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Leiter O, Walker TL. Platelets in Neurodegenerative Conditions-Friend or Foe? Front Immunol 2020; 11:747. [PMID: 32431701 PMCID: PMC7214916 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is now apparent that platelet function is more diverse than originally thought, shifting the view of platelets from blood cells involved in hemostasis and wound healing to major contributors to numerous regulatory processes across different tissues. Given their intriguing ability to store, produce and release distinct subsets of bioactive molecules, including intercellular signaling molecules and neurotransmitters, platelets may play an important role in orchestrating healthy brain function. Conversely, a number of neurodegenerative conditions have recently been associated with platelet dysfunction, further highlighting the tissue-independent role of these cells. In this review we summarize the requirements for platelet-neural cell communication with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases, and discuss the therapeutic potential of healthy platelets and the proteins which they release to counteract these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odette Leiter
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Tara L Walker
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Silajdžić E, Björkqvist M. A Critical Evaluation of Wet Biomarkers for Huntington's Disease: Current Status and Ways Forward. J Huntingtons Dis 2019; 7:109-135. [PMID: 29614689 PMCID: PMC6004896 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-170273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
There is an unmet clinical need for objective biomarkers to monitor disease progression and treatment response in Huntington's disease (HD). The aim of this review is, therefore, to provide practical advice for biomarker discovery and to summarise studies on biofluid markers for HD. A PubMed search was performed to review literature with regard to candidate saliva, urine, blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for HD. Information has been organised into tables to allow a pragmatic approach to the discussion of the evidence and generation of practical recommendations for future studies. Many of the markers published converge on metabolic and inflammatory pathways, although changes in other analytes representing antioxidant and growth factor pathways have also been found. The most promising markers reflect neuronal and glial degeneration, particularly neurofilament light chain. International collaboration to standardise assays and study protocols, as well as to recruit sufficiently large cohorts, will facilitate future biomarker discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edina Silajdžić
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Maria Björkqvist
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Brain Disease Biomarker Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Denis HL, Lamontagne-Proulx J, St-Amour I, Mason SL, Rowley JW, Cloutier N, Tremblay MÈ, Vincent AT, Gould PV, Chouinard S, Weyrich AS, Rondina MT, Barker RA, Boilard E, Cicchetti F. Platelet abnormalities in Huntington's disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2019; 90:272-283. [PMID: 30567722 PMCID: PMC6518476 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2018-318854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary disorder that typically manifests in adulthood with a combination of motor, cognitive and psychiatric problems. The pathology is caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene which results in the production of an abnormal protein, mutant huntingtin (mHtt). This protein is ubiquitously expressed and known to confer toxicity to multiple cell types. We have recently reported that HD brains are also characterised by vascular abnormalities, which include changes in blood vessel density/diameter as well as increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage. OBJECTIVES Seeking to elucidate the origin of these vascular and BBB abnormalities, we studied platelets that are known to play a role in maintaining the integrity of the vasculature and thrombotic pathways linked to this, given they surprisingly contain the highest concentration of mHtt of all blood cells. METHODS We assessed the functional status of platelets by performing ELISA, western blot and RNA sequencing in a cohort of 71 patients and 68 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. We further performed haemostasis and platelet depletion tests in the R6/2 HD mouse model. RESULTS Our findings indicate that the platelets in HD are dysfunctional with respect to the release of angiogenic factors and functions including thrombosis, angiogenesis and vascular haemostasis. CONCLUSION Taken together, our results provide a better understanding for the impact of mHtt on platelet function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Jérôme Lamontagne-Proulx
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Isabelle St-Amour
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Sarah L Mason
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jesse W Rowley
- The Molecular Medicine Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah The George E. Wahlen VAMC GRECC, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Nathalie Cloutier
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de microbiologie et immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Antony T Vincent
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Peter V Gould
- Département d'Anatomopathologie et de Cytologie, Centre Hospitalier Affilié Universitaire de Québec, Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvain Chouinard
- Department of Movement Disorders, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montréal-Hôtel Dieu, CHUM, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Andrew S Weyrich
- The Molecular Medicine Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah The George E. Wahlen VAMC GRECC, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Matthew T Rondina
- The Molecular Medicine Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah The George E. Wahlen VAMC GRECC, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Roger A Barker
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Boilard
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada .,Département de microbiologie et immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada .,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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4
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Denis HL, Lamontagne-Proulx J, St-Amour I, Mason SL, Weiss A, Chouinard S, Barker RA, Boilard E, Cicchetti F. Platelet-derived extracellular vesicles in Huntington's disease. J Neurol 2018; 265:2704-2712. [PMID: 30209650 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-018-9022-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The production and release of extracellular vesicles (EV) is a property shared by all eukaryotic cells and a phenomenon frequently exacerbated in pathological conditions. The protein cargo of EV, their cell type signature and availability in bodily fluids make them particularly appealing as biomarkers. We recently demonstrated that platelets, among all types of blood cells, contain the highest concentrations of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHtt)-the genetic product of Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder which manifests in adulthood with a complex combination of motor, cognitive and psychiatric deficits. Herein, we used a cohort of 59 HD patients at all stages of the disease, including individuals in pre-manifest stages, and 54 healthy age- and sex-matched controls, to evaluate the potential of EV derived from platelets as a biomarker. We found that platelets of pre-manifest and manifest HD patients do not release more EV even if they are activated. Importantly, mHtt was not found within EV derived from platelets, despite them containing high levels of this protein. Correlation analyses also failed to reveal an association between the number of platelet-derived EV and the age of the patients, the number of CAG repeats, the Unified Huntington Disease Rating Scale total motor score, the Total Functional Capacity score or the Burden of Disease score. Our data would, therefore, suggest that EV derived from platelets with HD is not a valuable biomarker in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Sarah L Mason
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Sylvain Chouinard
- Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal et Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Département de médecine, Hôpital Notre-Dame, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Roger A Barker
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eric Boilard
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada. .,Département de microbiologie-infectiologie et d'immunologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada. .,Département de psychiatrie et neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
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Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative condition where new markers of disease progression are needed. So far no disease-modifying interventions have been found, and few interventions have been proven to alleviate symptoms. This may be partially explained by the lack of reliable indicators of disease severity, progression, and phenotype.Biofluid biomarkers may bring advantages in addition to clinical measures, such as reliability, reproducibility, price, accuracy, and direct quantification of pathobiological processes at the molecular level; and in addition to empowering clinical trials, they have the potential to generate useful hypotheses for new drug development.In this chapter we review biofluid biomarker reports in HD, emphasizing those we feel are likely to be closest to clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe B Rodrigues
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lauren M Byrne
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Edward J Wild
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
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6
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Behari M, Shrivastava M. Role of platelets in neurodegenerative diseases: a universal pathophysiology. Int J Neurosci 2013; 123:287-99. [PMID: 23301959 DOI: 10.3109/00207454.2012.751534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Platelets play an important role in a variety of disorders, namely, cardiovascular, psychosomatic, psychiatric, thrombosis, HIV/AIDS in addition to various neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Recent evidence indicates that platelet react to diverse stressors, thereby offering an interesting vantage point for understanding their potential role in contemporary medical research. This review addresses the possible role of platelets as a systemic probe in various NDDs, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, etc. The current review based on published literature, describes a probable link between platelets and pathophysiology of various NDDs. It also discusses how platelets epitomize ultrastructural, morphological, biochemical and molecular changes, highlighting their emerging role as systemic tools in different NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhuri Behari
- Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.
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Abstract
Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant, progressive neurodegenerative disorder, for which there is no disease-modifying treatment. By use of predictive genetic testing, it is possible to identify individuals who carry the gene defect before the onset of symptoms, providing a window of opportunity for intervention aimed at preventing or delaying disease onset. However, without robust and practical measures of disease progression (ie, biomarkers), the efficacy of therapeutic interventions in this premanifest Huntington's disease population cannot be readily assessed. Current progress in the development of biomarkers might enable evaluation of disease progression in individuals at the premanifest stage of the disease; these biomarkers could be useful in defining endpoints in clinical trials in this population. Clinical, cognitive, neuroimaging, and biochemical biomarkers are being investigated for their potential in clinical use and their value in the development of future treatments for patients with Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Weir
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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8
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Pozdeev VK, Pozdeev NV. [Determination of total aminothiols and neuroactive amino acids in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection]. BIOMEDIT︠S︡INSKAI︠A︡ KHIMII︠A︡ 2011; 56:726-38. [PMID: 21395075 DOI: 10.18097/pbmc20105606726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes a simple and sensitive reversed-phase HPLC method for the determination of total homocysteine, total cysteine, total glutathione (GSH+GSSG), and neuroactive amino acids (Asp, Glu, Tau, GABA) using precolumn derivatization with ortho-phtaldialdehyde and fluorimetric detection at 360 and 470 nm for emission and excitation, respectively. Derivatization was performed with ortho-phthaldialdehyde in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol after alkylation of the free sulfhydryl groups with iodoacetic acid. For determination of total aminothiols, the disulfide bonds were reduced and protein-bound thiols were released by addition of dithiothreitol to the plasma sample. The advantage of this method is the simultaneous determination of both homocysteine/cysteine/glutathione and neuroactive amino acids in the sample. The plasma levels of studied compounds were determined in 14 healthy volunteers (20-45 years old) and 55 patients with chronic hepatitis C (20-49 years old) and the resulting numbers were in a good agreement the studies published earlier. The calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 5-100 microM in plasma (r2 = 0.985-0.996). The intraday and interday coefficients of variation were 3-6% and 4-7%, respectively. The recovery of the standards added to the plasma samples ranged from 94 to 102%. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.2-0.5 ng per 10 microl injection volume (signal-to-noise ratio of 3).
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Pozdeev VK, Pozdeyev NV. Determination of total aminothiols and neuroactive amino acids in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. BIOCHEMISTRY MOSCOW-SUPPLEMENT SERIES B-BIOMEDICAL CHEMISTRY 2010. [DOI: 10.1134/s199075081003011x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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10
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Maglione V, Giallonardo P, Cannella M, Martino T, Frati L, Squitieri F. Adenosine A2A receptor dysfunction correlates with age at onset anticipation in blood platelets of subjects with Huntington's disease. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2005; 139B:101-5. [PMID: 16184606 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) may manifest at an earlier age in affected offspring than in transmitting parents. Earlier onset in successive generations (anticipation) only partially depends on intergenerational parent-child elongation of the CAG expanded mutation. An aberrant amplification of adenosine A(2A) receptor signaling documented in peripheral blood cells of subjects with HD implies that this cellular dysfunction may be related to clinical and genetic features. Prompted by evidence of higher receptor densities in siblings of HD subjects with stronger onset anticipation, in this study we investigated a possible relationship between A(2A) receptor densities and age at onset. We measured adenosine A(2A) receptor densities in blood cell platelets from 32 patients with HD and healthy control siblings, and sought a possible linear correlation between maximum platelet A(2A) receptor binding (B(max)) values for the whole cohort of HD subjects and anticipation in years. The increased B(max) values for the 32 subjects with HD (220 in patients vs. 137 in healthy control subjects, P = 0.0001) correlated significantly with anticipation in years (r2, 0.48, P = 0.0001 by linear correlation analysis). An increased platelet A(2A) receptor B(max) may belong in a cascade of toxic events leading to earlier onset of HD: as such it could be a useful marker of onset anticipation.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Maglione
- Neurogenetics Unit, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
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Maglione V, Cannella M, Martino T, De Blasi A, Frati L, Squitieri F. The platelet maximum number of A2A-receptor binding sites (Bmax) linearly correlates with age at onset and CAG repeat expansion in Huntington's disease patients with predominant chorea. Neurosci Lett 2005; 393:27-30. [PMID: 16221531 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2005.09.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2005] [Revised: 08/24/2005] [Accepted: 09/14/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an expanded CAG mutation and may show a heterogeneous clinical presentation. To date, although the age at onset mostly depends on the expanded CAG repeat number, no validated easy-to-test biomarkers exist either for following up patients progression rate or for exactly predicting age at onset (defined as the time when motor clinical manifestations first became noticeable). We tested the function of A(2A) receptor, strongly expressed in the brain striatum and peripheral cells, in patients' blood platelets and confirmed a maximum number of binding sites (B(max)) higher than in controls (216 +/- 9 versus 137 +/- 7; p=0.0001). We found a linear correlation between the receptor B(max) and the expanded CAG repeat number (n=52, r(2)=0.19, p=0.0011). When we selected the patients according to their clinical presentation (according to the predominating motor manifestations) and plotted the receptor B(max) against patients' age at onset, we found a significant linear correlation only when considering those subjects with chorea predominant on all other motor symptoms (n=26, r(2)=0.39, p=0.0007). Because the typical chorea may depend on early dysfunction of the striatum in HD, peripheral A(2A) amplification in blood platelets might reflect a central dysfunction in this part of the brain. Further studies on a larger sample size should confirm whether the analysis of A(2A)-receptor binding in patients' blood could be a useful clinical marker according to the patients' phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittorio Maglione
- Neurogenetics Unit, IRCCS INM Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli, IS, Italy
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Baslow MH, Resnik TR. Canavan disease. Analysis of the nature of the metabolic lesions responsible for development of the observed clinical symptoms. J Mol Neurosci 1997; 9:109-25. [PMID: 9407392 DOI: 10.1007/bf02736855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Canavan disease (CD), a rare recessive autosomal genetic disorder, is characterized by early onset and a progressive spongy degeneration of the brain involving loss of the axon's myelin sheath. After a relatively normal birth, homozygous individuals generally develop clinical symptoms within months, and usually die within several years of the onset of the disease. A biochemical defect associated with this disease results in reduced activity of the enzyme N-acetyl-L-aspartate amidohydrolase (aspartoacylase) and affected individuals have less ability to hydrolyze N-acetyl-L-asparate (NAA) in brain and other tissues. As a result of aspartoacylase deficiency, NAA builds up in extracellular fluids (ECF) and is excreted in urine. From an analysis of the NAA biochemical cycle in various tissues of many vertebrate species, evidence is presented that there may be two distinct NAA circulation patterns related to aspartoacylase activity. These include near-field circulations in the brain and the eye, and a far-field systemic circulation involving the liver and kidney, the purpose of which in each case is apparently to regenerate aspartate (Asp) in order for it to be recycled into NAA as part of the still unknown function of the NAA cycle. Based on the authors' analysis, they have also identified several metabolic outcomes of the genetic biochemical aspartoacylase lesion. First, there is a daily induced Asp deficit in the central nervous system (CNS) that is at least six times the static level of available free Asp. Second, there is up to a 50-fold drop in the intercompartmental NAA gradient, and third, the ability of the brain to perform its normal intercompartmental cycling of NAA to Asp is terminated, and as a result, the only remaining long-term source of Asp for NAA synthesis is via nutritional supplementation of Asp or its metabolic precursors. Finally, the authors identify a potential maternal-fetal interaction that may be responsible for observed normal fetal development in utero, and that provides a rationale for, and suggests how, CD might respond to far-field nutritional, transplantation, or genetic engineering techniques to alter the course of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Baslow
- Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Center for Neurochemistry, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
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Reilmann R, Rolf LH, Lange HW. Huntington's disease: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor coagonist glycine is increased in platelets. Exp Neurol 1997; 144:416-9. [PMID: 9168841 DOI: 10.1006/exnr.1997.6428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Experiments in vertebrates and striatal tissue cultures have provided evidence for a neuroexcitotoxic cause for the neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD), via N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Glycine in vitro increases the response of NMDA receptors to its agonists via the NMDA receptor-associated glycine receptor, and the same effect has been observed in vivo. Significantly increased levels of glycine have previously been found in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with HD. In this present study glycine was measured in platelets and plasma of patients with HD and in controls by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Mean glycine concentration was significantly increased (P < or = 0.01) in platelets in HD compared to controls, though plasma glycine was normal. A possible role for glycine in the pathogenesis of HD, based on the excitotoxicity hypothesis of HD, is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Reilmann
- Department of Neurology, University of Münster Medical School, Germany
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