251
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Miller SJ. Astrocyte Heterogeneity in the Adult Central Nervous System. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:401. [PMID: 30524236 PMCID: PMC6262303 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the central nervous system (CNS), providing critical roles in the overall maintenance and homeostasis. Over 100 years ago, Cajal first showed morphological depictions of different astrocyte populations. Surprisingly, to date astrocytes remain classified in two groups based on their morphological and neuroanatomical positioning. However, accumulating evidence over the past few years is showing that astrocytes are highly diverse throughout the CNS. Astrocyte heterogeneity is not surprisingly, as these cells interact with all other cells in the CNS. Like neurons, astrocytes may also have subpopulations that vary in their functionality. In this mini review, we will explore some of the recent evidence in the adult CNS of astrocyte diversity. First, we will review the very little literature on healthy adult astroglia heterogeneity, followed by the identification of different subpopulations in disease states and how this varies between human and mouse. Exploring this new area of neuroscience will hopefully provide researchers with a new perspective on astrocytes and their heterogeneity throughout the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean J Miller
- Laboratory of Tony Wyss-Coray, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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252
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Ohno Y, Kinboshi M, Shimizu S. Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Channel Kir4.1 as a Novel Modulator of BDNF Expression in Astrocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19113313. [PMID: 30356026 PMCID: PMC6274740 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key molecule essential for neural plasticity and development, and is implicated in the pathophysiology of various central nervous system (CNS) disorders. It is now documented that BDNF is synthesized not only in neurons, but also in astrocytes which actively regulate neuronal activities by forming tripartite synapses. Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channel subunit Kir4.1, which is specifically expressed in astrocytes, constructs Kir4.1 and Kir4.1/5.1 channels, and mediates the spatial potassium (K+) buffering action of astrocytes. Recent evidence illustrates that Kir4.1 channels play important roles in bringing about the actions of antidepressant drugs and modulating BDNF expression in astrocytes. Although the precise mechanisms remain to be clarified, it seems likely that inhibition (down-regulation or blockade) of astrocytic Kir4.1 channels attenuates K+ buffering, increases neuronal excitability by elevating extracellular K+ and glutamate, and facilitates BDNF expression. Conversely, activation (up-regulation or opening) of Kir4.1 channels reduces neuronal excitability by lowering extracellular K+ and glutamate, and attenuates BDNF expression. Particularly, the former pathophysiological alterations seem to be important in epileptogenesis and pain sensitization, and the latter in the pathogenesis of depressive disorders. In this article, we review the functions of Kir4.1 channels, with a focus on their regulation of spatial K+ buffering and BDNF expression in astrocytes, and discuss the role of the astrocytic Kir4.1-BDNF system in modulating CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Ohno
- Department of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan.
| | - Masato Kinboshi
- Department of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan.
| | - Saki Shimizu
- Department of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan.
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253
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Abstract
The 25 years since the identification of the gene responsible for Huntington disease (HD) have stood witness to profound discoveries about the nature of the disease and its pathogenesis. Despite this progress, however, the development of disease-modifying therapies has thus far been slow. Preclinical validation of the therapeutic potential of disrupted pathways in HD has led to the advancement of pharmacological agents, both novel and repurposed, for clinical evaluation. The most promising therapeutic approaches include huntingtin (HTT) lowering and modification as well as modulation of neuroinflammation and synaptic transmission. With clinical trials for many of these approaches imminent or currently ongoing, the coming years are promising not only for HD but also for more prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, in which many of these pathways have been similarly implicated.
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254
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Schirmer L, Möbius W, Zhao C, Cruz-Herranz A, Ben Haim L, Cordano C, Shiow LR, Kelley KW, Sadowski B, Timmons G, Pröbstel AK, Wright JN, Sin JH, Devereux M, Morrison DE, Chang SM, Sabeur K, Green AJ, Nave KA, Franklin RJ, Rowitch DH. Oligodendrocyte-encoded Kir4.1 function is required for axonal integrity. eLife 2018; 7:36428. [PMID: 30204081 PMCID: PMC6167053 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glial support is critical for normal axon function and can become dysregulated in white matter (WM) disease. In humans, loss-of-function mutations of KCNJ10, which encodes the inward-rectifying potassium channel KIR4.1, causes seizures and progressive neurological decline. We investigated Kir4.1 functions in oligodendrocytes (OLs) during development, adulthood and after WM injury. We observed that Kir4.1 channels localized to perinodal areas and the inner myelin tongue, suggesting roles in juxta-axonal K+ removal. Conditional knockout (cKO) of OL-Kcnj10 resulted in late onset mitochondrial damage and axonal degeneration. This was accompanied by neuronal loss and neuro-axonal dysfunction in adult OL-Kcnj10 cKO mice as shown by delayed visual evoked potentials, inner retinal thinning and progressive motor deficits. Axon pathologies in OL-Kcnj10 cKO were exacerbated after WM injury in the spinal cord. Our findings point towards a critical role of OL-Kir4.1 for long-term maintenance of axonal function and integrity during adulthood and after WM injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Schirmer
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Wiebke Möbius
- Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.,Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Chao Zhao
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Andrés Cruz-Herranz
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Lucile Ben Haim
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Christian Cordano
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Lawrence R Shiow
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Kevin W Kelley
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Boguslawa Sadowski
- Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.,Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Garrett Timmons
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Anne-Katrin Pröbstel
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Jackie N Wright
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Jung Hyung Sin
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Michael Devereux
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Daniel E Morrison
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra M Chang
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Khalida Sabeur
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Ari J Green
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Klaus-Armin Nave
- Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.,Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Robin Jm Franklin
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David H Rowitch
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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255
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Li YX, Sibon OCM, Dijkers PF. Inhibition of NF-κB in astrocytes is sufficient to delay neurodegeneration induced by proteotoxicity in neurons. J Neuroinflammation 2018; 15:261. [PMID: 30205834 PMCID: PMC6134576 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-018-1278-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most neurodegenerative diseases associated with protein aggregation are hallmarked by activation of astrocytes. However, how astrocytes are activated or which signaling pathways in astrocytes contribute to pathogenesis is not clear. One long-standing question is whether the responses in astrocytes are due to stress or damage in astrocytes themselves, or because of astrocytic responses to cellular stress or damage in neurons. Here, we examine responses in astrocytes induced by expression of disease-associated, aggregation-prone proteins in other cells. We also examine the consequences of these responses in astrocytes in a model for neurodegeneration. METHODS We first examined a role for intracellular astrocytic responses in a Drosophila model for Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3, also known as Machado-Joseph disease), a disease caused by expansion of the polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch in the ATXN3 gene. In this Drosophila SCA3 model, eye-specific expression of a biologically relevant portion of the ATXN3 gene, containing expanded polyQ repeats (SCA3polyQ78) was expressed. In a candidate RNAi screen in the Drosophila SCA3 model, we analyzed whether downregulation of expression of specific genes in astrocytes affected degeneration induced by SCA3polyQ78 expression in Drosophila eyes. We next examined the role of astrocytes in response to proteotoxic stress in neurons induced by SCA3polyQ78 expression or amyloid beta peptides, associated with Alzheimer's disease. RESULTS Eye-specific expression of SCA3polyQ78 resulted in the presence of astrocytes in the eye, suggesting putative involvement of astrocytes in SCA3. In a candidate RNAi screen, we identified genes in astrocytes that can enhance or suppress SCA3polyQ78-induced eye degeneration. Relish, a conserved NF-κB transcription factor, was identified as an enhancer of degeneration. Activity of Relish was upregulated in our SCA3 model. Relish can exert its effect via Relish-specific AMPs, since downregulation of these AMPs attenuated degeneration. We next examined Relish signaling in astrocytes on neurodegeneration. Selective inhibition of Relish expression specifically in astrocytes extended lifespan of flies that expressed SCA3polyQ78 exclusively in neurons. Inhibition of Relish signaling in astrocytes also extended lifespan in a Drosophila model for Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that astrocytes respond to proteotoxic stress in neurons, and that these astrocytic responses are important contributors to neurodegeneration. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that activation of NF-κB transcription factor Relish in astrocytes, induced by proteotoxic stress in neurons, enhances neurodegeneration, and that specific Relish inhibition in astrocytes extends lifespan. Our data provide direct evidence for cell-non-autonomous contributions of astrocytes to neurodegeneration, with possible implications for therapeutic interventions in multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y X Li
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - O C M Sibon
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - P F Dijkers
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV, Groningen, The Netherlands. .,Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Research, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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256
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Yu X, Taylor AMW, Nagai J, Golshani P, Evans CJ, Coppola G, Khakh BS. Reducing Astrocyte Calcium Signaling In Vivo Alters Striatal Microcircuits and Causes Repetitive Behavior. Neuron 2018; 99:1170-1187.e9. [PMID: 30174118 PMCID: PMC6450394 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 219] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes tile the central nervous system, but their functions in neural microcircuits in vivo and their roles in mammalian behavior remain incompletely defined. We used two-photon laser scanning microscopy, electrophysiology, MINIscopes, RNA-seq, and a genetic approach to explore the effects of reduced striatal astrocyte Ca2+ signaling in vivo. In wild-type mice, reducing striatal astrocyte Ca2+-dependent signaling increased repetitive self-grooming behaviors by altering medium spiny neuron (MSN) activity. The mechanism involved astrocyte-mediated neuromodulation facilitated by ambient GABA and was corrected by blocking astrocyte GABA transporter 3 (GAT-3). Furthermore, in a mouse model of Huntington's disease, dysregulation of GABA and astrocyte Ca2+ signaling accompanied excessive self-grooming, which was relieved by blocking GAT-3. Assessments with RNA-seq revealed astrocyte genes and pathways regulated by Ca2+ signaling in a cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous manner, including Rab11a, a regulator of GAT-3 functional expression. Thus, striatal astrocytes contribute to neuromodulation controlling mouse obsessive-compulsive-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhu Yu
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Anna M W Taylor
- Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Jun Nagai
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Peyman Golshani
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
| | - Christopher J Evans
- Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA.
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257
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Simmons DA, James ML, Belichenko NP, Semaan S, Condon C, Kuan J, Shuhendler AJ, Miao Z, Chin FT, Longo FM. TSPO-PET imaging using [18F]PBR06 is a potential translatable biomarker for treatment response in Huntington's disease: preclinical evidence with the p75NTR ligand LM11A-31. Hum Mol Genet 2018; 27:2893-2912. [PMID: 29860333 PMCID: PMC6077813 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that has no cure. HD therapeutic development would benefit from a non-invasive translatable biomarker to track disease progression and treatment response. A potential biomarker is using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with a translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) radiotracer to detect microglial activation, a key contributor to HD pathogenesis. The ability of TSPO-PET to identify microglial activation in HD mouse models, essential for a translatable biomarker, or therapeutic efficacy in HD patients or mice is unknown. Thus, this study assessed the feasibility of utilizing PET imaging with the TSPO tracer, [18F]PBR06, to detect activated microglia in two HD mouse models and to monitor response to treatment with LM11A-31, a p75NTR ligand known to reduce neuroinflammation in HD mice. [18F]PBR06-PET detected microglial activation in striatum, cortex and hippocampus of vehicle-treated R6/2 mice at a late disease stage and, notably, also in early and mid-stage symptomatic BACHD mice. After oral administration of LM11A-31 to R6/2 and BACHD mice, [18F]PBR06-PET discerned the reductive effects of LM11A-31 on neuroinflammation in both HD mouse models. [18F]PBR06-PET signal had a spatial distribution similar to ex vivo brain autoradiography and correlated with microglial activation markers: increased IBA-1 and TSPO immunostaining/blotting and striatal levels of cytokines IL-6 and TNFα. These results suggest that [18F]PBR06-PET is a useful surrogate marker of therapeutic efficacy in HD mice with high potential as a translatable biomarker for preclinical and clinical HD trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A Simmons
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michelle L James
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nadia P Belichenko
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Semaan
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christina Condon
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jason Kuan
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Adam J Shuhendler
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Zheng Miao
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Frederick T Chin
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Frank M Longo
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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258
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Ruiz-Calvo A, Maroto IB, Bajo-Grañeras R, Chiarlone A, Gaudioso Á, Ferrero JJ, Resel E, Sánchez-Prieto J, Rodríguez-Navarro JA, Marsicano G, Galve-Roperh I, Bellocchio L, Guzmán M. Pathway-Specific Control of Striatal Neuron Vulnerability by Corticostriatal Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors. Cereb Cortex 2018; 28:307-322. [PMID: 29121220 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The vast majority of neurons within the striatum are GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs), which receive glutamatergic input from the cortex and thalamus, and form two major efferent pathways: the direct pathway, expressing dopamine D1 receptor (D1R-MSNs), and the indirect pathway, expressing dopamine D2 receptor (D2R-MSNs). While molecular mechanisms of MSN degeneration have been identified in animal models of striatal damage, the molecular factors that dictate a selective vulnerability of D1R-MSNs or D2R-MSNs remain unknown. Here, we combined genetic, chemogenetic, and pharmacological strategies with behavioral and neurochemical analyses, and show that the pool of cannabinoid CB1 receptor (CB1R) located on corticostriatal terminals efficiently safeguards D1R-MSNs, but not D2R-MSNs, from different insults. This cell-specific response relies on the regulation of glutamatergic signaling, and is independent from the CB1R-dependent control of astroglial activity in the striatum. These findings define cortical CB1R as a pivotal synaptic player in dictating a differential vulnerability of D1R-MSNs versus D2R-MSNs, and increase our understanding of the role of coordinated cannabinergic-glutamatergic signaling in establishing corticostriatal circuits and its dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ruiz-Calvo
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene B Maroto
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Bajo-Grañeras
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Anna Chiarlone
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel Gaudioso
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - José J Ferrero
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology IV, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Resel
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Sánchez-Prieto
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology IV, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Giovanni Marsicano
- INSERM and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, U1215, 33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Ismael Galve-Roperh
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luigi Bellocchio
- INSERM and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, U1215, 33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Manuel Guzmán
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
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259
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GULBRANSEN BRIAND, CHRISTOFI FIEVOSL. Are We Close to Targeting Enteric Glia in Gastrointestinal Diseases and Motility Disorders? Gastroenterology 2018; 155:245-251. [PMID: 29964042 PMCID: PMC6452442 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.06.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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260
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Pál B. Involvement of extrasynaptic glutamate in physiological and pathophysiological changes of neuronal excitability. Cell Mol Life Sci 2018; 75:2917-2949. [PMID: 29766217 PMCID: PMC11105518 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2837-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate is the most abundant neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, as the majority of neurons use glutamate as neurotransmitter. It is also well known that this neurotransmitter is not restricted to synaptic clefts, but found in the extrasynaptic regions as ambient glutamate. Extrasynaptic glutamate originates from spillover of synaptic release, as well as from astrocytes and microglia. Its concentration is magnitudes lower than in the synaptic cleft, but receptors responding to it have higher affinity for it. Extrasynaptic glutamate receptors can be found in neuronal somatodendritic location, on astroglia, oligodendrocytes or microglia. Activation of them leads to changes of neuronal excitability with different amplitude and kinetics. Extrasynaptic glutamate is taken up by neurons and astrocytes mostly via EAAT transporters, and astrocytes, in turn metabolize it to glutamine. Extrasynaptic glutamate is involved in several physiological phenomena of the central nervous system. It regulates neuronal excitability and synaptic strength by involving astroglia; contributing to learning and memory formation, neurosecretory and neuromodulatory mechanisms, as well as sleep homeostasis.The extrasynaptic glutamatergic system is affected in several brain pathologies related to excitotoxicity, neurodegeneration or neuroinflammation. Being present in dementias, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases or tumor invasion in a seemingly uniform way, the system possibly provides a common component of their pathogenesis. Although parts of the system are extensively discussed by several recent reviews, in this review I attempt to summarize physiological actions of the extrasynaptic glutamate on neuronal excitability and provide a brief insight to its pathology for basic understanding of the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balázs Pál
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt 98, Debrecen, 4012, Hungary.
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261
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Kim JH, Lukowicz A, Qu W, Johnson A, Cvetanovic M. Astroglia contribute to the pathogenesis of spinocerebellar ataxia Type 1 (SCA1) in a biphasic, stage-of-disease specific manner. Glia 2018; 66:1972-1987. [PMID: 30043530 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a fatal, dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansion of CAG repeats in the Ataxin-1 (ATXN1) gene. SCA1 is characterized by balance and coordination deficits due to the predominant loss of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum. We previously demonstrated that cerebellar astrogliosis beings during the early stages of SCA1, prior to onset of motor deficits and loss of Purkinje neurons. We communicate here that cerebellar astrogliosis contributes to SCA1 pathogenesis in a biphasic, stage of disease dependent manner. We modulated astrogliosis by selectively reducing pro-inflammatory transcriptional regulator nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling in astroglia via a Cre-lox mouse genetic approach. Our results indicate that inhibition of astroglial NF-κB signaling, prior to motor deficit onset, exacerbates disease severity. This is suggestive of a neuroprotective role mediated by astroglia during early stage SCA1. In contrast, inhibition of astroglial NF-κB signaling during late stage of disease ameliorated motor deficits, indicating a potentially harmful role of astroglia late in SCA1. These results indicate that astrogliosis may have a critical and dual role in disease. If so, our results imply that anti-inflammatory astroglia-based therapeutic approaches may need to consider disease progression to achieve therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo Hyun Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota 2101 6th Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Abigail Lukowicz
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota 2101 6th Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Wenhui Qu
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota 2101 6th Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Andrea Johnson
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota 2101 6th Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Marija Cvetanovic
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota 2101 6th Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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262
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Jung YJ, Chung WS. Phagocytic Roles of Glial Cells in Healthy and Diseased Brains. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2018; 26:350-357. [PMID: 29316776 PMCID: PMC6029679 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2017.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Glial cells are receiving much attention since they have been recognized as important regulators of many aspects of brain function and disease. Recent evidence has revealed that two different glial cells, astrocytes and microglia, control synapse elimination under normal and pathological conditions via phagocytosis. Astrocytes use the MEGF10 and MERTK phagocytic pathways, and microglia use the classical complement pathway to recognize and eliminate unwanted synapses. Notably, glial phagocytosis also contributes to the clearance of disease-specific protein aggregates, such as β-amyloid, huntingtin, and α-synuclein. Here we reivew recent findings showing that glial cells are active regulators in brain functions through phagocytosis and that changes in glial phagocytosis contribute to the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases. A better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of glial phagocytosis in healthy and diseased brains will greatly improve our current approach in treating these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeon-Joo Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Suk Chung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
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Kir4.1 channels in NG2-glia play a role in development, potassium signaling, and ischemia-related myelin loss. Commun Biol 2018; 1:80. [PMID: 30271961 PMCID: PMC6123808 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0083-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The contribution of the inwardly rectifying K+ channel subtype Kir4.1 has been focused mainly on astrocytes, where they play important roles in the maintenance of resting membrane potential, extracellular K+ uptake, and facilitation of glutamate uptake in the central nervous system. Here, we report the role of Kir4.1 channels in NG2-glia during brain development, potassium signaling, and in an ischemic stroke disease model. Kir4.1 channels are widely expressed in NG2-glia during brain development. In the adult mouse hippocampus, Kir4.1 channels in NG2-glia constitute more than 80% of K+ channels inward currents. This large portion of Kir4.1 channel currents exhibits a deficit in NG2-glia as an initial response in a transient ischemic mouse model. Further evidence indicates that Kir4.1 deficits in NG2-glia potentially cause axonal myelin loss in ischemia through the association with oligodendrocyte-specific protein (OSP/Claudin-11), which unravels a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of ischemic stroke. Feier Song and colleagues have examined Kir4.1 channels in the mouse brain, and found global expression of functional channels during development. They also show that depletion of Kir4.1 channels impacts demyelination in ischemic stroke
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Kharade SV, Kurata H, Bender AM, Blobaum AL, Figueroa EE, Duran A, Kramer M, Days E, Vinson P, Flores D, Satlin LM, Meiler J, Weaver CD, Lindsley CW, Hopkins CR, Denton JS. Discovery, Characterization, and Effects on Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Excretion of the Kir4.1 Potassium Channel Pore Blocker, VU0134992. Mol Pharmacol 2018; 94:926-937. [PMID: 29895592 DOI: 10.1124/mol.118.112359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channel Kir4.1 (KCNJ10) carries out important physiologic roles in epithelial cells of the kidney, astrocytes in the central nervous system, and stria vascularis of the inner ear. Loss-of-function mutations in KCNJ10 lead to EAST/SeSAME syndrome, which is characterized by epilepsy, ataxia, renal salt wasting, and sensorineural deafness. Although genetic approaches have been indispensable for establishing the importance of Kir4.1 in the normal function of these tissues, the availability of pharmacological tools for acutely manipulating the activity of Kir4.1 in genetically normal animals has been lacking. We therefore carried out a high-throughput screen of 76,575 compounds from the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology library for small-molecule modulators of Kir4.1. The most potent inhibitor identified was 2-(2-bromo-4-isopropylphenoxy)-N-(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl)acetamide (VU0134992). In whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology experiments, VU0134992 inhibits Kir4.1 with an IC50 value of 0.97 µM and is 9-fold selective for homomeric Kir4.1 over Kir4.1/5.1 concatemeric channels (IC50 = 9 µM) at -120 mV. In thallium (Tl+) flux assays, VU0134992 is greater than 30-fold selective for Kir4.1 over Kir1.1, Kir2.1, and Kir2.2; is weakly active toward Kir2.3, Kir6.2/SUR1, and Kir7.1; and is equally active toward Kir3.1/3.2, Kir3.1/3.4, and Kir4.2. This potency and selectivity profile is superior to Kir4.1 inhibitors amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and fluoxetine. Medicinal chemistry identified components of VU0134992 that are critical for inhibiting Kir4.1. Patch-clamp electrophysiology, molecular modeling, and site-directed mutagenesis identified pore-lining glutamate 158 and isoleucine 159 as critical residues for block of the channel. VU0134992 displayed a large free unbound fraction (fu) in rat plasma (fu = 0.213). Consistent with the known role of Kir4.1 in renal function, oral dosing of VU0134992 led to a dose-dependent diuresis, natriuresis, and kaliuresis in rats. Thus, VU0134992 represents the first in vivo active tool compound for probing the therapeutic potential of Kir4.1 as a novel diuretic target for the treatment of hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujay V Kharade
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Haruto Kurata
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Aaron M Bender
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Anna L Blobaum
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Eric E Figueroa
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Amanda Duran
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Meghan Kramer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Emily Days
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Paige Vinson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Daniel Flores
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Lisa M Satlin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Jens Meiler
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - C David Weaver
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Craig W Lindsley
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Corey R Hopkins
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
| | - Jerod S Denton
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (S.V.K., M.K., J.S.D.); Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and the Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development (H.K., A.M.B., A.L.B., C.W.L., C.R.H.), Departments of Pharmacology (H.K., A.M.B., E.E.F., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.) and Chemistry (A.D., J.M., C.D.W., C.W.L.), High-Throughput Screening Center (E.D., P.V.), and Institute of Chemical Biology (C.D.W., C.W.L., J.S.D.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (D.F., L.M.S.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska (C.R.H.)
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Blum D, Chern Y, Domenici MR, Buée L, Lin CY, Rea W, Ferré S, Popoli P. The Role of Adenosine Tone and Adenosine Receptors in Huntington's Disease. J Caffeine Adenosine Res 2018; 8:43-58. [PMID: 30023989 PMCID: PMC6049521 DOI: 10.1089/caff.2018.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the IT15 gene that encodes for the huntingtin protein. Mutated hungtingtin, although widely expressed in the brain, predominantly affects striato-pallidal neurons, particularly enriched with adenosine A2A receptors (A2AR), suggesting a possible involvement of adenosine and A2AR is the pathogenesis of HD. In fact, polymorphic variation in the ADORA2A gene influences the age at onset in HD, and A2AR dynamics is altered by mutated huntingtin. Basal levels of adenosine and adenosine receptors are involved in many processes critical for neuronal function and homeostasis, including modulation of synaptic activity and excitotoxicity, the control of neurotrophin levels and functions, and the regulation of protein degradation mechanisms. In the present review, we critically analyze the current literature involving the effect of altered adenosine tone and adenosine receptors in HD and discuss why therapeutics that modulate the adenosine system may represent a novel approach for the treatment of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Blum
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172 - JPArc, LabEx DISTALZ, Lille, France
| | - Yijuang Chern
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Maria Rosaria Domenici
- National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Luc Buée
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172 - JPArc, LabEx DISTALZ, Lille, France
| | - Chien-Yu Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - William Rea
- Integrative Neurobiology Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sergi Ferré
- Integrative Neurobiology Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Patrizia Popoli
- National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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266
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Xin W, Bonci A. Functional Astrocyte Heterogeneity and Implications for Their Role in Shaping Neurotransmission. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:141. [PMID: 29896091 PMCID: PMC5987431 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the role of astrocytes in shaping neuronal signaling has come to the forefront of neuroscience research. The development of genetic tools that enable targeted manipulation of astrocytes has revealed a wealth of mechanisms by which they can alter the synaptic strength and intrinsic excitability of neurons in behaviorally relevant ways. In parallel, several studies have demonstrated significant variability in the gene expression and physiology of astrocytes within and between brain regions. Thus, to form an accurate understanding of how astrocytes contribute to neuronal transmission, we must take into consideration the diversity that exists in their intrinsic properties. In this review, we will summarize recent findings on astrocyte heterogeneity and discuss the implications for their interactions with neurons and their effects on neuronal transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Xin
- Synaptic Plasticity Section, Cellular Neurobiology Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Antonello Bonci
- Synaptic Plasticity Section, Cellular Neurobiology Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Washington, DC, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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267
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Octeau JC, Faas G, Mody I, Khakh BS. Making, Testing, and Using Potassium Ion Selective Microelectrodes in Tissue Slices of Adult Brain. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 29781998 DOI: 10.3791/57511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Potassium ions significantly contribute to the resting membrane potential of cells and, therefore, extracellular K+ concentration is a crucial regulator of cell excitability. Altered concentrations of extracellular K+ affect the resting membrane potential and cellular excitability by shifting the equilibria between closed, open and inactivated states for voltage-dependent ion channels that underlie action potential initiation and conduction. Hence, it is valuable to directly measure extracellular K+ dynamics in health and diseased states. Here, we describe how to make, calibrate and use monopolar K+-selective microelectrodes. We deployed them in adult hippocampal brain slices to measure electrically evoked K+ concentration dynamics. The judicious use of such electrodes is an important part of the tool-kit needed to evaluate cellular and biophysical mechanisms that control extracellular K+ concentrations in the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Christopher Octeau
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles;
| | - Guido Faas
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles
| | - Istvan Mody
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles; Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles;
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268
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Mercado F, Almanza A, Rubio N, Soto E. Kir 4.1 inward rectifier potassium channel is upregulated in astrocytes in a murine multiple sclerosis model. Neurosci Lett 2018; 677:88-93. [PMID: 29705539 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.04.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a high prevalence degenerative disease characterized at the cellular level by glial and neuronal cell death. The causes of cell death during the disease course are not fully understood. In this work we demonstrate that in a MS model induced by Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection, the inward rectifier (Kir) 4.1 potassium channel subunit is overexpressed in astrocytes. In voltage clamp experiments the inward current density from TMEV-infected astrocytes was significantly larger than in mock-infected ones. The cRNA hybridization analysis from mock- and TMEV-infected cells showed an upregulation of a potassium transport channel coding sequence. We validated this mRNA increase by RT-PCR and quantitative PCR using Kir 4.1 specific primers. Western blotting experiments confirmed the upregulation of Kir 4.1, and alignment between sequences provided the demonstration that the over-expressed gene encodes for a Kir family member. Flow cytometry showed that the Kir 4.1 protein is located mainly in the cell membrane in mock and TMEV-infected astrocytes. Our results demonstrate an increase in K+ inward current in TMEV-infected glial cells, this increment may reduce the neuronal depolarization, contributing to cell resilience mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Mercado
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Angélica Almanza
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | | | - Enrique Soto
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Pue México, CP 72000, Mexico.
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269
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Modulation of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1 by the pro-invasive miR-5096 in glioblastoma cells. Oncotarget 2018; 8:37681-37693. [PMID: 28445150 PMCID: PMC5514940 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kir), and especially the barium-sensitive Kir4.1 encoded by KCNJ10, are key regulators of glial functions. A lower expression or mislocation of Kir4.1 is detected in human brain tumors. MicroRNAs participate in the regulation of ionic channels and associated neurologic disorders. Here, we analyze effects of miR-5096 on the Kir4.1 expression and function in two glioblastoma cell lines, U87 and U251. Using whole-cell patch-clamp and western-blot analysis, we show that cell loading with miR-5096 decreases the Kir4.1 protein level and associated K+ current. Cell treatment with barium, a Kir4.1 blocker, or cell loading of miR-5096 both increase the outgrowth of filopodia in glioma cells, as observed by time-lapse microscopy. Knocking-down Kir4.1 expression by siRNA transfection similarly increased both filopodia formation and invasiveness of glioma cells as observed in Boyden chamber assay. MiR-5096 also promotes the release of extracellular vesicles by which it increases its own transfer to surrounding cells, in a Kir4.1-dependent manner in U251 but not in U87. Altogether, our results validate Kir4.1 as a miR-5096 target to promote invasion of glioblastoma cells. Our data highlight the complexity of microRNA effects and the role of K+ channels in cancer.
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270
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Kelley KW, Ben Haim L, Schirmer L, Tyzack GE, Tolman M, Miller JG, Tsai HH, Chang SM, Molofsky AV, Yang Y, Patani R, Lakatos A, Ullian EM, Rowitch DH. Kir4.1-Dependent Astrocyte-Fast Motor Neuron Interactions Are Required for Peak Strength. Neuron 2018; 98:306-319.e7. [PMID: 29606582 PMCID: PMC5919779 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Diversified neurons are essential for sensorimotor function, but whether astrocytes become specialized to optimize circuit performance remains unclear. Large fast α-motor neurons (FαMNs) of spinal cord innervate fast-twitch muscles that generate peak strength. We report that ventral horn astrocytes express the inward-rectifying K+ channel Kir4.1 (a.k.a. Kcnj10) around MNs in a VGLUT1-dependent manner. Loss of astrocyte-encoded Kir4.1 selectively altered FαMN size and function and led to reduced peak strength. Overexpression of Kir4.1 in astrocytes was sufficient to increase MN size through activation of the PI3K/mTOR/pS6 pathway. Kir4.1 was downregulated cell autonomously in astrocytes derived from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with SOD1 mutation. However, astrocyte Kir4.1 was dispensable for FαMN survival even in the mutant SOD1 background. These findings show that astrocyte Kir4.1 is essential for maintenance of peak strength and suggest that Kir4.1 downregulation might uncouple symptoms of muscle weakness from MN cell death in diseases like ALS. Kir4.1 is upregulated in astrocytes around high-activity alpha motor neurons (MNs) Astrocyte Kir4.1 KO caused decreased peak strength without alpha MN loss ALS patient-derived astrocytes show cell-autonomous Kir4.1 downregulation Astrocyte Kir4.1 regulates MN size through PI3K/mTOR/pS6 activation
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin W Kelley
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Lucile Ben Haim
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Lucas Schirmer
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Giulia E Tyzack
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Michaela Tolman
- Sackler School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - John G Miller
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Hui-Hsin Tsai
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Sandra M Chang
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Anna V Molofsky
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Sackler School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Andras Lakatos
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB20QQ, UK
| | - Erik M Ullian
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - David H Rowitch
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Paediatrics and Wellcome Trust-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB20QQ, UK.
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271
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Shi D, Chang JW, Choi J, Connor B, O'Carroll SJ, Nicholson LFB, Kim JH. Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) is Expressed Predominantly in Medium Spiny Neurons of tgHD Rat Striatum. Neuroscience 2018; 380:146-151. [PMID: 29625216 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a multi-ligand receptor involved in the pathology of several progressive neurodegenerative disorders including Huntington's disease (HD). We previously showed that the expression of RAGE and its colocalization with ligands were increased in the striatum of HD patients, increasing with grade severity, and that the pattern of RAGE expression coincided with the medio-lateral pattern of neurodegeneration. However, the exact role of RAGE in HD remains elusive. In order to address the necessity for a direct functional study, we aimed to characterize the pattern of RAGE expression in the transgenic rat model of HD (tgHD rats). Our results showed that RAGE expression was expanded laterally in tgHD rat caudate-putamen (CPu) compared to wildtype littermates, but the expression was unchanged by disease severity. The rostro-caudal location did not affect RAGE expression. RAGE was predominantly expressed in the medium spiny neurons (MSN) where it colocalized most extensively with N-carboxymethyllysine (CML), which largely contradicts with observations from human HD brains. Overall, the tgHD rat model only partially recapitulated the pattern in striatal RAGE expression in human brains, raising a question about its reliability as an animal model for future functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dian Shi
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, and the Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Joshua W Chang
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, and the Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Jaimin Choi
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, and the Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Bronwen Connor
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, and the Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Simon J O'Carroll
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, and the Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Louise F B Nicholson
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, and the Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Joo Hyun Kim
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children Hospital, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, 1250 Moursund St, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
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272
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Octeau JC, Chai H, Jiang R, Bonanno SL, Martin KC, Khakh BS. An Optical Neuron-Astrocyte Proximity Assay at Synaptic Distance Scales. Neuron 2018; 98:49-66.e9. [PMID: 29621490 PMCID: PMC5916847 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are complex bushy cells that serve important functions through close contacts between their processes and synapses. However, the spatial interactions and dynamics of astrocyte processes relative to synapses have proven problematic to study in adult living brain tissue. Here, we report a genetically targeted neuron-astrocyte proximity assay (NAPA) to measure astrocyte-synapse spatial interactions within intact brain preparations and at synaptic distance scales. The method exploits resonance energy transfer between extracellularly displayed fluorescent proteins targeted to synapses and astrocyte processes. We validated the method in the striatal microcircuitry following in vivo expression. We determined the proximity of striatal astrocyte processes to distinct neuronal input pathways, to D1 and D2 medium spiny neuron synapses, and we evaluated how astrocyte-to-excitatory synapse proximity changed following cortical afferent stimulation, during ischemia and in a model of Huntington's disease. NAPA provides a simple approach to measure astrocyte-synapse spatial interactions in a variety of experimental scenarios. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Christopher Octeau
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Hua Chai
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Ruotian Jiang
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Shivan L Bonanno
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Kelsey C Martin
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA.
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273
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Larson VA, Mironova Y, Vanderpool KG, Waisman A, Rash JE, Agarwal A, Bergles DE. Oligodendrocytes control potassium accumulation in white matter and seizure susceptibility. eLife 2018; 7:34829. [PMID: 29596047 PMCID: PMC5903864 DOI: 10.7554/elife.34829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The inwardly rectifying K+ channel Kir4.1 is broadly expressed by CNS glia and deficits in Kir4.1 lead to seizures and myelin vacuolization. However, the role of oligodendrocyte Kir4.1 channels in controlling myelination and K+ clearance in white matter has not been defined. Here, we show that selective deletion of Kir4.1 from oligodendrocyte progenitors (OPCs) or mature oligodendrocytes did not impair their development or disrupt the structure of myelin. However, mice lacking oligodendrocyte Kir4.1 channels exhibited profound functional impairments, including slower clearance of extracellular K+ and delayed recovery of axons from repetitive stimulation in white matter, as well as spontaneous seizures, a lower seizure threshold, and activity-dependent motor deficits. These results indicate that Kir4.1 channels in oligodendrocytes play an important role in extracellular K+ homeostasis in white matter, and that selective loss of this channel from oligodendrocytes is sufficient to impair K+ clearance and promote seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie A Larson
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Yevgeniya Mironova
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Kimberly G Vanderpool
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States
| | - Ari Waisman
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - John E Rash
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States
| | - Amit Agarwal
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
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274
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Rimmele TS, Rocher AB, Wellbourne-Wood J, Chatton JY. Control of Glutamate Transport by Extracellular Potassium: Basis for a Negative Feedback on Synaptic Transmission. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:3272-3283. [PMID: 28369311 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate and K+, both released during neuronal firing, need to be tightly regulated to ensure accurate synaptic transmission. Extracellular glutamate and K+ ([K+]o) are rapidly taken up by glutamate transporters and K+-transporters or channels, respectively. Glutamate transport includes the exchange of one glutamate, 3 Na+, and one proton, in exchange for one K+. This K+ efflux allows the glutamate binding site to reorient in the outwardly facing position and start a new transport cycle. Here, we demonstrate the sensitivity of the transport process to [K+]o changes. Increasing [K+]o over the physiological range had an immediate and reversible inhibitory action on glutamate transporters. This K+-dependent transporter inhibition was revealed using microspectrofluorimetry in primary astrocytes, and whole-cell patch-clamp in acute brain slices and HEK293 cells expressing glutamate transporters. Previous studies demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of glutamate transporters decreases neuronal transmission via extrasynaptic glutamate spillover and subsequent activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Here, we demonstrate that increasing [K+]o also causes a decrease in neuronal mEPSC frequency, which is prevented by group II mGluR inhibition. These findings highlight a novel, previously unreported physiological negative feedback mechanism in which [K+]o elevations inhibit glutamate transporters, unveiling a new mechanism for activity-dependent modulation of synaptic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa S Rimmele
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Bérengère Rocher
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Joel Wellbourne-Wood
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Yves Chatton
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Cellular Imaging Facility, University of Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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275
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Niemelä V, Burman J, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Larsson A, Sundblom J. Cerebrospinal fluid sCD27 levels indicate active T cell-mediated inflammation in premanifest Huntington's disease. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193492. [PMID: 29474427 PMCID: PMC5825143 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, but evidence also suggests neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis. The immune mechanisms involved and the timing of their activation need further clarification. METHODS A clinically well-characterized HD cohort and gene negative controls were enrolled. YKL-40 reflecting innate immunity and sCD27, a marker of adaptive immunity, were measured across disease stages. Comparisons were made with markers of neurodegeneration: neurofilament light (NFL), total-tau (T-tau), and phospho-tau (P-tau). RESULTS 52 cross-sectional cerebrospinal fluid samples and 23 follow-up samples were analyzed. sCD27 was elevated in manifest HD and premanifest gene expansion carriers, whereas controls mostly had undetectable levels. YKL-40 showed a trend toward increase in manifest HD. sCD27 correlated with YKL-40 which in turn was closely associated to all included markers of neurodegeneration. YKL-40, NFL, and both forms of tau could all independently predict HD symptoms, but only NFL levels differed between groups after age-adjustment. CONCLUSION Increased sCD27 in premanifest HD is a sign of T cell-mediated neuroinflammation. This finding is novel since other reports almost exclusively have found early involvement of innate immunity. Validation of sCD27 in a larger HD cohort is needed. The role of adaptive immunity in HD needs further clarification, as it may hasten disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valter Niemelä
- Department of Neuroscience, Neurology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Joachim Burman
- Department of Neuroscience, Neurology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anders Larsson
- Department of Medical Sciences, Clinical Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jimmy Sundblom
- Department of Neuroscience, Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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276
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MeCP2 Deficiency Leads to Loss of Glial Kir4.1. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-NWR-0194-17. [PMID: 29464197 PMCID: PMC5818552 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0194-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder usually caused by mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). RTT is typified by apparently normal development until 6-18 mo of age, when motor and communicative skills regress and hand stereotypies, autonomic symptoms, and seizures present. Restoration of MeCP2 function selectively to astrocytes reversed several deficits in a murine model of RTT, but the mechanism of this rescue is unknown. Astrocytes carry out many essential functions required for normal brain functioning, including extracellular K+ buffering. Kir4.1, an inwardly rectifying K+ channel, is largely responsible for the channel-mediated K+ regulation by astrocytes. Loss-of-function mutations in Kir4.1 in human patients result in a severe neurodevelopmental disorder termed EAST or SESAME syndrome. Here, we evaluated astrocytic Kir4.1 expression in a murine model of Rett syndrome. We demonstrate by chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis that Kir4.1 is a direct molecular target of MeCP2. Astrocytes from Mecp2-deficient mice express significantly less Kir4.1 mRNA and protein, which translates into a >50% deficiency in Ba2+-sensitive Kir4.1-mediated currents, and impaired extracellular potassium dynamics. By examining astrocytes in isolation, we demonstrate that loss of Kir4.1 is cell autonomous. Assessment through postnatal development revealed that Kir4.1 expression in Mecp2-deficient animals never reaches adult, wild-type levels, consistent with a neurodevelopmental disorder. These are the first data implicating a direct MeCP2 molecular target in astrocytes and provide novel mechanistic insight explaining a potential mechanism by which astrocytic dysfunction may contribute to RTT.
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277
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Astroglial Kir4.1 in the lateral habenula drives neuronal bursts in depression. Nature 2018; 554:323-327. [DOI: 10.1038/nature25752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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278
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Zhang X, Wan JQ, Tong XP. Potassium channel dysfunction in neurons and astrocytes in Huntington's disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2018; 24:311-318. [PMID: 29377621 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 12/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a late-onset fatal neurodegenerative disease, characterized by progressive movement disorders, psychiatric symptoms, and cognitive impairment. The cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) triplet expansion encoding glutamine present in the protein huntingtin (Htt), produces widespread neuronal and glial pathology. Mutant huntingtin (mHtt) nuclear aggregates are the primary cause of cortical and striatal neuron degeneration, neuronal inflammation, apoptosis and eventual cell loss. The precise mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration in HD remain poorly understood and HD patients have no current cure. Potassium channels are widely expressed in most cell types. In neurons, they play a crucial role in setting the resting membrane potential, mediating the rapid repolarization phase of the action potential and controlling sub-threshold oscillations of membrane potentials. In glial cells, their major contributions are maintaining the resting membrane potential and buffering extracellular K+ . Thus, potassium channels have an essential function in both physiological and pathological brain conditions. This review summarizes recent progress on potassium channels involved in the pathology of HD by using different HD mouse models. Exploring the dysfunction of potassium channels in the brain illustrates new approaches for targeting this channel for the treatment of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhang
- Discipline of Neuroscience and Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie-Qing Wan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Tong
- Discipline of Neuroscience and Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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279
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Gorshkov K, Aguisanda F, Thorne N, Zheng W. Astrocytes as targets for drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:673-680. [PMID: 29317338 PMCID: PMC5937927 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have illuminated the crucial role of astrocytes in maintaining proper neuronal health and function. Abnormalities in astrocytic functions have now been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Historically, drug development programs for neurodegenerative diseases generally target only neurons, overlooking the contributions of astrocytes. Therefore, targeting both disease neurons and astrocytes offers a new approach for drug development for the treatment of neurological diseases. Looking forward, the co-culturing of human neurons with astrocytes could be the next evolutionary step in drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill Gorshkov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Francis Aguisanda
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Natasha Thorne
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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280
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Astrocytes and presynaptic plasticity in the striatum: Evidence and unanswered questions. Brain Res Bull 2018; 136:17-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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281
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Abstract
Huntington disease is a monogenic neurodegenerative disorder that displays an autosomal-dominant pattern of inheritance. It is characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms that progress over 15-20 years. Since the identification of the causative genetic mutation in 1993 much has been discovered about the underlying pathogenic mechanisms, but as yet there are no disease-modifying therapies available. This chapter reviews the epidemiology, genetic basis, pathogenesis, presentation, and clinical management of Huntington disease. The principles of genetic testing are explained. We also describe recent developments in the ongoing search for therapeutics and for biomarkers to track disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhia Ghosh
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom.
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282
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Ghosh R, Tabrizi SJ. Clinical Features of Huntington's Disease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1049:1-28. [PMID: 29427096 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-71779-1_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is the most common monogenic neurodegenerative disease and the commonest genetic dementia in the developed world. With autosomal dominant inheritance, typically mid-life onset, and unrelenting progressive motor, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms over 15-20 years, its impact on patients and their families is devastating. The causative genetic mutation is an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat in the gene encoding the Huntingtin protein, which leads to a prolonged polyglutamine stretch at the N-terminus of the protein. Since the discovery of the gene over 20 years ago much progress has been made in HD research, and although there are currently no disease-modifying treatments available, there are a number of exciting potential therapeutic developments in the pipeline. In this chapter we discuss the epidemiology, genetics and pathogenesis of HD as well as the clinical presentation and management of HD, which is currently focused on symptomatic treatment. The principles of genetic testing for HD are also explained. Recent developments in therapeutics research, including gene silencing and targeted small molecule approaches are also discussed, as well as the search for HD biomarkers that will assist the validation of these potentially new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhia Ghosh
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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283
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Kinboshi M, Mukai T, Nagao Y, Matsuba Y, Tsuji Y, Tanaka S, Tokudome K, Shimizu S, Ito H, Ikeda A, Inanobe A, Kurachi Y, Inoue S, Ohno Y. Inhibition of Inwardly Rectifying Potassium (Kir) 4.1 Channels Facilitates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Expression in Astrocytes. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:408. [PMID: 29358904 PMCID: PMC5768989 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) 4.1 channels in astrocytes regulate neuronal excitability by mediating spatial potassium buffering. Although dysfunction of astrocytic Kir4.1 channels is implicated in the development of epileptic seizures, the functional mechanisms of Kir4.1 channels in modulating epileptogenesis remain unknown. We herein evaluated the effects of Kir4.1 inhibition (blockade and knockdown) on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key modulator of epileptogenesis, in the primary cultures of mouse astrocytes. For blockade of Kir4.1 channels, we tested several antidepressant agents which reportedly bound to and blocked Kir4.1 channels in a subunit-specific manner. Treatment of astrocytes with fluoxetine enhanced BDNF mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner and increased the BDNF protein level. Other antidepressants (e.g., sertraline and imipramine) also increased the expression of BDNF mRNA with relative potencies similar to those for inhibition of Kir4.1 channels. In addition, suppression of Kir4.1 expression by the transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting Kir4.1 significantly increased the mRNA and protein levels of BDNF. The BDNF induction by Kir4.1 siRNA transfection was suppressed by the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126, but not by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190 or the JNK inhibitor SP600125. The present results demonstrated that inhibition of Kir4.1 channels facilitates BDNF expression in astrocytes primarily by activating the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway, which may be linked to the development of epilepsy and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Kinboshi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.,Department of Epilepsy, Movement Disorders and Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takahiro Mukai
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuki Nagao
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yusuke Matsuba
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Tsuji
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shiho Tanaka
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kentaro Tokudome
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Saki Shimizu
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Ito
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Akio Ikeda
- Department of Epilepsy, Movement Disorders and Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Atsushi Inanobe
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Kurachi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Seiji Inoue
- Education and Research Center for Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Ohno
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
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284
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Blunted mGluR Activation Disinhibits Striatopallidal Transmission in Parkinsonian Mice. Cell Rep 2017; 17:2431-2444. [PMID: 27880915 PMCID: PMC5489133 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.10.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevailing circuit model predicts that hyperactivity of the striatopallidal pathway and subsequently increased inhibition of external globus pallidus (GPe) neurons lead to the hypokinetic symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is believed that hyperactivity of the striatopallidal pathway is due to inactivity of dopamine receptors on the somatodendritic membrane of striatopallidal neurons, but the exact cellular underpinnings remain unclear. In this study, we show that mouse GPe astrocytes critically control ambient glutamate level, which in turn gates striatopallidal transmission via the activation of presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors. This presynaptic inhibition of striatopallidal transmission is diminished after the chronic loss of dopamine. Elevation of intracellular glutamate content in astrocytes restores the proper regulation of the striatopallidal input in PD models. These findings argue that astrocytes are key regulators of the striatopallidal synapse. Targeting this cell class may serve as an alternative therapeutic strategy for PD.
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285
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Veldman MB, Yang XW. Molecular insights into cortico-striatal miscommunications in Huntington's disease. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2017; 48:79-89. [PMID: 29125980 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD), a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease, is defined by its genetic cause, a CAG-repeat expansion in the HTT gene, its motor and psychiatric symptomology and primary loss of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs). However, the molecular mechanisms from genetic lesion to disease phenotype remain largely unclear. Mouse models of HD have been created that exhibit phenotypes partially recapitulating those in the patient, and specifically, cortico-striatal disconnectivity appears to be a shared pathogenic event shared by HD mouse models and patients. Molecular studies have begun to unveil converging molecular and cellular pathogenic mechanisms that may account for cortico-striatal miscommunication in various HD mouse models. Systems biological approaches help to illuminate synaptic molecular networks as a nexus for HD cortio-striatal pathogenesis, and may offer new candidate targets to modify the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Veldman
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics and Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - X William Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics and Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
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286
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Helleringer R, Chever O, Daniel H, Galante M. Oxygen and Glucose Deprivation Induces Bergmann Glia Membrane Depolarization and Ca 2+ Rises Mainly Mediated by K + and ATP Increases in the Extracellular Space. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:349. [PMID: 29163059 PMCID: PMC5675856 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
During brain ischemia, intense energy deficiency induces a complex succession of events including pump failure, acidosis and exacerbated glutamate release. In the cerebellum, glutamate is the principal mediator of Purkinje neuron anoxic depolarization during episodes of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). Here, the impact of OGD is studied in Bergmann glia, specialized astrocytes closely associated to Purkinje neurons. Patch clamp experiments reveal that during OGD Bergmann glial cells develop a large depolarizing current that is not mediated by glutamate and purinergic receptors but is mainly due to the accumulation of K+ in the extracellular space. Furthermore, we also found that increases in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration appear in Bergmann glia processes several minutes following OGD. These elevations require, in an early phase, Ca2+ mobilization from internal stores via P2Y receptor activation, and, over longer periods, Ca2+ entry through store-operated calcium channels. Our results suggest that increases of K+ and ATP concentrations in the extracellular space are primordial mediators of the OGD effects on Bergmann glia. In the cerebellum, glial responses to energy deprivation-triggering events are therefore highly likely to follow largely distinct rules from those of their neuronal counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Helleringer
- Pharmacology and Biochemistry of the Synapse, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, UMR 9197, Orsay, France
| | - Oana Chever
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiopathology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University Paris, Paris, France
| | - Hervé Daniel
- Pharmacology and Biochemistry of the Synapse, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, UMR 9197, Orsay, France
| | - Micaela Galante
- Pharmacology and Biochemistry of the Synapse, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, UMR 9197, Orsay, France
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287
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Vodicka P, Chase K, Iuliano M, Tousley A, Valentine DT, Sapp E, Kegel-Gleason KB, Sena-Esteves M, Aronin N, DiFiglia M. Autophagy Activation by Transcription Factor EB (TFEB) in Striatum of HDQ175/Q7 Mice. J Huntingtons Dis 2017; 5:249-260. [PMID: 27689619 PMCID: PMC5088406 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-160211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Background: Mutant huntingtin (mHTT) is encoded by the Huntington’s disease (HD) gene and its accumulation in the brain contributes to HD pathogenesis. Reducing mHTT levels through activation of the autophagosome-lysosomal pathway may have therapeutic benefit. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) regulates lysosome biogenesis and autophagy. Objective: To examine if increasing TFEB protein levels in HD mouse striatum induces autophagy and influences mHTT levels. Methods: We introduced cDNA encoding TFEB with an HA tag (TFEB-HA) under the control of neuron specific synapsin 1 promoter into the striatum of 3 month old HDQ175/Q7 mice using adeno-associated virus AAV2/9. The levels of exogenous TFEB were analyzed using qPCR and Western blot. Proteins involved in autophagy, levels of huntingtin, and striatal-enriched proteins were examined using biochemical and/or immunohistochemical methods. Results: In HD mice expressing TFEB-HA, HA immunoreactivity distributed throughout the striatum in neuronal cell bodies and processes and preferentially in neuronal nuclei and overlapped with a loss of DARPP32 immunoreactivity. TFEB-HA mRNA and protein were detected in striatal lysates. There were increased levels of proteins involved with autophagosome/lysosome activity including LAMP-2A, LC3II, and cathepsin D and reduced levels of mutant HTT and the striatal enriched proteins DARPP32 and PDE10A. Compared to WT mice, HDQ175/Q7 mice had elevated levels of the ER stress protein GRP78/BiP and with TFEB-HA expression, increased levels of the astrocyte marker GFAP and pro-caspase 3. Conclusion: These results suggest that TFEB expression in the striatum of HDQ175/Q7 mice stimulates autophagy and lysosome activity, and lowers mHTT, but may also increase a neuronal stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Vodicka
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kathryn Chase
- Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Maria Iuliano
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Adelaide Tousley
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Dana T Valentine
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Ellen Sapp
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kimberly B Kegel-Gleason
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Miguel Sena-Esteves
- Department of Neurology, Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Albert Sherman Center, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Neil Aronin
- Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Marian DiFiglia
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
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288
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Tousley A, Kegel-Gleason KB. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Huntington's Disease Research: Progress and Opportunity. J Huntingtons Dis 2017; 5:99-131. [PMID: 27372054 PMCID: PMC4942721 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-160199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from controls and patients can act as a starting point for in vitro differentiation into human brain cells for discovery of novel targets and treatments for human disease without the same ethical limitations posed by embryonic stem cells. Numerous groups have successfully produced and characterized Huntington’s disease (HD) iPSCs with different CAG repeat lengths, including cells from patients with one or two HD alleles. HD iPSCs and the neural cell types derived from them recapitulate some disease phenotypes found in both human patients and animal models. Although these discoveries are encouraging, the use of iPSCs for cutting edge and reproducible research has been limited due to some of the inherent problems with cell lines and the technological differences in the way laboratories use them. The goal of this review is to summarize the current state of the HD iPSC field, and to highlight some of the issues that need to be addressed to maximize their potential as research tools.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kimberly B. Kegel-Gleason
- Correspondence to: Kimberly Kegel-Gleason, Assistant Professor in Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 114 16th Street, Room 2001, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Tel.: +1 617 724 8754; E-mail:
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289
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Aréchiga-Figueroa IA, Marmolejo-Murillo LG, Cui M, Delgado-Ramírez M, van der Heyden MAG, Sánchez-Chapula JA, Rodríguez-Menchaca AA. High-potency block of Kir4.1 channels by pentamidine: Molecular basis. Eur J Pharmacol 2017; 815:56-63. [PMID: 28993158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels are expressed in almost all mammalian tissues and contribute to a wide range of physiological processes. Kir4.1 channel expression is found in the brain, inner ear, eye, and kidney. Loss-of-function mutations in the pore-forming Kir4.1 subunit cause an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by epilepsy, ataxia, sensorineural deafness and tubulopathy (SeSAME/EST syndrome). Despite its importance in physiological and pathological conditions, pharmacological research of Kir4.1 is limited. Here, we characterized the effect of pentamidine on Kir4.1 channels using electrophysiology, mutagenesis and computational methods. Pentamidine potently inhibited Kir4.1 channels when applied to the cytoplasmic side under inside-out patch clamp configuration (IC50 = 97nM). The block was voltage dependent. Molecular modeling predicted the binding of pentamidine to the transmembrane pore region of Kir4.1 at aminoacids T127, T128 and E158. Mutation of each of these residues reduced the potency of pentamidine to block Kir4.1 channels. A pentamidine analog (PA-6) inhibited Kir4.1 with similar potency (IC50 = 132nM). Overall, this study shows that pentamidine blocks Kir4.1 channels interacting with threonine and glutamate residues in the transmembrane pore region. These results can be useful to design novel compounds with major potency and specificity over Kir4.1 channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván A Aréchiga-Figueroa
- CONACYT, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico
| | | | - Meng Cui
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mayra Delgado-Ramírez
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biofísica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico
| | - Marcel A G van der Heyden
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - José A Sánchez-Chapula
- Centro Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Colima, Colima, Col, Mexico
| | - Aldo A Rodríguez-Menchaca
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biofísica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico.
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290
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Mutant Huntingtin Inhibits αB-Crystallin Expression and Impairs Exosome Secretion from Astrocytes. J Neurosci 2017; 37:9550-9563. [PMID: 28893927 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1418-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In the brain, astrocytes secrete diverse substances that regulate neuronal function and viability. Exosomes, which are vesicles produced through the formation of multivesicular bodies and their subsequent fusion with the plasma membrane, are also released from astrocytes via exocytotic secretion. Astrocytic exosomes carry heat shock proteins that can reduce the cellular toxicity of misfolded proteins and prevent neurodegeneration. Although mutant huntingtin (mHtt) affects multiple functions of astrocytes, it remains unknown whether mHtt impairs the production of exosomes from astrocytes. We found that mHtt is not present in astrocytic exosomes, but can decrease exosome secretion from astrocytes in HD140Q knock-in (KI) mice. N-terminal mHtt accumulates in the nuclei and forms aggregates, causing decreased secretion of exosomes from cultured astrocytes. Consistently, there is a significant decrease in secreted exosomes in both female and male HD KI mouse striatum in which abundant nuclear mHtt aggregates are present. Conversely, injection of astrocytic exosomes into the striatum of HD140Q KI mice reduces the density of mHtt aggregates. Further, mHtt in astrocytes decreased the expression of αB-crystallin, a small heat shock protein that is enriched in astrocytes and mediates exosome secretion, by reducing the association of Sp1 with the enhancer of the αB-crystallin gene. Importantly, overexpression of αB-crystallin rescues defective exosome release from HD astrocytes as well as mHtt aggregates in the striatum of HD140Q KI mice. Our results demonstrate that mHtt reduces the expression of αB-crystallin in astrocytes to decrease exosome secretion in the HD brains, contributing to non-cell-autonomous neurotoxicity in HD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by selective neurodegeneration that preferentially occurs in the striatal medium spiny neurons. Recent studies in different HD mouse models demonstrated that dysfunction of astrocytes, a major type of glial cell, leads to neuronal vulnerability. Emerging evidence shows that exosomes secreted from astrocytes contain neuroprotective cargoes that could support the survival of neighboring neurons. We found that mHtt in astrocytes impairs exosome secretion by decreasing αB-crystallin, a protein that is expressed mainly in glial cells and mediates exosome secretion. Overexpression of αB-crystallin could alleviate the deficient exosome release and neuropathology in HD mice. Our results revealed a new pathological pathway that affects the critical support of glial cells to neurons in the HD brain.
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291
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Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy describes the array of neurological alterations that occur during acute liver failure or chronic liver injury. While key players in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy, such as increases in brain ammonia, alterations in neurosteroid levels, and neuroinflammation, have been identified, there is still a paucity in our knowledge of the precise pathogenic mechanism. This review gives a brief overview of our understanding of the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy and then summarizes the significant recent advances made in clinical and basic research contributing to our understanding, diagnosis, and possible treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. A literature search using the PubMed database was conducted in May 2017 using "hepatic encephalopathy" as a keyword, and selected manuscripts were limited to those research articles published since May 2014. While the authors acknowledge that many significant advances have been made in the understanding of hepatic encephalopathy prior to May 2014, we have limited the scope of this review to the previous three years only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Liere
- Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA
| | | | - Sharon DeMorrow
- Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA
- Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Temple, TX, USA
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292
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Ferrer I. Diversity of astroglial responses across human neurodegenerative disorders and brain aging. Brain Pathol 2017; 27:645-674. [PMID: 28804999 PMCID: PMC8029391 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrogliopathy refers to alterations of astrocytes occurring in diseases of the nervous system, and it implies the involvement of astrocytes as key elements in the pathogenesis and pathology of diseases and injuries of the central nervous system. Reactive astrocytosis refers to the response of astrocytes to different insults to the nervous system, whereas astrocytopathy indicates hypertrophy, atrophy/degeneration and loss of function and pathological remodeling occurring as a primary cause of a disease or as a factor contributing to the development and progression of a particular disease. Reactive astrocytosis secondary to neuron loss and astrocytopathy due to intrinsic alterations of astrocytes occur in neurodegenerative diseases, overlap each other, and, together with astrocyte senescence, contribute to disease-specific astrogliopathy in aging and neurodegenerative diseases with abnormal protein aggregates in old age. In addition to the well-known increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein and other proteins in reactive astrocytes, astrocytopathy is evidenced by deposition of abnormal proteins such as β-amyloid, hyper-phosphorylated tau, abnormal α-synuclein, mutated huntingtin, phosphorylated TDP-43 and mutated SOD1, and PrPres , in Alzheimer's disease, tauopathies, Lewy body diseases, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, respectively. Astrocytopathy in these diseases can also be manifested by impaired glutamate transport; abnormal metabolism and release of neurotransmitters; altered potassium, calcium and water channels resulting in abnormal ion and water homeostasis; abnormal glucose metabolism; abnormal lipid and, particularly, cholesterol metabolism; increased oxidative damage and altered oxidative stress responses; increased production of cytokines and mediators of the inflammatory response; altered expression of connexins with deterioration of cell-to-cell networks and transfer of gliotransmitters; and worsening function of the blood brain barrier, among others. Increased knowledge of these aspects will permit a better understanding of brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases in old age as complex disorders in which neurons are not the only players.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isidro Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental TherapeuticsUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institute of NeuropathologyPathologic Anatomy Service, Bellvitge University Hospital, IDIBELL, Hospitalet de LlobregatBarcelonaSpain
- Institute of NeurosciencesUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Biomedical Network Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute Carlos IIIMadridSpain
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293
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Verkhratsky A, Zorec R, Parpura V. Stratification of astrocytes in healthy and diseased brain. Brain Pathol 2017; 27:629-644. [PMID: 28805002 PMCID: PMC5599174 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 06/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes, a subtype of glial cells, come in variety of forms and functions. However, overarching role of these cell is in the homeostasis of the brain, be that regulation of ions, neurotransmitters, metabolism or neuronal synaptic networks. Loss of homeostasis represents the underlying cause of all brain disorders. Thus, astrocytes are likely involved in most if not all of the brain pathologies. We tabulate astroglial homeostatic functions along with pathological condition that arise from dysfunction of these glial cells. Classification of astrocytes is presented with the emphasis on evolutionary trails, morphological appearance and numerical preponderance. We note that, even though astrocytes from a variety of mammalian species share some common features, human astrocytes appear to be the largest and most complex of all astrocytes studied thus far. It is then an imperative to develop humanized models to study the role of astrocytes in brain pathologies, which is perhaps most abundantly clear in the case of glioblastoma multiforme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- Division of Neuroscience & Experimental PsychologyThe University of ManchesterManchesterUnited Kingdom
- Achúcarro Basque Center for NeuroscienceIKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science48011 BilbaoSpain
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of the Basque Country UPV/EHU and CIBERNED48940 LeioaSpain
| | - Robert Zorec
- Laboratory of Cell EngineeringCelica BIOMEDICAL, Tehnološki park 24, Ljubljana 1000SloveniaEurope
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology‐Molecular Cell PhysiologyInstitute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Zaloška 4, Ljubljana 1000SloveniaEurope
| | - Vladimir Parpura
- Department of Neurobiology, Civitan International Research Center and Center for Glial Biology in Medicine, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Atomic Force Microscopy & Nanotechnology Laboratories, 1719 6th Avenue South, CIRC 429University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAL 35294‐0021
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294
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Synergistic Toxicity of Polyglutamine-Expanded TATA-Binding Protein in Glia and Neuronal Cells: Therapeutic Implications for Spinocerebellar Ataxia 17. J Neurosci 2017; 37:9101-9115. [PMID: 28821675 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0111-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia 17 (SCA17) is caused by polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat expansion in the TATA-binding protein (TBP) and is among a family of neurodegenerative diseases in which polyQ expansion leads to preferential neuronal loss in the brain. Although previous studies have demonstrated that expression of polyQ-expanded proteins in glial cells can cause neuronal injury via noncell-autonomous mechanisms, these studies investigated animal models that overexpress transgenic mutant proteins. Since glial cells are particularly reactive to overexpressed mutant proteins, it is important to investigate the in vivo role of glial dysfunction in neurodegeneration when mutant polyQ proteins are endogenously expressed. In the current study, we generated two conditional TBP-105Q knock-in mouse models that specifically express mutant TBP at the endogenous level in neurons or in astrocytes. We found that mutant TBP expression in neuronal cells or astrocytes alone only caused mild neurodegeneration, whereas severe neuronal toxicity requires the expression of mutant TBP in both neuronal and glial cells. Coculture of neurons and astrocytes further validated that mutant TBP in astrocytes promoted neuronal injury. We identified activated inflammatory signaling pathways in mutant TBP-expressing astrocytes, and blocking nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling in astrocytes ameliorated neurodegeneration. Our results indicate that the synergistic toxicity of mutant TBP in neuronal and glial cells plays a critical role in SCA17 pathogenesis and that targeting glial inflammation could be a potential therapeutic approach for SCA17 treatment.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mutant TBP with polyglutamine expansion preferentially affects neuronal viability in SCA17 patients. Whether glia, the cells that support and protect neurons, contribute to neurodegeneration in SCA17 remains mostly unexplored. In this study, we provide both in vivo and in vitro evidence arguing that endogenous expression of mutant TBP in neurons and glia synergistically impacts neuronal survival. Hyperactivated inflammatory signaling pathways, particularly the NF-κB pathway, underlie glia-mediated neurotoxicity. Moreover, blocking NF-κB activity with small chemical inhibitors alleviated such neurotoxicity. Our study establishes glial dysfunction as an important component of SCA17 pathogenesis and suggests targeting glial inflammation as a potential therapeutic approach for SCA17 treatment.
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295
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Olabarria M, Goldman JE. Disorders of Astrocytes: Alexander Disease as a Model. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY-MECHANISMS OF DISEASE 2017; 12:131-152. [PMID: 28135564 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-052016-100218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes undergo important phenotypic changes in many neurological disorders, including strokes, trauma, inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. We have been studying the astrocytes of Alexander disease (AxD), which is caused by heterozygous mutations in the GFAP gene, which is the gene that encodes the major astrocyte intermediate filament protein. AxD is a primary astrocyte disease because GFAP expression is specific to astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). The accumulation of extremely large amounts of GFAP causes many molecular changes in astrocytes, including proteasome inhibition, stress kinase activation, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation, loss of glutamate and potassium buffering capacity, loss of astrocyte coupling, and changes in cell morphology. Many of these changes appear to be common to astrocyte reactions in other neurological disorders. Using AxD to illuminate common mechanisms, we discuss the molecular pathology of AxD astrocytes and compare that to astrocyte pathology in other disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markel Olabarria
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032; ,
| | - James E Goldman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032; ,
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296
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Functional Indicators of Glutamate Transport in Single Striatal Astrocytes and the Influence of Kir4.1 in Normal and Huntington Mice. J Neurosci 2017; 36:4959-75. [PMID: 27147650 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0316-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED This study evaluates single-cell indicators of glutamate transport in sulforhodamine 101-positive astrocytes of Q175 mice, a knock-in model of Huntington's disease (HD). Transport-related fluorescent ratio signals obtained with sodium-binding benzofuran isophtalate (SBFI) AM from unperturbed or voltage-clamped astrocytes and respective glutamate transporter currents (GTCs) were induced by photolytic or synaptic glutamate release and isolated pharmacologically. The HD-induced deficit ranged from -27% (GTC maximum at -100 mV in Ba(2+)) to -41% (sodium transients in astrocytes after loading SBFI-AM). Our specific aim was to clarify the mechanism(s) by which Kir4.1 channels can influence glutamate transport, as determined by either Na(+) imaging or transport-associated electrical signals. A decrease of Kir4.1 conductance was mimicked with Ba(2+) (200 μm), and an increase of Kir4.1 expression was obtained by intravenous administration of AAV9-gfaABC1D-Kir4.1-EGFP. The decrease of Kir4.1 conductance reduced the sodium transients but increased the amplitudes of somatic GTCs. Accordingly, after genetic upregulation of Kir4.1, somatic GTCs were found to be decreased. In individual cells, there was a negative correlation between Kir4.1 currents and GTCs. The relative effect of the Kir4.1 conductance was higher in the astrocyte periphery. These and other results suggest that the Kir4.1 conductance affects glutamate transporter activity in a dual manner: (1) by providing the driving force (voltage dependency of the transport itself) and (2) by limiting the lateral charge transfer (thereby reducing the interference with other electrogenic transporter functions). This leads to the testable prediction that restoring the high conductance state of passive astrocytes will not only normalize glutamate uptake but also restore other astrocytic transporter activities afflicted with HD. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Insufficiency of astrocytic glutamate uptake is a major element in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. Considering the heterogeneity of astrocytes and their differential susceptibility to therapeutic interventions, it becomes necessary to evaluate the determinants of transport activity in individual astroglial cells. We have examined intracellular Na(+) transients and glutamate transporter currents as the most telling indicators of glutamate clearance after synaptic or photolytic release of glutamate in striatal slices. The results show that, in Huntington's disease, glutamate uptake activity critically depends on Kir4.1. These channels enable the high conductance state of the astrocytic plasma membrane, which ensures the driving force for glutamate transport and dumps the transport-associated depolarization along the astrocyte processes. This has significant implications for developing therapeutic targets.
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297
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Liu B, Teschemacher AG, Kasparov S. Astroglia as a cellular target for neuroprotection and treatment of neuro-psychiatric disorders. Glia 2017; 65:1205-1226. [PMID: 28300322 PMCID: PMC5669250 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are key homeostatic cells of the central nervous system. They cooperate with neurons at several levels, including ion and water homeostasis, chemical signal transmission, blood flow regulation, immune and oxidative stress defense, supply of metabolites and neurogenesis. Astroglia is also important for viability and maturation of stem-cell derived neurons. Neurons critically depend on intrinsic protective and supportive properties of astrocytes. Conversely, all forms of pathogenic stimuli which disturb astrocytic functions compromise neuronal functionality and viability. Support of neuroprotective functions of astrocytes is thus an important strategy for enhancing neuronal survival and improving outcomes in disease states. In this review, we first briefly examine how astrocytic dysfunction contributes to major neurological disorders, which are traditionally associated with malfunctioning of processes residing in neurons. Possible molecular entities within astrocytes that could underpin the cause, initiation and/or progression of various disorders are outlined. In the second section, we explore opportunities enhancing neuroprotective function of astroglia. We consider targeting astrocyte-specific molecular pathways which are involved in neuroprotection or could be expected to have a therapeutic value. Examples of those are oxidative stress defense mechanisms, glutamate uptake, purinergic signaling, water and ion homeostasis, connexin gap junctions, neurotrophic factors and the Nrf2-ARE pathway. We propose that enhancing the neuroprotective capacity of astrocytes is a viable strategy for improving brain resilience and developing new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beihui Liu
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and NeuroscienceUniversity of Bristol, University WalkBS8 1TDUnited Kingdom
| | - Anja G. Teschemacher
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and NeuroscienceUniversity of Bristol, University WalkBS8 1TDUnited Kingdom
| | - Sergey Kasparov
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and NeuroscienceUniversity of Bristol, University WalkBS8 1TDUnited Kingdom
- Institute for Chemistry and BiologyBaltic Federal UniversityKaliningradRussian Federation
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298
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Tcw J, Wang M, Pimenova AA, Bowles KR, Hartley BJ, Lacin E, Machlovi SI, Abdelaal R, Karch CM, Phatnani H, Slesinger PA, Zhang B, Goate AM, Brennand KJ. An Efficient Platform for Astrocyte Differentiation from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cell Reports 2017; 9:600-614. [PMID: 28757165 PMCID: PMC5550034 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence implicates the importance of glia, particularly astrocytes, in neurological and psychiatric diseases. Here, we describe a rapid and robust method for the differentiation of highly pure populations of replicative astrocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), via a neural progenitor cell (NPC) intermediate. We evaluated this protocol across 42 NPC lines (derived from 30 individuals). Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that hiPSC-astrocytes from four individuals are highly similar to primary human fetal astrocytes and characteristic of a non-reactive state. hiPSC-astrocytes respond to inflammatory stimulants, display phagocytic capacity, and enhance microglial phagocytosis. hiPSC-astrocytes also possess spontaneous calcium transient activity. Our protocol is a reproducible, straightforward (single medium), and rapid (<30 days) method to generate populations of hiPSC-astrocytes that can be used for neuron-astrocyte and microglia-astrocyte co-cultures for the study of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Tcw
- Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Minghui Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Anna A Pimenova
- Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kathryn R Bowles
- Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Brigham J Hartley
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Emre Lacin
- Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Saima I Machlovi
- Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Rawan Abdelaal
- New York Genome Center, 101 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013, USA
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- New York Genome Center, 101 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013, USA
| | - Paul A Slesinger
- Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Alison M Goate
- Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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299
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Parievsky A, Moore C, Kamdjou T, Cepeda C, Meshul CK, Levine MS. Differential electrophysiological and morphological alterations of thalamostriatal and corticostriatal projections in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 108:29-44. [PMID: 28757327 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal genetic disorder characterized by cell death of medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum, traditionally attributed to excessive glutamate inputs and/or receptor sensitivity. While changes in corticostriatal projections have typically been studied in mouse models of HD, morphological and functional alterations in thalamostriatal projections have received less attention. In this study, an adeno-associated virus expressing channelrhodopsin-2 under the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα promoter was injected into the sensorimotor cortex or the thalamic centromedian-parafascicular nuclear complex in the R6/2 mouse model of HD, to permit selective activation of corticostriatal or thalamostriatal projections, respectively. In symptomatic R6/2 mice, peak amplitudes and areas of corticostriatal glutamate AMPA and NMDA receptor-mediated responses were reduced. In contrast, although peak amplitudes of AMPA and NMDA receptor-mediated thalamostriatal responses also were reduced, the areas remained unchanged due to an increase in response decay times. Blockade of glutamate reuptake further increased response areas and slowed rise and decay times of NMDA responses. These effects appeared more pronounced at thalamostriatal synapses of R6/2 mice, suggesting increased activation of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors. In addition, the probability of glutamate release was higher at thalamostriatal than corticostriatal synapses, particularly in R6/2 mice. Morphological studies indicated that the density of all excitatory synaptic contacts onto MSNs was reduced, which matches the basic electrophysiological findings of reduced amplitudes. There was a consistent reduction in the area of spines but little change in presynaptic terminal size, indicating that the postsynaptic spine may be more significantly affected than presynaptic terminals. These results highlight the significant and differential contribution of the thalamostriatal projection to glutamate excitotoxicity in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Parievsky
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cindy Moore
- Research Services, VA Portland Health Care System, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Talia Kamdjou
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Charles K Meshul
- Research Services, VA Portland Health Care System, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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300
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Depressed Synaptic Transmission and Reduced Vesicle Release Sites in Huntington's Disease Neuromuscular Junctions. J Neurosci 2017; 37:8077-8091. [PMID: 28724748 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0313-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive and fatal degenerative disorder that results in debilitating cognitive and motor dysfunction. Most HD studies have focused on degeneration of the CNS. We previously discovered that skeletal muscle from transgenic R6/2 HD mice is hyperexcitable due to decreased chloride and potassium conductances. The progressive and early onset of these defects suggest a primary myopathy in HD. In this study, we examined the relationship between neuromuscular transmission and skeletal muscle hyperexcitability. We used an ex vivo preparation of the levator auris longus muscle from male and female late-stage R6/2 mice and age-matched wild-type controls. Immunostaining of the synapses and molecular analyses revealed no evidence of denervation. Physiologically, we recorded spontaneous miniature endplate currents (mEPCs) and nerve-evoked EPCs (eEPCs) under voltage-clamp, which, unlike current-clamp records, were independent of the changes in muscle membrane properties. We found a reduction in the number of vesicles released per action potential (quantal content) in R6/2 muscle, which analysis of eEPC variance and morphology indicate is caused by a reduction in the number of vesicle release sites (n) rather than a change in the probability of release (prel). Furthermore, analysis of high-frequency stimulation trains suggests an impairment in vesicle mobilization. The depressed neuromuscular transmission in R6/2 muscle may help compensate for the muscle hyperexcitability and contribute to motor impersistence.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Recent evidence indicates that Huntington's disease (HD) is a multisystem disorder. Our examination of neuromuscular transmission in this study reveals defects in the motor nerve terminal that may compensate for the muscle hyperexcitability in HD. The technique we used eliminates the effects of the altered muscle membrane properties on synaptic currents and thus provides hitherto the most detailed analysis of synaptic transmission in HD. Clinically, the striking depression of neurotransmission we found may help explain the motor impersistence in HD patients. Therapies that target the highly accessible peripheral nerve and muscle system provide a promising new avenue to lessen the debilitating motor symptoms of HD.
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