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Bhat MA, Dhaneshwar S. Neurodegenerative Diseases: New Hopes and Perspectives. Curr Mol Med 2024; 24:1004-1032. [PMID: 37691199 DOI: 10.2174/1566524023666230907093451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and Friedrich ataxia are all incurable neurodegenerative diseases defined by the continuous progressive loss of distinct neuronal subtypes. Despite their rising prevalence among the world's ageing population, fewer advances have been made in the concurrent massive efforts to develop newer drugs. Recently, there has been a shift in research focus towards the discovery of new therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we have summarized the recently developed therapies and their status in the management of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Aadil Bhat
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Lucknow, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, UP, India
| | - Suneela Dhaneshwar
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University Maharashtra, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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2
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Medrano-Jiménez E, Meza-Sosa KF, Urbán-Aragón JA, Secundino I, Pedraza-Alva G, Pérez-Martínez L. Microglial activation in Alzheimer's disease: The role of flavonoids and microRNAs. J Leukoc Biol 2022; 112:47-77. [PMID: 35293018 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.3mr1021-531r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of senile dementia and is characterized by progressive cognitive impairment and neuronal degeneration. Microglial activation is an important pathologic hallmark of AD. During disease progression, microglial cells switch from an alternative or anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective profile (M2) to a classic or proinflammatory and neurotoxic profile (M1). Phenotypically, M1 microglia is characterized by the activation of inflammatory signaling pathways that cause increased expression of proinflammatory genes, including those coding for cytokines and chemokines. This microglia-mediated neuroinflammation contributes to neuronal cell death. Recent studies in microglial cells have shown that a group of plant-derived compounds, known as flavonoids, possess anti-inflammatory properties and therefore exert a neuroprotective effect through regulating microglia activation. Here, we discuss how flavonoids can promote the switch from an inflammatory M1 phenotype to an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype in microglia and how this represents a valuable opportunity for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to blunt neuroinflammation and boost neuronal recovery in AD. We also review how certain flavonoids can inhibit neuroinflammation through their action on the expression of microglia-specific microRNAs (miRNAs), which also constitute a key therapeutic approach in different neuropathologies involving an inflammatory component, including AD. Finally, we propose novel targets of microglia-specific miRNAs that may be considered for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Medrano-Jiménez
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Karla F Meza-Sosa
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - José A Urbán-Aragón
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Ismael Secundino
- Universidad De La Salle Bajío, Facultad de Odontología y Escuela de Veterinaria, León-Guanajuato, México
| | - Gustavo Pedraza-Alva
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Leonor Pérez-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
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3
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Huntington's disease brain-derived small RNAs recapitulate associated neuropathology in mice. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 141:565-584. [PMID: 33547932 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02272-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Progressive motor alterations and selective death of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) are key pathological hallmarks of Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative condition caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the coding region of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Most research has focused on the pathogenic effects of the resultant protein product(s); however, growing evidence indicates that expanded CAG repeats within mutant HTT mRNA and derived small CAG repeat RNAs (sCAG) participate in HD pathophysiology. The individual contribution of protein versus RNA toxicity to HD pathophysiology remains largely uncharacterized and the role of other classes of small RNAs (sRNA) that are strongly perturbed in HD is uncertain. Here, we demonstrate that sRNA produced in the putamen of HD patients (HD-sRNA-PT) are sufficient to induce HD pathology in vivo. Mice injected with HD-sRNA-PT show motor abnormalities, decreased levels of striatal HD-related proteins, disruption of the indirect pathway, and strong transcriptional abnormalities, paralleling human HD pathology. Importantly, we show that the specific blockage of sCAG mitigates HD-sRNA-PT neurotoxicity only to a limited extent. This observation prompted us to identify other sRNA species enriched in HD putamen with neurotoxic potential. We detected high levels of tRNA fragments (tRFs) in HD putamen, and we validated the neurotoxic potential of an Alanine derived tRF in vitro. These results highlight that HD-sRNA-PT are neurotoxic, and suggest that multiple sRNA species contribute to striatal dysfunction and general transcriptomic changes, favoring therapeutic strategies based on the blockage of sRNA-mediated toxicity.
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Gatto RG, Weissmann C. Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Preclinical and Human Studies of Huntington's Disease: What Have we Learned so Far? Curr Med Imaging 2020; 15:521-542. [PMID: 32008561 DOI: 10.2174/1573405614666181115113400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's Disease is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive deterioration of specific brain nerve cells. The current evaluation of cellular and physiological events in patients with HD relies on the development of transgenic animal models. To explore such events in vivo, diffusion tensor imaging has been developed to examine the early macro and microstructural changes in brain tissue. However, the gap in diffusion tensor imaging findings between animal models and clinical studies and the lack of microstructural confirmation by histological methods has questioned the validity of this method. OBJECTIVE This review explores white and grey matter ultrastructural changes associated to diffusion tensor imaging, as well as similarities and differences between preclinical and clinical Huntington's Disease studies. METHODS A comprehensive review of the literature using online-resources was performed (Pub- Med search). RESULTS Similar changes in fractional anisotropy as well as axial, radial and mean diffusivities were observed in white matter tracts across clinical and animal studies. However, comparative diffusion alterations in different grey matter structures were inconsistent between clinical and animal studies. CONCLUSION Diffusion tensor imaging can be related to specific structural anomalies in specific cellular populations. However, some differences between animal and clinical studies could derive from the contrasting neuroanatomy or connectivity across species. Such differences should be considered before generalizing preclinical results into the clinical practice. Moreover, current limitations of this technique to accurately represent complex multicellular events at the single micro scale are real. Future work applying complex diffusion models should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Gabriel Gatto
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, United States
| | - Carina Weissmann
- Insituto de Fisiología Biologia Molecular y Neurociencias-IFIBYNE-CONICET, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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5
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Rea S, Della-Morte D, Pacifici F, Capuani B, Pastore D, Coppola A, Arriga R, Andreadi A, Donadel G, Di Daniele N, Bellia A, Lauro D. Insulin and Exendin-4 Reduced Mutated Huntingtin Accumulation in Neuronal Cells. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:779. [PMID: 32547392 PMCID: PMC7270204 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are more prone to develop cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases. A pathological association between an autosomal dominant neurological disorder caused by brain accumulation in mutated huntingtin (mHTT), known as Huntington disease (HD), and DM, has been reported. By using a diabetic mouse model, we previously suggested a central role of the metabolic pathways of HTT, further suggesting the relevance of this protein in the pathology of DM. Furthermore, it has also been reported that intranasal insulin (Ins) administration improved cognitive function in patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease, and that exendin-4 (Ex-4) enhanced lifespan and ameliorated glucose homeostasis in a mouse model of HD. Although antioxidant properties have been proposed, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still missing. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the intracellular pathways leading to neuroprotective effect of Ins and Ex-4 hypoglycemic drugs by using an in vitro model of HD, developed by differentiated dopaminergic neurons treated with the pro-oxidant neurotoxic compound 6-hydroxydopamine (6-ohda). Our results showed that 6-ohda increased mHTT expression and reduced HTT phosphorylation at Ser421, a post-translational modification, which protects against mHTT accumulation. Pre-treatment with Ins or Ex-4 reverted the harmful effect induced by 6-ohda by activating AKT1 and SGK1 kinases, and by reducing the phosphatase PP2B. AKT1 and SGK1 are crucial nodes on the Ins activation pathway and powerful antioxidants, while PP2B dephosphorylates HTT contributing to mHTT neurotoxic effect. In conclusion, present results highlight that Ins and Ex-4 may counteract the neurotoxic effect induced by mHTT, opening novel pharmacological therapeutic strategies against neurodegenerative disorders, with the main focus on HD, still considered an orphan illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Rea
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - David Della-Morte
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Department of Human Sciences and Quality of Life Promotion, San Raffaele Roma Open University, Rome, Italy.,Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, The Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Francesca Pacifici
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Capuani
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Donatella Pastore
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Coppola
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Arriga
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giulia Donadel
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Di Daniele
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Alfonso Bellia
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Lauro
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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Kumar A, Kumar V, Singh K, Kumar S, Kim YS, Lee YM, Kim JJ. Therapeutic Advances for Huntington's Disease. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10010043. [PMID: 31940909 PMCID: PMC7016861 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a progressive neurological disease that is inherited in an autosomal fashion. The cause of disease pathology is an expansion of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeats within the huntingtin gene (HTT) on chromosome 4 (4p16.3), which codes the huntingtin protein (mHTT). The common symptoms of HD include motor and cognitive impairment of psychiatric functions. Patients exhibit a representative phenotype of involuntary movement (chorea) of limbs, impaired cognition, and severe psychiatric disturbances (mood swings, depression, and personality changes). A variety of symptomatic treatments (which target glutamate and dopamine pathways, caspases, inhibition of aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, transcriptional dysregulation, and fetal neural transplants, etc.) are available and some are in the pipeline. Advancement in novel therapeutic approaches include targeting the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein and the HTT gene. New gene editing techniques will reduce the CAG repeats. More appropriate and readily tractable treatment goals, coupled with advances in analytical tools will help to assess the clinical outcomes of HD treatments. This will not only improve the quality of life and life span of HD patients, but it will also provide a beneficial role in other inherited and neurological disorders. In this review, we aim to discuss current therapeutic research approaches and their possible uses for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Kumar
- Department of Genetics, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow 226014, UP, India;
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea; (Y.-S.K.); (Y.-M.L.)
- Correspondence: (V.K.); (J.-J.K.)
| | - Kritanjali Singh
- Central Research Station, Subharti Medical College, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut 250002, India;
| | - Sukesh Kumar
- PG Department of Botany, Nalanda College, Bihar Sharif, Magadh University, Bihar 824234, India;
| | - You-Sam Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea; (Y.-S.K.); (Y.-M.L.)
| | - Yun-Mi Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea; (Y.-S.K.); (Y.-M.L.)
| | - Jong-Joo Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea; (Y.-S.K.); (Y.-M.L.)
- Correspondence: (V.K.); (J.-J.K.)
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7
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Mueller KA, Glajch KE, Huizenga MN, Wilson RA, Granucci EJ, Dios AM, Tousley AR, Iuliano M, Weisman E, LaQuaglia MJ, DiFiglia M, Kegel-Gleason K, Vakili K, Sadri-Vakili G. Hippo Signaling Pathway Dysregulation in Human Huntington's Disease Brain and Neuronal Stem Cells. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11355. [PMID: 30054496 PMCID: PMC6063913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29319-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hippo signaling pathway is involved in organ size regulation and tumor suppression. Although inhibition of Hippo leads to tumorigenesis, activation of Hippo may play a role in neurodegeneration. Specifically, activation of the upstream regulator, mammalian sterile 20 (STE20)-like kinase 1 (MST1), reduces activity of the transcriptional co-activator Yes-Associated Protein (YAP), thereby mediating oxidative stress-induced neuronal death. Here, we investigated the possible role of this pathway in Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis. Our results demonstrate a significant increase in phosphorylated MST1, the active form, in post-mortem HD cortex and in the brains of CAG knock-in HdhQ111/Q111 mice. YAP nuclear localization was also decreased in HD post-mortem cortex and in neuronal stem cells derived from HD patients. Moreover, there was a significant increase in phosphorylated YAP, the inactive form, in HD post-mortem cortex and in HdhQ111/Q111 brain. In addition, YAP was found to interact with huntingtin (Htt) and the chaperone 14-3-3, however this interaction was not altered in the presence of mutant Htt. Lastly, YAP/TEAD interactions and expression of Hippo pathway genes were altered in HD. Together, these results demonstrate that activation of MST1 together with a decrease in nuclear YAP could significantly contribute to transcriptional dysregulation in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaly A Mueller
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Kelly E Glajch
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Megan N Huizenga
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Remi A Wilson
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Eric J Granucci
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Amanda M Dios
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Adelaide R Tousley
- Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Maria Iuliano
- Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Elizabeth Weisman
- Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | | | - Marian DiFiglia
- Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | - Kimberly Kegel-Gleason
- Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA
| | | | - Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129-4404, USA.
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8
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Gatto RG, Chu Y, Ye AQ, Price SD, Tavassoli E, Buenaventura A, Brady ST, Magin RL, Kordower JH, Morfini GA. Analysis of YFP(J16)-R6/2 reporter mice and postmortem brains reveals early pathology and increased vulnerability of callosal axons in Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:5285-98. [PMID: 26123489 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cumulative evidence indicates that the onset and severity of Huntington's disease (HD) symptoms correlate with connectivity deficits involving specific neuronal populations within cortical and basal ganglia circuits. Brain imaging studies and pathological reports further associated these deficits with alterations in cerebral white matter structure and axonal pathology. However, whether axonopathy represents an early pathogenic event or an epiphenomenon in HD remains unknown, nor is clear the identity of specific neuronal populations affected. To directly evaluate early axonal abnormalities in the context of HD in vivo, we bred transgenic YFP(J16) with R6/2 mice, a widely used HD model. Diffusion tensor imaging and fluorescence microscopy studies revealed a marked degeneration of callosal axons long before the onset of motor symptoms. Accordingly, a significant fraction of YFP-positive cortical neurons in YFP(J16) mice cortex were identified as callosal projection neurons. Callosal axon pathology progressively worsened with age and was influenced by polyglutamine tract length in mutant huntingtin (mhtt). Degenerating axons were dissociated from microscopically visible mhtt aggregates and did not result from loss of cortical neurons. Interestingly, other axonal populations were mildly or not affected, suggesting differential vulnerability to mhtt toxicity. Validating these results, increased vulnerability of callosal axons was documented in the brains of HD patients. Observations here provide a structural basis for the alterations in cerebral white matter structure widely reported in HD patients. Collectively, our data demonstrate a dying-back pattern of degeneration for cortical projection neurons affected in HD, suggesting that axons represent an early and potentially critical target for mhtt toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo G Gatto
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yaping Chu
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA and
| | - Allen Q Ye
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Steven D Price
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Ehsan Tavassoli
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Andrea Buenaventura
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Scott T Brady
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Richard L Magin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Kordower
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA and
| | - Gerardo A Morfini
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA,
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9
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The role of the immune system in triplet repeat expansion diseases. Mediators Inflamm 2015; 2015:873860. [PMID: 25873774 PMCID: PMC4385693 DOI: 10.1155/2015/873860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Revised: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Trinucleotide repeat expansion disorders (TREDs) are a group of dominantly inherited neurological diseases caused by the expansion of unstable repeats in specific regions of the associated genes. Expansion of CAG repeat tracts in translated regions of the respective genes results in polyglutamine- (polyQ-) rich proteins that form intracellular aggregates that affect numerous cellular activities. Recent evidence suggests the involvement of an RNA toxicity component in polyQ expansion disorders, thus increasing the complexity of the pathogenic processes. Neurodegeneration, accompanied by reactive gliosis and astrocytosis is the common feature of most TREDs, which may suggest involvement of inflammation in pathogenesis. Indeed, a number of immune response markers have been observed in the blood and CNS of patients and mouse models, and the activation of these markers was even observed in the premanifest stage of the disease. Although inflammation is not an initiating factor of TREDs, growing evidence indicates that inflammatory responses involving astrocytes, microglia, and the peripheral immune system may contribute to disease progression. Herein, we review the involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of triplet repeat expansion diseases, with particular emphasis on polyglutamine disorders. We also present various therapeutic approaches targeting the dysregulated inflammation pathways in these diseases.
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10
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Katsuno M, Watanabe H, Yamamoto M, Sobue G. Potential therapeutic targets in polyglutamine-mediated diseases. Expert Rev Neurother 2014; 14:1215-28. [PMID: 25190502 DOI: 10.1586/14737175.2014.956727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamine diseases are a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders that are caused by an abnormal expansion of a trinucleotide CAG repeat, which encodes a polyglutamine tract in the protein-coding region of the respective disease genes. To date, nine polyglutamine diseases are known, including Huntington's disease, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy and six forms of spinocerebellar ataxia. These diseases share a salient molecular pathophysiology including the aggregation of the mutant protein followed by the disruption of cellular functions such as transcriptional regulation and axonal transport. The intraneuronal accumulation of mutant protein and resulting cellular dysfunction are the essential targets for the development of disease-modifying therapies, some of which have shown beneficial effects in animal models. In this review, the current status of and perspectives on therapy development for polyglutamine diseases will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahisa Katsuno
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
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11
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Minocycline upregulates pro-survival genes and downregulates pro-apoptotic genes in experimental glaucoma. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2014; 252:761-72. [PMID: 24566901 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-014-2588-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2012] [Revised: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Minocycline, a second-generation tetracycline with anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties, was reported to be neuroprotective in experimental glaucoma and optic nerve transection as well as in other neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism underlying that neuroprotective effect in murine glaucoma. METHODS Elevated intraocular pressure was induced in 159 rats by the translimbal photocoagulation laser model. Minocycline 22 mg/kg or saline was injected intraperitoneally starting 3 days before the induction of glaucoma, and continued daily until the animals were sacrificed. The effect of minocycline on gene expression was evaluated using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array for apoptosis. The involvement of selected pro-apoptotic, pro-survival, and inflammatory genes was further analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR at multiple time points. Immunohistochemistry was used to study the effect of minocycline on microglial activation and to localize Bcl-2 changes. RESULTS Minocycline significantly increased the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 expression at day 8 and day 14 after the induction of glaucoma (p = 0.04 and p = 0.03 respectively), and decreased IL-18 expression in the retina at day 14 and day 30 (p = 0.04 and p < 0.001 respectively). PCR arrays suggested that additional genes were affected by minocycline, including Tp53bp2, TRAF4, osteoprotegerin, caspase 1 and 4, and members of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily. Additionally, minocycline decreased the amount of activated microglia in glaucomatous eyes. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that minocycline upregulates pro-survival genes and downregulates apoptotic genes, thus shifting the balance toward the anti-apoptotic side in experimental glaucoma.
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12
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Rüb U, Hoche F, Brunt ER, Heinsen H, Seidel K, Del Turco D, Paulson HL, Bohl J, von Gall C, Vonsattel JP, Korf HW, den Dunnen WF. Degeneration of the cerebellum in Huntington's disease (HD): possible relevance for the clinical picture and potential gateway to pathological mechanisms of the disease process. Brain Pathol 2013; 23:165-77. [PMID: 22925167 PMCID: PMC8029117 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2012.00629.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2012] [Accepted: 08/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a polyglutamine disease and characterized neuropathologically by degeneration of the striatum and select layers of the neo- and allocortex. In the present study, we performed a systematic investigation of the cerebellum in eight clinically diagnosed and genetically confirmed HD patients. The cerebellum of all HD patients showed a considerable atrophy, as well as a consistent loss of Purkinje cells and nerve cells of the fastigial, globose, emboliform and dentate nuclei. This pathology was obvious already in HD brains assigned Vonsattel grade 2 striatal atrophy and did not correlate with the extent and distribution of striatal atrophy. Therefore, our findings suggest (i) that the cerebellum degenerates early during HD and independently from the striatal atrophy and (ii) that the onset of the pathological process of HD is multifocal. Degeneration of the cerebellum might contribute significantly to poorly understood symptoms occurring in HD such as impaired rapid alternating movements and fine motor skills, dysarthria, ataxia and postural instability, gait and stance imbalance, broad-based gait and stance, while the morphological alterations (ie ballooned neurons, torpedo-like axonal inclusions) observed in the majority of surviving nerve cells may represent a gateway to the unknown mechanisms of the pathological process of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udo Rüb
- Dr. Senckenbergisches Chronomedizinisches Institut, Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
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Biscaro B, Lindvall O, Tesco G, Ekdahl CT, Nitsch RM. Inhibition of microglial activation protects hippocampal neurogenesis and improves cognitive deficits in a transgenic mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. NEURODEGENER DIS 2012; 9:187-98. [PMID: 22584394 DOI: 10.1159/000330363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2011] [Accepted: 06/28/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Activated microglia with macrophage-like functions invade and surround β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD), possibly contributing to the turnover of Aβ, but they can also secrete proinflammatory factors that may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. Microglia are known to modulate adult hippocampal neurogenesis. OBJECTIVES/METHODS To determine the role of microglia on neurogenesis in brains with Aβ pathology, we inhibited microglial activation with the tetracycline derivative minocycline in doubly transgenic mice expressing mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP) and mutant human presenilin-1 (PS1). RESULTS Minocycline increased the survival of new dentate granule cells in APP/PS1 mice indicated by more BrdU+/NeuN+ cells as compared to vehicle-treated transgenic littermates, accompanied by improved behavioral performance in a hippocampus-dependent learning task. Both brain levels of Aβ and Aβ-related morphological deficits in the new neurons labeled with GFP-expressing retrovirus were unaffected in minocycline-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a role for microglia in Aβ-related functional deficits and in suppressing the survival of new neurons, and show that modulation of microglial function with minocycline can protect hippocampal neurogenesis in the presence of Aβ pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Biscaro
- Division of Psychiatry Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Similarities and differences between primary and secondary degeneration of the optic nerve and the effect of minocycline. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2011; 249:849-57. [DOI: 10.1007/s00417-010-1608-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2010] [Revised: 12/16/2010] [Accepted: 12/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Joyner PM, Cichewicz RH. Bringing natural products into the fold – exploring the therapeutic lead potential of secondary metabolites for the treatment of protein-misfolding-related neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Prod Rep 2011; 28:26-47. [DOI: 10.1039/c0np00017e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Krobitsch S, Kazantsev AG. Huntington's disease: From molecular basis to therapeutic advances. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2010; 43:20-4. [PMID: 21056115 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2010.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2010] [Revised: 10/26/2010] [Accepted: 10/27/2010] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant genetic neurodegenerative disorder, which is characterized by progressive motor dysfunction, emotional disturbances, dementia, and weight loss. The disease is caused by pathological CAG-triplet repeat extension(s), encoding polyglutamines, within the gene product, huntingtin. Huntingtin is ubiquitously expressed through the body and is a protein of uncertain molecular function(s). Mutant huntingtin, containing pathologically extended polyglutamines causes the earliest and most dramatic neuropathologic changes in the neostriatum and cerebral cortex. Extended polyglutamines confer structural conformational changes to huntingtin, which gains novel properties, resulting in aberrant interactions with multiple cellular components. The diverse and variable aberrations mediated by mutant huntingtin perturb many cellular functions essential for neuronal homeostasis and underlie pleiotropic mechanisms of Huntington's disease pathogenesis. The only approved drug for Huntington's disease is a symptomatic treatment, tetrabenazine; thus, novel neuroprotective strategies, slowing, blocking and possibly reversing disease progression, are vital for developing effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Krobitsch
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 63-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Gohil VM, Offner N, Walker JA, Sheth SA, Fossale E, Gusella JF, MacDonald ME, Neri C, Mootha VK. Meclizine is neuroprotective in models of Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2010; 20:294-300. [PMID: 20977989 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddq464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Defects in cellular energy metabolism represent an early feature in a variety of human neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies have shown that targeting energy metabolism can protect against neuronal cell death in such diseases. Here, we show that meclizine, a clinically used drug that we have recently shown to silence oxidative metabolism, suppresses apoptotic cell death in a murine cellular model of polyglutamine (polyQ) toxicity. We further show that this protective effect extends to neuronal dystrophy and cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster models of polyQ toxicity. Meclizine's mechanism of action is not attributable to its anti-histaminergic or anti-muscarinic activity, but rather, strongly correlates with its ability to suppress mitochondrial respiration. Since meclizine is an approved drug that crosses the blood-brain barrier, it may hold therapeutic potential in the treatment of polyQ toxicity disorders, such as Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal M Gohil
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND In Parkinson's disease, most of current therapies only provide symptomatic treatment and so far there is no drug which directly affects the disease process. OBJECTIVES To investigate the neuroprotective effects of minocycline against long-term rotenone toxicity in primary dopaminergic cell cultures. METHODS Embryonic mice of 14-days-old were used for preparation of primary dopaminergic cell cultures. On the 6th day in vitro, prepared cultures were treated both with minocycline alone (1, 5, 10 and 20 microM) and concomitantly with rotenone (5 and 20 nM) and minocycline. Cultures were incubated at 37 degrees C for six consecutive days. On Day in vitro culture medium was aspirated and used for measuring lactate dehydrogenase. Cultured cells were fixed in 4% paraformaldhyde and stained immunohistochemically against tyrosine hydroxylase. RESULTS Treatment of cultures with 5 and 20 nM of rotenone significantly decreased the survival of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons by 27 and 31% and increased the release of lactate dehydrogenase into the culture medium by 31 and 236%, respectively compared to untreated controls. Minocycline (1, 5, 10 microM) significantly protected tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons by 17, 15 and 19% and 13, 22 and 23% against 5 and 20 nM of rotenone, respectively compared to rotenone-treated cultures. Minocycline (only at 10 microM) significantly decreased the release of lactate dehydrogenase by 79% and 133% against 5 and 20 nM of rotenone, respectively. CONCLUSION Minocycline has neuroprotective potential against the progressive loss of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons induced by long-term rotenone toxicity in primary dopaminergic cultures.
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Cai ZY, Yan Y, Chen R. Minocycline reduces astrocytic reactivation and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus of a vascular cognitive impairment rat model. Neurosci Bull 2010; 26:28-36. [PMID: 20101270 PMCID: PMC5560381 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-010-0818-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2009] [Accepted: 10/27/2009] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the neuroprotective mechanism of minocycline against vascular cognitive impairment after cerebral ischemia. METHODS The rat model with vascular cognitive impairment was established by permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). The observing time-points were determined at 4, 8 and 16 weeks after BCCAO. Animals were randomly divided into sham-operated group (n = 6), model group (subdivided into 3 groups: 4 weeks after BCCAO, n = 6; 8 weeks after BCCAO, n = 6; and 16 weeks after BCCAO, n = 6), and minocycline group (subdivided into 3 groups: 4 weeks after BCCAO, n = 6; 8 weeks after BCCAO, n = 6; and 16 weeks after BCCAO, n = 6). Minocycline was administered by douche via stomach after BCCAO until sacrifice. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was examined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) were measured by immunohistochemistry. IL-1beta and TNF-alpha levels were tested with ELISA method. RESULTS Levels of GFAP, COX-2, NF-kappaB, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were all up-regulated after permanent BCCAO, which could be significantly inhibited by minocycline. CONCLUSION Minocycline could ameliorate the inflammation and oxidative stress in the hippocampus of the vascular cognitive impairment rat model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-You Cai
- Department of Neurology, Lu’an People’s Hospital, the Fifth Clinical College, Anhui Medical University, Lu’an, 237005 China
| | - Yong Yan
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016 China
| | - Ran Chen
- Department of Neurology, Lu’an People’s Hospital, the Fifth Clinical College, Anhui Medical University, Lu’an, 237005 China
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Minocycline attenuates cognitive impairment and restrains oxidative stress in the hippocampus of rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Neurosci Bull 2009; 24:305-13. [PMID: 18839024 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-008-0324-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Nitric oxide (NO) was speculated to play an important role in the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia. Minocycline, a tetracycline derivative, reduced inflammation and protected against cerebral ischemia. To study the neuroprotection mechanism of minocycline for vascular dementia, the influences of minocycline on expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were observed in the brains of Wistar rats. METHODS The vascular dementia rat model was established by permanent bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (BCCAO). Wistar rats were divideded into 3 groups randomly: sham-operation group (S group), vascular dementia model group (M group), and minocycline treatment group (MT group). The behaviour was tested with Morris water maze and open-field task. Expressions of iNOS and eNOS were measured by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The optical density value was measured by imaging analysis. Percentage of positive cells with iNOS and eNOS expression was analyzed with optical microscope. RESULTS Minocycline attenuated cognitive impairment. Inducible NOS was significantly down-regulated in MT group, compared with that in M group (P < 0.01), while eNOS was significantly up-regulated, compared with that in M group (P < 0.01). The expressions of iNOS and eNOS in M and MT groups were higher than those in S group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Minocycline can down-regulate the expression of iNOS and up-regulate the expression of eNOS in vascular dementia, which restrains apoptosis and oxidative stress to protect neural function.
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Niclis JC, Trounson AO, Dottori M, Ellisdon AM, Bottomley SP, Verlinsky Y, Cram DS. Human embryonic stem cell models of Huntington disease. Reprod Biomed Online 2009; 19:106-13. [DOI: 10.1016/s1472-6483(10)60053-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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22
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Thompson CM, Quinn CA, Hergenrother PJ. Total Synthesis and Cytoprotective Properties of Dykellic Acid. J Med Chem 2008; 52:117-25. [DOI: 10.1021/jm801169s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina M. Thompson
- Department of Chemistry, Roger Adams Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Catherine A. Quinn
- Department of Chemistry, Roger Adams Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Paul J. Hergenrother
- Department of Chemistry, Roger Adams Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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Abstract
The ultimate goal for Huntington's disease (HD) therapeutics is to develop disease-modifying neuroprotective therapies that can delay or prevent illness in those who are at genetic risk and can slow progression in those who are affected clinically. Neuroprotection is the preservation of neuronal structure, function, and viability, and neuroprotective therapy is thus targeted at the underlying pathology of HD, rather than at its specific symptoms. Preclinical target discovery research in HD is identifying numerous distinct targets, along with options for modulating them, with some proceeding into large-scale efficacy studies in early symptomatic HD subjects. The first pilot studies of neuroprotective compounds in premanifest HD are also soon to begin. This review discusses the opportunities for neuroprotection in HD, clinical methodology in premanifest and manifest HD, the clinical assessment of neuroprotection, molecular targets and therapeutic leads, and the current state of clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Hersch
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129-4404, USA.
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Martin B, Golden E, Keselman A, Stone M, Mattson MP, Egan JM, Maudsley S. Therapeutic perspectives for the treatment of Huntington's disease: treating the whole body. Histol Histopathol 2008; 23:237-50. [PMID: 17999380 PMCID: PMC2657556 DOI: 10.14670/hh-23.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a tremendously debilitating disorder that strikes relatively young individuals and progresses rapidly over the next ten to fifteen years inducing a loss of cognitive and motor skills and eventually death occurs. The primary locus of the disorder is a polyglutamine expansion of the protein product of the huntingtin (htt) gene. The htt protein appears to be a scaffolding protein that orchestrates the complex assembly of multiple intracellular proteins involved in multiple processes, including vesicular movement and cell metabolism. The htt protein is ubiquitously expressed in human tissues but the predominance of the interest in the pathology lies in its effects on the central nervous system (CNS). Most of the current therapeutics for HD thus have been targeted at preventing neuronal damage in the CNS, however, a considerable body of evidence has been accumulating to suggest that the maintenance of a healthy nervous system is tightly linked with peripheral physiological health. Therefore treatment of both the peripheral and central pathophysiologies of HD could form the basis of a more effective HD therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwen Martin
- National Institute on Aging, NIH, Gerontology Research Center, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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Varma H, Cheng R, Voisine C, Hart AC, Stockwell BR. Inhibitors of metabolism rescue cell death in Huntington's disease models. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:14525-30. [PMID: 17726098 PMCID: PMC1964858 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0704482104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal inherited neurodegenerative disorder. HD is caused by polyglutamine expansions in the huntingtin (htt) protein that result in neuronal loss and contribute to HD pathology. The mechanisms of neuronal loss in HD are elusive, and there is no therapy to alleviate HD. To find small molecules that slow neuronal loss in HD, we screened 1,040 biologically active molecules to identify suppressors of cell death in a neuronal cell culture model of HD. We found that inhibitors of mitochondrial function or glycolysis rescued cell death in this cell culture and in in vivo HD models. These inhibitors prevented cell death by activating prosurvival ERK and AKT signaling but without altering cellular ATP levels. ERK and AKT inhibition through the use of specific chemical inhibitors abrogated the rescue, whereas their activation through the use of growth factors rescued cell death, suggesting that this activation could explain the protective effect of metabolic inhibitors. Both ERK and AKT signaling are disrupted in HD, and activating these pathways is protective in several HD models. Our results reveal a mechanism for activating prosurvival signaling that could be exploited for treating HD and possibly other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cindy Voisine
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129
| | - Anne C. Hart
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129
| | - Brent R. Stockwell
- Departments of *Biological Sciences and
- Chemistry, Fairchild Center, MC 2406, Columbia University, 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027; and
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Majumder P, Choudhury A, Banerjee M, Lahiri A, Bhattacharyya NP. Interactions of HIPPI, a molecular partner of Huntingtin interacting protein HIP1, with the specific motif present at the putative promoter sequence of the caspase-1, caspase-8 and caspase-10 genes. FEBS J 2007; 274:3886-99. [PMID: 17623017 DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2007.05922.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the mechanism of increased expression of caspase-1 caused by exogenous Hippi, observed earlier in HeLa and Neuro2A cells, in this work we identified a specific motif AAAGACATG (- 101 to - 93) at the caspase-1 gene upstream sequence where HIPPI could bind. Various mutations in this specific sequence compromised the interaction, showing the specificity of the interactions. In the luciferase reporter assay, when the reporter gene was driven by caspase-1 gene upstream sequences (- 151 to - 92) with the mutation G to T at position - 98, luciferase activity was decreased significantly in green fluorescent protein-Hippi-expressing HeLa cells in comparison to that obtained with the wild-type caspase-1 gene 60 bp upstream sequence, indicating the biological significance of such binding. It was observed that the C-terminal 'pseudo' death effector domain of HIPPI interacted with the 60 bp (- 151 to - 92) upstream sequence of the caspase-1 gene containing the motif. We further observed that expression of caspase-8 and caspase-10 was increased in green fluorescent protein-Hippi-expressing HeLa cells. In addition, HIPPI interacted in vitro with putative promoter sequences of these genes, containing a similar motif. In summary, we identified a novel function of HIPPI; it binds to specific upstream sequences of the caspase-1, caspase-8 and caspase-10 genes and alters the expression of the genes. This result showed the motif-specific interaction of HIPPI with DNA, and indicates that it could act as transcription regulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Majumder
- Structural Genomics Section, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata, India
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Fan R, Xu F, Previti ML, Davis J, Grande AM, Robinson JK, Van Nostrand WE. Minocycline reduces microglial activation and improves behavioral deficits in a transgenic model of cerebral microvascular amyloid. J Neurosci 2007; 27:3057-63. [PMID: 17376966 PMCID: PMC6672462 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4371-06.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral microvascular amyloid beta protein (Abeta) deposition and associated neuroinflammation is increasingly recognized as an important component leading to cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease and related cerebral amyloid angiopathy disorders. Transgenic mice expressing the vasculotropic Dutch/Iowa (E693Q/D694N) mutant human Abeta precursor protein in brain (Tg-SwDI) accumulate abundant cerebral microvascular fibrillar amyloid deposits and exhibit robust neuroinflammation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of the anti-inflammatory drug minocycline on Abeta accumulation, neuroinflammation, and behavioral deficits in Tg-SwDI mice. Twelve-month-old mice were treated with saline or minocycline by intraperitoneal injection every other day for a total of 4 weeks. During the final week of treatment, the mice were tested for impaired learning and memory. Brains were then harvested for biochemical and immunohistochemical analysis. Minocycline treatment did not alter the cerebral deposition of Abeta or the restriction of fibrillar amyloid to the cerebral microvasculature. Similarly, minocycline-treated Tg-SwDI mice exhibited no change in the levels of total Abeta, the ratios of Abeta40 and Abeta42, or the amounts of soluble, insoluble, or oligomeric Abeta compared with the saline-treated control Tg-SwDI mice. In contrast, the numbers of activated microglia and levels of interleukin-6 were significantly reduced in minocycline-treated Tg-SwDI mice compared with saline-treated Tg-SwDI mice. In addition, there was a significant improvement in behavioral performance of the minocycline-treated Tg-SwDI mice. These finding suggest that anti-inflammatory treatment targeted for cerebral microvascular amyloid-induced microglial activation can improve cognitive deficits without altering the accumulation and distribution of Abeta.
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