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Brooks BR. Letter to the Editor: Glycemic Index/Load Effect on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Progression: Potential Interaction with Riluzole. Ann Neurol 2024; 96:208. [PMID: 38775034 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
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Shafie A, Ashour AA, Anwar S, Anjum F, Hassan MI. Exploring molecular mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, and clinical manifestations of Huntington's disease. Arch Pharm Res 2024:10.1007/s12272-024-01499-w. [PMID: 38764004 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-024-01499-w] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a paradigm of a genetic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the expansion of CAG repeats in the HTT gene. This extensive review investigates the molecular complexities of HD by highlighting the pathogenic mechanisms initiated by the mutant huntingtin protein. Adverse outcomes of HD include mitochondrial dysfunction, compromised protein clearance, and disruption of intracellular signaling, consequently contributing to the gradual deterioration of neurons. Numerous therapeutic strategies, particularly precision medicine, are currently used for HD management. Antisense oligonucleotides, such as Tominersen, play a leading role in targeting and modulating the expression of mutant huntingtin. Despite the promise of these therapies, challenges persist, particularly in improving delivery systems and the necessity for long-term safety assessments. Considering the future landscape, the review delineates promising directions for HD research and treatment. Innovations such as Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats associated system therapies (CRISPR)-based genome editing and emerging neuroprotective approaches present unprecedented opportunities for intervention. Collaborative interdisciplinary endeavors and a more insightful understanding of HD pathogenesis are on the verge of reshaping the therapeutic landscape. As we navigate the intricate landscape of HD, this review serves as a guide for unraveling the intricacies of this disease and progressing toward transformative treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Shafie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, PO Box 11099, 21944, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amal Adnan Ashour
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Taif University, PO Box 11099, 21944, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleha Anwar
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Farah Anjum
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, PO Box 11099, 21944, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Md Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India.
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Hobbs NZ, Papoutsi M, Delva A, Kinnunen KM, Nakajima M, Van Laere K, Vandenberghe W, Herath P, Scahill RI. Neuroimaging to Facilitate Clinical Trials in Huntington's Disease: Current Opinion from the EHDN Imaging Working Group. J Huntingtons Dis 2024:JHD240016. [PMID: 38788082 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-240016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Neuroimaging is increasingly being included in clinical trials of Huntington's disease (HD) for a wide range of purposes from participant selection and safety monitoring, through to demonstration of disease modification. Selection of the appropriate modality and associated analysis tools requires careful consideration. On behalf of the EHDN Imaging Working Group, we present current opinion on the utility and future prospects for inclusion of neuroimaging in HD trials. Covering the key imaging modalities of structural-, functional- and diffusion- MRI, perfusion imaging, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and magnetoencephalography, we address how neuroimaging can be used in HD trials to: 1) Aid patient selection, enrichment, stratification, and safety monitoring; 2) Demonstrate biodistribution, target engagement, and pharmacodynamics; 3) Provide evidence for disease modification; and 4) Understand brain re-organization following therapy. We also present the challenges of translating research methodology into clinical trial settings, including equipment requirements and cost, standardization of acquisition and analysis, patient burden and invasiveness, and interpretation of results. We conclude, that with appropriate consideration of modality, study design and analysis, imaging has huge potential to facilitate effective clinical trials in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Z Hobbs
- HD Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Marina Papoutsi
- HD Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
- IXICO plc, London, UK
| | - Aline Delva
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Koen Van Laere
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, KU Leuven, Belgium
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Vandenberghe
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
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van Eimeren T, Giehl K, Reetz K, Sampaio C, Mestre TA. Neuroimaging biomarkers in Huntington's disease: Preparing for a new era of therapeutic development. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2023; 114:105488. [PMID: 37407343 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A critical challenge for Huntington's disease (HD) clinical trials in disease modification is the definition of endpoints that can capture change when clinical signs are subtle/non-existent. Reliable biomarkers are therefore urgently needed to facilitate drug development by allowing the enrichment of clinical trial populations and providing measures of benefit that can support the establishment of efficacy. METHODS By systematically examining the published literature on HD neuroimaging biomarker studies, we sought to advance knowledge to guide the validation of neuroimaging biomarkers. We started by reviewing both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies and then conducted an in-depth review to make quantitative comparisons between biomarkers using data only from longitudinal studies with samples sizes larger than ten participants in PET studies or 30 participants in MRI studies. RESULTS From a total of 2202 publications initially identified, we included 32 studies, 19 of which underwent in-depth comparative review. The majority of included studies used various MRI-based methods (manual to automatic) to longitudinally assess either the volume of the putamen or the caudate, which have been shown to undergo significant structural change during HD natural history. CONCLUSION Despite the impressively large number of neuroimaging biomarker studies, only a small number of adequately designed studies met our criteria. Among these various biomarkers, MRI-based volumetric analyses of the caudate and putamen are currently the best validated for use in the disease phase before clinical motor diagnosis. A biomarker that can be used to demonstrate a disease-modifying effect is still missing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thilo van Eimeren
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cologne, Germany; University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Giehl
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cologne, Germany; Research Center Jülich, Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2), Jülich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- University of Aachen, Department of Neurology, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Tiago A Mestre
- University of Ottawa, Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Canada
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Speidell A, Bin Abid N, Yano H. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Dysregulation as an Essential Pathological Feature in Huntington's Disease: Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutics. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2275. [PMID: 37626771 PMCID: PMC10452871 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082275] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a major neurotrophin whose loss or interruption is well established to have numerous intersections with the pathogenesis of progressive neurological disorders. There is perhaps no greater example of disease pathogenesis resulting from the dysregulation of BDNF signaling than Huntington's disease (HD)-an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive impairments associated with basal ganglia dysfunction and the ultimate death of striatal projection neurons. Investigation of the collection of mechanisms leading to BDNF loss in HD highlights this neurotrophin's importance to neuronal viability and calls attention to opportunities for therapeutic interventions. Using electronic database searches of existing and forthcoming research, we constructed a literature review with the overarching goal of exploring the diverse set of molecular events that trigger BDNF dysregulation within HD. We highlighted research that investigated these major mechanisms in preclinical models of HD and connected these studies to those evaluating similar endpoints in human HD subjects. We also included a special focus on the growing body of literature detailing key transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations that affect BDNF abundance in HD. Finally, we offer critical evaluation of proposed neurotrophin-directed therapies and assessed clinical trials seeking to correct BDNF expression in HD individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Speidell
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Noman Bin Abid
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Hiroko Yano
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Timmers ER, Klamer MR, Marapin RS, Lammertsma AA, de Jong BM, Dierckx RAJO, Tijssen MAJ. [ 18F]FDG PET in conditions associated with hyperkinetic movement disorders and ataxia: a systematic review. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2023; 50:1954-1973. [PMID: 36702928 PMCID: PMC10199862 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06110-w] [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: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To give a comprehensive literature overview of alterations in regional cerebral glucose metabolism, measured using [18F]FDG PET, in conditions associated with hyperkinetic movement disorders and ataxia. In addition, correlations between glucose metabolism and clinical variables as well as the effect of treatment on glucose metabolism are discussed. METHODS A systematic literature search was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies concerning tremors, tics, dystonia, ataxia, chorea, myoclonus, functional movement disorders, or mixed movement disorders due to autoimmune or metabolic aetiologies were eligible for inclusion. A PubMed search was performed up to November 2021. RESULTS Of 1240 studies retrieved in the original search, 104 articles were included. Most articles concerned patients with chorea (n = 27), followed by ataxia (n = 25), dystonia (n = 20), tremor (n = 8), metabolic disease (n = 7), myoclonus (n = 6), tics (n = 6), and autoimmune disorders (n = 5). No papers on functional movement disorders were included. Altered glucose metabolism was detected in various brain regions in all movement disorders, with dystonia-related hypermetabolism of the lentiform nuclei and both hyper- and hypometabolism of the cerebellum; pronounced cerebellar hypometabolism in ataxia; and striatal hypometabolism in chorea (dominated by Huntington disease). Correlations between clinical characteristics and glucose metabolism were often described. [18F]FDG PET-showed normalization of metabolic alterations after treatment in tremors, ataxia, and chorea. CONCLUSION In all conditions with hyperkinetic movement disorders, hypo- or hypermetabolism was found in multiple, partly overlapping brain regions, and clinical characteristics often correlated with glucose metabolism. For some movement disorders, [18F]FDG PET metabolic changes reflected the effect of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elze R Timmers
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Expertise Center Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marrit R Klamer
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Expertise Center Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ramesh S Marapin
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Expertise Center Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Adriaan A Lammertsma
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Medical Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bauke M de Jong
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rudi A J O Dierckx
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Medical Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marina A J Tijssen
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands.
- Expertise Center Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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Kim H, Gomez-Pastor R. HSF1 and Its Role in Huntington's Disease Pathology. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1410:35-95. [PMID: 36396925 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2022_742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is the master transcriptional regulator of the heat shock response (HSR) in mammalian cells and is a critical element in maintaining protein homeostasis. HSF1 functions at the center of many physiological processes like embryogenesis, metabolism, immune response, aging, cancer, and neurodegeneration. However, the mechanisms that allow HSF1 to control these different biological and pathophysiological processes are not fully understood. This review focuses on Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by severe protein aggregation of the huntingtin (HTT) protein. The aggregation of HTT, in turn, leads to a halt in the function of HSF1. Understanding the pathways that regulate HSF1 in different contexts like HD may hold the key to understanding the pathomechanisms underlying other proteinopathies. We provide the most current information on HSF1 structure, function, and regulation, emphasizing HD, and discussing its potential as a biological target for therapy. DATA SOURCES We performed PubMed search to find established and recent reports in HSF1, heat shock proteins (Hsp), HD, Hsp inhibitors, HSF1 activators, and HSF1 in aging, inflammation, cancer, brain development, mitochondria, synaptic plasticity, polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, and HD. STUDY SELECTIONS Research and review articles that described the mechanisms of action of HSF1 were selected based on terms used in PubMed search. RESULTS HSF1 plays a crucial role in the progression of HD and other protein-misfolding related neurodegenerative diseases. Different animal models of HD, as well as postmortem brains of patients with HD, reveal a connection between the levels of HSF1 and HSF1 dysfunction to mutant HTT (mHTT)-induced toxicity and protein aggregation, dysregulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disruption of the structural and functional integrity of synaptic connections, which eventually leads to neuronal loss. These features are shared with other neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Currently, several inhibitors against negative regulators of HSF1, as well as HSF1 activators, are developed and hold promise to prevent neurodegeneration in HD and other NDs. CONCLUSION Understanding the role of HSF1 during protein aggregation and neurodegeneration in HD may help to develop therapeutic strategies that could be effective across different NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuck Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Rocio Gomez-Pastor
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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Current Diagnostic Methods and Non-Coding RNAs as Possible Biomarkers in Huntington’s Disease. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13112017. [PMID: 36360254 PMCID: PMC9689996 DOI: 10.3390/genes13112017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether as a cause or a symptom, RNA transcription is recurrently altered in pathologic conditions. This is also true for non-coding RNAs, with regulatory functions in a variety of processes such as differentiation, cell identity and metabolism. In line with their increasingly recognized roles in cellular pathways, RNAs are also currently evaluated as possible disease biomarkers. They could be informative not only to follow disease progression and assess treatment efficacy in clinics, but also to aid in the development of new therapeutic approaches. This is especially important for neurological and genetic disorders, where the administration of appropriate treatment during the disease prodromal stage could significantly delay, if not halt, disease progression. In this review we focus on the current status of biomarkers in Huntington’s Disease (HD), a fatal hereditary and degenerative disease condition. First, we revise the sources and type of wet biomarkers currently in use. Then, we explore the feasibility of different RNA types (miRNA, ncRNA, circRNA) as possible biomarker candidates, discussing potential advantages, disadvantages, sources of origin and the ongoing investigations on this topic.
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Therapeutic Strategies in Huntington’s Disease: From Genetic Defect to Gene Therapy. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081895. [PMID: 36009443 PMCID: PMC9405755 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the identification of an expanded CAG repeat on exon 1 of the huntingtin gene located on chromosome 1 as the genetic defect causing Huntington’s disease almost 30 years ago, currently approved therapies provide only limited symptomatic relief and do not influence the age of onset or disease progression rate. Research has identified various intricate pathogenic cascades which lead to neuronal degeneration, but therapies interfering with these mechanisms have been marked by many failures and remain to be validated. Exciting new opportunities are opened by the emerging techniques which target the mutant protein DNA and RNA, allowing for “gene editing”. Although some issues relating to “off-target” effects or immune-mediated side effects need to be solved, these strategies, combined with stem cell therapies and more traditional approaches targeting specific pathogenic cascades, such as excitotoxicity and bioavailability of neurotrophic factors, could lead to significant improvement of the outcomes of treated Huntington’s disease patients.
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The Role of Molecular Imaging as a Marker of Remyelination and Repair in Multiple Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010474. [PMID: 35008899 PMCID: PMC8745199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The appearance of new disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis (MS) has revolutionized our ability to fight inflammatory relapses and has immensely improved patients’ quality of life. Although remarkable, this achievement has not carried over into reducing long-term disability. In MS, clinical disability progression can continue relentlessly irrespective of acute inflammation. This “silent” disease progression is the main contributor to long-term clinical disability in MS and results from chronic inflammation, neurodegeneration, and repair failure. Investigating silent disease progression and its underlying mechanisms is a challenge. Standard MRI excels in depicting acute inflammation but lacks the pathophysiological lens required for a more targeted exploration of molecular-based processes. Novel modalities that utilize nuclear magnetic resonance’s ability to display in vivo information on imaging look to bridge this gap. Displaying the CNS through a molecular prism is becoming an undeniable reality. This review will focus on “molecular imaging biomarkers” of disease progression, modalities that can harmoniously depict anatomy and pathophysiology, making them attractive candidates to become the first valid biomarkers of neuroprotection and remyelination.
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Kim A, Lalonde K, Truesdell A, Gomes Welter P, Brocardo PS, Rosenstock TR, Gil-Mohapel J. New Avenues for the Treatment of Huntington's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168363. [PMID: 34445070 PMCID: PMC8394361 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the HD gene. The disease is characterized by neurodegeneration, particularly in the striatum and cortex. The first symptoms usually appear in mid-life and include cognitive deficits and motor disturbances that progress over time. Despite being a genetic disorder with a known cause, several mechanisms are thought to contribute to neurodegeneration in HD, and numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have been conducted and are currently underway to test the efficacy of therapeutic approaches targeting some of these mechanisms with varying degrees of success. Although current clinical trials may lead to the identification or refinement of treatments that are likely to improve the quality of life of those living with HD, major efforts continue to be invested at the pre-clinical level, with numerous studies testing novel approaches that show promise as disease-modifying strategies. This review offers a detailed overview of the currently approved treatment options for HD and the clinical trials for this neurodegenerative disorder that are underway and concludes by discussing potential disease-modifying treatments that have shown promise in pre-clinical studies, including increasing neurotropic support, modulating autophagy, epigenetic and genetic manipulations, and the use of nanocarriers and stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Kim
- Island Medical Program and Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada; (A.K.); (K.L.)
| | - Kathryn Lalonde
- Island Medical Program and Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada; (A.K.); (K.L.)
| | - Aaron Truesdell
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada;
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Priscilla Gomes Welter
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil; (P.G.W.); (P.S.B.)
| | - Patricia S. Brocardo
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil; (P.G.W.); (P.S.B.)
| | - Tatiana R. Rosenstock
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Science, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK;
- Department of Pharmacology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Joana Gil-Mohapel
- Island Medical Program and Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada; (A.K.); (K.L.)
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-250-472-4597; Fax: +1-250-472-5505
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12
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Tefera TW, Steyn FJ, Ngo ST, Borges K. CNS glucose metabolism in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a therapeutic target? Cell Biosci 2021; 11:14. [PMID: 33431046 PMCID: PMC7798275 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-020-00511-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by selective degeneration of both the upper motor neurons in the brain and lower motor neurons in the brain stem and the spinal cord. The exact mechanism for the selective death of neurons is unknown. A growing body of evidence demonstrates abnormalities in energy metabolism at the cellular and whole-body level in animal models and in people living with ALS. Many patients with ALS exhibit metabolic changes such as hypermetabolism and body weight loss. Despite these whole-body metabolic changes being observed in patients with ALS, the origin of metabolic dysregulation remains to be fully elucidated. A number of pre-clinical studies indicate that underlying bioenergetic impairments at the cellular level may contribute to metabolic dysfunctions in ALS. In particular, defects in CNS glucose transport and metabolism appear to lead to reduced mitochondrial energy generation and increased oxidative stress, which seem to contribute to disease progression in ALS. Here, we review the current knowledge and understanding regarding dysfunctions in CNS glucose metabolism in ALS focusing on metabolic impairments in glucose transport, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. We also summarize disturbances found in glycogen metabolism and neuroglial metabolic interactions. Finally, we discuss options for future investigations into how metabolic impairments can be modified to slow disease progression in ALS. These investigations are imperative for understanding the underlying causes of metabolic dysfunction and subsequent neurodegeneration, and to also reveal new therapeutic strategies in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tesfaye Wolde Tefera
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Frederik J Steyn
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Center for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Shyuan T Ngo
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Center for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Karin Borges
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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Farahzadi MH, Moazen-Zadeh E, Razaghi E, Zarrindast MR, Bidaki R, Akhondzadeh S. Riluzole for treatment of men with methamphetamine dependence: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:305-315. [PMID: 30526230 DOI: 10.1177/0269881118817166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Riluzole is a glutamate regulator and effective in treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions. AIMS We assessed riluzole for treatment of methamphetamine dependence. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, male outpatients with methamphetamine dependence who were 18-65 years old received either 50 mg riluzole ( n=34) or placebo ( n=54) twice daily for 12 weeks. Patients were excluded in case of comorbid serious medical conditions or neurologic disorders, comorbid psychiatric disorders other than methamphetamine dependence requiring specific treatment interventions, simultaneous positive urine test result for substances of abuse other than methamphetamine, smoking >3 days per week, simultaneous consumption of medications which are contraindicated or have interaction with riluzole. RESULTS Concerning primary outcomes, the cumulative mean number of attended weekly visits was higher in the riluzole arm compared with the placebo arm approaching a statistically significant difference (riluzole, median (range)=13.00 (2.00-13.00); placebo=4.00 (2.00-13.00); Mann-Whitney U=505.00, p-value=0.073), and the weekly measured rate of positive methamphetamine urine test results was significantly lower in the riluzole arm by the end of the study (riluzole=1 (5.00%), placebo=9 (45.00%), p-value=0.004). Patients in the riluzole arm experienced significantly greater improvement on all the craving, withdrawal, and depression measures regarding mean score changes from baseline to endpoint. No significant difference was detected between the two arms in terms of incidence of adverse events. CONCLUSION Future randomized clinical trials are needed to investigate proper dosing strategy in a more inclusive sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad-Hadi Farahzadi
- 1 Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ehsan Moazen-Zadeh
- 2 Psychiatric Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Emran Razaghi
- 3 Department of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Reza Zarrindast
- 1 Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Bidaki
- 4 Research Center of Addiction and Behavioral Sciences, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Shahin Akhondzadeh
- 2 Psychiatric Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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14
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de Natale ER, Wilson H, Pagano G, Politis M. Imaging Transplantation in Movement Disorders. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2018; 143:213-263. [PMID: 30473196 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cell replacement therapy with graft transplantation has been tested as a disease-modifying treatment in neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the damage of a predominant cell type, such as substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD) or striatal medium spiny projection neurons in Huntington's disease (HD). The results of these trials are mixed with success in preclinical and pilot open-label trials, which were not consistently reproduced in randomized controlled trials. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) molecular imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging allow the graft survival, and its relationship with the host tissues to be studied in vivo. In PD, PET with [18F]DOPA showed that graft survival does not necessarily correlate with the clinical improvement and PD patients with worse outcome had lower binding in the ventral striatum and a high serotonin ([11C]DASB PET) to dopamine ([18F]DOPA PET) ratio in the grafted neurons. In HD, PET with [11C]PK11195 showed the graft survival and the clinical responses may be related to the reactive activation of the host inflammatory/immune system. Findings from these studies have been used to refine study protocols and patient selection in current clinical trials, which includes identifying suitable candidates for transplantation using imaging markers and employing multiple and/or novel PET tracers to better assess graft functions and inflammatory responses to grafts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Rosario de Natale
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Heather Wilson
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gennaro Pagano
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marios Politis
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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15
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Abstract
This review systematically examines the evidence for shifts in flux through energy generating biochemical pathways in Huntington’s disease (HD) brains from humans and model systems. Compromise of the electron transport chain (ETC) appears not to be the primary or earliest metabolic change in HD pathogenesis. Rather, compromise of glucose uptake facilitates glucose flux through glycolysis and may possibly decrease flux through the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), limiting subsequent NADPH and GSH production needed for antioxidant protection. As a result, oxidative damage to key glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes further restricts energy production so that while basal needs may be met through oxidative phosphorylation, those of excessive stimulation cannot. Energy production may also be compromised by deficits in mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics or trafficking. Restrictions on energy production may be compensated for by glutamate oxidation and/or stimulation of fatty acid oxidation. Transcriptional dysregulation generated by mutant huntingtin also contributes to energetic disruption at specific enzymatic steps. Many of the alterations in metabolic substrates and enzymes may derive from normal regulatory feedback mechanisms and appear oscillatory. Fine temporal sequencing of the shifts in metabolic flux and transcriptional and expression changes associated with mutant huntingtin expression remain largely unexplored and may be model dependent. Differences in disease progression among HD model systems at the time of experimentation and their varying states of metabolic compensation may explain conflicting reports in the literature. Progressive shifts in metabolic flux represent homeostatic compensatory mechanisms that maintain the model organism through presymptomatic and symptomatic stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Dubinsky
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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16
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Liu J, Wang LN. The efficacy and safety of riluzole for neurodegenerative movement disorders: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Drug Deliv 2018; 25:43-48. [PMID: 29226728 PMCID: PMC6058579 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2017.1413446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative movement disorders mainly include Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonisms, Huntington disease, and hereditary ataxia. Riluzole is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The neuroprotective effects of riluzole have been observed in experimental models of neurodegenerative movement disorders. In this paper, we aimed to systematically analyze the efficacy and safety of riluzole for patients with neurodegenerative movement disorder. We searched the electronic databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure until June 2017 for the eligible randomized controlled trials, as well as the unpublished and ongoing trials. For continuous data, we calculated standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals if studies did not use the same scales to measure outcomes. For dichotomous data, we calculated risk differences if a trial reported no adverse events or dropouts. We pooled the results using a random-effects model. We included nine studies with 1320 patients with neurodegenerative movement disorders, which compared riluzole with placebo. No significant difference was found in the number of participants with adverse events but with motor improvement in hereditary ataxia. There were only two studies focusing on neuroprotective effect. Riluzole is well-tolerated in the patients with neurodegenerative movement disorders. Riluzole seems to be promising for patients with hereditary ataxia in symptomatic effect, which needs to be further confirmed by well-designed studies in the future. Moreover, it makes sense to design long-term study focusing on neuroprotective effect of riluzole in disease-modifying.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- a Department of Neurology , Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , China
| | - Lu-Ning Wang
- b Department of Geriatric Neurology , Chinese PLA General Hospital , Beijing , China
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17
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Potkin KT, Potkin SG. New directions in therapeutics for Huntington disease. FUTURE NEUROLOGY 2018; 13:101-121. [PMID: 30800004 DOI: 10.2217/fnl-2017-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease that affects motor, cognitive and psychiatric functions, and ultimately leads to death. The pathology of the disease is based on an expansion of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene on chromosome 4, which produces a mutant huntingtin protein (mHtt). This protein is involved in neurotoxicity and brain atrophy, and can form β-sheets and abnormal mHtt aggregates. Currently, there are no approved effective treatments for HD, although tetrabenazine (Xenazine™) and deutetrabenazine (AUSTEDO™) have been approved for treatment of the motor symptom chorea in HD. This literature review aims to address the latest research on promising therapeutics based on influencing the hypothesized pathological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katya T Potkin
- Stony Brook School of Medicine, 101 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.,Stony Brook School of Medicine, 101 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Steven G Potkin
- Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.,Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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18
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Dupont AC, Largeau B, Guilloteau D, Santiago Ribeiro MJ, Arlicot N. The Place of PET to Assess New Therapeutic Effectiveness in Neurodegenerative Diseases. CONTRAST MEDIA & MOLECULAR IMAGING 2018; 2018:7043578. [PMID: 29887768 PMCID: PMC5985069 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7043578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In vivo exploration of neurodegenerative diseases by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has matured over the last 20 years, using dedicated radiopharmaceuticals targeting cellular metabolism, neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, or abnormal protein aggregates (beta-amyloid and intracellular microtubule inclusions containing hyperphosphorylated tau). The ability of PET to characterize biological processes at the cellular and molecular levels enables early detection and identification of molecular mechanisms associated with disease progression, by providing accurate, reliable, and longitudinally reproducible quantitative biomarkers. Thus, PET imaging has become a relevant imaging method for monitoring response to therapy, approved as an outcome measure in bioclinical trials. The aim of this paper is to review and discuss the current inputs of PET in the assessment of therapeutic effectiveness in neurodegenerative diseases connected by common pathophysiological mechanisms, including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and also in psychiatric disorders. We also discuss opportunities for PET imaging to drive more personalized neuroprotective and therapeutic strategies, taking into account individual variability, within the growing framework of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Claire Dupont
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
- CHRU de Tours, Unité de Radiopharmacie, Tours, France
| | | | - Denis Guilloteau
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
- CHRU de Tours, Service de Médecine Nucléaire in vitro, Tours, France
- INSERM CIC 1415, University Hospital, Tours, France
| | - Maria Joao Santiago Ribeiro
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
- INSERM CIC 1415, University Hospital, Tours, France
- CHRU de Tours, Service de Médecine Nucléaire in vivo, Tours, France
| | - Nicolas Arlicot
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
- CHRU de Tours, Unité de Radiopharmacie, Tours, France
- INSERM CIC 1415, University Hospital, Tours, France
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19
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Huang C, Wu J, Xu L, Wang J, Chen Z, Yang R. Regulation of HSF1 protein stabilization: An updated review. Eur J Pharmacol 2018; 822:69-77. [PMID: 29341886 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is a transcriptional factor that determines the efficiency of heat shock responses (HSRs) in the cell. Given its function has been extensively studied in recent years, HSF1 is considered a potential target for the treatment of disorders associated with protein aggregation. The activity of HSF1 is traditionally regulated at the transcriptional level in which the transactivation domain of HSF1 is modified by extensive array of pos-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, sumoylation, and acetylation. Recently, HSF1 is also reported to be regulated at the monomeric level. For example, in neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's disease the expression levels of the monomeric HSF1 are found to be reduced markedly. Methylene blue (MB) and riluzole, two clinical available drugs, increase the amount of the monomeric HSF1 in both cells and animals. Since the monomeric HSF1 not only determines the efficiency of HSRs, but exerts protective effects in a trimerization-independent manner, increasing the amount of the monomeric HSF1 via stabilization of HSF1 may be an alternative strategy for the amplification of HSR. However, to date we have no outlined knowledges about HSF1 protein stabilization, though studies regarding the regulation of the monomeric HSF1 have been documented in recent years. Here, we summarize the regulation of the monomeric HSF1 by some previously reported factors, such as synuclein, Huntingtin (Htt), TDP-43, unfolded protein response (UPR), MB and doxorubicin (DOX), as well as their possible mechanisms, aiming to push the understanding about HSF1 protein stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, #19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Jingjing Wu
- Department of Cardiology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, #118 Wansheng Street, Suzhou 215021, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Xu
- Department of Ultrasound, Danyang People's Hospital, #2 Xinmin Western Road, Danyang 212300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jili Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, #19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Invasive Technology Department, Nantong First People's Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, # 6 North Road Hai'er Xiang, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rongrong Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu Province, #20Xisi Road, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China.
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20
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Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative condition where new markers of disease progression are needed. So far no disease-modifying interventions have been found, and few interventions have been proven to alleviate symptoms. This may be partially explained by the lack of reliable indicators of disease severity, progression, and phenotype.Biofluid biomarkers may bring advantages in addition to clinical measures, such as reliability, reproducibility, price, accuracy, and direct quantification of pathobiological processes at the molecular level; and in addition to empowering clinical trials, they have the potential to generate useful hypotheses for new drug development.In this chapter we review biofluid biomarker reports in HD, emphasizing those we feel are likely to be closest to clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe B Rodrigues
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lauren M Byrne
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Edward J Wild
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
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21
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Gaura V, Lavisse S, Payoux P, Goldman S, Verny C, Krystkowiak P, Damier P, Supiot F, Bachoud-Levi AC, Remy P. Association Between Motor Symptoms and Brain Metabolism in Early Huntington Disease. JAMA Neurol 2017; 74:1088-1096. [PMID: 28672395 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.1200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Importance Brain hypometabolism is associated with the clinical consequences of the degenerative process, but little is known about regional hypermetabolism, sometimes observed in the brain of patients with clinically manifest Huntington disease (HD). Studying the role of regional hypermetabolism is needed to better understand its interaction with the motor symptoms of the disease. Objective To investigate the association between brain hypometabolism and hypermetabolism with motor scores of patients with early HD. Design, Setting, and Participants This study started in 2001, and analysis was completed in 2016. Sixty symptomatic patients with HD and 15 healthy age-matched control individuals underwent positron emission tomography to measure cerebral metabolism in this cross-sectional study. They also underwent the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale motor test, and 2 subscores were extracted: (1) a hyperkinetic score, combining dystonia and chorea, and (2) a hypokinetic score, combining bradykinesia and rigidity. Main Outcomes and Measures Statistical parametric mapping software (SPM5) was used to identify all hypo- and hypermetabolic regions in patients with HD relative to control individuals. Correlation analyses (P < .001, uncorrected) between motor subscores and brain metabolic values were performed for regions with significant hypometabolism and hypermetabolism. Results Among 60 patients with HD, 22 were women (36.7%), and the mean (SD) age was 44.6 (7.6) years. Of the 15 control individuals, 7 were women (46.7%), and the mean (SD) age was 42.2 (7.3) years. In statistical parametric mapping, striatal hypometabolism was significantly correlated with the severity of all motor scores. Hypermetabolism was negatively correlated only with hypokinetic scores in the cuneus (z score = 3.95, P < .001), the lingual gyrus (z score = 4.31, P < .001), and the crus I/II of the cerebellum (z score = 3.77, P < .001), a region connected to associative cortical areas. More severe motor scores were associated with higher metabolic values in the inferior parietal lobule, anterior cingulate, inferior temporal lobule, the dentate nucleus, and the cerebellar lobules IV/V, VI, and VIII bilaterally corresponding to the motor regions of the cerebellum (z score = 3.96 and 3.42 in right and left sides, respectively; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance Striatal hypometabolism is associated with clinical disease severity. Conversely, hypermetabolism is likely compensatory in regions where it is associated with decreasing motor scores. Hypermetabolism might be detrimental in other structures in which it is associated with more severe motor symptoms. In the cerebellum, both compensatory and detrimental contributions seem to occur. This study helps to better understand the motor clinical relevance of hypermetabolic brain regions in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Gaura
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département des Sciences du Vivant, Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale, MIRCen, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, CHU Tenon Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Sonia Lavisse
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département des Sciences du Vivant, Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale, MIRCen, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Pierre Payoux
- ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Centre, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, CHU Toulouse, Purpan University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Serge Goldman
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christophe Verny
- Centre National de Référence des Maladies Neurodégénératives Service de Neurologie and UMR CNRS 6214 INSERM U1083, CHU d'Angers, Angers, France
| | | | - Philippe Damier
- Neurology Department, CHRU de Nantes, Nantes, France.,Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Supiot
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Anne-Catherine Bachoud-Levi
- INSERM U955, Equipe 01, Neuropsychologie Interventionnelle, Créteil, France.,NeurATRIS, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Centre de Référence-Maladie de Huntington, Service de Neurologie, Créteil, France.,Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est-Créteil, Créteil, France.,Equipe Neuropsychologie Interventionnelle, Département d'Études Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Remy
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département des Sciences du Vivant, Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale, MIRCen, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,NeurATRIS, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est-Créteil, Créteil, France.,Centre Expert Parkinson, CHU Henri Mondor, Créteil, France
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22
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Tyebji S, Hannan AJ. Synaptopathic mechanisms of neurodegeneration and dementia: Insights from Huntington's disease. Prog Neurobiol 2017; 153:18-45. [PMID: 28377290 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Revised: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Dementia encapsulates a set of symptoms that include loss of mental abilities such as memory, problem solving or language, and reduces a person's ability to perform daily activities. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, however dementia can also occur in other neurological disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD). Many studies have demonstrated that loss of neuronal cell function manifests pre-symptomatically and thus is a relevant therapeutic target to alleviate symptoms. Synaptopathy, the physiological dysfunction of synapses, is now being approached as the target for many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including HD. HD is an autosomal dominant and progressive degenerative disorder, with clinical manifestations that encompass movement, cognition, mood and behaviour. HD is one of the most common tandem repeat disorders and is caused by a trinucleotide (CAG) repeat expansion, encoding an extended polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin protein. Animal models as well as human studies have provided detailed, although not exhaustive, evidence of synaptic dysfunction in HD. In this review, we discuss the neuropathology of HD and how the changes in synaptic signalling in the diseased brain lead to its symptoms, which include dementia. Here, we review and discuss the mechanisms by which the 'molecular orchestras' and their 'synaptic symphonies' are disrupted in neurodegeneration and dementia, focusing on HD as a model disease. We also explore the therapeutic strategies currently in pre-clinical and clinical testing that are targeted towards improving synaptic function in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiraz Tyebji
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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23
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Kunkanjanawan T, Carter R, Ahn KS, Yang J, Parnpai R, Chan AWS. Induced Pluripotent HD Monkey Stem Cells Derived Neural Cells for Drug Discovery. SLAS DISCOVERY 2016; 22:696-705. [PMID: 28027448 DOI: 10.1177/2472555216685044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by an expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeat (polyglutamine [polyQ]) in the huntingtin ( HTT) gene, which leads to the formation of mutant HTT (mHTT) protein aggregates. In the nervous system, an accumulation of mHTT protein results in glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity, proteosome instability, and apoptosis. Although HD pathogenesis has been extensively studied, effective treatment of HD has yet to be developed. Therapeutic discovery research in HD has been reported using yeast, cells derived from transgenic animal models and HD patients, and induced pluripotent stem cells from patients. A transgenic nonhuman primate model of HD (HD monkey) shows neuropathological, behavioral, and molecular changes similar to an HD patient. In addition, neural progenitor cells (NPCs) derived from HD monkeys can be maintained in culture and differentiated to neural cells with distinct HD cellular phenotypes including the formation of mHTT aggregates, intranuclear inclusions, and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress. Here, we evaluated the potential application of HD monkey NPCs and neural cells as an in vitro model for HD drug discovery research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanut Kunkanjanawan
- 1 Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.,2 Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,3 Embryo Technology and Stem Cell Research Center, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Richard Carter
- 1 Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.,2 Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kwan-Sung Ahn
- 1 Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.,2 Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jinjing Yang
- 1 Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.,2 Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rangsun Parnpai
- 3 Embryo Technology and Stem Cell Research Center, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- 1 Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.,2 Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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24
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Josephy-Hernandez S, Jmaeff S, Pirvulescu I, Aboulkassim T, Saragovi HU. Neurotrophin receptor agonists and antagonists as therapeutic agents: An evolving paradigm. Neurobiol Dis 2016; 97:139-155. [PMID: 27546056 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are prevalent, complex and devastating conditions, with very limited treatment options currently available. While they manifest in many forms, there are commonalities that link them together. In this review, we will focus on neurotrophins - a family of related factors involved in neuronal development and maintenance. Neurodegenerative diseases often present with a neurotrophin imbalance, in which there may be decreases in trophic signaling through Trk receptors for example, and/or increases in pro-apoptotic activity through p75. Clinical trials with neurotrophins have continuously failed due to their poor pharmacological properties as well as the unavoidable activation of p75. Thus, there is a need for drugs without such setbacks. Small molecule neurotrophin mimetics are favorable options since they can selectively activate Trks or inactivate p75. In this review, we will initially present a brief outline of how these molecules are synthesized and their mechanisms of action; followed by an update in the current state of neurotrophins and small molecules in major neurodegenerative diseases. Although there has been significant progress in the development of potential therapeutics, more studies are needed to establish clear mechanisms of action and target specificity in order to transition from animal models to the assessment of safety and use in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Josephy-Hernandez
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sean Jmaeff
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Iulia Pirvulescu
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tahar Aboulkassim
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - H Uri Saragovi
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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25
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López-Mora DA, Camacho V, Pérez-Pérez J, Martínez-Horta S, Fernández A, Sampedro F, Montes A, Lozano-Martínez GA, Gómez-Anson B, Kulisevsky J, Carrió I. Striatal hypometabolism in premanifest and manifest Huntington’s disease patients. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2016; 43:2183-2189. [DOI: 10.1007/s00259-016-3445-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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26
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Current status of PET imaging in Huntington's disease. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2016; 43:1171-82. [PMID: 26899245 PMCID: PMC4844650 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-016-3324-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Purpose To review the developments of recent decades and the current status of PET molecular imaging in Huntington’s disease (HD). Methods A systematic review of PET studies in HD was performed. The MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane and Scopus databases were searched for articles in all languages published up to 19 August 2015 using the major medical subject heading “Huntington Disease” combined with text and key words “Huntington Disease”, “Neuroimaging” and “PET”. Only peer-reviewed, primary research studies in HD patients and premanifest HD carriers, and studies in which clinical features were described in association with PET neuroimaging results, were included in this review. Reviews, case reports and nonhuman studies were excluded. Results A total of 54 PET studies were identified and analysed in this review. Brain metabolism ([18F]FDG and [15O]H2O), presynaptic ([18F]fluorodopa, [11C]β-CIT and [11C]DTBZ) and postsynaptic ([11C]SCH22390, [11C]FLB457 and [11C]raclopride) dopaminergic function, phosphodiesterases ([18F]JNJ42259152, [18F]MNI-659 and [11C]IMA107), and adenosine ([18F]CPFPX), cannabinoid ([18F]MK-9470), opioid ([11C]diprenorphine) and GABA ([11C]flumazenil) receptors were evaluated as potential biomarkers for monitoring disease progression and for assessing the development and efficacy of novel disease-modifying drugs in premanifest HD carriers and HD patients. PET studies evaluating brain restoration and neuroprotection were also identified and described in detail. Conclusion Brain metabolism, postsynaptic dopaminergic function and phosphodiesterase 10A levels were proven to be powerful in assessing disease progression. However, no single technique may be currently considered an optimal biomarker and an integrative multimodal imaging approach combining different techniques should be developed for monitoring potential neuroprotective and preventive treatment in HD.
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Shannon KM, Fraint A. Therapeutic advances in Huntington's Disease. Mov Disord 2015; 30:1539-46. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.26331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M. Shannon
- Department of Neurological Sciences; Rush Medical College; Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Avram Fraint
- Department of Neurological Sciences; Rush Medical College; Chicago Illinois USA
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Lee KM, MacLean AG. New advances on glial activation in health and disease. World J Virol 2015; 4:42-55. [PMID: 25964871 PMCID: PMC4419121 DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v4.i2.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to being the support cells of the central nervous system (CNS), astrocytes are now recognized as active players in the regulation of synaptic function, neural repair, and CNS immunity. Astrocytes are among the most structurally complex cells in the brain, and activation of these cells has been shown in a wide spectrum of CNS injuries and diseases. Over the past decade, research has begun to elucidate the role of astrocyte activation and changes in astrocyte morphology in the progression of neural pathologies, which has led to glial-specific interventions for drug development. Future therapies for CNS infection, injury, and neurodegenerative disease are now aimed at targeting astrocyte responses to such insults including astrocyte activation, astrogliosis and other morphological changes, and innate and adaptive immune responses.
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Bates GP, Dorsey R, Gusella JF, Hayden MR, Kay C, Leavitt BR, Nance M, Ross CA, Scahill RI, Wetzel R, Wild EJ, Tabrizi SJ. Huntington disease. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2015; 1:15005. [PMID: 27188817 DOI: 10.1038/nrdp.2015.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 879] [Impact Index Per Article: 97.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease is devastating to patients and their families - with autosomal dominant inheritance, onset typically in the prime of adult life, progressive course, and a combination of motor, cognitive and behavioural features. The disease is caused by an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat (of variable length) in HTT, the gene that encodes the protein huntingtin. In mutation carriers, huntingtin is produced with abnormally long polyglutamine sequences that confer toxic gains of function and predispose the protein to fragmentation, resulting in neuronal dysfunction and death. In this Primer, we review the epidemiology of Huntington disease, noting that prevalence is higher than previously thought, geographically variable and increasing. We describe the relationship between CAG repeat length and clinical phenotype, as well as the concept of genetic modifiers of the disease. We discuss normal huntingtin protein function, evidence for differential toxicity of mutant huntingtin variants, theories of huntingtin aggregation and the many different mechanisms of Huntington disease pathogenesis. We describe the genetic and clinical diagnosis of the condition, its clinical assessment and the multidisciplinary management of symptoms, given the absence of effective disease-modifying therapies. We review past and present clinical trials and therapeutic strategies under investigation, including impending trials of targeted huntingtin-lowering drugs and the progress in development of biomarkers that will support the next generation of trials. For an illustrated summary of this Primer, visit: http://go.nature.com/hPMENh.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian P Bates
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ray Dorsey
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael R Hayden
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chris Kay
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Blair R Leavitt
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Martha Nance
- Struthers Parkinson's Center, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; and Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Christopher A Ross
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Departments of Neurology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Rachael I Scahill
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Ronald Wetzel
- Department of Structural Biology and Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Edward J Wild
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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Tsai SJ. Is riluzole a potential therapy for Rett syndrome? Med Hypotheses 2015; 85:76-8. [PMID: 25858436 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2015.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 03/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder with autistic features and is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) in the majority of cases. Besides symptomatic treatment, no therapeutic trials have shown effectiveness for RTT. Some perspectives in the treatment of RTT have been provided by recent works showing a phenotypic reversal by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in a RTT mouse model. Glutamate may also play an important role in the primary pathogenesis in Rett syndrome through the excitotoxic neuronal injury in experimental models. Riluzole, an agent currently approved for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a glutamatergic modulator and BDNF enhancer with neuroprotective properties. For these reasons, riluzole could potentially play an important role in the treatment of RTT symptoms. Several points regarding the use of riluzole in RTT are discussed. Further evaluation of the therapeutic effects of this agent in RTT animal models is needed before clinical trials can begin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Jen Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan; Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan.
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Riluzole stimulates BDNF release from human platelets. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:189307. [PMID: 25629040 PMCID: PMC4300019 DOI: 10.1155/2015/189307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has several functions in the central nervous system, where it contributes to brain development and its functionality through affecting neuronal survival and activity and also modulating neurotransmitter levels. This neurotrophin is also found in the serum, but its origin and peripheral function remain unknown. Although the source of circulating BDNF is uncertain, it is stored in platelets and can be released through pharmacological treatment. Decreased levels of BDNF in the serum have been related to the pathophysiology of depression, and this relationship is reinforced by the reversal of this condition by treatment with antidepressants. Recently, riluzole has been proposed for the treatment of depression because it has the ability to lower extracellular glutamate levels and increase BDNF expression; and both mechanisms could be associated with its antidepressant action. Considering that riluzole enhances BDNF levels in the serum of patients, we investigated if treatment with this drug could stimulate the release of this neurotrophin from human platelets obtained from healthy subjects. When platelets were incubated with riluzole for 4 h, the basal value of BDNF (92.9 ± 11.1 pg 10(-6) platelets) was significantly increased (P < 0.05, n = 27). This stimulatory effect was achieved at low concentrations of riluzole (from 10 µM) and was not observed when platelets were incubated with the drug for 24 h. The direct action of riluzole evoking BDNF release from human platelets at therapeutic concentrations is important and may contribute to the understanding of its mechanisms of action in the treatment of depression.
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Rong Y, Vernaleken I, Winz OH, Goedicke A, Mottaghy FM, Kops ER. Simulation-based partial volume correction for dopaminergic PET imaging: Impact of segmentation accuracy. Z Med Phys 2014; 25:230-42. [PMID: 25172832 DOI: 10.1016/j.zemedi.2014.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2014] [Revised: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
AIM Partial volume correction (PVC) is an essential step for quantitative positron emission tomography (PET). In the present study, PVELab, a freely available software, is evaluated for PVC in (18)F-FDOPA brain-PET, with a special focus on the accuracy degradation introduced by various MR-based segmentation approaches. METHODS Four PVC algorithms (M-PVC; MG-PVC; mMG-PVC; and R-PVC) were analyzed on simulated (18)F-FDOPA brain-PET images. MR image segmentation was carried out using FSL (FMRIB Software Library) and SPM (Statistical Parametric Mapping) packages, including additional adaptation for subcortical regions (SPML). Different PVC and segmentation combinations were compared with respect to deviations in regional activity values and time-activity curves (TACs) of the occipital cortex (OCC), caudate nucleus (CN), and putamen (PUT). Additionally, the PVC impact on the determination of the influx constant (Ki) was assessed. RESULTS Main differences between tissue-maps returned by three segmentation algorithms were found in the subcortical region, especially at PUT. Average misclassification errors in combination with volume reduction was found to be lowest for SPML (PUT < 30%) and highest for FSL (PUT > 70%). Accurate recovery of activity data at OCC is achieved by M-PVC (apparent recovery coefficient varies between 0.99 and 1.10). The other three evaluated PVC algorithms have demonstrated to be more suitable for subcortical regions with MG-PVC and mMG-PVC being less prone to the largest tissue misclassification error simulated in this study. Except for M-PVC, quantification accuracy of Ki for CN and PUT was clearly improved by PVC. CONCLUSIONS The regional activity value of PUT was appreciably overcorrected by most of the PVC approaches employing FSL or SPM segmentation, revealing the importance of accurate MR image segmentation for the presented PVC framework. The selection of a PVC approach should be adapted to the anatomical structure of interest. Caution is recommended in subsequent interpretation of Ki values. The possible different change of activity concentrations due to PVC in both target and reference regions tends to alter the corresponding TACs, introducing bias to Ki determination. The accuracy of quantitative analysis was improved by PVC but at the expense of precision reduction, indicating the potential impropriety of applying the presented framework for group comparison studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Rong
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ingo Vernaleken
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Oliver H Winz
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andreas Goedicke
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Philips Research Laboratories, High Tech Campus, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Felix M Mottaghy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Elena Rota Kops
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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Colangelo AM, Alberghina L, Papa M. Astrogliosis as a therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases. Neurosci Lett 2014; 565:59-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2013] [Revised: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Abstract
Changes in the level and activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been described in a number of neurodegenerative disorders since early 1990s. However, only in Huntington disease (HD) gain- and loss-of-function experiments have mechanistically linked these abnormalities with the genetic defect.In this chapter we will describe how huntingtin protein, whose mutation causes HD, is involved in the physiological control of BDNF synthesis and transport in neurons and how both processes are simultaneously disrupted in HD. We will describe the underlying molecular mechanisms and discuss pre-clinical data concerning the impact of the experimental manipulation of BDNF levels on HD progression. These studies have revealed that a major loss of BDNF protein in the brain of HD patients may contribute to the clinical manifestations of the disease. The experimental strategies under investigation to increase brain BDNF levels in animal models of HD will also be described, with a view to ultimately improving the clinical treatment of this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Zuccato
- Department of Biosciences and Centre for Stem cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Viotti 3/5, 20133, Milan, Italy,
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Daniel B, Green O, Viskind O, Gruzman A. Riluzole increases the rate of glucose transport in L6 myotubes and NSC-34 motor neuron-like cells via AMPK pathway activation. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2013; 14:434-43. [DOI: 10.3109/21678421.2013.808226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Venuto CS, McGarry A, Ma Q, Kieburtz K. Pharmacologic approaches to the treatment of Huntington's disease. Mov Disord 2011; 27:31-41. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.23953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Revised: 07/29/2011] [Accepted: 08/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
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Conditional BDNF release under pathological conditions improves Huntington's disease pathology by delaying neuronal dysfunction. Mol Neurodegener 2011; 6:71. [PMID: 21985529 PMCID: PMC3205049 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-6-71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 10/10/2011] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is the main candidate for neuroprotective therapy for Huntington's disease (HD), but its conditional administration is one of its most challenging problems. Results Here we used transgenic mice that over-express BDNF under the control of the Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) promoter (pGFAP-BDNF mice) to test whether up-regulation and release of BDNF, dependent on astrogliosis, could be protective in HD. Thus, we cross-mated pGFAP-BDNF mice with R6/2 mice to generate a double-mutant mouse with mutant huntingtin protein and with a conditional over-expression of BDNF, only under pathological conditions. In these R6/2:pGFAP-BDNF animals, the decrease in striatal BDNF levels induced by mutant huntingtin was prevented in comparison to R6/2 animals at 12 weeks of age. The recovery of the neurotrophin levels in R6/2:pGFAP-BDNF mice correlated with an improvement in several motor coordination tasks and with a significant delay in anxiety and clasping alterations. Therefore, we next examined a possible improvement in cortico-striatal connectivity in R62:pGFAP-BDNF mice. Interestingly, we found that the over-expression of BDNF prevented the decrease of cortico-striatal presynaptic (VGLUT1) and postsynaptic (PSD-95) markers in the R6/2:pGFAP-BDNF striatum. Electrophysiological studies also showed that basal synaptic transmission and synaptic fatigue both improved in R6/2:pGAP-BDNF mice. Conclusions These results indicate that the conditional administration of BDNF under the GFAP promoter could become a therapeutic strategy for HD due to its positive effects on synaptic plasticity.
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Zuccato C, Marullo M, Vitali B, Tarditi A, Mariotti C, Valenza M, Lahiri N, Wild EJ, Sassone J, Ciammola A, Bachoud-Lèvi AC, Tabrizi SJ, Di Donato S, Cattaneo E. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with Huntington's disease. PLoS One 2011; 6:e22966. [PMID: 21857974 PMCID: PMC3155522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2011] [Accepted: 07/03/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduced Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels have been described in a number of patho-physiological conditions, most notably, in Huntington's disease (HD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Since BDNF is also produced in blood, we have undertaken the measurement of its peripheral levels in the attempt to identify a possible link with HD prognosis and/or its progression. Here we evaluated BDNF level in 398 blood samples including 138 controls, 56 preHD, and 204 HD subjects. We found that BDNF protein levels were not reliably different between groups, whether measured in plasma (52 controls, 26 preHD, 105 HD) or serum (39 controls, 5 preHD, 29 HD). Our experience, and a re-analysis of the literature highlighted that intra-group variability and methodological aspects affect this measurement, especially in serum. We also assessed BDNF mRNA levels in blood samples from 47 controls, 25 preHD, and 70 HD subjects, and found no differences among the groups. We concluded that levels of BDNF in human blood were not informative (mRNA levels or plasma protein level) nor reliable (serum protein levels) as HD biomarkers. We also wish to warn the scientific community in interpreting the significance of changes measured in BDNF protein levels in serum from patients suffering from different conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Zuccato
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Center for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Marullo
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Center for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Vitali
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Center for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Tarditi
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Center for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Caterina Mariotti
- Division of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Neurological Institute-IRCCS “Carlo Besta”, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Valenza
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Center for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nayana Lahiri
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom
| | - Edward J. Wild
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Sarah J. Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stefano Di Donato
- Division of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Neurological Institute-IRCCS “Carlo Besta”, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Center for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant, progressive neurodegenerative disorder, for which there is no disease-modifying treatment. By use of predictive genetic testing, it is possible to identify individuals who carry the gene defect before the onset of symptoms, providing a window of opportunity for intervention aimed at preventing or delaying disease onset. However, without robust and practical measures of disease progression (ie, biomarkers), the efficacy of therapeutic interventions in this premanifest Huntington's disease population cannot be readily assessed. Current progress in the development of biomarkers might enable evaluation of disease progression in individuals at the premanifest stage of the disease; these biomarkers could be useful in defining endpoints in clinical trials in this population. Clinical, cognitive, neuroimaging, and biochemical biomarkers are being investigated for their potential in clinical use and their value in the development of future treatments for patients with Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Weir
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Giovacchini G, Squitieri F, Esmaeilzadeh M, Milano A, Mansi L, Ciarmiello A. PET translates neurophysiology into images: A review to stimulate a network between neuroimaging and basic research. J Cell Physiol 2011; 226:948-61. [DOI: 10.1002/jcp.22451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Experimental Models of HD and Reflection on Therapeutic Strategies. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2011; 98:419-81. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-381328-2.00016-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Zuccato C, Valenza M, Cattaneo E. Molecular Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutical Targets in Huntington's Disease. Physiol Rev 2010; 90:905-81. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00041.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 626] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the gene encoding for huntingtin protein. A lot has been learned about this disease since its first description in 1872 and the identification of its causative gene and mutation in 1993. We now know that the disease is characterized by several molecular and cellular abnormalities whose precise timing and relative roles in pathogenesis have yet to be understood. HD is triggered by the mutant protein, and both gain-of-function (of the mutant protein) and loss-of-function (of the normal protein) mechanisms are involved. Here we review the data that describe the emergence of the ancient huntingtin gene and of the polyglutamine trait during the last 800 million years of evolution. We focus on the known functions of wild-type huntingtin that are fundamental for the survival and functioning of the brain neurons that predominantly degenerate in HD. We summarize data indicating how the loss of these beneficial activities reduces the ability of these neurons to survive. We also review the different mechanisms by which the mutation in huntingtin causes toxicity. This may arise both from cell-autonomous processes and dysfunction of neuronal circuitries. We then focus on novel therapeutical targets and pathways and on the attractive option to counteract HD at its primary source, i.e., by blocking the production of the mutant protein. Strategies and technologies used to screen for candidate HD biomarkers and their potential application are presented. Furthermore, we discuss the opportunities offered by intracerebral cell transplantation and the likely need for these multiple routes into therapies to converge at some point as, ideally, one would wish to stop the disease process and, at the same time, possibly replace the damaged neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Zuccato
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Centre for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Valenza
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Centre for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Centre for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Esmaeilzadeh M, Ciarmiello A, Squitieri F. Seeking brain biomarkers for preventive therapy in Huntington disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2010; 17:368-86. [PMID: 20553306 DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2010.00157.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a severe incurable nervous system disease that generally has an onset age of around 35-50, and is caused by a dominantly transmitted expansion mutation. A genetic test allows persons at risk, i.e., offspring or siblings of affected individuals, to discover their genetic status. Unaffected mutation-positive subjects will manifest HD sometime during life. Despite major advances in research on pathogenic mechanisms, no studies have yet fully validated preventive therapy or biomarkers for use before the symptoms become clinically manifest. Seeking brain and peripheral biomarkers is a requisite to develop a cure for HD. Changes in the brain can be observed in vivo using methods such as structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), functional MRI (fMRI), and positron emission tomography (PET), detecting volumetric changes, microstructural and connectivity alterations, abnormalities in brain activity in response to specific tasks, and abnormalities in metabolism and receptor distribution. Although all these imaging techniques can detect early markers in asymptomatic HD gene carriers for premanifest screening and pharmacological responses to therapeutic interventions no single modality has yet provided and validated an optimal marker probably because this task requires an integrative multimodal imaging approach. In this article, we review the findings from imaging procedures in the attempt to identify potential brain markers, so-called dry biomarkers, for possible application to further, yet unavailable, neuroprotective preventive therapies for HD manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouna Esmaeilzadeh
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Stockholm Brain Institute, Karolinska Institutet, PET Centre, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Squitieri F, Ciarmiello A. Key role of nuclear medicine in seeking biomarkers of Huntington’s disease. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2010; 37:1124-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s00259-010-1439-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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