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Pelaez MC, Fiore F, Larochelle N, Dabbaghizadeh A, Comaduran MF, Arbour D, Minotti S, Marcadet L, Semaan M, Robitaille R, Nalbantoglu JN, Sephton CF, Durham HD. Reversal of cognitive deficits in FUS R521G amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice by arimoclomol and a class I histone deacetylase inhibitor independent of heat shock protein induction. Neurotherapeutics 2024:e00388. [PMID: 38972779 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurot.2024.e00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding and mislocalization are common to both familial and sporadic forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Maintaining proteostasis through induction of heat shock proteins (HSP) to increase chaperoning capacity is a rational therapeutic strategy in the treatment of ALS. However, the threshold for upregulating stress-inducible HSPs remains high in neurons, presenting a therapeutic obstacle. This study used mouse models expressing the ALS variants FUSR521G or SOD1G93A to follow up on previous work in cultured motor neurons showing varied effects of the HSP co-inducer, arimoclomol, and class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors on HSP expression depending on the ALS variant being expressed. As in cultured neurons, neither expression of the transgene nor drug treatments induced expression of HSPs in cortex, spinal cord or muscle of FUSR521G mice, indicating suppression of the heat shock response. Nonetheless, arimoclomol, and RGFP963, restored performance on cognitive tests and improved cortical dendritic spine densities. In SOD1G93A mice, multiple HSPs were upregulated in hindlimb skeletal muscle, but not in lumbar spinal cord with the exception of HSPB1 associated with astrocytosis. Drug treatments improved contractile force but reduced the increase in HSPs in muscle rather than facilitating their expression. The data point to mechanisms other than amplification of the heat shock response underlying recovery of cognitive function in ALS-FUS mice by arimoclomol and class I HDAC inhibition and suggest potential benefits in counteracting cognitive impairment in ALS, frontotemporal dementia and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Carmen Pelaez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC Canada.
| | - Frédéric Fiore
- Département de Neurosciences and Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, and Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l'apprentissage, Montréal, QC Canada.
| | - Nancy Larochelle
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada.
| | - Afrooz Dabbaghizadeh
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada.
| | - Mario Fernández Comaduran
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada.
| | - Danielle Arbour
- Département de Neurosciences and Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, and Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l'apprentissage, Montréal, QC Canada.
| | - Sandra Minotti
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada.
| | - Laetitia Marcadet
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC Canada.
| | - Martine Semaan
- Département de Neurosciences and Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, and Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l'apprentissage, Montréal, QC Canada.
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Département de Neurosciences and Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, and Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l'apprentissage, Montréal, QC Canada.
| | - Josephine N Nalbantoglu
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada.
| | - Chantelle F Sephton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC Canada.
| | - Heather D Durham
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada.
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2
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Clayton EL, Huggon L, Cousin MA, Mizielinska S. Synaptopathy: presynaptic convergence in frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2024; 147:2289-2307. [PMID: 38451707 PMCID: PMC11224618 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae074] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are common forms of neurodegenerative disease that share overlapping genetics and pathologies. Crucially, no significantly disease-modifying treatments are available for either disease. Identifying the earliest changes that initiate neuronal dysfunction is important for designing effective intervention therapeutics. The genes mutated in genetic forms of frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have diverse cellular functions, and multiple disease mechanisms have been proposed for both. Identification of a convergent disease mechanism in frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis would focus research for a targetable pathway, which could potentially effectively treat all forms of frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (both familial and sporadic). Synaptopathies are diseases resulting from physiological dysfunction of synapses, and define the earliest stages in multiple neuronal diseases, with synapse loss a key feature in dementia. At the presynapse, the process of synaptic vesicle recruitment, fusion and recycling is necessary for activity-dependent neurotransmitter release. The unique distal location of the presynaptic terminal means the tight spatio-temporal control of presynaptic homeostasis is dependent on efficient local protein translation and degradation. Recently, numerous publications have shown that mutations associated with frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis present with synaptopathy characterized by presynaptic dysfunction. This review will describe the complex local signalling and membrane trafficking events that occur at the presynapse to facilitate neurotransmission and will summarize recent publications linking frontotemporal dementia/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis genetic mutations to presynaptic function. This evidence indicates that presynaptic synaptopathy is an early and convergent event in frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and illustrates the need for further research in this area, to identify potential therapeutic targets with the ability to impact this convergent pathomechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Clayton
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King’s College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Laura Huggon
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King’s College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Michael A Cousin
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Sarah Mizielinska
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King’s College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London SE5 9RT, UK
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3
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Nascimento F, Özyurt MG, Halablab K, Bhumbra GS, Caron G, Bączyk M, Zytnicki D, Manuel M, Roselli F, Brownstone R, Beato M. Spinal microcircuits go through multiphasic homeostatic compensations in a mouse model of motoneuron degeneration. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.10.588918. [PMID: 38645210 PMCID: PMC11030447 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.10.588918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
In neurological conditions affecting the brain, early-stage neural circuit adaption is key for long-term preservation of normal behaviour. We tested if motoneurons and respective microcircuits also adapt in the initial stages of disease progression in a mouse model of progressive motoneuron degeneration. Using a combination of in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology and super-resolution microscopy, we found that, preceding muscle denervation and motoneuron death, recurrent inhibition mediated by Renshaw cells is reduced in half due to impaired quantal size associated with decreased glycine receptor density. Additionally, higher probability of release from proprioceptive Ia terminals leads to increased monosynaptic excitation to motoneurons. Surprisingly, the initial impairment in recurrent inhibition is not a widespread feature of inhibitory spinal circuits, such as group I inhibitory afferents, and is compensated at later stages of disease progression. We reveal that in disease conditions, spinal microcircuits undergo specific multiphasic homeostatic compensations to preserve force output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Nascimento
- Department of Neuroscience Physiology and Pharmacology (NPP), Gower Street, University College London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - M. Görkem Özyurt
- Department of Neuroscience Physiology and Pharmacology (NPP), Gower Street, University College London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Kareen Halablab
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases-Ulm (DZNE-Ulm), Ulm, Germany
| | - Gardave Singh Bhumbra
- Department of Neuroscience Physiology and Pharmacology (NPP), Gower Street, University College London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Guillaume Caron
- Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Université Paris Cité, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
| | - Marcin Bączyk
- Department of Neurobiology, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland
| | - Daniel Zytnicki
- Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Université Paris Cité, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
| | - Marin Manuel
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, USA
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Francesco Roselli
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases-Ulm (DZNE-Ulm), Ulm, Germany
| | - Rob Brownstone
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Marco Beato
- Department of Neuroscience Physiology and Pharmacology (NPP), Gower Street, University College London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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4
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King PH. Skeletal muscle as a molecular and cellular biomarker of disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a narrative review. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:747-753. [PMID: 37843208 PMCID: PMC10664124 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.382226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal multisystemic neurodegenerative disease with motor neurons being a primary target. Although progressive weakness is a hallmark feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, there is considerable heterogeneity, including clinical presentation, progression, and the underlying triggers for disease initiation. Based on longitudinal studies with families harboring amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated gene mutations, it has become apparent that overt disease is preceded by a prodromal phase, possibly in years, where compensatory mechanisms delay symptom onset. Since 85-90% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is sporadic, there is a strong need for identifying biomarkers that can detect this prodromal phase as motor neurons have limited capacity for regeneration. Current Food and Drug Administration-approved therapies work by slowing the degenerative process and are most effective early in the disease. Skeletal muscle, including the neuromuscular junction, manifests abnormalities at the earliest stages of the disease, before motor neuron loss, making it a promising source for identifying biomarkers of the prodromal phase. The accessibility of muscle through biopsy provides a lens into the distal motor system at earlier stages and in real time. The advent of "omics" technology has led to the identification of numerous dysregulated molecules in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis muscle, ranging from coding and non-coding RNAs to proteins and metabolites. This technology has opened the door for identifying biomarkers of disease activity and providing insight into disease mechanisms. A major challenge is correlating the myriad of dysregulated molecules with clinical or histological progression and understanding their relevance to presymptomatic phases of disease. There are two major goals of this review. The first is to summarize some of the biomarkers identified in human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis muscle that have a clinicopathological correlation with disease activity, evidence of a similar dysregulation in the SOD1G93A mouse during presymptomatic stages, and evidence of progressive change during disease progression. The second goal is to review the molecular pathways these biomarkers reflect and their potential role in mitigating or promoting disease progression, and as such, their potential as therapeutic targets in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter H. King
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
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5
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Cunha-Oliveira T, Montezinho L, Simões RF, Carvalho M, Ferreiro E, Silva FSG. Mitochondria: A Promising Convergent Target for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2024; 13:248. [PMID: 38334639 PMCID: PMC10854804 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030248] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons, for which current treatment options are limited. Recent studies have shed light on the role of mitochondria in ALS pathogenesis, making them an attractive therapeutic intervention target. This review contains a very comprehensive critical description of the involvement of mitochondria and mitochondria-mediated mechanisms in ALS. The review covers several key areas related to mitochondria in ALS, including impaired mitochondrial function, mitochondrial bioenergetics, reactive oxygen species, metabolic processes and energy metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics, turnover, autophagy and mitophagy, impaired mitochondrial transport, and apoptosis. This review also highlights preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated various mitochondria-targeted therapies for ALS treatment. These include strategies to improve mitochondrial function, such as the use of dichloroacetate, ketogenic and high-fat diets, acetyl-carnitine, and mitochondria-targeted antioxidants. Additionally, antiapoptotic agents, like the mPTP-targeting agents minocycline and rasagiline, are discussed. The paper aims to contribute to the identification of effective mitochondria-targeted therapies for ALS treatment by synthesizing the current understanding of the role of mitochondria in ALS pathogenesis and reviewing potential convergent therapeutic interventions. The complex interplay between mitochondria and the pathogenic mechanisms of ALS holds promise for the development of novel treatment strategies to combat this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Cunha-Oliveira
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Liliana Montezinho
- Center for Investigation Vasco da Gama (CIVG), Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal;
| | - Rui F. Simões
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marcelo Carvalho
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Ferreiro
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Filomena S. G. Silva
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Mitotag Lda, Biocant Park, 3060-197 Cantanhede, Portugal
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6
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Shimizu M, Shiraishi N, Tada S, Sasaki T, Beck G, Nagano S, Kinoshita M, Sumi H, Sugimoto T, Ishida Y, Koda T, Ishikura T, Sugiyama Y, Kihara K, Kanakura M, Nakajima T, Takeda S, Takahashi MP, Yamashita T, Okuno T, Mochizuki H. RGMa collapses the neuronal actin barrier against disease-implicated protein and exacerbates ALS. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg3193. [PMID: 37992159 PMCID: PMC10665002 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg3193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Repulsive guidance molecule A (RGMa) was originally identified as a neuronal growth cone-collapsing factor. Previous reports have demonstrated the multifunctional roles of RGMa mediated by neogenin1. However, the pathogenic involvement of RGMa in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that RGMa concentration was elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of both patients with ALS and transgenic mice overexpressing the mutant human superoxide dismutase1 (mSOD1 mice). Treatment with humanized anti-RGMa monoclonal antibody ameliorated the clinical symptoms in mSOD1 mice. Histochemical analysis revealed that the anti-RGMa antibody significantly decreased mutant SOD1 protein accumulation in the motor neurons of mSOD1 mice via inhibition of actin depolymerization. In vitro analysis revealed that the anti-RGMa antibody inhibited the cellular uptake of the mutant SOD1 protein, presumably by reinforcing the neuronal actin barrier. Collectively, these data suggest that RGMa leads to the collapse of the neuronal actin barrier and promotes aberrant protein deposition, resulting in exacerbation of the ALS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikito Shimizu
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Shiraishi
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoru Tada
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Osaka-Minami Medical Center, Kawachinagano, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Sasaki
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Goichi Beck
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Seiichi Nagano
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Makoto Kinoshita
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hisae Sumi
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Higashiosaka City Medical Center, Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Sugimoto
- Graduate School of Data Science, Shiga University, Hikone, Shiga, Japan
| | - Yoko Ishida
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toru Koda
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Teruyuki Ishikura
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Higashiosaka City Medical Center, Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuko Sugiyama
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keigo Kihara
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Minami Kanakura
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Health Sciences, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tsuneo Nakajima
- Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shuko Takeda
- Department of Clinical Gene Therapy, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masanori P. Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Health Sciences, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshihide Yamashita
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tatsusada Okuno
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hideki Mochizuki
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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7
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Alhindi A, Shand M, Smith HL, Leite AS, Huang YT, van der Hoorn D, Ridgway Z, Faller KME, Jones RA, Gillingwater TH, Chaytow H. Neuromuscular junction denervation and terminal Schwann cell loss in the hTDP-43 overexpression mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2023; 49:e12925. [PMID: 37465879 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12925] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with complex aetiology. Despite evidence of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) denervation and 'dying-back' pathology in models of SOD1-dependent ALS, evidence in other genetic forms of ALS is limited by a lack of suitable animal models. TDP-43, a key mediator protein in ALS, is overexpressed in neurons in Thy1-hTDP-43WT mice. We therefore aimed to comprehensively analyse NMJ pathology in this model of ALS. METHODS Expression of TDP-43 was assessed via western blotting. Immunohistochemistry techniques, alongside NMJ-morph quantification, were used to analyse motor neuron number, NMJ denervation status and terminal Schwann cell morphology. RESULTS We present a time course of progressive, region-specific motor neuron pathology in Thy1-hTDP-43WT mice. Thy1-driven hTDP-43 expression increased steadily, correlating with developing hindlimb motor weakness and associated motor neuron loss in the spinal cord with a median survival of 21 days. Pronounced NMJ denervation was observed in hindlimb muscles, mild denervation in cranial muscles but no evidence of denervation in either forelimb or trunk muscles. NMJ pathology was restricted to motor nerve terminals, with denervation following the same time course as motor neuron loss. Terminal Schwann cells were lost from NMJs in hindlimb muscles, directly correlating with denervation status. CONCLUSIONS Thy1-hTDP-43WT mice represent a severe model of ALS, with NMJ pathology/denervation of distal muscles and motor neuron loss, as observed in ALS patients. This model therefore provides an ideal platform to investigate mechanisms of dying-back pathology, as well as NMJ-targeting disease-modifying therapies in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Alhindi
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Megan Shand
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hannah L Smith
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ana S Leite
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
- School of Medicine, UNESP-São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Yu-Ting Huang
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Dinja van der Hoorn
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Zara Ridgway
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kiterie M E Faller
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ross A Jones
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Thomas H Gillingwater
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Helena Chaytow
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
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8
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Qin S, You P, Yu H, Su B. REEP1 Preserves Motor Function in SOD1 G93A Mice by Improving Mitochondrial Function via Interaction with NDUFA4. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:929-946. [PMID: 36520405 PMCID: PMC10264344 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00995-7] [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: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A decline in the activities of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes has been consistently reported in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and animal models of ALS, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive. Here, we report that receptor expression enhancing protein 1 (REEP1) acts as an important regulator of complex IV assembly, which is pivotal to preserving motor neurons in SOD1G93A mice. We found the expression of REEP1 was greatly reduced in transgenic SOD1G93A mice with ALS. Moreover, forced expression of REEP1 in the spinal cord extended the lifespan, decelerated symptom progression, and improved the motor performance of SOD1G93A mice. The neuromuscular synaptic loss, gliosis, and even motor neuron loss in SOD1G93A mice were alleviated by increased REEP1 through augmentation of mitochondrial function. Mechanistically, REEP1 associates with NDUFA4, and plays an important role in preserving the integrity of mitochondrial complex IV. Our findings offer insights into the pathogenic mechanism of REEP1 deficiency in neurodegenerative diseases and suggest a new therapeutic target for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyue Qin
- Department of Cell Biology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Pan You
- Department of Cell Biology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Hui Yu
- Department of Cell Biology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Bo Su
- Department of Cell Biology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
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9
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McIntosh J, Mekrouda I, Dashti M, Giuraniuc CV, Banks RW, Miles GB, Bewick GS. Development of abnormalities at the neuromuscular junction in the SOD1-G93A mouse model of ALS: dysfunction then disruption of postsynaptic structure precede overt motor symptoms. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1169075. [PMID: 37273905 PMCID: PMC10237339 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1169075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The ultimate deficit in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is neuromuscular junction (NMJ) loss, producing permanent paralysis, ultimately in respiratory muscles. However, understanding the functional and structural deficits at NMJs prior to this loss is crucial for therapeutic strategy design. Should early interventions focus on reversing denervation, or supporting largely intact NMJs that are functionally impaired? We therefore determined when functional and structural deficits appeared in diaphragmatic NMJs relative to the onset of hindlimb tremor (the first overt motor symptoms) in vivo in the SOD1-G93A mouse model of ALS. Materials and methods We employed electrophysiological recording of NMJ postsynaptic potentials for spontaneous and nerve stimulation-evoked responses. This was correlated with fluorescent imaging microscopy of the postsynaptic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) distribution throughout the postnatal developmental timecourse from 2 weeks to early symptomatic ages. Results Significant reduction in the amplitudes of spontaneous miniature endplate potentials (mEPPs) and evoked EPPs emerged only at early symptomatic ages (in our colony, 18-22 weeks). Reductions in mEPP frequency, number of vesicles per EPP, and EPP rise time were seen earlier, at 16weeks, but this reversed by early symptomatic ages. However, the earliest and most striking impairment was an inability to maintain EPP amplitude during a 20 Hz stimulus train, which appeared 6 weeks before overt in vivo motor symptoms. Despite this, fluorescent α-bungarotoxin labelling revealed no systematic, progressive changes in 11 comprehensive NMJ morphological parameters (area, shape, compactness, number of acetylcholine receptor, AChR, regions, etc.) with disease progression. Rather, while NMJs were largely normally-shaped, from 16 weeks there was a progressive and substantial disruption in AChR concentration and distribution within the NMJ footprint. Discussion Thus, NMJ functional deficits appear at least 6 weeks before motor symptoms in vivo, while structural deficits occur 4 weeks later, and predominantly within NMJs. These data suggest initial therapies focused on rectifying suboptimal NMJ function could produce effective relief of symptoms of weakness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne McIntosh
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Imane Mekrouda
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Maryam Dashti
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | | | - Robert W. Banks
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth B. Miles
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Guy S. Bewick
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
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10
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Watanabe S, Horiuchi M, Murata Y, Komine O, Kawade N, Sobue A, Yamanaka K. Sigma-1 receptor maintains ATAD3A as a monomer to inhibit mitochondrial fragmentation at the mitochondria-associated membrane in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 179:106031. [PMID: 36736924 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106031] [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: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Organelle contact sites are multifunctional platforms for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Alternations of the mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM), one of the organelle contact sites where the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is tethered to the mitochondria, have been involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the detailed mechanisms through which MAM integrity is disrupted in ALS have not been fully elucidated. Here, we examined whether AAA ATPase domain-containing protein 3A (ATAD3A), a mitochondrial membrane AAA ATPase accumulating at the MAM, is involved in ALS. We found that sigma-1 receptor (σ1R), an ER-resident MAM protein causative for inherited juvenile ALS, required ATAD3A to maintain the MAM. In addition, σ1R retained ATAD3A as a monomer, which is associated with an inhibition of mitochondrial fragmentation. ATAD3A dimerization and mitochondrial fragmentation were significantly induced in σ1R-deficient or SOD1-linked ALS mouse spinal cords. Overall, these observations indicate that MAM induction by σ1R depends on ATAD3A and that σ1R maintains ATAD3A as a monomer to inhibit mitochondrial fragmentation. Our findings suggest that targeting σ1R-ATAD3A axis would be promising for a novel therapeutic strategy to treat mitochondrial dysfunction in neurological disorders, including ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiji Watanabe
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Mai Horiuchi
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yuri Murata
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Okiru Komine
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Noe Kawade
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Akira Sobue
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Medical Interactive Research and Academia Industry Collaboration Center, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Koji Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan; Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research (COMIT), Gifu University Institute for Advanced Study, Japan.
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11
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DOK7 Promotes NMJ Regeneration After Nerve Injury. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:1453-1464. [PMID: 36464749 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03143-4] [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] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Motor function recovery from injury requires the regeneration of not only muscle fibers, but also the neuromuscular junction-the synapse between motor nerve terminals and muscle fibers. However, unlike muscle regeneration which has been extensively studied, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of NMJ regeneration. Recognizing the critical role of agrin-LRP4-MuSK signaling in NMJ formation and maintenance, we investigated whether increasing MuSK activity promotes NMJ regeneration. To this end, we evaluated the effect of DOK7, a protein that stimulates MuSK, on NMJ regeneration. Reinnervation, AChR cluster density, and endplate area were improved, and fragmentation was reduced in the AAV9-DOK7-GFP-injected muscles compared with muscles injected with AAV9-GFP. These results demonstrated expedited NMJ regeneration associated with increased DOK7 expression and support the hypothesis that increasing agrin signaling benefits motor function recovery after injury. Our findings propose a potentially new therapeutic strategy for functional recovery after muscle and nerve injury, i.e., promoting NMJ regeneration by increasing agrin signaling.
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12
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Cavarsan CF, Steele PR, Genry LT, Reedich EJ, McCane LM, LaPre KJ, Puritz AC, Manuel M, Katenka N, Quinlan KA. Inhibitory interneurons show early dysfunction in a SOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Physiol 2023; 601:647-667. [PMID: 36515374 PMCID: PMC9898203 DOI: 10.1113/jp284192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Few studies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) measure effects of the disease on inhibitory interneurons synapsing onto motoneurons (MNs). However, inhibitory interneurons could contribute to dysfunction, particularly if altered before MN neuropathology, and establish a long-term imbalance of inhibition/excitation. We directly assessed excitability and morphology of glycinergic (GlyT2 expressing) ventral lumbar interneurons from SOD1G93AGlyT2eGFP (SOD1) and wild-type GlyT2eGFP (WT) mice on postnatal days 6-10. Patch clamp revealed dampened excitability in SOD1 interneurons, including depolarized persistent inward currents (PICs), increased voltage and current threshold for firing action potentials, along with a marginal decrease in afterhyperpolarization duration. Primary neurites of ventral SOD1 inhibitory interneurons were larger in volume and surface area than WT. GlyT2 interneurons were then divided into three subgroups based on location: (1) interneurons within 100 μm of the ventral white matter, where Renshaw cells (RCs) are located, (2) interneurons interspersed with MNs in lamina IX, and (3) interneurons in the intermediate ventral area including laminae VII and VIII. Ventral interneurons in the RC area were the most profoundly affected, exhibiting more depolarized PICs and larger primary neurites. Interneurons in lamina IX had depolarized PIC onset. In lamina VII-VIII, interneurons were least affected. In summary, inhibitory interneurons show very early region-specific perturbations poised to impact excitatory/inhibitory balance of MNs, modify motor output and provide early biomarkers of ALS. Therapeutics like riluzole that universally reduce CNS excitability could exacerbate the inhibitory dysfunction described here. KEY POINTS: Spinal inhibitory interneurons could contribute to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology, but their excitability has never been directly measured. We studied the excitability and morphology of glycinergic interneurons in early postnatal transgenic mice (SOD1G93A GlyT2eGFP). Interneurons were less excitable and had marginally smaller somas but larger primary neurites in SOD1 mice. GlyT2 interneurons were analysed according to their localization within the ventral spinal cord. Interestingly, the greatest differences were observed in the most ventrally located interneurons. We conclude that inhibitory interneurons show presymptomatic changes that may contribute to excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa F Cavarsan
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Preston R Steele
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Landon T Genry
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Emily J Reedich
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Lynn M McCane
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Kay J LaPre
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Alyssa C Puritz
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Marin Manuel
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Natallia Katenka
- Department of Computer Science and Statistics, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Katharina A Quinlan
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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13
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Tsitsipatis D, Mazan-Mamczarz K, Si Y, Herman AB, Yang JH, Guha A, Piao Y, Fan J, Martindale JL, Munk R, Yang X, De S, Singh BK, Ho R, Gorospe M, King PH. Transcriptomic analysis of human ALS skeletal muscle reveals a disease-specific pattern of dysregulated circRNAs. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:9832-9859. [PMID: 36585921 PMCID: PMC9831722 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Circular RNAs are abundant, covalently closed transcripts that arise in cells through back-splicing and display distinct expression patterns across cells and developmental stages. While their functions are largely unknown, their intrinsic stability has made them valuable biomarkers in many diseases. Here, we set out to examine circRNA patterns in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). By RNA-sequencing analysis, we first identified circRNAs and linear RNAs that were differentially abundant in skeletal muscle biopsies from ALS compared to normal individuals. By RT-qPCR analysis, we confirmed that 8 circRNAs were significantly elevated and 10 were significantly reduced in ALS, while the linear mRNA counterparts, arising from shared precursor RNAs, generally did not change. Several of these circRNAs were also differentially abundant in motor neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) bearing ALS mutations, and across different disease stages in skeletal muscle from a mouse model of ALS (SOD1G93A). Interestingly, a subset of the circRNAs significantly elevated in ALS muscle biopsies were significantly reduced in the spinal cord samples from ALS patients and ALS (SOD1G93A) mice. In sum, we have identified differentially abundant circRNAs in ALS-relevant tissues (muscle and spinal cord) that could inform about neuromuscular molecular programs in ALS and guide the development of therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Tsitsipatis
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Krystyna Mazan-Mamczarz
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Ying Si
- Department of Neurology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Allison B. Herman
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Jen-Hao Yang
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Abhishek Guha
- Department of Neurology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Yulan Piao
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Jinshui Fan
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Martindale
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Rachel Munk
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Xiaoling Yang
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Supriyo De
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Brijesh K. Singh
- Center for Neural Science and Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Ritchie Ho
- Center for Neural Science and Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Myriam Gorospe
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Peter H. King
- Department of Neurology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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14
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Negro S, Lauria F, Stazi M, Tebaldi T, D’Este G, Pirazzini M, Megighian A, Lessi F, Mazzanti CM, Sales G, Romualdi C, Fillo S, Lista F, Sleigh JN, Tosolini AP, Schiavo G, Viero G, Rigoni M. Hydrogen peroxide induced by nerve injury promotes axon regeneration via connective tissue growth factor. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:189. [PMID: 36567321 PMCID: PMC9791753 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01495-5] [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: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Regeneration of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) leverages on extensive exchange of factors released from motor axon terminals (MATs), muscle fibers and perisynaptic Schwann cells (PSCs), among which hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a major pro-regenerative signal. To identify critical determinants of NMJ remodeling in response to injury, we performed temporal transcriptional profiling of NMJs from 2 month-old mice during MAT degeneration/regeneration, and cross-referenced the differentially expressed genes with those elicited by H2O2 in SCs. We identified an enrichment in extracellular matrix (ECM) transcripts, including Connective Tissue Growth Factor (Ctgf), which is usually expressed during development. We discovered that Ctgf levels are increased in a Yes-associated protein (YAP)-dependent fashion in response to rapid, local H2O2 signaling generated by stressed mitochondria in the injured sciatic nerve, a finding highlighting the importance of signals triggered by mechanical force to motor nerve repair. Through sequestration of Ctgf or inactivation of H2O2, we delayed the recovery of neuromuscular function by impairing SC migration and, in turn, axon-oriented re-growth. These data indicate that H2O2 and its downstream effector Ctgf are pro-regenerative factors that enable axonal growth, and reveal a striking ECM remodeling process during nerve regeneration upon local H2O2 signaling. Our study identifies key transcriptomic changes at the regenerating NMJ, providing a rich source of pro-regenerative factors with potential for alleviating the consequences of peripheral nerve injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Negro
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470U.O.C. Clinica Neurologica, Azienda Ospedale, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Fabio Lauria
- grid.419463.d0000 0004 1756 3731Institute of Biophysics, CNR Unit at Trento, 38123 Povo, Italy
| | - Marco Stazi
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Toma Tebaldi
- grid.11696.390000 0004 1937 0351Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Povo, Italy ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Section of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520 USA
| | - Giorgia D’Este
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Marco Pirazzini
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Myology Center (CIR-Myo), University of Padua, 35129 Padua, Italy
| | - Aram Megighian
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Francesca Lessi
- Laboratory of Genomics, Pisa Science Foundation, 56017 San Giuliano Terme, Italy
| | - Chiara M. Mazzanti
- Laboratory of Genomics, Pisa Science Foundation, 56017 San Giuliano Terme, Italy
| | - Gabriele Sales
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Biology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Chiara Romualdi
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Biology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Silvia Fillo
- grid.470599.60000 0004 1760 920XCenter of Medical and Veterinary Research of the Ministry of Defence, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Florigio Lista
- grid.470599.60000 0004 1760 920XCenter of Medical and Veterinary Research of the Ministry of Defence, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - James N. Sleigh
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG UK ,grid.83440.3b0000000121901201UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG UK ,grid.83440.3b0000000121901201UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Andrew P. Tosolini
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG UK ,grid.83440.3b0000000121901201UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG UK ,grid.83440.3b0000000121901201UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG UK ,grid.83440.3b0000000121901201UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Gabriella Viero
- grid.419463.d0000 0004 1756 3731Institute of Biophysics, CNR Unit at Trento, 38123 Povo, Italy
| | - Michela Rigoni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy. .,Myology Center (CIR-Myo), University of Padua, 35129, Padua, Italy.
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15
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Sensory Involvement in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415521. [PMID: 36555161 PMCID: PMC9779879 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is pre-eminently a motor disease, the existence of non-motor manifestations, including sensory involvement, has been described in the last few years. Although from a clinical perspective, sensory symptoms are overshadowed by their motor manifestations, this does not mean that their pathological significance is not relevant. In this review, we have made an extensive description of the involvement of sensory and autonomic systems described to date in ALS, from clinical, neurophysiological, neuroimaging, neuropathological, functional, and molecular perspectives.
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16
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Zou S, Pan BX. Post-synaptic specialization of the neuromuscular junction: junctional folds formation, function, and disorders. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:93. [PMID: 35718785 PMCID: PMC9208267 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00829-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-synaptic specialization is critical to the neurotransmitter release and action potential conduction. The neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are the synapses between the motor neurons and muscle cells and have a more specialized post-synaptic membrane than synapses in the central nervous system (CNS). The sarcolemma within NMJ folded to form some invagination portions called junctional folds (JFs), and they have important roles in maintaining the post-synaptic membrane structure. The NMJ formation and the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering signal pathway have been extensively studied and reviewed. Although it has been suggested that JFs are related to maintaining the safety factor of neurotransmitter release, the formation mechanism and function of JFs are still unclear. This review will focus on the JFs about evolution, formation, function, and disorders. Anticipate understanding of where they are coming from and where we will study in the future.
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17
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Khademullah CS, De Koninck Y. A novel assessment of fine-motor function reveals early hindlimb and detectable forelimb deficits in an experimental model of ALS. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17010. [PMID: 36220871 PMCID: PMC9553953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20333-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with the loss of cortical and spinal motor neurons (MNs) and muscle degeneration (Kiernan et al. in Lancet 377:942-955, 2011). In the preclinical setting, functional tests that can detect early changes in motor function in rodent models of ALS are critical to understanding the etiology of the disease and treatment development. Here, we established a string-pulling paradigm that can detect forelimb and hindlimb motor deficits in the SOD1 mouse model of ALS earlier than traditional motor performance tasks. Additionally, our findings indicate that early loss of forelimb and hindlimb function is correlated with cortical and spinal MN loss, respectively. This task is not only ecological, low-cost, efficient, and non-onerous, it also requires little animal handling and reduces the stress placed on the animal. It has long been a concern in the field that the SOD1 mouse does not display forelimb motor deficits and does not give researchers a complete picture of the disease. Here, we provide evidence that the SOD1 model does in fact develop early forelimb motor deficits due to the task's ability to assess fine-motor function, reconciling this model with the various clinical presentation of ALS. Taken together, the string-pulling paradigm may provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of ALS, offer nuanced evaluation of prospective treatments, and has high translational potential to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Sahara Khademullah
- grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390CERVO Brain Research Centre, Université Laval, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3 Canada
| | - Yves De Koninck
- grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390CERVO Brain Research Centre, Université Laval, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3 Canada
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18
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Barbosa M, Santos M, de Sousa N, Duarte-Silva S, Vaz AR, Salgado AJ, Brites D. Intrathecal Injection of the Secretome from ALS Motor Neurons Regulated for miR-124 Expression Prevents Disease Outcomes in SOD1-G93A Mice. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092120. [PMID: 36140218 PMCID: PMC9496075 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with short life expectancy and no effective therapy. We previously identified upregulated miR-124 in NSC-34-motor neurons (MNs) expressing human SOD1-G93A (mSOD1) and established its implication in mSOD1 MN degeneration and glial cell activation. When anti-miR-124-treated mSOD1 MN (preconditioned) secretome was incubated in spinal cord organotypic cultures from symptomatic mSOD1 mice, the dysregulated homeostatic balance was circumvented. To decipher the therapeutic potential of such preconditioned secretome, we intrathecally injected it in mSOD1 mice at the early stage of the disease (12-week-old). Preconditioned secretome prevented motor impairment and was effective in counteracting muscle atrophy, glial reactivity/dysfunction, and the neurodegeneration of the symptomatic mSOD1 mice. Deficits in corticospinal function and gait abnormalities were precluded, and the loss of gastrocnemius muscle fiber area was avoided. At the molecular level, the preconditioned secretome enhanced NeuN mRNA/protein expression levels and the PSD-95/TREM2/IL-10/arginase 1/MBP/PLP genes, thus avoiding the neuronal/glial cell dysregulation that characterizes ALS mice. It also prevented upregulated GFAP/Cx43/S100B/vimentin and inflammatory-associated miRNAs, specifically miR-146a/miR-155/miR-21, which are displayed by symptomatic animals. Collectively, our study highlights the intrathecal administration of the secretome from anti-miR-124-treated mSOD1 MNs as a therapeutic strategy for halting/delaying disease progression in an ALS mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Barbosa
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Santos
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nídia de Sousa
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Sara Duarte-Silva
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Vaz
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - António J. Salgado
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Dora Brites
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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19
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The Cell Autonomous and Non-Cell Autonomous Aspects of Neuronal Vulnerability and Resilience in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081191. [PMID: 36009818 PMCID: PMC9405388 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease characterized by a progressive paralysis due to the loss of particular neurons in our nervous system called motor neurons, that exert voluntary control of all our skeletal muscles. It is not entirely understood why motor neurons are particularly vulnerable in ALS, neither is it completely clear why certain groups of motor neurons, including those that regulate eye movement, are rather resilient to this disease. However, both vulnerability and resilience to ALS likely reflect cell intrinsic properties of different motor neuron subpopulations as well as non-cell autonomous events regulated by surrounding cell types. In this review we dissect the particular properties of different motor neuron types and their responses to disease that may underlie their respective vulnerabilities and resilience. Disease progression in ALS involves multiple cell types that are closely connected to motor neurons and we here also discuss their contributions to the differential vulnerability of motor neurons. Abstract Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is defined by the loss of upper motor neurons (MNs) that project from the cerebral cortex to the brain stem and spinal cord and of lower MNs in the brain stem and spinal cord which innervate skeletal muscles, leading to spasticity, muscle atrophy, and paralysis. ALS involves several disease stages, and multiple cell types show dysfunction and play important roles during distinct phases of disease initiation and progression, subsequently leading to selective MN loss. Why MNs are particularly vulnerable in this lethal disease is still not entirely clear. Neither is it fully understood why certain MNs are more resilient to degeneration in ALS than others. Brain stem MNs of cranial nerves III, IV, and VI, which innervate our eye muscles, are highly resistant and persist until the end-stage of the disease, enabling paralyzed patients to communicate through ocular tracking devices. MNs of the Onuf’s nucleus in the sacral spinal cord, that innervate sphincter muscles and control urogenital functions, are also spared throughout the disease. There is also a differential vulnerability among MNs that are intermingled throughout the spinal cord, that directly relate to their physiological properties. Here, fast-twitch fatigable (FF) MNs, which innervate type IIb muscle fibers, are affected early, before onset of clinical symptoms, while slow-twitch (S) MNs, that innervate type I muscle fibers, remain longer throughout the disease progression. The resilience of particular MN subpopulations has been attributed to intrinsic determinants and multiple studies have demonstrated their unique gene regulation and protein content in health and in response to disease. Identified factors within resilient MNs have been utilized to protect more vulnerable cells. Selective vulnerability may also, in part, be driven by non-cell autonomous processes and the unique surroundings and constantly changing environment close to particular MN groups. In this article, we review in detail the cell intrinsic properties of resilient and vulnerable MN groups, as well as multiple additional cell types involved in disease initiation and progression and explain how these may contribute to the selective MN resilience and vulnerability in ALS.
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20
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Coleman MP. Axon Biology in ALS: Mechanisms of Axon Degeneration and Prospects for Therapy. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:1133-1144. [PMID: 36207571 PMCID: PMC9587191 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01297-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This review addresses the longstanding debate over whether amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a 'dying back' or 'dying forward' disorder in the light of new gene identifications and the increased understanding of mechanisms of action for previously identified ALS genes. While the topological pattern of pathology in animal models, and more anecdotally in patients is indeed 'dying back', this review discusses how this fits with the fact that many of the major initiating events are thought to occur within the soma. It also discusses how widely varying ALS risk factors, including some impacting axons directly, may combine to drive a common pathway involving TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) denervation. The emerging association between sterile alpha and TIR motif-containing 1 (SARM1), a protein so far mostly associated with axon degeneration, and sporadic ALS is another major theme. The strengths and limitations of the current evidence supporting an association are considered, along with ways in which SARM1 could become activated in ALS. The final section addresses SARM1-based therapies along with the prospects for targeting other axonal steps in ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Coleman
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK.
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21
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Yoshikawa M, Ishikawa C, Li H, Kudo T, Shiba D, Shirakawa M, Murtani M, Takahashi S, Aizawa S, Shiga T. Comparing effects of microgravity and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the mouse ventral lumbar spinal cord. Mol Cell Neurosci 2022; 121:103745. [PMID: 35660087 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2022.103745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Microgravity (MG) exposure and motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), lead to motor deficits, including muscle atrophy and loss of neuronal activity. Abnormalities in motor neurons and muscles caused by MG exposure can be recovered by subsequent ground exercise. In contrast, the degeneration that occurs in ALS is irreversible. A common phenotype between MG exposure and ALS pathology is motor system abnormality, but the causes may be different. In this study, to elucidate the motor system that is affected by each condition, we investigated the effects of MG and the human SOD1 ALS mutation on gene expression in various cell types of the mouse ventral lumbar spinal cord, which is rich in motor neurons innervating the lower limb. To identify cell types affected by MG or ALS pathogenesis, we analyzed differentially expressed genes with known cell-type markers, which were determined from previous single-cell studies of the spinal cord in MG-exposed and SOD1G93A mice, an ALS mouse model. Differentially expressed genes were observed in MG mice in various spinal cord cell types, including neurons, microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, meningeal cells/Schwann cells, and vascular cells. We also examined neuronal populations in the spinal cord. Gene expression in putative excitatory and inhibitory neurons changed more than that in cholinergic motor neurons of the spinal cord in both MG and SOD1G93A mice. Many putative neuron types, especially visceral motor neurons, and axon initial segments (AIS) were affected in MG mice. In contrast, the effect on neurons and AIS in SOD1G93A mice was slight at P30 but progressed with aging. Interestingly, changes in dopaminergic system-related genes were specifically altered in the spinal cord of MG mice. These results indicate that MG and ALS pathology in various cell types contribute to motor neuron degeneration. Furthermore, there were more alterations in neurons in MG-exposed mice than in SOD1G93A mice. A large number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in MG mice represent more than SOD1G93A mice with ALS pathology. Elucidation of MG pathogenesis may provide more insight into the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Yoshikawa
- Division of Anatomical Science, Department of Functional Morphology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan.
| | - Chihiro Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Haiyan Li
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Takashi Kudo
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Dai Shiba
- JEM Utilization Center, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505, Japan
| | - Masaki Shirakawa
- JEM Utilization Center, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505, Japan
| | - Masafumi Murtani
- Department of Genome Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Satoru Takahashi
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Shin Aizawa
- Division of Anatomical Science, Department of Functional Morphology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan
| | - Takashi Shiga
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan; Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
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22
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Salvany S, Casanovas A, Piedrafita L, Gras S, Calderó J, Esquerda JE. Accumulation of misfolded SOD1 outlines distinct patterns of motor neuron pathology and death during disease progression in a SOD1 G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Pathol 2022; 32:e13078. [PMID: 35584812 PMCID: PMC9616096 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Early misfolded superoxide dismutase 1 (mfSOD1) accumulation, motor neuron (MN) degeneration, and microgliosis are hallmark pathological features in SOD1G93A amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mice. Because of the different vulnerabilities of distinct MN subtypes, degenerating and surviving MNs coexist in different proportions during disease progression. By examining the expression of misfolded conformers of SOD1 using specific antibodies, we defined distinct MN phenotypes that were evaluated during disease progression and the local neuroinflammatory reaction. The most severe phenotype corresponded to somata of fast‐twitch subtype MNs, which exhibited highly positive mfSOD1 immunostaining and an extreme degree of vacuolar degeneration. Vacuoles, which are of mitochondrial origin, contain mfSOD1 in conjunction with nonmitochondrial proteins, such as chromogranin, CD81, and flotillin. The fusion of ER‐derived vesicles enriched in mfSOD1 with outer mitochondrial membranes is thought to be the primary mechanism for vacuole formation. In addition, the ulterior coalescence of enlarged mitochondria may lead to the formation of giant vacuoles. Vacuolar degeneration is a transient degenerative process occurring early during the presymptomatic stages of the disease in ALS mice. Some vacuolated MNs are also positive for pMLKL, the effector protein of necroptosis. This indicates a newly described mechanism in which extracellular vesicles derived from damaged MNs, via cellular secretion or necroptotic disruption, may be the triggers for initiating neuroinflammation, glial‐mediated neurotoxicity, and disease spreading. Furthermore, as MN degeneration in mutant SOD1 mice is noncell autonomous, the effects of experimentally increasing or decreasing the microglial response on the expression of MN phenotypes were also evaluated, demonstrating bidirectional cross talk signaling between the degree of expression of mfSOD1 and local neuroinflammation. More detailed knowledge regarding these processes occurring long before the end stages of the disease is necessary to identify novel molecular targets for future preclinical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Salvany
- Patologia Neuromuscular Experimental, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida and Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Anna Casanovas
- Patologia Neuromuscular Experimental, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida and Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Lídia Piedrafita
- Patologia Neuromuscular Experimental, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida and Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sílvia Gras
- Patologia Neuromuscular Experimental, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida and Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Calderó
- Patologia Neuromuscular Experimental, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida and Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Josep E Esquerda
- Patologia Neuromuscular Experimental, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida and Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
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23
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Westerhaus A, Joseph T, Meyers AJ, Jang Y, Na CH, Cave C, Sockanathan S. The distribution and function of GDE2, a regulator of spinal motor neuron survival, are disrupted in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:73. [PMID: 35550203 PMCID: PMC9102353 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01376-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects the viability of upper and lower motor neurons. Current options for treatment are limited, necessitating deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying ALS pathogenesis. Glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase 2 (GDE2 or GDPD5) is a six-transmembrane protein that acts on the cell surface to cleave the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor that tethers some proteins to the membrane. GDE2 is required for the survival of spinal motor neurons but whether GDE2 neuroprotective activity is disrupted in ALS is not known. We utilized a combination of mouse models and patient post-mortem samples to evaluate GDE2 functionality in ALS. Haplogenetic reduction of GDE2 exacerbated motor neuron degeneration and loss in SOD1G93A mice but not in control SOD1WT transgenic animals, indicating that GDE2 neuroprotective function is diminished in the context of SOD1G93A. In tissue samples from patients with ALS, total levels of GDE2 protein were equivalent to healthy controls; however, membrane levels of GDE2 were substantially reduced. Indeed, GDE2 was found to aberrantly accumulate in intracellular compartments of ALS motor cortex, consistent with a disruption of GDE2 function at the cell surface. Supporting the impairment of GDE2 activity in ALS, tandem-mass-tag mass spectrometry revealed a pronounced reduction of GPI-anchored proteins released into the CSF of patients with ALS compared with control patients. Taken together, this study provides cellular and biochemical evidence that GDE2 distribution and activity is disrupted in ALS, supporting the notion that the failure of GDE2-dependent neuroprotective pathways contributes to neurodegeneration and motor neuron loss in disease. These observations highlight the dysregulation of GPI-anchored protein pathways as candidate mediators of disease onset and progression and accordingly, provide new insight into the mechanisms underlying ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Westerhaus
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, PCTB1004, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Thea Joseph
- Neuroscience Program, Middlebury College, 276 Bicentennial Way, Middlebury, VT 05753 USA
| | - Alison J. Meyers
- Neuroscience Program, Middlebury College, 276 Bicentennial Way, Middlebury, VT 05753 USA
| | - Yura Jang
- Department of Neurology, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MRB 706, 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Chan Hyun Na
- Department of Neurology, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MRB 706, 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Clinton Cave
- Neuroscience Program, Middlebury College, 276 Bicentennial Way, Middlebury, VT 05753 USA
| | - Shanthini Sockanathan
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, PCTB1004, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
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24
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Yoshikawa M, Aizawa S, Oppenheim RW, Milligan C. Neurovascular unit pathology is observed very early in disease progression in the mutant SOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Exp Neurol 2022; 353:114084. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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25
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Gois AM, Bispo JM, Lins LC, Medeiros KA, Souza MF, Santos ER, Santos JF, Ribeiro AM, Silva RH, Paixão MO, Leopoldino JF, Marchioro M, Santos JR, Mendonça DM. Motor behavioral abnormalities and histopathological findings in middle aged male Wistar rats inoculated with cerebrospinal fluid from patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. CURRENT RESEARCH IN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2022.100069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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26
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Powell JE, Lim CKW, Krishnan R, McCallister TX, Saporito-Magriña C, Zeballos MA, McPheron GD, Gaj T. Targeted gene silencing in the nervous system with CRISPR-Cas13. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk2485. [PMID: 35044815 PMCID: PMC8769545 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk2485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Cas13 nucleases are a class of programmable RNA-targeting CRISPR effector proteins that are capable of silencing target gene expression in mammalian cells. Here, we demonstrate that RfxCas13d, a Cas13 ortholog with favorable characteristics to other family members, can be delivered to the mouse spinal cord and brain to silence neurodegeneration-associated genes. Intrathecally delivering an adeno-associated virus vector encoding an RfxCas13d variant programmed to target superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), a protein whose mutation can cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, reduced SOD1 mRNA and protein in the spinal cord by >50% and improved outcomes in a mouse model of the disorder. We further show that intrastriatally delivering an RfxCas13d variant programmed to target huntingtin (HTT), a protein whose mutation is causative for Huntington’s disease, led to a ~50% reduction in HTT protein in the mouse brain. Our results establish RfxCas13d as a versatile platform for knocking down gene expression in the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson E. Powell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Colin K. W. Lim
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ramya Krishnan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | | | - Maria A. Zeballos
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | - Thomas Gaj
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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27
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Verma S, Khurana S, Vats A, Sahu B, Ganguly NK, Chakraborti P, Gourie-Devi M, Taneja V. Neuromuscular Junction Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:1502-1527. [PMID: 34997540 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02658-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons leading to skeletal muscle denervation. Earlier studies have shown that motor neuron degeneration begins in motor cortex and descends to the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in a dying forward fashion. However, accumulating evidences support that ALS is a distal axonopathy where early pathological changes occur at the NMJ, prior to onset of clinical symptoms and propagates towards the motor neuron cell body supporting "dying back" hypothesis. Despite several evidences, series of events triggering NMJ disassembly in ALS are still obscure. Neuromuscular junction is a specialized tripartite chemical synapse which involves a well-coordinated communication among the presynaptic motor neuron, postsynaptic skeletal muscle, and terminal Schwann cells. This review provides comprehensive insight into the role of NMJ in ALS pathogenesis. We have emphasized the molecular alterations in cellular components of NMJ leading to loss of effective neuromuscular transmission in ALS. Further, we provide a preview into research involved in exploring NMJ as potential target for designing effective therapies for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Verma
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.,Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, India
| | - Shiffali Khurana
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.,Department of Biomedical Science, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Abhishek Vats
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bandana Sahu
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | - Vibha Taneja
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.
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28
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Lotti F, Przedborski S. Motoneuron Diseases. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 28:323-352. [PMID: 36066831 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-07167-6_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Motoneuron diseases (MNDs) represent a heterogeneous group of progressive paralytic disorders, mainly characterized by the loss of upper (corticospinal) motoneurons, lower (spinal) motoneurons or, often both. MNDs can occur from birth to adulthood and have a highly variable clinical presentation, even within gene-positive forms, suggesting the existence of environmental and genetic modifiers. A combination of cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous mechanisms contributes to motoneuron degeneration in MNDs, suggesting multifactorial pathogenic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Lotti
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology & Cell Biology, and Neuroscience, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Serge Przedborski
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology & Cell Biology, and Neuroscience, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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29
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Durand J, Filipchuk A. Electrical and Morphological Properties of Developing Motoneurons in Postnatal Mice and Early Abnormalities in SOD1 Transgenic Mice. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 28:353-373. [PMID: 36066832 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-07167-6_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this chapter, we review electrical and morphological properties of lumbar motoneurons during postnatal development in wild-type (WT) and transgenic superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mice, models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. First we showed that sensorimotor reflexes do not develop normally in transgenic SOD1G85R pups. Fictive locomotor activity recorded in in vitro whole brainstem/spinal cord preparations was not induced in these transgenic SOD1G85R mice using NMDA and 5HT in contrast to WT mice. Further, abnormal electrical properties were detected as early as the second postnatal week in lumbar motoneurons of SOD1 mice while they develop clinical symptoms several months after birth. We compared two different strains of mice (G85R and G93A) at the same postnatal period using intracellular recordings and patch clamp recordings of WT and SOD1 motoneurons. We defined three types of motoneurons according to their discharge firing pattern (transient, sustained and delayed onset firing) when motor units are not yet mature. The delayed-onset firing motoneurons had the higher rheobase compared to the transient and sustained firing groups in the WT mice. We demonstrated hypoexcitability in the delayed onset-firing motoneurons of SOD1 mice. Intracellular staining of motoneurons revealed dendritic overbranching in SOD1 lumbar motoneurons that was more pronounced in the sustained firing motoneurons. We suggested that motoneuronal hypoexcitability is an early pathological sign affecting a subset of lumbar motoneurons in the spinal cord of SOD1 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Durand
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT) P3M team, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, cedex 05, France.
| | - Anton Filipchuk
- Department for Integrative and Computational Neuroscience (ICN), Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience (NeuroPSI), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Sex-dependent effects of amyloid precursor-like protein 2 in the SOD1-G37R transgenic mouse model of MND. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:6605-6630. [PMID: 34476545 PMCID: PMC8558206 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03924-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Motor neurone disease (MND) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by progressive destruction of motor neurons, muscle paralysis and death. The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is highly expressed in the central nervous system and has been shown to modulate disease outcomes in MND. APP is part of a gene family that includes the amyloid precursor-like protein 1 (APLP1) and 2 (APLP2) genes. In the present study, we investigated the role of APLP2 in MND through the examination of human spinal cord tissue and by crossing APLP2 knockout mice with the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1-G37R) transgenic mouse model of MND. We found the expression of APLP2 is elevated in the spinal cord from human cases of MND and that this feature of the human disease is reproduced in SOD1-G37R mice at the End-stage of their MND-like phenotype progression. APLP2 deletion in SOD1-G37R mice significantly delayed disease progression and increased the survival of female SOD1-G37R mice. Molecular and biochemical analysis showed female SOD1-G37R:APLP2-/- mice displayed improved innervation of the neuromuscular junction, ameliorated atrophy of muscle fibres with increased APP protein expression levels in the gastrocnemius muscle. These results indicate a sex-dependent role for APLP2 in mutant SOD1-mediated MND and further support the APP family as a potential target for further investigation into the cause and regulation of MND.
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31
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Affiliation(s)
- Marin Manuel
- SPPIN - Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Université de Paris, CNRS, Paris, F-75006, France
| | - Daniel Zytnicki
- SPPIN - Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Université de Paris, CNRS, Paris, F-75006, France
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32
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Milanese M, Bonifacino T, Torazza C, Provenzano F, Kumar M, Ravera S, Zerbo AR, Frumento G, Balbi M, Nguyen TPN, Bertola N, Ferrando S, Viale M, Profumo A, Bonanno G. Blocking glutamate mGlu 5 receptors with the negative allosteric modulator CTEP improves disease course in SOD1 G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:3747-3764. [PMID: 33931856 PMCID: PMC8457068 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15515] [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: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is not fully clarified, although excessive glutamate (Glu) transmission and the downstream cytotoxic cascades are major mechanisms for motor neuron death. Two metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu1 and mGlu5 ) are overexpressed in ALS and regulate cellular disease processes. Expression and function of mGlu5 receptors are altered at early symptomatic stages in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS and knockdown of mGlu5 receptors in SOD1G93A mice improved disease progression. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We treated male and female SOD1G93A mice with 2-chloro-4-((2,5-dimethyl-1-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)-1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethynyl)pyridine (CTEP), an orally available mGlu5 receptor negative allosteric modulator (NAM), using doses of 2 mg·kg-1 per 48 h or 4 mg·kg-1 per 24 h from Day 90, an early symptomatic disease stage. Disease progression was studied by behavioural and histological approaches. KEY RESULTS CTEP dose-dependently ameliorated clinical features in SOD1G93A mice. The lower dose increased survival and improved motor skills in female mice, with barely positive effects in male mice. Higher doses significantly ameliorated disease symptoms and survival in both males and females, females being more responsive. CTEP also reduced motor neuron death, astrocyte and microglia activation, and abnormal glutamate release in the spinal cord, with equal effects in male and female mice. No differences were also observed in CTEP access to the brain. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Our results suggest that mGlu5 receptors are promising targets for the treatment of ALS and highlight mGlu5 receptor NAMs as effective pharmacological tools with translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Milanese
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Inter-University Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principles in Teaching & Research (Centro 3R), Genoa, Italy
| | - Tiziana Bonifacino
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Inter-University Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principles in Teaching & Research (Centro 3R), Genoa, Italy
| | - Carola Torazza
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Provenzano
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mandeep Kumar
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Ravera
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Arianna Roberta Zerbo
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giulia Frumento
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Matilde Balbi
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - T P Nhung Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Nadia Bertola
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sara Ferrando
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Aldo Profumo
- IRCCS Ospedale policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giambattista Bonanno
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,IRCCS Ospedale policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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NMJ-Analyser identifies subtle early changes in mouse models of neuromuscular disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12251. [PMID: 34112844 PMCID: PMC8192785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91094-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the peripheral synapse formed between a motor neuron axon terminal and a muscle fibre. NMJs are thought to be the primary site of peripheral pathology in many neuromuscular diseases, but innervation/denervation status is often assessed qualitatively with poor systematic criteria across studies, and separately from 3D morphological structure. Here, we describe the development of ‘NMJ-Analyser’, to comprehensively screen the morphology of NMJs and their corresponding innervation status automatically. NMJ-Analyser generates 29 biologically relevant features to quantitatively define healthy and aberrant neuromuscular synapses and applies machine learning to diagnose NMJ degeneration. We validated this framework in longitudinal analyses of wildtype mice, as well as in four different neuromuscular disease models: three for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and one for peripheral neuropathy. We showed that structural changes at the NMJ initially occur in the nerve terminal of mutant TDP43 and FUS ALS models. Using a machine learning algorithm, healthy and aberrant neuromuscular synapses are identified with 95% accuracy, with 88% sensitivity and 97% specificity. Our results validate NMJ-Analyser as a robust platform for systematic and structural screening of NMJs, and pave the way for transferrable, and cross-comparison and high-throughput studies in neuromuscular diseases.
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34
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Skeletal Muscle Metabolism: Origin or Prognostic Factor for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Development? Cells 2021; 10:cells10061449. [PMID: 34207859 PMCID: PMC8226541 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive and selective loss of motor neurons, amyotrophy and skeletal muscle paralysis usually leading to death due to respiratory failure. While generally considered an intrinsic motor neuron disease, data obtained in recent years, including our own, suggest that motor neuron protection is not sufficient to counter the disease. The dismantling of the neuromuscular junction is closely linked to chronic energy deficit found throughout the body. Metabolic (hypermetabolism and dyslipidemia) and mitochondrial alterations described in patients and murine models of ALS are associated with the development and progression of disease pathology and they appear long before motor neurons die. It is clear that these metabolic changes participate in the pathology of the disease. In this review, we summarize these changes seen throughout the course of the disease, and the subsequent impact of glucose–fatty acid oxidation imbalance on disease progression. We also highlight studies that show that correcting this loss of metabolic flexibility should now be considered a major goal for the treatment of ALS.
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Alhindi A, Boehm I, Chaytow H. Small junction, big problems: Neuromuscular junction pathology in mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). J Anat 2021; 241:1089-1107. [PMID: 34101196 PMCID: PMC9558162 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease with an extremely heterogeneous clinical and genetic phenotype. In our efforts to find therapies for ALS, the scientific community has developed a plethora of mouse models, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. The peripheral nervous system, specifically the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), is known to be affected in ALS patients and shows marked dysfunction across mouse models. Evidence of pathology at the NMJ includes denervated NMJs, changes in endplate size and loss of terminal Schwann cells. This review compares the temporal disease progression with severity of disease at the NMJ in mouse models with the most commonly mutated genes in ALS patients (SOD1, C9ORF72, TARDBP and FUS). Despite variability, early NMJ dysfunction seems to be a common factor in models with SOD1, TARDBP and FUS mutations, while C9ORF72 models do not appear to follow the same pattern of pathology. Further work into determining the timing of NMJ pathology, particularly in newer ALS mouse models, will confirm its pivotal role in ALS pathogenesis and therefore highlight the NMJ as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Alhindi
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ines Boehm
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Helena Chaytow
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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36
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Allodi I, Montañana-Rosell R, Selvan R, Löw P, Kiehn O. Locomotor deficits in a mouse model of ALS are paralleled by loss of V1-interneuron connections onto fast motor neurons. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3251. [PMID: 34059686 PMCID: PMC8166981 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23224-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
ALS is characterized by progressive inability to execute movements. Motor neurons innervating fast-twitch muscle-fibers preferentially degenerate. The reason for this differential vulnerability and its consequences on motor output is not known. Here, we uncover that fast motor neurons receive stronger inhibitory synaptic inputs than slow motor neurons, and disease progression in the SOD1G93A mouse model leads to specific loss of inhibitory synapses onto fast motor neurons. Inhibitory V1 interneurons show similar innervation pattern and loss of synapses. Moreover, from postnatal day 63, there is a loss of V1 interneurons in the SOD1G93A mouse. The V1 interneuron degeneration appears before motor neuron death and is paralleled by the development of a specific locomotor deficit affecting speed and limb coordination. This distinct ALS-induced locomotor deficit is phenocopied in wild-type mice but not in SOD1G93A mice after appearing of the locomotor phenotype when V1 spinal interneurons are silenced. Our study identifies a potential source of non-autonomous motor neuronal vulnerability in ALS and links ALS-induced changes in locomotor phenotype to inhibitory V1-interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilary Allodi
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
| | - Roser Montañana-Rosell
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Raghavendra Selvan
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Peter Löw
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ole Kiehn
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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37
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Schmitt ND, Berger JM, Conway JB, Agar JN. Increasing Top-Down Mass Spectrometry Sequence Coverage by an Order of Magnitude through Optimized Internal Fragment Generation and Assignment. Anal Chem 2021; 93:6355-6362. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D. Schmitt
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Barnett Institute for Chemical and Biological Analysis, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Joshua M. Berger
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Barnett Institute for Chemical and Biological Analysis, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jeremy B. Conway
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Barnett Institute for Chemical and Biological Analysis, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jeffrey N. Agar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Barnett Institute for Chemical and Biological Analysis, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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38
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Zakyrjanova GF, Giniatullin AR, Mukhutdinova KA, Kuznetsova EA, Petrov AM. Early differences in membrane properties at the neuromuscular junctions of ALS model mice: Effects of 25-hydroxycholesterol. Life Sci 2021; 273:119300. [PMID: 33662433 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Plasma hyperlipidemia is a protective factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) while cholesterol-lowering drugs aggravate the pathology. We hypothesize that this phenomenon can be linked with membrane lipid alterations in the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) occurring before motor neuron loss. METHODS Neurotransmitter release in parallel with lipid membrane properties in diaphragm NMJs of SOD1G93A (mSOD) mice at nine weeks of age (pre-onset stage) were assessed. KEY FINDINGS Despite on slight changes in spontaneous and evoked quantum release of acetylcholine, extracellular levels of choline at resting conditions, an indicator of non-quantum release, were significantly increased in mSOD mice. The use of lipid-sensitive fluorescent probes points to lipid raft disruption in the NMJs of mSOD mice. However, content of cholesterol, a key raft component was unchanged implying another pathway responsible for the loss of raft integrity. In the mSOD mice we found marked increase in levels of raft-destabilizing lipid ceramide. This was accompanied by enhanced ability to uptake of exogenous ceramide in NMJs. Acute and chronic administration of 25-hydroxycholesterol, whose levels increase due to hypercholesterolemia, recovered early alterations in membrane properties. Furthermore, chronic treatment with 25-hydroxycholesterol prevented increase in ceramide and extracellular choline levels as well as suppressed lipid peroxidation of NMJ membranes and fragmentation of end plates. SIGNIFICANCE Thus, lipid raft disruption likely due to ceramide accumulation could be early event in ALS which may trigger neuromuscular abnormalities. Cholesterol derivative 25-hydroxycholesterol may serve as a molecule restoring the membrane and functional properties of NMJs at the early stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guzel F Zakyrjanova
- Laboratory of Biophysics of Synaptic Processes, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center "Kazan Scientific Center of RAS", 2/31 Lobachevsky Street, box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia; Institute of Neuroscience, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, Kazan, 420012, Russia
| | - Arthur R Giniatullin
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, Kazan 420012, Russia
| | - Kamilla A Mukhutdinova
- Institute of Neuroscience, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, Kazan, 420012, Russia
| | - Eva A Kuznetsova
- Laboratory of Biophysics of Synaptic Processes, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center "Kazan Scientific Center of RAS", 2/31 Lobachevsky Street, box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia
| | - Alexey M Petrov
- Laboratory of Biophysics of Synaptic Processes, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center "Kazan Scientific Center of RAS", 2/31 Lobachevsky Street, box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia; Institute of Neuroscience, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, Kazan, 420012, Russia.
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39
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Early Hypoexcitability in a Subgroup of Spinal Motoneurons in Superoxide Dismutase 1 Transgenic Mice, a Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neuroscience 2021; 463:337-353. [PMID: 33556455 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), large motoneurons degenerate first, causing muscle weakness. Transgenic mouse models with a mutation in the gene encoding the enzyme superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) revealed that motoneurons innervating the fast-fatigable muscular fibres disconnect very early. The cause of this peripheric disconnection has not yet been established. Early pathological signs were described in motoneurons during the postnatal period of SOD1 transgenic mice. Here, we investigated whether the early changes of electrical and morphological properties previously reported in the SOD1G85R strain also occur in the SOD1G93A-low expressor line with particular attention to the different subsets of motoneurons defined by their discharge firing pattern (transient, sustained, or delayed-onset firing). Intracellular staining and recording were performed in lumbar motoneurons from entire brainstem-spinal cord preparations of SOD1G93A-low transgenic mice and their WT littermates during the second postnatal week. Our results show that SOD1G93A-low motoneurons exhibit a dendritic overbranching similar to that described previously in the SOD1G85R strain at the same age. Further we found an hypoexcitability in the delayed-onset firing SOD1G93A-low motoneurons (lower gain and higher voltage threshold). We conclude that dendritic overbranching and early hypoexcitability are common features of both low expressor SOD1 mutants (G85R and G93A-low). In the high-expressor SOD1G93A line, we found hyperexcitability in the sustained firing motoneurons at the same period, suggesting a delay in compensatory mechanisms. Overall, our results suggest that the hypoexcitability indicate an early dysfunction of the delayed-onset motoneurons and could account as early pathological signs of the disease.
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Giunti D, Marini C, Parodi B, Usai C, Milanese M, Bonanno G, Kerlero de Rosbo N, Uccelli A. Role of miRNAs shuttled by mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles in modulating neuroinflammation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1740. [PMID: 33462263 PMCID: PMC7814007 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81039-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are characterized by neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, and neuroregenerative properties, which support their therapeutic potential for inflammatory/neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). One mode of action through which MSCs exert their immunomodulatory effects is release of extracellular vesicles that carry proteins, mRNAs, and microRNAs (miRNAs), which, once transferred, modify the function of target cells. We identified nine miRNAs significantly dysregulated in IFN-γ-primed MSCs, but present at different levels in their derived small extracellular vesicles (s-EV). We show that miR-467f and miR-466q modulate the pro-inflammatory phenotype of activated N9 microglia cells and of primary microglia acutely isolated from late symptomatic SOD1G93A mice, a murine ALS model, by downregulating Tnf and Il1b expression. Further analysis of the mode of action of miR-467f and miR-466q indicated that they dampen the pro-inflammatory phenotype of microglia by modulating p38 MAPK signaling pathway via inhibition of expression of their target genes, Map3k8 and Mk2. Finally, we demonstrated that in vivo administration of s-EV leads to decreased expression of neuroinflammation markers in the spinal cord of EAE-affected mice, albeit without affecting disease course. Overall, our data suggest that MSC-derived exosomes could affect neuroinflammation possibly through specific immunomodulatory miRNAs acting on microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Giunti
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Marini
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Benedetta Parodi
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Cesare Usai
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council (CNR), Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Milanese
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giambattista Bonanno
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Nicole Kerlero de Rosbo
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Antonio Uccelli
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
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41
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Zelada D, Bermedo-García F, Collao N, Henríquez JP. Motor function recovery: deciphering a regenerative niche at the neuromuscular synapse. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:752-766. [PMID: 33336525 PMCID: PMC7986695 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The coordinated movement of many organisms relies on efficient nerve–muscle communication at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a peripheral synapse composed of a presynaptic motor axon terminal, a postsynaptic muscle specialization, and non‐myelinating terminal Schwann cells. NMJ dysfunctions are caused by traumatic spinal cord or peripheral nerve injuries as well as by severe motor pathologies. Compared to the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system displays remarkable regenerating abilities; however, this capacity is limited by the denervation time frame and depends on the establishment of permissive regenerative niches. At the injury site, detailed information is available regarding the cells, molecules, and mechanisms involved in nerve regeneration and repair. However, a regenerative niche at the final functional step of peripheral motor innervation, i.e. at the mature neuromuscular synapse, has not been deciphered. In this review, we integrate classic and recent evidence describing the cells and molecules that could orchestrate a dynamic ecosystem to accomplish successful NMJ regeneration. We propose that such a regenerative niche must ensure at least two fundamental steps for successful NMJ regeneration: the proper arrival of incoming regenerating axons to denervated postsynaptic muscle domains, and the resilience of those postsynaptic domains, in morphological and functional terms. We here describe and combine the main cellular and molecular responses involved in each of these steps as potential targets to help successful NMJ regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Zelada
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA Bio-Bio), Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Francisca Bermedo-García
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA Bio-Bio), Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Nicolás Collao
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA Bio-Bio), Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Juan P Henríquez
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA Bio-Bio), Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
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Blasco A, Gras S, Mòdol-Caballero G, Tarabal O, Casanovas A, Piedrafita L, Barranco A, Das T, Pereira SL, Navarro X, Rueda R, Esquerda JE, Calderó J. Motoneuron deafferentation and gliosis occur in association with neuromuscular regressive changes during ageing in mice. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2020; 11:1628-1660. [PMID: 32691534 PMCID: PMC7749545 DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.12599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cellular mechanisms underlying the age-associated loss of muscle mass and function (sarcopenia) are poorly understood, hampering the development of effective treatment strategies. Here, we performed a detailed characterization of age-related pathophysiological changes in the mouse neuromuscular system. METHODS Young, adult, middle-aged, and old (1, 4, 14, and 24-30 months old, respectively) C57BL/6J mice were used. Motor behavioural and electrophysiological tests and histological and immunocytochemical procedures were carried out to simultaneously analyse structural, molecular, and functional age-related changes in distinct cellular components of the neuromuscular system. RESULTS Ageing was not accompanied by a significant loss of spinal motoneurons (MNs), although a proportion (~15%) of them in old mice exhibited an abnormally dark appearance. Dark MNs were also observed in adult (~9%) and young (~4%) animals, suggesting that during ageing, some MNs undergo early deleterious changes, which may not lead to MN death. Old MNs were depleted of cholinergic and glutamatergic inputs (~40% and ~45%, respectively, P < 0.01), suggestive of age-associated alterations in MN excitability. Prominent microgliosis and astrogliosis [~93% (P < 0.001) and ~100% (P < 0.0001) increase vs. adults, respectively] were found in old spinal cords, with increased density of pro-inflammatory M1 microglia and A1 astroglia (25-fold and 4-fold increase, respectively, P < 0.0001). Ageing resulted in significant reductions in the nerve conduction velocity and the compound muscle action potential amplitude (~30%, P < 0.05, vs. adults) in old distal plantar muscles. Compared with adult muscles, old muscles exhibited significantly higher numbers of both denervated and polyinnervated neuromuscular junctions, changes in fibre type composition, higher proportion of fibres showing central nuclei and lipofuscin aggregates, depletion of satellite cells, and augmented expression of different molecules related to development, plasticity, and maintenance of neuromuscular junctions, including calcitonin gene-related peptide, growth associated protein 43, agrin, fibroblast growth factor binding protein 1, and transforming growth factor-β1. Overall, these alterations occurred at varying degrees in all the muscles analysed, with no correlation between the age-related changes observed and myofiber type composition or muscle topography. CONCLUSIONS Our data provide a global view of age-associated neuromuscular changes in a mouse model of ageing and help to advance understanding of contributing pathways leading to development of sarcopenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Blasco
- Unitat de Neurobiologia Cel·lular, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Sílvia Gras
- Unitat de Neurobiologia Cel·lular, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Guillem Mòdol-Caballero
- Grup de Neuroplasticitat i Regeneració, Institut de Neurociències, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CIBERNED, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Olga Tarabal
- Unitat de Neurobiologia Cel·lular, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Anna Casanovas
- Unitat de Neurobiologia Cel·lular, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Lídia Piedrafita
- Unitat de Neurobiologia Cel·lular, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | | | - Tapas Das
- Abbott Nutrition Research and Development, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Xavier Navarro
- Grup de Neuroplasticitat i Regeneració, Institut de Neurociències, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CIBERNED, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Ricardo Rueda
- Abbott Nutrition Research and Development, Granada, Spain
| | - Josep E Esquerda
- Unitat de Neurobiologia Cel·lular, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Jordi Calderó
- Unitat de Neurobiologia Cel·lular, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
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Chronic Pharmacological Increase of Neuronal Activity Improves Sensory-Motor Dysfunction in Spinal Muscular Atrophy Mice. J Neurosci 2020; 41:376-389. [PMID: 33219005 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2142-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of neuronal circuits is an important determinant of neurodegenerative diseases. Synaptic dysfunction, death, and intrinsic activity of neurons are thought to contribute to the demise of normal behavior in the disease state. However, the interplay between these major pathogenic events during disease progression is poorly understood. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a deficiency in the ubiquitously expressed protein SMN and is characterized by motor neuron death, skeletal muscle atrophy, as well as dysfunction and loss of both central and peripheral excitatory synapses. These disease hallmarks result in an overall reduction of neuronal activity in the spinal sensory-motor circuit. Here, we show that increasing neuronal activity by chronic treatment with the FDA-approved potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) improves motor behavior in both sexes of a severe mouse model of SMA. 4-AP restores neurotransmission and number of proprioceptive synapses and neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), while having no effects on motor neuron death. In addition, 4-AP treatment with pharmacological inhibition of p53-dependent motor neuron death results in additive effects, leading to full correction of sensory-motor circuit pathology and enhanced phenotypic benefit in SMA mice. Our in vivo study reveals that 4-AP-induced increase of neuronal activity restores synaptic connectivity and function in the sensory-motor circuit to improve the SMA motor phenotype.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease, characterized by synaptic loss, motor neuron death, and reduced neuronal activity in spinal sensory-motor circuits. However, whether these are parallel or dependent events is unclear. We show here that long-term increase of neuronal activity by the FDA-approved drug 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) rescues the number and function of central and peripheral synapses in a SMA mouse model, resulting in an improvement of the sensory-motor circuit and motor behavior. Combinatorial treatment of pharmacological inhibition of p53, which is responsible for motor neuron death and 4-AP, results in additive beneficial effects on the sensory-motor circuit in SMA. Thus, neuronal activity restores synaptic connections and improves significantly the severe SMA phenotype.
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44
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Wosiski-Kuhn M, Caress JB, Cartwright MS, Hawkins GA, Milligan C. Interleukin 6 (IL6) level is a biomarker for functional disease progression within IL6R358Ala variant groups in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2020; 22:248-259. [DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1813310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marlena Wosiski-Kuhn
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - James B. Caress
- Department of Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA, and
| | - Michael S. Cartwright
- Department of Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA, and
| | - Gregory A. Hawkins
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Carol Milligan
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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45
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Liu L, Killoy KM, Vargas MR, Yamamoto Y, Pehar M. Effects of RAGE inhibition on the progression of the disease in hSOD1 G93A ALS mice. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2020; 8:e00636. [PMID: 32776498 PMCID: PMC7415959 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play a key role in the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by actively inducing the degeneration of motor neurons. Motor neurons isolated from receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE)-knockout mice are resistant to the neurotoxic signal derived from ALS-astrocytes. Here, we confirmed that in a co-culture model, the neuronal death induced by astrocytes over-expressing the ALS-linked mutant hSOD1G93A is prevented by the addition of the RAGE inhibitors FPS-ZM1 or RAP. These inhibitors also prevented the motor neuron death induced by spinal cord extracts from symptomatic hSOD1G93A mice. To evaluate the relevance of this neurotoxic mechanism in ALS pathology, we assessed the therapeutic potential of FPS-ZM1 in hSOD1G93A mice. FPS-ZM1 treatment significantly improved hind-limb grip strength in hSOD1G93A mice during the progression of the disease, reduced the expression of atrophy markers in the gastrocnemius muscle, improved the survival of large motor neurons, and reduced gliosis in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. However, we did not observe a statistically significant effect of the drug in symptoms onset nor in the survival of hSOD1G93A mice. Maintenance of hind-limb grip strength was also observed in hSOD1G93A mice with RAGE haploinsufficiency [hSOD1G93A ;RAGE(+/-)], further supporting the beneficial effect of RAGE inhibition on muscle function. However, no benefits were observed after complete RAGE ablation. Moreover, genetic RAGE ablation significantly shortened the median survival of hSOD1G93A mice. These results indicate that the advance of new therapies targeting RAGE in ALS demands a better understanding of its physiological role in a cell type/tissue-specific context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Liu
- Biomedical Sciences Training ProgramDepartment of Pharmacology and Experimental TherapeuticsMedical University of South CarolinaCharlestonSCUSA
| | - Kelby M. Killoy
- Biomedical Sciences Training ProgramDepartment of Pharmacology and Experimental TherapeuticsMedical University of South CarolinaCharlestonSCUSA
| | | | - Yasuhiko Yamamoto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Vascular BiologyKanazawa University Graduate School of Medical SciencesKanazawaJapan
| | - Mariana Pehar
- Division of Geriatrics and GerontologyDepartment of MedicineUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWIUSA
- Geriatric Research Education Clinical CenterVeterans Affairs Medical CenterMadisonWIUSA
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46
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Rigoni M, Negro S. Signals Orchestrating Peripheral Nerve Repair. Cells 2020; 9:E1768. [PMID: 32722089 PMCID: PMC7464993 DOI: 10.3390/cells9081768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The peripheral nervous system has retained through evolution the capacity to repair and regenerate after assault from a variety of physical, chemical, or biological pathogens. Regeneration relies on the intrinsic abilities of peripheral neurons and on a permissive environment, and it is driven by an intense interplay among neurons, the glia, muscles, the basal lamina, and the immune system. Indeed, extrinsic signals from the milieu of the injury site superimpose on genetic and epigenetic mechanisms to modulate cell intrinsic programs. Here, we will review the main intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms allowing severed peripheral axons to re-grow, and discuss some alarm mediators and pro-regenerative molecules and pathways involved in the process, highlighting the role of Schwann cells as central hubs coordinating multiple signals. A particular focus will be provided on regeneration at the neuromuscular junction, an ideal model system whose manipulation can contribute to the identification of crucial mediators of nerve re-growth. A brief overview on regeneration at sensory terminals is also included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Rigoni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy;
- Myology Center (Cir-Myo), University of Padua, 35129 Padua, Italy
| | - Samuele Negro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy;
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47
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Lind LA, Andel EM, McCall AL, Dhindsa JS, Johnson KA, Stricklin OE, Mueller C, ElMallah MK, Lever TE, Nichols NL. Intralingual Administration of AAVrh10-miR SOD1 Improves Respiratory But Not Swallowing Function in a Superoxide Dismutase-1 Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Hum Gene Ther 2020; 31:828-838. [PMID: 32498636 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2020.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease characterized by degeneration of motor neurons and muscles, and death is usually a result of impaired respiratory function due to loss of motor neurons that control upper airway muscles and/or the diaphragm. Currently, no cure for ALS exists and treatments to date do not significantly improve respiratory or swallowing function. One cause of ALS is a mutation in the superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) gene; thus, reducing expression of the mutated gene may slow the progression of the disease. Our group has been studying the SOD1G93A transgenic mouse model of ALS that develops progressive respiratory deficits and dysphagia. We hypothesize that solely treating the tongue in SOD1 mice will preserve respiratory and swallowing function, and it will prolong survival. At 6 weeks of age, 11 SOD1G93A mice (both sexes) received a single intralingual injection of gene therapy (AAVrh10-miRSOD1). Another 29 mice (both sexes) were divided into two control groups: (1) 12 SOD1G93A mice that received a single intralingual vehicle injection (saline); and (2) 17 non-transgenic littermates. Starting at 13 weeks of age, plethysmography (respiratory parameters) at baseline and in response to hypoxia (11% O2) + hypercapnia (7% CO2) were recorded and videofluoroscopic swallow study testing were performed twice monthly until end-stage disease. Minute ventilation during hypoxia + hypercapnia and mean inspiratory flow at baseline were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in vehicle-injected, but not AAVrh10-miRSOD1-injected SOD1G93A mice as compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, swallowing function was unchanged by AAVrh10-miRSOD1 treatment (p > 0.05). AAVrh10-miRSOD1 injections also significantly extended survival in females by ∼1 week. In conclusion, this study indicates that intralingual AAVrh10-miRSOD1 treatment preserved respiratory (but not swallowing) function potentially via increasing upper airway patency, and it is worthy of further exploration as a possible therapy to preserve respiratory capacity in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori A Lind
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Ellyn M Andel
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Angela L McCall
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Justin S Dhindsa
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Katherine A Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Olivia E Stricklin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Christian Mueller
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mai K ElMallah
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Teresa E Lever
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Nicole L Nichols
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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48
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Nakka VP, Mohammed AQ. A Critical Role for ISGylation, Ubiquitination and, SUMOylation in Brain Damage: Implications for Neuroprotection. Neurochem Res 2020; 45:1975-1985. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03066-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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49
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Abnormal Upregulation of GPR17 Receptor Contributes to Oligodendrocyte Dysfunction in SOD1 G93A Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21072395. [PMID: 32244295 PMCID: PMC7177925 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21072395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons (MN). Importantly, MN degeneration is intimately linked to oligodendrocyte dysfunction and impaired capacity of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) to regenerate the myelin sheath enwrapping and protecting neuronal axons. Thus, improving OPC reparative abilities represents an innovative approach to counteract MN loss. A pivotal regulator of OPC maturation is the P2Y-like G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17), whose role in ALS has never been investigated. In other models of neurodegeneration, an abnormal increase of GPR17 has been invariably associated to myelin defects and its pharmacological manipulation succeeded in restoring endogenous remyelination. Here, we analyzed GPR17 alterations in the SOD1G93A ALS mouse model and assessed in vitro whether this receptor could be targeted to correct oligodendrocyte alterations. Western-blot and immunohistochemical analyses showed that GPR17 protein levels are significantly increased in spinal cord of ALS mice at pre-symptomatic stage; this alteration is exacerbated at late symptomatic phases. Concomitantly, mature oligodendrocytes degenerate and are not successfully replaced. Moreover, OPCs isolated from spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice display defective differentiation compared to control cells, which is rescued by treatment with the GPR17 antagonist montelukast. These data open novel therapeutic perspectives for ALS management.
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50
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Khademullah CS, Aqrabawi AJ, Place KM, Dargaei Z, Liang X, Pressey JC, Bedard S, Yang JW, Garand D, Keramidis I, Gasecka A, Côté D, De Koninck Y, Keith J, Zinman L, Robertson J, Kim JC, Woodin MA. Cortical interneuron-mediated inhibition delays the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2020; 143:800-810. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal disease resulting from motor neuron degeneration in the cortex and spinal cord. Cortical hyperexcitability is a hallmark feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is accompanied by decreased intracortical inhibition. Using electrophysiological patch-clamp recordings, we revealed parvalbumin interneurons to be hypoactive in the late pre-symptomatic SOD1*G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We discovered that using adeno-associated virus-mediated delivery of chemogenetic technology targeted to increase the activity of the interneurons within layer 5 of the primary motor cortex, we were able to rescue intracortical inhibition and reduce pyramidal neuron hyperexcitability. Increasing the activity of interneurons in the layer 5 of the primary motor cortex was effective in delaying the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated motor deficits, slowing symptom progression, preserving neuronal populations, and increasing the lifespan of SOD1*G93A mice. Taken together, this study provides novel insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sahara Khademullah
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Afif J Aqrabawi
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Kara M Place
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Zahra Dargaei
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Xinyi Liang
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Jessica C Pressey
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Simon Bedard
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Jy Wei Yang
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Danielle Garand
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Iason Keramidis
- CERVO Brain Research Institute, Laval University, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Québec, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Alicja Gasecka
- CERVO Brain Research Institute, Laval University, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Québec, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Daniel Côté
- CERVO Brain Research Institute, Laval University, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Québec, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Yves De Koninck
- CERVO Brain Research Institute, Laval University, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Québec, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Julia Keith
- Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Lorne Zinman
- Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Janice Robertson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research into Neurodegenerative Diseases, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Jun Chul Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Melanie A Woodin
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
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