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Luo C, Yang J. Age- and disease-related autophagy impairment in Huntington disease: New insights from direct neuronal reprogramming. Aging Cell 2024:e14285. [PMID: 39044402 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14285] [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: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Autophagy impairment in Huntington disease (HD) has been reported for almost two decades. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still unclear. This is partially because it is challenging to model the impact of the disease-causing mutation, aging, as well as the selective vulnerability of neurons in a single model. Recently developed direct neuronal reprogramming that allows researchers to induce neurons-of-interest retaining biological aging information made it possible to establish HD cellular models to study more relevant age- and disease-related molecular changes in neurons. We here summarized the findings from a few latest studies utilizing directly reprogrammed HD neurons and discussed the new insights they brought to the understanding of the age- and disease-related autophagy impairment in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuyang Luo
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Junsheng Yang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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2
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Szulc A, Wiśniewska K, Żabińska M, Gaffke L, Szota M, Olendzka Z, Węgrzyn G, Pierzynowska K. Effectiveness of Flavonoid-Rich Diet in Alleviating Symptoms of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Foods 2024; 13:1931. [PMID: 38928874 PMCID: PMC11202533 DOI: 10.3390/foods13121931] [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: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, there has been a significant increase in the burden of neurological diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, on a global scale. This is linked to a widespread demographic trend in which developed societies are aging, leading to an increased proportion of elderly individuals and, concurrently, an increase in the number of those afflicted, posing one of the main public health challenges for the coming decades. The complex pathomechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and resulting varied symptoms, which differ depending on the disease, environment, and lifestyle of the patients, make searching for therapies for this group of disorders a formidable challenge. Currently, most neurodegenerative diseases are considered incurable. An important aspect in the fight against and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases may be broadly understood lifestyle choices, and more specifically, what we will focus on in this review, a diet. One proposal that may help in the fight against the spread of neurodegenerative diseases is a diet rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids are compounds widely found in products considered healthy, such as fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Many studies indicated not only the neuroprotective effects of these compounds but also their ability to reverse changes occurring during the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here, we present the main groups of flavonoids, discussing their characteristics and mechanisms of action. The most widely described mechanisms point to neuroprotective functions due to strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, accompanied with their ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, as well as the ability to inhibit the formation of protein aggregates. The latter feature, together with promoting removal of the aggregates is especially important in neurodegenerative diseases. We discuss a therapeutic potential of selected flavonoids in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases, based on in vitro studies, and their impact when included in the diet of animals (laboratory research) and humans (population studies). Thus, this review summarizes flavonoids' actions and impacts on neurodegenerative diseases. Therapeutic use of these compounds in the future is potentially possible but depends on overcoming key challenges such as low bioavailability, determining the therapeutic dose, and defining what a flavonoid-rich diet is and determining its potential negative effects. This review also suggests further research directions to address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Grzegorz Węgrzyn
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (A.S.); (K.W.); (M.Ż.); (L.G.); (M.S.); (Z.O.); (K.P.)
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Rana N, Kapil L, Singh C, Singh A. Modeling Huntington's disease: An insight on in-vitro and in-vivo models. Behav Brain Res 2024; 459:114757. [PMID: 37952684 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114757] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative illness that causes neuronal death most extensively within the basal ganglia. There is a broad class of neurologic disorders associated with the expansion of polyglutamine (polyQ) repeats in numerous proteins. Several other molecular mechanisms have also been implicated in HD pathology, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered synaptic plasticity in central spiny neurons. HD pathogenesis and the effectiveness of therapy approaches have been better understood through the use of animal models. The pathological manifestations of the disease were reproduced by early models of glutamate analog toxicity and mitochondrial respiration inhibition. Because the treatments available for HD are quite limited, it is important to have a definite preclinical model that mimics all the aspects of the disease. It can be used to study mechanisms and validate candidate therapies. Although there hasn't been much success in translating animal research into clinical practice, each model has something special to offer in the quest for a deeper comprehension of HD's neurobehavioral foundations. This review provides insight into various in-vitro-and in-vivo models of HD which may be useful in the screening of newer therapeutics for this incapacitating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitasha Rana
- Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga 142001, Affiliated to I.K Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Lakshay Kapil
- Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga 142001, Affiliated to I.K Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Charan Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, HNB Garhwal University (A Central University), Chauras Campus, Distt. Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand 246174, India
| | - Arti Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga 142001, Affiliated to I.K Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India.
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Saade-Lemus S, Videnovic A. Sleep Disorders and Circadian Disruption in Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2023; 12:121-131. [PMID: 37424473 PMCID: PMC10473087 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-230576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Sleep and circadian alterations are common in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). Understanding the pathophysiology of these alterations and their association with disease progression and morbidity can guide HD management. We provide a narrative review of the clinical and basic-science studies centered on sleep and circadian function on HD. Sleep/wake disturbances among HD patients share many similarities with other neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, HD patients and animal models of the disease present with sleep changes early in the clinical course of the disease, including difficulties with sleep initiation and maintenance leading to decreased sleep efficiency, and progressive deterioration of normal sleep architecture. Despite this, sleep alterations remain frequently under-reported by patients and under-recognized by health professionals. The degree of sleep and circadian alterations has not consistently shown to be CAG dose-dependent. Evidence based treatment recommendations are insufficient due to lack of well-designed intervention trials. Approaches aimed at improving circadian entrainment, such as including light therapy, and time-restricted feeding have demonstrated a potential to delay symptom progression in some basic HD investigations. Larger study cohorts, comprehensive assessment of sleep and circadian function, and reproducibility of findings are needed in future in order to better understand sleep and circadian function in HD and to develop effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Saade-Lemus
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aleksandar Videnovic
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Neueder A, Kojer K, Hering T, Lavery DJ, Chen J, Birth N, Hallitsch J, Trautmann S, Parker J, Flower M, Sethi H, Haider S, Lee JM, Tabrizi SJ, Orth M. Abnormal molecular signatures of inflammation, energy metabolism, and vesicle biology in human Huntington disease peripheral tissues. Genome Biol 2022; 23:189. [PMID: 36071529 PMCID: PMC9450392 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02752-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A major challenge in neurodegenerative diseases concerns identifying biological disease signatures that track with disease progression or respond to an intervention. Several clinical trials in Huntington disease (HD), an inherited, progressive neurodegenerative disease, are currently ongoing. Therefore, we examine whether peripheral tissues can serve as a source of readily accessible biological signatures at the RNA and protein level in HD patients. RESULTS We generate large, high-quality human datasets from skeletal muscle, skin and adipose tissue to probe molecular changes in human premanifest and early manifest HD patients-those most likely involved in clinical trials. The analysis of the transcriptomics and proteomics data shows robust, stage-dependent dysregulation. Gene ontology analysis confirms the involvement of inflammation and energy metabolism in peripheral HD pathogenesis. Furthermore, we observe changes in the homeostasis of extracellular vesicles, where we find consistent changes of genes and proteins involved in this process. In-depth single nucleotide polymorphism data across the HTT gene are derived from the generated primary cell lines. CONCLUSIONS Our 'omics data document the involvement of inflammation, energy metabolism, and extracellular vesicle homeostasis. This demonstrates the potential to identify biological signatures from peripheral tissues in HD suitable as biomarkers in clinical trials. The generated data, complemented by the primary cell lines established from peripheral tissues, and a large panel of iPSC lines that can serve as human models of HD are a valuable and unique resource to advance the current understanding of molecular mechanisms driving HD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Neueder
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kerstin Kojer
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tanja Hering
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel J Lavery
- CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA
- Loulou Foundation, Orphan Disease Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jian Chen
- CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA
| | - Nathalie Birth
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Sonja Trautmann
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jennifer Parker
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Michael Flower
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Huma Sethi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Salman Haider
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Michael Orth
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
- Swiss Huntington Centre, Neurozentrum, Siloah AG, Worbstr. 312, 3073, Gümligen, Switzerland.
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bern University, Bern, Switzerland.
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6
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Soares ES, Prediger RD, Brocardo PS, Cimarosti HI. SUMO-modifying Huntington's disease. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 12:203-209. [PMID: 35746980 PMCID: PMC9210482 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Small ubiquitin-like modifiers, SUMOs, are proteins that are conjugated to target substrates and regulate their functions in a post-translational modification called SUMOylation. In addition to its physiological roles, SUMOylation has been implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases (HD). HD is a neurodegenerative monogenetic autosomal dominant disorder caused by a mutation in the CAG repeat of the huntingtin (htt) gene, which expresses a mutant Htt protein more susceptible to aggregation and toxicity. Besides Htt, other SUMO ligases, enzymes, mitochondrial and autophagic components are also important for the progression of the disease. Here we review the main aspects of Htt SUMOylation and its role in cellular processes involved in the pathogenesis of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ericks S. Soares
- Post-graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Rui D. Prediger
- Post-graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
- Post-graduate Program in Neuroscience, UFSC, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Patricia S. Brocardo
- Post-graduate Program in Neuroscience, UFSC, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Helena I. Cimarosti
- Post-graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
- Post-graduate Program in Neuroscience, UFSC, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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Rebec GV, Koceja DM, Bunner KD. Measuring Movement in Health and Disease. Brain Res Bull 2022; 181:167-174. [PMID: 35122899 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Evaluating and quantifying the many aspects of movement -- from open-field locomotion and stepping patterns in rodent models to stride trajectory and postural sway in human patients -- are key to understanding brain function. Various experimental approaches have been used in applying these lines of research to investigate the brain mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disease. Although valuable, data on movement are often limited by the shortcomings inherent in the data collection process itself. Steve Fowler and his research group have been instrumental in pioneering a technology that both minimizes these pitfalls in studies of rodent behavior and has applications to research on human patients. At the center of this technology is the force-plate actometer, developed by the Fowler group to assess multiple aspects of movement in rodent models. Our review highlights how use of the actometer and related behavioral measurements provides valuable insight into Huntington's disease (HD), an autosomal dominant condition of progressively deteriorating behavioral control. HD typically emerges in mid-life and has been replicated in multiple genetically engineered mouse models. The actometer also can be a valuable addition to cutting-edge neuronal and synaptic technologies that are now increasingly applied to studies of behaving animals. In short, the impact of the Fowler contribution to the neuroscience of movement is both meaningful and ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- George V Rebec
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States.
| | - David M Koceja
- Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Kendra D Bunner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
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Karwacka M, Olejniczak M. Advances in Modeling Polyglutamine Diseases Using Genome Editing Tools. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030517. [PMID: 35159326 PMCID: PMC8834129 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, including Huntington’s disease, are a group of late-onset progressive neurological disorders caused by CAG repeat expansions. Although recently, many studies have investigated the pathological features and development of polyQ diseases, many questions remain unanswered. The advancement of new gene-editing technologies, especially the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, has undeniable value for the generation of relevant polyQ models, which substantially support the research process. Here, we review how these tools have been used to correct disease-causing mutations or create isogenic cell lines with different numbers of CAG repeats. We characterize various cellular models such as HEK 293 cells, patient-derived fibroblasts, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and animal models generated with the use of genome-editing technology.
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9
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Cirnaru MD, Creus-Muncunill J, Nelson S, Lewis TB, Watson J, Ellerby LM, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Ehrlich ME. Striatal Cholinergic Dysregulation after Neonatal Decrease in X-Linked Dystonia Parkinsonism-Related TAF1 Isoforms. Mov Disord 2021; 36:2780-2794. [PMID: 34403156 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND X-linked dystonia parkinsonism is a generalized, progressive dystonia followed by parkinsonism with onset in adulthood and accompanied by striatal neurodegeneration. Causative mutations are located in a noncoding region of the TATA-box binding protein-associated factor 1 (TAF1) gene and result in aberrant splicing. There are 2 major TAF1 isoforms that may be decreased in symptomatic patients, including the ubiquitously expressed canonical cTAF1 and the neuronal-specific nTAF1. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the behavioral and transcriptomic effects of decreased cTAF1 and/or nTAF1 in vivo. METHODS We generated adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors encoding microRNAs targeting Taf1 in a splice-isoform selective manner. We performed intracerebroventricular viral injections in newborn mice and rats and intrastriatal infusions in 3-week-old rats. The effects of Taf1 knockdown were assayed at 4 months of age with evaluation of motor function, histology, and RNA sequencing of the striatum, followed by its validation. RESULTS We report motor deficits in all cohorts, more pronounced in animals injected at P0, in which we also identified transcriptomic alterations in multiple neuronal pathways, including the cholinergic synapse. In both species, we show a reduced number of striatal cholinergic interneurons and their marker mRNAs after Taf1 knockdown in the newborn. CONCLUSION This study provides novel information regarding the requirement for TAF1 in the postnatal maintenance of striatal cholinergic neurons, the dysfunction of which is involved in other inherited forms of dystonia. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Daniela Cirnaru
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jordi Creus-Muncunill
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shareen Nelson
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular & Molecular Therapeutics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Travis B Lewis
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular & Molecular Therapeutics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jaime Watson
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular & Molecular Therapeutics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lisa M Ellerby
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular & Molecular Therapeutics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michelle E Ehrlich
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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10
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Bachoud-Lévi AC, Massart R, Rosser A. Cell therapy in Huntington's disease: Taking stock of past studies to move the field forward. Stem Cells 2021; 39:144-155. [PMID: 33176057 PMCID: PMC10234449 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare inherited neurodegenerative disease that manifests mostly in adulthood with progressive cognitive, behavioral, and motor dysfunction. Neuronal loss occurs predominantly in the striatum but also extends to other brain regions, notably the cortex. Most patients die around 20 years after motor onset, although there is variability in the rate of progression and some phenotypic heterogeneity. The most advanced experimental therapies currently are huntingtin-lowering strategies, some of which are in stage 3 clinical trials. However, even if these approaches are successful, it is unlikely that they will be applicable to all patients or will completely halt continued loss of neural cells in all cases. On the other hand, cellular therapies have the potential to restore atrophied tissues and may therefore provide an important complementary therapeutic avenue. Pilot studies of fetal cell grafts in the 2000s reported the most dramatic clinical improvements yet achieved for this disease, but subsequent studies have so far failed to identify methodology to reliably reproduce these results. Moving forward, a major challenge will be to generate suitable donor cells from (nonfetal) cell sources, but in parallel there are a host of procedural and trial design issues that will be important for improving reliability of transplants and so urgently need attention. Here, we consider findings that have emerged from clinical transplant studies in HD to date, in particular new findings emerging from the recent multicenter intracerebral transplant HD study, and consider how these data may be used to inform future cell therapy trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Catherine Bachoud-Lévi
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, National Reference Center for Huntington's Disease, Neurology Department, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier Hospital, Créteil, France
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Paris, France
- Inserm U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe E01 NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Créteil, France
- Université Paris-Est Créteil, Faculté de Médecine, Créteil, France
| | - Renaud Massart
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, National Reference Center for Huntington's Disease, Neurology Department, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier Hospital, Créteil, France
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Paris, France
- Inserm U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Equipe E01 NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle, Créteil, France
- NeurATRIS, Créteil, France
| | - Anne Rosser
- Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Cardiff University Brain Repair Group, Life Sciences Building, School of Biosciences, Cardiff, UK
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute and Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff, UK
- Brain Repair And Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (BRAIN) Unit, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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11
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Zielonka D, Stawinska-Witoszynska B. Gender Differences in Non-sex Linked Disorders: Insights From Huntington's Disease. Front Neurol 2020; 11:571. [PMID: 32733356 PMCID: PMC7358529 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zielonka
- The Department of Public Health, The Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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12
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Gatto EM, Rojas NG, Persi G, Etcheverry JL, Cesarini ME, Perandones C. Huntington disease: Advances in the understanding of its mechanisms. Clin Park Relat Disord 2020; 3:100056. [PMID: 34316639 PMCID: PMC8298812 DOI: 10.1016/j.prdoa.2020.100056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a devastating monogenic autosomal dominant disorder. HD is caused by a CAG expansion in exon 1 of the gene coding for huntingtin, placed in the short arm of chromosome 4. Despite its well-defined genetic origin, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the disease are unclear and complex. Here, we review some of the currently known functions of the wild-type huntingtin protein and discuss the deleterious effects that arise from the expansion of the CAG repeats, which are translated into an abnormally long polyglutamine tract. Also, we present a modern view on the molecular biology of HD as a representative of the group of polyglutamine diseases, with an emphasis on conformational changes of mutant huntingtin, disturbances in its cellular processing, and proteolytic stress in degenerating neurons. The main pathogenetic mechanisms of neurodegeneration in HD are discussed in detail, such as autophagy, impaired mitochondrial biogenesis, lysosomal dysfunction, organelle and protein transport, inflammation, oxidative stress, and transcription factor modulation. However, other unraveling mechanisms are still unknown. This practical and brief review summarizes some of the currently known functions of the wild-type huntingtin protein and the recent findings related to the mechanisms involved in HD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia M Gatto
- Institute of Neuroscience Buenos Aires (INEBA), Argentina.,Sanatorio de la Trinidad Mitre, Argentina
| | | | - Gabriel Persi
- Institute of Neuroscience Buenos Aires (INEBA), Argentina.,Sanatorio de la Trinidad Mitre, Argentina
| | | | | | - Claudia Perandones
- National Administration of Laboratories and Institutes of Health, ANLIS, Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Argentina
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13
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Yue J, Wang XS, Feng B, Hu LN, Yang LK, Lu L, Zhang K, Wang YT, Liu SB. Activation of G-Protein-Coupled Receptor 30 Protects Neurons against Excitotoxicity through Inhibiting Excessive Autophagy Induced by Glutamate. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:4227-4236. [PMID: 31545891 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a protecting intracellular pathway to transmit unnecessary or dysfunctional components to the lysosome for degeneration. Autophagic imbalance is connected with neurodegeneration. Neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington's disease are closely related to excitotoxicity and neuronal loss. Activation of G-protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30), an estrogen membrane receptor, protects neurons from excitotoxicity-induced cell death. However, whether autophagy is involved in the neuroprotective effect of GPR30 activation is not well-known. In this study, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), Western blot, monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining, and immunofluorescent staining were employed to detect the role of autophagy in cultured primary cortical neurons after glutamate exposure and G1 treatment. Pretreatment of G1 (GPR30 specific agonist) reduced neuronal loss through inhibiting excessive autophagy induced by glutamate exposure, which was blocked by GPR30 antagonist G15, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors. These data suggest that GPR30 protects neurons from cell loss primarily by modulating PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, G1 alone did not affect the basal autophagy and cell viability. We conclude that GPR30 activation reduces glutamate-induced excessive autophagy in neurons and protects neurons against excitotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Yue
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shaanxi International Joint Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Pharmacy, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Xin-shang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Bin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shaanxi International Joint Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Pharmacy, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Li-ning Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Liu-kun Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Liang Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Ya-tao Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Shui-bing Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
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14
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Smarr B, Cutler T, Loh DH, Kudo T, Kuljis D, Kriegsfeld L, Ghiani CA, Colwell CS. Circadian dysfunction in the Q175 model of Huntington's disease: Network analysis. J Neurosci Res 2019; 97:1606-1623. [PMID: 31359503 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Disturbances in sleep/wake cycle are a common complaint of individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) and are displayed by HD mouse models. The underlying mechanisms, including the possible role of the circadian timing system, have been the topic of a number of recent studies. The (z)Q175 mouse is a knock-in model in which the human exon 1 sequence of the huntingtin gene is inserted into the mouse DNA with approximately 190 CAG repeats. Among the numerous models available, the heterozygous Q175 offers strong construct validity with a single copy of the mutation, genetic precision of the insertion and control of mutation copy number. In this review, we will summarize the evidence that this model exhibits disrupted diurnal and circadian rhythms in locomotor activity. We found overwhelming evidence for autonomic dysfunction including blunted daily rhythms in heart rate and core body temperature (CBT), reduced heart rate variability, and almost a complete failure of the sympathetic arm of the autonomic nervous system to function during the baroreceptor reflex. Mechanistically, the Q175 mouse model exhibits deficits in the neural output of the central circadian clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus along with an enhancement of at least one type of potassium current in these neurons. Finally, we report a novel network analysis examining the phase coherence between activity, CBT, and cardiovascular measures. Such analyses found that even young Q175 mutants (heterozygous or homozygous) show coherence degradation, and suggests that loss of phase coherence is a variable that should be considered as a possible biomarker for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Smarr
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California.,Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Tamara Cutler
- Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Dawn H Loh
- Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Takashi Kudo
- Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Dika Kuljis
- Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Lance Kriegsfeld
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California.,Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Cristina A Ghiani
- Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Pathology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.,Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Christopher S Colwell
- Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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15
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The Potential of Flavonoids for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20123056. [PMID: 31234550 PMCID: PMC6627573 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20123056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), currently affect more than 6 million people in the United States. Unfortunately, there are no treatments that slow or prevent disease development and progression. Regardless of the underlying cause of the disorder, age is the strongest risk factor for developing these maladies, suggesting that changes that occur in the aging brain put it at increased risk for neurodegenerative disease development. Moreover, since there are a number of different changes that occur in the aging brain, it is unlikely that targeting a single change is going to be effective for disease treatment. Thus, compounds that have multiple biological activities that can impact the various age-associated changes in the brain that contribute to neurodegenerative disease development and progression are needed. The plant-derived flavonoids have a wide range of activities that could make them particularly effective for blocking the age-associated toxicity pathways associated with neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, the evidence for beneficial effects of multiple flavonoids in models of AD, PD, HD, and ALS is presented and common mechanisms of action are identified. Overall, the preclinical data strongly support further investigation of specific flavonoids for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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16
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Cortico-Striatal Cross-Frequency Coupling and Gamma Genesis Disruptions in Huntington's Disease Mouse and Computational Models. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-NWR-0210-18. [PMID: 30627632 PMCID: PMC6325534 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0210-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal gamma band power across cortex and striatum is an important phenotype of Huntington's disease (HD) in both patients and animal models, but neither the origin nor the functional relevance of this phenotype is well understood. Here, we analyzed local field potential (LFP) activity in freely behaving, symptomatic R6/2 and Q175 mouse models and corresponding wild-type (WT) controls. We focused on periods of quiet rest, which show strong γ activity in HD mice. Simultaneous recording from motor cortex and its target area in dorsal striatum in the R6/2 model revealed exaggerated functional coupling over that observed in WT between the phase of delta frequencies (1-4 Hz) in cortex and striatum and striatal amplitude modulation of low γ frequencies (25-55 Hz; i.e., phase-amplitude coupling, PAC), but no evidence that abnormal cortical activity alone can account for the increase in striatal γ power. Both HD mouse models had stronger coupling of γ amplitude to δ phase and more unimodal phase distributions than their WT counterparts. To assess the possible role of striatal fast-spiking interneurons (FSIs) in these phenomena, we developed a computational model based on additional striatal recordings from Q175 mice. Changes in peak γ frequency and power ratio were readily reproduced by our computational model, accounting for several experimental findings reported in the literature. Our results suggest that HD is characterized by both a reorganization of cortico-striatal drive and specific population changes related to intrastriatal synaptic coupling.
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Rebec GV. Corticostriatal network dysfunction in Huntington's disease: Deficits in neural processing, glutamate transport, and ascorbate release. CNS Neurosci Ther 2018; 24:281-291. [PMID: 29464896 PMCID: PMC6489880 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS This review summarizes evidence for dysfunctional connectivity between cortical and striatal neurons in Huntington's disease (HD), a fatal neurodegenerative condition caused by a single gene mutation. The focus is on data derived from recording of electrophysiological signals in behaving transgenic mouse models. DISCUSSIONS Firing patterns of individual neurons and the frequency oscillations of local field potentials indicate a disruption in corticostriatal processing driven, in large part, by interactions between cells that contain the mutant gene rather than the mutant gene alone. Dysregulation of glutamate, an excitatory amino acid released by cortical afferents, plays a key role in the breakdown of corticostriatal communication, a process modulated by ascorbate, an antioxidant vitamin found in high concentration in striatum. Up-regulation of glutamate transport by drug administration or viral-vector delivery improves ascorbate homeostasis and neurobehavioral processing in HD mice. Further analysis of electrophysiological data, including the use of sophisticated computational strategies, is required to discern how behavioral demands modulate the flow of corticostriatal information and its disruption by HD. CONCLUSIONS Long before massive cell loss occurs, HD impairs the mechanisms by which cortical and striatal neurons communicate. A key problem identified in transgenic animal models is dysregulation of the dynamic changes in extracellular glutamate and ascorbate. Improved understanding of how these neurochemical systems impact corticostriatal communication is necessary before an effective therapeutic strategy can emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- George V. Rebec
- Program in NeuroscienceDepartment of Psychological and Brain SciencesIndiana UniversityBloomingtonINUSA
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