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de Veij Mestdagh CF, Witte ME, Scheper W, Smit AB, Henning RH, van Kesteren RE. Torpor induces reversible tau hyperphosphorylation and accumulation in mice expressing human tau. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:86. [PMID: 38835043 PMCID: PMC11149198 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01800-4] [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: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Tau protein hyperphosphorylation and aggregation are key pathological events in neurodegenerative tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease. Interestingly, seasonal hibernators show extensive tau hyperphosphorylation during torpor, i.e., the hypothermic and hypometabolic state of hibernation, which is completely reversed during arousal. Torpor-associated mechanisms that reverse tau hyperphosphorylation may be of therapeutic relevance, however, it is currently not known to what extent they apply to human tau. Here we addressed this issue using daily torpor in wildtype mice that express mouse tau (mtau) and in mice that lack mtau expression and instead express human tau (htau). AT8, AT100 and Ser396 immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry were used to assess tau (hyper)phosphorylation at clinically relevant phosphorylation sites. We found that torpor robustly and reversibly increases the levels of phosphorylated tau in both mtau and htau mice. Immunohistochemistry revealed four brain areas that show prominent tau phosphorylation: the hippocampus, posterior parietal cortex, piriform cortex and cortical amygdala. Whereas wildtype mice primarily showed increased levels of diffusely organized hyperphosphorylated tau during torpor, htau mice contained clear somato-dendritic accumulations of AT8 reactivity resembling tau pre-tangles as observed in the Alzheimer brain. Interestingly, AT8-positive accumulations disappeared upon arousal, and tau phosphorylation levels at 24 h after arousal were lower than observed at baseline, suggesting a beneficial effect of torpor-arousal cycles on preexisting hyperphosphorylated tau. In conclusion, daily torpor in mice offers a quick and standardized method to study tau phosphorylation, accumulation and clearance in mouse models relevant for neurodegeneration, as well as opportunities to discover new targets for the treatment of human tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- C F de Veij Mestdagh
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - M E Witte
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, MS Center, Amsterdam UMC location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W Scheper
- Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC - location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - R H Henning
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - R E van Kesteren
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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2
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Hitrec T, Squarcio F, Piscitiello E, Cerri M, Martelli D, Occhinegro A, Taddei L, Tupone D, Amici R, Luppi M. Sleep deprivation soon after recovery from synthetic torpor enhances tau protein dephosphorylation in the rat brain. J Comp Physiol B 2024; 194:347-368. [PMID: 37812305 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-023-01516-2] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal Tau protein hyperphosphorylation (PPtau) is a hallmark of tauopathic neurodegeneration. However, a reversible brain PPtau occurs in mammals during either natural or "synthetic" torpor (ST), a transient deep hypothermic state that can be pharmacologically induced in rats. Since in both conditions a high sleep pressure builds up during the regaining of euthermia, the aim of this work was to assess the possible role of post-ST sleep in PPtau dephosphorylation. Male rats were studied at the hypothermic nadir of ST, and 3-6 h after the recovery of euthermia, after either normal sleep (NS) or total sleep deprivation (SD). The effects of SD were studied by assessing: (i) deep brain temperature (Tb); (ii) immunofluorescent staining for AT8 (phosphorylated Tau) and Tau-1 (non-phosphorylated Tau), assessed in 19 brain structures; (iii) different phosphorylated forms of Tau and the main cellular factors involved in Tau phospho-regulation, including pro- and anti-apoptotic markers, assessed through western blot in the parietal cortex and hippocampus; (iv) systemic factors which are involved in natural torpor; (v) microglia activation state, by considering morphometric variations. Unexpectedly, the reversibility of PPtau was more efficient in SD than in NS animals, and was concomitant with a higher Tb, higher melatonin plasma levels, and a higher frequency of the microglia resting phenotype. Since the reversibility of ST-induced PPtau was previously shown to be driven by a latent physiological molecular mechanism triggered by deep hypothermia, short-term SD soon after the regaining of euthermia seems to boost the possible neuroprotective effects of this mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timna Hitrec
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Squarcio
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Emiliana Piscitiello
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Cerri
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Davide Martelli
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Occhinegro
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ludovico Taddei
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Domenico Tupone
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Roberto Amici
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Luppi
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato, 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
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3
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Mukherjee S, Poudyal M, Dave K, Kadu P, Maji SK. Protein misfolding and amyloid nucleation through liquid-liquid phase separation. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:4976-5013. [PMID: 38597222 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs01065a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is an emerging phenomenon in cell physiology and diseases. The weak multivalent interaction prerequisite for LLPS is believed to be facilitated through intrinsically disordered regions, which are prevalent in neurodegenerative disease-associated proteins. These aggregation-prone proteins also exhibit an inherent property for phase separation, resulting in protein-rich liquid-like droplets. The very high local protein concentration in the water-deficient confined microenvironment not only drives the viscoelastic transition from the liquid to solid-like state but also most often nucleate amyloid fibril formation. Indeed, protein misfolding, oligomerization, and amyloid aggregation are observed to be initiated from the LLPS of various neurodegeneration-related proteins. Moreover, in these cases, neurodegeneration-promoting genetic and environmental factors play a direct role in amyloid aggregation preceded by the phase separation. These cumulative recent observations ignite the possibility of LLPS being a prominent nucleation mechanism associated with aberrant protein aggregation. The present review elaborates on the nucleation mechanism of the amyloid aggregation pathway and the possible early molecular events associated with amyloid-related protein phase separation. It also summarizes the recent advancement in understanding the aberrant phase transition of major proteins contributing to neurodegeneration focusing on the common disease-associated factors. Overall, this review proposes a generic LLPS-mediated multistep nucleation mechanism for amyloid aggregation and its implication in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semanti Mukherjee
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Manisha Poudyal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Kritika Dave
- Sunita Sanghi Centre of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Pradeep Kadu
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Samir K Maji
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
- Sunita Sanghi Centre of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
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Zilberter Y, Tabuena DR, Zilberter M. NOX-induced oxidative stress is a primary trigger of major neurodegenerative disorders. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 231:102539. [PMID: 37838279 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) causing cognitive impairment and dementia are difficult to treat due to the lack of understanding of primary initiating factors. Meanwhile, major sporadic NDDs share many risk factors and exhibit similar pathologies in their early stages, indicating the existence of common initiation pathways. Glucose hypometabolism associated with oxidative stress is one such primary, early and shared pathology, and a likely major cause of detrimental disease-associated cascades; targeting this common pathology may therefore be an effective preventative strategy for most sporadic NDDs. However, its exact cause and trigger remain unclear. Recent research suggests that early oxidative stress caused by NADPH oxidase (NOX) activation is a shared initiating mechanism among major sporadic NDDs and could prove to be the long-sought ubiquitous NDD trigger. We focus on two major NDDs - Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), as well as on acquired epilepsy which is an increasingly recognized comorbidity in NDDs. We also discuss available data suggesting the relevance of the proposed mechanisms to other NDDs. We delve into the commonalities among these NDDs in neuroinflammation and NOX involvement to identify potential therapeutic targets and gain a deeper understanding of the underlying causes of NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Zilberter
- Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1106, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France
| | - Dennis R Tabuena
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Misha Zilberter
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Squarcio F, Hitrec T, Piscitiello E, Cerri M, Giovannini C, Martelli D, Occhinegro A, Taddei L, Tupone D, Amici R, Luppi M. Synthetic torpor triggers a regulated mechanism in the rat brain, favoring the reversibility of Tau protein hyperphosphorylation. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1129278. [PMID: 36969585 PMCID: PMC10034179 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1129278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Hyperphosphorylated Tau protein (PPTau) is the hallmark of tauopathic neurodegeneration. During "synthetic torpor" (ST), a transient hypothermic state which can be induced in rats by the local pharmacological inhibition of the Raphe Pallidus, a reversible brain Tau hyperphosphorylation occurs. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the - as yet unknown - molecular mechanisms underlying this process, at both a cellular and systemic level. Methods: Different phosphorylated forms of Tau and the main cellular factors involved in Tau phospho-regulation were assessed by western blot in the parietal cortex and hippocampus of rats induced in ST, at either the hypothermic nadir or after the recovery of euthermia. Pro- and anti-apoptotic markers, as well as different systemic factors which are involved in natural torpor, were also assessed. Finally, the degree of microglia activation was determined through morphometry. Results: Overall, the results show that ST triggers a regulated biochemical process which can dam PPTau formation and favor its reversibility starting, unexpectedly for a non-hibernator, from the hypothermic nadir. In particular, at the nadir, the glycogen synthase kinase-β was largely inhibited in both regions, the melatonin plasma levels were significantly increased and the antiapoptotic factor Akt was significantly activated in the hippocampus early after, while a transient neuroinflammation was observed during the recovery period. Discussion: Together, the present data suggest that ST can trigger a previously undescribed latent and regulated physiological process, that is able to cope with brain PPTau formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Squarcio
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Timna Hitrec
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Emiliana Piscitiello
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research—CRBA, St. Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Cerri
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Catia Giovannini
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research—CRBA, St. Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicines, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Davide Martelli
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Occhinegro
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research—CRBA, St. Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ludovico Taddei
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Domenico Tupone
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Roberto Amici
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Luppi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research—CRBA, St. Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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6
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Blessing EM, Parekh A, Betensky RA, Babb J, Saba N, Debure L, Varga AW, Ayappa I, Rapoport DM, Butler TA, de Leon MJ, Wisniewski T, Lopresti BJ, Osorio RS. Association between lower body temperature and increased tau pathology in cognitively normal older adults. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 171:105748. [PMID: 35550158 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105748] [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: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preclinical studies suggest body temperature (Tb) and consequently brain temperature has the potential to bidirectionally interact with tau pathology in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Tau phosphorylation is substantially increased by a small (<1 °C) decrease in temperature within the human physiological range, and thermoregulatory nuclei are affected by tau pathology early in the AD continuum. In this study we evaluated whether Tb (as a proxy for brain temperature) is cross-sectionally associated with clinically utilized markers of tau pathology in cognitively normal older adults. METHODS Tb was continuously measured with ingestible telemetry sensors for 48 h. This period included two nights of nocturnal polysomnography to delineate whether Tb during waking vs sleep is differentially associated with tau pathology. Tau phosphorylation was assessed with plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau), sampled the day following Tb measurement. In addition, neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) burden in early Braak stage regions was imaged with PET-MR using the [18F]MK-6240 radiotracer on average one month later. RESULTS Lower Tb was associated with increased NFT burden, as well as increased plasma and CSF P-tau levels (p < 0.05). NFT burden was associated with lower Tb during waking (p < 0.05) but not during sleep intervals. Plasma and CSF P-tau levels were highly correlated with each other (p < 0.05), and both variables were correlated with tau tangle radiotracer uptake (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS These results, the first available for human, suggest that lower Tb in older adults may be associated with increased tau pathology. Our findings add to the substantial preclinical literature associating lower body and brain temperature with tau hyperphosphorylation. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER NCT03053908.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther M Blessing
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
| | - Ankit Parekh
- Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, United States of America.
| | - Rebecca A Betensky
- Department of NYU School of Global Public Health, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
| | - James Babb
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
| | - Natalie Saba
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
| | - Ludovic Debure
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
| | - Andrew W Varga
- Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, United States of America.
| | - Indu Ayappa
- Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, United States of America.
| | - David M Rapoport
- Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, United States of America.
| | - Tracy A Butler
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, United States of America.
| | - Mony J de Leon
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, United States of America.
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
| | - Brian J Lopresti
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States of America.
| | - Ricardo S Osorio
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States of America; Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
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7
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Turner DA. Contrasting Metabolic Insufficiency in Aging and Dementia. Aging Dis 2021; 12:1081-1096. [PMID: 34221551 PMCID: PMC8219502 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic insufficiency and neuronal dysfunction occur in normal aging but is exaggerated in dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Metabolic insufficiency includes factors important for both substrate supply and utilization in the brain. Metabolic insufficiency occurs through a number of serial mechanisms, particularly changes in cerebrovascular supply through blood vessel abnormalities (ie, small and large vessel vasculopathy, stroke), alterations in neurovascular coupling providing dynamic blood flow supply in relation to neuronal demand, abnormalities in blood brain barrier including decreased glucose and amino acid transport, altered glymphatic flow in terms of substrate supply across the extracellular space to cells and drainage into CSF of metabolites, impaired transport into cells, and abnormal intracellular metabolism with more reliance on glycolysis and less on mitochondrial function. Recent studies have confirmed abnormal neurovascular coupling in a mouse model of AD in response to metabolic challenges, but the supply chain from the vascular system into neurons is disrupted much earlier in dementia than in equivalently aged individuals, contributing to the progressive neuronal degeneration and cognitive dysfunction associated with dementia. We discuss several metabolic treatment approaches, but these depend on characterizing patients as to who would benefit the most. Surrogate biomarkers of metabolism are being developed to include dynamic estimates of neuronal demand, sufficiency of neurovascular coupling, and glymphatic flow to supplement traditional static measurements. These surrogate biomarkers could be used to gauge efficacy of metabolic treatments in slowing down or modifying dementia time course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis A Turner
- Neurosurgery, Neurobiology, and Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
- Research and Surgery Services, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
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Cerri M, Hitrec T, Luppi M, Amici R. Be cool to be far: Exploiting hibernation for space exploration. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:218-232. [PMID: 34144115 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, torpor/hibernation is a state that is characterized by an active reduction in metabolic rate followed by a progressive decrease in body temperature. Torpor was successfully mimicked in non-hibernators by inhibiting the activity of neurons within the brainstem region of the Raphe Pallidus, or by activating the adenosine A1 receptors in the brain. This state, called synthetic torpor, may be exploited for many medical applications, and for space exploration, providing many benefits for biological adaptation to the space environment, among which an enhanced protection from cosmic rays. As regards the use of synthetic torpor in space, to fully evaluate the degree of physiological advantage provided by this state, it is strongly advisable to move from Earth-based experiments to 'in the field' tests, possibly on board the International Space Station.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Cerri
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S.Donato, 2 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Timna Hitrec
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S.Donato, 2 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Marco Luppi
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S.Donato, 2 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Roberto Amici
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S.Donato, 2 40126, Bologna, Italy.
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9
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Chiocchetti R, Hitrec T, Giancola F, Sadeghinezhad J, Squarcio F, Galiazzo G, Piscitiello E, De Silva M, Cerri M, Amici R, Luppi M. Phosphorylated Tau protein in the myenteric plexus of the ileum and colon of normothermic rats and during synthetic torpor. Cell Tissue Res 2021; 384:287-299. [PMID: 33511469 PMCID: PMC8141491 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03328-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Tau protein is of primary importance for neuronal homeostasis and when hyperphosphorylated (PP-Tau), it tends to aggregate in neurofibrillary tangles, as is the case with tauopathies, a class of neurodegenerative disorders. Reversible PP-Tau accumulation occurs in the brain of hibernating rodents and it was recently observed in rats (a non-hibernator) during synthetic torpor (ST), a pharmacological-induced torpor-like condition. To date, the expression of PP-Tau in the rat enteric nervous system (ENS) is still unknown. The present study immunohistochemically investigates the PP-Tau expression in the myenteric plexus of the ileum and colon of normothermic rats (CTRL) and during ST, focusing on the two major subclasses of enteric neurons, i.e., cholinergic and nitrergic.Results showed that both groups of rats expressed PP-Tau, with a significantly increased percentage of PP-Tau immunoreactive (IR) neurons in ST vs. CTRL. In all rats, the majority of PP-Tau-IR neurons were cholinergic. In ST rats, the percentage of PP-Tau-IR neurons expressing a nitrergic phenotype increased, although with no significant differences between groups. In addition, the ileum of ST rats showed a significant decrease in the percentage of nitrergic neurons. In conclusion, our findings suggest an adaptive response of ENS to very low core body temperatures, with changes involving PP-tau expression in enteric neurons, especially the ileal nitrergic subpopulation. In addition, the high presence of PP-Tau in cholinergic neurons, specifically, is very interesting and deserves further investigation. Altogether, these data strengthen the hypothesis of a common cellular mechanism triggered by ST, natural hibernation and tauopathies occurring in ENS neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Chiocchetti
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - T Hitrec
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - F Giancola
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, and St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - J Sadeghinezhad
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - F Squarcio
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - G Galiazzo
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - E Piscitiello
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M De Silva
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M Cerri
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - R Amici
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M Luppi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Hitrec T, Squarcio F, Cerri M, Martelli D, Occhinegro A, Piscitiello E, Tupone D, Amici R, Luppi M. Reversible Tau Phosphorylation Induced by Synthetic Torpor in the Spinal Cord of the Rat. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:592288. [PMID: 33603651 PMCID: PMC7884466 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.592288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a key protein in neurons, where it affects the dynamics of the microtubule system. The hyperphosphorylation of Tau (PP-Tau) commonly leads to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, as it occurs in tauopathies, a group of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's. Hypothermia-related accumulation of PP-Tau has been described in hibernators and during synthetic torpor (ST), a torpor-like condition that has been induced in rats, a non-hibernating species. Remarkably, in ST PP-Tau is reversible and Tau de-phosphorylates within a few hours following the torpor bout, apparently not evolving into pathology. These observations have been limited to the brain, but in animal models of tauopathies, PP-Tau accumulation also appears to occur in the spinal cord (SpCo). The aim of the present work was to assess whether ST leads to PP-Tau accumulation in the SpCo and whether this process is reversible. Immunofluorescence (IF) for AT8 (to assess PP-Tau) and Tau-1 (non-phosphorylated Tau) was carried out on SpCo coronal sections. AT8-IF was clearly expressed in the dorsal horns (DH) during ST, while in the ventral horns (VH) no staining was observed. The AT8-IF completely disappeared after 6 h from the return to euthermia. Tau-1-IF disappeared in both DH and VH during ST, returning to normal levels during recovery. To shed light on the cellular process underlying the PP-Tau pattern observed, the inhibited form of the glycogen-synthase kinase 3β (the main kinase acting on Tau) was assessed using IF: VH (i.e., in motor neurons) were highly stained mainly during ST, while in DH there was no staining. Since tauopathies are also related to neuroinflammation, microglia activation was also assessed through morphometric analyses, but no ST-induced microglia activation was found in the SpCo. Taken together, the present results show that, in the DH of SpCo, ST induces a reversible accumulation of PP-Tau. Since during ST there is no motor activity, the lack of AT8-IF in VH may result from an activity-related process at a cellular level. Thus, ST demonstrates a newly-described physiological mechanism that is able to resolve the accumulation of PP-Tau and apparently avoid the neurodegenerative outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timna Hitrec
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Squarcio
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Cerri
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Davide Martelli
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Occhinegro
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Emiliana Piscitiello
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Domenico Tupone
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Roberto Amici
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Luppi
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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11
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Duquette A, Pernègre C, Veilleux Carpentier A, Leclerc N. Similarities and Differences in the Pattern of Tau Hyperphosphorylation in Physiological and Pathological Conditions: Impacts on the Elaboration of Therapies to Prevent Tau Pathology. Front Neurol 2021; 11:607680. [PMID: 33488502 PMCID: PMC7817657 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.607680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau protein, a neuronal microtubule-associated protein, becomes hyperphosphorylated in several neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies. Hyperphosphorylation of tau is correlated to its redistribution from the axon to the somato-dendritic compartment at early stages of tauopathies. Interestingly, tau hyperphosphorylation begins in different regions of the brain in each tauopathy. In some regions, both neurons and glial cells develop tau hyperphosphorylation. Tau hyperphosphorylation is also observed in physiological conditions such as hibernation and brain development. In the first section of present article, we will review the spatiotemporal and cellular distribution of hyperphosphorylated tau in the most frequent tauopathies. In the second section, we will compare the pattern of tau hyperphosphorylation in physiological and pathological conditions and discuss the sites that could play a pivotal role in the conversion of non-toxic to toxic forms of hyperphosphorylated tau. Furthermore, we will discuss the role of hyperphosphorylated tau in physiological and pathological conditions and the fact that tau hyperphosphorylation is reversible in physiological conditions but not in a pathological ones. In the third section, we will speculate how the differences and similarities between hyperphosphorylated tau in physiological and pathological conditions could impact the elaboration of therapies to prevent tau pathology. In the fourth section, the different therapeutic approaches using tau as a direct or indirect therapeutic target will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Duquette
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Département de Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Camille Pernègre
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Département de Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Ariane Veilleux Carpentier
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Département de Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicole Leclerc
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Département de Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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12
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Lanznaster D, Hergesheimer RC, Bakkouche SE, Beltran S, Vourc’h P, Andres CR, Dufour-Rainfray D, Corcia P, Blasco H. Aβ1-42 and Tau as Potential Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082911. [PMID: 32326346 PMCID: PMC7216266 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease, but its definitive diagnosis delays around 12 months. Although the research is highly active in the biomarker field, the absence of specific biomarkers for diagnosis contributes to this long delay. Another strategy of biomarker identification based on less specific but sensitive molecules may be of interest in clinical practice. For example, markers related to other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) could be fully explored. Here, we compared baseline levels of amyloidβ1-42 (Aβ1-42), total Tau, and phosphorylated-Tau (phospho-Tau) protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of ALS patients to controls and correlated it with clinical parameters of ALS progression collected over 12 months. We observed increased levels of Aβ1-42 (controls: 992.9 ± 358.3 ng/L; ALS: 1277.0 ± 296.6 ng/L; p < 0.0001) and increased Aβ1-42/phospho-Tau ratio and Innotest Amyloid Tau Index (IATI) (both p < 0.0001). IATI and the phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio correlated positively with ALSFRS-R and weight at baseline. Multivariate analysis revealed that baseline ALSFRS-R was associated with Aβ1-42 and phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio (p = 0.0109 and p = 0.0013, respectively). Total Tau and phospho-Tau levels correlated negatively with ALSFRS-R variation at months 6 and 9, respectively (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively). Phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio correlated positively with ALSFRS-R variation at month 9 (p = 0.04). CSF levels of Aβ1-42 could be used as a complementary tool to ALS diagnosis, and total Tau and phospho-Tau levels may help establishing the prognosis of ALS. Further studies merit exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with these markers. Despite their lack of specificity, phospho-Tau/total Tau and Aβ1-42 should be combined to other biological and clinical markers in order to improve ALS management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Lanznaster
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Rudolf C. Hergesheimer
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
| | | | - Stephane Beltran
- Centre Constitutif SLA, CHRU Bretonneau, 37000 Tours, France; (S.E.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Patrick Vourc’h
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- CHU Tours, Service de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Christian R. Andres
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- CHU Tours, Service de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Diane Dufour-Rainfray
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- CHU Tours, Service de MNIV, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Philippe Corcia
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- Centre Constitutif SLA, CHRU Bretonneau, 37000 Tours, France; (S.E.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Hélène Blasco
- UMR 1253, iBrain, University of Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; (R.C.H.); (P.V.); (C.R.A.); (D.D.-R.); (P.C.); (H.B.)
- CHU Tours, Service de MNIV, 37000 Tours, France
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13
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Sirtuin 3 attenuates amyloid-β induced neuronal hypometabolism. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:2874-2883. [PMID: 30362958 PMCID: PMC6224231 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is manifested by regional cerebral hypometabolism. Sirtuin 3 (Sirt3) is localized in mitochondria and regulates cellular metabolism, but the role of Sirt3 in AD-related hypometabolism remains elusive. We used expression profiling and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to analyze cortical neurons from a transgenic mouse model of AD (APPSwInd). Based on WGCNA results, we measured NAD+ level, NAD+/ NADH ratio, Sirt3 protein level and its deacetylation activity, and ATP production across both in vivo and in vitro models. To investigate the effect of Sirt3 on amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced mitochondria damage, we knocked down and over-expressed Sirt3 in hippocampal cells. WGCNA revealed Sirt3 as a key player in Aβ-related hypometabolism. In APP mice, the NAD+ level, NAD+/ NADH ratio, Sirt3 protein level and activity, and ATP production were all reduced compared to the control. As a result, learning and memory performance were impaired in 9-month-old APP mice compared to wild type controls. Using hippocampal HT22 cells model, Sirt3 overexpression increased Sirt3 deacetylation activity, rescued mitochondria function, and salvaged ATP production, which were damaged by Aβ. Sirt3 plays an important role in regulating Aβ-induced cerebral hypometabolism. This study suggests a potential direction for AD therapy.
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14
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Szereszewski KE, Storey KB. Identification of a prosurvival neuroprotective mitochondrial peptide in a mammalian hibernator. Cell Biochem Funct 2019; 37:494-503. [PMID: 31387137 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Hibernation requires the intricate regulation of physiological and biochemical adaptations to facilitate the decrease in metabolic rate and activation of prosurvival factors needed for winter survival. Mitochondria play important roles in eliciting these responses and in coordinating the required energy shifts. Herein, we report the presence of a novel mitochondrial peptide, s-humanin, in the hibernating 13-lined ground squirrel, Ictidomys tridecemlineatus. S-humanin was shown to have strong structural and sequence similarities to its human analogue, humanin-a powerful neuroprotective mitochondrial peptide. An assessment of the protein and gene expression levels of this peptide in ground squirrels revealed stark tissue-specific regulatory responses whereby transcript levels increased in brain cortex, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissues during hibernation, suggesting a protective torpor-induced activation. Accompanying peptide measurements found that s-humanin levels were suppressed in liver of torpid squirrels but enhanced in brain cortex. The enhanced transcript and protein levels of s-humanin in brain cortex suggest that it is actively involved in protecting delicate brain tissues and neuronal connections from hibernation-associated stresses. We propose that this squirrel-specific peptide is involved in modulating tissue-specific cytoprotective functions, expanding its role from human-specific neuroprotection to environmental stress protection. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Understanding the molecular mechanisms, which protect against oxidative stress in a model hibernator such as the ground squirrel, could be pivotal to the regulation of cytoprotection. This study expands on our knowledge of metabolic rate depression and could suggest a potential role for humanin therapy in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kama E Szereszewski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Luppi M, Hitrec T, Di Cristoforo A, Squarcio F, Stanzani A, Occhinegro A, Chiavetta P, Tupone D, Zamboni G, Amici R, Cerri M. Phosphorylation and Dephosphorylation of Tau Protein During Synthetic Torpor. Front Neuroanat 2019; 13:57. [PMID: 31244617 PMCID: PMC6563845 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2019.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau protein is of primary importance for many physiological processes in neurons, where it affects the dynamics of the microtubule system. When hyperphosphorylated (PP-Tau), Tau monomers detach from microtubules and tend to aggregate firstly in oligomers, and then in neurofibrillary tangles, as it occurs in a group of neurodegenerative disorders named thauopathies. A hypothermia-related accumulation of PP-Tau, which is quickly reversed after the return to normothermia, has been shown to occur in the brain of hibernators during torpor. Since, recently, in our lab, a hypothermic torpor-like condition (synthetic torpor, ST) was pharmacologically induced in the rat, a non-hibernator, the aim of the present work was to assess whether ST can lead to a reversible PP-Tau accumulation in the rat brain. PP-Tau was immunohistochemically assessed by staining for AT8 (phosphorylated Tau) and Tau-1 (non-phosphorylated Tau) in 19 brain structures, which were chosen mostly due to their involvement in the regulation of autonomic and cognitive functions in relation to behavioral states. During ST, AT8 staining was strongly expressed throughout the brain, while Tau-1 staining was reduced compared to control conditions. During the following recovery period, AT8 staining progressively reduced close to zero after 6 h from ST. However, Tau-1 staining remained low even after 38 h from ST. Thus, overall, these results show that ST induced an accumulation of PP-Tau that was, apparently, only partially reversed to normal during the recovery period. While the accumulation of PP-Tau may only depend on the physicochemical characteristics of the enzymes regulating Tau phosphorylation, the reverse process of dephosphorylation should be actively regulated, also in non-hibernators. In conclusion, in this work a reversible and widespread PP-Tau accumulation has been induced through a procedure that leads a non-hibernator to a degree of reversible hypothermia, which is comparable to that observed in hibernators. Therefore, the physiological mechanism involved in this process can sustain an adaptive neuronal response to extreme conditions, which may however lead to neurodegeneration when particular intensities and durations are exceeded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Luppi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Timna Hitrec
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessia Di Cristoforo
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Squarcio
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Agnese Stanzani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Occhinegro
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Domenico Tupone
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Giovanni Zamboni
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Amici
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Cerri
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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16
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Capraro A, O'Meally D, Waters SA, Patel HR, Georges A, Waters PD. Waking the sleeping dragon: gene expression profiling reveals adaptive strategies of the hibernating reptile Pogona vitticeps. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:460. [PMID: 31170930 PMCID: PMC6555745 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5750-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hibernation is a physiological state exploited by many animals exposed to prolonged adverse environmental conditions associated with winter. Large changes in metabolism and cellular function occur, with many stress response pathways modulated to tolerate physiological challenges that might otherwise be lethal. Many studies have sought to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of mammalian hibernation, but detailed analyses are lacking in reptiles. Here we examine gene expression in the Australian central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) using mRNA-seq and label-free quantitative mass spectrometry in matched brain, heart and skeletal muscle samples from animals at late hibernation, 2 days post-arousal and 2 months post-arousal. Results We identified differentially expressed genes in all tissues between hibernation and post-arousal time points; with 4264 differentially expressed genes in brain, 5340 differentially expressed genes in heart, and 5587 differentially expressed genes in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, we identified 2482 differentially expressed genes across all tissues. Proteomic analysis identified 743 proteins (58 differentially expressed) in brain, 535 (57 differentially expressed) in heart, and 337 (36 differentially expressed) in skeletal muscle. Tissue-specific analyses revealed enrichment of protective mechanisms in all tissues, including neuroprotective pathways in brain, cardiac hypertrophic processes in heart, and atrophy protective pathways in skeletal muscle. In all tissues stress response pathways were induced during hibernation, as well as evidence for gene expression regulation at transcription, translation and post-translation. Conclusions These results reveal critical stress response pathways and protective mechanisms that allow for maintenance of both tissue-specific function, and survival during hibernation in the central bearded dragon. Furthermore, we provide evidence for multiple levels of gene expression regulation during hibernation, particularly enrichment of miRNA-mediated translational repression machinery; a process that would allow for rapid and energy efficient reactivation of translation from mature mRNA molecules at arousal. This study is the first molecular investigation of its kind in a hibernating reptile, and identifies strategies not yet observed in other hibernators to cope stress associated with this remarkable state of metabolic depression. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5750-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Capraro
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Denis O'Meally
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.,Present address: Center for Gene Therapy, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Shafagh A Waters
- School of Women's & Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Hardip R Patel
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, ACT, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Paul D Waters
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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17
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Gattoni G, Bernocchi G. Calcium-Binding Proteins in the Nervous System during Hibernation: Neuroprotective Strategies in Hypometabolic Conditions? Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20092364. [PMID: 31086053 PMCID: PMC6540041 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20092364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium-binding proteins (CBPs) can influence and react to Ca2+ transients and modulate the activity of proteins involved in both maintaining homeostatic conditions and protecting cells in harsh environmental conditions. Hibernation is a strategy that evolved in vertebrate and invertebrate species to survive in cold environments; it relies on molecular, cellular, and behavioral adaptations guided by the neuroendocrine system that together ensure unmatched tolerance to hypothermia, hypometabolism, and hypoxia. Therefore, hibernation is a useful model to study molecular neuroprotective adaptations to extreme conditions, and can reveal useful applications to human pathological conditions. In this review, we describe the known changes in Ca2+-signaling and the detection and activity of CBPs in the nervous system of vertebrate and invertebrate models during hibernation, focusing on cytosolic Ca2+ buffers and calmodulin. Then, we discuss these findings in the context of the neuroprotective and neural plasticity mechanisms in the central nervous system: in particular, those associated with cytoskeletal proteins. Finally, we compare the expression of CBPs in the hibernating nervous system with two different conditions of neurodegeneration, i.e., platinum-induced neurotoxicity and Alzheimer's disease, to highlight the similarities and differences and demonstrate the potential of hibernation to shed light into part of the molecular mechanisms behind neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Gattoni
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
| | - Graziella Bernocchi
- Former Full Professor of Zoology, Neurogenesis and Comparative Neuromorphology, (Residence address) Viale Matteotti 73, I-27100 Pavia, Italy.
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18
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Activation of the Brain to Postpone Dementia: A Concept Originating from Postmortem Human Brain Studies. Neurosci Bull 2019; 35:253-266. [PMID: 30721394 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-019-00340-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by decreased neuronal activity and atrophy, while hyperactivity of neurons seems to make them resistant to aging and neurodegeneration, a phenomenon which we have paraphrased as 'use it or lose it'. Our hypothesis proposes that (1) during their functioning, neurons are damaged; (2) accumulation of damage that is not repaired is the basis of aging; (3) the vulnerability to AD is determined by the genetic background and the balance between the amount of damage and the efficiency of repair, and (4) by stimulating the brain, repair mechanisms are stimulated and cognitive reserve is increased, resulting in a decreased rate of aging and risk for AD. Environmental stimulating factors such as bilingualism/multilingualism, education, occupation, musical experience, physical exercise, and leisure activities have been reported to reduce the risk of dementia and decrease the rate of cognitive decline, although methodological problems are present.
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19
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Gonzalez-Riano C, León-Espinosa G, Regalado-Reyes M, García A, DeFelipe J, Barbas C. Metabolomic Study of Hibernating Syrian Hamster Brains: In Search of Neuroprotective Agents. J Proteome Res 2019; 18:1175-1190. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gonzalo León-Espinosa
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Cajal (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mamen Regalado-Reyes
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Cajal (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
- CIBERNED, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Calle de Valderrebollo, 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain
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20
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Chang HY, Sang TK, Chiang AS. Untangling the Tauopathy for Alzheimer's disease and parkinsonism. J Biomed Sci 2018; 25:54. [PMID: 29991349 PMCID: PMC6038292 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-018-0457-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that mainly localizes to the axon to stabilize axonal microtubule structure and neuronal connectivity. Tau pathology is one of the most common proteinopathies that associates with age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), and various Parkinsonism. Tau protein undergoes a plethora of intra-molecular modifications and some altered forms promote the production of toxic oligomeric tau and paired helical filaments, and through which further assemble into neurofibrillary tangles, also known as tauopathy. In this review, we will discuss the recent advances of the tauopathy research, primarily focusing on its association with the early axonal manifestation of axonal transport defect, axonal mitochondrial stress, autophagic vesicle accumulation and the proceeding of axon destruction, and the pathogenic Tau spreading across the synapse. Two alternative strategies either by targeting tau protein itself or by improving the age-related physiological decline are currently racing to find the hopeful treatment for tauopathy. Undoubtedly, more studies are needed to combat this devastating condition that has already affected millions of people in our aging population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Yun Chang
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Systems Neuroscience, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Kang Sang
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Biotechnology, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
| | - Ann-Shyn Chiang
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Systems Neuroscience, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Biotechnology, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
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Almeida MC, Carrettiero DC. Hypothermia as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2018; 157:727-735. [PMID: 30459036 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64074-1.00044-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD), which is associated with chronic and progressive neurodegeneration, is the most prevalent cause of dementia linked to aging. Among the risk factors for AD, age stands as the greatest one, with the vast majority of people with AD being 65 years of age or older. Nevertheless, the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the link between aging and the development of AD, although not completely understood, might reveal important aspects for the understanding of this pathology. Thus, there is significant evidence that the impaired thermal homeostasis associated with normal aging leads to a variety of metabolic changes that could be associated with AD development. In this chapter, we assess the clinical and biochemical evidence implicating hypothermia as a risk factor for the development of AD and the impact of hypothermia on the two pathologic hallmarks of AD: accumulation of senile plaques of amyloid-beta and neurofibrillary tangles of aberrant hyperphosphorylated tau protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Camila Almeida
- Natural and Human Sciences Center, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil.
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22
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Longhena F, Zaltieri M, Grigoletto J, Faustini G, La Via L, Ghidoni R, Benussi L, Missale C, Spano P, Bellucci A. Depletion of Progranulin Reduces GluN2B-Containing NMDA Receptor Density, Tau Phosphorylation, and Dendritic Arborization in Mouse Primary Cortical Neurons. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2017; 363:164-175. [DOI: 10.1124/jpet.117.242164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
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Zilberter Y, Zilberter M. The vicious circle of hypometabolism in neurodegenerative diseases: Ways and mechanisms of metabolic correction. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:2217-2235. [PMID: 28463438 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hypometabolism, characterized by decreased brain glucose consumption, is a common feature of many neurodegenerative diseases. Initial hypometabolic brain state, created by characteristic risk factors, may predispose the brain to acquired epilepsy and sporadic Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, which are the focus of this review. Analysis of available data suggests that deficient glucose metabolism is likely a primary initiating factor for these diseases, and that resulting neuronal dysfunction further promotes the metabolic imbalance, establishing an effective positive feedback loop and a downward spiral of disease progression. Therefore, metabolic correction leading to the normalization of abnormalities in glucose metabolism may be an efficient tool to treat the neurological disorders by counteracting their primary pathological mechanisms. Published and preliminary experimental results on this approach for treating Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy models support the efficacy of metabolic correction, confirming the highly promising nature of the strategy. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Zilberter
- Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1106, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France
| | - Misha Zilberter
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, 1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, California, 94158, USA
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Mamelak M. Energy and the Alzheimer brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 75:297-313. [PMID: 28193453 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The high energy demands of the poorly myelinated long axon hippocampal and cortical neurons render these neurons selectively vulnerable to degeneration in Alzheimer's disease. However, pathology engages all of the major elements of the neurovascular unit of the mature Alzheimer brain, the neurons, glia and blood vessels. Neurons present with retrograde degeneration of the axodendritic tree, capillaries with string vessels and markedly reduced densities and glia with signs of inflammatory activation. The neurons, capillaries and astrocytes of the mature Alzheimer brain harbor structurally defective mitochondria. Clinically, reduced glucose utilization, decades before cognitive deterioration, betrays ongoing energy insufficiency. β-hydroxybutyrate and γ-hydroxybutyrate can both provide energy to the brain when glucose utilization is blocked. Early work in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease demonstrate their ability to reverse the pathological changes in the Alzheimer brain and initial clinical trials reveal their ability to improve cognition and every day function. Supplying the brain with energy holds great promise for delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease and slowing its progress.
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25
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Iatrou A, Kenis G, Rutten BPF, Lunnon K, van den Hove DLA. Epigenetic dysregulation of brainstem nuclei in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: looking in the correct place at the right time? Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:509-523. [PMID: 27628303 PMCID: PMC5241349 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2361-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Even though the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unknown, it is suggested that an interplay among genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors is involved. An increasing body of evidence pinpoints that dysregulation in the epigenetic machinery plays a role in AD. Recent developments in genomic technologies have allowed for high throughput interrogation of the epigenome, and epigenome-wide association studies have already identified unique epigenetic signatures for AD in the cortex. Considerable evidence suggests that early dysregulation in the brainstem, more specifically in the raphe nuclei and the locus coeruleus, accounts for the most incipient, non-cognitive symptomatology, indicating a potential causal relationship with the pathogenesis of AD. Here we review the advancements in epigenomic technologies and their application to the AD research field, particularly with relevance to the brainstem. In this respect, we propose the assessment of epigenetic signatures in the brainstem as the cornerstone of interrogating causality in AD. Understanding how epigenetic dysregulation in the brainstem contributes to AD susceptibility could be of pivotal importance for understanding the etiology of the disease and for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Iatrou
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - G Kenis
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - B P F Rutten
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - K Lunnon
- University of Exeter Medical School, RILD, University of Exeter, Barrack Road, Devon, UK
| | - D L A van den Hove
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstrasse 15, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
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26
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Liebert AD, Chow RT, Bicknell BT, Varigos E. Neuroprotective Effects Against POCD by Photobiomodulation: Evidence from Assembly/Disassembly of the Cytoskeleton. J Exp Neurosci 2016; 10:1-19. [PMID: 26848276 PMCID: PMC4737522 DOI: 10.4137/jen.s33444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a decline in memory following anaesthesia and surgery in elderly patients. While often reversible, it consumes medical resources, compromises patient well-being, and possibly accelerates progression into Alzheimer's disease. Anesthetics have been implicated in POCD, as has neuroinflammation, as indicated by cytokine inflammatory markers. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is an effective treatment for a number of conditions, including inflammation. PBM also has a direct effect on microtubule disassembly in neurons with the formation of small, reversible varicosities, which cause neural blockade and alleviation of pain symptoms. This mimics endogenously formed varicosities that are neuroprotective against damage, toxins, and the formation of larger, destructive varicosities and focal swellings. It is proposed that PBM may be effective as a preconditioning treatment against POCD; similar to the PBM treatment, protective and abscopal effects that have been demonstrated in experimental models of macular degeneration, neurological, and cardiac conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roberta T. Chow
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Braak H, Del Tredici K. The preclinical phase of the pathological process underlying sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. Brain 2015; 138:2814-33. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awv236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 293] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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