251
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Targeting autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2014; 35:583-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2014.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Revised: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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252
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Watanabe S, Hayakawa T, Wakasugi K, Yamanaka K. Cystatin C protects neuronal cells against mutant copper-zinc superoxide dismutase-mediated toxicity. Cell Death Dis 2014; 5:e1497. [PMID: 25356866 PMCID: PMC4237269 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2014.459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the selective and progressive loss of motor neurons. Cystatin C (CysC), an endogenous cysteine protease inhibitor, is a major protein component of Bunina bodies observed in the spinal motor neurons of sporadic ALS and is decreased in the cerebrospinal fluid of ALS patients. Despite prominent deposition of CysC in ALS, the roles of CysC in the central nervous system remain unknown. Here, we identified the neuroprotective activity of CysC against ALS-linked mutant Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1)-mediated toxicity. We found that exogenously added CysC protected neuronal cells including primary cultured motor neurons. Moreover, the neuroprotective property of CysC was dependent on the coordinated activation of two distinct pathways: autophagy induction through AMPK-mTOR pathway and inhibition of cathepsin B. Furthermore, exogenously added CysC was transduced into the cells and aggregated in the cytosol under oxidative stress conditions, implying a relationship between the neuroprotective activity of CysC and Bunina body formation. These data suggest CysC is an endogenous neuroprotective agent and targeting CysC in motor neurons may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Watanabe
- 1] Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan [2] Laboratory for Motor Neuron Disease, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - T Hayakawa
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - K Wakasugi
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - K Yamanaka
- 1] Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan [2] Laboratory for Motor Neuron Disease, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan
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253
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Palomo GM, Manfredi G. Exploring new pathways of neurodegeneration in ALS: the role of mitochondria quality control. Brain Res 2014; 1607:36-46. [PMID: 25301687 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.09.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Revised: 09/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal cells are highly dependent on mitochondria, and mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. As perturbed mitochondrial function renders neurons extremely sensitive to a wide variety of insults, such as oxidative stress and bioenergetic defects, mitochondrial defects can profoundly affect neuronal fate. Several studies have linked ALS with mitochondrial dysfunction, stemming from observations of mitochondrial abnormalities, both in patients and in cellular and mouse models of familial forms of ALS. Mitochondrial changes have been thoroughly investigated in mutants of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), one of the most common causes of familial ALS, for which excellent cellular and animal models are available, but recently evidence is emerging also in other forms of ALS, both familial and sporadic. Mitochondrial defects in ALS involve many critical physiopathological processes, from defective bioenergetics to abnormal calcium homeostasis, altered morphology and impaired trafficking. In this review, we summarize established evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in ALS, especially in SOD1 mutant models of familial ALS. The main focus of the review is on defective mitochondrial quality control (MQC) in ALS. MQC operates at multiple levels to clear damaged proteins through proteostasis and to eliminate irreparably damaged organelles through mitophagy. However, since ALS motor neurons progressively accumulate damaged mitochondria, it is plausible that the MQC is ineffective or overwhelmed by excessive workload imposed by the chronic and extensive mitochondrial damage. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ALS complex pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria M Palomo
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Giovanni Manfredi
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, United States.
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254
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Matus S, Bosco DA, Hetz C. Autophagy meets fused in sarcoma-positive stress granules. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35:2832-2835. [PMID: 25444610 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in fused in sarcoma and/or translocated in liposarcoma (FUS, TLS or FUS) are linked to familial cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mutant FUS selectively accumulates into discrete cytosolic structures known as stress granules under various stress conditions. In addition, mutant FUS expression can alter the dynamics and morphology of stress granules. Although the link between mutant FUS and stress granules is well established, the mechanisms modulating stress granule formation and disassembly in the context of ALS are poorly understood. In this issue of Neurobiology of Aging, Ryu et al. uncover the impact of autophagy on the potential toxicity of mutant FUS-positive stress granules. The authors provide evidence indicating that enhanced autophagy activity reduces the number of stress granules, which in the case of cells containing mutant FUS-positive stress granules, is neuroprotective. Overall, this study identifies an intersection between the proteostasis network and alterations in RNA metabolism in ALS through the dynamic assembly and disassembly of stress granules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soledad Matus
- Neurounion Biomedical Foundation, CENPAR, Santiago, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Daryl A Bosco
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Claudio Hetz
- Neurounion Biomedical Foundation, CENPAR, Santiago, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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255
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Coughlan KS, Mitchem MR, Hogg MC, Prehn JHM. "Preconditioning" with latrepirdine, an adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase activator, delays amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progression in SOD1(G93A) mice. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 36:1140-50. [PMID: 25443289 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Revised: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master regulator of energy balance. As energy imbalance is documented as a key pathologic feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we investigated AMPK as a pharmacologic target in SOD1(G93A) mice. We noted a strong activation of AMPK in lumbar spinal cords of SOD1(G93A) mice. Pharmacologic activation of AMPK has shown protective effects in neuronal "preconditioning" models. We tested the hypothesis that "preconditioning" with a small molecule activator of AMPK, latrepirdine, exerts beneficial effects on disease progression. SOD1(G93A) mice (n = 24 animals per group; sex and litter matched) were treated with latrepirdine (1 μg/kg, intraperitoneal) or vehicle from postnatal day 70 to 120. Treatment with latrepirdine increased AMPK activity in primary mouse motor neuron cultures and in SOD1(G93A) lumbar spinal cords. Mice "preconditioned" with latrepirdine showed a delayed symptom onset and a significant increase in life span (p < 0.01). Our study suggests that "preconditioning" with latrepirdine may represent a possible therapeutic strategy for individuals harboring ALS-associated gene mutations who are at risk for developing ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen S Coughlan
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Centre for the Study of Neurological Disorders, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mollie R Mitchem
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Centre for the Study of Neurological Disorders, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marion C Hogg
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Centre for the Study of Neurological Disorders, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jochen H M Prehn
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Centre for the Study of Neurological Disorders, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
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256
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Sarkar S, Chigurupati S, Raymick J, Mann D, Bowyer JF, Schmitt T, Beger RD, Hanig JP, Schmued LC, Paule MG. Neuroprotective effect of the chemical chaperone, trehalose in a chronic MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease mouse model. Neurotoxicology 2014; 44:250-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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257
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Giorgetti E, Rusmini P, Crippa V, Cristofani R, Boncoraglio A, Cicardi ME, Galbiati M, Poletti A. Synergic prodegradative activity of Bicalutamide and trehalose on the mutant androgen receptor responsible for spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2014; 24:64-75. [PMID: 25122660 PMCID: PMC4262493 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is an X-linked motoneuron disease due to a CAG triplet-repeat expansion in the androgen receptor (AR) gene, which is translated into an elongated polyglutamine (polyQ) tract in AR protein (ARpolyQ). ARpolyQ toxicity is activated by the AR ligand testosterone (or dihydrotestosterone), and the polyQ triggers ARpolyQ misfolding and aggregation in spinal cord motoneurons and muscle cells. In motoneurons, testosterone triggers nuclear toxicity by inducing AR nuclear translocation. Thus, (i) prevention of ARpolyQ nuclear localization, combined with (ii) an increased ARpolyQ cytoplasmic clearance, should reduce its detrimental activity. Using the antiandrogen Bicalutamide (Casodex®), which slows down AR activation and nuclear translocation, and the disaccharide trehalose, an autophagy activator, we found that, in motoneurons, the two compounds together reduced ARpolyQ insoluble forms with higher efficiency than that obtained with single treatments. The ARpolyQ clearance was mediated by trehalose-induced autophagy combined with the longer cytoplasmic retention of ARpolyQ bound to Bicalutamide. This allows an increased recognition of misfolded species by the autophagic system prior to their migration into the nucleus. Interestingly, the combinatory use of trehalose and Bicalutamide was also efficient in the removal of insoluble species of AR with a very long polyQ (Q112) tract, which typically aggregates into the cell nuclei. Collectively, these data suggest that the combinatory use of Bicalutamide and trehalose is a novel approach to facilitate ARpolyQ clearance that has to be tested in other cell types target of SBMA (i.e. muscle cells) and in vivo in animal models of SBMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Giorgetti
- Sezione di Biomedicina ed Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy Centro InterUniversitario sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Genova e Roma Tor Vergata, Milano 20133, Italy Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA and
| | - Paola Rusmini
- Sezione di Biomedicina ed Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy Centro InterUniversitario sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Genova e Roma Tor Vergata, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Valeria Crippa
- Sezione di Biomedicina ed Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy Centro InterUniversitario sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Genova e Roma Tor Vergata, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Riccardo Cristofani
- Sezione di Biomedicina ed Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy Centro InterUniversitario sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Genova e Roma Tor Vergata, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Alessandra Boncoraglio
- Sezione di Biomedicina ed Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy Centro InterUniversitario sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Genova e Roma Tor Vergata, Milano 20133, Italy Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Center of Groningen, RB 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria E Cicardi
- Sezione di Biomedicina ed Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy Centro InterUniversitario sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Genova e Roma Tor Vergata, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Mariarita Galbiati
- Sezione di Biomedicina ed Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy Centro InterUniversitario sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Genova e Roma Tor Vergata, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Angelo Poletti
- Sezione di Biomedicina ed Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy Centro InterUniversitario sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Genova e Roma Tor Vergata, Milano 20133, Italy
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258
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Ryu HH, Jun MH, Min KJ, Jang DJ, Lee YS, Kim HK, Lee JA. Autophagy regulates amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked fused in sarcoma-positive stress granules in neurons. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35:2822-2831. [PMID: 25216585 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Revised: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in fused in sarcoma (FUS), a DNA/RNA binding protein, have been associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS), which is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive muscular weakness and has overlapping clinical and pathologic characteristics with frontotemporal lobar degeneration. However, the role of autophagy in regulation of FUS-positive stress granules (SGs) and aggregates remains unclear. We found that the ALS-linked FUS(R521C) mutation causes accumulation of FUS-positive SGs under oxidative stress, leading to a disruption in the release of FUS from SGs in cultured neurons. Autophagy controls the quality of proteins or organelles; therefore, we checked whether autophagy regulates FUS(R521C)-positive SGs. Interestingly, FUS(R521C)-positive SGs were colocalized to RFP-LC3-positive autophagosomes. Furthermore, FUS-positive SGs accumulated in atg5(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and in autophagy-deficient neurons. However, FUS(R521C) expression did not significantly impair autophagic degradation. Moreover, autophagy activation with rapamycin reduced the accumulation of FUS-positive SGs in an autophagy-dependent manner. Rapamycin further reduced neurite fragmentation and cell death in neurons expressing mutant FUS under oxidative stress. Overall, we provide a novel pathogenic mechanism of ALS associated with a FUS mutation under oxidative stress, as well as therapeutic insight regarding FUS pathology associated with excessive SGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Hee Ryu
- Department of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, Hannam University, Daejeon, Korea; Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mi-Hee Jun
- Department of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, Hannam University, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Kyung-Jin Min
- Department of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, Hannam University, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Deok-Jin Jang
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyungpook National University, Kyungbuk, Korea
| | - Yong-Seok Lee
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Hyong Kyu Kim
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
| | - Jin-A Lee
- Department of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, Hannam University, Daejeon, Korea.
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259
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SQSTM1 mutations – Bridging Paget disease of bone and ALS/FTLD. Exp Cell Res 2014; 325:27-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2014.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2013] [Revised: 01/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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260
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Nassif M, Valenzuela V, Rojas-Rivera D, Vidal R, Matus S, Castillo K, Fuentealba Y, Kroemer G, Levine B, Hetz C. Pathogenic role of BECN1/Beclin 1 in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Autophagy 2014; 10:1256-71. [PMID: 24905722 DOI: 10.4161/auto.28784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological activation of autophagy is becoming an attractive strategy to induce the selective degradation of aggregate-prone proteins. Recent evidence also suggests that autophagy impairment may underlie the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases. Mutations in the gene encoding SOD1 (superoxide disumutase 1) trigger familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), inducing its misfolding and aggregation and the progressive loss of motoneurons. It is still under debate whether autophagy has a protective or detrimental role in ALS. Here we evaluate the impact of BECN1/Beclin 1, an essential autophagy regulator, in ALS. BECN1 levels were upregulated in both cells and animals expressing mutant SOD1. To evaluate the impact of BECN1 to the pathogenesis of ALS in vivo, we generated mutant SOD1 transgenic mice heterozygous for Becn1. We observed an unexpected increase in life span of mutant SOD1 transgenic mice haploinsufficient for Becn1 compared with littermate control animals. These effects were accompanied by enhanced accumulation of SQSTM1/p62 and reduced levels of LC3-II, and an altered equilibrium between monomeric and oligomeric mutant SOD1 species in the spinal cord. At the molecular level, we detected an abnormal interaction of mutant SOD1 with the BECN1-BCL2L1 complex that may impact autophagy stimulation. Our data support a dual role of BECN1 in ALS and depict a complex scenario in terms of predicting the effects of manipulating autophagy in a disease context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Nassif
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell (CEMC); Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile
| | - Vicente Valenzuela
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell (CEMC); Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile
| | - Diego Rojas-Rivera
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell (CEMC); Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile
| | - René Vidal
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Neurounion Biomedical Foundation; Santiago, Chile
| | - Soledad Matus
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Neurounion Biomedical Foundation; Santiago, Chile
| | - Karen Castillo
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell (CEMC); Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile
| | - Yerko Fuentealba
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell (CEMC); Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile
| | - Guido Kroemer
- INSERM U848; Villejuif, France; Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms; Institut Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue contre le Cancer; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France; Pôle de Biologie; Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou; Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes; Sorbonne Paris Cité; Paris, France
| | - Beth Levine
- Department of Internal Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute; UT Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX USA
| | - Claudio Hetz
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell (CEMC); Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile; Neurounion Biomedical Foundation; Santiago, Chile; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases; Harvard School of Public Health; Boston, MA USA
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261
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Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process that delivers the cytosol and cytosolic constituents to the lysosome. Its fundamental role is to maintain cellular homeostasis and to protect cells from varying insults, including misfolded proteins and damaged organelles. Beyond these roles, the highly specialized cells of the brain have further adapted autophagic pathways to suit their distinct needs. In this review, we briefly summarize our current understanding of the different forms of autophagy and then offer a closer look at how these pathways impact neuronal and glial functions. The emerging evidence indicates that not only are autophagy pathways essential for neural health, but they have a direct impact on developmental and neurodegenerative processes. Taken together, as we unravel the complex roles autophagy pathways play, we will gain the necessary insight to modify these pathways to protect the human brain and treat neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Yamamoto
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology, and Cell Biology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032;
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262
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Regulation of autophagy by mTOR-dependent and mTOR-independent pathways: autophagy dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases and therapeutic application of autophagy enhancers. Biochem Soc Trans 2014; 41:1103-30. [PMID: 24059496 DOI: 10.1042/bst20130134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 269] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is an intracellular degradation pathway essential for cellular and energy homoeostasis. It functions in the clearance of misfolded proteins and damaged organelles, as well as recycling of cytosolic components during starvation to compensate for nutrient deprivation. This process is regulated by mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin)-dependent and mTOR-independent pathways that are amenable to chemical perturbations. Several small molecules modulating autophagy have been identified that have potential therapeutic application in diverse human diseases, including neurodegeneration. Neurodegeneration-associated aggregation-prone proteins are predominantly degraded by autophagy and therefore stimulating this process with chemical inducers is beneficial in a wide range of transgenic disease models. Emerging evidence indicates that compromised autophagy contributes to the aetiology of various neurodegenerative diseases related to protein conformational disorders by causing the accumulation of mutant proteins and cellular toxicity. Combining the knowledge of autophagy dysfunction and the mechanism of drug action may thus be rational for designing targeted therapy. The present review describes the cellular signalling pathways regulating mammalian autophagy and highlights the potential therapeutic application of autophagy inducers in neurodegenerative disorders.
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263
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Budini M, Baralle FE, Buratti E. Targeting TDP-43 in neurodegenerative diseases. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2014; 18:617-32. [DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2014.896905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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264
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Matus S, Valenzuela V, Hetz C. A new method to measure autophagy flux in the nervous system. Autophagy 2014; 10:710-4. [PMID: 24717689 DOI: 10.4161/auto.28434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A current need in the neuroscience field is a simple method to monitor autophagic activity in vivo in neurons. Until very recently, most reports have been based on correlative and static determinations of the expression levels of autophagy markers in the brain, generating conflicting interpretations. Autophagy is a fundamental process mediating the degradation of diverse cellular components, including organelles and protein aggregates at basal levels, whereas alterations in the process (i.e., autophagy impairment) operate as a pathological mechanism driving neurodegeneration in most prevalent diseases. We have recently described a new simple method to deliver and express an autophagy flux reporter through the peripheral and central nervous system of mice by the intracerebroventricular delivery of adeno-associated viruses (AAV) into newborn mice. We obtained a wide expression of a monomeric tandem mCherry-GFP-LC3 construct in neurons through the nervous system and demonstrated efficient and accurate measurements of LC3 flux after pharmacological stimulation of the pathway or in disease settings of axonal damage. Here we discuss the possible applications of this new method to assess autophagy activity in neurons in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soledad Matus
- Neurounion Biomedical Foundation; Santiago, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile
| | - Vicente Valenzuela
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio Hetz
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases; Harvard School of Public Health; Boston, MA USA
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265
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Fecto F, Esengul YT, Siddique T. Protein recycling pathways in neurodegenerative diseases. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2014; 6:13. [PMID: 25031631 PMCID: PMC4055009 DOI: 10.1186/alzrt243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and frontotemporal lobe dementia, are associated with the formation of insoluble intracellular proteinaceous inclusions. It is therefore imperative to understand the factors that regulate normal, as well as abnormal, protein recycling in neurons. Dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome or autophagy pathways might contribute to the pathology of various neurodegenerative diseases. Induction of these pathways may offer a rational therapeutic strategy for a number of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Fecto
- Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurosciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Tarry Building, Room 13-715, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Y Taylan Esengul
- Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurosciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Tarry Building, Room 13-715, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Teepu Siddique
- Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurosciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Tarry Building, Room 13-715, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA ; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA ; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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266
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Rojas F, Cortes N, Abarzua S, Dyrda A, van Zundert B. Astrocytes expressing mutant SOD1 and TDP43 trigger motoneuron death that is mediated via sodium channels and nitroxidative stress. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:24. [PMID: 24570655 PMCID: PMC3916762 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal paralytic disorder caused by dysfunction and degeneration of motor neurons. Multiple disease-causing mutations, including in the genes for SOD1 and TDP-43, have been identified in ALS. Astrocytes expressing mutant SOD1 are strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of ALS: we have shown that media conditioned by astrocytes carrying mutant SOD1G93A contains toxic factor(s) that kill motoneurons by activating voltage-sensitive sodium (Nav) channels. In contrast, a recent study suggests that astrocytes expressing mutated TDP43 contribute to ALS pathology, but do so via cell-autonomous processes and lack non-cell-autonomous toxicity. Here we investigate whether astrocytes that express diverse ALS-causing mutations release toxic factor(s) that induce motoneuron death, and if so, whether they do so via a common pathogenic pathway. We exposed primary cultures of wild-type spinal cord cells to conditioned medium derived from astrocytes (ACM) that express SOD1 (ACM-SOD1G93A and ACM-SOD1G86R) or TDP43 (ACM-TDP43A315T) mutants; we show that such exposure rapidly (within 30–60 min) increases dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence (indicative of nitroxidative stress) and leads to extensive motoneuron-specific death within a few days. Co-application of the diverse ACMs with anti-oxidants Trolox or esculetin (but not with resveratrol) strongly improves motoneuron survival. We also find that co-incubation of the cultures in the ACMs with Nav channel blockers (including mexiletine, spermidine, or riluzole) prevents both intracellular nitroxidative stress and motoneuron death. Together, our data document that two completely unrelated ALS models lead to the death of motoneuron via non-cell-autonomous processes, and show that astrocytes expressing mutations in SOD1 and TDP43 trigger such cell death through a common pathogenic pathway that involves nitroxidative stress, induced at least in part by Nav channel activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Rojas
- Faculty of Biological Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Center for Biomedical Research, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicole Cortes
- Faculty of Biological Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Center for Biomedical Research, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastian Abarzua
- Faculty of Biological Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Center for Biomedical Research, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago, Chile
| | - Agnieszka Dyrda
- Faculty of Biological Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Center for Biomedical Research, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago, Chile
| | - Brigitte van Zundert
- Faculty of Biological Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Center for Biomedical Research, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago, Chile
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267
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Zhang X, Chen S, Song L, Tang Y, Shen Y, Jia L, Le W. MTOR-independent, autophagic enhancer trehalose prolongs motor neuron survival and ameliorates the autophagic flux defect in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Autophagy 2014; 10:588-602. [PMID: 24441414 DOI: 10.4161/auto.27710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by selective motor neuron degeneration. Abnormal protein aggregation and impaired protein degradation pathways may contribute to the disease pathogenesis. Although it has been reported that autophagy is altered in patients and animal model of ALS, little is known about the role of autophagy in motor neuron degeneration in this disease. Our previous study shows that rapamycin, an MTOR-dependent autophagic activator, accelerates disease progression in the SOD1(G93A) mouse model of ALS. In the present report, we have assessed the role of the MTOR-independent autophagic pathway in ALS by determining the effect of the MTOR-independent autophagic inducer trehalose on disease onset and progression, and on motor neuron degeneration in SOD1(G93A) mice. We have found that trehalose significantly delays disease onset prolongs life span, and reduces motor neuron loss in the spinal cord of SOD1(G93A) mice. Most importantly, we have documented that trehalose decreases SOD1 and SQSTM1/p62 aggregation, reduces ubiquitinated protein accumulation, and improves autophagic flux in the motor neurons of SOD1(G93A) mice. Moreover, we have demonstrated that trehalose can reduce skeletal muscle denervation, protect mitochondria, and inhibit the proapoptotic pathway in SOD1(G93A) mice. Collectively, our study indicated that the MTOR-independent autophagic inducer trehalose is neuroprotective in the ALS model and autophagosome-lysosome fusion is a possible therapeutic target for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Zhang
- Institute of Neurology; Ruijin Hospital; Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China; The Key Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology; Institute of Health Sciences; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Institute of Neurology; Ruijin Hospital; Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China; Department of Neurology; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX USA
| | - Lin Song
- Institute of Neurology; Ruijin Hospital; Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Tang
- The Key Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology; Institute of Health Sciences; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China
| | - Yufei Shen
- Institute of Neurology; Ruijin Hospital; Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China
| | - Li Jia
- The Key Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology; Institute of Health Sciences; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China
| | - Weidong Le
- Institute of Neurology; Ruijin Hospital; Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China; The Key Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology; Institute of Health Sciences; Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai, China; The First Affiliated Hospital; Dalian Medical University; Dalian, China
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268
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Giordano S, Darley-Usmar V, Zhang J. Autophagy as an essential cellular antioxidant pathway in neurodegenerative disease. Redox Biol 2013; 2:82-90. [PMID: 24494187 PMCID: PMC3909266 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2013.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Revised: 12/15/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress including DNA damage, increased lipid and protein oxidation, are important features of aging and neurodegeneration suggesting that endogenous antioxidant protective pathways are inadequate or overwhelmed. Importantly, oxidative protein damage contributes to age-dependent accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria or protein aggregates. In addition, environmental toxins such as rotenone and paraquat, which are risk factors for the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, also promote protein oxidation. The obvious approach of supplementing the primary antioxidant systems designed to suppress the initiation of oxidative stress has been tested in animal models and positive results were obtained. However, these findings have not been effectively translated to treating human patients, and clinical trials for antioxidant therapies using radical scavenging molecules such as α-tocopherol, ascorbate and coenzyme Q have met with limited success, highlighting several limitations to this approach. These could include: (1) radical scavenging antioxidants cannot reverse established damage to proteins and organelles; (2) radical scavenging antioxidants are oxidant specific, and can only be effective if the specific mechanism for neurodegeneration involves the reactive species to which they are targeted and (3) since reactive species play an important role in physiological signaling, suppression of endogenous oxidants maybe deleterious. Therefore, alternative approaches that can circumvent these limitations are needed. While not previously considered an antioxidant system we propose that the autophagy-lysosomal activities, may serve this essential function in neurodegenerative diseases by removing damaged or dysfunctional proteins and organelles. Significant oxidative damage occurs in neurodegenerative disease brains. Effective in animal models with single toxins, antioxidants are ineffective in clinical trials. The failure of antioxidant therapy maybe due to propagation of cellular damage. Autophagic clearance of diverse damaged molecules may provide antioxidant mechanisms. Further mechanistic and translational studies on autophagy therapy are needed.
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Key Words
- 6-OHDA, 6-hydroxydopamine
- Animal models
- Anti-oxidants
- Autophagy
- CBZ, carbamazepine
- Clinical trials
- EGCG, epigallocatechin gallate
- GSH, glutathione
- HIF1α, hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha
- HNE, 4-hydroxynonenal
- LRRK2, leucine-rich repeat kinase 2
- MDA, malondialdehyde
- MPP+, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium
- MPTP, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydro pyridine
- MitoQ, mitochondrially-targeted coenzyme Q
- Mitochondrial dysfunction
- MnSOD, manganese superoxide dismutase
- Neurons
- Nrf2, Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2
- PINK1, PTEN-induced putative kinase 1
- Parkinson’s disease
- Protein aggregation
- ROS/RNS, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species
- Reactive oxygen species
- Redox signaling
- SOD, superoxide dismutase
- Selegiline, N-propargyl-methamphetamine
- Sirt1, NAD-dependent deacetylast sirtuin-1
- TFEB, transcription factor EB
- Toxins
- UCHL1, ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1
- UPDRS, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale
- curcumin, (1E,6E)-1,7-Bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione
- iPSC, induced pluripotent stem cells
- rasagiline, N-propargyl-1-(R)-aminoindan
- the ADAGIO study, the Attenuation of Disease Progression with Azilect Given Once-daily) study
- the DATATOP Study, the Deprenyl and Tocopherol Antioxidative Therapy of Parkinsonism Study
- the NET-PD network, the NINDS Exploratory Trials in Parkinson’s Disease (NET-PD) network
- the TEMPO Study, the TVP-1012 in Early Monotherapy for PD Outpatients Study
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Giordano
- Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States ; Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States
| | - Victor Darley-Usmar
- Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States ; Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States ; Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States ; Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham VA Medical Center, United States
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269
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Ebrahimi-Fakhari D, Saidi LJ, Wahlster L. Molecular chaperones and protein folding as therapeutic targets in Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2013; 1:79. [PMID: 24314025 PMCID: PMC4046681 DOI: 10.1186/2051-5960-1-79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in protein metabolism are key to disease onset and progression in many neurodegenerative diseases. As a prime example, in Parkinson's disease, folding, post-translational modification and recycling of the synaptic protein α-synuclein are clearly altered, leading to a progressive accumulation of pathogenic protein species and the formation of intracellular inclusion bodies. Altered protein folding is one of the first steps of an increasingly understood cascade in which α-synuclein forms complex oligomers and finally distinct protein aggregates, termed Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. In neurons, an elaborated network of chaperone and co-chaperone proteins is instrumental in mediating protein folding and re-folding. In addition to their direct influence on client proteins, chaperones interact with protein degradation pathways such as the ubiquitin-proteasome-system or autophagy in order to ensure the effective removal of irreversibly misfolded and potentially pathogenic proteins. Because of the vital role of proper protein folding for protein homeostasis, a growing number of studies have evaluated the contribution of chaperone proteins to neurodegeneration. We herein review our current understanding of the involvement of chaperones, co-chaperones and chaperone-mediated autophagy in synucleinopathies with a focus on the Hsp90 and Hsp70 chaperone system. We discuss genetic and pathological studies in Parkinson's disease as well as experimental studies in models of synucleinopathies that explore molecular chaperones and protein degradation pathways as a novel therapeutic target. To this end, we examine the capacity of chaperones to prevent or modulate neurodegeneration and summarize the current progress in models of Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders.
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270
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Measurement of autophagy flux in the nervous system in vivo. Cell Death Dis 2013; 4:e917. [PMID: 24232093 PMCID: PMC3847309 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2013.421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Revised: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Accurate methods to measure autophagic activity in vivo in neurons are not available, and most of the studies are based on correlative and static measurements of autophagy markers, leading to conflicting interpretations. Autophagy is an essential homeostatic process involved in the degradation of diverse cellular components including organelles and protein aggregates. Autophagy impairment is emerging as a relevant factor driving neurodegeneration in many diseases. Moreover, strategies to modulate autophagy have been shown to provide protection against neurodegeneration. Here we describe a novel and simple strategy to express an autophagy flux reporter in the nervous system of adult animals by the intraventricular delivery of adeno-associated viruses (AAV) into newborn mice. Using this approach we efficiently expressed a monomeric tandem mCherry-GFP-LC3 construct in neurons of the peripheral and central nervous system, allowing the measurement of autophagy activity in pharmacological and disease settings.
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271
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ER Dysfunction and Protein Folding Stress in ALS. Int J Cell Biol 2013; 2013:674751. [PMID: 24324498 PMCID: PMC3845333 DOI: 10.1155/2013/674751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most frequent paralytic disease in adults. Most ALS cases are considered sporadic with no clear genetic component. The disruption of protein homeostasis due to chronic stress responses at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the accumulation of abnormal protein inclusions are extensively described in ALS mouse models and patient-derived tissue. Recent studies using pharmacological and genetic manipulation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), an adaptive reaction against ER stress, have demonstrated a complex involvement of the pathway in experimental models of ALS. In addition, quantitative changes in ER stress-responsive chaperones in body fluids have been proposed as possible biomarkers to monitor the disease progression. Here we review most recent advances attributing a causal role of ER stress in ALS.
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