocking the ecto-enzymatic activity of CD38 can increase NAD + through a nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)-dependent process. Our findings demonstrate that senescence-induced inflammation promotes accumulation of CD38 in immune cells that, through its ecto-enzymatic activity, decreases levels of NMN and NAD + .

Tissue nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ) decline has been implicated in aging. We have recently identified CD38 as a central regulator involved in tissue NAD + decline during the aging process. CD38 is an ecto-enzyme highly expressed in endothelial and inflammatory cells. To date, the mechanisms that regulate CD38 expression in aging tissues characterized by the presence of senescent cells is not completely understood. Cellular senescence has been described as a hallmark of the aging process and these cells are known to secrete several factors including cytokines and chemokines through their senescent associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Here we investigated if the cellular senescence phenotype is involved in the regulation of CD38 expression and its NADase activity. We observed that senescent cells do not have high expression of CD38. However, the SASP factors secreted by senescent cells induced CD38 mRNA and protein expression and increased CD38-NADase activity in non-senescent cells such as endothelial cells or bone marrow derived macrophages. Our data suggest a link between cellular senescence and NAD + decline in which SASP-mediated upregulation of CD38 can disrupt cellular NAD + homeostasis., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aging is characterized by the development of metabolic dysfunction and frailty. Recent studies show that a reduction in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ) is a key factor for the development of age-associated metabolic decline. We recently demonstrated that the NADase CD38 has a central role in age-related NAD + decline. Here we show that a highly potent and specific thiazoloquin(az)olin(on)e CD38 inhibitor, 78c, reverses age-related NAD + decline and improves several physiological and metabolic parameters of aging, including glucose tolerance, muscle function, exercise capacity, and cardiac function in mouse models of natural and accelerated aging. The physiological effects of 78c depend on tissue NAD + levels and were reversed by inhibition of NAD + synthesis. 78c increased NAD + levels, resulting in activation of pro-longevity and health span-related factors, including sirtuins, AMPK, and PARPs. Furthermore, in animals treated with 78c we observed inhibition of pathways that negatively affect health span, such as mTOR-S6K and ERK, and attenuation of telomere-associated DNA damage, a marker of cellular aging. Together, our results detail a novel pharmacological strategy for prevention and/or reversal of age-related NAD + decline and subsequent metabolic dysfunction., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Life as we know it cannot exist without the nucleotide nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). From the simplest organism, such as bacteria, to the most complex multicellular organisms, NAD is a key cellular component. NAD is extremely abundant in most living cells and has traditionally been described to be a cofactor in electron transfer during oxidation-reduction reactions. In addition to participating in these reactions, NAD has also been shown to play a key role in cell signaling, regulating several pathways from intracellular calcium transients to the epigenetic status of chromatin. Thus, NAD is a molecule that provides an important link between signaling and metabolism, and serves as a key molecule in cellular metabolic sensoring pathways. Importantly, it has now been clearly demonstrated that cellular NAD levels decline during chronological aging. This decline appears to play a crucial role in the development of metabolic dysfunction and age-related diseases. In this review we will discuss the molecular mechanisms responsible for the decrease in NAD levels during aging. Since other reviews on this subject have been recently published, we will concentrate on presenting a critical appraisal of the current status of the literature and will highlight some controversial topics in the field. In particular, we will discuss the potential role of the NADase CD38 as a driver of age-related NAD decline., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels decrease during aging and are involved in age-related metabolic decline. To date, the mechanism responsible for the age-related reduction in NAD has not been elucidated. Here we demonstrate that expression and activity of the NADase CD38 increase with aging and that CD38 is required for the age-related NAD decline and mitochondrial dysfunction via a pathway mediated at least in part by regulation of SIRT3 activity. We also identified CD38 as the main enzyme involved in the degradation of the NAD precursor nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) in vivo, indicating that CD38 has a key role in the modulation of NAD-replacement therapy for aging and metabolic diseases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)