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Baraibar AM, Colomer T, Moreno-García A, Bernal-Chico A, Sánchez-Martín E, Utrilla C, Serrat R, Soria-Gómez E, Rodríguez-Antigüedad A, Araque A, Matute C, Marsicano G, Mato S. Autoimmune inflammation triggers aberrant astrocytic calcium signaling to impair synaptic plasticity. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 121:192-210. [PMID: 39032542 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Cortical pathology involving inflammatory and neurodegenerative mechanisms is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis and a correlate of disease progression and cognitive decline. Astrocytes play a pivotal role in multiple sclerosis initiation and progression but astrocyte-neuronal network alterations contributing to gray matter pathology remain undefined. Here we unveil deregulation of astrocytic calcium signaling and astrocyte-to-neuron communication as key pathophysiological mechanisms of cortical dysfunction in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of multiple sclerosis. Using two-photon imaging ex vivo and fiber photometry in freely behaving mice, we found that acute EAE was associated with the emergence of spontaneously hyperactive cortical astrocytes exhibiting dysfunctional responses to cannabinoid, glutamate and purinoreceptor agonists. Abnormal astrocyte signaling by Gi and Gq protein coupled receptors was observed in the inflamed cortex. This was mirrored by treatments with pro-inflammatory factors both in vitro and ex vivo, suggesting cell-autonomous effects of the cortical neuroinflammatory environment. Finally, deregulated astrocyte calcium activity was associated with an enhancement of glutamatergic gliotransmission and a shift of astrocyte-mediated short-term and long-term plasticity mechanisms towards synaptic potentiation. Overall, our data identify astrocyte-neuronal network dysfunctions as key pathological features of gray matter inflammation in multiple sclerosis and potentially additional neuroimmunological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Baraibar
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - T Colomer
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain
| | - A Moreno-García
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain
| | - A Bernal-Chico
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain
| | - E Sánchez-Martín
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain
| | - C Utrilla
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain
| | - R Serrat
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1215 NeuroCentre Magendie, 33077 Bordeaux, France; University of Bordeaux, 33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - E Soria-Gómez
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - A Rodríguez-Antigüedad
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain
| | - A Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455 MN, USA
| | - C Matute
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - G Marsicano
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1215 NeuroCentre Magendie, 33077 Bordeaux, France; University of Bordeaux, 33077 Bordeaux, France.
| | - S Mato
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain.
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2
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Suthard RL, Senne RA, Buzharsky MD, Diep AH, Pyo AY, Ramirez S. Engram reactivation mimics cellular signatures of fear. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113850. [PMID: 38401120 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113850] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Engrams, or the physical substrate of memory, recruit heterogeneous cell types. Targeted reactivation of neurons processing discrete memories drives the behavioral expression of memory, though the underlying landscape of recruited cells and their real-time responses remain elusive. To understand how artificial stimulation of fear affects intra-hippocampal neuron-astrocyte dynamics as well as their behavioral consequences, we express channelrhodopsin-2 in an activity-dependent manner within dentate gyrus neurons while recording both cell types with fiber photometry in hippocampal ventral CA1 across learning and memory. Both cell types exhibit shock responsiveness, with astrocytic calcium events uniquely modulated by fear conditioning. Optogenetic stimulation of a hippocampus-mediated engram recapitulates coordinated calcium signatures time locked to freezing, mirroring those observed during natural fear memory recall. Our findings reveal cell-type-specific dynamics in the hippocampus during freezing behavior, emphasizing neuronal-astrocytic coupling as a shared mechanism enabling both natural and artificially induced memory retrieval and the behavioral expression of fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Suthard
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ryan A Senne
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Michelle D Buzharsky
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Anh H Diep
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Angela Y Pyo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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3
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Escalada P, Ezkurdia A, Ramírez MJ, Solas M. Essential Role of Astrocytes in Learning and Memory. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1899. [PMID: 38339177 PMCID: PMC10856373 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the most biologically relevant functions of astrocytes within the CNS is the regulation of synaptic transmission, i.e., the physiological basis for information transmission between neurons. Changes in the strength of synaptic connections are indeed thought to be the cellular basis of learning and memory. Importantly, astrocytes have been demonstrated to tightly regulate these processes via the release of several gliotransmitters linked to astrocytic calcium activity as well as astrocyte-neuron metabolic coupling. Therefore, astrocytes seem to be integrators of and actors upon learning- and memory-relevant information. In this review, we focus on the role of astrocytes in learning and memory processes. We delineate the recognized inputs and outputs of astrocytes and explore the influence of manipulating astrocytes on behaviour across diverse learning paradigms. We conclude that astrocytes influence learning and memory in various manners. Appropriate astrocytic Ca2+ dynamics are being increasingly identified as central contributors to memory formation and retrieval. In addition, astrocytes regulate brain rhythms essential for cognition, and astrocyte-neuron metabolic cooperation is required for memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Escalada
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (P.E.); (A.E.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Amaia Ezkurdia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (P.E.); (A.E.); (M.J.R.)
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - María Javier Ramírez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (P.E.); (A.E.); (M.J.R.)
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maite Solas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (P.E.); (A.E.); (M.J.R.)
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
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4
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Ohno M. A Strategy for Allowing Earlier Diagnosis and Rigorous Evaluation of BACE1 Inhibitors in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 99:431-445. [PMID: 38701146 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231451] [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] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Given continued failure of BACE1 inhibitor programs at symptomatic and prodromal stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD), clinical trials need to target the earlier preclinical stage. However, trial design is complex in this population with negative diagnosis of classical hippocampal amnesia on standard memory tests. Besides recent advances in brain imaging, electroencephalogram, and fluid-based biomarkers, new cognitive markers should be established for earlier diagnosis that can optimize recruitment to BACE1 inhibitor trials in presymptomatic AD. Notably, accelerated long-term forgetting (ALF) is emerging as a sensitive cognitive measure that can discriminate between asymptomatic individuals with high risks for developing AD and healthy controls. ALF is a form of declarative memory impairment characterized by increased forgetting rates over longer delays (days to months) despite normal storage within the standard delays of testing (20-60 min). Therefore, ALF may represent a harbinger of preclinical dementia and the impairment of systems memory consolidation, during which memory traces temporarily stored in the hippocampus become gradually integrated into cortical networks. This review provides an overview of the utility of ALF in a rational design of next-generation BACE1 inhibitor trials in preclinical AD. I explore potential mechanisms underlying ALF and relevant early-stage biomarkers useful for BACE1 inhibitor evaluation, including synaptic protein alterations, astrocytic dysregulation and neuron hyperactivity in the hippocampal-cortical network. Furthermore, given the physiological role of the isoform BACE2 as an AD-suppressor gene, I also discuss the possible association between the poor selectivity of BACE1 inhibitors and their side effects (e.g., cognitive worsening) in prior clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masuo Ohno
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
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5
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Zegarra-Valdivia JA, Pignatelli J, Nuñez A, Torres Aleman I. The Role of Insulin-like Growth Factor I in Mechanisms of Resilience and Vulnerability to Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16440. [PMID: 38003628 PMCID: PMC10671249 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216440] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of intense research, disease-modifying therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are still very much needed. Apart from the extensively analyzed tau and amyloid pathological cascades, two promising avenues of research that may eventually identify new druggable targets for AD are based on a better understanding of the mechanisms of resilience and vulnerability to this condition. We argue that insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) activity in the brain provides a common substrate for the mechanisms of resilience and vulnerability to AD. We postulate that preserved brain IGF-I activity contributes to resilience to AD pathology as this growth factor intervenes in all the major pathological cascades considered to be involved in AD, including metabolic impairment, altered proteostasis, and inflammation, to name the three that are considered to be the most important ones. Conversely, disturbed IGF-I activity is found in many AD risk factors, such as old age, type 2 diabetes, imbalanced diet, sedentary life, sociality, stroke, stress, and low education, whereas the Apolipoprotein (Apo) E4 genotype and traumatic brain injury may also be influenced by brain IGF-I activity. Accordingly, IGF-I activity should be taken into consideration when analyzing these processes, while its preservation will predictably help prevent the progress of AD pathology. Thus, we need to define IGF-I activity in all these conditions and develop a means to preserve it. However, defining brain IGF-I activity cannot be solely based on humoral or tissue levels of this neurotrophic factor, and new functionally based assessments need to be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A. Zegarra-Valdivia
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain;
- Biomedical Research Networking Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- School of Medicine, Universidad Señor de Sipán, Chiclayo 14000, Peru
| | - Jaime Pignatelli
- Biomedical Research Networking Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Cajal Institute (CSIC), 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Angel Nuñez
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Ignacio Torres Aleman
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain;
- Biomedical Research Networking Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
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6
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Nanclares C, Noriega-Prieto JA, Labrada-Moncada FE, Cvetanovic M, Araque A, Kofuji P. Altered calcium signaling in Bergmann glia contributes to spinocerebellar ataxia type-1 in a mouse model of SCA1. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 187:106318. [PMID: 37802154 PMCID: PMC10624966 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106318] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by an abnormal expansion of glutamine (Q) encoding CAG repeats in the ATAXIN1 (ATXN1) gene and characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, and eventual deterioration of bulbar functions. SCA1 shows severe degeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) and activation of Bergmann glia (BG), a type of cerebellar astroglia closely associated with PCs. Combining electrophysiological recordings, calcium imaging techniques, and chemogenetic approaches, we have investigated the electrical intrinsic and synaptic properties of PCs and the physiological properties of BG in SCA1 mouse model expressing mutant ATXN1 only in PCs. PCs of SCA1 mice displayed lower spontaneous firing rate and larger slow afterhyperpolarization currents (sIAHP) than wildtype mice, whereas the properties of the synaptic inputs were unaffected. BG of SCA1 mice showed higher calcium hyperactivity and gliotransmission, manifested by higher frequency of NMDAR-mediated slow inward currents (SICs) in PC. Preventing the BG calcium hyperexcitability of SCA1 mice by loading BG with the calcium chelator BAPTA restored sIAHP and spontaneous firing rate of PCs to similar levels of wildtype mice. Moreover, mimicking the BG hyperactivity by activating BG expressing Gq-DREADDs in wildtype mice reproduced the SCA1 pathological phenotype of PCs, i.e., enhancement of sIAHP and decrease of spontaneous firing rate. These results indicate that the intrinsic electrical properties of PCs, but not their synaptic properties, were altered in SCA1 mice and that these alterations were associated with the hyperexcitability of BG. Moreover, preventing BG hyperexcitability in SCA1 mice and promoting BG hyperexcitability in wildtype mice prevented and mimicked, respectively, the pathological electrophysiological phenotype of PCs. Therefore, BG plays a relevant role in the dysfunction of the electrical intrinsic properties of PCs in SCA1 mice, suggesting that they may serve as potential targets for therapeutic approaches to treat the spinocerebellar ataxia type 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Nanclares
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | | | - Marija Cvetanovic
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Alfonso Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Paulo Kofuji
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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7
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Mitroshina E, Kalinina E, Vedunova M. Optogenetics in Alzheimer's Disease: Focus on Astrocytes. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1856. [PMID: 37891935 PMCID: PMC10604138 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12101856] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, resulting in disability and mortality. The global incidence of AD is consistently surging. Although numerous therapeutic agents with promising potential have been developed, none have successfully treated AD to date. Consequently, the pursuit of novel methodologies to address neurodegenerative processes in AD remains a paramount endeavor. A particularly promising avenue in this search is optogenetics, enabling the manipulation of neuronal activity. In recent years, research attention has pivoted from neurons to glial cells. This review aims to consider the potential of the optogenetic correction of astrocyte metabolism as a promising strategy for correcting AD-related disorders. The initial segment of the review centers on the role of astrocytes in the genesis of neurodegeneration. Astrocytes have been implicated in several pathological processes associated with AD, encompassing the clearance of β-amyloid, neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism (along with a critical role in apolipoprotein E function). The effect of astrocyte-neuronal interactions will also be scrutinized. Furthermore, the review delves into a number of studies indicating that changes in cellular calcium (Ca2+) signaling are one of the causes of neurodegeneration. The review's latter section presents insights into the application of various optogenetic tools to manipulate astrocytic function as a means to counteract neurodegenerative changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Mitroshina
- Institute of Biology and Biomedicine, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, 23 Gagarin Avenue, 603022 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia (M.V.)
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Lia A, Di Spiezio A, Vitalini L, Tore M, Puja G, Losi G. Ion Channels and Ionotropic Receptors in Astrocytes: Physiological Functions and Alterations in Alzheimer's Disease and Glioblastoma. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2038. [PMID: 37895420 PMCID: PMC10608464 DOI: 10.3390/life13102038] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The human brain is composed of nearly one hundred billion neurons and an equal number of glial cells, including macroglia, i.e., astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain. In the last few decades, compelling evidence has revealed that glial cells are far more active and complex than previously thought. In particular, astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell population, not only take part in brain development, metabolism, and defense against pathogens and insults, but they also affect sensory, motor, and cognitive functions by constantly modulating synaptic activity. Not surprisingly, astrocytes are actively involved in neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and other neurological disorders like brain tumors, in which they rapidly become reactive and mediate neuroinflammation. Reactive astrocytes acquire or lose specific functions that differently modulate disease progression and symptoms, including cognitive impairments. Astrocytes express several types of ion channels, including K+, Na+, and Ca2+ channels, transient receptor potential channels (TRP), aquaporins, mechanoreceptors, and anion channels, whose properties and functions are only partially understood, particularly in small processes that contact synapses. In addition, astrocytes express ionotropic receptors for several neurotransmitters. Here, we provide an extensive and up-to-date review of the roles of ion channels and ionotropic receptors in astrocyte physiology and pathology. As examples of two different brain pathologies, we focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD), one of the most diffuse neurodegenerative disorders, and glioblastoma (GBM), the most common brain tumor. Understanding how ion channels and ionotropic receptors in astrocytes participate in NDs and tumors is necessary for developing new therapeutic tools for these increasingly common neurological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Lia
- Department Biomedical Science, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (A.L.); (A.D.S.)
| | - Alessandro Di Spiezio
- Department Biomedical Science, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (A.L.); (A.D.S.)
- Neuroscience Institute (CNR-IN), Padova Section, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Vitalini
- Department Life Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (L.V.); (G.P.)
| | - Manuela Tore
- Institute of Nanoscience (CNR-NANO), Modena Section, 41125 Modena, Italy;
- Department Biomedical Science, Metabolic and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Puja
- Department Life Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (L.V.); (G.P.)
| | - Gabriele Losi
- Institute of Nanoscience (CNR-NANO), Modena Section, 41125 Modena, Italy;
- Department Biomedical Science, Metabolic and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
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9
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Lee YF, Russ AN, Zhao Q, Perle SJ, Maci M, Miller MR, Hou SS, Algamal M, Zhao Z, Li H, Gelwan N, Liu Z, Gomperts SN, Araque A, Galea E, Bacskai BJ, Kastanenka KV. Optogenetic targeting of astrocytes restores slow brain rhythm function and slows Alzheimer's disease pathology. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13075. [PMID: 37567942 PMCID: PMC10421876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40402-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep disturbances in addition to memory deficits. Disruption of NREM slow waves occurs early in the disease progression and is recapitulated in transgenic mouse models of beta-amyloidosis. However, the mechanisms underlying slow-wave disruptions remain unknown. Because astrocytes contribute to slow-wave activity, we used multiphoton microscopy and optogenetics to investigate whether they contribute to slow-wave disruptions in APP/PS1 mice. The power but not the frequency of astrocytic calcium transients was reduced in APP/PS1 mice compared to nontransgenic controls. Optogenetic activation of astrocytes at the endogenous frequency of slow waves restored slow-wave power, reduced amyloid deposition, prevented neuronal calcium elevations, and improved memory performance. Our findings revealed malfunction of the astrocytic network driving slow-wave disruptions. Thus, targeting astrocytes to restore circuit activity underlying sleep and memory disruptions in AD could ameliorate disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Fun Lee
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Alyssa N Russ
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Qiuchen Zhao
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Stephen J Perle
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Megi Maci
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Morgan R Miller
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Steven S Hou
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Moustafa Algamal
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Zhuoyang Zhao
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Hanyan Li
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Noah Gelwan
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Zhe Liu
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Stephen N Gomperts
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Alfonso Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Elena Galea
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Brian J Bacskai
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
| | - Ksenia V Kastanenka
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
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Pereira MJ, Ayana R, Holt MG, Arckens L. Chemogenetic manipulation of astrocyte activity at the synapse- a gateway to manage brain disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1193130. [PMID: 37534103 PMCID: PMC10393042 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1193130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the major glial cell type in the central nervous system (CNS). Initially regarded as supportive cells, it is now recognized that this highly heterogeneous cell population is an indispensable modulator of brain development and function. Astrocytes secrete neuroactive molecules that regulate synapse formation and maturation. They also express hundreds of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that, once activated by neurotransmitters, trigger intracellular signalling pathways that can trigger the release of gliotransmitters which, in turn, modulate synaptic transmission and neuroplasticity. Considering this, it is not surprising that astrocytic dysfunction, leading to synaptic impairment, is consistently described as a factor in brain diseases, whether they emerge early or late in life due to genetic or environmental factors. Here, we provide an overview of the literature showing that activation of genetically engineered GPCRs, known as Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs), to specifically modulate astrocyte activity partially mimics endogenous signalling pathways in astrocytes and improves neuronal function and behavior in normal animals and disease models. Therefore, we propose that expressing these genetically engineered GPCRs in astrocytes could be a promising strategy to explore (new) signalling pathways which can be used to manage brain disorders. The precise molecular, functional and behavioral effects of this type of manipulation, however, differ depending on the DREADD receptor used, targeted brain region and timing of the intervention, between healthy and disease conditions. This is likely a reflection of regional and disease/disease progression-associated astrocyte heterogeneity. Therefore, a thorough investigation of the effects of such astrocyte manipulation(s) must be conducted considering the specific cellular and molecular environment characteristic of each disease and disease stage before this has therapeutic applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Pereira
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rajagopal Ayana
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthew G. Holt
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Laboratory of Synapse Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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11
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Rasmussen RN, Asiminas A, Carlsen EMM, Kjaerby C, Smith NA. Astrocytes: integrators of arousal state and sensory context. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:418-425. [PMID: 37003933 PMCID: PMC10192111 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.03.003] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
The integration of external information with the internal state of the body is central to the survival of virtually every multicellular organism. However, a complete picture of the mechanisms that govern this process is lacking. In this opinion article, we synthesize evidence demonstrating that astrocytes sense the momentary arousal state - through neuromodulator release - as well as the sensory inputs - through local synaptic activity - and respond to them with changes in calcium (Ca2+) signaling. We hypothesize that astrocytes integrate sensory signals with the internal state and that this process is necessary to secure optimal behavior. Finally, we argue that dysfunctional astrocytic Ca2+ signaling could be an underlying factor in disorders characterized by disrupted sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rune Nguyen Rasmussen
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Antonis Asiminas
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Celia Kjaerby
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nathan Anthony Smith
- Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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12
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Sbai O, Bazzani V, Tapaswi S, McHale J, Vascotto C, Perrone L. Is Drp1 a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation in Alzheimer's disease? Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1166879. [PMID: 37251647 PMCID: PMC10213291 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1166879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances highlight that inflammation is critical to Alzheimer Disease (AD) pathogenesis. Indeed, several diseases characterized by inflammation are considered risk factors for AD, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and traumatic brain injury. Moreover, allelic variations in genes involved in the inflammatory cascade are risk factors for AD. AD is also characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction, which affects the energy homeostasis of the brain. The role of mitochondrial dysfunction has been characterized mostly in neuronal cells. However, recent data are demonstrating that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs also in inflammatory cells, promoting inflammation and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which in turn induce neurodegeneration. In this review, we summarize the recent finding supporting the hypothesis of the inflammatory-amyloid cascade in AD. Moreover, we describe the recent data that demonstrate the link between altered mitochondrial dysfunction and the inflammatory cascade. We focus in summarizing the role of Drp1, which is involved in mitochondrial fission, showing that altered Drp1 activation affects the mitochondrial homeostasis and leads to the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, promoting the inflammatory cascade, which in turn aggravates Amyloid beta (Ab) deposition and tau-induced neurodegeneration, showing the relevance of this pro-inflammatory pathway as an early event in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oualid Sbai
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR11IPT02, Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LTCII), Tunis, Tunisia
| | | | | | - Joshua McHale
- Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Carlo Vascotto
- Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
- IMol Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lorena Perrone
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
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13
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Lee YF, Russ AN, Zhao Q, Maci M, Miller MR, Hou SS, Algamal M, Zhao Z, Li H, Gelwan N, Gomperts SN, Araque A, Galea E, Bacskai BJ, Kastanenka KV. Optogenetic Targeting of Astrocytes Restores Slow Brain Rhythm Function and Slows Alzheimer's Disease Pathology. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2813056. [PMID: 37163040 PMCID: PMC10168443 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2813056/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep disturbances in addition to memory deficits. Disruption of NREM slow waves occurs early in the disease progression and is recapitulated in transgenic mouse models of beta-amyloidosis. However, the mechanisms underlying slow-wave disruptions remain unknown. Because astrocytes contribute to slow-wave activity, we used multiphoton microscopy and optogenetics to investigate whether they contribute to slow-wave disruptions in APP mice. The power but not the frequency of astrocytic calcium transients was reduced in APP mice compared to nontransgenic controls. Optogenetic activation of astrocytes at the endogenous frequency of slow waves restored slow-wave power, reduced amyloid deposition, prevented neuronal calcium elevations, and improved memory performance. Our findings revealed malfunction of the astrocytic network driving slow-wave disruptions. Thus, targeting astrocytes to restore circuit activity underlying sleep and memory disruptions in AD could ameliorate disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alyssa N Russ
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Qiuchen Zhao
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Megi Maci
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | | | - Steven S Hou
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | | | - Zhuoyang Zhao
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Hanyan Li
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Noah Gelwan
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | | | | | - Elena Galea
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
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14
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Baraibar AM, Belisle L, Marsicano G, Matute C, Mato S, Araque A, Kofuji P. Spatial organization of neuron-astrocyte interactions in the somatosensory cortex. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:4498-4511. [PMID: 36124663 PMCID: PMC10110431 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Microcircuits in the neocortex are functionally organized along layers and columns, which are the fundamental modules of cortical information processing. While the function of cortical microcircuits has focused on neuronal elements, much less is known about the functional organization of astrocytes and their bidirectional interaction with neurons. Here, we show that Cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R)-mediated astrocyte activation by neuron-released endocannabinoids elevate astrocyte Ca2+ levels, stimulate ATP/adenosine release as gliotransmitters, and transiently depress synaptic transmission in layer 5 pyramidal neurons at relatively distant synapses (˃20 μm) from the stimulated neuron. This astrocyte-mediated heteroneuronal synaptic depression occurred between pyramidal neurons within a cortical column and was absent in neurons belonging to adjacent cortical columns. Moreover, this form of heteroneuronal synaptic depression occurs between neurons located in particular layers, following a specific connectivity pattern that depends on a layer-specific neuron-to-astrocyte signaling. These results unravel the existence of astrocyte-mediated nonsynaptic communication between cortical neurons and that this communication is column- and layer-specific, which adds further complexity to the intercellular signaling processes in the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés M Baraibar
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Biocruces Bizkaia, Baracaldo, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lindsey Belisle
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Giovanni Marsicano
- INSERM, U862 NeuroCentre Magendie, Endocannabinoids and Neuroadaptation, Bordeaux, France
- NeuroCentre Magendie, Endocannabinoids and Neuroadaptation, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Carlos Matute
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Mato
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Biocruces Bizkaia, Baracaldo, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Paulo Kofuji
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN, USA
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15
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Lia A, Di Spiezio A, Speggiorin M, Zonta M. Two decades of astrocytes in neurovascular coupling. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 3:1162757. [PMID: 37078069 PMCID: PMC10106690 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1162757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a highly energy demanding organ, which accounts in humans for the 20% of total energy consumption at resting state although comprising only 2% of the body mass. The necessary delivery of nutrients to brain parenchyma is ensured by the cerebral circulatory system, through the exchange of glucose and oxygen (O2) at the capillary level. Notably, a tight spatial and temporal correlation exists between local increases in neuronal activity and the subsequent changes in regional cerebral blood flow. The recognized concept of neurovascular coupling (NVC), also named functional hyperemia, expresses this close relationship and stands at the basis of the modern functional brain imaging techniques. Different cellular and molecular mechanisms have been proposed to mediate this tight coupling. In this context, astrocytes are ideally positioned to act as relay elements that sense neuronal activity through their perisynaptic processes and release vasodilator agents at their endfeet in contact with brain parenchymal vessels. Two decades after the astrocyte involvement in neurovascular coupling has been proposed, we here review the experimental evidence that contributed to unraveling the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cerebral blood flow regulation. While traveling through the different controversies that moved the research in this field, we keep a peculiar focus on those exploring the role of astrocytes in neurovascular coupling and conclude with two sections related to methodological aspects in neurovascular research and to some pathological conditions resulting in altered neurovascular coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Lia
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
| | - Alessandro Di Spiezio
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Micaela Zonta
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- *Correspondence: Micaela Zonta,
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16
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Terradillos I, Bonilla-Del Río I, Puente N, Serrano M, Mimenza A, Lekunberri L, Anaut-Lusar I, Reguero L, Gerrikagoitia I, Ruiz de Martín Esteban S, Hillard CJ, Grande MT, Romero J, Elezgarai I, Grandes P. Altered glial expression of the cannabinoid 1 receptor in the subiculum of a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Glia 2023; 71:866-879. [PMID: 36437738 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24312] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The alteration of the endocannabinoid tone usually associates with changes in the expression and/or function of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyloid beta (Aβ)-containing aggregates induce a chronic inflammatory response leading to reactivity of both microglia and astrocytes. However, how this glial response impacts on the glial CB1 receptor expression in the subiculum of a mouse model of AD, a brain region particularly affected by large accumulation of plaques and concomitant subcellular changes in microglia and astrocytes, is unknown. The CB1 receptor localization in both glial cells was investigated in the subiculum of male 5xFAD/CB2 EGFP/f/f (AD model) and CB2 EGFP/f/f mice by immuno-electron microscopy. The findings revealed that glial CB1 receptors suffer remarkable changes in the AD mouse. Thus, CB1 receptor expression increases in reactive microglia in 5xFAD/CB2 EGFP/f/f , but remains constant in astrocytes with CB1 receptor labeling rising proportionally to the perimeter of the reactive astrocytes. Not least, the CB1 receptor localization in microglial processes in the subiculum of controls and closely surrounding amyloid plaques and dystrophic neurites of the AD model, supports previous suggestions of the presence of the CB1 receptor in microglia. These findings on the correlation between glial reactivity and the CB1 receptor expression in microglial cells and astrocytes, contribute to the understanding of the role of the endocannabinoid system in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itziar Terradillos
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Itziar Bonilla-Del Río
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Nagore Puente
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Maitane Serrano
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Amaia Mimenza
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Leire Lekunberri
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Ilazki Anaut-Lusar
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Leire Reguero
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Gerrikagoitia
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | | | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - María T Grande
- Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
| | - Julián Romero
- Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
| | - Izaskun Elezgarai
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Pedro Grandes
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
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17
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Lia A, Sansevero G, Chiavegato A, Sbrissa M, Pendin D, Mariotti L, Pozzan T, Berardi N, Carmignoto G, Fasolato C, Zonta M. Rescue of astrocyte activity by the calcium sensor STIM1 restores long-term synaptic plasticity in female mice modelling Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1590. [PMID: 36949142 PMCID: PMC10033875 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37240-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium dynamics in astrocytes represent a fundamental signal that through gliotransmitter release regulates synaptic plasticity and behaviour. Here we present a longitudinal study in the PS2APP mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) linking astrocyte Ca2+ hypoactivity to memory loss. At the onset of plaque deposition, somatosensory cortical astrocytes of AD female mice exhibit a drastic reduction of Ca2+ signaling, closely associated with decreased endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ concentration and reduced expression of the Ca2+ sensor STIM1. In parallel, astrocyte-dependent long-term synaptic plasticity declines in the somatosensory circuitry, anticipating specific tactile memory loss. Notably, we show that both astrocyte Ca2+ signaling and long-term synaptic plasticity are fully recovered by selective STIM1 overexpression in astrocytes. Our data unveil astrocyte Ca2+ hypoactivity in neocortical astrocytes as a functional hallmark of early AD stages and indicate astrocytic STIM1 as a target to rescue memory deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Lia
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Gabriele Sansevero
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
- Department of NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Angela Chiavegato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Miriana Sbrissa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Diana Pendin
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Letizia Mariotti
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Tullio Pozzan
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Foundation for Advanced Biomedical Research, Padua, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Berardi
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
- Department of NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Giorgio Carmignoto
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Cristina Fasolato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Micaela Zonta
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
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18
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Lim D, Tapella L, Dematteis G, Genazzani AA, Corazzari M, Verkhratsky A. The endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response in Alzheimer's disease: a calcium dyshomeostasis perspective. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 87:101914. [PMID: 36948230 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Protein misfolding is prominent in early cellular pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), implicating pathophysiological significance of endoplasmic reticulum stress/unfolded protein response (ER stress/UPR) and highlighting it as a target for drug development. Experimental data from animal AD models and observations on human specimens are, however, inconsistent. ER stress and associated UPR are readily observed in in vitro AD cellular models and in some AD model animals. In the human brain, components and markers of ER stress as well as UPR transducers are observed at Braak stages III-VI associated with severe neuropathology and neuronal death. The picture, however, is further complicated by the brain region- and cell type-specificity of the AD-related pathology. Terms 'disturbed' or 'non-canonical' ER stress/UPR were used to describe the discrepancies between experimental data and the classic ER stress/UPR cascade. Here we discuss possible 'disturbing' or 'interfering' factors which may modify ER stress/UPR in the early AD pathogenesis. We focus on the dysregulation of the ER Ca2+ homeostasis, store-operated Ca2+ entry, and the interaction between the ER and mitochondria. We suggest that a detailed study of the CNS cell type-specific alterations of Ca2+ homeostasis in early AD may deepen our understanding of AD-related dysproteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Lim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy.
| | - Laura Tapella
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Giulia Dematteis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Armando A Genazzani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Marco Corazzari
- Department of Health Science (DSS), Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Disease (CAAD) & Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases (IRCAD), Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro"
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain & Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU and CIBERNED, Leioa, Spain; Department of Stem Cell Biology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, LT-01102, Vilnius, Lithuania; Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
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19
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Kecheliev V, Boss L, Maheshwari U, Konietzko U, Keller A, Razansky D, Nitsch RM, Klohs J, Ni R. Aquaporin 4 is differentially increased and dislocated in association with tau and amyloid-beta. Life Sci 2023; 321:121593. [PMID: 36934970 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Neurovascular-glymphatic dysfunction plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease and has been analysed mainly in relation to amyloid-beta (Aβ) pathology. Here, we aim to investigate the neurovascular alterations and mapping of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) distribution and dislocation associated with tau and Aβ. MATERIALS AND METHODS Perfusion, susceptibility weighted imaging and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in the pR5 mouse model of 4-repeat tau and the arcAβ mouse model of amyloidosis. Immunofluorescence staining was performed using antibodies against AQP4, vessel, astroglia, microglia, phospho-tau and Aβ in brain tissue slices from pR5, arcAβ and non-transgenic mice. KEY FINDINGS pR5 mice showed regional atrophy, preserved cerebral blood flow, and reduced cerebral vessel density compared to non-transgenic mice, while arcAβ mice showed cerebral microbleeds and reduced cerebral vessel density. AQP4 dislocation and peri-tau enrichment in the hippocampus and increased AQP4 levels in the cortex and hippocampus were detected in pR5 mice compared to non-transgenic mice. In comparison, cortical AQP4 dislocation and cortical/hippocampal peri-plaque increases were observed in arcAβ mice. Increased expression of reactive astrocytes were detected around the tau inclusions in pR5 mice and Aβ plaques in arcAβ mice. SIGNIFICANCE We demonstrated the neurovascular alterations, microgliosis, astrogliosis and increased AQP4 regional expression in pR5 tau and arcAβ mice. We observed a divergent region-specific AQP4 dislocation and association with phospho-tau and Aβ pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasil Kecheliev
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Leo Boss
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Upasana Maheshwari
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, Zürich University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Uwe Konietzko
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Annika Keller
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, Zürich University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland; Zentrum für Neurowissenschaften Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Razansky
- Zentrum für Neurowissenschaften Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger M Nitsch
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Zentrum für Neurowissenschaften Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Klohs
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ruiqing Ni
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Zentrum für Neurowissenschaften Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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20
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Astrocyte strategies in the energy-efficient brain. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:3-16. [PMID: 36350053 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes generate ATP through glycolysis and mitochondrion respiration, using glucose, lactate, fatty acids, amino acids, and ketone bodies as metabolic fuels. Astrocytic mitochondria also participate in neuronal redox homeostasis and neurotransmitter recycling. In this essay, we aim to integrate the multifaceted evidence about astrocyte bioenergetics at the cellular and systems levels, with a focus on mitochondrial oxidation. At the cellular level, the use of fatty acid β-oxidation and the existence of molecular switches for the selection of metabolic mode and fuels are examined. At the systems level, we discuss energy audits of astrocytes and how astrocytic Ca2+ signaling might contribute to the higher performance and lower energy consumption of the brain as compared to engineered circuits. We finish by examining the neural-circuit dysregulation and behavior impairment associated with alterations of astrocytic mitochondria. We conclude that astrocytes may contribute to brain energy efficiency by coupling energy, redox, and computational homeostasis in neural circuits.
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21
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Fekete Z, Zátonyi A, Kaszás A, Madarász M, Slézia A. Transparent neural interfaces: challenges and solutions of microengineered multimodal implants designed to measure intact neuronal populations using high-resolution electrophysiology and microscopy simultaneously. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:66. [PMID: 37213820 PMCID: PMC10195795 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00519-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this review is to present a comprehensive overview of the feasibility of using transparent neural interfaces in multimodal in vivo experiments on the central nervous system. Multimodal electrophysiological and neuroimaging approaches hold great potential for revealing the anatomical and functional connectivity of neuronal ensembles in the intact brain. Multimodal approaches are less time-consuming and require fewer experimental animals as researchers obtain denser, complex data during the combined experiments. Creating devices that provide high-resolution, artifact-free neural recordings while facilitating the interrogation or stimulation of underlying anatomical features is currently one of the greatest challenges in the field of neuroengineering. There are numerous articles highlighting the trade-offs between the design and development of transparent neural interfaces; however, a comprehensive overview of the efforts in material science and technology has not been reported. Our present work fills this gap in knowledge by introducing the latest micro- and nanoengineered solutions for fabricating substrate and conductive components. Here, the limitations and improvements in electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, the stability and longevity of the integrated features, and biocompatibility during in vivo use are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z. Fekete
- Research Group for Implantable Microsystems, Faculty of Information Technology & Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience & Psychology, Eotvos Lorand Research Network, Budapest, Hungary
| | - A. Zátonyi
- Research Group for Implantable Microsystems, Faculty of Information Technology & Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - A. Kaszás
- Mines Saint-Etienne, Centre CMP, Département BEL, F - 13541 Gardanne, France
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, CNRS UMR 7289 & Aix-Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - M. Madarász
- János Szentágothai PhD Program of Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- BrainVision Center, Budapest, Hungary
| | - A. Slézia
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, CNRS UMR 7289 & Aix-Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
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22
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Tiberi A, Carucci NM, Testa G, Rizzi C, Pacifico P, Borgonovo G, Arisi I, D’Onofrio M, Brandi R, Gan WB, Capsoni S, Cattaneo A. Reduced levels of NGF shift astrocytes toward a neurotoxic phenotype. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1165125. [PMID: 37143894 PMCID: PMC10151754 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1165125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is critical for neuronal physiology during development and adulthood. Despite the well-recognized effect of NGF on neurons, less is known about whether NGF can actually affect other cell types in the central nervous system (CNS). In this work, we show that astrocytes are susceptible to changes in ambient levels of NGF. First, we observe that interfering with NGF signaling in vivo via the constitutive expression of an antiNGF antibody induces astrocytic atrophy. A similar asthenic phenotype is encountered in an uncleavable proNGF transgenic mouse model (TgproNGF#72), effectively increasing the brain proNGF levels. To examine whether this effect on astrocytes is cell-autonomous, we cultured wild-type primary astrocytes in the presence of antiNGF antibodies, uncovering that a short incubation period is sufficient to potently and rapidly trigger calcium oscillations. Acute induction of calcium oscillations by antiNGF antibodies is followed by progressive morphological changes similar to those observed in antiNGF AD11 mice. Conversely, incubation with mature NGF has no effect on either calcium activity nor on astrocytic morphology. At longer timescales, transcriptomic analysis revealed that NGF-deprived astrocytes acquire a proinflammatory profile. In particular, antiNGF-treated astrocytes show upregulation of neurotoxic transcripts and downregulation of neuroprotective mRNAs. Consistent with that data, culturing wild-type neurons in the presence of NGF-deprived astrocytes leads to neuronal cell death. Finally, we report that in both awake and anesthetized mice, astrocytes in layer I of the motor cortex respond with an increase in calcium activity to acute NGF inhibition using either NGF-neutralizing antibodies or a TrkA-Fc NGF scavenger. Moreover, in vivo calcium imaging in the cortex of the 5xFAD neurodegeneration mouse model shows an increased level of spontaneous calcium activity in astrocytes, which is significantly reduced after acute administration of NGF. In conclusion, we unveil a novel neurotoxic mechanism driven by astrocytes, triggered by their sensing and reacting to changes in the levels of ambient NGF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Tiberi
- BIO@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ivan Arisi
- European Brain Research Institute - Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Mara D’Onofrio
- European Brain Research Institute - Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Brandi
- European Brain Research Institute - Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Wen-Biao Gan
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Simona Capsoni
- BIO@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Institute of Physiology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Antonino Cattaneo
- BIO@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- European Brain Research Institute - Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Antonino Cattaneo,
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23
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Arnst N, Redolfi N, Lia A, Bedetta M, Greotti E, Pizzo P. Mitochondrial Ca 2+ Signaling and Bioenergetics in Alzheimer's Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:3025. [PMID: 36551781 PMCID: PMC9775979 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a hereditary and sporadic neurodegenerative illness defined by the gradual and cumulative loss of neurons in specific brain areas. The processes that cause AD are still under investigation and there are no available therapies to halt it. Current progress puts at the forefront the "calcium (Ca2+) hypothesis" as a key AD pathogenic pathway, impacting neuronal, astrocyte and microglial function. In this review, we focused on mitochondrial Ca2+ alterations in AD, their causes and bioenergetic consequences in neuronal and glial cells, summarizing the possible mechanisms linking detrimental mitochondrial Ca2+ signals to neuronal death in different experimental AD models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Arnst
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Nelly Redolfi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Annamaria Lia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Martina Bedetta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Elisa Greotti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), 35131 Padua, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Paola Pizzo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), 35131 Padua, Italy
- Study Centre for Neurodegeneration (CESNE), University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
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24
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Ajenikoko MK, Ajagbe AO, Onigbinde OA, Okesina AA, Tijani AA. Review of Alzheimer's disease drugs and their relationship with neuron-glia interaction. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 14:64-76. [PMID: 36593897 PMCID: PMC9803919 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia worldwide. Because Alzheimer's disease has no known treatment, sufferers and their caregivers must concentrate on symptom management. Astrocytes and microglia are now known to play distinct physiological roles in synaptic function, the blood-brain barrier, and neurovascular coupling. Consequently, the search for drugs that can slow the degenerative process in dementia sufferers continues because existing drugs are designed to alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Drugs that address pathological changes without interfering with the normal function of glia, such as eliminating amyloid-beta deposits, are prospective treatments for neuroinflammatory illnesses. Because neuron-astrocytes-microglia interactions are so complex, developing effective, preventive, and therapeutic medications for AD will necessitate novel methodologies and strategic targets. This review focused on existing medications used in treating AD amongst which include Donepezil, Choline Alphoscerate, Galantamine, Dextromethorphan, palmitoylethanolamide, citalopram, resveratrol, and solanezumab. This review summarizes the effects of these drugs on neurons, astrocytes, and microglia interactions based on their pharmacokinetic properties, mechanism of action, dosing, and clinical presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kunle Ajenikoko
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Kampala International University, Western Campus, Ishaka, Uganda,Correspondence to: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Kampala International University, Western Campus, Uganda.
| | - Abayomi Oyeyemi Ajagbe
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, P.M.B. 900001 Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Oluwanisola Akanji Onigbinde
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, P.M.B. 900001 Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Akeem Ayodeji Okesina
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Community Health, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Rwanda
| | - Ahmad Adekilekun Tijani
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Nigeria
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25
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Shah D, Gsell W, Wahis J, Luckett ES, Jamoulle T, Vermaercke B, Preman P, Moechars D, Hendrickx V, Jaspers T, Craessaerts K, Horré K, Wolfs L, Fiers M, Holt M, Thal DR, Callaerts-Vegh Z, D'Hooge R, Vandenberghe R, Himmelreich U, Bonin V, De Strooper B. Astrocyte calcium dysfunction causes early network hyperactivity in Alzheimer's disease. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111280. [PMID: 36001964 PMCID: PMC9433881 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctions of network activity and functional connectivity (FC) represent early events in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Astrocytes regulate local neuronal activity in the healthy brain, but their involvement in early network hyperactivity in AD is unknown. We show increased FC in the human cingulate cortex several years before amyloid deposition. We find the same early cingulate FC disruption and neuronal hyperactivity in AppNL-F mice. Crucially, these network disruptions are accompanied by decreased astrocyte calcium signaling. Recovery of astrocytic calcium activity normalizes neuronal hyperactivity and FC, as well as seizure susceptibility and day/night behavioral disruptions. In conclusion, we show that astrocytes mediate initial features of AD and drive clinically relevant phenotypes. The cingulate cortex of humans and mice shows early functional deficits in AD Astrocyte calcium signaling is decreased before the presence of amyloid plaques Recovery of astrocyte calcium signals mitigates neuronal hyperactivity Recovery of astrocytes normalizes cingulate connectivity and behavior disruptions
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Affiliation(s)
- Disha Shah
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Willy Gsell
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jérôme Wahis
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emma S Luckett
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tarik Jamoulle
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ben Vermaercke
- Neuro-electronics Research Flanders, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pranav Preman
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daan Moechars
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Véronique Hendrickx
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tom Jaspers
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katleen Craessaerts
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrien Horré
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leen Wolfs
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mark Fiers
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthew Holt
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- Laboratory for Neuropathology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, LBI, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Rudi D'Hooge
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, KU-Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Vandenberghe
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vincent Bonin
- Neuro-electronics Research Flanders, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart De Strooper
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK.
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26
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Bistability and Chaos Emergence in Spontaneous Dynamics of Astrocytic Calcium Concentration. MATHEMATICS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/math10081337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In this work, we consider a mathematical model describing spontaneous calcium signaling in astrocytes. Based on biologically relevant principles, this model simulates experimentally observed calcium oscillations and can predict the emergence of complicated dynamics. Using analytical and numerical analysis, various attracting sets were found and investigated. Employing bifurcation theory analysis, we examined steady state solutions, bistability, simple and complicated periodic limit cycles and also chaotic attractors. We found that astrocytes possess a variety of complex dynamical modes, including chaos and multistability, that can further provide different modulations of neuronal circuits, enhancing their plasticity and flexibility.
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27
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Aldabbagh Y, Islam A, Zhang W, Whiting P, Ali AB. Alzheimer’s Disease Enhanced Tonic Inhibition is Correlated With Upregulated Astrocyte GABA Transporter-3/4 in a Knock-In APP Mouse Model. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:822499. [PMID: 35185574 PMCID: PMC8850407 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.822499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive decline is a major symptom in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is strongly associated with synaptic excitatory-inhibitory imbalance. Here, we investigated whether astrocyte-specific GABA transporter 3/4 (GAT3/4) is altered in APP knock-in mouse model of AD and whether this is correlated with changes in principal cell excitability. Using the APPNL-F/NL-F knock-in mouse model of AD, aged-matched to wild-type mice, we performed in vitro electrophysiological whole-cell recordings combined with immunohistochemistry in the CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus. We observed a higher expression of GAD67, an enzyme that catalyses GABA production, and GAT3/4 in reactive astrocytes labelled with GFAP, which correlated with an enhanced tonic inhibition in the CA1 and DG of 12–16 month-old APPNL-F/NL-F mice compared to the age-matched wild-type animals. Comparative neuroanatomy experiments performed using post-mortem brain tissue from human AD patients, age-matched to healthy controls, mirrored the results obtained using mice tissue. Blocking GAT3/4 associated tonic inhibition recorded in CA1 and DG principal cells resulted in an increased membrane input resistance, enhanced firing frequency and synaptic excitation in both wild-type and APPNL-F/NL-F mice. These effects exacerbated synaptic hyperactivity reported previously in the APPNL-F/NL-F mice model. Our data suggest that an alteration in astrocyte GABA homeostasis is correlated with increased tonic inhibition in the hippocampus, which probably plays an important compensatory role in restoring AD-associated synaptic hyperactivity. Therefore, reducing tonic inhibition through GAT3/4 may not be a good therapeutic strategy for AD
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anam Islam
- UCL School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Paul Whiting
- Alzheimer’s Research UK Drug Discovery Institute, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Afia B. Ali
- UCL School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Afia B. Ali,
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