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Salem S, Kilgore MD, Anwer M, Maxan A, Child D, Bird TD, Keene CD, Cicchetti F, Latimer C. Evidence of mutant huntingtin and tau-related pathology within neuronal grafts in Huntington's disease cases. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 198:106542. [PMID: 38810948 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
A number of post-mortem studies conducted in transplanted Huntington's disease (HD) patients from various trials have reported the presence of pathological and misfolded proteins, in particular mutant huntingtin (mHtt) and phosphorylated tau neuropil threads, in the healthy grafted tissue. Here, we extended these observations with histological analysis of post-mortem tissue from three additional HD patients who had received similar striatal allografts from the fetal tissue transplantation trial conducted in Los Angeles in 1998. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using anti-mHtt antibodies, EM48 and MW7, as well as anti-hyperphosphorylated tau antibodies, AT8 and CP13. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the colocalization of EM48+ mHtt aggregates with the neuronal marker MAP2 and/or the extracellular matrix protein phosphacan in both the host and grafts. We confirmed the presence of mHtt aggregates within grafts of all three cases as well as tau neuropil threads in the grafts of two of the three transplanted HD patients. Phosphorylated tau was also variably expressed in the host cerebral cortex of all three subjects. While mHtt inclusions were present within neurons (immunofluorescence co-localization of MAP2 and EM48) as well as within the extracellular matrix of the host (immunofluorescence co-localization of phosphacan and EM48), their localization was limited to the extracellular matrix in the grafted tissue. This study corroborates previous findings that both mHtt and tau pathology can be found in the host and grafts of HD patients years post-grafting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shireen Salem
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, T2-07, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Departement de Médecine Moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Mitchell D Kilgore
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Neuropathology Division, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mehwish Anwer
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, T2-07, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Departement de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Alexander Maxan
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, T2-07, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Departement de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Dan Child
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Neuropathology Division, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas D Bird
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Neuropathology Division, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, T2-07, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Departement de Médecine Moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Departement de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
| | - Caitlin Latimer
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Neuropathology Division, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Bonavita R, Di Martino R, Cortone G, Prodomo A, Di Gennaro M, Scerra G, Panico V, Nuzzo S, Salvatore M, Williams SV, Vitale F, Caporaso MG, D’Agostino M, Pisani FM, Fleming A, Renna M. A method for the analysis of the oligomerization profile of the Huntington's disease-associated, aggregation-prone mutant huntingtin protein by isopycnic ultracentrifugation. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1420691. [PMID: 38993838 PMCID: PMC11236693 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1420691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Conformational diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases as well as ataxias and fronto-temporal disorders, are part of common class of neurological disorders characterised by the aggregation and progressive accumulation of mutant proteins which display aberrant conformation. In particular, Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by mutations leading to an abnormal expansion in the polyglutamine (poly-Q) tract of the huntingtin protein (HTT), leading to the formation of inclusion bodies in neurons of affected patients. Furthermore, recent experimental evidence is challenging the conventional view of the disease by revealing the ability of mutant HTT to be transferred between cells by means of extracellular vesicles (EVs), allowing the mutant protein to seed oligomers involving both the mutant and wild type forms of the protein. There is still no successful strategy to treat HD. In addition, the current understanding of the biological processes leading to the oligomerization and aggregation of proteins bearing the poly-Q tract has been derived from studies conducted on isolated poly-Q monomers and oligomers, whose structural properties are still unclear and often inconsistent. Here we describe a standardised biochemical approach to analyse by isopycnic ultracentrifugation the oligomerization of the N-terminal fragment of mutant HTT. The dynamic range of our method allows one to detect large and heterogeneous HTT complexes. Hence, it could be harnessed for the identification of novel molecular determinants responsible for the aggregation and the prion-like spreading properties of HTT in the context of HD. Equally, it provides a tool to test novel small molecules or bioactive compounds designed to inhibit the aggregation of mutant HTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Bonavita
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosaria Di Martino
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
- Institute for Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology “G. Salvatore”, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cortone
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonello Prodomo
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Di Gennaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
- Institute for Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology “G. Salvatore”, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianluca Scerra
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentino Panico
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Sarah V. Williams
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Fulvia Vitale
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Caporaso
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Massimo D’Agostino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca M. Pisani
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Angeleen Fleming
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Maurizio Renna
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Burtscher J, Strasser B, Pepe G, Burtscher M, Kopp M, Di Pardo A, Maglione V, Khamoui AV. Brain-Periphery Interactions in Huntington's Disease: Mediators and Lifestyle Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4696. [PMID: 38731912 PMCID: PMC11083237 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Prominent pathological features of Huntington's disease (HD) are aggregations of mutated Huntingtin protein (mHtt) in the brain and neurodegeneration, which causes characteristic motor (such as chorea and dystonia) and non-motor symptoms. However, the numerous systemic and peripheral deficits in HD have gained increasing attention recently, since those factors likely modulate disease progression, including brain pathology. While whole-body metabolic abnormalities and organ-specific pathologies in HD have been relatively well described, the potential mediators of compromised inter-organ communication in HD have been insufficiently characterized. Therefore, we applied an exploratory literature search to identify such mediators. Unsurprisingly, dysregulation of inflammatory factors, circulating mHtt, and many other messenger molecules (hormones, lipids, RNAs) were found that suggest impaired inter-organ communication, including of the gut-brain and muscle-brain axis. Based on these findings, we aimed to assess the risks and potentials of lifestyle interventions that are thought to improve communication across these axes: dietary strategies and exercise. We conclude that appropriate lifestyle interventions have great potential to reduce symptoms and potentially modify disease progression (possibly via improving inter-organ signaling) in HD. However, impaired systemic metabolism and peripheral symptoms warrant particular care in the design of dietary and exercise programs for people with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Burtscher
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Strasser
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rehabilitation Research, 1100 Vienna, Austria;
- Faculty of Medicine, Sigmund Freud Private University, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Giuseppe Pepe
- IRCCS Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (G.P.); (A.D.P.); (V.M.)
| | - Martin Burtscher
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (M.B.); (M.K.)
| | - Martin Kopp
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (M.B.); (M.K.)
| | - Alba Di Pardo
- IRCCS Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (G.P.); (A.D.P.); (V.M.)
| | | | - Andy V. Khamoui
- Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33458, USA;
- Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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Ojalvo-Pacheco J, Yakhine-Diop SMS, Fuentes JM, Paredes-Barquero M, Niso-Santano M. Role of TFEB in Huntington's Disease. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:238. [PMID: 38666850 PMCID: PMC11048341 DOI: 10.3390/biology13040238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by an expansion of the CAG trinucleotide repeat in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. This expansion leads to a polyglutamine (polyQ) tract at the N-terminal end of HTT, which reduces the solubility of the protein and promotes its accumulation. Inefficient clearance of mutant HTT (mHTT) by the proteasome or autophagy-lysosomal system leads to accumulation of oligomers and toxic protein aggregates in neurons, resulting in impaired proteolytic systems, transcriptional dysregulation, impaired axonal transport, mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular energy imbalance. Growing evidence suggests that the accumulation of mHTT aggregates and autophagic and/or lysosomal dysfunction are the major pathogenic mechanisms underlying HD. In this context, enhancing autophagy may be an effective therapeutic strategy to remove protein aggregates and improve cell function. Transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master transcriptional regulator of autophagy, controls the expression of genes critical for autophagosome formation, lysosomal biogenesis, lysosomal function and autophagic flux. Consequently, the induction of TFEB activity to promote intracellular clearance may be a therapeutic strategy for HD. However, while some studies have shown that overexpression of TFEB facilitates the clearance of mHTT aggregates and ameliorates the disease phenotype, others indicate such overexpression may lead to mHTT co-aggregation and worsen disease progression. Further studies are necessary to confirm whether TFEB modulation could be an effective therapeutic strategy against mHTT-mediated toxicity in different disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Ojalvo-Pacheco
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Genética, Facultad de Enfermería y Terapia Ocupacional, Universidad de Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain; (J.O.-P.); (S.M.S.Y.-D.); (J.M.F.)
| | - Sokhna M. S. Yakhine-Diop
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Genética, Facultad de Enfermería y Terapia Ocupacional, Universidad de Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain; (J.O.-P.); (S.M.S.Y.-D.); (J.M.F.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativa, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBER-CIBERNED-ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación Biosanitaria de Extremadura (INUBE), 10003 Caceres, Spain
| | - José M. Fuentes
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Genética, Facultad de Enfermería y Terapia Ocupacional, Universidad de Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain; (J.O.-P.); (S.M.S.Y.-D.); (J.M.F.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativa, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBER-CIBERNED-ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación Biosanitaria de Extremadura (INUBE), 10003 Caceres, Spain
| | - Marta Paredes-Barquero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativa, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBER-CIBERNED-ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación Biosanitaria de Extremadura (INUBE), 10003 Caceres, Spain
| | - Mireia Niso-Santano
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Genética, Facultad de Enfermería y Terapia Ocupacional, Universidad de Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain; (J.O.-P.); (S.M.S.Y.-D.); (J.M.F.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativa, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBER-CIBERNED-ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación Biosanitaria de Extremadura (INUBE), 10003 Caceres, Spain
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Subramaniam S, Boregowda S. Curbing Rhes Actions: Mechanism-based Molecular Target for Huntington's Disease and Tauopathies. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2024; 23:21-29. [PMID: 36959146 DOI: 10.2174/1871527322666230320103518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
A highly interconnected network of diverse brain regions is necessary for the precise execution of human behaviors, including cognitive, psychiatric, and motor functions. Unfortunately, degeneration of specific brain regions causes several neurodegenerative disorders, but the mechanisms that elicit selective neuronal vulnerability remain unclear. This knowledge gap greatly hinders the development of effective mechanism-based therapies, despite the desperate need for new treatments. Here, we emphasize the importance of the Rhes (Ras homolog-enriched in the striatum) protein as an emerging therapeutic target. Rhes, an atypical small GTPase with a SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) E3-ligase activity, modulates biological processes such as dopaminergic transmission, alters gene expression, and acts as an inhibitor of motor stimuli in the brain striatum. Mutations in the Rhes gene have also been identified in selected patients with autism and schizophrenia. Moreover, Rhes SUMOylates pathogenic form of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) and tau, enhancing their solubility and cell toxicity in Huntington's disease and tauopathy models. Notably, Rhes uses membrane projections resembling tunneling nanotubes to transport mHTT between cells and Rhes deletion diminishes mHTT spread in the brain. Thus, we predict that effective strategies aimed at diminishing brain Rhes levels will prevent or minimize the abnormalities that occur in HD and tauopathies and potentially in other brain disorders. We review the emerging technologies that enable specific targeting of Rhes in the brain to develop effective disease-modifying therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasa Subramaniam
- Department of Neuroscience, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, 130 Scripps Way, C323, Florida, Jupiter, 33458, USA
| | - Siddaraju Boregowda
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, 130 Scripps Way, C323, Florida, Jupiter, 33458, USA
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Bartl S, Xie Y, Potluri N, Kesineni R, Hencak K, Cengio LD, Balazs K, Oueslati A, Parth M, Salhat N, Siddu A, Smrzka O, Cicchetti F, Straffler G, Hayden MR, Southwell AL. Reducing huntingtin by immunotherapy delays disease progression in a mouse model of Huntington disease. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 190:106376. [PMID: 38092268 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In Huntington disease (HD), the mutant huntingtin (mtHTT) protein is the principal cause of pathological changes that initiate primarily along the cortico-striatal axis. mtHTT is ubiquitously expressed and there is, accordingly, growing recognition that HD is a systemic disorder with functional interplay between the brain and the periphery. We have developed a monoclonal antibody, C6-17, targeting an exposed region of HTT near the aa586 Caspase 6 cleavage site. As recently published, mAB C6-17 can block cell-to-cell propagation of mtHTT in vitro. In order to reduce the burden of the mutant protein in vivo, we queried whether extracellular mtHTT could be therapeutically targeted in YAC128 HD mice. In a series of proof of concept experiments, we found that systemic mAB C6-17 treatment resulted in the distribution of the mAB C6-17 to peripheral and CNS tissues and led to the reduction of HTT protein levels. Compared to CTRL mAB or vehicle treated mice, the mAB C6-17 treated YAC128 animals showed improved body weight and motor behaviors, a delayed progression in motor deficits and reduced striatal EM48 immunoreactivity. These results provide the first proof of concept for the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of an antibody-based anti-HTT passive immunization approach and suggest this modality as a potential new HD treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuanyun Xie
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America; University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nalini Potluri
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Ratnesh Kesineni
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Katlin Hencak
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Louisa Dal Cengio
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Abid Oueslati
- Centre de recherche du CHU - Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Alberto Siddu
- Centre de recherche du CHU - Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Michael R Hayden
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Amber L Southwell
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America.
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Tollis P, Vitiello E, Migliaccio F, D'Ambra E, Rocchegiani A, Garone MG, Bozzoni I, Rosa A, Carissimo A, Laneve P, Caffarelli E. The long noncoding RNA nHOTAIRM1 is necessary for differentiation and activity of iPSC-derived spinal motor neurons. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:741. [PMID: 37963881 PMCID: PMC10646148 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06196-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian nervous system is made up of an extraordinary array of diverse cells that form intricate functional connections. The programs underlying cell lineage specification, identity and function of the neuronal subtypes are managed by regulatory proteins and RNAs, which coordinate the succession of steps in a stereotyped temporal order. In the central nervous system (CNS), motor neurons (MNs) are responsible for controlling essential functions such as movement, breathing, and swallowing by integrating signal transmission from the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord (SC) towards peripheral muscles. A prime role in guiding the progression of progenitor cells towards the MN fate has been largely attributed to protein factors. More recently, the relevance of a class of regulatory RNAs abundantly expressed in the CNS - the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) - has emerged overwhelmingly. LncRNA-driven gene expression control is key to regulating any step of MN differentiation and function, and its derangement profoundly impacts neuronal pathophysiology. Here, we uncover a novel function for the neuronal isoform of HOTAIRM1 (nHOTAIRM1), a lncRNA specifically expressed in the SC. Using a model system that recapitulates spinal MN (spMN) differentiation, we show that nHOTAIRM1 intervenes in the binary cell fate decision between MNs and interneurons, acting as a pro-MN factor. Furthermore, human iPSC-derived spMNs without nHOTAIRM1 display altered neurite outgrowth, with a significant reduction of both branch and junction numbers. Finally, the expression of genes essential for synaptic connectivity and neurotransmission is also profoundly impaired when nHOTAIRM1 is absent in spMNs. Mechanistically, nHOTAIRM1 establishes both direct and indirect interactions with a number of target genes in the cytoplasm, being a novel post-transcriptional regulator of MN biology. Overall, our results indicate that the lncRNA nHOTAIRM1 is essential for the specification of MN identity and the acquisition of proper morphology and synaptic activity of post-mitotic MNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Tollis
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano-& Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Erika Vitiello
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Center for Human Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesco Migliaccio
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Institute for Applied Mathematics "Mauro Picone", CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Eleonora D'Ambra
- Center for Life Nano-& Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Rocchegiani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Giovanna Garone
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW Melbourne, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Stem Cell Biology Department, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Irene Bozzoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano-& Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano-& Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Pietro Laneve
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Rome, CNR, Italy.
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Li Z, Wang X, Wang X, Yi X, Wong YK, Wu J, Xie F, Hu D, Wang Q, Wang J, Zhong T. Research progress on the role of extracellular vesicles in neurodegenerative diseases. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:43. [PMID: 37697342 PMCID: PMC10494410 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00375-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease, affect millions of people worldwide. Tremendous efforts have been put into disease-related research, but few breakthroughs have been made in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are heterogeneous cell-derived membrane structures that arise from the endosomal system or are directly separated from the plasma membrane. EVs contain many biomolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, which can be transferred between different cells, tissues, or organs, thereby regulating cross-organ communication between cells during normal and pathological processes. Recently, EVs have been shown to participate in various aspects of neurodegenerative diseases. Abnormal secretion and levels of EVs are closely related to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and contribute to disease progression. Numerous studies have proposed EVs as therapeutic targets or biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarize and discuss the advanced research progress on EVs in the pathological processes of several neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, we outline the latest research on the roles of EVs in neurodegenerative diseases and their therapeutic potential for the diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengzhe Li
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Xiaoling Wang
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Xiaoxing Wang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Xiaomei Yi
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Yin Kwan Wong
- Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, and Shenzhen Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, China
| | - Jiyang Wu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Fangfang Xie
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Die Hu
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Qi Wang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Jigang Wang
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
- Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, and Shenzhen Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
| | - Tianyu Zhong
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
- Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
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Wojewska MJ, Otero-Jimenez M, Guijarro-Nuez J, Alegre-Abarrategui J. Beyond Strains: Molecular Diversity in Alpha-Synuclein at the Center of Disease Heterogeneity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13199. [PMID: 37686005 PMCID: PMC10487421 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synucleinopathies (α-synucleinopathies) such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are all characterized by aggregates of alpha-synuclein (α-syn), but display heterogeneous clinical and pathological phenotypes. The mechanism underlying this heterogeneity is thought to be due to diversity in the α-syn strains present across the diseases. α-syn obtained from the post-mortem brain of patients who lived with these conditions is heterogenous, and displays a different protease sensitivity, ultrastructure, cytotoxicity, and seeding potential. The primary aim of this review is to summarize previous studies investigating these concepts, which not only reflect the idea of different syn strains being present, but demonstrate that each property explains a small part of a much larger puzzle. Strains of α-syn appear at the center of the correlation between α-syn properties and the disease phenotype, likely influenced by external factors. There are considerable similarities in the properties of disease-specific α-syn strains, but MSA seems to consistently display more aggressive traits. Elucidating the molecular underpinnings of heterogeneity amongst α-synucleinopathies holds promise for future clinical translation, allowing for the development of personalized medicine approaches tackling the root cause of each α-synucleinopathy.
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10
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Liu CF, Younes L, Tong XJ, Hinkle JT, Wang M, Phatak S, Xu X, Bu X, Looi V, Bang J, Tabrizi SJ, Scahill RI, Paulsen JS, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Faria AV, Miller MI, Ratnanather JT, Ross CA. Longitudinal imaging highlights preferential basal ganglia circuit atrophy in Huntington's disease. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad214. [PMID: 37744022 PMCID: PMC10516592 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the Huntingtin gene (HTT), coding for polyglutamine in the Huntingtin protein, with longer CAG repeats causing earlier age of onset. The variable 'Age' × ('CAG'-L), where 'Age' is the current age of the individual, 'CAG' is the repeat length and L is a constant (reflecting an approximation of the threshold), termed the 'CAG Age Product' (CAP) enables the consideration of many individuals with different CAG repeat expansions at the same time for analysis of any variable and graphing using the CAG Age Product score as the X axis. Structural MRI studies have showed that progressive striatal atrophy begins many years prior to the onset of diagnosable motor Huntington's disease, confirmed by longitudinal multicentre studies on three continents, including PREDICT-HD, TRACK-HD and IMAGE-HD. However, previous studies have not clarified the relationship between striatal atrophy, atrophy of other basal ganglia structures, and atrophy of other brain regions. The present study has analysed all three longitudinal datasets together using a single image segmentation algorithm and combining data from a large number of subjects across a range of CAG Age Product score. In addition, we have used a strategy of normalizing regional atrophy to atrophy of the whole brain, in order to determine which regions may undergo preferential degeneration. This made possible the detailed characterization of regional brain atrophy in relation to CAG Age Product score. There is dramatic selective atrophy of regions involved in the basal ganglia circuit-caudate, putamen, nucleus accumbens, globus pallidus and substantia nigra. Most other regions of the brain appear to have slower but steady degeneration. These results support (but certainly do not prove) the hypothesis of circuit-based spread of pathology in Huntington's disease, possibly due to spread of mutant Htt protein, though other connection-based mechanisms are possible. Therapeutic targets related to prion-like spread of pathology or other mechanisms may be suggested. In addition, they have implications for current neurosurgical therapeutic approaches, since delivery of therapeutic agents solely to the caudate and putamen may miss other structures affected early, such as nucleus accumbens and output nuclei of the striatum, the substantia nigra and the globus pallidus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Fu Liu
- Center for Imaging Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Laurent Younes
- Center for Imaging Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Xiao J Tong
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21287, USA
| | - Jared T Hinkle
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Maggie Wang
- Center for Imaging Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Sanika Phatak
- Center for Imaging Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Xin Xu
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Xuan Bu
- Center for Imaging Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Vivian Looi
- Center for Imaging Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jee Bang
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- HD Research Centre, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Rachael I Scahill
- HD Research Centre, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Jane S Paulsen
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences and The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Andreia V Faria
- Division of Magnetic Resonance, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Michael I Miller
- Center for Imaging Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - J Tilak Ratnanather
- Center for Imaging Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Christopher A Ross
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21287, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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11
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Hu B, Younes L, Bu X, Liu CF, Ratnanather JT, Paulsen J, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Miller MI, Ross C, Faria AV. Mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses of deep gray matter and white matter using diffusion weighted images in premanifest and manifest Huntington's disease. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103493. [PMID: 37582307 PMCID: PMC10448214 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Changes in the brain of patients with Huntington's disease (HD) begin years before clinical onset, so it remains critical to identify biomarkers to track these early changes. Metrics derived from tensor modeling of diffusion-weighted MRIs (DTI), that indicate the microscopic brain structure, can add important information to regional volumetric measurements. This study uses two large-scale longitudinal, multicenter datasets, PREDICT-HD and IMAGE-HD, to trace changes in DTI of HD participants with a broad range of CAP scores (a product of CAG repeat expansion and age), including those with pre-manifest disease (i.e., prior to clinical onset). Utilizing a fully automated data-driven approach to study the whole brain divided in regions of interest, we traced changes in DTI metrics (diffusivity and fractional anisotropy) versus CAP scores, using sigmoidal and linear regression models. We identified points of inflection in the sigmoidal regression using change-point analysis. The deep gray matter showed more evident and earlier changes in DTI metrics over CAP scores, compared to the deep white matter. In the deep white matter, these changes were more evident and occurred earlier in superior and posterior areas, compared to anterior and inferior areas. The curves of mean diffusivity vs. age of HD participants within a fixed CAP score were different from those of controls, indicating that the disease has an additional effect to age on the microscopic brain structure. These results show the regional and temporal vulnerability of the white matter and deep gray matter in HD, with potential implications for experimental therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beini Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Laurent Younes
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xuan Bu
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chin-Fu Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - J Tilak Ratnanather
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jane Paulsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, Psychological Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, USA; Department Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute of Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Australia
| | - Michael I Miller
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christopher Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andreia V Faria
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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12
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Miguez A, Gomis C, Vila C, Monguió-Tortajada M, Fernández-García S, Bombau G, Galofré M, García-Bravo M, Sanders P, Fernández-Medina H, Poquet B, Salado-Manzano C, Roura S, Alberch J, Segovia JC, Allen ND, Borràs FE, Canals JM. Soluble mutant huntingtin drives early human pathogenesis in Huntington's disease. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:238. [PMID: 37535170 PMCID: PMC10400696 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04882-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an incurable inherited brain disorder characterised by massive degeneration of striatal neurons, which correlates with abnormal accumulation of misfolded mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein. Research on HD has been hampered by the inability to study early dysfunction and progressive degeneration of human striatal neurons in vivo. To investigate human pathogenesis in a physiologically relevant context, we transplanted human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) from control and HD patients into the striatum of new-born mice. Most hNPCs differentiated into striatal neurons that projected to their target areas and established synaptic connexions within the host basal ganglia circuitry. Remarkably, HD human striatal neurons first developed soluble forms of mHTT, which primarily targeted endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and nuclear membrane to cause structural alterations. Furthermore, HD human cells secreted extracellular vesicles containing mHTT monomers and oligomers, which were internalised by non-mutated mouse striatal neurons triggering cell death. We conclude that interaction of mHTT soluble forms with key cellular organelles initially drives disease progression in HD patients and their transmission through exosomes contributes to spread the disease in a non-cell autonomous manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Miguez
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
- Neurology-Neuroimmunology Department, Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalunya (Cemcat), Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Cinta Gomis
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Vila
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Monguió-Tortajada
- REMAR-IVECAT Group, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain
| | - Sara Fernández-García
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Laboratory of Pathophysiology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Georgina Bombau
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mireia Galofré
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - María García-Bravo
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Phil Sanders
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Helena Fernández-Medina
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Blanca Poquet
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Salado-Manzano
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Roura
- ICREC Research Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Jordi Alberch
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Laboratory of Pathophysiology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Carlos Segovia
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicholas D Allen
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Francesc E Borràs
- REMAR-IVECAT Group, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain
- Nephrology Department, Germans Trias i Pujol Universitary Hospital, Badalona, Spain
| | - Josep M Canals
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
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13
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Rieux M, Alpaugh M, Salem S, Siddu A, Saint-Pierre M, Denis HL, Rohweder H, Herrmann F, Bazenet C, Lacroix S, Cicchetti F. Understanding the role of the hematopoietic niche in Huntington's disease's phenotypic expression: in vivo evidence using a parabiosis model. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 180:106091. [PMID: 36967065 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In a previous study, we have shown that parabiotic coupling of a knock-in mouse model (zQ175) of Huntington's disease (HD) to wild-type (WT) littermates resulted in a worsening of the normal phenotype as seen by detection of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) aggregates within peripheral organs and the cerebral cortex as well as vascular abnormalities in WT mice. In contrast, parabiosis improved disease features in the zQ175 mice such as reduction of mHTT aggregate number in the liver and cortex, decrease in blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and attenuation of mitochondrial impairments. While the shared circulation mediated these effects, no specific factor was identified. To better understand which blood elements were involved in the aforementioned changes, WT and zQ175 mice underwent parabiotic surgery prior to exposing one of the paired animals to irradiation. The irradiation procedure successfully eliminated the hematopoietic niche followed by repopulation with cells originating from the non-irradiated parabiont, as measured by the quantification of mHTT levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Although irradiation of the WT parabiont, causing the loss of healthy hematopoietic cells, did lead to a few alterations in mitochondrial function in the muscle (TOM40 levels), and increased neuroinflammation in the striatum (GFAP levels), most of the changes observed were likely attributable to the irradiation procedure itself (e.g. mHTT aggregates in cortex and liver; cellular stress in peripheral organs). However, factors such as mHTT aggregation in the brain and periphery, and BBB leakage, which were improved in zQ175 mice when paired to WT littermates in the previous parabiosis experiment, were unaffected by perturbation of the hematopoietic niche. It would therefore appear that cells of the hematopoietic stem cell niche are largely uninvolved in the beneficial effects of parabiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Rieux
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Melanie Alpaugh
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de psychiatrie & neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Shireen Salem
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Alberto Siddu
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de psychiatrie & neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Martine Saint-Pierre
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de psychiatrie & neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Steve Lacroix
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Département de psychiatrie & neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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14
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Samadi A, Moammeri A, Pourmadadi M, Abbasi P, Hosseinpour Z, Farokh A, Shamsabadipour A, Heydari M, Mohammadi MR. Cell Encapsulation and 3D Bioprinting for Therapeutic Cell Transplantation. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:1862-1890. [PMID: 36877212 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c01183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
The promise of cell therapy has been augmented by introducing biomaterials, where intricate scaffold shapes are fabricated to accommodate the cells within. In this review, we first discuss cell encapsulation and the promising potential of biomaterials to overcome challenges associated with cell therapy, particularly cellular function and longevity. More specifically, cell therapies in the context of autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer are reviewed from the perspectives of preclinical findings as well as available clinical data. Next, techniques to fabricate cell-biomaterials constructs, focusing on emerging 3D bioprinting technologies, will be reviewed. 3D bioprinting is an advancing field that enables fabricating complex, interconnected, and consistent cell-based constructs capable of scaling up highly reproducible cell-biomaterials platforms with high precision. It is expected that 3D bioprinting devices will expand and become more precise, scalable, and appropriate for clinical manufacturing. Rather than one printer fits all, seeing more application-specific printer types, such as a bioprinter for bone tissue fabrication, which would be different from a bioprinter for skin tissue fabrication, is anticipated in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirmasoud Samadi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 6000 Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Building (ISEB), Irvine, California 92617, United States
| | - Ali Moammeri
- School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Enghelab Square, 16 Azar Street, Tehran 1417935840, Iran
| | - Mehrab Pourmadadi
- School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Enghelab Square, 16 Azar Street, Tehran 1417935840, Iran
| | - Parisa Abbasi
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Avenue, Tehran 1458889694, Iran
| | - Zeinab Hosseinpour
- Biotechnology Research Laboratory, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol 4714871167, Mazandaran Province, Iran
| | - Arian Farokh
- School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Enghelab Square, 16 Azar Street, Tehran 1417935840, Iran
| | - Amin Shamsabadipour
- School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Enghelab Square, 16 Azar Street, Tehran 1417935840, Iran
| | - Maryam Heydari
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Kharazmi, Tehran 199389373, Iran
| | - M Rezaa Mohammadi
- Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States
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15
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D’Egidio F, Castelli V, Cimini A, d’Angelo M. Cell Rearrangement and Oxidant/Antioxidant Imbalance in Huntington's Disease. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:571. [PMID: 36978821 PMCID: PMC10045781 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of a CAG triplet repeat in the HTT gene, resulting in the production of an aberrant huntingtin (Htt) protein. The mutant protein accumulation is responsible for neuronal dysfunction and cell death. This is due to the involvement of oxidative damage, excitotoxicity, inflammation, and mitochondrial impairment. Neurons naturally adapt to bioenergetic alteration and oxidative stress in physiological conditions. However, this dynamic system is compromised when a neurodegenerative disorder occurs, resulting in changes in metabolism, alteration in calcium signaling, and impaired substrates transport. Thus, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the cell's answer to the stress induced by HD, focusing on the role of oxidative stress and its balance with the antioxidant system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michele d’Angelo
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
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16
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Denis HL, Alpaugh M, Alvarez CP, Fenyi A, Barker RA, Chouinard S, Arrowsmith CH, Melki R, Labib R, Harding RJ, Cicchetti F. Detection of antibodies against the huntingtin protein in human plasma. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:45. [PMID: 36651994 PMCID: PMC9849309 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04687-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder resulting from a CAG expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which leads to the production and accumulation of mutant huntingtin (mHTT). While primarily considered a disorder of the central nervous system, multiple changes have been described to occur throughout the body, including activation of the immune system. In other neurodegenerative disorders, activation of the immune system has been shown to include the production of antibodies against disease-associated pathological proteins. However, the existence of mHTT-targeted antibodies has never been reported. In this study, we assessed the presence and titer of antibodies recognizing HTT/mHTT in patients with HD (n = 66) and age- and gender-matched healthy controls (n = 66) using a combination of Western blotting and ELISA. Together, these analyses revealed that antibodies capable of recognizing HTT/mHTT were detectable in the plasma samples of all participants, including healthy controls. When antibody levels were monitored at different disease stages, it was observed that antibodies against full-length mHTT were highest in patients with severe disease while antibodies against HTTExon1 were elevated in patients with mild disease. Combined, these results suggest that antibodies detecting different forms of mHTT peak at different disease stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, T2-07, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada
- Département de Psychiatrie and Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Melanie Alpaugh
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, T2-07, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada
- Département de Psychiatrie and Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Claudia P Alvarez
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, MaRS Building Suite 700, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5G1L7, Canada
| | - Alexis Fenyi
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, CEA, CNRS, Fontenay-Aux-Roses, France
| | - Roger A Barker
- John van Geest Center for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sylvain Chouinard
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montréal-Hôtel Dieu, Movement Disorders Unit, CHUM, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Cheryl H Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, MaRS Building Suite 700, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5G1L7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ronald Melki
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, CEA, CNRS, Fontenay-Aux-Roses, France
| | - Richard Labib
- Department of Mathematical and Industrial Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Rachel J Harding
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, MaRS Building Suite 700, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5G1L7, Canada.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, T2-07, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.
- Département de Psychiatrie and Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
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17
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Abjean L, Ben Haim L, Riquelme-Perez M, Gipchtein P, Derbois C, Palomares MA, Petit F, Hérard AS, Gaillard MC, Guillermier M, Gaudin-Guérif M, Aurégan G, Sagar N, Héry C, Dufour N, Robil N, Kabani M, Melki R, De la Grange P, Bemelmans AP, Bonvento G, Deleuze JF, Hantraye P, Flament J, Bonnet E, Brohard S, Olaso R, Brouillet E, Carrillo-de Sauvage MA, Escartin C. Reactive astrocytes promote proteostasis in Huntington's disease through the JAK2-STAT3 pathway. Brain 2023; 146:149-166. [PMID: 35298632 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by striatal neurodegeneration, aggregation of mutant Huntingtin and the presence of reactive astrocytes. Astrocytes are important partners for neurons and engage in a specific reactive response in Huntington's disease that involves morphological, molecular and functional changes. How reactive astrocytes contribute to Huntington's disease is still an open question, especially because their reactive state is poorly reproduced in experimental mouse models. Here, we show that the JAK2-STAT3 pathway, a central cascade controlling astrocyte reactive response, is activated in the putamen of Huntington's disease patients. Selective activation of this cascade in astrocytes through viral gene transfer reduces the number and size of mutant Huntingtin aggregates in neurons and improves neuronal defects in two complementary mouse models of Huntington's disease. It also reduces striatal atrophy and increases glutamate levels, two central clinical outcomes measured by non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging. Moreover, astrocyte-specific transcriptomic analysis shows that activation of the JAK2-STAT3 pathway in astrocytes coordinates a transcriptional program that increases their intrinsic proteolytic capacity, through the lysosomal and ubiquitin-proteasome degradation systems. This pathway also enhances their production and exosomal release of the co-chaperone DNAJB1, which contributes to mutant Huntingtin clearance in neurons. Together, our results show that the JAK2-STAT3 pathway controls a beneficial proteostasis response in reactive astrocytes in Huntington's disease, which involves bi-directional signalling with neurons to reduce mutant Huntingtin aggregation, eventually improving disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurene Abjean
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Lucile Ben Haim
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Miriam Riquelme-Perez
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Pauline Gipchtein
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Céline Derbois
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Marie-Ange Palomares
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Fanny Petit
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Hérard
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Marie-Claude Gaillard
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Martine Guillermier
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Mylène Gaudin-Guérif
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Gwennaëlle Aurégan
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Nisrine Sagar
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Cameron Héry
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Noëlle Dufour
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | | | - Mehdi Kabani
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Ronald Melki
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | | | - Alexis P Bemelmans
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Gilles Bonvento
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Jean-François Deleuze
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Philippe Hantraye
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Julien Flament
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Eric Bonnet
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Solène Brohard
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Robert Olaso
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Maria-Angeles Carrillo-de Sauvage
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Carole Escartin
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
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18
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Nabariya DK, Heinz A, Derksen S, Krauß S. Intracellular and intercellular transport of RNA organelles in CXG repeat disorders: The strength of weak ties. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1000932. [PMID: 36589236 PMCID: PMC9800848 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1000932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA is a vital biomolecule, the function of which is tightly spatiotemporally regulated. RNA organelles are biological structures that either membrane-less or surrounded by membrane. They are produced by the all the cells and indulge in vital cellular mechanisms. They include the intracellular RNA granules and the extracellular exosomes. RNA granules play an essential role in intracellular regulation of RNA localization, stability and translation. Aberrant regulation of RNA is connected to disease development. For example, in microsatellite diseases such as CXG repeat expansion disorders, the mutant CXG repeat RNA's localization and function are affected. RNA is not only transported intracellularly but can also be transported between cells via exosomes. The loading of the exosomes is regulated by RNA-protein complexes, and recent studies show that cytosolic RNA granules and exosomes share common content. Intracellular RNA granules and exosome loading may therefore be related. Exosomes can also transfer pathogenic molecules of CXG diseases from cell to cell, thereby driving disease progression. Both intracellular RNA granules and extracellular RNA vesicles may serve as a source for diagnostic and treatment strategies. In therapeutic approaches, pharmaceutical agents may be loaded into exosomes which then transport them to the desired cells/tissues. This is a promising target specific treatment strategy with few side effects. With respect to diagnostics, disease-specific content of exosomes, e.g., RNA-signatures, can serve as attractive biomarker of central nervous system diseases detecting early physiological disturbances, even before symptoms of neurodegeneration appear and irreparable damage to the nervous system occurs. In this review, we summarize the known function of cytoplasmic RNA granules and extracellular vesicles, as well as their role and dysfunction in CXG repeat expansion disorders. We also provide a summary of established protocols for the isolation and characterization of both cytoplasmic and extracellular RNA organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sybille Krauß
- Human Biology/Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Faculty IV, School of Science and Technology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
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19
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Brás IC, Khani MH, Vasili E, Möbius W, Riedel D, Parfentev I, Gerhardt E, Fahlbusch C, Urlaub H, Zweckstetter M, Gollisch T, Outeiro TF. Molecular Mechanisms Mediating the Transfer of Disease-Associated Proteins and Effects on Neuronal Activity. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:2397-2422. [PMID: 36278361 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-223516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Various cellular pathways have been implicated in the transfer of disease-related proteins between cells, contributing to disease progression and neurodegeneration. However, the overall effects of protein transfer are still unclear. OBJECTIVE Here, we performed a systematic comparison of basic molecular mechanisms involved in the release of alpha-synuclein, Tau, and huntingtin, and evaluated functional effects upon internalization by receiving cells. METHODS Evaluation of protein release to the extracellular space in a free form and in extracellular vesicles using an optimized ultracentrifugation protocol. The extracellular effects of the proteins and extracellular vesicles in primary neuronal cultures were assessed using multi-channel electrophysiological recordings combined with a customized spike sorting framework. RESULTS We demonstrate cells differentially release free-forms of each protein to the extracellular space. Importantly, neuronal activity is distinctly modulated upon protein internalization in primary cortical cultures. In addition, these disease-related proteins also occur in extracellular vesicles, and are enriched in ectosomes. Internalization of ectosomes and exosomes by primary microglial or astrocytic cells elicits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and modifies spontaneous electrical activity in neurons. OBJECTIVE Overall, our study demonstrates that released proteins can have detrimental effects for surrounding cells, and suggests protein release pathways may be exploited as therapeutic targets in different neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês C Brás
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mohammad H Khani
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eftychia Vasili
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Wiebke Möbius
- Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.,Electron Microscopy Core Unit, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dietmar Riedel
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Iwan Parfentev
- Research Group Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ellen Gerhardt
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christiane Fahlbusch
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Research Group Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany.,Bioanalytics, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.,Department for NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tim Gollisch
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tiago F Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, United Kingdom.,Scientific Employee with an Honorary Contract at German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
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20
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Layburn FE, Tan AY, Mehrabi NF, Curtis MA, Tippett LJ, Turner CP, Riguet N, Aeschbach L, Lashuel HA, Dragunow M, Faull RL, Singh-Bains MK. N-terminal mutant huntingtin deposition correlates with CAG repeat length and symptom onset, but not neuronal loss in Huntington's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 174:105884. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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21
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Garcia Jareño P, Bartley OJM, Precious SV, Rosser AE, Lelos MJ. Challenges in progressing cell therapies to the clinic for Huntington's disease: A review of the progress made with pluripotent stem cell derived medium spiny neurons. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 166:1-48. [PMID: 36424090 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2022.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a triad of symptoms: motor, cognitive and psychiatric. HD is caused by a genetic mutation, expansion of the CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene, which results in loss of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) of the striatum. Cell replacement therapy (CRT) has emerged as a possible therapy for HD, aiming to replace those cells lost to the disease process and alleviate its symptoms. Initial pre-clinical studies used primary fetal striatal cells to provide proof-of-principal that CRT can bring about functional recovery on some behavioral tasks following transplantation into HD models. Alternative donor cell sources are required if CRT is to become a viable therapeutic option and human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) sources, which have undergone differentiation toward the MSNs lost to the disease process, have proved to be strong candidates. The focus of this chapter is to review work conducted on the functional assessment of animals following transplantation of hPSC-derived MSNs. We discuss different ways that graft function has been assessed, and the results that have been achieved to date. In addition, this chapter presents and discusses challenges that remain in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oliver J M Bartley
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie V Precious
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Anne E Rosser
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Cardiff University Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Brain Repair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (B.R.A.I.N.) Biomedical Research Unit, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Mariah J Lelos
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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22
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Donnelly KM, Coleman CM, Fuller ML, Reed VL, Smerina D, Tomlinson DS, Pearce MMP. Hunting for the cause: Evidence for prion-like mechanisms in Huntington’s disease. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:946822. [PMID: 36090278 PMCID: PMC9448931 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.946822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothesis that pathogenic protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative diseases spread from cell-to-cell in the brain in a manner akin to infectious prions has gained substantial momentum due to an explosion of research in the past 10–15 years. Here, we review current evidence supporting the existence of prion-like mechanisms in Huntington’s disease (HD), an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by expansion of a CAG repeat tract in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. We summarize information gained from human studies and in vivo and in vitro models of HD that strongly support prion-like features of the mutant HTT (mHTT) protein, including potential involvement of molecular features of mHTT seeds, synaptic structures and connectivity, endocytic and exocytic mechanisms, tunneling nanotubes, and nonneuronal cells in mHTT propagation in the brain. We discuss mechanisms by which mHTT aggregate spreading and neurotoxicity could be causally linked and the potential benefits of targeting prion-like mechanisms in the search for new disease-modifying therapies for HD and other fatal neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirby M. Donnelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Cevannah M. Coleman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Madison L. Fuller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Victoria L. Reed
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Dayna Smerina
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - David S. Tomlinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Margaret M. Panning Pearce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Margaret M. Panning Pearce,
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23
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Subramaniam S. Striatal Induction and Spread of the Huntington’s Disease Protein: A Novel Rhes Route. J Huntingtons Dis 2022; 11:281-290. [PMID: 35871361 PMCID: PMC9484121 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-220548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The CAG/CAA expansion encoding polyQ huntingtin (mutant huntingtin [mHTT]) causes Huntington’s disease (HD), which is characterized by atrophy and loss of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs), which are preceded by neuropathological alterations in the cortex. Previous studies have shown that mHTT can spread in the brain, but the mechanisms involved in the stereotyped degeneration and dysfunction of the neurons from the striatum to the cortex remain unclear. In this study, we found that the mHTT expression initially restricted in the striatum later spread to the cortical regions in mouse brains. Such transmission was diminished in mice that lacked the striatal-enriched protein Ras-homolog enriched in the striatum (Rhes). Rhes restricted to MSNs was also found in the cortical layers of the brain, indicating a new transmission route for the Rhes protein to the brain. Mechanistically, Rhes promotes such transmission via a direct cell-to-cell contact mediated by tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), the membranous protrusions that enable the transfer of mHTT, Rhes, and other vesicular cargoes. These transmission patterns suggest that Rhes and mHTT are likely co-transported in the brain using TNT-like cell-to-cell contacts. On the basis of these new results, a perspective is presented in this review: Rhes may ignite the mHTT transmission from the striatum that may coincide with HD onset and disease progression through an anatomically connected striato-cortical retrograde route.
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24
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Seefelder M, Klein FAC, Landwehrmeyer B, Fernández-Busnadiego R, Kochanek S. Huntingtin and Its Partner Huntingtin-Associated Protein 40: Structural and Functional Considerations in Health and Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2022; 11:227-242. [PMID: 35871360 PMCID: PMC9484127 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-220543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Since the discovery of the mutation causing Huntington’s disease (HD) in 1993, it has been debated whether an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch affects the properties of the huntingtin (HTT) protein and thus contributes to the pathological mechanisms responsible for HD. Here we review the current knowledge about the structure of HTT, alone (apo-HTT) or in a complex with Huntingtin-Associated Protein 40 (HAP40), the influence of polyQ-length variation on apo-HTT and the HTT-HAP40 complex, and the biology of HAP40. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that HAP40 performs essential functions. Highlighting the relevance of its interaction with HTT, HAP40 is one of the most abundant partners copurifying with HTT and is rapidly degraded, when HTT levels are reduced. As the levels of both proteins decrease during disease progression, HAP40 could also be a biomarker for HD. Whether declining HAP40 levels contribute to disease etiology is an open question. Structural studies have shown that the conformation of apo-HTT is less constrained but resembles that adopted in the HTT-HAP40 complex, which is exceptionally stable because of extensive interactions between HAP40 and the three domains of HTT. The complex— and to some extent apo-HTT— resists fragmentation after limited proteolysis. Unresolved regions of apo-HTT, constituting about 25% of the protein, are the main sites of post-translational modifications and likely have major regulatory functions. PolyQ elongation does not substantially alter the structure of HTT, alone or when associated with HAP40. Particularly, polyQ above the disease length threshold does not induce drastic conformational changes in full-length HTT. Therefore, models of HD pathogenesis stating that polyQ expansion drastically alters HTT properties should be reconsidered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rubén Fernández-Busnadiego
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Kinfe T, Del Vecchio A, Nüssel M, Zhao Y, Stadlbauer A, Buchfelder M. Deep brain stimulation and stereotactic-assisted brain graft injection targeting fronto-striatal circuits for Huntington's disease: an update. Expert Rev Neurother 2022; 22:781-788. [PMID: 35766355 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2022.2091988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Huntington's Disease as progressive neurological disorders associated with motor, behavioral, and cognitive impairment poses a therapeutic challenge in case of limited responsiveness to established therapeutics. Pallidal deep brain stimulation and neurorestorative strategies (brain grafts) scoping to modulate fronto-striatal circuits have gained increased recognition for the treatment of refractory Huntington's disease (HD). AREAS COVERED A review (2000-2022) was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library covering clinical trials conceptualized to determine the efficacy and safety of invasive, stereotactic-guided deep-brain stimulation and intracranial brain-graft injection targeting the globus pallidus and adjunct structures (striatum). EXPERT OPINION Stereotactic brain-grafting strategies were performed in few HD patients with inconsistent findings and mild-to-moderate clinical responsiveness with a recently published large, randomized-controlled trial (NCT00190450) yielding negative results. We identified 19 in-human DBS trials (uncontrolled) targeting the globus pallidus internus/externus along with randomized-controlled trial pending report (NCT02535884). We did not detect any significant changes in the UHDRS total score after restorative injections, while in contrast, the use of deep-brain stimulation resulted in a significant reduction of chorea. GPi-DBS should be considered in cases where selective chorea is present. However, both invasive therapies remain experimental and are not ready for the implementation in clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kinfe
- Division of Functional Neurosurgery and Stereotaxy, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.,Department of Neurosurgery, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Department of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering (AIBE), Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin Nüssel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Yining Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Stadlbauer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Michael Buchfelder
- Department of Neurosurgery, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
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26
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Cheng Z, Kang C, Che S, Su J, Sun Q, Ge T, Guo Y, Lv J, Sun Z, Yang W, Li B, Li X, Cui R. Berberine: A Promising Treatment for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:845591. [PMID: 35668943 PMCID: PMC9164284 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.845591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Berberine, as a natural alkaloid compound, is characterized by a diversity of pharmacological effects. In recent years, many researches focused on the role of berberine in central nervous system diseases. Among them, the effect of berberine on neurodegenerative diseases has received widespread attention, for example Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and so on. Recent evidence suggests that berberine inhibits the production of neuroinflammation, oxidative, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. These effects can further reduce neuron damage and apoptosis. Although the current research has made some progress, its specific mechanism still needs to be further explored. This review provides an overview of berberine in neurodegenerative diseases and its related mechanisms, and also provides new ideas for future research on berberine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqian Cheng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Chenglan Kang
- Department of Cardiology, The China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Songtian Che
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingyun Su
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qihan Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Tongtong Ge
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Guo
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiayin Lv
- Department of Orthopedics, The China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhihui Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Bingjin Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xin Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ranji Cui
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Emerging roles of extracellular vesicles in polyglutamine diseases: Mutant protein transmission, therapeutic potential, and diagnostics. Neurochem Int 2022; 157:105357. [PMID: 35525394 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases are a group of inherited neurodegenerative diseases including Huntington's disease and several types of spinocerebellar ataxias, which are caused by aggregation and accumulation of the disease-causative proteins with an abnormally expanded PolyQ stretch. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane particles that are released from cells, including exosomes, microvesicles, and other extracellular particles. Recent studies have suggested that the PolyQ proteins, which are the disease-causative proteins of PolyQ diseases, and its aggregates are secreted via EVs, similar to the aggregation-prone proteins associated with other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The PolyQ proteins that are secreted from cells can transmit intercellularly, which may contribute to pathological propagation of the PolyQ protein aggregates in patient brain, and therefore, the pathological roles of EVs in the onset and progression of PolyQ diseases has attracted much attention. EVs may also mediate intercellular transfer of heat shock proteins and other neuroprotective factors, which are beneficial for protein homeostasis and cell survival, and thus, have therapeutic potential for the neurodegenerative diseases including PolyQ diseases. Furthermore, because EVs contain not only the disease-associated proteins, but also various proteins, miRNAs and other components, and changes in the levels of these contents might reflect pathological changes, EVs derived from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine would be a potential source of minimally invasive diagnostic biomarkers that report disease-associated changes in PolyQ diseases. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the pathological roles of EVs in PolyQ diseases, and therapeutic and diagnostic potential of EVs for these diseases. Elucidation of the pathological and physiological roles of EVs would lead to identification of a proper therapeutic target that would not interfere the protective roles of EVs for cell survival but suppress pathological propagation of the disease-causative proteins in PolyQ disease.
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28
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Moretto E, Stuart S, Surana S, Vargas JNS, Schiavo G. The Role of Extracellular Matrix Components in the Spreading of Pathological Protein Aggregates. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:844211. [PMID: 35573838 PMCID: PMC9100790 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.844211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Several neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the accumulation of aggregated misfolded proteins. These pathological agents have been suggested to propagate in the brain via mechanisms similar to that observed for the prion protein, where a misfolded variant is transferred from an affected brain region to a healthy one, thereby inducing the misfolding and/or aggregation of correctly folded copies. This process has been characterized for several proteins, such as α-synuclein, tau, amyloid beta (Aβ) and less extensively for huntingtin and TDP-43. α-synuclein, tau, TDP-43 and huntingtin are intracellular proteins, and their aggregates are located in the cytosol or nucleus of neurons. They have been shown to spread between cells and this event occurs, at least partially, via secretion of these protein aggregates in the extracellular space followed by re-uptake. Conversely, Aβ aggregates are found mainly extracellularly, and their spreading occurs in the extracellular space between brain regions. Due to the inherent nature of their spreading modalities, these proteins are exposed to components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), including glycans, proteases and core matrix proteins. These ECM components can interact with or process pathological misfolded proteins, potentially changing their properties and thus regulating their spreading capabilities. Here, we present an overview of the documented roles of ECM components in the spreading of pathological protein aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases with the objective of identifying the current gaps in knowledge and stimulating further research in the field. This could potentially lead to the identification of druggable targets to slow down the spreading and/or progression of these pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Moretto
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, CNR, Milan, Italy
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Edoardo Moretto,
| | - Skye Stuart
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sunaina Surana
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jose Norberto S. Vargas
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Giampietro Schiavo,
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29
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Alpaugh M, Masnata M, de Rus Jacquet A, Lepinay E, Denis HL, Saint-Pierre M, Davies P, Planel E, Cicchetti F. Passive immunization against phosphorylated tau improves features of Huntington's disease pathology. Mol Ther 2022; 30:1500-1522. [PMID: 35051614 PMCID: PMC9077324 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is classically described as a neurodegenerative disorder of monogenic aetiology. The disease is characterized by an abnormal polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin gene, which drives the toxicity of the mutated form of the protein. However, accumulation of the microtubule-associated protein tau, which is involved in a number of neurological disorders, has also been observed in patients with Huntington's disease. In order to unravel the contribution of tau hyperphosphorylation to hallmark features of Huntington's disease, we administered weekly intraperitoneal injections of the anti-tau pS202 CP13 monoclonal antibody to zQ175 mice and characterized the resulting behavioral and biochemical changes. After 12 weeks of treatment, motor impairments, cognitive performance and general health were improved in zQ175 mice along with a significant reduction in hippocampal pS202 tau levels. Despite the lack of effect of CP13 on neuronal markers associated with Huntington's disease pathology, tau-targeting enzymes and gliosis, CP13 was shown to directly impact mutant huntingtin aggregation such that brain levels of amyloid fibrils and huntingtin oligomers were decreased, while larger huntingtin protein aggregates were increased. Investigation of CP13 treatment of Huntington's disease patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) revealed a reduction in pS202 levels in differentiated cortical neurons and a rescue of neurite length. Collectively, these findings suggest that attenuating tau pathology could mitigate behavioral and molecular hallmarks associated with Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Alpaugh
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Maria Masnata
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Aurelie de Rus Jacquet
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Eva Lepinay
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Martine Saint-Pierre
- Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Peter Davies
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Emmanuel Planel
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada.
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30
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Ramírez-Jarquín UN, Sharma M, Shahani N, Li Y, Boregowda S, Subramaniam S. Rhes protein transits from neuron to neuron and facilitates mutant huntingtin spreading in the brain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm3877. [PMID: 35319973 PMCID: PMC8942366 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm3877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Rhes (RASD2) is a thyroid hormone-induced gene that regulates striatal motor activity and promotes neurodegeneration in Huntington disease (HD) and tauopathy. Rhes moves and transports the HD protein, polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin (mHTT), via tunneling nanotube (TNT)-like membranous protrusions between cultured neurons. However, similar intercellular Rhes transportation in the intact brain was unknown. Here, we report that Rhes induces TNT-like protrusions in the striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and transported between dopamine-1 receptor (D1R)-MSNs and D2R-MSNs of intact striatum and organotypic brain slices. Notably, mHTT is robustly transported within the striatum and from the striatum to the cortical areas in the brain, and Rhes deletion diminishes such transport. Moreover, Rhes moves to the cortical regions following restricted expression in the MSNs of the striatum. Thus, Rhes is a first striatum-enriched protein demonstrated to move and transport mHTT between neurons and brain regions, providing new insights into interneuronal protein transport in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manish Sharma
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Neelam Shahani
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Yuqing Li
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Siddaraju Boregowda
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Srinivasa Subramaniam
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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31
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Pink D, Donnelier J, Lewis JD, Braun JEA. Cysteine String Protein Controls Two Routes of Export for Misfolded Huntingtin. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:762439. [PMID: 35069097 PMCID: PMC8766765 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.762439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted vesicles of diverse size and cargo that are implicated in the cell-to-cell transmission of disease-causing-proteins in several neurodegenerative diseases. Mutant huntingtin, the disease-causing entity in Huntington's disease, has an expanded polyglutamine track at the N terminus that causes the protein to misfold and form toxic intracellular aggregates. In Huntington's disease, mutant huntingtin aggregates are transferred between cells by several routes. We have previously identified a cellular pathway that is responsible for the export of mutant huntingtin via extracellular vesicles. Identifying the EV sub-populations that carry misfolded huntingtin cargo is critical to understanding disease progression. In this work we expressed a form of polyglutamine expanded huntingtin (GFP-tagged 72Qhuntingtinexon1) in cells to assess the EVs involved in cellular export. We demonstrate that the molecular chaperone, cysteine string protein (CSPα; DnaJC5), facilitates export of disease-causing-polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin cargo in 180-240 nm vesicles as well as larger 10-30 μm vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desmond Pink
- Nanostics Precision Health, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Julien Donnelier
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - John D Lewis
- Nanostics Precision Health, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Janice E A Braun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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32
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Alpaugh M, Denis HL, Cicchetti F. Prion-like properties of the mutant huntingtin protein in living organisms: the evidence and the relevance. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:269-280. [PMID: 34711942 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01350-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
If theories postulating that pathological proteins associated with neurodegenerative disorders behave similarly to prions were initially viewed with reluctance, it is now well-accepted that this occurs in several disease contexts. Notably, it has been reported that protein misfolding and subsequent prion-like properties can actively participate in neurodegenerative disorders. While this has been demonstrated in multiple cellular and animal model systems related to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, the prion-like properties of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT), associated with Huntington's disease (HD), have only recently been considered to play a role in this pathology, a concept our research group has contributed to extensively. In this review, we summarize the last few years of in vivo research in the field and speculate on the relationship between prion-like events and human HD. By interpreting observations primarily collected in in vivo models, our discussion will aim to discriminate which experimental factors contribute to the most efficient types of prion-like activities of mHTT and which routes of propagation may be more relevant to the human condition. A look back at nearly a decade of experimentation will inform future research and whether therapeutic strategies may emerge from this new knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Alpaugh
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada. .,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
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33
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Cui J, Zhao S, Li Y, Zhang D, Wang B, Xie J, Wang J. Regulated cell death: discovery, features and implications for neurodegenerative diseases. Cell Commun Signal 2021; 19:120. [PMID: 34922574 PMCID: PMC8684172 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00799-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulated cell death (RCD) is a ubiquitous process in living organisms that is essential for tissue homeostasis or to restore biological balance under stress. Over the decades, various forms of RCD have been reported and are increasingly being found to involve in human pathologies and clinical outcomes. We focus on five high-profile forms of RCD, including apoptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy-dependent cell death, necroptosis and ferroptosis. Cumulative evidence supports that not only they have different features and various pathways, but also there are extensive cross-talks between modes of cell death. As the understanding of RCD pathway in evolution, development, physiology and disease continues to improve. Here we review an updated classification of RCD on the discovery and features of processes. The prominent focus will be placed on key mechanisms of RCD and its critical role in neurodegenerative disease. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Cui
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
- Institute of Brain Science and Disease, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Prevention of Neurological Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Suhan Zhao
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
- School of Clinical Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Yinghui Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
- Institute of Brain Science and Disease, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Prevention of Neurological Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Danyang Zhang
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
- Institute of Brain Science and Disease, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Prevention of Neurological Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Bingjing Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
- Institute of Brain Science and Disease, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Prevention of Neurological Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Junxia Xie
- Institute of Brain Science and Disease, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Prevention of Neurological Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Jun Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
- Institute of Brain Science and Disease, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Prevention of Neurological Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
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34
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Moreira R, Mendonça LS, Pereira de Almeida L. Extracellular Vesicles Physiological Role and the Particular Case of Disease-Spreading Mechanisms in Polyglutamine Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212288. [PMID: 34830171 PMCID: PMC8621536 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research demonstrated pathological spreading of the disease-causing proteins from one focal point across other brain regions for some neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Spreading mediated by extracellular vesicles is one of the proposed disease-spreading mechanisms. Extracellular vesicles are cell membrane-derived vesicles, used by cells for cell-to-cell communication and excretion of toxic components. Importantly, extracellular vesicles carrying pathological molecules, when internalized by "healthy" cells, may trigger pathological pathways and, consequently, promote disease spreading to neighboring cells. Polyglutamine diseases are a group of genetic neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the accumulation of mutant misfolded proteins carrying an expanded tract of glutamines, including Huntington's and Machado-Joseph disease. The pathological spread of the misfolded proteins or the corresponding mutant mRNA has been explored. The understanding of the disease-spreading mechanism that plays a key role in the pathology progression of these diseases can result in the development of effective therapeutic approaches to stop disease progression, arresting the spread of the toxic components and disease aggravation. Therefore, the present review's main focus is the disease-spreading mechanisms with emphasis on polyglutamine diseases and the putative role played by extracellular vesicles in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Moreira
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal;
- CIBB—Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Liliana S. Mendonça
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal;
- CIBB—Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Correspondence: (L.S.M.); (L.P.d.A.); Tel.: +351-239-820-190 (L.S.M.)
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal;
- CIBB—Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Correspondence: (L.S.M.); (L.P.d.A.); Tel.: +351-239-820-190 (L.S.M.)
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Vieweg S, Mahul-Mellier AL, Ruggeri FS, Riguet N, DeGuire SM, Chiki A, Cendrowska U, Dietler G, Lashuel HA. The Nt17 Domain and its Helical Conformation Regulate the Aggregation, Cellular Properties and Neurotoxicity of Mutant Huntingtin Exon 1. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167222. [PMID: 34492254 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Converging evidence points to the N-terminal domain comprising the first 17 amino acids of the Huntingtin protein (Nt17) as a key regulator of its aggregation, cellular properties and toxicity. In this study, we further investigated the interplay between Nt17 and the polyQ domain repeat length in regulating the aggregation and inclusion formation of exon 1 of the Huntingtin protein (Httex1). In addition, we investigated the effect of removing Nt17 or modulating its local structure on the membrane interactions, neuronal uptake, and toxicity of monomeric or fibrillar Httex1. Our results show that the polyQ and Nt17 domains synergistically modulate the aggregation propensity of Httex1 and that the Nt17 domain plays important roles in shaping the surface properties of mutant Httex1 fibrils and regulating their poly-Q-dependent growth, lateral association and neuronal uptake. Removal of Nt17 or disruption of its transient helical conformations slowed the aggregation of monomeric Httex1 in vitro, reduced inclusion formation in cells, enhanced the neuronal uptake and nuclear accumulation of monomeric Httex1 proteins, and was sufficient to prevent cell death induced by Httex1 72Q overexpression. Finally, we demonstrate that the uptake of Httex1 fibrils into primary neurons and the resulting toxicity are strongly influenced by mutations and phosphorylation events that influence the local helical propensity of Nt17. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the Nt17 domain serves as one of the key master regulators of Htt aggregation, internalization, and toxicity and represents an attractive target for inhibiting Htt aggregate formation, inclusion formation, and neuronal toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Vieweg
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Laure Mahul-Mellier
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Francesco S Ruggeri
- Laboratory of the Physics of Living Matter, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathan Riguet
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sean M DeGuire
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anass Chiki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Urszula Cendrowska
- Laboratory of the Physics of Living Matter, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni Dietler
- Laboratory of the Physics of Living Matter, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Shedding a new light on Huntington's disease: how blood can both propagate and ameliorate disease pathology. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:5441-5463. [PMID: 32514103 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0787-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic neurodegenerative disorder resulting from a mutation in the huntingtin gene. This leads to the expression of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) which provokes pathological changes in both the central nervous system (CNS) and periphery. Accumulating evidence suggests that mHTT can spread between cells of the CNS but here, we explored the possibility that mHTT could also propagate and cause pathology via the bloodstream. For this, we used a parabiosis approach to join the circulatory systems of wild-type (WT) and zQ175 mice. After surgery, we observed mHTT in the plasma and circulating blood cells of WT mice and post-mortem analyses revealed the presence of mHTT aggregates in several organs including the liver, kidney, muscle and brain. The presence of mHTT in the brain was accompanied by vascular abnormalities, such as a reduction of Collagen IV signal intensity and altered vessel diameter in the striatum, and changes in expression of Glutamic acid decarboxylase 65/67 (GAD65-67) in the cortex. Conversely, we measured reduced pathology in zQ175 mice by decreased mitochondrial impairments in peripheral organs, restored vessel diameter in the cortex and improved expression of Dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein 32 (DARPP32) in striatal neurons. Collectively, these results demonstrate that circulating mHTT can disseminate disease, but importantly, that healthy blood can dilute pathology. These findings have significant implications for the development of therapies in HD.
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Chuang CL, Demontis F. Systemic manifestation and contribution of peripheral tissues to Huntington's disease pathogenesis. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 69:101358. [PMID: 33979693 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease that is caused by expansion of cytosine/adenosine/guanine repeats in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which leads to a toxic, aggregation-prone, mutant HTT-polyQ protein. Beyond the well-established mechanisms of HD progression in the central nervous system, growing evidence indicates that also peripheral tissues are affected in HD and that systemic signaling originating from peripheral tissues can influence the progression of HD in the brain. Herein, we review the systemic manifestation of HD in peripheral tissues, and the impact of systemic signaling on HD pathogenesis. Mutant HTT induces a body wasting syndrome (cachexia) primarily via its activity in skeletal muscle, bone, adipose tissue, and heart. Additional whole-organism effects induced by mutant HTT include decline in systemic metabolic homeostasis, which stems from derangement of pancreas, liver, gut, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and circadian functions. In addition to spreading via the bloodstream and a leaky blood brain barrier, HTT-polyQ may travel long distance via its uptake by neurons and its axonal transport from the peripheral to the central nervous system. Lastly, signaling factors that are produced and/or secreted in response to therapeutic interventions such as exercise or in response to mutant HTT activity in peripheral tissues may impact HD. In summary, these studies indicate that HD is a systemic disease that is influenced by intertissue signaling and by the action of pathogenic HTT in peripheral tissues. We propose that treatment strategies for HD should include the amelioration of HD symptoms in peripheral tissues. Moreover, harnessing signaling between peripheral tissues and the brain may provide a means for reducing HD progression in the central nervous system.
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Abstract
Tauopathies consist of over 25 different neurodegenerative diseases that include argyrophilic grain disease (AGD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and Pick’s disease (PiD). Tauopathies are defined by brain accumulation of microtubule-associated protein tau in fibrillar aggregates, whose prevalence strongly correlates with dementia. Dominant mutations in tau cause neurodegenerative diseases, and most increase its aggregation propensity. Pathogenesis of tauopathies may involve pathological tau conformers that serve as templates to recruit native protein into growing assemblies and also move between brain cells to cause disease progression, similar to prions. Prions adopt pathological conformations, termed “strains,” that stably propagate in living systems, and create unique patterns of neuropathology. Data from multiple laboratories now suggest that tau acts as a prion. It propagates unique strains indefinitely in cultured cells, and when these are inoculated into mouse models, they create defined neuropathological patterns, which establish a direct link between conformation and disease. In humans, distinct fibril structures are associated with different diseases, but causality has not been established as in mice. Cryo-EM structures of tau fibrils isolated from tauopathy brains reveal distinct fibril cores across disease. Interestingly, the conformation of the tau monomer unit within different fibril subtypes from the same patient appears relatively preserved. This is consistent with data that the tau monomer samples an ensemble of conformations that act as distinct pathologic templates in the formation of restricted numbers of strains. The propensity of a tau monomer to adopt distinct conformations appears to be linked to defined local motifs that expose different patterns of amyloidogenic amino acid sequences. The prion hypothesis, which predicts that protein structure dictates resultant disease, has proved particularly useful to understand the diversity of human tauopathies. The challenge now is to develop methods to rapidly classify patients according to the structure of the underlying pathological protein assemblies to achieve more accurate diagnosis and effective therapy.
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Schindler F, Praedel N, Neuendorf N, Kunz S, Schnoegl S, Mason MA, Taxy BA, Bates GP, Khoshnan A, Priller J, Grimm J, Maier M, Boeddrich A, Wanker EE. Small, Seeding-Competent Huntingtin Fibrils Are Prominent Aggregate Species in Brains of zQ175 Huntington's Disease Knock-in Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:682172. [PMID: 34239412 PMCID: PMC8257939 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.682172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The deposition of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein aggregates in neurons of patients is a pathological hallmark of Huntington’s disease (HD). Previous investigations in cell-free and cell-based disease models showed mHTT exon-1 (mHTTex1) fragments with pathogenic polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts (>40 glutamines) to self-assemble into highly stable, β-sheet-rich protein aggregates with a fibrillar morphology. HD knock-in mouse models have not been extensively studied with regard to mHTT aggregation. They endogenously produce full-length mHTT with a pathogenic polyQ tract as well as mHTTex1 fragments. Here, we demonstrate that seeding-competent, fibrillar mHTT aggregates can be readily detected in brains of zQ175 knock-in HD mice. To do this, we applied a highly sensitive FRET-based protein amplification assay that is capable of detecting seeding-competent mHTT aggregate species down to the femtomolar range. Furthermore, we show that fibrillar structures with an average length of ∼200 nm can be enriched with aggregate-specific mouse and human antibodies from zQ175 mouse brain extracts through immunoprecipitations, confirming that such structures are formed in vivo. Together these studies indicate that small, fibrillar, seeding-competent mHTT structures are prominent aggregate species in brains of zQ175 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Schindler
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicole Praedel
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nancy Neuendorf
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Severine Kunz
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sigrid Schnoegl
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael A Mason
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UK Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bridget A Taxy
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UK Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian P Bates
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UK Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Khoshnan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Josef Priller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin and DZNE, Berlin, Germany.,The University of Edinburgh, UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Grimm
- Neurimmune AG, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | | | - Annett Boeddrich
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Erich E Wanker
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
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40
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Park HJ, Jeon J, Choi J, Kim JY, Kim HS, Huh JY, Goldman SA, Song J. Human iPSC-derived neural precursor cells differentiate into multiple cell types to delay disease progression following transplantation into YAC128 Huntington's disease mouse model. Cell Prolif 2021; 54:e13082. [PMID: 34152047 PMCID: PMC8349664 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate whether human HLA-homozygous induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neural precursor cells (iPSC-NPCs) can provide functional benefits in Huntington's disease (HD), we transplanted them into the YAC128 transgenic HD mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS CHAi001-A, an HLA-homozygous iPSC line (A*33:03-B*44:03-DRB1*13:02), was differentiated into neural precursor cells, and then, they were transplanted into 6 months-old YAC128 mice. Various behavioural and histological analyses were performed for five months after transplantation. RESULTS Motor and cognitive functions were significantly improved in transplanted animals. Cells transplanted in the striatum showed multipotential differentiation. Five months after transplantation, the donor cells had differentiated into neurons, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. Transplantation restored DARPP-32 expression, synaptophysin density, myelin basic protein expression in the corpus callosum and astrocyte function. CONCLUSION Altogether, these results strongly suggest that iPSC-NPCs transplantation induces neuroprotection and functional recovery in a mouse model of HD and should be taken forward for clinical trials in HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Jung Park
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA Stem Cell Institute, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Juhyun Jeon
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA Stem Cell Institute, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Jiwoo Choi
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA Stem Cell Institute, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Ji Yeon Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA Stem Cell Institute, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Hyun Sook Kim
- Department of Neurology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Ji Young Huh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Steven A Goldman
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.,Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jihwan Song
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA Stem Cell Institute, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Korea.,iPS Bio, Inc., 3F, 16 Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Seongnam-si, Korea
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41
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Beatriz M, Vilaça R, Lopes C. Exosomes: Innocent Bystanders or Critical Culprits in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:635104. [PMID: 34055771 PMCID: PMC8155522 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.635104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized membrane-enclosed particles released by cells that participate in intercellular communication through the transfer of biologic material. EVs include exosomes that are small vesicles that were initially associated with the disposal of cellular garbage; however, recent findings point toward a function as natural carriers of a wide variety of genetic material and proteins. Indeed, exosomes are vesicle mediators of intercellular communication and maintenance of cellular homeostasis. The role of exosomes in health and age-associated diseases is far from being understood, but recent evidence implicates exosomes as causative players in the spread of neurodegenerative diseases. Cells from the central nervous system (CNS) use exosomes as a strategy not only to eliminate membranes, toxic proteins, and RNA species but also to mediate short and long cell-to-cell communication as carriers of important messengers and signals. The accumulation of protein aggregates is a common pathological hallmark in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and prion diseases. Protein aggregates can be removed and delivered to degradation by the endo-lysosomal pathway or can be incorporated in multivesicular bodies (MVBs) that are further released to the extracellular space as exosomes. Because exosome transport damaged cellular material, this eventually contributes to the spread of pathological misfolded proteins within the brain, thus promoting the neurodegeneration process. In this review, we focus on the role of exosomes in CNS homeostasis, their possible contribution to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, the usefulness of exosome cargo as biomarkers of disease, and the potential benefits of plasma circulating CNS-derived exosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Beatriz
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,IIIUC-Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rita Vilaça
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,IIIUC-Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carla Lopes
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,IIIUC-Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Kuang X, Nunn K, Jiang J, Castellano P, Hardikar U, Horgan A, Kong J, Tan Z, Dai W. Structural insight into transmissive mutant huntingtin species by correlative light and electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 560:99-104. [PMID: 33984771 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.04.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aggregates of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) containing an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) tract are hallmarks of Huntington's Disease (HD). Studies have shown that mHTT can spread between cells, leading to the propagation of misfolded protein pathology. However, the structure of transmissive mHTT species, and the molecular mechanisms underlying their transmission remain unknown. Using correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), we identified two types of aggregation-prone granules in conditioned medium from PC12 cells expressing a mHTT N-terminal fragment: densities enclosed by extracellular vesicles (EVs), and uncoated, amorphous meshworks of heterogeneous oligomers that co-localize with clusters of EVs. In vitro assays confirmed that liposomes induce condensation of polyQ oligomers into higher-order assemblies, resembling the uncoated meshworks observed in PC12 conditioned medium. Our findings provide novel insights into formation and architecture of transmissive mHTT proteins, and highlight the potential role of EVs as both carriers and modulators of transmissive mHTT proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuyuan Kuang
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Kyle Nunn
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Jennifer Jiang
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Paul Castellano
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Uttara Hardikar
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Arianna Horgan
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Joyce Kong
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Zhiqun Tan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, 29697, USA; Institute for Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 29697, USA.
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
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Beatriz M, Lopes C, Ribeiro ACS, Rego ACC. Revisiting cell and gene therapies in Huntington's disease. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1744-1762. [PMID: 33881180 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative movement disorders, such as Huntington's disease (HD), share a progressive and relentless course with increasing motor disability, linked with neuropsychiatric impairment. These diseases exhibit diverse pathophysiological processes and are a topic of intense experimental and clinical research due to the lack of therapeutic options. Restorative therapies are promising approaches with the potential to restore brain circuits. However, there were less compelling results in the few clinical trials. In this review, we discuss cell replacement therapies applied to animal models and HD patients. We thoroughly describe the initial trials using fetal neural tissue transplantation and recent approaches based on alternative cell sources tested in several animal models. Stem cells were shown to generate the desired neuron phenotype and/or provide growth factors to the degenerating host cells. Besides, genetic approaches such as RNA interference and the CRISPR/Cas9 system have been studied in animal models and human-derived cells. New genetic manipulations have revealed the capability to control or counteract the effect of human gene mutations as described by the use of antisense oligonucleotides in a clinical trial. In HD, innovative strategies are at forefront of human testing and thus other brain genetic diseases may follow similar therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Beatriz
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra - Polo I, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carla Lopes
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra - Polo I, Coimbra, Portugal.,IIIUC-Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra - Polo II, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Ana Cristina Carvalho Rego
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra - Polo I, Coimbra, Portugal.,FMUC-Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra - Polo III, Coimbra, Portugal
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44
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Ananbeh H, Vodicka P, Kupcova Skalnikova H. Emerging Roles of Exosomes in Huntington's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22084085. [PMID: 33920936 PMCID: PMC8071291 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare hereditary autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder, which is caused by expression of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with an abnormal number of glutamine repeats in its N terminus, and characterized by intracellular mHTT aggregates (inclusions) in the brain. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that are secreted generally by all cell types and can be isolated from almost all body fluids such as blood, urine, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid. Exosomes may participate in the spreading of toxic misfolded proteins across the central nervous system in neurodegenerative diseases. In HD, such propagation of mHTT was observed both in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand, exosomes might carry molecules with neuroprotective effects. In addition, due to their capability to cross blood-brain barrier, exosomes hold great potential as sources of biomarkers available from periphery or carriers of therapeutics into the central nervous system. In this review, we discuss the emerging roles of exosomes in HD pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy.
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45
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Bachoud-Lévi AC, Massart R, Rosser A. Cell therapy in Huntington's disease: Taking stock of past studies to move the field forward. Stem Cells 2021; 39:144-155. [PMID: 33176057 PMCID: PMC10234449 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare inherited neurodegenerative disease that manifests mostly in adulthood with progressive cognitive, behavioral, and motor dysfunction. Neuronal loss occurs predominantly in the striatum but also extends to other brain regions, notably the cortex. Most patients die around 20 years after motor onset, although there is variability in the rate of progression and some phenotypic heterogeneity. The most advanced experimental therapies currently are huntingtin-lowering strategies, some of which are in stage 3 clinical trials. However, even if these approaches are successful, it is unlikely that they will be applicable to all patients or will completely halt continued loss of neural cells in all cases. On the other hand, cellular therapies have the potential to restore atrophied tissues and may therefore provide an important complementary therapeutic avenue. Pilot studies of fetal cell grafts in the 2000s reported the most dramatic clinical improvements yet achieved for this disease, but subsequent studies have so far failed to identify methodology to reliably reproduce these results. Moving forward, a major challenge will be to generate suitable donor cells from (nonfetal) cell sources, but in parallel there are a host of procedural and trial design issues that will be important for improving reliability of transplants and so urgently need attention. Here, we consider findings that have emerged from clinical transplant studies in HD to date, in particular new findings emerging from the recent multicenter intracerebral transplant HD study, and consider how these data may be used to inform future cell therapy trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Catherine Bachoud-Lévi
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, National Reference Center for Huntington's Disease, Neurology Department, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier Hospital, Créteil, France
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Paris, France
- Inserm U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe E01 NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Créteil, France
- Université Paris-Est Créteil, Faculté de Médecine, Créteil, France
| | - Renaud Massart
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, National Reference Center for Huntington's Disease, Neurology Department, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier Hospital, Créteil, France
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Paris, France
- Inserm U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe E01 NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Créteil, France
| | - Anne Rosser
- Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Cardiff University Brain Repair Group, Life Sciences Building, School of Biosciences, Cardiff, UK
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute and Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff, UK
- Brain Repair And Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (BRAIN) Unit, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Current and future applications of induced pluripotent stem cell-based models to study pathological proteins in neurodegenerative disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2685-2706. [PMID: 33495544 PMCID: PMC8505258 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00999-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders emerge from the failure of intricate cellular mechanisms, which ultimately lead to the loss of vulnerable neuronal populations. Research conducted across several laboratories has now provided compelling evidence that pathogenic proteins can also contribute to non-cell autonomous toxicity in several neurodegenerative contexts, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases as well as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Given the nearly ubiquitous nature of abnormal protein accumulation in such disorders, elucidating the mechanisms and routes underlying these processes is essential to the development of effective treatments. To this end, physiologically relevant human in vitro models are critical to understand the processes surrounding uptake, release and nucleation under physiological or pathological conditions. This review explores the use of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to study prion-like protein propagation in neurodegenerative diseases, discusses advantages and limitations of this model, and presents emerging technologies that, combined with the use of iPSC-based models, will provide powerful model systems to propel fundamental research forward.
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Mutant Huntingtin Is Cleared from the Brain via Active Mechanisms in Huntington Disease. J Neurosci 2020; 41:780-796. [PMID: 33310753 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1865-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Therapeutics that lower HTT have shown preclinical promise and are being evaluated in clinical trials. However, clinical assessment of brain HTT lowering presents challenges. We have reported that mutant HTT (mHTT) in the CSF of HD patients correlates with clinical measures, including disease burden as well as motor and cognitive performance. We have also shown that lowering HTT in the brains of HD mice results in correlative reduction of mHTT in the CSF, prompting the use of this measure as an exploratory marker of target engagement in clinical trials. In this study, we investigate the mechanisms of mHTT clearance from the brain in adult mice of both sexes to elucidate the significance of therapy-induced CSF mHTT changes. We demonstrate that, although neurodegeneration increases CSF mHTT concentrations, mHTT is also present in the CSF of mice in the absence of neurodegeneration. Importantly, we show that secretion of mHTT from cells in the CNS followed by glymphatic clearance from the extracellular space contributes to mHTT in the CSF. Furthermore, we observe secretion of wild type HTT from healthy control neurons, suggesting that HTT secretion is a normal process occurring in the absence of pathogenesis. Overall, our data support both passive release and active clearance of mHTT into CSF, suggesting that its treatment-induced changes may represent a combination of target engagement and preservation of neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Changes in CSF mutant huntingtin (mHTT) are being used as an exploratory endpoint in HTT lowering clinical trials for the treatment of Huntington disease (HD). Recently, it was demonstrated that intrathecal administration of a HTT lowering agent leads to dose-dependent reduction of CSF mHTT in HD patients. However, little is known about how HTT, an intracellular protein, reaches the extracellular space and ultimately the CSF. Our findings that HTT enters CSF by both passive release and active secretion followed by glymphatic clearance may have significant implications for interpretation of treatment-induced changes of CSF mHTT in clinical trials for HD.
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Masnata M, Salem S, de Rus Jacquet A, Anwer M, Cicchetti F. Targeting Tau to Treat Clinical Features of Huntington's Disease. Front Neurol 2020; 11:580732. [PMID: 33329322 PMCID: PMC7710872 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.580732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by severe motor, cognitive and psychiatric impairments. While motor deficits often confirm diagnosis, cognitive dysfunctions usually manifest early in the disease process and are consistently ranked among the leading factors that impact the patients' quality of life. The genetic component of HD, a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, is traditionally presented as the main contributor to disease pathology. However, accumulating evidence suggests the implication of the microtubule-associated tau protein to the pathogenesis and therefore, proposes an alternative conceptual framework where tau and mutant huntingtin (mHTT) act conjointly to drive neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction. This perspective on disease etiology offers new avenues to design therapeutic interventions and could leverage decades of research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies to rapidly advance drug discovery. In this mini review, we examine the breadth of tau-targeting treatments currently tested in the preclinical and clinical settings for AD and other tauopathies, and discuss the potential application of these strategies to HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Masnata
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Shireen Salem
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Aurelie de Rus Jacquet
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Mehwish Anwer
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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Gomez-Gutierrez R, Morales R. The prion-like phenomenon in Alzheimer's disease: Evidence of pathology transmission in humans. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1009004. [PMID: 33119726 PMCID: PMC7595341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Gomez-Gutierrez
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology, Genetics and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rodrigo Morales
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Centro Integrativo de Biología y Química Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail:
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Merezhko M, Uronen RL, Huttunen HJ. The Cell Biology of Tau Secretion. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:569818. [PMID: 33071756 PMCID: PMC7539664 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.569818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The progressive accumulation and spread of misfolded tau protein in the nervous system is the hallmark of tauopathies, progressive neurodegenerative diseases with only symptomatic treatments available. A growing body of evidence suggests that spreading of tau pathology can occur via cell-to-cell transfer involving secretion and internalization of pathological forms of tau protein followed by templated misfolding of normal tau in recipient cells. Several studies have addressed the cell biological mechanisms of tau secretion. It now appears that instead of a single mechanism, cells can secrete tau via three coexisting pathways: (1) translocation through the plasma membrane; (2) membranous organelles-based secretion; and (3) ectosomal shedding. The relative importance of these pathways in the secretion of normal and pathological tau is still elusive, though. Moreover, glial cells contribute to tau propagation, and the involvement of different cell types, as well as different secretion pathways, complicates the understanding of prion-like propagation of tauopathy. One of the important regulators of tau secretion in neuronal activity, but its mechanistic connection to tau secretion remains unclear and may involve all three secretion pathways of tau. This review article summarizes recent advancements in the field of tau secretion with an emphasis on cell biological aspects of the secretion process and discusses the role of neuronal activity and glial cells in the spread of pathological forms of tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Merezhko
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Henri J Huttunen
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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