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Muñoz-Juan A, Assié A, Esteve-Codina A, Gut M, Benseny-Cases N, Samuel BS, Dalfó E, Laromaine A. Caenorhabditis elegans endorse bacterial nanocellulose fibers as functional dietary Fiber reducing lipid markers. Carbohydr Polym 2024; 331:121815. [PMID: 38388067 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.121815] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a promising dietary fiber with potential as a functional food additive. We evaluated BNC fibers (BNCf) in the Caenorhabditis elegans model to obtain insight into the BNCf's biointeraction with its gastrointestinal tract while reducing the variables of higher complex animals. BNCf were uptaken and excreted by worms without crossing the intestinal barrier, confirming its biosafety regarding survival rate, reproduction, and aging for concentrations up to 34 μg/ml BNCf. However, a slight decrease in the worms' length was detected. A possible nutrient shortage or stress produced by BNCf was discarded by measuring stress and chemotactic response pathways. Besides, we detected a lipid-lowering effect of BNCf in N2 C. elegans in normal and high-caloric diets. Oxidative damage was computed in N2 worms and Rac1/ced-10 mutants. The GTPase Rac1 is involved in neurological diseases, where its dysregulation enhances ROS production and neuronal damage. BNCf reduced the lipid oxidative markers produced by ROS species in this worm strain. Finally, we detected that BNCf activated the genetic expression of the immunological response and lipid catabolic process. These results strengthen the use of BNCf as a functional dietary fiber and encourage the potential treatment of neurological disease by modulating diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Muñoz-Juan
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Campus UAB, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Adrien Assié
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research and Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anna Esteve-Codina
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), C/Baldiri Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Gut
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), C/Baldiri Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Benseny-Cases
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Biophysics Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Avinguda de Can Domènech, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Buck S Samuel
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research and Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Development, Disease Models and Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Esther Dalfó
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), 08500 Vic, Spain; Institute for Research and Innovation in Life Sciences and Health in Central Catalonia (IRIS-CC), Can Baumann, 08500, Vic, Spain; Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Anna Laromaine
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Campus UAB, Bellaterra 08193, Spain.
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Namekata K, Tsuji N, Guo X, Nishijima E, Honda S, Kitamura Y, Yamasaki A, Kishida M, Takeyama J, Ishikawa H, Shinozaki Y, Kimura A, Harada C, Harada T. Neuroprotection and axon regeneration by novel low-molecular-weight compounds through the modification of DOCK3 conformation. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:166. [PMID: 37188749 PMCID: PMC10184973 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01460-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Dedicator of cytokinesis 3 (DOCK3) is an atypical member of the guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and plays important roles in neurite outgrowth. DOCK3 forms a complex with Engulfment and cell motility protein 1 (Elmo1) and effectively activates Rac1 and actin dynamics. In this study, we screened 462,169 low-molecular-weight compounds and identified the hit compounds that stimulate the interaction between DOCK3 and Elmo1, and neurite outgrowth in vitro. Some of the derivatives from the hit compound stimulated neuroprotection and axon regeneration in a mouse model of optic nerve injury. Our findings suggest that the low-molecular-weight DOCK3 activators could be a potential therapeutic candidate for treating axonal injury and neurodegenerative diseases including glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiko Namekata
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Tsuji
- R&D Division, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Xiaoli Guo
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Euido Nishijima
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sari Honda
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuta Kitamura
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Jun Takeyama
- Biological Research Department, Daiichi Sankyo RD Novare Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Ishikawa
- Biological Research Department, Daiichi Sankyo RD Novare Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Youichi Shinozaki
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsuko Kimura
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chikako Harada
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Harada
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan.
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Lee RMQ, Koh TW. Genetic modifiers of synucleinopathies-lessons from experimental models. OXFORD OPEN NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 2:kvad001. [PMID: 38596238 PMCID: PMC10913850 DOI: 10.1093/oons/kvad001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a pleiotropic protein underlying a group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Together, these are known as synucleinopathies. Like all neurological diseases, understanding of disease mechanisms is hampered by the lack of access to biopsy tissues, precluding a real-time view of disease progression in the human body. This has driven researchers to devise various experimental models ranging from yeast to flies to human brain organoids, aiming to recapitulate aspects of synucleinopathies. Studies of these models have uncovered numerous genetic modifiers of α-synuclein, most of which are evolutionarily conserved. This review discusses what we have learned about disease mechanisms from these modifiers, and ways in which the study of modifiers have supported ongoing efforts to engineer disease-modifying interventions for synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Min Qi Lee
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Tong-Wey Koh
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Block S3 #05-01, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
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4
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Rac is required for the survival of cortical neurons. Exp Neurol 2023; 361:114316. [PMID: 36586552 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Rac1, a member of small Rho GTPases, is involved in diverse cellular processes in neuronal cells. Rac1 plays especially important roles during development, and its roles have been extensively studied using Rac1-deficient mice. Rac3, a close homolog of Rac1, is ubiquitously expressed in the nervous system and may therefore compensate for Rac1 in Rac1-deficient cells. Exploration of the roles of Rac in neurons may therefore be difficult. We thus deleted both Rac1 and Rac3 in cortical neurons. Rac-deficient cerebral cortices formed slightly hypoplastic but almost normally layered structures at birth, but cortical neurons underwent apoptosis soon after birth. Rac-deficient cortical neurons had poor survivability and there was reduction in the length and the number of neurites in vitro. Activation of Pak1, a downstream effector of Rac, in Rac-deficient cortical neurons rescued the survivability in vitro. Pak1-activated Rac-deficient neurons had numerous dendrites, but no axons. Restoration of p35, a regulator of Cdk5, partly rescued the survivability of Rac-deficient neurons both in vitro and in vivo. Expression of p35 also partly rescued the length and the number of neurites in Rac-deficient neurons in vitro. Rac was shown to be indispensable for the survival of cortical neurons, and Pak1 and Cdk5/p35 work as downstream effectors of Rac to promote neuronal survival.
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5
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Mai Le N, Li J. Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 role in Pathophysiology of Neurological diseases. BRAIN HEMORRHAGES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hest.2022.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Gahankari A, Dong C, Bartoletti G, Galazo M, He F. Deregulated Rac1 Activity in Neural Crest Controls Cell Proliferation, Migration and Differentiation During Midbrain Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:704769. [PMID: 34557485 PMCID: PMC8452869 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.704769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in RAC1 allele are implicated in multiple brain tumors, indicating a rigorous control of Rac1 activity is required for neural tissue normal development and homeostasis. To understand how elevated Rac1 activity affects neural crest cells (NCCs) development, we have generated Rac1 CA ;Wnt1-Cre2 mice, in which a constitutively active Rac1 G12V mutant is expressed specifically in NCCs derivatives. Our results revealed that augmented Rac1 activity leads to enlarged midbrain and altered cell density, accompanied by increased NCCs proliferation rate and misrouted cell migration. Interestingly, our experimental data also showed that elevated Rac1 activity in NCCs disrupts regionalization of dopaminergic neuron progenitors in the ventral midbrain and impairs their differentiation. These findings shed light on the mechanisms of RAC1 mutation correlated brain tumor at the cellular and molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apurva Gahankari
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Chunmin Dong
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Garrett Bartoletti
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Maria Galazo
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States.,Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Fenglei He
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
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Ijomone OM, Gubert P, Okoh COA, Varão AM, Amara LDO, Aluko OM, Aschner M. Application of Fluorescence Microscopy and Behavioral Assays to Demonstrating Neuronal Connectomes and Neurotransmitter Systems in C. elegans. NEUROMETHODS 2021; 172:399-426. [PMID: 34754139 PMCID: PMC8575032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a prevailing model which is commonly utilized in a variety of biomedical research arenas, including neuroscience. Due to its transparency and simplicity, it is becoming a choice model organism for conducting imaging and behavioral assessment crucial to understanding the intricacies of the nervous system. Here, the methods required for neuronal characterization using fluorescent proteins and behavioral tasks are described. These are simplified protocols using fluorescent microscopy and behavioral assays to examine neuronal connections and associated neurotransmitter systems involved in normal physiology and aberrant pathology of the nervous system. Our aim is to make available to readers some streamlined and replicable procedures using C. elegans models as well as highlighting some of the limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omamuyovwi M. Ijomone
- The Neuro- Lab, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Priscila Gubert
- Department of Biochemistry, Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami, LIKA, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Pure and Applied Chemistry, Federal University of Western of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Comfort O. A. Okoh
- The Neuro- Lab, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Alexandre M. Varão
- Postgraduate Program in Pure and Applied Chemistry, Federal University of Western of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Leandro de O. Amara
- Postgraduate Program in Pure and Applied Chemistry, Federal University of Western of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Oritoke M. Aluko
- The Neuro- Lab, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
- Department of Physiology, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Michael Aschner
- Departments of Molecular Pharmacology and Neurosciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA
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Kikuchi M, Sekiya M, Hara N, Miyashita A, Kuwano R, Ikeuchi T, Iijima KM, Nakaya A. Disruption of a RAC1-centred network is associated with Alzheimer's disease pathology and causes age-dependent neurodegeneration. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:817-833. [PMID: 31942999 PMCID: PMC7191305 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular biological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) involve disease-associated crosstalk through many genes and include a loss of normal as well as a gain of abnormal interactions among genes. A protein domain network (PDN) is a collection of physical bindings that occur between protein domains, and the states of the PDNs in patients with AD are likely to be perturbed compared to those in normal healthy individuals. To identify PDN changes that cause neurodegeneration, we analysed the PDNs that occur among genes co-expressed in each of three brain regions at each stage of AD. Our analysis revealed that the PDNs collapsed with the progression of AD stage and identified five hub genes, including Rac1, as key players in PDN collapse. Using publicly available as well as our own gene expression data, we confirmed that the mRNA expression level of the RAC1 gene was downregulated in the entorhinal cortex (EC) of AD brains. To test the causality of these changes in neurodegeneration, we utilized Drosophila as a genetic model and found that modest knockdown of Rac1 in neurons was sufficient to cause age-dependent behavioural deficits and neurodegeneration. Finally, we identified a microRNA, hsa-miR-101-3p, as a potential regulator of RAC1 in AD brains. As the Braak neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) stage progressed, the expression levels of hsa-miR-101-3p were increased specifically in the EC. Furthermore, overexpression of hsa-miR-101-3p in the human neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y caused RAC1 downregulation. These results highlight the utility of our integrated network approach for identifying causal changes leading to neurodegeneration in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masataka Kikuchi
- Department of Genome Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Michiko Sekiya
- Department of Alzheimer's Disease Research, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi 474-8511, Japan.,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Aichi 467-8603, Japan
| | - Norikazu Hara
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Akinori Miyashita
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Ryozo Kuwano
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan.,Asahigawaso Medical-Welfare Center, Asahigawaso Research Institute, Okayama 703-8207, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ikeuchi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Koichi M Iijima
- Department of Alzheimer's Disease Research, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi 474-8511, Japan.,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Aichi 467-8603, Japan
| | - Akihiro Nakaya
- Department of Genome Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Guiler W, Koehler A, Boykin C, Lu Q. Pharmacological Modulators of Small GTPases of Rho Family in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:661612. [PMID: 34054432 PMCID: PMC8149604 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.661612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Classical Rho GTPases, including RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, are members of the Ras small GTPase superfamily and play essential roles in a variety of cellular functions. Rho GTPase signaling can be turned on and off by specific GEFs and GAPs, respectively. These features empower Rho GTPases and their upstream and downstream modulators as targets for scientific research and therapeutic intervention. Specifically, significant therapeutic potential exists for targeting Rho GTPases in neurodegenerative diseases due to their widespread cellular activity and alterations in neural tissues. This study will explore the roles of Rho GTPases in neurodegenerative diseases with focus on the applications of pharmacological modulators in recent discoveries. There have been exciting developments of small molecules, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and natural products and toxins for each classical Rho GTPase category. A brief overview of each category followed by examples in their applications will be provided. The literature on their roles in various diseases [e.g., Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and Multiple sclerosis (MS)] highlights the unique and broad implications targeting Rho GTPases for potential therapeutic intervention. Clearly, there is increasing knowledge of therapeutic promise from the discovery of pharmacological modulators of Rho GTPases for managing and treating these conditions. The progress is also accompanied by the recognition of complex Rho GTPase modulation where targeting its signaling can improve some aspects of pathogenesis while exacerbating others in the same disease model. Future directions should emphasize the importance of elucidating how different Rho GTPases work in concert and how they produce such widespread yet different cellular responses during neurodegenerative disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qun Lu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The Harriet and John Wooten Laboratory for Alzheimer’s and Neurogenerative Diseases Research, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
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Molecular Basis of Neuronal Autophagy in Ageing: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030694. [PMID: 33800981 PMCID: PMC8004021 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved degradation process maintaining cell homeostasis. Induction of autophagy is triggered as a response to a broad range of cellular stress conditions, such as nutrient deprivation, protein aggregation, organelle damage and pathogen invasion. Macroautophagy involves the sequestration of cytoplasmic contents in a double-membrane organelle referred to as the autophagosome with subsequent degradation of its contents upon delivery to lysosomes. Autophagy plays critical roles in development, maintenance and survival of distinct cell populations including neurons. Consequently, age-dependent decline in autophagy predisposes animals for age-related diseases including neurodegeneration and compromises healthspan and longevity. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the role of neuronal autophagy in ageing, focusing on studies in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
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Yeman KB, Isik S. Down regulation of DNA topoisomerase IIβ exerts neurodegeneration like effect through Rho GTPases in cellular model of Parkinson's disease by Down regulating tyrosine hydroxylase. Neurol Res 2021; 43:464-473. [PMID: 33402057 DOI: 10.1080/01616412.2020.1867949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Initiating the transcriptional activation of neuronal genes, DNA topoisomerase IIβ (topo IIβ) has a crucial role in neural differentiation and brain development. Inhibition of topo IIβ activity causes shorter axons and deteriorated neuronal connections common in neurodegenerative diseases. We previously reported that topo IIβ silencing could give rise to neurodegeneration through dysregulation of Rho GTPases and may contribute to pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Although there are several studies available proposing a link between Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Rho GTPases, there have been no reports analyzing the topo IIβ-dependent association of PD and Rho GTPases. Here, for the first time, we identified that topo IIβ has a regulatory role on Rho GTPases contributing to PD-like pathology. We analyzed the association between topo IIβ and PD by comparing topo IIβ expression levels of Retinoic Acid (RA) and Brain-derived neutrophic factor (BDNF) induced and MPP+-intoxicated SH-SY5Y cells used as an in vitro PD model. While both mRNA and protein levels of topo IIβ increase in neural differentiated cells, a significant decrease is detected in the PD model. Additionally, silencing of topo IIβ by specific siRNAs caused phenotypic alterations like deteriorated neural connections and transcriptional regulations such as upregulation of RhoA and downregulation of Cdc42, Rac1, and tyrosine hydroxylase gene expressions. Our results suggest that topo IIβ downregulation may cause neurodegeneration through dysregulation of Rho-GTPases leading to PD-like pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyak Bercem Yeman
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sevim Isik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Uskudar University, Istanbul, Turkey
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The Role of iPSC Modeling Toward Projection of Autophagy Pathway in Disease Pathogenesis: Leader or Follower. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 17:539-561. [PMID: 33245492 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-020-10077-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is responsible for degradation of non-essential or damaged cellular constituents and damaged organelles. The autophagy pathway maintains efficient cellular metabolism and reduces cellular stress by removing additional and pathogenic components. Dysfunctional autophagy underlies several diseases. Thus, several research groups have worked toward elucidating key steps in this pathway. Autophagy can be studied by animal modeling, chemical modulators, and in vitro disease modeling with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) as a loss-of-function platform. The introduction of iPSC technology, which has the capability to maintain the genetic background, has facilitated in vitro modeling of some diseases. Furthermore, iPSC technology can be used as a platform to study defective cellular and molecular pathways during development and unravel novel steps in signaling pathways of health and disease. Different studies have used iPSC technology to explore the role of autophagy in disease pathogenesis which could not have been addressed by animal modeling or chemical inducers/inhibitors. In this review, we discuss iPSC models of autophagy-associated disorders where the disease is caused due to mutations in autophagy-related genes. We classified this group as "primary autophagy induced defects (PAID)". There are iPSC models of diseases in which the primary cause is not dysfunctional autophagy, but autophagy is impaired secondary to disease phenotypes. We call this group "secondary autophagy induced defects (SAID)" and discuss them. Graphical abstract.
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Ploumi C, Sotiriou A, Tavernarakis N. Monitoring autophagic flux in Caenorhabditis elegans using a p62/SQST-1 reporter. Methods Cell Biol 2020; 165:73-87. [PMID: 34311872 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2020.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a well-conserved self-degrading mechanism, which involves the elimination of unnecessary or damaged cellular constituents. Although extensively studied, many aspects regarding its tight regulation and its implication in health and disease remain elusive. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been widely used as a simple multicellular model organism for studying the autophagic machinery per se, and uncover its multidimensional roles in the maintenance of cellular and organismal homeostasis. The current protocol describes the in vivo detection and biochemical analysis of the autophagic substrate SQST-1, as an indicator of autophagic flux in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Ploumi
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Aggeliki Sotiriou
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
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Tauopathy-associated tau modifications selectively impact neurodegeneration and mitophagy in a novel C. elegans single-copy transgenic model. Mol Neurodegener 2020; 15:65. [PMID: 33168053 PMCID: PMC7654055 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-020-00410-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A defining pathological hallmark of the progressive neurodegenerative disorder Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the accumulation of misfolded tau with abnormal post-translational modifications (PTMs). These include phosphorylation at Threonine 231 (T231) and acetylation at Lysine 274 (K274) and at Lysine 281 (K281). Although tau is recognized to play a central role in pathogenesis of AD, the precise mechanisms by which these abnormal PTMs contribute to the neural toxicity of tau is unclear. Methods Human 0N4R tau (wild type) was expressed in touch receptor neurons of the genetic model organism C. elegans through single-copy gene insertion. Defined mutations were then introduced into the single-copy tau transgene through CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. These mutations included T231E, to mimic phosphorylation of a commonly observed pathological epitope, and K274/281Q, to mimic disease-associated lysine acetylation – collectively referred as “PTM-mimetics” – as well as a T231A phosphoablation mutant. Stereotypical touch response assays were used to assess behavioral defects in the transgenic strains as a function of age. Genetically-encoded fluorescent biosensors were expressed in touch neurons and used to measure neuronal morphology, mitochondrial morphology, mitophagy, and macro autophagy. Results Unlike existing tau overexpression models, C. elegans single-copy expression of tau did not elicit overt pathological phenotypes at baseline. However, strains expressing disease associated PTM-mimetics (T231E and K274/281Q) exhibited reduced touch sensation and neuronal morphological abnormalities that increased with age. In addition, the PTM-mimetic mutants lacked the ability to engage neuronal mitophagy in response to mitochondrial stress. Conclusions Limiting the expression of tau results in a genetic model where modifications that mimic pathologic tauopathy-associated PTMs contribute to cryptic, stress-inducible phenotypes that evolve with age. These findings and their relationship to mitochondrial stress provides a new perspective into the pathogenic mechanisms underlying AD. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13024-020-00410-7.
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Caldwell KA, Willicott CW, Caldwell GA. Modeling neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:13/10/dmm046110. [PMID: 33106318 PMCID: PMC7648605 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.046110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The global burden of neurodegenerative diseases underscores the urgent need for innovative strategies to define new drug targets and disease-modifying factors. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has served as the experimental subject for multiple transformative discoveries that have redefined our understanding of biology for ∼60 years. More recently, the considerable attributes of C. elegans have been applied to neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. Transgenic nematodes with genes encoding normal and disease variants of proteins at the single- or multi-copy level under neuronal-specific promoters limits expression to select neuronal subtypes. The anatomical transparency of C. elegans affords the use of co-expressed fluorescent proteins to follow the progression of neurodegeneration as the animals age. Significantly, a completely defined connectome facilitates detailed understanding of the impact of neurodegeneration on organismal health and offers a unique capacity to accurately link cell death with behavioral dysfunction or phenotypic variation in vivo. Moreover, chemical treatments, as well as forward and reverse genetic screening, hasten the identification of modifiers that alter neurodegeneration. When combined, these chemical-genetic analyses establish critical threshold states to enhance or reduce cellular stress for dissecting associated pathways. Furthermore, C. elegans can rapidly reveal whether lifespan or healthspan factor into neurodegenerative processes. Here, we outline the methodologies employed to investigate neurodegeneration in C. elegans and highlight numerous studies that exemplify its utility as a pre-clinical intermediary to expedite and inform mammalian translational research. Summary: While unsurpassed as an experimental system for fundamental biology, Caenorhabditis elegans remains undervalued for its translational potential. Here, we highlight significant outcomes from, and resources available for, C. elegans-based research into neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim A Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA .,Departments of Neurobiology, Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, and Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Corey W Willicott
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Guy A Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.,Departments of Neurobiology, Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, and Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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16
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Small GTPases of the Ras and Rho Families Switch on/off Signaling Pathways in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176312
expr 858053618 + 832508766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) of the Ras superfamily are key regulators of many key cellular events such as proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle regulation, migration, or apoptosis. To control these biological responses, GTPases activity is regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), GTPase activating proteins (GAPs), and in some small GTPases also guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs). Moreover, small GTPases transduce signals by their downstream effector molecules. Many studies demonstrate that small GTPases of the Ras family are involved in neurodegeneration processes. Here, in this review, we focus on the signaling pathways controlled by these small protein superfamilies that culminate in neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Specifically, we concentrate on the two most studied families of the Ras superfamily: the Ras and Rho families. We summarize the latest findings of small GTPases of the Ras and Rho families in neurodegeneration in order to highlight these small proteins as potential therapeutic targets capable of slowing down different neurodegenerative diseases.
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17
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Arrazola Sastre A, Luque Montoro M, Gálvez-Martín P, Lacerda HM, Lucia A, Llavero F, Zugaza JL. Small GTPases of the Ras and Rho Families Switch on/off Signaling Pathways in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6312. [PMID: 32878220 PMCID: PMC7504559 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) of the Ras superfamily are key regulators of many key cellular events such as proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle regulation, migration, or apoptosis. To control these biological responses, GTPases activity is regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), GTPase activating proteins (GAPs), and in some small GTPases also guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs). Moreover, small GTPases transduce signals by their downstream effector molecules. Many studies demonstrate that small GTPases of the Ras family are involved in neurodegeneration processes. Here, in this review, we focus on the signaling pathways controlled by these small protein superfamilies that culminate in neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Specifically, we concentrate on the two most studied families of the Ras superfamily: the Ras and Rho families. We summarize the latest findings of small GTPases of the Ras and Rho families in neurodegeneration in order to highlight these small proteins as potential therapeutic targets capable of slowing down different neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alazne Arrazola Sastre
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (A.A.S.); (M.L.M.)
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology, and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Miriam Luque Montoro
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (A.A.S.); (M.L.M.)
| | - Patricia Gálvez-Martín
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 180041 Granada, Spain;
- R&D Human Health, Bioibérica S.A.U., 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Alejandro Lucia
- Faculty of Sport Science, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain;
- Research Institute of the Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Llavero
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (A.A.S.); (M.L.M.)
- Faculty of Sport Science, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain;
| | - José Luis Zugaza
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (A.A.S.); (M.L.M.)
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology, and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
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18
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Lu W, Lin J, Zheng D, Hong C, Ke L, Wu X, Chen P. Overexpression of MicroRNA-133a Inhibits Apoptosis and Autophagy in a Cell Model of Parkinson's Disease by Downregulating Ras-Related C3 Botulinum Toxin Substrate 1 (RAC1). Med Sci Monit 2020; 26:e922032. [PMID: 32713934 PMCID: PMC7409387 DOI: 10.12659/msm.922032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder. microRNA (miR)-133 expression is reduced in PD patients and in mice with a dopamine neuron deficiency. We aimed to identify the mechanism of miR-133a in apoptosis and autophagy in PD. Material/Methods The optimal concentration of MPP+ (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion) was initially determined to construct a PD cell model. Gain-of function experiments were carried out to evaluate the role of miR-133a in PD. The levels of miR-133a, RAC1 (Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1), apoptosis-related factors, and autophagy-related factors were detected after detection of cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Transmission electron microscopy was applied to observe autophagosomes, and immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect LC3 and further analyze the effect of miR-133a on autophagy in a PD cell model. Results Low miR-133a expression was detected in a cell model of MPP+-induced PD. After overexpressing miR-133a, cell proliferation increased, and apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3 and Bax levels decreased, while Bcl2 levels increased) and autophagy was inhibited (LC3II/I and Beclin-1 levels decreased, while p62 levels increased). MiR-133a targeted RAC1. RACY upregulation attenuated the inhibitory effects of miR-133a on PC12 cell apoptosis and autophagy. Conclusions Our data highlighted that miR-133a overexpression prevented apoptosis and autophagy in a cell model of MPP+-induced PD by inhibiting RAC1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wusheng Lu
- Department of Neurology, The 909th Hospital of (People's Liberation Army) PLA, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China (mainland)
| | - Jinhuang Lin
- Department of Neurology, The 909th Hospital of (People's Liberation Army) PLA, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China (mainland)
| | - Dequan Zheng
- Department of Neurology, The 909th Hospital of (People's Liberation Army) PLA, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China (mainland)
| | - Chunyong Hong
- Department of Neurology, The 909th Hospital of (People's Liberation Army) PLA, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China (mainland)
| | - Laishun Ke
- Department of Neurology, The 909th Hospital of (People's Liberation Army) PLA, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China (mainland)
| | - Xinyu Wu
- Department of Neurology, The 909th Hospital of (People's Liberation Army) PLA, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China (mainland)
| | - Peineng Chen
- Department of Neurology, The 909th Hospital of (People's Liberation Army) PLA, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China (mainland)
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19
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Seranova E, Palhegyi AM, Verma S, Dimova S, Lasry R, Naama M, Sun C, Barrett T, Rosenstock TR, Kumar D, Cohen MA, Buganim Y, Sarkar S. Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders for Studying the Biomedical Implications of Autophagy. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:2754-2798. [PMID: 32044344 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is an intracellular degradation process that is essential for cellular survival, tissue homeostasis, and human health. The housekeeping functions of autophagy in mediating the clearance of aggregation-prone proteins and damaged organelles are vital for post-mitotic neurons. Improper functioning of this process contributes to the pathology of myriad human diseases, including neurodegeneration. Impairment in autophagy has been reported in several neurodegenerative diseases where pharmacological induction of autophagy has therapeutic benefits in cellular and transgenic animal models. However, emerging studies suggest that the efficacy of autophagy inducers, as well as the nature of the autophagy defects, may be context-dependent, and therefore, studies in disease-relevant experimental systems may provide more insights for clinical translation to patients. With the advancements in human stem cell technology, it is now possible to establish disease-affected cellular platforms from patients for investigating disease mechanisms and identifying candidate drugs in the appropriate cell types, such as neurons that are otherwise not accessible. Towards this, patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have demonstrated considerable promise in constituting a platform for effective disease modeling and drug discovery. Multiple studies have utilized hiPSC models of neurodegenerative diseases to study autophagy and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of autophagy inducers in neuronal cells. This review provides an overview of the regulation of autophagy, generation of hiPSCs via cellular reprogramming, and neuronal differentiation. It outlines the findings in various neurodegenerative disorders where autophagy has been studied using hiPSC models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Seranova
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Adina Maria Palhegyi
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Surbhi Verma
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Cellular Immunology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Simona Dimova
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Lasry
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Moriyah Naama
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Congxin Sun
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy Barrett
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Tatiana Rosado Rosenstock
- Department of Physiological Science, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, SP, 01221-020, Brazil
| | - Dhiraj Kumar
- Cellular Immunology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Malkiel A Cohen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Yosef Buganim
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Sovan Sarkar
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
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20
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DRG2 Deficient Mice Exhibit Impaired Motor Behaviors with Reduced Striatal Dopamine Release. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010060. [PMID: 31861806 PMCID: PMC6981536 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmentally regulated GTP-binding protein 2 (DRG2) was first identified in the central nervous system of mice. However, the physiological function of DRG2 in the brain remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that knocking out DRG2 impairs the function of dopamine neurons in mice. DRG2 was strongly expressed in the neurons of the dopaminergic system such as those in the striatum (Str), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and substantia nigra (SN), and on neuronal cell bodies in high-density regions such as the hippocampus (HIP), cerebellum, and cerebral cortex in the mouse brain. DRG2 knockout (KO) mice displayed defects in motor function in motor coordination and rotarod tests and increased anxiety. However, unexpectedly, DRG2 depletion did not affect the dopamine (DA) neuron population in the SN, Str, or VTA region or dopamine synthesis in the Str region. We further demonstrated that dopamine release was significantly diminished in the Str region of DRG2 KO mice and that treatment of DRG2 KO mice with l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), a dopamine precursor, rescued the behavioral motor deficiency in DRG2 KO mice as observed with the rotarod test. This is the first report to identify DRG2 as a key regulator of dopamine release from dopamine neurons in the mouse brain.
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21
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Peña-Díaz S, Pujols J, Conde-Giménez M, Čarija A, Dalfo E, García J, Navarro S, Pinheiro F, Santos J, Salvatella X, Sancho J, Ventura S. ZPD-2, a Small Compound That Inhibits α-Synuclein Amyloid Aggregation and Its Seeded Polymerization. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:306. [PMID: 31920537 PMCID: PMC6928008 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) forms toxic intracellular protein inclusions and transmissible amyloid structures in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Preventing α-Syn self-assembly has become one of the most promising approaches in the search for disease-modifying treatments for this neurodegenerative disorder. Here, we describe the capacity of a small molecule (ZPD-2), identified after a high-throughput screening, to inhibit α-Syn aggregation. ZPD-2 inhibits the aggregation of wild-type α-Syn and the A30P and H50Q familial variants in vitro at substoichiometric compound:protein ratios. In addition, the molecule prevents the spreading of α-Syn seeds in protein misfolding cyclic amplification assays. ZPD-2 is active against different α-Syn strains and blocks their seeded polymerization. Treating with ZPD-2 two different PD Caenorhabditis elegans models that express α-Syn either in muscle or in dopaminergic (DA) neurons substantially reduces the number of α-Syn inclusions and decreases synuclein-induced DA neurons degeneration. Overall, ZPD-2 is a hit compound worth to be explored in order to develop lead molecules for therapeutic intervention in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Pujols
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Conde-Giménez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Anita Čarija
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Dalfo
- Faculty of Medicine, M2, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia, Vic, Spain
| | - Jesús García
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisca Pinheiro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaime Santos
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Salvatella
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institute for Research and Advance Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Sancho
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institute for Research and Advance Studies, Barcelona, Spain
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22
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Palese F, Pontis S, Realini N, Piomelli D. A protective role for N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D in 6-OHDA-induced neurodegeneration. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15927. [PMID: 31685899 PMCID: PMC6828692 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51799-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD) catalyzes the cleavage of membrane NAPEs into bioactive fatty-acid ethanolamides (FAEs). Along with this precursor role, NAPEs might also serve autonomous signaling functions. Here, we report that injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the mouse striatum cause a local increase in NAPE and FAE levels, which precedes neuronal cell death. NAPE, but not FAE, accumulation is enhanced in mice lacking NAPE-PLD, which display a substantial reduction in 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity, as shown by increased survival of substantia nigra dopamine neurons, integrity of striatal dopaminergic fibers, and striatal dopamine metabolite content. Reduced damage is accompanied by attenuation of the motor response evoked by apomorphine. Furthermore, NAPE-PLD silencing protects cathecolamine-producing SH-SY5Y cells from 6-OHDA-induced reactive oxygen species formation, caspase-3 activation and death. Mechanistic studies in mice suggest the existence of multiple molecular contributors to the neuroprotective effects of NAPE-PLD deletion, including suppression of Rac1 activity and attenuated transcription of several genes (Cadps, Casp9, Egln1, Kcnj6, Spen, and Uchl1) implicated in dopamine neuron survival and/or Parkinson's disease. The findings point to a previously unrecognized role for NAPE-PLD in the regulation of dopamine neuron function, which may be linked to the control of NAPE homeostasis in membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Palese
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-4625, USA
| | - Silvia Pontis
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Natalia Realini
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-4625, USA.
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23
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Zhou H, Shao M, Guo B, Li C, Lu Y, Yang X, ShengnanLi, Li H, Zhu Q, Zhong H, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Lu J, Lee SMY. Tetramethylpyrazine Analogue T-006 Promotes the Clearance of Alpha-synuclein by Enhancing Proteasome Activity in Parkinson's Disease Models. Neurotherapeutics 2019; 16:1225-1236. [PMID: 31313223 PMCID: PMC6985330 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00759-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide and is characterized in part by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). The main pathological hallmark of PD is the intraneuronal accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates. Mutations in the SNCA gene (encoding α-syn) and variations in its copy number are associated with some forms of familial PD. In the present study, T-006, a new tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) derivative with recently reported anti-Alzheimer activity, is shown to significantly promote α-syn degradation in a cellular PD model. Moreover, we illustrate that T-006 inhibits the accumulation of both Triton-soluble and -insoluble forms of α-syn and protects against α-syn-induced neurotoxicity in A53T-α-syn transgenic mice. The mechanism of action of T-006 was verified by evaluation of a potential protein degradation pathway. We found that T-006 promotes α-syn degradation in a proteasome-dependent and autophagy-independent manner. We further confirmed that T-006 enhances proteasome activity by upregulating 20S proteasome subunit β5i (LMP7) protein expression. A functional study revealed that T-006 activates the PKA/Akt/mTOR/p70S6K pathway to trigger LMP7 expression and enhance chymotrypsin-like proteasomal activity. These findings indicate that T-006 is a potent proteasome activator and a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of PD and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hefeng Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Min Shao
- Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Baojian Guo
- Institute of New Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chuwen Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yucong Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xuanjun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
- Department of Biology, South University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - ShengnanLi
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Haitao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Qi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Hanbing Zhong
- Department of Biology, South University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuqiang Wang
- Institute of New Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zaijun Zhang
- Institute of New Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
| | - Simon Ming-Yuen Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
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24
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Found in Translation: The Utility of C. elegans Alpha-Synuclein Models of Parkinson's Disease. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9040073. [PMID: 30925741 PMCID: PMC6523935 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9040073] [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] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, yet the fundamental and underlying causes of the disease are largely unknown, and treatments remain sparse and impotent. Several biological systems have been employed to model the disease but the nematode roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) shows unique promise among these to disinter the elusive factors that may prevent, halt, and/or reverse PD phenotypes. Some of the most salient of these C. elegans models of PD are those that position the misfolding-prone protein alpha-synuclein (α-syn), a hallmark pathological component of PD, as the primary target for scientific interrogation. By transgenic expression of human α-syn in different tissues, including dopamine neurons and muscle cells, the primary cellular phenotypes of PD in humans have been recapitulated in these C. elegans models and have already uncovered multifarious genetic factors and chemical compounds that attenuate dopaminergic neurodegeneration. This review describes the paramount discoveries obtained through the application of different α-syn models of PD in C. elegans and highlights their established utility and respective promise to successfully uncover new conserved genetic modifiers, functional mechanisms, therapeutic targets and molecular leads for PD with the potential to translate to humans.
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25
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Guerrero-Gómez D, Mora-Lorca JA, Sáenz-Narciso B, Naranjo-Galindo FJ, Muñoz-Lobato F, Parrado-Fernández C, Goikolea J, Cedazo-Minguez Á, Link CD, Neri C, Sequedo MD, Vázquez-Manrique RP, Fernández-Suárez E, Goder V, Pané R, Cabiscol E, Askjaer P, Cabello J, Miranda-Vizuete A. Loss of glutathione redox homeostasis impairs proteostasis by inhibiting autophagy-dependent protein degradation. Cell Death Differ 2019; 26:1545-1565. [PMID: 30770874 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-018-0270-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In the presence of aggregation-prone proteins, the cytosol and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) undergo a dramatic shift in their respective redox status, with the cytosol becoming more oxidized and the ER more reducing. However, whether and how changes in the cellular redox status may affect protein aggregation is unknown. Here, we show that C. elegans loss-of-function mutants for the glutathione reductase gsr-1 gene enhance the deleterious phenotypes of heterologous human, as well as endogenous worm aggregation-prone proteins. These effects are phenocopied by the GSH-depleting agent diethyl maleate. Additionally, gsr-1 mutants abolish the nuclear translocation of HLH-30/TFEB transcription factor, a key inducer of autophagy, and strongly impair the degradation of the autophagy substrate p62/SQST-1::GFP, revealing glutathione reductase may have a role in the clearance of protein aggregates by autophagy. Blocking autophagy in gsr-1 worms expressing aggregation-prone proteins results in strong synthetic developmental phenotypes and lethality, supporting the physiological importance of glutathione reductase in the regulation of misfolded protein clearance. Furthermore, impairing redox homeostasis in both yeast and mammalian cells induces toxicity phenotypes associated with protein aggregation. Together, our data reveal that glutathione redox homeostasis may be central to proteostasis maintenance through autophagy regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Guerrero-Gómez
- Redox Homeostasis Group, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - José Antonio Mora-Lorca
- Redox Homeostasis Group, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013, Sevilla, Spain.,Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Francisco José Naranjo-Galindo
- Redox Homeostasis Group, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Fernando Muñoz-Lobato
- Redox Homeostasis Group, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Cristina Parrado-Fernández
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Stockholm, SE-14186, Sweden
| | - Julen Goikolea
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Stockholm, SE-14186, Sweden
| | - Ángel Cedazo-Minguez
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Stockholm, SE-14186, Sweden
| | - Christopher D Link
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Christian Neri
- Sorbonnes Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Research Unit Biology of Adaptation and Aging (B2A), Team Compensation in Neurodegenerative and Aging (Brain-C), F-75252, Paris, France
| | - María Dolores Sequedo
- Research Group in Molecular, Cellular and Genomic Biomedicine, Health Research Institute-La Fe, 46026, Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Rafael P Vázquez-Manrique
- Research Group in Molecular, Cellular and Genomic Biomedicine, Health Research Institute-La Fe, 46026, Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Elena Fernández-Suárez
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Veit Goder
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Roser Pané
- Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, IRB Lleida, Universitat de Lleida, Av. Rovira Roure, 80, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Elisa Cabiscol
- Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, IRB Lleida, Universitat de Lleida, Av. Rovira Roure, 80, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Peter Askjaer
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC/JA/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Juan Cabello
- CIBIR (Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja), 26006, Logroño, Spain.
| | - Antonio Miranda-Vizuete
- Redox Homeostasis Group, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013, Sevilla, Spain.
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26
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Small molecule inhibits α-synuclein aggregation, disrupts amyloid fibrils, and prevents degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018. [PMID: 30249646 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804198115/video-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, a process that current therapeutic approaches cannot prevent. In PD, the typical pathological hallmark is the accumulation of intracellular protein inclusions, known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are mainly composed of α-synuclein. Here, we exploited a high-throughput screening methodology to identify a small molecule (SynuClean-D) able to inhibit α-synuclein aggregation. SynuClean-D significantly reduces the in vitro aggregation of wild-type α-synuclein and the familiar A30P and H50Q variants in a substoichiometric molar ratio. This compound prevents fibril propagation in protein-misfolding cyclic amplification assays and decreases the number of α-synuclein inclusions in human neuroglioma cells. Computational analysis suggests that SynuClean-D can bind to cavities in mature α-synuclein fibrils and, indeed, it displays a strong fibril disaggregation activity. The treatment with SynuClean-D of two PD Caenorhabditis elegans models, expressing α-synuclein either in muscle or in dopaminergic neurons, significantly reduces the toxicity exerted by α-synuclein. SynuClean-D-treated worms show decreased α-synuclein aggregation in muscle and a concomitant motility recovery. More importantly, this compound is able to rescue dopaminergic neurons from α-synuclein-induced degeneration. Overall, SynuClean-D appears to be a promising molecule for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease.
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27
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Small molecule inhibits α-synuclein aggregation, disrupts amyloid fibrils, and prevents degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:10481-10486. [PMID: 30249646 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804198115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, a process that current therapeutic approaches cannot prevent. In PD, the typical pathological hallmark is the accumulation of intracellular protein inclusions, known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are mainly composed of α-synuclein. Here, we exploited a high-throughput screening methodology to identify a small molecule (SynuClean-D) able to inhibit α-synuclein aggregation. SynuClean-D significantly reduces the in vitro aggregation of wild-type α-synuclein and the familiar A30P and H50Q variants in a substoichiometric molar ratio. This compound prevents fibril propagation in protein-misfolding cyclic amplification assays and decreases the number of α-synuclein inclusions in human neuroglioma cells. Computational analysis suggests that SynuClean-D can bind to cavities in mature α-synuclein fibrils and, indeed, it displays a strong fibril disaggregation activity. The treatment with SynuClean-D of two PD Caenorhabditis elegans models, expressing α-synuclein either in muscle or in dopaminergic neurons, significantly reduces the toxicity exerted by α-synuclein. SynuClean-D-treated worms show decreased α-synuclein aggregation in muscle and a concomitant motility recovery. More importantly, this compound is able to rescue dopaminergic neurons from α-synuclein-induced degeneration. Overall, SynuClean-D appears to be a promising molecule for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease.
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28
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Derf A, Mudududdla R, Akintade D, Williams IS, Abdullaha M, Chaudhuri B, Bharate SB. Nonantioxidant Tetramethoxystilbene Abrogates α-Synuclein-Induced Yeast Cell Death but Not That Triggered by the Bax or βA4 Peptide. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:9513-9532. [PMID: 31459084 PMCID: PMC6645319 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The overexpression of α-synuclein (α-syn) and its aggregation is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease. The α-syn aggregation results in the formation of Lewy bodies that causes neuronal cell death. Therefore, the small molecules that can protect neuronal cells from α-syn toxicity or inhibit the aggregation of α-syn could emerge as anti-Parkinson agents. Herein, a library of methoxy-stilbenes was screened for their ability to restore the cell growth from α-syn toxicity, using a yeast strain that stably expresses two copies of a chromosomally integrated human α-syn gene. Tetramethoxy-stilbene 4s, a nonantioxidant, was the most capable of restoring cell growth. It also rescues the more toxic cells that bear three copies of wild-type or A53T-mutant α-syn, from cell growth block. Its EC50 values for growth restoration of the 2-copy wild-type and the 3-copy mutant α-syn strains are 0.95 and 0.35 μM, respectively. Stilbene 4s mitigates mitochondrial membrane potential loss, negates ROS production, and prevents nuclear DNA-fragmentation, all hallmarks of apoptosis. However, 4s does not rescue cells from the death-inducing effects of Bax and βA4, which suggest that 4s specifically inhibits α-syn-mediated toxicity in the yeast. Our results signify that simultaneous use of multiple yeast-cell-based screens can facilitate revelation of compounds that may have the potential for further investigation as anti-Parkinson's agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Derf
- Leicester
School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 7RH, U.K.
- CYP
Design Ltd, Innovation Centre, 49 Oxford Street, Leicester LE1 5XY, U.K.
| | - Ramesh Mudududdla
- Medicinal
Chemistry Division, Indian Institute of
Integrative Medicine (CSIR), Canal Road, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Damilare Akintade
- Leicester
School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 7RH, U.K.
| | - Ibidapo S. Williams
- Leicester
School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 7RH, U.K.
| | - Mohd Abdullaha
- Medicinal
Chemistry Division, Indian Institute of
Integrative Medicine (CSIR), Canal Road, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Bhabatosh Chaudhuri
- Leicester
School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 7RH, U.K.
- CYP
Design Ltd, Innovation Centre, 49 Oxford Street, Leicester LE1 5XY, U.K.
| | - Sandip B. Bharate
- Medicinal
Chemistry Division, Indian Institute of
Integrative Medicine (CSIR), Canal Road, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu 180001, India
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29
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Obergasteiger J, Frapporti G, Pramstaller PP, Hicks AA, Volta M. A new hypothesis for Parkinson's disease pathogenesis: GTPase-p38 MAPK signaling and autophagy as convergence points of etiology and genomics. Mol Neurodegener 2018; 13:40. [PMID: 30071902 PMCID: PMC6090926 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-018-0273-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The combination of genetics and genomics in Parkinson´s disease has recently begun to unveil molecular mechanisms possibly underlying disease onset and progression. In particular, catabolic processes such as autophagy have been increasingly gaining relevance as post-mortem evidence and experimental models suggested a participation in neurodegeneration and alpha-synuclein Lewy body pathology. In addition, familial Parkinson´s disease linked to LRRK2 and alpha-synuclein provided stronger correlation between etiology and alterations in autophagy. More detailed cellular pathways are proposed and genetic risk factors that associate with idiopathic Parkinson´s disease provide further clues in dissecting contributions of single players. Nevertheless, the fine-tuning of these processes remains elusive, as the initial stages of the pathways are not yet clarified.In this review, we collect literature evidence pointing to autophagy as the common, downstream target of Parkinsonian dysfunctions and augment current knowledge on the factors that direct the subsequent steps. Cell and molecular biology evidence indicate that p38 signaling underlies neurodegeneration and autoptic observations suggest a participation in neuropathology. Moreover, alpha-synuclein and LRRK2 also appear involved in the p38 pathway with additional roles in the regulation of GTPase signaling. Small GTPases are critical modulators of p38 activation and thus, their functional interaction with aSyn and LRRK2 could explain much of the detailed mechanics of autophagy in Parkinson´s disease.We propose a novel hypothesis for a more comprehensive working model where autophagy is controlled by upstream pathways, such as GTPase-p38, that have been so far underexplored in this context. In addition, etiological factors (LRRK2, alpha-synuclein) and risk loci might also combine in this common mechanism, providing a powerful experimental setting to dissect the cause of both familial and idiopathic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Obergasteiger
- Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research – Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck, Via Galvani 31, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
| | - Giulia Frapporti
- Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research – Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck, Via Galvani 31, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
| | - Peter P. Pramstaller
- Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research – Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck, Via Galvani 31, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
- Department of Neurology, General Central Hospital, Via Böhler 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Andrew A. Hicks
- Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research – Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck, Via Galvani 31, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
| | - Mattia Volta
- Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research – Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck, Via Galvani 31, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
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