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Magrì A, Tomasello B, Naletova I, Tabbì G, Cairns WRL, Greco V, Sciuto S, La Mendola D, Rizzarelli E. New BDNF and NT-3 Cyclic Mimetics Concur with Copper to Activate Trophic Signaling Pathways as Potential Molecular Entities to Protect Old Brains from Neurodegeneration. Biomolecules 2024; 14:1104. [PMID: 39334869 PMCID: PMC11430436 DOI: 10.3390/biom14091104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
A low level of Neurotrophins (NTs), their Tyrosine Kinase Receptors (Trks), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors (VEGFs) and their receptors, mainly VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, characterizes AD brains. The use of NTs and VEGFs as drugs presents different issues due to their low permeability of the blood-brain barrier, the poor pharmacokinetic profile, and the relevant side effects. To overcome these issues, different functional and structural NT mimics have been employed. Being aware that the N-terminus domain as the key domain of NTs for the binding selectivity and activation of Trks and the need to avoid or delay proteolysis, we herein report on the mimicking ability of two cyclic peptide encompassing the N-terminus of Brain Derived Growth Factor (BDNF), (c-[HSDPARRGELSV-]), cBDNF(1-12) and of Neurotrophin3 (NT3), (c-[YAEHKSHRGEYSV-]), cNT3(1-13). The two cyclic peptide features were characterized by a combined thermodynamic and spectroscopic approach (potentiometry, NMR, UV-vis and CD) that was extended to their copper(II) ion complexes. SH-SY5Y cell assays show that the Cu2+ present at the sub-micromolar level in the complete culture media affects the treatments with the two peptides. cBDNF(1-12) and cNT3(1-13) act as ionophores, induce neuronal differentiation and promote Trks and CREB phosphorylation in a copper dependent manner. Consistently, both peptide and Cu2+ stimulate BDNF and VEGF expression as well as VEGF release; cBDNF(1-12) and cNT3(1-13) induce the expression of Trks and VEGFRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Magrì
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (I.N.); (G.T.)
| | - Barbara Tomasello
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Irina Naletova
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (I.N.); (G.T.)
| | - Giovanni Tabbì
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (I.N.); (G.T.)
| | - Warren R. L. Cairns
- CNR-Institute of Polar Sciences (CNR-ISP), 155 Via Torino, 30172 Venice, Italy;
| | - Valentina Greco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Sebastiano Sciuto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Diego La Mendola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno Pisano 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (I.N.); (G.T.)
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
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Bernardes CP, Lopes Pinheiro E, Ferreira IG, de Oliveira IS, dos Santos NAG, Sampaio SV, Arantes EC, dos Santos AC. Fraction of C. d. collilineatus venom containing crotapotin protects PC12 cells against MPP + toxicity by activating the NGF-signaling pathway. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2024; 30:e20230056. [PMID: 38915449 PMCID: PMC11194915 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2023-0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease. There is no effective treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Snake venoms are a cocktail of proteins and peptides with great therapeutic potential and might be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Crotapotin is the acid chain of crotoxin, the major component of Crotalus durissus collilineatus venom. PD is characterized by low levels of neurotrophins, and synaptic and axonal degeneration; therefore, neurotrophic compounds might delay the progression of PD. The neurotrophic potential of crotapotin has not been studied yet. Methods We evaluated the neurotrophic potential of crotapotin in untreated PC12 cells, by assessing the induction of neurite outgrowth. The activation of the NGF signaling pathway was investigated through pharmacological inhibition of its main modulators. Additionally, its neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects were evaluated by assessing neurite outgrowth and cell viability in PC12 cells treated with the dopaminergic neurotoxin MPP+ (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium), known to induce Parkinsonism in humans and animal models. Results Crotapotin induced neuritogenesis in PC12 cells through the NGF-signaling pathway, more specifically, by activating the NGF-selective receptor trkA, and the PI3K/Akt and the MAPK/ERK cascades, which are involved in neuronal survival and differentiation. In addition, crotapotin had no cytotoxic effect and protected PC12 cells against the inhibitory effects of MPP+ on cell viability and differentiation. Conclusion These findings show, for the first time, that crotapotin has neurotrophic/neuroprotective/neurorestorative potential and might be beneficial in Parkinson's disease. Additional studies are necessary to evaluate the toxicity of crotapotin in other cell models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Petri Bernardes
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Science, School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP),
Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Ernesto Lopes Pinheiro
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP,
Brazil
| | - Isabela Gobbo Ferreira
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP,
Brazil
| | - Isadora Sousa de Oliveira
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP,
Brazil
| | - Neife Aparecida Guinaim dos Santos
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Science, School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP),
Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Suely Vilela Sampaio
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Science, School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP),
Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eliane Candiani Arantes
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP,
Brazil
| | - Antonio Cardozo dos Santos
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Science, School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP),
Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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Tiberi A, Borgonovo G, Testa G, Pacifico P, Jacob A, Di Caprio M, Totaro V, Calvello M, Cattaneo A, Capsoni S. Reversal of neurological deficits by painless nerve growth factor in a mouse model of Rett syndrome. Brain 2024; 147:122-134. [PMID: 37633263 PMCID: PMC10766238 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disease, affecting 1 in over 10 000 females born worldwide, caused by de novo mutations in the X-chromosome-located methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) gene. Despite the great effort put forth by the scientific community, a therapy for this devastating disease is still needed. Here, we tested the therapeutic effects of a painless mutein of the nerve growth factor (NGF), called human NGF painless (hNGFp), via a non-invasive intranasal delivery in female MeCP2+/- mice. Of note, previous work had demonstrated a broad biodistribution of hNGFp in the mouse brain by the nasal delivery route. We report that (i) the long-term lifelong treatment of MeCP2+/- mice with hNGFp, starting at 2 months of age, increased the chance of survival while also greatly improving behavioural parameters. Furthermore, when we assessed the phenotypic changes brought forth by (ii) a short-term 1-month-long hNGFp-treatment, starting at 3 months of age (right after the initial presentation of symptoms), we observed the rescue of a well known neuronal target population of NGF, cholinergic neurons in the medial septum. Moreover, we reveal a deficit in microglial morphology in MeCP2+/- mice, completely reversed in treated animals. This effect on microglia is in line with reports showing microglia to be a TrkA-dependent non-neuronal target cell population of NGF in the brain. To understand the immunomodulatory activity of hNGFp, we analysed the cytokine profile after hNGFp treatment in MeCP2+/- mice, to discover that the treatment recovered the altered expression of key neuroimmune-communication molecules, such as fractalkine. The overall conclusion is that hNGFp delivered intranasally can ameliorate symptoms in the MeCP2+/- model of Rett syndrome, by exerting strong neuroprotection with a dual mechanism of action: directly on target neurons and indirectly via microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Tiberi
- Institute of Neuroscience, CNR, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Borgonovo
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Testa
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Pacifico
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Ajesh Jacob
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Valentino Totaro
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Antonino Cattaneo
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Rita Levi-Montalcini European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Simona Capsoni
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Section of Human Physiology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
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Calvo-Enrique L, Lisa S, Vicente-García C, Deogracias R, Arévalo JC. Enhanced TrkA signaling impairs basal forebrain-dependent behavior. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1266983. [PMID: 37808473 PMCID: PMC10556247 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1266983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) modulate cognitive functions such as attention, learning and memory. The NGF/TrkA pathway plays an important role in the development and function of BFCNs, although two mouse models conditionally deleting TrkA expression in the central nervous system (CNS) have shown contradictory results. To shed light into this discrepancy, we used a mouse model with a gain-of-function in TrkA receptor signaling. Our results indicate that enhanced TrkA signaling did not alter hippocampal cholinergic innervation, general locomotion or anxiety-related behaviors, but it increases ChAT expression, the number of cholinergic neurons at early postnatal stages and, mutant mice showed impaired motor learning and memory functions. These data demonstrate that proper functioning of the cholinergic system in CNS requires a balanced NGF/TrkA signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Calvo-Enrique
- Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCyL), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Silvia Lisa
- Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCyL), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Cristina Vicente-García
- Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCyL), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ruben Deogracias
- Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCyL), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Arévalo
- Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCyL), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
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Pizzano S, Sterne GR, Veling MW, Xu LA, Hergenreder T, Ye B. The Drosophila homolog of APP promotes Dscam expression to drive axon terminal growth, revealing interaction between Down syndrome genes. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049725. [PMID: 37712356 PMCID: PMC10508694 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049725] [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: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is caused by triplication of human chromosome 21 (HSA21). Although several HSA21 genes have been found to be responsible for aspects of DS, whether and how HSA21 genes interact with each other is poorly understood. DS patients and animal models present with a number of neurological changes, including aberrant connectivity and neuronal morphology. Previous studies have indicated that amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) regulate neuronal morphology and contribute to neuronal aberrations in DS. Here, we report the functional interaction between the Drosophila homologs of these two genes, Amyloid precursor protein-like (Appl) and Dscam (Dscam1). We show that Appl requires Dscam to promote axon terminal growth in sensory neurons. Moreover, Appl increases Dscam protein expression post-transcriptionally. We further demonstrate that regulation of Dscam by Appl does not require the Appl intracellular domain or second extracellular domain. This study presents an example of functional interactions between HSA21 genes, providing insights into the pathogenesis of neuronal aberrations in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Pizzano
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Gabriella R. Sterne
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Macy W. Veling
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - L. Amanda Xu
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ty Hergenreder
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Bing Ye
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Berry AS, Harrison TM. New perspectives on the basal forebrain cholinergic system in Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105192. [PMID: 37086935 PMCID: PMC10249144 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
The basal forebrain cholinergic system (BFCS) has long been implicated in age-related cognitive changes and the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Limitations of cholinergic interventions helped to inspire a shift away from BFCS in AD research. A resurgence in interest in the BFCS following methodological and analytical advances has resulted in a call for the BFCS to be examined in novel frameworks. We outline the basic structure and function of the BFCS, its role in supporting cognitive and affective function, and its vulnerability to aging and AD. We consider the BFCS in the context of the amyloid hypothesis and evolving concepts in AD research: resilience and resistance to pathology, selective neuronal vulnerability, trans-synaptic pathology spread and sleep health. We highlight 1) the potential role of the BFCS in cognitive resilience, 2) recent work refining understanding about the selective vulnerability of BFCS to AD, 3) BFCS connectivity that suggests it is related to tau spreading and neurodegeneration and 4) the gap between BFCS involvement in AD and sleep-wake cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theresa M Harrison
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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7
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Walsh J, Palandra J, Goihberg E, Deng S, Hurst S, Neubert H. Analysis of β-nerve growth factor and its precursor during human pregnancy by immunoaffinity-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9180. [PMID: 37280257 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34695-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
β-Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin that plays a critical role in fetal development during gestation. ProNGF is the precursor form of NGF with a distinct biological profile. In order to investigate the role of NGF and proNGF in pregnant human females, a sensitive and selective immunoaffinity liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay was developed and qualified to simultaneously measure the levels of total NGF (tNGF; sum of mature and proNGF) and proNGF using full and relative quantification strategies, respectively. The assay was used to determine serum tNGF and proNGF levels in the three gestational trimesters of pregnancy and in non-pregnant female controls. Mean tNGF ± SD were 44.6 ± 12.3, 42.6 ± 9.3, 65.4 ± 17.6 and 77.0 ± 17.8 pg/mL for non-pregnant, first, second, and third trimesters, respectively, demonstrating no significant increase in circulating tNGF between the control and the first trimester, and a moderate yet significant 1.7-fold increase through gestation. proNGF levels during the first trimester were unchanged compared to control. In contrast to tNGF, however, proNGF levels during gestation remained stable without significant changes. The development of this sensitive, novel immunoaffinity duplexed assay for both tNGF and proNGF is expected to enable further elucidation of the roles these neurotrophins play in human pregnancy as well as other models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Walsh
- Pfizer Inc., 1 Burtt Road, Andover, MA, 01810, USA.
| | - Joe Palandra
- Pfizer Inc., 1 Burtt Road, Andover, MA, 01810, USA
| | | | - Shibing Deng
- Pfizer Inc., 10777 Science Center Drive, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Susan Hurst
- Pfizer Inc., 445 Eastern Point Road, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
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Madokoro Y, Kato D, Tsuda Y, Arakawa I, Suzuki K, Sato T, Mizuno M, Uchida Y, Ojika K, Matsukawa N. Direct Enhancement Effect of Hippocampal Cholinergic Neurostimulating Peptide on Cholinergic Activity in the Hippocampus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108916. [PMID: 37240261 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108916] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The cholinergic efferent network from the medial septal nucleus to the hippocampus is crucial for learning and memory. This study aimed to clarify whether hippocampal cholinergic neurostimulating peptide (HCNP) has a rescue function in the cholinergic dysfunction of HCNP precursor protein (HCNP-pp) conditional knockout (cKO). Chemically synthesized HCNP or a vehicle were continuously administered into the cerebral ventricle of HCNP-pp cKO mice and littermate floxed (control) mice for two weeks via osmotic pumps. We immunohistochemically measured the cholinergic axon volume in the stratum oriens and functionally evaluated the local field potential in the CA1. Furthermore, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor (TrkA and p75NTR) abundances were quantified in wild-type (WT) mice administered HCNP or the vehicle. As a result, HCNP administration morphologically increased the cholinergic axonal volume and electrophysiological theta power in HCNP-pp cKO and control mice. Following the administration of HCNP to WT mice, TrkA and p75NTR levels also decreased significantly. These data suggest that extrinsic HCNP may compensate for the reduced cholinergic axonal volume and theta power in HCNP-pp cKO mice. HCNP may function complementarily to NGF in the cholinergic network in vivo. HCNP may represent a therapeutic candidate for neurological diseases with cholinergic dysfunction, e.g., Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Madokoro
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kato
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Yo Tsuda
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Itsumi Arakawa
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Kengo Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Toyohiro Sato
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Masayuki Mizuno
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Yuto Uchida
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Kosei Ojika
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Matsukawa
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
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Severini C. Neurotrophic Factors in Health and Disease. Cells 2022; 12:cells12010047. [PMID: 36611840 PMCID: PMC9818562 DOI: 10.3390/cells12010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophic factors, including neurotrophins and neuropeptides, are secreted proteins that regulate the survival, development, and physiological functions of neurons in both the central and peripheral nervous systems [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Severini
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council, Viale del Policlinico, 155-00161 Rome, Italy
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Amyloidogenesis and Neurotrophic Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease: Do They have a Common Regulating Pathway? Cells 2022; 11:cells11203201. [PMID: 36291068 PMCID: PMC9600014 DOI: 10.3390/cells11203201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The amyloid cascade hypothesis has predominately been used to describe the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) for decades, as Aβ oligomers are thought to be the prime cause of AD. Meanwhile, the neurotrophic factor hypothesis has also been proposed for decades. Accumulating evidence states that the amyloidogenic process and neurotrophic dysfunction are mutually influenced and may coincidently cause the onset and progress of AD. Meanwhile, there are intracellular regulators participating both in the amyloidogenic process and neurotrophic pathways, which might be the common original causes of amyloidogenesis and neurotrophic dysfunction. In this review, the current understanding regarding the role of neurotrophic dysfunction and the amyloidogenic process in AD pathology is briefly summarized. The mutual influence of these two pathogenesis pathways and their potential common causal pathway are further discussed. Therapeutic strategies targeting the common pathways to simultaneously prevent amyloidogenesis and neurotrophic dysfunction might be anticipated for the disease-modifying treatment of AD.
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da Rosa MM, de Amorim LC, Alves JVDO, Aguiar IFDS, Oliveira FGDS, da Silva MV, dos Santos MTC. The promising role of natural products in Alzheimer's disease. BRAIN DISORDERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dscb.2022.100049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
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12
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Nelson AR. Peripheral Pathways to Neurovascular Unit Dysfunction, Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:858429. [PMID: 35517047 PMCID: PMC9062225 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.858429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. It was first described more than a century ago, and scientists are acquiring new data and learning novel information about the disease every day. Although there are nuances and details continuously being unraveled, many key players were identified in the early 1900’s by Dr. Oskar Fischer and Dr. Alois Alzheimer, including amyloid-beta (Aβ), tau, vascular abnormalities, gliosis, and a possible role of infections. More recently, there has been growing interest in and appreciation for neurovascular unit dysfunction that occurs early in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) before and independent of Aβ and tau brain accumulation. In the last decade, evidence that Aβ and tau oligomers are antimicrobial peptides generated in response to infection has expanded our knowledge and challenged preconceived notions. The concept that pathogenic germs cause infections generating an innate immune response (e.g., Aβ and tau produced by peripheral organs) that is associated with incident dementia is worthwhile considering in the context of sporadic AD with an unknown root cause. Therefore, the peripheral amyloid hypothesis to cognitive impairment and AD is proposed and remains to be vetted by future research. Meanwhile, humans remain complex variable organisms with individual risk factors that define their immune status, neurovascular function, and neuronal plasticity. In this focused review, the idea that infections and organ dysfunction contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, through the generation of peripheral amyloids and/or neurovascular unit dysfunction will be explored and discussed. Ultimately, many questions remain to be answered and critical areas of future exploration are highlighted.
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TrkA-cholinergic signaling modulates fear encoding and extinction learning in PTSD-like behavior. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:111. [PMID: 35301275 PMCID: PMC8931170 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01869-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that the use of cognitive enhancers as adjuncts to exposure-based therapy in individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be beneficial. Brain cholinergic signaling through basal forebrain projections to the hippocampus is an established pathway mediating fear response and cognitive flexibility. Here we employed a genetic strategy to enhance cholinergic activity through increased signaling of the NGF receptor TrkA. This strategy leads to increased levels of the marker of cholinergic activation, acetylcholine synthesizing enzyme choline acetyltransferase, in forebrain cholinergic regions and their projection areas such as the hippocampus. Mice with increased cholinergic activity do not display any neurobehavioral abnormalities except a selective attenuation of fear response and lower fear expression in extinction trials. Reduction in fear response is rescued by the GABA antagonist picrotoxin in mutant mice, and, in wild-type mice, is mimicked by the GABA agonist midazolam suggesting that GABA can modulate cholinergic functions on fear circuitries. Importantly, mutant mice also show a reduction in fear processing under stress conditions in a single prolonged stress (SPS) model of PTSD-like behavior, and augmentation of cholinergic signaling by the drug donepezil in wild-type mice promotes extinction learning in a similar SPS model of PTSD-like behavior. Donepezil is already in clinical use for the treatment of dementia suggesting a new translational application of this drug for improving exposure-based psychotherapy in PTSD patients.
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14
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Capsoni S, Cattaneo A. Getting Into the Brain: The Intranasal Approach to Enhance the Delivery of Nerve Growth Factor and Its Painless Derivative in Alzheimer’s Disease and Down Syndrome. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:773347. [PMID: 35360160 PMCID: PMC8961408 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.773347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurotrophin Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) holds a great potential as a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of neurological diseases. However, its safe and effective delivery to the brain is limited by the fact that NGF needs to be selectively targeted to the brain, to avoid severe side effects such as pain and to bypass the blood brain barrier. In this perspective, we will summarize the different approaches that have been used, or are currently applied, to deliver NGF to the brain, during preclinical and clinical trials to develop NGF as a therapeutic drug for Alzheimer’s disease. We will focus on the intranasal delivery of NGF, an approach that is used to deliver proteins to the brain in a non-invasive, safe, and effective manner minimizing systemic exposure. We will also describe the main experimental facts related to the effective intranasal delivery of a mutant form of NGF [painless NGF, human nerve growth factor painless (hNGFp)] in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and compare it to other ways to deliver NGF to the brain. We will also report new data on the application of intranasal delivery of hNGFp in Down Syndrome mouse model. These new data extend the therapeutic potential of hNGFp for the treatment of the dementia that is progressively associated to Down Syndrome. In conclusion, we will show how this approach can be a promising strategy and a potential solution for other unmet medical needs of safely and effectively delivering this neuroprotective neurotrophin to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Capsoni
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Section of Physiology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- *Correspondence: Simona Capsoni,
| | - Antonino Cattaneo
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- European Brain Research Institute–Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
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15
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Manni L, Conti G, Chiaretti A, Soligo M. Intranasal Delivery of Nerve Growth Factor in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Neurotrauma. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:754502. [PMID: 34867367 PMCID: PMC8635100 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.754502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the 1980s, the development of a pharmacology based on nerve growth factor (NGF) has been postulated for the therapy of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This hypothesis was based on the rescuing effect of the neurotrophin on the cholinergic phenotype of the basal forebrain neurons, primarily compromised during the development of AD. Subsequently, the use of NGF was put forward to treat a broader spectrum of neurological conditions affecting the central nervous system, such as Parkinson’s disease, degenerative retinopathies, severe brain traumas and neurodevelopmental dysfunctions. While supported by solid rational assumptions, the progress of a pharmacology founded on these hypotheses has been hampered by the difficulty of conveying NGF towards the brain parenchyma without resorting to invasive and risky delivery methods. At the end of the last century, it was shown that NGF administered intranasally to the olfactory epithelium was able to spread into the brain parenchyma. Notably, after such delivery, pharmacologically relevant concentration of exogenous NGF was found in brain areas located at considerable distances from the injection site along the rostral-caudal axis. These observations paved the way for preclinical characterization and clinical trials on the efficacy of intranasal NGF for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and of the consequences of brain trauma. In this review, a summary of the preclinical and clinical studies published to date will be attempted, as well as a discussion about the mechanisms underlying the efficacy and the possible development of the pharmacology based on intranasal conveyance of NGF to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Manni
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Conti
- Department of Emergency, Intensive Pediatric Therapy and Pediatric Trauma Center, Anesthesiological and Reanimation Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Chiaretti
- Department of Woman and Child Health, Institute of Pediatrics, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marzia Soligo
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Rome, Italy
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16
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Steiner K, Humpel C. Microcontact Printing of Cholinergic Neurons in Organotypic Brain Slices. Front Neurol 2021; 12:775621. [PMID: 34867765 PMCID: PMC8636044 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.775621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a severe neurodegenerative disorder of the brain, characterized by beta-amyloid plaques, tau pathology, and cell death of cholinergic neurons, resulting in loss of memory. The reasons for the damage of the cholinergic neurons are not clear, but the nerve growth factor (NGF) is the most potent trophic factor to support the survival of these neurons. In the present study we aim to microprint NGF onto semipermeable 0.4 μm pore membranes and couple them with organotypic brain slices of the basal nucleus of Meynert and to characterize neuronal survival and axonal growth. The brain slices were prepared from postnatal day 10 wildtype mice (C57BL6), cultured on membranes for 2–6 weeks, stained, and characterized for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). The NGF was microcontact printed in 28 lines, each with 35 μm width, 35 μm space between them, and with a length of 8 mm. As NGF alone could not be printed on the membranes, NGF was embedded into collagen hydrogels and the brain slices were placed at the center of the microprints and the cholinergic neurons that survived. The ChAT+ processes were found to grow along with the NGF microcontact prints, but cells also migrated. Within the brain slices, some form of re-organization along the NGF microcontact prints occurred, especially the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)+ astrocytes. In conclusion, we provided a novel innovative microcontact printing technique on semipermeable membranes which can be coupled with brain slices. Collagen was used as a loading substance and allowed the microcontact printing of nearly any protein of interest.
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17
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The Beneficial Role of Natural Endocrine Disruptors: Phytoestrogens in Alzheimer's Disease. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:3961445. [PMID: 34527172 PMCID: PMC8437597 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3961445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia with a growing incidence rate primarily among the elderly. It is a neurodegenerative, progressive disorder leading to significant cognitive loss. Despite numerous pieces of research, no cure for halting the disease has been discovered yet. Phytoestrogens are nonestradiol compounds classified as one of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), meaning that they can potentially disrupt hormonal balance and result in developmental and reproductive abnormalities. Importantly, phytoestrogens are structurally, chemically, and functionally akin to estrogens, which undoubtedly has the potential to be detrimental to the organism. What is intriguing, although classified as EDCs, phytoestrogens seem to have a beneficial influence on Alzheimer's disease symptoms and neuropathologies. They have been observed to act as antioxidants, improve visual-spatial memory, lower amyloid-beta production, and increase the growth, survival, and plasticity of brain cells. This review article is aimed at contributing to the collective understanding of the role of phytoestrogens in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Importantly, it underlines the fact that despite being EDCs, phytoestrogens and their use can be beneficial in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
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18
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Amadoro G, Latina V, Balzamino BO, Squitti R, Varano M, Calissano P, Micera A. Nerve Growth Factor-Based Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease and Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:735928. [PMID: 34566573 PMCID: PMC8459906 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.735928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative disease which is the most common cause of dementia among the elderly. Imbalance in nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling, metabolism, and/or defect in NGF transport to the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons occurs in patients affected with AD. According to the cholinergic hypothesis, an early and progressive synaptic and neuronal loss in a vulnerable population of basal forebrain involved in memory and learning processes leads to degeneration of cortical and hippocampal projections followed by cognitive impairment with accumulation of misfolded/aggregated Aβ and tau protein. The neuroprotective and regenerative effects of NGF on cholinergic neurons have been largely demonstrated, both in animal models of AD and in living patients. However, the development of this neurotrophin as a disease-modifying therapy in humans is challenged by both delivery limitations (inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), poor pharmacokinetic profile) and unwanted side effects (pain and weight loss). Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a retinal disease which represents the major cause of blindness in developed countries and shares several clinical and pathological features with AD, including alterations in NGF transduction pathways. Interestingly, nerve fiber layer thinning, degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and changes of vascular parameters, aggregation of Aβ and tau protein, and apoptosis also occur in the retina of both AD and AMD. A protective effect of ocular administration of NGF on both photoreceptor and retinal ganglion cell degeneration has been recently described. Besides, the current knowledge about the detection of essential trace metals associated with AD and AMD and their changes depending on the severity of diseases, either systemic or locally detected, further pave the way for a promising diagnostic approach. This review is aimed at describing the employment of NGF as a common therapeutic approach to AMD and AD and the diagnostic power of detection of essential trace metals associated with both diseases. The multiple approaches employed to allow a sustained release/targeting of NGF to the brain and its neurosensorial ocular extensions will be also discussed, highlighting innovative technologies and future translational prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Amadoro
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT)-CNR, Rome, Italy
- European Brain Research Institute, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Rosanna Squitti
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Monica Varano
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Alessandra Micera
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, Rome, Italy
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19
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Kelliny S, Bobrovskaya L, Zhou XF, Upton R. Pharmacokinetic Modelling of Human Recombinant Protein, p75ECD-Fc: A Novel Therapeutic Approach for Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, in Serum and Tissue of Sprague Dawley Rats. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2021; 46:235-248. [PMID: 33507523 DOI: 10.1007/s13318-020-00662-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE p75ECD-Fc is a novel antagonist of toxic amyloid beta protein and other neurodegenerative factors with potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Preclinical studies showed that it can alleviate the AD pathologies in animal models of dementia. In a previous paper, we used non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis to obtain preliminary pharmacokinetic data for p75ECD-Fc in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. We also studied the tissue distribution in terms of drug metabolism that helped us to understand possible mechanisms of action. Here, we aim to develop population pharmacokinetic models that can describe the pharmacokinetics of p75ECD-Fc in serum and tissues. METHODS p75ECD-Fc was delivered to SD rats via two routes (intravenous and subcutaneous) at a single dose of 3 mg/kg (n = 15). Blood (n = 12) and tissue samples (n = 10-15) were then separated at different time points for a total duration of 42 days post dosage. The concentration of p75ECD-Fc in serum and tissues was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Data were best fitted to a 2-compartment model with linear elimination kinetics. The population parameter estimates for clearance, and volume of central and peripheral compartments were 0.000176 L/h, 0.0145 L and 0.0263 L, respectively. The presence of anti-drug antibodies was added to the final model as a covariate on clearance. The subcutaneous bioavailability was estimated to be 53.5% with a first-order absorption rate constant of 0.00745 1/h. By modeling of individual tissue concentrations, p75ECD-Fc was found to exhibit modest tissue distribution with estimated tissue/plasma partition coefficients (R) ranging from 0.004 to 0.2. CONCLUSION This is the first report of a pharmacokinetic model for p75ECD-Fc and these results may facilitate the ongoing development of p75ECD-Fc and translation to clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Kelliny
- University of South Australia, Clinical and Health Sciences, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Larisa Bobrovskaya
- University of South Australia, Clinical and Health Sciences, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Xin-Fu Zhou
- University of South Australia, Clinical and Health Sciences, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
| | - Richard Upton
- University of South Australia, Clinical and Health Sciences, Australian Centre for Pharmacometrics, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
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20
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Allosterism of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors: Therapeutic Potential for Neuroinflammation Underlying Brain Trauma and Degenerative Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21144918. [PMID: 32664647 PMCID: PMC7404387 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is a key physiological phenomenon that can be pervasive when dysregulated. Persistent chronic inflammation precedes several pathophysiological conditions forming one of the critical cellular homeostatic checkpoints. With a steady global surge in inflammatory diseases, it is imperative to delineate underlying mechanisms and design suitable drug molecules targeting the cellular partners that mediate and regulate inflammation. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors have a confirmed role in influencing inflammatory pathways and have been a subject of scientific scrutiny underlying drug development in recent years. Drugs designed to target allosteric sites on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors present a unique opportunity to unravel the role of the cholinergic system in regulating and restoring inflammatory homeostasis. Such a therapeutic approach holds promise in treating several inflammatory conditions and diseases with inflammation as an underlying pathology. Here, we briefly describe the potential of cholinergic allosterism and some allosteric modulators as a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of neuroinflammation.
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21
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Zhu Q, Zhang N, Hu N, Jiang R, Lu H, Xuan A, Long D, Chen Y. Neural stem cell transplantation improves learning and memory by protecting cholinergic neurons and restoring synaptic impairment in an amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Mol Med Rep 2020; 21:1172-1180. [PMID: 31922229 PMCID: PMC7002968 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.10918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent age-related neurodegenerative disorder. It is featured by the progressive accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. This can eventually lead to a decrease of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain. Stem cell transplantation is an effective treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies have revealed that different types of stem or progenitor cells can mitigate cognition impairment in different Alzheimer's disease mouse models. However, understanding the underlying mechanisms of neural stem cell (NSC) therapies for AD requires further investigation. In the present study, the effects and the underlying mechanisms of the treatment of AD by NSCs are reported. The latter were labelled with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) prior to implantation into the bilateral hippocampus of an amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) transgenic (Tg) mouse model of AD. It was observed that the number of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons was restored and the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) protein was increased. Moreover, the levels of synaptophysin (SYP), postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) and microtubule-associated protein (MAP-2) were significantly increased in the hippocampus of NSC-treated AD mice. Notably, spatial learning and memory were both improved after transplantation of NSCs. In conclusion, the present study revealed that NSC transplantation improved learning and memory functions in an AD mouse model. This treatment allowed repairing of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons and increased the expression of the cognition-related proteins SYP, PSD-95 and MAP-2 in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510260, P.R. China
| | - Nianping Zhang
- The Teaching and Research Section of Surgery, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
| | - Nan Hu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510260, P.R. China
| | - Rongrong Jiang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510260, P.R. China
| | - Huicong Lu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510260, P.R. China
| | - Aiguo Xuan
- Department of Human Anatomy, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511436, P.R. China
| | - Dahong Long
- Department of Human Anatomy, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511436, P.R. China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510260, P.R. China
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22
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Guix FX. The interplay between aging‐associated loss of protein homeostasis and extracellular vesicles in neurodegeneration. J Neurosci Res 2019; 98:262-283. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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23
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Fast-diffusing p75 NTR monomers support apoptosis and growth cone collapse by neurotrophin ligands. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:21563-21572. [PMID: 31515449 PMCID: PMC6815156 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1902790116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophins (NTs) are homodimeric growth factors displaying fundamental roles in the nervous system. Their activity stems from binding and activation of 3 different receptor types in nervous cell membranes. The p75 NT receptor (p75NTR) was the first to be discovered in 1986; nevertheless, for the numerous structural and functional facets so far reported, its activation mechanisms have remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that its pleiotropic functions are regulated by different redistributions of the receptors, which crucially depend on the available NT and on the involved subcellular compartment but are unrelated to its oligomerization state. Single-particle studies proved receptors to be monomers with a fast-diffusive behavior in the membrane with, at most, transient self-interactions on the millisecond time scale. The p75 neurotrophin (NT) receptor (p75NTR) plays a crucial role in balancing survival-versus-death decisions in the nervous system. Yet, despite 2 decades of structural and biochemical studies, a comprehensive, accepted model for p75NTR activation by NT ligands is still missing. Here, we present a single-molecule study of membrane p75NTR in living cells, demonstrating that the vast majority of receptors are monomers before and after NT activation. Interestingly, the stoichiometry and diffusion properties of the wild-type (wt) p75NTR are almost identical to those of a receptor mutant lacking residues previously believed to induce oligomerization. The wt p75NTR and mutated (mut) p75NTR differ in their partitioning in cholesterol-rich membrane regions upon nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulation: We argue that this is the origin of the ability of wt p75NTR , but not of mut p75NTR, to mediate immature NT (proNT)-induced apoptosis. Both p75NTR forms support proNT-induced growth cone retraction: We show that receptor surface accumulation is the driving force for cone collapse. Overall, our data unveil the multifaceted activity of the p75NTR monomer and let us provide a coherent interpretative frame of existing conflicting data in the literature.
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24
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Dahlström M, Nordvall G, Sundström E, Åkesson E, Tegerstedt G, Eriksdotter M, Forsell P. Identification of amino acid residues of nerve growth factor important for neurite outgrowth in human dorsal root ganglion neurons. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:3487-3501. [PMID: 31301255 PMCID: PMC6899756 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is an essential neurotrophic factor for the development and maintenance of the central and the peripheral nervous system. NGF deficiency in the basal forebrain precedes degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in Alzheimer's disease, contributing to memory decline. NGF mediates neurotrophic support via its high‐affinity receptor, the tropomyosin‐related kinase A (TrkA) receptor, and mediates mitogenic and differentiation signals via the extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the different NGF/TrkA/ERK signalling pathways are far from clear. In this study, we have investigated the role of human NGF and three NGF mutants, R100E, W99A and K95A/Q96A, their ability to activate TrkA or ERK1/2, and their ability to induce proliferation or differentiation in human foetal dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons or in PC12 cells. We show that the R100E mutant was significantly more potent than NGF itself to induce proliferation and differentiation, and significantly more potent in activation of ERK1/2 in DRG neurons. The W99A and K95A/Q96A mutants, on the other hand, were less effective than the wild‐type protein. An unexpected finding was the high efficacy of the K95A/Q96A mutant to activate TrkA and to induce differentiation of DRG neurons at elevated concentrations. These data demonstrate an NGF mutant with improved neurotrophic properties in primary human neuronal cells. The R100E mutant represents an interesting candidate for further drug development in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Märta Dahlström
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,AlzeCure Foundation, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Nordvall
- AlzeCure Foundation, Huddinge, Sweden.,Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,AlzeCure Pharma AB, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Erik Sundström
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Elisabet Åkesson
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,R&D Unit, Stockholms Sjukhem, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunilla Tegerstedt
- Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Maria Eriksdotter
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,Theme Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pontus Forsell
- AlzeCure Foundation, Huddinge, Sweden.,Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,AlzeCure Pharma AB, Huddinge, Sweden
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25
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Hampel H, Mesulam MM, Cuello AC, Farlow MR, Giacobini E, Grossberg GT, Khachaturian AS, Vergallo A, Cavedo E, Snyder PJ, Khachaturian ZS. The cholinergic system in the pathophysiology and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Brain 2019; 141:1917-1933. [PMID: 29850777 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 909] [Impact Index Per Article: 181.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic synapses are ubiquitous in the human central nervous system. Their high density in the thalamus, striatum, limbic system, and neocortex suggest that cholinergic transmission is likely to be critically important for memory, learning, attention and other higher brain functions. Several lines of research suggest additional roles for cholinergic systems in overall brain homeostasis and plasticity. As such, the brain's cholinergic system occupies a central role in ongoing research related to normal cognition and age-related cognitive decline, including dementias such as Alzheimer's disease. The cholinergic hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease centres on the progressive loss of limbic and neocortical cholinergic innervation. Neurofibrillary degeneration in the basal forebrain is believed to be the primary cause for the dysfunction and death of forebrain cholinergic neurons, giving rise to a widespread presynaptic cholinergic denervation. Cholinesterase inhibitors increase the availability of acetylcholine at synapses in the brain and are one of the few drug therapies that have been proven clinically useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease dementia, thus validating the cholinergic system as an important therapeutic target in the disease. This review includes an overview of the role of the cholinergic system in cognition and an updated understanding of how cholinergic deficits in Alzheimer's disease interact with other aspects of disease pathophysiology, including plaques composed of amyloid-β proteins. This review also documents the benefits of cholinergic therapies at various stages of Alzheimer's disease and during long-term follow-up as visualized in novel imaging studies. The weight of the evidence supports the continued value of cholinergic drugs as a standard, cornerstone pharmacological approach in Alzheimer's disease, particularly as we look ahead to future combination therapies that address symptoms as well as disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Hampel
- AXA Research Fund and Sorbonne University Chair, Paris, France.,Sorbonne University, GRC n° 21, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France.,Brain and Spine Institute (ICM), INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France.,Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France
| | - M-Marsel Mesulam
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Martin R Farlow
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ezio Giacobini
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - George T Grossberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ara S Khachaturian
- The Campaign to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease by 2020 (PAD2020), Potomac, MD, USA
| | - Andrea Vergallo
- AXA Research Fund and Sorbonne University Chair, Paris, France.,Sorbonne University, GRC n° 21, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France.,Brain and Spine Institute (ICM), INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France.,Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France
| | - Enrica Cavedo
- AXA Research Fund and Sorbonne University Chair, Paris, France.,Sorbonne University, GRC n° 21, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France.,Brain and Spine Institute (ICM), INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France.,Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Boulevard de l'hôpital, Paris, France
| | - Peter J Snyder
- Department of Neurology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI USA.,Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
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26
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Chakari-Khiavi F, Dolati S, Chakari-Khiavi A, Abbaszadeh H, Aghebati-Maleki L, Pourlak T, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M. Prospects for the application of mesenchymal stem cells in Alzheimer's disease treatment. Life Sci 2019; 231:116564. [PMID: 31202840 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.116564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) as a dementia and neurodegenerative disease, is mostly prevalent among people more than 65 years. AD is mostly manifested in the form of degraded mental function, such as losing memory and impaired cognitive function. Due to inefficiency of traditional pharmacological therapeutic approaches with no long-term cure, cell therapy can be considered as a capable approach in AD management. Therapies based on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have provided hopeful results in experimental models regarding several disorders. MSCs enhance the levels of functional recoveries in pathologic experimental models of central nervous system (CNS) and are being investigated in clinical trials in neurological disorders. However, there is limited knowledge on the protective capabilities of MSCs in AD management. Almost, several experiments have suggested positive effects of MSCs and helped to better understand of AD-related dementia mechanism. MSCs have the potential to be used in AD treatment through amyloid-β peptide (AB), Tau protein and cholinergic system. This review aimed to clarify the promising perspective of MSCs in the context of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forough Chakari-Khiavi
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sanam Dolati
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz, Iran
| | - Aref Chakari-Khiavi
- Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hossein Abbaszadeh
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Tannaz Pourlak
- Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Mehdizadeh
- Endocrine Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Yousefi
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz, Iran; Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran..
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27
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Mimura J, Inose-Maruyama A, Taniuchi S, Kosaka K, Yoshida H, Yamazaki H, Kasai S, Harada N, Kaufman RJ, Oyadomari S, Itoh K. Concomitant Nrf2- and ATF4-activation by Carnosic Acid Cooperatively Induces Expression of Cytoprotective Genes. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E1706. [PMID: 30959808 PMCID: PMC6480217 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
: Carnosic acid (CA) is a phytochemical found in some dietary herbs, such as Rosmarinus officinalis L., and possesses antioxidative and anti-microbial properties. We previously demonstrated that CA functions as an activator of nuclear factor, erythroid 2 (NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2), an oxidative stress-responsive transcription factor in human and rodent cells. CA enhances the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and antioxidant genes, such as HO-1 in an Nrf2-dependent manner in U373MG human astrocytoma cells. However, CA also induces NGF gene expression in an Nrf2-independent manner, since 50 μM of CA administration showed striking NGF gene induction compared with the classical Nrf2 inducer tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) in U373MG cells. By comparative transcriptome analysis, we found that CA activates activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) in addition to Nrf2 at high doses. CA activated ATF4 in phospho-eIF2α- and heme-regulated inhibitor kinase (HRI)-dependent manners, indicating that CA activates ATF4 through the integrated stress response (ISR) pathway. Furthermore, CA activated Nrf2 and ATF4 cooperatively enhanced the expression of NGF and many antioxidant genes while acting independently to certain client genes. Taken together, these results represent a novel mechanism of CA-mediated gene regulation evoked by Nrf2 and ATF4 cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junsei Mimura
- Department of Stress Response Science, Center for Advanced Medical Research, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan.
| | - Atsushi Inose-Maruyama
- Department of Stress Response Science, Center for Advanced Medical Research, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan.
- Department of Microbiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai 981-8558, Japan.
| | - Shusuke Taniuchi
- Division of Molecular Biology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
| | - Kunio Kosaka
- Research and Development Center, Nagase & Co. Ltd., Kobe 651-2241, Japan.
| | - Hidemi Yoshida
- Department of Vascular Biology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan.
| | - Hiromi Yamazaki
- Department of Stress Response Science, Center for Advanced Medical Research, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan.
| | - Shuya Kasai
- Department of Stress Response Science, Center for Advanced Medical Research, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan.
| | - Nobuhiko Harada
- Department of Stress Response Science, Center for Advanced Medical Research, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan.
- Institute for Animal Experimentation, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
| | - Randal J Kaufman
- Degenerative Diseases Research Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Seiichi Oyadomari
- Division of Molecular Biology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
| | - Ken Itoh
- Department of Stress Response Science, Center for Advanced Medical Research, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan.
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28
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Sharma HS, Muresanu DF, Lafuente JV, Patnaik R, Tian ZR, Ozkizilcik A, Castellani RJ, Mössler H, Sharma A. Co-Administration of TiO2 Nanowired Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Cerebrolysin Potentiates Neprilysin Level and Reduces Brain Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 55:300-311. [PMID: 28844104 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0742-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Neprilysin (NPL), the rate-limiting enzyme for amyloid beta peptide (AβP), appears to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and/or cerebrolysin (CBL, a combination of neurotrophic factors and active peptide fragments) have neuroprotective effects in various CNS disorders, we examined nanowired delivery of MSCs and CBL on NPL content and brain pathology in AD using a rat model. AD-like symptoms were produced by intraventricular (i.c.v.) administration of AβP (1-40) in the left lateral ventricle (250 ng/10 μl, once daily) for 4 weeks. After 30 days, the rats were examined for NPL and AβP concentrations in the brain and related pathology. Co-administration of TiO2-nanowired MSCs (106 cells) with 2.5 ml/kg CBL (i.v.) once daily for 1 week after 2 weeks of AβP infusion significantly increased the NPL in the hippocampus (400 pg/g) from the untreated control group (120 pg/g; control 420 ± 8 pg/g brain) along with a significant decrease in the AβP deposition (45 pg/g from untreated control 75 pg/g; saline control 40 ± 4 pg/g). Interestingly, these changes were much less evident when the MSCs or CBL treatment was given alone. Neuronal damages, gliosis, and myelin vesiculation were also markedly reduced by the combined treatment of TiO2, MSCs, and CBL in AD. These observations are the first to show that co-administration of TiO2-nanowired CBL and MSCs has superior neuroprotective effects in AD probably due to increasing the brain NPL level effectively, not reported earlier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hari Shanker Sharma
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala University, SE-75185, Uppsala, Sweden. .,International Experimental Central Nervous System Injury & Repair (IECNSIR), University Hospital, Uppsala University, Frödingsgatan 12, Bldg. 28, SE-75421, Uppsala, Sweden. .,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Medicine & Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. .,Department of Neurosciences, University of Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain.
| | - Dafin Fior Muresanu
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Medicine & Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,"RoNeuro" Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, 37 Mircea Eliade Street, 400364, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - José Vicente Lafuente
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain.,Nanoneurosurgery Group, BioCruces Health Research Institute, 48903, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain.,Faculty of Health Science, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Ranjana Patnaik
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Biomaterials, Indian Institute of technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Z Ryan Tian
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Asya Ozkizilcik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | | | - Herbert Mössler
- "RoNeuro" Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, 37 Mircea Eliade Street, 400364, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Aruna Sharma
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala University, SE-75185, Uppsala, Sweden.,International Experimental Central Nervous System Injury & Repair (IECNSIR), University Hospital, Uppsala University, Frödingsgatan 12, Bldg. 28, SE-75421, Uppsala, Sweden.,"RoNeuro" Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, 37 Mircea Eliade Street, 400364, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,Department of Neurosciences, University of Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
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29
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Karimipour M, Rahbarghazi R, Tayefi H, Shimia M, Ghanadian M, Mahmoudi J, Bagheri HS. Quercetin promotes learning and memory performance concomitantly with neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult rat dentate gyrus. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 74:18-26. [PMID: 30822517 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The decline in neurogenesis is a very critical problem in Alzheimer disease. Different biological activities have been reported for medicinal application of quercetin. Herein, we investigated the neurogenesis potential of quercetin in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease induced by amyloid-beta injection. Rats were randomly divided into Control, Alzheimer + Saline and Alzheimer + Quercetin groups. Following the administration of Amyloid-beta, rats in the Alzheimer + Quercetin group received 40 mg/kg/day quercetin orally for one month. Our data demonstrated amyloid-β injection could impair learning and memory processing in rats indicated by passive avoidance test evaluation. We noted that one-month quercetin treatment alleviated the detrimental effects of amyloid-β on spatial learning and memory parameters using Morris water maze analysis. Quercetin was found to increase the number of proliferating neural stem/progenitor cells. Notably, quercetin increased the number of DCX-expressing cells, indicating the active dynamic growth of neural progenitor cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. We further observed that the quercetin improved the number of BrdU/NeuN positive cells contributed to enhanced adult neurogenesis. Based on our results, quercetin had the potential to promote the expression of BDNF, NGF, CREB, and EGR-1 genes involved in regulating neurogenesis. These data suggest that quercetin can play a valuable role in alleviating Alzheimer's disease symptoms by enhancing adult neurogenesis mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Karimipour
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Applied Cell Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Neuroscience Research Center, Advanced Biomedical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
| | - Reza Rahbarghazi
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Applied Cell Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hamid Tayefi
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Shimia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mustafa Ghanadian
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Javad Mahmoudi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Advanced Biomedical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hesam Saghaei Bagheri
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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30
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Nanowired delivery of cerebrolysin with neprilysin and p-Tau antibodies induces superior neuroprotection in Alzheimer's disease. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2019; 245:145-200. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2019.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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31
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Latina V, Caioli S, Zona C, Ciotti MT, Borreca A, Calissano P, Amadoro G. NGF-Dependent Changes in Ubiquitin Homeostasis Trigger Early Cholinergic Degeneration in Cellular and Animal AD-Model. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:487. [PMID: 30618634 PMCID: PMC6300588 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) depend on nerve growth factor (NGF) for their survival/differentiation and innervate cortical and hippocampal regions involved in memory/learning processes. Cholinergic hypofunction and/or degeneration early occurs at prodromal stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology in correlation with synaptic damages, cognitive decline and behavioral disability. Alteration(s) in ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is also a pivotal AD hallmark but whether it plays a causative, or only a secondary role, in early synaptic failure associated with disease onset remains unclear. We previously reported that impairment of NGF/TrkA signaling pathway in cholinergic-enriched septo-hippocampal primary neurons triggers "dying-back" degenerative processes which occur prior to cell death in concomitance with loss of specific vesicle trafficking proteins, including synapsin I, SNAP-25 and α-synuclein, and with deficit in presynaptic excitatory neurotransmission. Here, we show that in this in vitro neuronal model: (i) UPS stimulation early occurs following neurotrophin starvation (-1 h up to -6 h); (ii) NGF controls the steady-state levels of these three presynaptic proteins by acting on coordinate mechanism(s) of dynamic ubiquitin-C-terminal hydrolase 1 (UCHL-1)-dependent (mono)ubiquitin turnover and UPS-mediated protein degradation. Importantly, changes in miniature excitatory post-synaptic currents (mEPSCs) frequency detected in -6 h NGF-deprived primary neurons are strongly reverted by acute inhibition of UPS and UCHL-1, indicating that NGF tightly controls in vitro the presynaptic efficacy via ubiquitination-mediated pathway(s). Finally, changes in synaptic ubiquitin and selective reduction of presynaptic markers are also found in vivo in cholinergic nerve terminals from hippocampi of transgenic Tg2576 AD mice, even from presymptomatic stages of neuropathology (1-month-old). By demonstrating a crucial role of UPS in the dysregulation of NGF/TrkA signaling on properties of cholinergic synapses, these findings from two well-established cellular and animal AD models provide novel therapeutic targets to contrast early cognitive and synaptic dysfunction associated to selective degeneration of BFCNs occurring in incipient early/middle-stage of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cristina Zona
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Antonella Borreca
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology – National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology – National Research Council, Rome, Italy
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32
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Cattaneo A, Capsoni S. Painless Nerve Growth Factor: A TrkA biased agonist mediating a broad neuroprotection via its actions on microglia cells. Pharmacol Res 2018; 139:17-25. [PMID: 30391352 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer's disease, based on its well known actions on basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. However, because of its pro-nociceptive activity, in current clinical trials NGF has to be administered intraparenchymally into the brain by neurosurgery via cell or gene therapy approaches. To prevent the NGF pain-inducing collateral effects, thus avoiding the necessity for local brain injection, we developed painless NGF (hNGFp), based on the human genetic disease Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy type V (HSAN V). hNGFp has similar neurotrophic activity as wild type human NGF, but its pain sensitizing activity is tenfold lower. Pharmacologically, hNGFp is a biased receptor agonist of NGF TrkA receptor. The results of recent studies shed new light on the neuroprotective mechanism by hNGFp and are highly relevant for the planning of NGF-based clinical trials. The intraparenchymal delivery of hNGFp, as used in clinical trials, was simulated in the 5xFAD mouse model and found to be inefficacious in reducing Aβ plaque load. On the contrary, the same dose of hNGFp administered intranasally, which was rather widely biodistributed in the brain and did not induce pain sensitization, blocked APP processing into amyloid and restored synaptic plasticity and memory in this aggressive neurodegeneration model. This potent and broad neuroprotection by hNGFp was found to be mediated by hNGFp actions on glial cells. hNGFp increases inflammatory proteins such as the soluble TNFα receptor II and the chemokine CXCL12. Independent work has shown that NGF has a potent anti-inflammatory action on microglia and steers them towards a neuroprotective phenotype. These studies demonstrate that microglia cells are a new target cell of NGF in the brain and have therapeutic significance: i) they establish that the neuroprotective actions of hNGFp relies on a widespread exposure of the brain, ii) they identify a new anti-neurodegenerative pathway, linking hNGFp to inflammatory chemokines and cytokines via microglia, a common target for new therapeutic opportunities for neurodegenerative diseases, iii) they extend the neuroprotective potential of hNGFp beyond its classical cholinergic target, thereby widening the range of neurological diseases for which this neurotrophic factor might be used therapeutically, iv) they help interpreting the results of current NGF clinical trials in AD and the design of future trials with this new potent therapeutic candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonino Cattaneo
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy; Rita Levi-Montalcini European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Roma, Italy.
| | - Simona Capsoni
- Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy; Section of Human Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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33
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The Structure of the Pro-domain of Mouse proNGF in Contact with the NGF Domain. Structure 2018; 27:78-89.e3. [PMID: 30393051 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2018.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is an important neurotrophic factor involved in the regulation of cell differentiation and survival of target neurons. Expressed as a proNGF precursor, NGF is matured by furin-mediated protease cleavage. Increasing evidence suggests that NGF and proNGF have distinct functional roles. While the structure of mature NGF is available, little is known about that of the pro-domain because of its dynamical structural features. We exploited an ad hoc hybrid strategy based on nuclear magnetic resonance and modeling validated by small-angle X-ray scattering to gain novel insights on the pro-domain, both in isolation and in the context of proNGF. We show that the isolated pro-domain is intrinsically unstructured but forms transient intramolecular contacts with mature NGF and has per se the ability to induce growth cone collapse, indicating functional independence. Our data represent an important step toward the structural and functional characterization of the properties of proNGF.
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34
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17β-estradiol modulates NGF and BDNF expression through ERβ mediated ERK signaling in cortical astrocytes. Biologia (Bratisl) 2018. [DOI: 10.2478/s11756-018-0099-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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35
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The ProNGF/p75NTR pathway induces tau pathology and is a therapeutic target for FTLD-tau. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:1813-1824. [PMID: 29867188 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0071-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Tau pathology is characterized as a form of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) known as FTLD-tau. The underlying pathogenic mechanisms are not known and no therapeutic interventions are currently available. Here, we report that the neurotrophin receptor p75NTR plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of FTLD-tau. The expression of p75NTR and the precursor of nerve growth factor (proNGF) were increased in the brains of FTLD-tau patients and mice (P301L transgenic). ProNGF-induced tau phosphorylation via p75NTR in vitro, which was associated with the AKT/glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3β pathway. Genetic reduction of p75NTR in P301L mice rescued the memory deficits, alleviated tau hyperphosphorylation and restored the activity of the AKT/GSK3β pathway. Treatment of the P301L mice with the soluble p75NTR extracellular domain (p75ECD-Fc), which can antagonize neurotoxic ligands of p75NTR, effectively improved memory behavior and suppressed tau pathology. This suggests that p75NTR plays a crucial role in tau paGSKthology and represents a potential druggable target for FTLD-tau and related tauopathies.
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36
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Rizzi C, Tiberi A, Giustizieri M, Marrone MC, Gobbo F, Carucci NM, Meli G, Arisi I, D'Onofrio M, Marinelli S, Capsoni S, Cattaneo A. NGF steers microglia toward a neuroprotective phenotype. Glia 2018; 66:1395-1416. [PMID: 29473218 PMCID: PMC6001573 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Microglia are the sentinels of the brain but a clear understanding of the factors that modulate their activation in physiological and pathological conditions is still lacking. Here we demonstrate that Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) acts on microglia by steering them toward a neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory phenotype. We show that microglial cells express functional NGF receptors in vitro and ex vivo. Our transcriptomic analysis reveals how, in primary microglia, NGF treatment leads to a modulation of motility, phagocytosis and degradation pathways. At the functional level, NGF induces an increase in membrane dynamics and macropinocytosis and, in vivo, it activates an outward rectifying current that appears to modulate glutamatergic neurotransmission in nearby neurons. Since microglia are supposed to be a major player in Aβ peptide clearance in the brain, we tested the effects of NGF on its phagocytosis. NGF was shown to promote TrkA-mediated engulfment of Aβ by microglia, and to enhance its degradation. Additionally, the proinflammatory activation induced by Aβ treatment is counteracted by the concomitant administration of NGF. Moreover, by acting specifically on microglia, NGF protects neurons from the Aβ-induced loss of dendritic spines and inhibition of long term potentiation. Finally, in an ex-vivo setup of acute brain slices, we observed a similar increase in Aβ engulfment by microglial cells under the influence of NGF. Our work substantiates a role for NGF in the regulation of microglial homeostatic activities and points toward this neurotrophin as a neuroprotective agent in Aβ accumulation pathologies, via its anti-inflammatory activity on microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Rizzi
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7Pisa56126Italy
| | - Alexia Tiberi
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7Pisa56126Italy
| | - Michela Giustizieri
- European Brain Research Institute‐Fondazione Rita Levi Montalcini, Viale Regina Elena 295Roma00161, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Marrone
- European Brain Research Institute‐Fondazione Rita Levi Montalcini, Viale Regina Elena 295Roma00161, Italy
| | - Francesco Gobbo
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7Pisa56126Italy
| | - Nicola Maria Carucci
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7Pisa56126Italy
| | - Giovanni Meli
- European Brain Research Institute‐Fondazione Rita Levi Montalcini, Viale Regina Elena 295Roma00161, Italy
| | - Ivan Arisi
- European Brain Research Institute‐Fondazione Rita Levi Montalcini, Viale Regina Elena 295Roma00161, Italy
| | - Mara D'Onofrio
- European Brain Research Institute‐Fondazione Rita Levi Montalcini, Viale Regina Elena 295Roma00161, Italy
| | - Silvia Marinelli
- European Brain Research Institute‐Fondazione Rita Levi Montalcini, Viale Regina Elena 295Roma00161, Italy
| | - Simona Capsoni
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7Pisa56126Italy
- Section of Human Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical SciencesUniversity of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17‐19Ferrara44121Italy
| | - Antonino Cattaneo
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7Pisa56126Italy
- European Brain Research Institute‐Fondazione Rita Levi Montalcini, Viale Regina Elena 295Roma00161, Italy
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37
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Peineau S, Rabiant K, Pierrefiche O, Potier B. Synaptic plasticity modulation by circulating peptides and metaplasticity: Involvement in Alzheimer's disease. Pharmacol Res 2018; 130:385-401. [PMID: 29425728 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity is a cellular process involved in learning and memory whose alteration in its two main forms (Long Term Depression (LTD) and Long Term Potentiation (LTP)), is observed in most brain pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In humans, AD is associated at the cellular level with neuropathological lesions composed of extracellular deposits of β-amyloid (Aβ) protein aggregates and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, cellular loss, neuroinflammation and a general brain homeostasis dysregulation. Thus, a dramatic synaptic environment perturbation is observed in AD patients, involving changes in brain neuropeptides, cytokines, growth factors or chemokines concentration and diffusion. Studies performed in animal models demonstrate that these circulating peptides strongly affect synaptic functions and in particular synaptic plasticity. Besides this neuromodulatory action of circulating peptides, other synaptic plasticity regulation mechanisms such as metaplasticity are altered in AD animal models. Here, we will review new insights into the study of synaptic plasticity regulatory/modulatory mechanisms which could influence the process of synaptic plasticity in the context of AD with a particular attention to the role of metaplasticity and peptide dependent neuromodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Peineau
- GRAP UMR1247, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Recherche en Santé, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France; Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Kevin Rabiant
- GRAP UMR1247, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Recherche en Santé, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Olivier Pierrefiche
- GRAP UMR1247, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Recherche en Santé, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France.
| | - Brigitte Potier
- Laboratoire Aimé Cotton, CNRS-ENS UMR9188, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France.
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38
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Medelin M, Giacco V, Aldinucci A, Castronovo G, Bonechi E, Sibilla A, Tanturli M, Torcia M, Ballerini L, Cozzolino F, Ballerini C. Bridging pro-inflammatory signals, synaptic transmission and protection in spinal explants in vitro. Mol Brain 2018; 11:3. [PMID: 29334986 PMCID: PMC5769440 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-018-0347-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis is characterized by tissue atrophy involving the brain and the spinal cord, where reactive inflammation contributes to the neurodegenerative processes. Recently, the presence of synapse alterations induced by the inflammatory responses was suggested by experimental and clinical observations, in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model and in patients, respectively. Further knowledge on the interplay between pro-inflammatory agents, neuroglia and synaptic dysfunction is crucial to the design of unconventional protective molecules. Here we report the effects, on spinal cord circuits, of a cytokine cocktail that partly mimics the signature of T lymphocytes sub population Th1. In embryonic mouse spinal organ-cultures, containing neuronal cells and neuroglia, cytokines induced inflammatory responses accompanied by a significant increase in spontaneous synaptic activity. We suggest that cytokines specifically altered signal integration in spinal networks by speeding the decay of GABAA responses. This hypothesis is supported by the finding that synapse protection by a non-peptidic NGF mimetic molecule prevented both the changes in the time course of GABA events and in network activity that were left unchanged by the cytokine production from astrocytes and microglia present in the cultured tissue. In conclusion, we developed an important tool for the study of synaptic alterations induced by inflammation, that takes into account the role of neuronal and not neuronal resident cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Medelin
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy.,International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - V Giacco
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - A Aldinucci
- Department NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, 50139, Florence, Italy
| | - G Castronovo
- Department of DSBSC, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - E Bonechi
- Department NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, 50139, Florence, Italy
| | - A Sibilla
- Department NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, 50139, Florence, Italy
| | - M Tanturli
- Department of DSBSC, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - M Torcia
- Department of DMSC, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - L Ballerini
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), 34136, Trieste, Italy.
| | - F Cozzolino
- Department of DSBSC, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - C Ballerini
- Department NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, 50139, Florence, Italy.
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39
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Foidl BM, Ucar B, Schwarz A, Rebelo AL, Pandit A, Humpel C. Nerve growth factor released from collagen scaffolds protects axotomized cholinergic neurons of the basal nucleus of Meynert in organotypic brain slices. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 295:77-86. [PMID: 29221639 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimeŕs disease is accompanied by cell death of cholinergic neurons, resulting in cognitive impairment and memory loss. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is the most potent protein to support survival of cholinergic neurons. NEW METHOD Organotypic brain slices of the basal nucleus of Meynert (nBM) are a valuable tool to study cell death of axotomized cholinergic neurons, as well as protective effects of NGF added into the medium. The aim of the present study is to use collagen scaffolds crosslinked with polyethyleneglycole and load with NGF to target delivery of NGF to organotypic nBM brain slices. RESULTS Collagen scaffolds (visualized by incorporating AlexaFluor 488 antibodies) slowly degraded when applied onto organotypic brain slices within 2 weeks in culture. GFAP reactive astrocytes and Iba1+ microglia became visible around the collagen scaffolds 7days after incubation, showing reactive gliosis. Cholinergic neurons of the nBM survived (201±21, n=8) when incubated with 100ng/ml NGF in the medium compared to NGF-free medium (69±12, n=7). Collagen scaffolds loaded with NGF (1ng/2μl scaffold) significantly rescued cholinergic cell death in the nBM brain slices (175±12, n=10), which was counteracted by an anti-NGF antibody (77±5, n=5). COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS The combination of coronal brain slices with biomaterial is a novel and potent tool to selectively study neuroprotective effects. CONCLUSIONS Collagen scaffolds loaded with low amounts of a protein/drug of interest can be easily applied directly onto organotypic brain slices, allowing slow targeted release of a protective molecule. Such an approach is highly useful to optimize CollScaff for further in vivo applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina M Foidl
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer's Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Buket Ucar
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer's Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alina Schwarz
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer's Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ana L Rebelo
- Centre for Research in Medical Devices, Biomedical Sciences National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Abhay Pandit
- Centre for Research in Medical Devices, Biomedical Sciences National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Christian Humpel
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer's Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria.
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40
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Matyi J, Tschanz JT, Rattinger GB, Sanders C, Vernon EK, Corcoran C, Kauwe JSK, Buhusi M. Sex Differences in Risk for Alzheimer's Disease Related to Neurotrophin Gene Polymorphisms: The Cache County Memory Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2017; 72:1607-1613. [PMID: 28498887 PMCID: PMC5861928 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glx092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophins, including nerve-growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Associations between AD and neurotrophin signaling genes have been inconsistent, with few studies examining sex differences in risk. We examined four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) involved in neurotrophin signaling (rs6265, rs56164415, rs2289656, rs2072446) and risk for AD by sex in a population-based sample of older adults. Three thousand four hundred and ninety-nine individuals without dementia at baseline [mean (standard deviation) age = 74.64 (6.84), 58% female] underwent dementia screening and assessment over four triennial waves. Cox regression was used to examine time to AD or right censoring for each SNP. Female carriers of the minor T allele for rs2072446 and rs56164415 had a 60% (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-2.51) and 93% (HR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.30-2.84) higher hazard for AD, respectively, than male noncarriers of the T allele. Furthermore, male carriers of the T allele of rs2072446 had a 61% lower hazard (HR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.14-1.06) than male noncarriers at trend-level significance (p = .07). The association between certain neurotrophin gene polymorphisms and AD differs by sex and may explain inconsistent findings in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - JoAnn T Tschanz
- Department of Psychology, Utah State University
- Center for Epidemiologic Studies, Utah State University
| | - Gail B Rattinger
- Department of health Outcomes and Administrative Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, New York
| | | | | | - Chris Corcoran
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University
| | - John S K Kauwe
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Mona Buhusi
- Department of Psychology, Utah State University
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41
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Canu N, Amadoro G, Triaca V, Latina V, Sposato V, Corsetti V, Severini C, Ciotti MT, Calissano P. The Intersection of NGF/TrkA Signaling and Amyloid Precursor Protein Processing in Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology. Int J Mol Sci 2017. [PMID: 28632177 PMCID: PMC5486140 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18061319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its high-affinity Tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) receptor has been suggested to contribute to the selective degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCN) associated with the progressive cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this review is to describe our progress in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the dynamic interplay between NGF/TrkA signaling and amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism within the context of AD neuropathology. This is mainly based on the finding that TrkA receptor binding to APP depends on a minimal stretch of ~20 amino acids located in the juxtamembrane/extracellular domain of APP that carries the α- and β-secretase cleavage sites. Here, we provide evidence that: (i) NGF could be one of the “routing” proteins responsible for modulating the metabolism of APP from amyloidogenic towards non-amyloidogenic processing via binding to the TrkA receptor; (ii) the loss of NGF/TrkA signaling could be linked to sporadic AD contributing to the classical hallmarks of the neuropathology, such as synaptic loss, β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) deposition and tau abnormalities. These findings will hopefully help to design therapeutic strategies for AD treatment aimed at preserving cholinergic function and anti-amyloidogenic activity of the physiological NGF/TrkA pathway in the septo-hippocampal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Canu
- Department of System Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00137 Rome, Italy.
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology, National Council of Research Rome, Via del Fosso del Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council (CNR) Rome, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Viviana Triaca
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology, National Council of Research Rome, Via del Fosso del Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Valentina Latina
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council (CNR) Rome, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Valentina Sposato
- European Brain Research Institute Rome, Via del Fosso del Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Veronica Corsetti
- European Brain Research Institute Rome, Via del Fosso del Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Cinzia Severini
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology, National Council of Research Rome, Via del Fosso del Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Maria Teresa Ciotti
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology, National Council of Research Rome, Via del Fosso del Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Pietro Calissano
- European Brain Research Institute Rome, Via del Fosso del Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
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42
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Capsoni S, Malerba F, Carucci NM, Rizzi C, Criscuolo C, Origlia N, Calvello M, Viegi A, Meli G, Cattaneo A. The chemokine CXCL12 mediates the anti-amyloidogenic action of painless human nerve growth factor. Brain 2017; 140:201-217. [PMID: 28031222 PMCID: PMC5379860 DOI: 10.1093/brain/aww271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nerve growth factor is a therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer’s disease. Due to its pain-inducing activity, in current clinical trials nerve growth factor is delivered locally into the brain by neurosurgery, but data on the efficacy of local nerve growth factor delivery in decreasing amyloid-β deposition are not available. To reduce the nerve growth factor pain-inducing side effects, thus avoiding the need for local brain injection, we developed human painless nerve growth factor (hNGFp), inspired by the human genetic disease hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type V. hNGFp has identical neurotrophic potency as wild-type human nerve growth factor, but a 10-fold lower pain sensitizing activity. In this study we first mimicked, in the 5xFAD mouse model, the intraparenchymal delivery of hNGFp used in clinical trials and found it to be ineffective in decreasing amyloid-β plaque load. On the contrary, the same dose of hNGFp delivered intranasally, which was widely biodistributed in the brain and did not induce pain, showed a potent anti-amyloidogenic action and rescued synaptic plasticity and memory deficits. We found that hNGFp acts on glial cells, modulating inflammatory proteins such as the soluble TNFα receptor II and the chemokine CXCL12. We further established that the rescuing effect by hNGFp is mediated by CXCL12, as pharmacological inhibition of CXCL12 receptor CXCR4 occludes most of hNGFp effects. These findings have significant therapeutic implications: (i) we established that a widespread exposure of the brain is required for nerve growth factor to fully exert its neuroprotective actions; and (ii) we have identified a new anti-neurodegenerative pathway as a broad target for new therapeutic opportunities for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Capsoni
- 1 Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy.,2 Institute of Neuroscience, National Council for Research, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Malerba
- 1 Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy.,3 Neurotrophins and Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Rita Levi-Montalcini European Brain Research Institute, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Caterina Rizzi
- 1 Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Criscuolo
- 2 Institute of Neuroscience, National Council for Research, Pisa, Italy.,4 Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Nicola Origlia
- 2 Institute of Neuroscience, National Council for Research, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Viegi
- 1 Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Meli
- 3 Neurotrophins and Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Rita Levi-Montalcini European Brain Research Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonino Cattaneo
- 1 Bio@SNS Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy .,3 Neurotrophins and Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Rita Levi-Montalcini European Brain Research Institute, Rome, Italy
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43
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Nanotechnological strategies for nerve growth factor delivery: Therapeutic implications in Alzheimer’s disease. Pharmacol Res 2017; 120:68-87. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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44
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Zhao Y, Shen Z, Zhang D, Luo H, Chen J, Sun Y, Xiao Q. Ghrelin ameliorates nerve growth factor Dysmetabolism and inflammation in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Metab Brain Dis 2017; 32:903-912. [PMID: 28357639 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0001-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Diabetic encephalopathy is characterized by cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation, deficient neurotrophic support, and neuronal and synaptic loss. Ghrelin, a 28 amino acid peptide, is associated with neuromodulation and cognitive improvement, which has been considered as a potential protective agent for several neurodegenerative diseases. Here we sought to investigate the role of ghrelin in preventing diabetic-related neuropathology. We found that ghrelin attenuated astrocytic activation and reduced levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In addition, ghrelin inhibited p38 mitogen-associated protein kinase activation. The upregulation of nerve growth factor (NGF) precursor and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and downregulation of mature NGF and MMP-7 in the diabetic brain were reversed by ghrelin. Treatment with ghrelin elevated synaptophysin expression and synaptic density in diabetic rats. Taken together, our results demonstrate that ghrelin ameliorates diabetes-related neurodegeneration by preventing NGF dysmetabolism and synaptic degeneration through regulating MMP levels as well as inhibiting neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxing Zhao
- Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 YouYi Road, YuZhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Zhaoxing Shen
- Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 YouYi Road, YuZhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Dongling Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 YouYi Road, YuZhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Huiqiong Luo
- Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 YouYi Road, YuZhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jinliang Chen
- Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 YouYi Road, YuZhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yue Sun
- Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 YouYi Road, YuZhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Qian Xiao
- Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 YouYi Road, YuZhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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45
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Moosavi F, Hosseini R, Rajaian H, Silva T, Magalhães E Silva D, Saso L, Edraki N, Miri R, Borges F, Firuzi O. Derivatives of caffeic acid, a natural antioxidant, as the basis for the discovery of novel nonpeptidic neurotrophic agents. Bioorg Med Chem 2017; 25:3235-3246. [PMID: 28495385 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, threaten the lives of millions of people and the number of affected patients is constantly growing with the increase of the aging population. Small molecule neurotrophic agents represent promising therapeutics for the pharmacological management of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, a series of caffeic acid amide analogues with variable alkyl chain lengths, including ACAF3 (C3), ACAF4 (C4), ACAF6 (C6), ACAF8 (C8) and ACAF12 (C12) were synthesized and their neurotrophic activity was examined by different methods in PC12 neuronal cells. We found that all caffeic acid amide derivatives significantly increased survival in PC12 neuronal cells in serum-deprived conditions at 25μM, as measured by the MTT assay. ACAF4, ACAF6 and ACAF8 at 5µM also significantly enhanced the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) in inducing neurite outgrowth, a sign of neuronal differentiation. The neurotrophic effects of amide derivatives did not seem to be mediated by direct activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) receptor, since K252a, a potent TrkA antagonist, did not block the neuronal survival enhancement effect. Similarly, the active compounds did not activate TrkA as measured by immunoblotting with anti-phosphoTrkA antibody. We also examined the effect of amide derivatives on signaling pathways involved in survival and differentiation by immunoblotting. ACAF4 and ACAF12 induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation in PC12 cells at 5 and 25µM, while ACAF12 was also able to significantly increase AKT phosphorylation at 5 and 25µM. Molecular docking studies indicated that compared to the parental compound caffeic acid, ACAF12 exhibited higher binding energy with phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) as a putative molecular target. Based on Lipinski's rule of five, all of the compounds obeyed three molecular descriptors (HBD, HBA and MM) in drug-likeness test. Taken together, these findings show for the first time that caffeic amides possess strong neurotrophic effects exerted via modulation of ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways presumably by activation of PI3K and thus represent promising agents for the discovery of neurotrophic compounds for management of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Moosavi
- Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Razieh Hosseini
- Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hamid Rajaian
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Tiago Silva
- CIQUP/Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Diogo Magalhães E Silva
- CIQUP/Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luciano Saso
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Najmeh Edraki
- Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ramin Miri
- Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Fernanda Borges
- CIQUP/Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Omidreza Firuzi
- Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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46
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Isaev NK, Stelmashook EV, Genrikhs EE. Role of Nerve Growth Factor in Plasticity of Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2017; 82:291-300. [PMID: 28320270 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297917030075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal plastic rearrangements during the development and functioning of neurons are largely regulated by trophic factors, including nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF is also involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. In the brain, NGF is produced in structures innervated by basal forebrain cholinergic neurons and retrogradely transported along the axons to the bodies of cholinergic neurons. NGF is essential for normal development and functioning of the basal forebrain; it affects formation of the dendritic tree and modulates the activities of choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase in basal forebrain neurons. The trophic effect of NGF is mediated through its interactions with TrkA and p75 receptors. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that brain levels of NGF are altered in various pathologies. However, the therapeutic use of NGF is limited by its poor ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, adverse side effects that are due to the pleiotropic action of this factor, and the possibility of immune response to NGF. For this reason, the development of gene therapy methods for treating NGF deficit-associated pathologies is of particular interest. Another approach is creation of low molecular weight NGF mimetics that would interact with the corresponding receptors and display high biological activity but be free of the unfavorable effects of NGF.
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Affiliation(s)
- N K Isaev
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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47
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Latina V, Caioli S, Zona C, Ciotti MT, Amadoro G, Calissano P. Impaired NGF/TrkA Signaling Causes Early AD-Linked Presynaptic Dysfunction in Cholinergic Primary Neurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:68. [PMID: 28360840 PMCID: PMC5350152 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in NGF/TrkA signaling have been suggested to underlie the selective degeneration of the cholinergic basal forebrain neurons occurring in vivo in AD (Counts and Mufson, 2005; Mufson et al., 2008; Niewiadomska et al., 2011) and significant reduction of cognitive decline along with an improvement of cholinergic hypofunction have been found in phase I clinical trial in humans affected from mild AD following therapeutic NGF gene therapy (Tuszynski et al., 2005, 2015). Here, we show that the chronic (10–12 D.I.V.) in vitro treatment with NGF (100 ng/ml) under conditions of low supplementation (0.2%) with the culturing serum-substitute B27 selectively enriches the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (+36.36%) at the expense of other non-cholinergic, mainly GABAergic (−38.45%) and glutamatergic (−56.25%), populations. By taking advantage of this newly-developed septo-hippocampal neuronal cultures, our biochemical and electrophysiological investigations demonstrate that the early failure in excitatory neurotransmission following NGF withdrawal is paralleled by concomitant and progressive loss in selected presynaptic and vesicles trafficking proteins including synapsin I, SNAP-25 and α-synuclein. This rapid presynaptic dysfunction: (i) precedes the commitment to cell death and is reversible in a time-dependent manner, being suppressed by de novo external administration of NGF within 6 hr from its initial withdrawal; (ii) is specific because it is not accompanied by contextual changes in expression levels of non-synaptic proteins from other subcellular compartments; (ii) is not secondary to axonal degeneration because it is insensible to pharmacological treatment with known microtubule-stabilizing drug such paclitaxel; (iv) involves TrkA-dependent mechanisms because the effects of NGF reapplication are blocked by acute exposure to specific and cell-permeable inhibitor of its high-affinity receptor. Taken together, this study may have important clinical implications in the field of AD neurodegeneration because it: (i) provides new insights on the earliest molecular mechanisms underlying the loss of synaptic/trafficking proteins and, then, of synapes integrity which occurs in vulnerable basal forebrain population at preclinical stages of neuropathology; (ii) offers prime presynaptic-based molecular target to extend the therapeutic time-window of NGF action in the strategy of improving its neuroprotective in vivo intervention in affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Latina
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council (CNR) Rome, Italy
| | | | - Cristina Zona
- IRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor VergataRome, Italy
| | - Maria T Ciotti
- NGF and Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative Diseases, European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council (CNR)Rome, Italy; NGF and Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative Diseases, European Brain Research Institute (EBRI)Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Calissano
- NGF and Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative Diseases, European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) Rome, Italy
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Sampaio TB, Savall AS, Gutierrez MEZ, Pinton S. Neurotrophic factors in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases: implications for pathogenesis and therapy. Neural Regen Res 2017; 12:549-557. [PMID: 28553325 PMCID: PMC5436343 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.205084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophic factors comprise essential secreted proteins that have several functions in neural and non-neural tissues, mediating the development, survival and maintenance of peripheral and central nervous system. Therefore, neurotrophic factor issue has been extensively investigated into the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease show changes in the regulation of specific neurotrophic factors and their receptors, which appear to be critical for neuronal degeneration. Indeed, neurotrophic factors prevent cell death in degenerative processes and can enhance the growth and function of affected neurons in these disorders. Based on recent reports, this review discusses the main findings related to the neurotrophic factor support – mainly brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor – in the survival, proliferation and maturation of affected neurons in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease as well as their putative application as new therapeutic approach for these diseases management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuane Bazanella Sampaio
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.,Universidade Federal do Pampa - Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Anne Suely Savall
- Universidade Federal do Pampa - Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Simone Pinton
- Universidade Federal do Pampa - Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
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Pandini G, Satriano C, Pietropaolo A, Gianì F, Travaglia A, La Mendola D, Nicoletti VG, Rizzarelli E. The Inorganic Side of NGF: Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Affect the NGF Mimicking Signaling of the N-Terminus Peptides Encompassing the Recognition Domain of TrkA Receptor. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:569. [PMID: 28090201 PMCID: PMC5201159 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The nerve growth factor (NGF) N-terminus peptide, NGF(1–14), and its acetylated form, Ac-NGF(1–14), were investigated to scrutinize the ability of this neurotrophin domain to mimic the whole protein. Theoretical calculations demonstrated that non-covalent forces assist the molecular recognition of TrkA receptor by both peptides. Combined parallel tempering/docking simulations discriminated the effect of the N-terminal acetylation on the recognition of NGF(1–14) by the domain 5 of TrkA (TrkA-D5). Experimental findings demonstrated that both NGF(1–14) and Ac-NGF(1–14) activate TrkA signaling pathways essential for neuronal survival. The NGF-induced TrkA internalization was slightly inhibited in the presence of Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions, whereas the metal ions elicited the NGF(1–14)-induced internalization of TrkA and no significant differences were found in the weak Ac-NGF(1–14)-induced receptor internalization. The crucial role of the metals was confirmed by experiments with the metal-chelator bathocuproine disulfonic acid, which showed different inhibitory effects in the signaling cascade, due to different metal affinity of NGF, NGF(1–14) and Ac-NGF(1–14). The NGF signaling cascade, activated by the two peptides, induced CREB phosphorylation, but the copper addition further stimulated the Akt, ERK and CREB phosphorylation in the presence of NGF and NGF(1–14) only. A dynamic and quick influx of both peptides into PC12 cells was tracked by live cell imaging with confocal microscopy. A significant role of copper ions was found in the modulation of peptide sub-cellular localization, especially at the nuclear level. Furthermore, a strong copper ionophoric ability of NGF(1–14) was measured. The Ac-NGF(1–14) peptide, which binds copper ions with a lower stability constant than NGF(1–14), exhibited a lower nuclear localization with respect to the total cellular uptake. These findings were correlated to the metal-induced increase of CREB and BDNF expression caused by NGF(1–14) stimulation. In summary, we here validated NGF(1–14) and Ac-NGF(1–14) as first examples of monomer and linear peptides able to activate the NGF-TrkA signaling cascade. Metal ions modulated the activity of both NGF protein and the NGF-mimicking peptides. Such findings demonstrated that NGF(1–14) sequence can reproduce the signal transduction of whole protein, therefore representing a very promising drug candidate for further pre-clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Pandini
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, University of CataniaCatania, Italy; Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages - Catania, National Research CouncilCatania, Italy
| | - Cristina Satriano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of CataniaCatania, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Chimica dei Metalli nei Sistemi BiologiciBari, Italy
| | | | - Fiorenza Gianì
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, University of CataniaCatania, Italy; Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages - Catania, National Research CouncilCatania, Italy
| | | | - Diego La Mendola
- Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Chimica dei Metalli nei Sistemi BiologiciBari, Italy; Department of Pharmacy, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo G Nicoletti
- Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Chimica dei Metalli nei Sistemi BiologiciBari, Italy; Section of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of CataniaCatania, Italy
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages - Catania, National Research CouncilCatania, Italy; Department of Chemical Sciences, University of CataniaCatania, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Chimica dei Metalli nei Sistemi BiologiciBari, Italy
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Role and regulation of Cdc25A phosphatase in neuron death induced by NGF deprivation or β-amyloid. Cell Death Discov 2016; 2:16083. [PMID: 28028440 PMCID: PMC5149581 DOI: 10.1038/cddiscovery.2016.83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuron death during development and in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with aberrant regulation/induction of cell cycle proteins. However, the proximal events in this process are unknown. Cell cycle initiation requires dephosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinases by cell division cycle 25A (Cdc25A). Here, we show that Cdc25A is essential for neuronal death in response to NGF deprivation or β-amyloid (Aβ) treatment and describe the mechanisms by which it is regulated in these paradigms. Cdc25A mRNA, protein and Cdc25A phosphatase activity were induced by NGF deprivation and Aβ treatment. Enhanced Cdc25A expression was also observed in rat brains infused with Aβ and in Aβ-overexpressing AβPPswe-PS1dE9 mice. In cultured neurons Cdc25A inhibition by chemical inhibitors or shRNA prevented cell death and neurite degeneration caused by NGF deprivation or Aβ. Additionally, Cdc25A inhibition diminished distal signaling events including Cdk-dependent elevation of phospho-pRb and subsequent caspase-3 activation. Mechanism studies revealed that Cdc25A induction by NGF deprivation and Aβ is mediated by activation of Forkhead transcription factors that in turn suppress miR-21, a negative regulator of Cdc25A. Our studies thus identify Cdc25A as a required upstream element of the apoptotic cell cycle pathway that is required for neuron death in response to trophic factor deprivation and to Aβ exposure and therefore as a potential target to suppress pathologic neuron death.
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