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Chen J, Peng G, Sun B. Alzheimer's disease and sleep disorders: A bidirectional relationship. Neuroscience 2024; 557:12-23. [PMID: 39137870 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent dementia, pathologically featuring abnormal accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau, while sleep, divided into rapid eye movement sleep (REM) and nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM), plays a key role in consolidating social and spatial memory. Emerging evidence has revealed that sleep disorders such as circadian disturbances and disruption of neuronal rhythm activity are considered as both candidate risks and consequence of AD, suggesting a bidirectional relationship between sleep and AD. This review will firstly grasp basic knowledge of AD pathogenesis, then highlight macrostructural and microstructural alteration of sleep along with AD progression, explain the interaction between accumulation of Aβ and hyperphosphorylated tau, which are two critical neuropathological processes of AD, as well as neuroinflammation and sleep, and finally introduce several methods of sleep enhancement as strategies to reduce AD-associated neuropathology. Although theories about the bidirectional relationship and relevant therapeutic methods in mice have been well developed in recent years, the knowledge in human is still limited. More studies on how to effectively ameliorate AD pathology in patients by sleep enhancement and what specific roles of sleep play in AD are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Chen
- Chu Kochen Honors College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China.
| | - Guoping Peng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China.
| | - Binggui Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology of the Children's Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310058, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310058, China.
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2
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Roth JR, Rush T, Thompson SJ, Aldaher AR, Dunn TB, Mesina JS, Cochran JN, Boyle NR, Dean HB, Yang Z, Pathak V, Ruiz P, Wu M, Day JJ, Bostwick JR, Suto MJ, Augelli-Szafran CE, Roberson ED. Development of small-molecule Tau-SH3 interaction inhibitors that prevent amyloid-β toxicity and network hyperexcitability. Neurotherapeutics 2024; 21:e00291. [PMID: 38241154 PMCID: PMC10903085 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurot.2023.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia and lacks highly effective treatments. Tau-based therapies hold promise. Tau reduction prevents amyloid-β-induced dysfunction in preclinical models of AD and also prevents amyloid-β-independent dysfunction in diverse disease models, especially those with network hyperexcitability, suggesting that strategies exploiting the mechanisms underlying Tau reduction may extend beyond AD. Tau binds several SH3 domain-containing proteins implicated in AD via its central proline-rich domain. We previously used a peptide inhibitor to demonstrate that blocking Tau interactions with SH3 domain-containing proteins ameliorates amyloid-β-induced dysfunction. Here, we identify a top hit from high-throughput screening for small molecules that inhibit Tau-FynSH3 interactions and describe its optimization with medicinal chemistry. The resulting lead compound is a potent cell-permeable Tau-SH3 interaction inhibitor that binds Tau and prevents amyloid-β-induced dysfunction, including network hyperexcitability. These data support the potential of using small molecule Tau-SH3 interaction inhibitors as a novel therapeutic approach to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Roth
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Travis Rush
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Samantha J Thompson
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Adam R Aldaher
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Trae B Dunn
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jacob S Mesina
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - J Nicholas Cochran
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nicholas R Boyle
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Hunter B Dean
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Zhengrong Yang
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Vibha Pathak
- Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Pedro Ruiz
- Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Mousheng Wu
- Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jeremy J Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Mark J Suto
- Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Erik D Roberson
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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3
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Iba M, Kim C, Kwon S, Szabo M, Horan-Portelance L, Peer CJ, Figg WD, Reed X, Ding J, Lee SJ, Rissman RA, Cookson MR, Overk C, Wrasidlo W, Masliah E. Inhibition of p38α MAPK restores neuronal p38γ MAPK and ameliorates synaptic degeneration in a mouse model of DLB/PD. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eabq6089. [PMID: 37163617 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abq6089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Alterations in the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Activation of the p38α MAPK isoform and mislocalization of the p38γ MAPK isoform are associated with neuroinflammation and synaptic degeneration in DLB and PD. Therefore, we hypothesized that p38α might be associated with neuronal p38γ distribution and synaptic dysfunction in these diseases. To test this hypothesis, we treated in vitro cellular and in vivo mouse models of DLB/PD with SKF-86002, a compound that attenuates inflammation by inhibiting p38α/β, and then investigated the effects of this compound on p38γ and neurodegenerative pathology. We found that inhibition of p38α reduced neuroinflammation and ameliorated synaptic, neurodegenerative, and motor behavioral deficits in transgenic mice overexpressing human α-synuclein. Moreover, treatment with SKF-86002 promoted the redistribution of p38γ to synapses and reduced the accumulation of α-synuclein in mice overexpressing human α-synuclein. Supporting the potential value of targeting p38 in DLB/PD, we found that SKF-86002 promoted the redistribution of p38γ in neurons differentiated from iPS cells derived from patients with familial PD (carrying the A53T α-synuclein mutation) and healthy controls. Treatment with SKF-86002 ameliorated α-synuclein-induced neurodegeneration in these neurons only when microglia were pretreated with this compound. However, direct treatment of neurons with SKF-86002 did not affect α-synuclein-induced neurotoxicity, suggesting that SKF-86002 treatment inhibits α-synuclein-induced neurotoxicity mediated by microglia. These findings provide a mechanistic connection between p38α and p38γ as well as a rationale for targeting this pathway in DLB/PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiyo Iba
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Molecular Neuropathology Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Changyoun Kim
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Molecular Neuropathology Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Somin Kwon
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Molecular Neuropathology Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Marcell Szabo
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Molecular Neuropathology Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Liam Horan-Portelance
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Molecular Neuropathology Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Cody J Peer
- Clinical Pharmacology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - William D Figg
- Clinical Pharmacology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Xylena Reed
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jinhui Ding
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Computational Biology Group, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Seung-Jae Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, and Department of Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Robert A Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Mark R Cookson
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Cassia Overk
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Wolf Wrasidlo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Eliezer Masliah
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Molecular Neuropathology Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Division of Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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4
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Sakakibara Y, Yamashiro R, Chikamatsu S, Hirota Y, Tsubokawa Y, Nishijima R, Takei K, Sekiya M, Iijima KM. Drosophila Toll-9 is induced by aging and neurodegeneration to modulate stress signaling and its deficiency exacerbates tau-mediated neurodegeneration. iScience 2023; 26:105968. [PMID: 36718365 PMCID: PMC9883205 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.105968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila Toll-9 is most closely related to mammalian Toll-like receptors; however, physiological functions of Toll-9 remain elusive. We examined the roles of Toll-9 in fly brains in aging and neurodegeneration. Toll-9 mRNA levels were increased in aged fly heads accompanied by activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) and stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) signaling, and many of these changes were modulated by Toll-9 in glial cells. The loss of Toll-9 did not affect lifespan or brain integrity, whereas it exacerbated hydrogen peroxide-induced lethality. Toll-9 expression was also induced by nerve injury but did not affect acute stress response or glial engulfment activity, suggesting Toll-9 may modulate subsequent neurodegeneration. In a fly tauopathy model, Toll-9 deficiency enhanced neurodegeneration and disease-related tau phosphorylation with reduced SAPK activity, and blocking SAPK enhanced tau phosphorylation and neurodegeneration. In sum, Toll-9 is induced upon aging and nerve injury and affects neurodegeneration by modulating stress kinase signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasufumi Sakakibara
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Risa Yamashiro
- Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Sachie Chikamatsu
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Yu Hirota
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Reseach Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoko Tsubokawa
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Risa Nishijima
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Kimi Takei
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Michiko Sekiya
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan,Corresponding author
| | - Koichi M. Iijima
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan,Corresponding author
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5
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Mazzarino RC, Perez-Corredor P, Vanderleest TE, Vacano GN, Sanchez JS, Villalba-Moreno ND, Krausemann S, Mendivil-Perez MA, Aguillón D, Jimenez-Del-Río M, Baena A, Sepulveda-Falla D, Lopera FJ, Quiroz YT, Arboleda-Velasquez JF. APOE3 Christchurch modulates tau phosphorylation and β-catenin/Wnt/Cadherin signaling in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cerebral organoids from Alzheimer's cases. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.11.523290. [PMID: 36712026 PMCID: PMC9882052 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.11.523290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. APOE3 Christchurch (R136S, APOE3Ch ) variant homozygosity was reported in an individual with extreme resistance to autosomal dominant AD due to the PSEN1 E280A mutation. This subject had a delayed clinical age at onset and resistance to tauopathy and neurodegeneration despite extremely high amyloid plaque burden. We established induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived cerebral organoids from this resistant case and from a non-protected kindred control (with PSEN1 E280A and APOE3/3 ). We used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to successfully remove the APOE3Ch to wild type in iPS cells from the protected case and to introduce the APOE3Ch as homozygote in iPS cells from the non-protected case to examine causality. We found significant reduction of tau phosphorylation (pTau 202/205 and pTau396) in cerebral organoids with the APOE3Ch variant, consistent with the strikingly reduced tau pathology found in the resistant case. We identified Cadherin and Wnt pathways as signaling mechanisms regulated by the APOE3Ch variant through single cell RNA sequencing in cerebral organoids. We also identified elevated β-catenin protein, a regulator of tau phosphorylation, as a candidate mediator of APOE3Ch resistance to tauopathy. Our findings show that APOE3Ch is necessary and sufficient to confer resistance to tauopathy in an experimental ex-vivo model establishing a foundation for the development of novel, protected case-inspired therapeutics for tauopathies, including Alzheimer's.
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6
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Morey N, Przybyla M, van der Hoven J, Ke YD, Delerue F, van Eersel J, Ittner LM. Treatment of epilepsy using a targeted p38γ kinase gene therapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd2577. [PMID: 36459557 PMCID: PMC10936047 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add2577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylated microtubule-associated protein tau has been implicated in dementia, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders. In contrast, site-specific phosphorylation of tau at threonine 205 (T205) by the kinase p38γ was shown to disengage tau from toxic pathways, serving a neuroprotective function in Alzheimer's disease. Using a viral-mediated gene delivery approach in different mouse models of epilepsy, we show that p38γ activity-enhancing treatment reduces seizure susceptibility, restores neuronal firing patterns, reduces behavioral deficits, and ameliorates epilepsy-induced deaths. Furthermore, we show that p38γ-mediated phosphorylation of tau at T205 is essential for this protection in epilepsy, as a lack of this critical interaction reinstates pathological features and accelerates epilepsy in vivo. Hence, our work provides a scope to harness p38γ as a future therapy applicable to acute neurological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolle Morey
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Magdalena Przybyla
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Julia van der Hoven
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Yazi D. Ke
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fabien Delerue
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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7
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Deng Y, Bi M, Delerue F, Forrest SL, Chan G, van der Hoven J, van Hummel A, Feiten AF, Lee S, Martinez-Valbuena I, Karl T, Kovacs GG, Morahan G, Ke YD, Ittner LM. Loss of LAMP5 interneurons drives neuronal network dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 144:637-650. [PMID: 35780436 PMCID: PMC9467963 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02457-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), where amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau deposits in the brain, hyperexcitation of neuronal networks is an underlying disease mechanism, but its cause remains unclear. Here, we used the Collaborative Cross (CC) forward genetics mouse platform to identify modifier genes of neuronal hyperexcitation. We found LAMP5 as a novel regulator of hyperexcitation in mice, critical for the survival of distinct interneuron populations. Interestingly, synaptic LAMP5 was lost in AD brains and LAMP5 interneurons degenerated in different AD mouse models. Genetic reduction of LAMP5 augmented functional deficits and neuronal network hypersynchronicity in both Aβ- and tau-driven AD mouse models. To this end, our work defines the first specific function of LAMP5 interneurons in neuronal network hyperexcitation in AD and dementia with tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Deng
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Mian Bi
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Fabien Delerue
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Shelley L Forrest
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Gabriella Chan
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Julia van der Hoven
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Annika van Hummel
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Astrid F Feiten
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Seojin Lee
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Ivan Martinez-Valbuena
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Tim Karl
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, 2560, Australia
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine Program and Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada
| | - Grant Morahan
- Centre for Diabetes Research, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Yazi D Ke
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Lars M Ittner
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
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8
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Prikas E, Paric E, Asih PR, Stefanoska K, Stefen H, Fath T, Poljak A, Ittner A. Tau target identification reveals NSF-dependent effects on AMPA receptor trafficking and memory formation. EMBO J 2022; 41:e10242. [PMID: 35993331 PMCID: PMC9475529 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021110242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule-associated protein tau is a central factor in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. However, the physiological functions of tau are unclear. Here, we used proximity-labelling proteomics to chart tau interactomes in primary neurons and mouse brains in vivo. Tau interactors map onto pathways of cytoskeletal, synaptic vesicle and postsynaptic receptor regulation and show significant enrichment for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and prion disease. We find that tau interacts with and dose-dependently reduces the activity of N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion protein (NSF), a vesicular ATPase essential for AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) trafficking. Tau-deficient (tau-/- ) neurons showed mislocalised expression of NSF and enhanced synaptic AMPAR surface levels, reversible through the expression of human tau or inhibition of NSF. Consequently, enhanced AMPAR-mediated associative and object recognition memory in tau-/- mice is suppressed by both hippocampal tau and infusion with an NSF-inhibiting peptide. Pathologic mutant tau from mouse models or Alzheimer's disease significantly enhances NSF inhibition. Our results map neuronal tau interactomes and delineate a functional link of tau with NSF in plasticity-associated AMPAR-trafficking and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Prikas
- Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Esmeralda Paric
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Prita R Asih
- Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Kristie Stefanoska
- Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Holly Stefen
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Thomas Fath
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Anne Poljak
- Mark Wainwright Analytical CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Arne Ittner
- Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
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9
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Goel P, Chakrabarti S, Goel K, Bhutani K, Chopra T, Bali S. Neuronal cell death mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease: An insight. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:937133. [PMID: 36090249 PMCID: PMC9454331 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.937133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulated cell death (RCD) is an ordered and tightly orchestrated set of changes/signaling events in both gene expression and protein activity and is responsible for normal development as well as maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Aberrant activation of this pathway results in cell death by various mechanisms including apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and autophagy-dependent cell death. Such pathological changes in neurons alone or in combination have been observed in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Pathological hallmarks of AD focus primarily on the accumulation of two main protein markers: amyloid β peptides and abnormally phosphorylated tau proteins. These protein aggregates result in the formation of A-β plaques and neuro-fibrillary tangles (NFTs) and induce neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration over years to decades leading to a multitude of cognitive and behavioral deficits. Autopsy findings of AD reveal massive neuronal death manifested in the form of cortical volume shrinkage, reduction in sizes of gyri to up to 50% and an increase in the sizes of sulci. Multiple forms of cell death have been recorded in neurons from different studies conducted so far. However, understanding the mechanism/s of neuronal cell death in AD patients remains a mystery as the trigger that results in aberrant activation of RCD is unknown and because of the limited availability of dying neurons. This review attempts to elucidate the process of Regulated cell death, how it gets unregulated in response to different intra and extracellular stressors, various forms of unregulated cell death, their interplay and their role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease in both human and experimental models of AD. Further we plan to explore the correlation of both amyloid-beta and Tau with neuronal loss as seen in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Goel
- Department of Biochemistry, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College Chhainsa, Faridabad, India
| | - Sasanka Chakrabarti
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India
| | - Kapil Goel
- Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Karanpreet Bhutani
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India
| | - Tanya Chopra
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India
| | - Sharadendu Bali
- Department of Surgery, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India
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10
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Stefanoska K, Gajwani M, Tan ARP, Ahel HI, Asih PR, Volkerling A, Poljak A, Ittner A. Alzheimer's disease: Ablating single master site abolishes tau hyperphosphorylation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl8809. [PMID: 35857446 PMCID: PMC9258953 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl8809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylation of the neuronal tau protein is a hallmark of neurodegenerative tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease. A central unanswered question is why tau becomes progressively hyperphosphorylated. Here, we show that tau phosphorylation is governed by interdependence- a mechanistic link between initial site-specific and subsequent multi-site phosphorylation. Systematic assessment of site interdependence identified distinct residues (threonine-50, threonine-69, and threonine-181) as master sites that determine propagation of phosphorylation at multiple epitopes. CRISPR point mutation and expression of human tau in Alzheimer's mice showed that site interdependence governs physiologic and amyloid-associated multi-site phosphorylation and cognitive deficits, respectively. Combined targeting of master sites and p38α, the most central tau kinase linked to interdependence, synergistically ablated hyperphosphorylation. In summary, our work delineates how complex tau phosphorylation arises to inform therapeutic and biomarker design for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristie Stefanoska
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Corresponding author. (A.I.); (K.S.)
| | - Mehul Gajwani
- Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Health, Human and Medical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton,Victoria, Australia
| | - Amanda R. P. Tan
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Holly I. Ahel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Human and Medical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Prita R. Asih
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Alexander Volkerling
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Anne Poljak
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Arne Ittner
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Corresponding author. (A.I.); (K.S.)
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Fan X, Xia L, Zhou Z, Qiu Y, Zhao C, Yin X, Qian W. Tau Acts in Concert With Kinase/Phosphatase Underlying Synaptic Dysfunction. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:908881. [PMID: 35711910 PMCID: PMC9196307 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.908881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by two pathological features: neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), formed by microtubule-associated protein tau, and abnormal accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ). Multiple evidence placed synaptic tau as the vital fact of AD pathology, especially at the very early stage of AD. In the present review, we discuss tau phosphorylation, which is critical for the dendritic localization of tau and synaptic plasticity. We review the related kinases and phosphatases implicated in the synaptic function of tau. We also review the synergistic effects of these kinases and phosphatases on tau-associated synaptic deficits. We aim to open a new perspective on the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Liye Xia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Zheng Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yanyan Qiu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Chenhao Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xiaomin Yin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Wei Qian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Qian
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12
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Ramsden CE, Keyes GS, Calzada E, Horowitz MS, Zamora D, Jahanipour J, Sedlock A, Indig FE, Moaddel R, Kapogiannis D, Maric D. Lipid Peroxidation Induced ApoE Receptor-Ligand Disruption as a Unifying Hypothesis Underlying Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease in Humans. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 87:1251-1290. [PMID: 35466940 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD) lacks a unifying hypothesis that can account for the lipid peroxidation observed early in the disease, enrichment of ApoE in the core of neuritic plaques, hallmark plaques and tangles, and selective vulnerability of entorhinal-hippocampal structures. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that 1) high expression of ApoER2 (receptor for ApoE and Reelin) helps explain this anatomical vulnerability; 2) lipid peroxidation of ApoE and ApoER2 contributes to sAD pathogenesis, by disrupting neuronal ApoE delivery and Reelin-ApoER2-Dab1 signaling cascades. METHODS In vitro biochemical experiments; Single-marker and multiplex fluorescence-immunohistochemistry (IHC) in postmortem specimens from 26 individuals who died cognitively normal, with mild cognitive impairment or with sAD. RESULTS ApoE and ApoER2 peptides and proteins were susceptible to attack by reactive lipid aldehydes, generating lipid-protein adducts and crosslinked ApoE-ApoER2 complexes. Using in situ hybridization alongside IHC, we observed that: 1) ApoER2 is strongly expressed in terminal zones of the entorhinal-hippocampal 'perforant path' projections that underlie memory; 2) ApoE, lipid aldehyde-modified ApoE, Reelin, ApoER2, and the downstream Reelin-ApoER2 cascade components Dab1 and Thr19-phosphorylated PSD95 accumulated in the vicinity of neuritic plaques in perforant path terminal zones in sAD cases; 3) several ApoE/Reelin-ApoER2-Dab1 pathway markers were higher in sAD cases and positively correlated with histological progression and cognitive deficits. CONCLUSION Results demonstrate derangements in multiple ApoE/Reelin-ApoER2-Dab1 axis components in perforant path terminal zones in sAD and provide proof-of-concept that ApoE and ApoER2 are vulnerable to aldehyde-induced adduction and crosslinking. Findings provide the foundation for a unifying hypothesis implicating lipid peroxidation of ApoE and ApoE receptors in sAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E Ramsden
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Intramural Program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gregory S Keyes
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth Calzada
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark S Horowitz
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daisy Zamora
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jahandar Jahanipour
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Andrea Sedlock
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fred E Indig
- Confocal Imaging Facility, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dimitrios Kapogiannis
- Human Neuroscience Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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13
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Asih PR, Stefanoska K, Prikas E, Ittner A. High Level Forebrain Expression of Active Tau Kinase p38γ Exacerbates Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged APP-transgenic Alzheimer's Mice. Neuroscience 2022; 484:53-65. [PMID: 35031398 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Persistent improvement of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a common form of dementia, is an unattained therapeutic objective. Gene therapy holds promise for treatment of familial and sporadic forms of AD. p38γ, a member of the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family, inhibits amyloid-β toxicity through regulation of tau phosphorylation. We recently showed that a gene delivery approach increasing p38γ resulted in markedly better learning and memory performance in mouse models of AD at advanced stages of amyloid-β- and tau-mediated cognitive impairment. Notably, low-to-moderate expression of p38γ had beneficial outcomes on cognition. The impact of high levels of p38γ on neuronal function remain unclear. Therefore, we addressed the outcomes of high levels of active p38γ on brain function, by direct injection of p38γ-encoding adeno-associated virus (AAV) into the forebrain of aged mice of an APP transgenic AD mouse model. While motor function in p38γ-expressing APP transgenic mice 2 months post-injection was comparable to control treated APP mice, their activity was markedly reduced in the open field test and included frequent bouts of immobility. Moreover, their learning and memory function was markedly impaired compared to control-treated aged APP mice. These results suggest that high neuronal levels of active p38γ emphasize a stress kinase role of p38γ, perturbing circuit function in motivation, navigation, and spatial learning. Overall, this work shows excessive neuronal p38γ levels can aggravate circuit dysfunction and advises adjustable expression systems will be required for sustainable AD gene therapy based on p38γ activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prita R Asih
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Kristie Stefanoska
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Emmanuel Prikas
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Arne Ittner
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
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14
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Jablonka S, Hennlein L, Sendtner M. Therapy development for spinal muscular atrophy: perspectives for muscular dystrophies and neurodegenerative disorders. Neurol Res Pract 2022; 4:2. [PMID: 34983696 PMCID: PMC8725368 DOI: 10.1186/s42466-021-00162-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major efforts have been made in the last decade to develop and improve therapies for proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The introduction of Nusinersen/Spinraza™ as an antisense oligonucleotide therapy, Onasemnogene abeparvovec/Zolgensma™ as an AAV9-based gene therapy and Risdiplam/Evrysdi™ as a small molecule modifier of pre-mRNA splicing have set new standards for interference with neurodegeneration. MAIN BODY Therapies for SMA are designed to interfere with the cellular basis of the disease by modifying pre-mRNA splicing and enhancing expression of the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein, which is only expressed at low levels in this disorder. The corresponding strategies also can be applied to other disease mechanisms caused by loss of function or toxic gain of function mutations. The development of therapies for SMA was based on the use of cell culture systems and mouse models, as well as innovative clinical trials that included readouts that had originally been introduced and optimized in preclinical studies. This is summarized in the first part of this review. The second part discusses current developments and perspectives for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, as well as the obstacles that need to be overcome to introduce RNA-based therapies and gene therapies for these disorders. CONCLUSION RNA-based therapies offer chances for therapy development of complex neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. The experiences made with these new drugs for SMA, and also the experiences in AAV gene therapies could help to broaden the spectrum of current approaches to interfere with pathophysiological mechanisms in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibylle Jablonka
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Versbacher Str. 5, 97078, Wuerzburg, Germany.
| | - Luisa Hennlein
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Versbacher Str. 5, 97078, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Sendtner
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Versbacher Str. 5, 97078, Wuerzburg, Germany.
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15
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Imbimbo BP, Ippati S, Watling M, Balducci C. A critical appraisal of tau-targeting therapies for primary and secondary tauopathies. Alzheimers Dement 2021; 18:1008-1037. [PMID: 34533272 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Primary tauopathies are neurological disorders in which tau protein deposition is the predominant pathological feature. Alzheimer's disease is a secondary tauopathy with tau forming hyperphosphorylated insoluble aggregates. Tau pathology can propagate from region to region in the brain, while alterations in tau processing may impair tau physiological functions. METHODS We reviewed literature on tau biology and anti-tau drugs using PubMed, meeting abstracts, and ClnicalTrials.gov. RESULTS The past 15 years have seen >30 drugs interfering with tau aggregation, processing, and accumulation reaching the clinic. Initial results with tau aggregation inhibitors and anti-tau monoclonal antibodies have not shown clinical efficacy. DISCUSSION The reasons for these clinical failures are unclear but could be linked to the clearing of physiological forms of tau by non-specific drugs. Research is now concentrating efforts on developing reliable translational animal models and selective compounds targeting specific tau epitopes, neurotoxic tau aggregates, and post-translational tau modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno P Imbimbo
- Department of Research & Development, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy
| | - Stefania Ippati
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Mark Watling
- CNS & Pain Department, TranScrip Ltd, Reading, UK
| | - Claudia Balducci
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri" IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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16
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Zheng J, Tian N, Liu F, Zhang Y, Su J, Gao Y, Deng M, Wei L, Ye J, Li H, Wang JZ. A novel dephosphorylation targeting chimera selectively promoting tau removal in tauopathies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:269. [PMID: 34262014 PMCID: PMC8280143 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00669-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraneuronal accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau is a hallmark pathology shown in over twenty neurodegenerative disorders, collectively termed as tauopathies, including the most common Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, selectively removing or reducing hyperphosphorylated tau is promising for therapies of AD and other tauopathies. Here, we designed and synthesized a novel DEPhosphorylation TArgeting Chimera (DEPTAC) to specifically facilitate the binding of tau to Bα-subunit-containing protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A-Bα), the most active tau phosphatase in the brain. The DEPTAC exhibited high efficiency in dephosphorylating tau at multiple AD-associated sites and preventing tau accumulation both in vitro and in vivo. Further studies revealed that DEPTAC significantly improved microtubule assembly, neurite plasticity, and hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in transgenic mice with inducible overexpression of truncated and neurotoxic human tau N368. Our data provide a strategy for selective removal of the hyperphosphorylated tau, which sheds new light for the targeted therapy of AD and related-tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zheng
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education, Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
| | - Na Tian
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yidian Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingfen Su
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingmin Deng
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Linyu Wei
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingwang Ye
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Honglian Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian-Zhi Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
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17
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Zhu X, Zhang Y, Yang X, Hao C, Duan H. Gene Therapy for Neurodegenerative Disease: Clinical Potential and Directions. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:618171. [PMID: 34194298 PMCID: PMC8236824 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.618171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) is complex and diverse. Over the decades, our understanding of NDD has been limited to pathological features. However, recent advances in gene sequencing have facilitated elucidation of NDD at a deeper level. Gene editing techniques have uncovered new genetic links to phenotypes, promoted the development of novel treatment strategies and equipped researchers with further means to construct effective cell and animal models. The current review describes the history of evolution of gene editing tools, with the aim of improving overall understanding of this technology, and focuses on the four most common NDD disorders to demonstrate the potential future applications and research directions of gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Chunyan Hao
- Department of Geriatrics, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hubin Duan
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Lvliang People's Hospital, Lvliang, China
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18
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When Good Kinases Go Rogue: GSK3, p38 MAPK and CDKs as Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer's and Huntington's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115911. [PMID: 34072862 PMCID: PMC8199025 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a mostly sporadic brain disorder characterized by cognitive decline resulting from selective neurodegeneration in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex whereas Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic inherited disorder characterized by motor abnormalities and psychiatric disturbances resulting from selective neurodegeneration in the striatum. Although there have been numerous clinical trials for these diseases, they have been unsuccessful. Research conducted over the past three decades by a large number of laboratories has demonstrated that abnormal actions of common kinases play a key role in the pathogenesis of both AD and HD as well as several other neurodegenerative diseases. Prominent among these kinases are glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and some of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). After a brief summary of the molecular and cell biology of AD and HD this review covers what is known about the role of these three groups of kinases in the brain and in the pathogenesis of the two neurodegenerative disorders. The potential of targeting GSK3, p38 MAPK and CDKS as effective therapeutics is also discussed as is a brief discussion on the utilization of recently developed drugs that simultaneously target two or all three of these groups of kinases. Multi-kinase inhibitors either by themselves or in combination with strategies currently being used such as immunotherapy or secretase inhibitors for AD and knockdown for HD could represent a more effective therapeutic approach for these fatal neurodegenerative diseases.
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19
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Atypical p38 Signaling, Activation, and Implications for Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22084183. [PMID: 33920735 PMCID: PMC8073329 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 is an essential family of kinases, regulating responses to environmental stress and inflammation. There is an ever-increasing plethora of physiological and pathophysiological conditions attributed to p38 activity, ranging from cell division and embryonic development to the control of a multitude of diseases including retinal, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Despite the decades of intense investigation, a viable therapeutic approach to disrupt p38 signaling remains elusive. A growing body of evidence supports the pathological significance of an understudied atypical p38 signaling pathway. Atypical p38 signaling is driven by a direct interaction between the adaptor protein TAB1 and p38α, driving p38 autophosphorylation independent from the classical MKK3 and MKK6 pathways. Unlike the classical MKK3/6 signaling pathway, atypical signaling is selective for just p38α, and at present has only been characterized during pathophysiological stimulation. Recent studies have linked atypical signaling to dermal and vascular inflammation, myocardial ischemia, cancer metastasis, diabetes, complications during pregnancy, and bacterial and viral infections. Additional studies are required to fully understand how, when, where, and why atypical p38 signaling is induced. Furthermore, the development of selective TAB1-p38 inhibitors represents an exciting new opportunity to selectively inhibit pathological p38 signaling in a wide array of diseases.
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20
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Imbimbo BP, Ippati S, Watling M, Balducci C. Accelerating Alzheimer's disease drug discovery and development: what's the way forward? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2021; 16:727-735. [PMID: 33653187 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1887132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: As the global burden of Alzheimer's disease (AD) grows, an effective disease-modifying therapy remains a distant prospect following the repeated failure of multiple therapeutics targeting β-amyloid and (it seems) tau over many years of costly effort. The repeated failure of single-target therapies to meaningfully modify disease progression raises major questions about the validity of many aspects of drug development in this area, especially target selection.Area covered: The authors explore the critical questions raised by a review of the collective experience to date, relating to why findings with non-clinical models and clinical biomarkers so frequently fail to translate to positive outcomes in clinical trials, which alternatives should be considered, and how we can design and conduct clinical trials that can successfully identify and quantify meaningful benefits in the future.Expert opinion: It is our opinion that we must recognize and accept the need to consider less specific, more multimodal approaches to addressing neurodegeneration in AD if we are to make progress - and we must avoid repeating the well intentioned, but ultimately erroneous, assumptions of the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno P Imbimbo
- Department of Research & Development, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy
| | - Stefania Ippati
- Experimental Imaging Center, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Mark Watling
- CNS & Pain Department, TranScrip Partners, Reading, UK
| | - Claudia Balducci
- Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS, Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy
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21
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Imbimbo BP, Lucca U, Watling M. Can Anti-β-amyloid Monoclonal Antibodies Work in Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease? NEUROLOGY-GENETICS 2020; 7:e535. [PMID: 33575481 PMCID: PMC7862085 DOI: 10.1212/nxg.0000000000000535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The dominant theory of Alzheimer disease (AD) has been that amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in the brain is the initial cause of the degeneration leading to cognitive and functional deficits. Autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD), in which pathologic mutations of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) or presenilins (PSENs) genes are known to cause abnormalities of Aβ metabolism, should thus offer perhaps the best opportunity to test anti-Aβ drugs. Two long-term preventive studies (Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit Adaptive Prevention Trial [DIAN-TU-APT] and Alzheimer Preventive Initiative-ADAD) were set up to evaluate the efficacy of monoclonal anti-Aβ antibodies (solanezumab, gantenerumab, and crenezumab) in carriers of ADAD, but the results of the DIAN-TU-APT study have shown that neither solanezumab nor gantenerumab slowed cognitive decline in 144 subjects with ADAD followed for 4 years, despite one of the drugs (gantenerumab) significantly affected biomarkers relevant to their intended mechanism of action. Surprisingly, solanezumab significantly accelerated cognitive decline of both asymptomatic and symptomatic subjects. These failures further undermine the Aβ hypothesis and could support the suggestion that ADAD is triggered by accumulation of other APP metabolites, rather than Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno P Imbimbo
- Department of Research & Development (B.P.I.), Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy; Laboratory of Geriatric Neuropsychiatry (U.L.), Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy; and CNS & Pain Department (M.W.), TranScrip Partners, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Ugo Lucca
- Department of Research & Development (B.P.I.), Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy; Laboratory of Geriatric Neuropsychiatry (U.L.), Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy; and CNS & Pain Department (M.W.), TranScrip Partners, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Watling
- Department of Research & Development (B.P.I.), Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy; Laboratory of Geriatric Neuropsychiatry (U.L.), Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy; and CNS & Pain Department (M.W.), TranScrip Partners, Reading, United Kingdom
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Asih PR, Prikas E, Stefanoska K, Tan ARP, Ahel HI, Ittner A. Functions of p38 MAP Kinases in the Central Nervous System. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:570586. [PMID: 33013322 PMCID: PMC7509416 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.570586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are a central component in signaling networks in a multitude of mammalian cell types. This review covers recent advances on specific functions of p38 MAP kinases in cells of the central nervous system. Unique and specific functions of the four mammalian p38 kinases are found in all major cell types in the brain. Mechanisms of p38 activation and downstream phosphorylation substrates in these different contexts are outlined and how they contribute to functions of p38 in physiological and under disease conditions. Results in different model organisms demonstrated that p38 kinases are involved in cognitive functions, including functions related to anxiety, addiction behavior, neurotoxicity, neurodegeneration, and decision making. Finally, the role of p38 kinases in psychiatric and neurological conditions and the current progress on therapeutic inhibitors targeting p38 kinases are covered and implicate p38 kinases in a multitude of CNS-related physiological and disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prita R Asih
- Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Emmanuel Prikas
- Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kristie Stefanoska
- Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Amanda R P Tan
- Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Holly I Ahel
- Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Arne Ittner
- Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Falcicchia C, Tozzi F, Arancio O, Watterson DM, Origlia N. Involvement of p38 MAPK in Synaptic Function and Dysfunction. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165624. [PMID: 32781522 PMCID: PMC7460549 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have revealed a central role of p38 MAPK in neuronal plasticity and the regulation of long-term changes in synaptic efficacy, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). However, p38 MAPK is classically known as a responsive element to stress stimuli, including neuroinflammation. Specific to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), several studies have shown that the p38 MAPK cascade is activated either in response to the Aβ peptide or in the presence of tauopathies. Here, we describe the role of p38 MAPK in the regulation of synaptic plasticity and its implication in an animal model of neurodegeneration. In particular, recent evidence suggests the p38 MAPK α isoform as a potential neurotherapeutic target, and specific inhibitors have been developed and have proven to be effective in ameliorating synaptic and memory deficits in AD mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Falcicchia
- Institute of Neuroscience, Italian National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Francesca Tozzi
- Bio@SNS laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Ottavio Arancio
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | | | - Nicola Origlia
- Institute of Neuroscience, Italian National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-050-3153193
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