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Mishra PS, Phaneuf D, Boutej H, Picher-Martel V, Dupre N, Kriz J, Julien JP. Inhibition of NF-κB with an Analog of Withaferin-A Restores TDP-43 Homeostasis and Proteome Profiles in a Model of Sporadic ALS. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1017. [PMID: 38790979 PMCID: PMC11118033 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12051017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The current knowledge on pathogenic mechanisms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has widely been derived from studies with cell and animal models bearing ALS-linked genetic mutations. However, it remains unclear to what extent these disease models are of relevance to sporadic ALS. Few years ago, we reported that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from sporadic ALS patients contains toxic factors for disease transmission in mice via chronic intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion. Thus a 14-day i.c.v. infusion of pooled CSF samples from ALS cases in mice provoked motor impairment as well as ALS-like pathological features. This offers a unique paradigm to test therapeutics in the context of sporadic ALS disease. Here, we tested a new Withaferin-A analog (IMS-088) inhibitor of NF-κB that was found recently to mitigate disease phenotypes in mouse models of familial disease expressing TDP-43 mutant. Our results show that oral intake of IMS-088 ameliorated motor performance of mice infused with ALS-CSF and it alleviated pathological changes including TDP-43 proteinopathy, neurofilament disorganization, and neuroinflammation. Moreover, CSF infusion experiments were carried out with transgenic mice having neuronal expression of tagged ribosomal protein (hNfL-RFP mice), which allowed immunoprecipitation of neuronal ribosomes for analysis by mass spectrometry of the translational peptide signatures. The results indicate that treatment with IMS-088 prevented many proteomic alterations associated with exposure to ALS-CSF involving pathways related to cytoskeletal changes, inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, mitochondria, UPS, and autophagy dysfunction. The effective disease-modifying effects of this drug in a mouse model based on i.c.v. infusion of ALS-CSF suggest that the NF-κB signaling pathway represents a compelling therapeutic target for sporadic ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Shree Mishra
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada; (P.S.M.); (D.P.); (H.B.); (J.K.)
| | - Daniel Phaneuf
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada; (P.S.M.); (D.P.); (H.B.); (J.K.)
| | - Hejer Boutej
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada; (P.S.M.); (D.P.); (H.B.); (J.K.)
| | - Vincent Picher-Martel
- Division of Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (V.P.-M.); (N.D.)
| | - Nicolas Dupre
- Division of Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (V.P.-M.); (N.D.)
| | - Jasna Kriz
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada; (P.S.M.); (D.P.); (H.B.); (J.K.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Julien
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada; (P.S.M.); (D.P.); (H.B.); (J.K.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
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López-Erauskin J, Bravo-Hernandez M, Presa M, Baughn MW, Melamed Z, Beccari MS, Agra de Almeida Quadros AR, Arnold-Garcia O, Zuberi A, Ling K, Platoshyn O, Niño-Jara E, Ndayambaje IS, McAlonis-Downes M, Cabrera L, Artates JW, Ryan J, Hermann A, Ravits J, Bennett CF, Jafar-Nejad P, Rigo F, Marsala M, Lutz CM, Cleveland DW, Lagier-Tourenne C. Stathmin-2 loss leads to neurofilament-dependent axonal collapse driving motor and sensory denervation. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:34-47. [PMID: 37996528 PMCID: PMC10842032 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01496-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The mRNA transcript of the human STMN2 gene, encoding for stathmin-2 protein (also called SCG10), is profoundly impacted by TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) loss of function. The latter is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Using a combination of approaches, including transient antisense oligonucleotide-mediated suppression, sustained shRNA-induced depletion in aging mice, and germline deletion, we show that stathmin-2 has an important role in the establishment and maintenance of neurofilament-dependent axoplasmic organization that is critical for preserving the caliber and conduction velocity of myelinated large-diameter axons. Persistent stathmin-2 loss in adult mice results in pathologies found in ALS, including reduced interneurofilament spacing, axonal caliber collapse that drives tearing within outer myelin layers, diminished conduction velocity, progressive motor and sensory deficits, and muscle denervation. These findings reinforce restoration of stathmin-2 as an attractive therapeutic approach for ALS and other TDP-43-dependent neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jone López-Erauskin
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mariana Bravo-Hernandez
- Department of Anesthesiology and Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael W Baughn
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ze'ev Melamed
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Melinda S Beccari
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ana Rita Agra de Almeida Quadros
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Olatz Arnold-Garcia
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Karen Ling
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Oleksandr Platoshyn
- Department of Anesthesiology and Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Elkin Niño-Jara
- Department of Anesthesiology and Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - I Sandra Ndayambaje
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Melissa McAlonis-Downes
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Larissa Cabrera
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan W Artates
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Anita Hermann
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - John Ravits
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Martin Marsala
- Department of Anesthesiology and Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Don W Cleveland
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Della Marina A, Hentschel A, Czech A, Schara-Schmidt U, Preusse C, Laner A, Abicht A, Ruck T, Weis J, Choueiri C, Lochmüller H, Kölbel H, Roos A. Novel Genetic and Biochemical Insights into the Spectrum of NEFL-Associated Phenotypes. J Neuromuscul Dis 2024; 11:625-645. [PMID: 38578900 PMCID: PMC11091643 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-230230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Background NEFL encodes for the neurofilament light chain protein. Pathogenic variants in NEFL cause demyelinating, axonal and intermediate forms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) which present with a varying degree of severity and somatic mutations have not been described yet. Currently, 34 different CMT-causing pathogenic variants in NEFL in 174 patients have been reported. Muscular involvement was also described in CMT2E patients mostly as a secondary effect. Also, there are a few descriptions of a primary muscle vulnerability upon pathogenic NEFL variants. Objectives To expand the current knowledge on the genetic landscape, clinical presentation and muscle involvement in NEFL-related neurological diseases by retrospective case study and literature review. Methods We applied in-depth phenotyping of new and already reported cases, molecular genetic testing, light-, electron- and Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering-microscopic studies and proteomic profiling in addition to in silico modelling of NEFL-variants. Results We report on a boy with a muscular phenotype (weakness, myalgia and cramps, Z-band alterations and mini-cores in some myofibers) associated with the heterozygous p.(Phe104Val) NEFL-variant, which was previously described in a neuropathy case. Skeletal muscle proteomics findings indicated affection of cytoskeletal proteins. Moreover, we report on two further neuropathic patients (16 years old girl and her father) both carrying the heterozygous p.(Pro8Ser) variant, which has been identified as 15% somatic mosaic in the father. While the daughter presented with altered neurophysiology,neurogenic clump feet and gait disturbances, the father showed clinically only feet deformities. As missense variants affecting proline at amino acid position 8 are leading to neuropathic manifestations of different severities, in silico modelling of these different amino acid substitutions indicated variable pathogenic impact correlating with disease onset. Conclusions Our findings provide new morphological and biochemical insights into the vulnerability of denervated muscle (upon NEFL-associated neuropathy) as well as novel genetic findings expanding the current knowledge on NEFL-related neuromuscular phenotypes and their clinical manifestations. Along this line, our data show that even subtle expression of somatic NEFL variants can lead to neuromuscular symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adela Della Marina
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Centre for Neuromuscular Disorders, Centre for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andreas Hentschel
- Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften -ISAS- e.V., Dortmund, Germany
| | - Artur Czech
- Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften -ISAS- e.V., Dortmund, Germany
| | - Ulrike Schara-Schmidt
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Centre for Neuromuscular Disorders, Centre for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Corinna Preusse
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Angela Abicht
- Medical Genetics Center, Munich, Germany
- Friedrich-Baur Institute, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Ruck
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Joachim Weis
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Catherine Choueiri
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hanns Lochmüller
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Heike Kölbel
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Centre for Neuromuscular Disorders, Centre for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andreas Roos
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Centre for Neuromuscular Disorders, Centre for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Kotaich F, Caillol D, Bomont P. Neurofilaments in health and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1275155. [PMID: 38164457 PMCID: PMC10758125 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1275155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurofilaments (NFs) are the most abundant component of mature neurons, that interconnect with actin and microtubules to form the cytoskeleton. Specifically expressed in the nervous system, NFs present the particularity within the Intermediate Filament family of being formed by four subunits, the neurofilament light (NF-L), medium (NF-M), heavy (NF-H) proteins and α-internexin or peripherin. Here, we review the current knowledge on NF proteins and neurofilaments, from their domain structures and their model of assembly to the dynamics of their transport and degradation along the axon. The formation of the filament and its behaviour are regulated by various determinants, including post-transcriptional (miRNA and RBP proteins) and post-translational (phosphorylation and ubiquitination) modifiers. Altogether, the complex set of modifications enable the neuron to establish a stable but elastic NF array constituting the structural scaffold of the axon, while permitting the local expression of NF proteins and providing the dynamics necessary to fulfil local demands and respond to stimuli and injury. Thus, in addition to their roles in mechano-resistance, radial axonal outgrowth and nerve conduction, NFs control microtubule dynamics, organelle distribution and neurotransmission at the synapse. We discuss how the studies of neurodegenerative diseases with NF aggregation shed light on the biology of NFs. In particular, the NEFL and NEFH genes are mutated in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, the most common inherited neurological disorder of the peripheral nervous system. The clinical features of the CMT forms (axonal CMT2E, CMT2CC; demyelinating CMT1F; intermediate I-CMT) with symptoms affecting the central nervous system (CNS) will allow us to further investigate the physiological roles of NFs in the brain. Thus, NF-CMT mouse models exhibit various degrees of sensory-motor deficits associated with CNS symptoms. Cellular systems brought findings regarding the dominant effect of NF-L mutants on NF aggregation and transport, although these have been recently challenged. Neurofilament detection without NF-L in recessive CMT is puzzling, calling for a re-examination of the current model in which NF-L is indispensable for NF assembly. Overall, we discuss how the fundamental and translational fields are feeding each-other to increase but also challenge our knowledge of NF biology, and to develop therapeutic avenues for CMT and neurodegenerative diseases with NF aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pascale Bomont
- ERC team, NeuroMyoGene Institute-Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle, Inserm U1315, CNRS UMR5261, University of Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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Ping Y, Ohata K, Kikushima K, Sakamoto T, Islam A, Xu L, Zhang H, Chen B, Yan J, Eto F, Nakane C, Takao K, Miyakawa T, Kabashima K, Watanabe M, Kahyo T, Yao I, Fukuda A, Ikegami K, Konishi Y, Setou M. Tubulin Polyglutamylation by TTLL1 and TTLL7 Regulate Glutamate Concentration in the Mice Brain. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050784. [PMID: 37238654 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
As an important neurotransmitter, glutamate acts in over 90% of excitatory synapses in the human brain. Its metabolic pathway is complicated, and the glutamate pool in neurons has not been fully elucidated. Tubulin polyglutamylation in the brain is mainly mediated by two tubulin tyrosine ligase-like (TTLL) proteins, TTLL1 and TTLL7, which have been indicated to be important for neuronal polarity. In this study, we constructed pure lines of Ttll1 and Ttll7 knockout mice. Ttll knockout mice showed several abnormal behaviors. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) analyses of these brains showed increases in glutamate, suggesting that tubulin polyglutamylation by these TTLLs acts as a pool of glutamate in neurons and modulates some other amino acids related to glutamate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashuang Ping
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Kenji Ohata
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Kenji Kikushima
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- International Mass Imaging Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Takumi Sakamoto
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Ariful Islam
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Lili Xu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Hengsen Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Bin Chen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Eto
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Chiho Nakane
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Keizo Takao
- Department of Behavioral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama-shi, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
- Genetic Engineering and Functional Genomics Unit, Frontier Technology Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
- Genetic Engineering and Functional Genomics Unit, Frontier Technology Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science Division of Systems Medicine, Fujita Health University, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Katsuya Kabashima
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Miho Watanabe
- Department of Neurophysiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Kahyo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- International Mass Imaging Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Ikuko Yao
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- International Mass Imaging Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen Uegahara, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1330, Japan
| | - Atsuo Fukuda
- Department of Neurophysiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Koji Ikegami
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Konishi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, University of Fukui, 3-9-1 Bunkyo, Fukui-shi, Fukui 910-8507, Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Setou
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- International Mass Imaging Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- Department of Systems Molecular Anatomy, Institute for Medical Photonics Research, Preeminent Medical Photonics Education & Research Center, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
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Khabibrakhmanov A, Mukhamedyarov M, Bogdanov E. Biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2022; 122:30-35. [DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202212205130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Yuan A, Nixon RA. Neurofilament Proteins as Biomarkers to Monitor Neurological Diseases and the Efficacy of Therapies. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:689938. [PMID: 34646114 PMCID: PMC8503617 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.689938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomarkers of neurodegeneration and neuronal injury have the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, disease monitoring, prognosis, and measure treatment efficacy. Neurofilament proteins (NfPs) are well suited as biomarkers in these contexts because they are major neuron-specific components that maintain structural integrity and are sensitive to neurodegeneration and neuronal injury across a wide range of neurologic diseases. Low levels of NfPs are constantly released from neurons into the extracellular space and ultimately reach the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood under physiological conditions throughout normal brain development, maturation, and aging. NfP levels in CSF and blood rise above normal in response to neuronal injury and neurodegeneration independently of cause. NfPs in CSF measured by lumbar puncture are about 40-fold more concentrated than in blood in healthy individuals. New ultra-sensitive methods now allow minimally invasive measurement of these low levels of NfPs in serum or plasma to track disease onset and progression in neurological disorders or nervous system injury and assess responses to therapeutic interventions. Any of the five Nf subunits - neurofilament light chain (NfL), neurofilament medium chain (NfM), neurofilament heavy chain (NfH), alpha-internexin (INA) and peripherin (PRPH) may be altered in a given neuropathological condition. In familial and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD), plasma NfL levels may rise as early as 22 years before clinical onset in familial AD and 10 years before sporadic AD. The major determinants of elevated levels of NfPs and degradation fragments in CSF and blood are the magnitude of damaged or degenerating axons of fiber tracks, the affected axon caliber sizes and the rate of release of NfP and fragments at different stages of a given neurological disease or condition directly or indirectly affecting central nervous system (CNS) and/or peripheral nervous system (PNS). NfPs are rapidly emerging as transformative blood biomarkers in neurology providing novel insights into a wide range of neurological diseases and advancing clinical trials. Here we summarize the current understanding of intracellular NfP physiology, pathophysiology and extracellular kinetics of NfPs in biofluids and review the value and limitations of NfPs and degradation fragments as biomarkers of neurodegeneration and neuronal injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidong Yuan
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ralph A. Nixon
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, (NYU), Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, United States
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8
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Verde F, Otto M, Silani V. Neurofilament Light Chain as Biomarker for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:679199. [PMID: 34234641 PMCID: PMC8255624 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.679199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are two related currently incurable neurodegenerative diseases. ALS is characterized by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons causing relentless paralysis of voluntary muscles, whereas in FTD, progressive atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain results in deterioration of cognitive functions, language, personality, and behavior. In contrast to Alzheimer's disease (AD), ALS and FTD still lack a specific neurochemical biomarker reflecting neuropathology ex vivo. However, in the past 10 years, considerable progress has been made in the characterization of neurofilament light chain (NFL) as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood biomarker for both diseases. NFL is a structural component of the axonal cytoskeleton and is released into the CSF as a consequence of axonal damage or degeneration, thus behaving in general as a relatively non-specific marker of neuroaxonal pathology. However, in ALS, the elevation of its CSF levels exceeds that observed in most other neurological diseases, making it useful for the discrimination from mimic conditions and potentially worthy of consideration for introduction into diagnostic criteria. Moreover, NFL correlates with disease progression rate and is negatively associated with survival, thus providing prognostic information. In FTD patients, CSF NFL is elevated compared with healthy individuals and, to a lesser extent, patients with other forms of dementia, but the latter difference is not sufficient to enable a satisfying diagnostic performance at individual patient level. However, also in FTD, CSF NFL correlates with several measures of disease severity. Due to technological progress, NFL can now be quantified also in peripheral blood, where it is present at much lower concentrations compared with CSF, thus allowing less invasive sampling, scalability, and longitudinal measurements. The latter has promoted innovative studies demonstrating longitudinal kinetics of NFL in presymptomatic individuals harboring gene mutations causing ALS and FTD. Especially in ALS, NFL levels are generally stable over time, which, together with their correlation with progression rate, makes NFL an ideal pharmacodynamic biomarker for therapeutic trials. In this review, we illustrate the significance of NFL as biomarker for ALS and FTD and discuss unsolved issues and potential for future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Verde
- Department of Neurology-Stroke Unit and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology-Stroke Unit and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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9
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Nishimura AL, Arias N. Synaptopathy Mechanisms in ALS Caused by C9orf72 Repeat Expansion. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:660693. [PMID: 34140881 PMCID: PMC8203826 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.660693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease caused by degeneration of motor neurons (MNs). ALS pathogenic features include accumulation of misfolded proteins, glutamate excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction at distal axon terminals, and neuronal cytoskeleton changes. Synergies between loss of C9orf72 functions and gain of function by toxic effects of repeat expansions also contribute to C9orf72-mediated pathogenesis. However, the impact of haploinsufficiency of C9orf72 on neurons and in synaptic functions requires further examination. As the motor neurons degenerate, the disease symptoms will lead to neurotransmission deficiencies in the brain, spinal cord, and neuromuscular junction. Altered neuronal excitability, synaptic morphological changes, and C9orf72 protein and DPR localization at the synapses, suggest a potential involvement of C9orf72 at synapses. In this review article, we provide a conceptual framework for assessing the putative involvement of C9orf72 as a synaptopathy, and we explore the underlying and common disease mechanisms with other neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, we reflect on the major challenges of understanding C9orf72-ALS as a synaptopathy focusing on integrating mitochondrial and neuronal cytoskeleton degeneration as biomarkers and potential targets to treat ALS neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes L Nishimura
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, UK Dementia Research Institute, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Arias
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, UK Dementia Research Institute, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
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10
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Shumaker S, Khatri B, Shouse S, Seo D, Kang S, Kuenzel W, Kong B. Identification of SNPs Associated with Stress Response Traits within High Stress and Low Stress Lines of Japanese Quail. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12030405. [PMID: 33809122 PMCID: PMC8000459 DOI: 10.3390/genes12030405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitigation of stress is of great importance in poultry production, as chronic stress can affect the efficiency of production traits. Selective breeding with a focus on stress responses can be used to combat the effects of stress. To better understand the genetic mechanisms driving differences in stress responses of a selectively bred population of Japanese quail, we performed genomic resequencing on 24 birds from High Stress (HS) and Low Stress (LS) lines of Japanese quail using Illumina HiSeq 2 × 150 bp paired end read technology in order to analyze Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) within the genome of each line. SNPs are common mutations that can lead to genotypic and phenotypic variations in animals. Following alignment of the sequencing data to the quail genome, 6,364,907 SNPs were found across both lines of quail. 10,364 of these SNPs occurred in coding regions, from which 2886 unique, non-synonymous SNPs with a SNP% ≥ 0.90 and a read depth ≥ 10 were identified. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, we identified genes affected by SNPs in pathways tied to immune responses, DNA repair, and neurological signaling. Our findings support the idea that the SNPs found within HS and LS lines of quail could direct the observed changes in phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Shumaker
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (S.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.); (W.K.)
| | - Bhuwan Khatri
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA;
| | - Stephanie Shouse
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (S.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.); (W.K.)
| | - Dongwon Seo
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea;
| | - Seong Kang
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (S.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.); (W.K.)
| | - Wayne Kuenzel
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (S.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.); (W.K.)
| | - Byungwhi Kong
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (S.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.); (W.K.)
- Correspondence:
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11
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Kumar S, Phaneuf D, Cordeau P, Boutej H, Kriz J, Julien JP. Induction of autophagy mitigates TDP-43 pathology and translational repression of neurofilament mRNAs in mouse models of ALS/FTD. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:1. [PMID: 33413517 PMCID: PMC7792109 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-020-00420-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background TDP-43 proteinopathy is a pathological hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). So far, there is no therapy available for these neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, the impact of TDP-43 proteinopathy on neuronal translational profile also remains unknown. Methods Biochemical, immunohistology and assay-based studies were done with cell cultures and transgenic mice models. We also used Ribotag with microarray and proteomic analysis to determine the neuronal translational profile in the mice model of ALS/FTD. Results Here, we report that oral administration of a novel analog (IMS-088) of withaferin-A, an antagonist of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-ĸB) essential modulator (NEMO), induced autophagy and reduced TDP-43 proteinopathy in the brain and spinal cord of transgenic mice expressing human TDP-43 mutants, models of ALS/FTD. Treatment with IMS-088 ameliorated cognitive impairment, reduced gliosis in the brain of ALS/FTD mouse models. With the Ribotrap method, we investigated the impact of TDP-43 proteinopathy and IMS-088 treatment on the translation profile of neurons of one-year old hTDP-43A315T mice. TDP-43 proteinopathy caused translational dysregulation of specific mRNAs including translational suppression of neurofilament mRNAs resulting in 3 to 4-fold decrease in levels type IV neurofilament proteins. Oral administration of IMS-088 rescued the translational defects associated with TDP-43 proteinopathy and restored the synthesis of neurofilament proteins, which are essential for axon integrity and synaptic function. Conclusions Our study revealed that induction of autophagy reduces TDP-43 pathology and ameliorates the translational defect seen in mice models of ALS/FTD. Based on these results, we suggest IMS-088 and perhaps other inducers of autophagy should be considered as potential therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders with TDP-43 proteinopathies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13024-020-00420-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny Kumar
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, University Laval, 2601, Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Daniel Phaneuf
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, University Laval, 2601, Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Pierre Cordeau
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, University Laval, 2601, Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Hejer Boutej
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, University Laval, 2601, Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Jasna Kriz
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, University Laval, 2601, Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Julien
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, University Laval, 2601, Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada.
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12
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Gafson AR, Barthélemy NR, Bomont P, Carare RO, Durham HD, Julien JP, Kuhle J, Leppert D, Nixon RA, Weller RO, Zetterberg H, Matthews PM. Neurofilaments: neurobiological foundations for biomarker applications. Brain 2020; 143:1975-1998. [PMID: 32408345 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in neurofilaments has risen sharply in recent years with recognition of their potential as biomarkers of brain injury or neurodegeneration in CSF and blood. This is in the context of a growing appreciation for the complexity of the neurobiology of neurofilaments, new recognition of specialized roles for neurofilaments in synapses and a developing understanding of mechanisms responsible for their turnover. Here we will review the neurobiology of neurofilament proteins, describing current understanding of their structure and function, including recently discovered evidence for their roles in synapses. We will explore emerging understanding of the mechanisms of neurofilament degradation and clearance and review new methods for future elucidation of the kinetics of their turnover in humans. Primary roles of neurofilaments in the pathogenesis of human diseases will be described. With this background, we then will review critically evidence supporting use of neurofilament concentration measures as biomarkers of neuronal injury or degeneration. Finally, we will reflect on major challenges for studies of the neurobiology of intermediate filaments with specific attention to identifying what needs to be learned for more precise use and confident interpretation of neurofilament measures as biomarkers of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie R Gafson
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Nicolas R Barthélemy
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Pascale Bomont
- ATIP-Avenir team, INM, INSERM, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France
| | - Roxana O Carare
- Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | - Heather D Durham
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Julien
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Laval University, Quebec, Canada.,CERVO Brain Research Center, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Québec, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Jens Kuhle
- Neurologic Clinic and Policlinic, Departments of Medicine, Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - David Leppert
- Neurologic Clinic and Policlinic, Departments of Medicine, Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ralph A Nixon
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA.,Departments of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.,Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Roy O Weller
- Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, London, UK.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Paul M Matthews
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College, London
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13
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Castellanos-Montiel MJ, Chaineau M, Durcan TM. The Neglected Genes of ALS: Cytoskeletal Dynamics Impact Synaptic Degeneration in ALS. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:594975. [PMID: 33281562 PMCID: PMC7691654 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.594975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that selectively affects motor neurons (MNs) of the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. Several genes have been linked to both familial (fALS) and sporadic (sALS) cases of ALS. Among all the ALS-related genes, a group of genes known to directly affect cytoskeletal dynamics (ALS2, DCTN1, PFN1, KIF5A, NF-L, NF-H, PRPH, SPAST, and TUBA4A) is of high importance for MN health and survival, considering that MNs are large polarized cells with axons that can reach up to 1 m in length. In particular, cytoskeletal dynamics facilitate the transport of organelles and molecules across the long axonal distances within the cell, playing a key role in synapse maintenance. The majority of ALS-related genes affecting cytoskeletal dynamics were identified within the past two decades, making it a new area to explore for ALS. The purpose of this review is to provide insights into ALS-associated cytoskeletal genes and outline how recent studies have pointed towards novel pathways that might be impacted in ALS. Further studies making use of extensive analysis models to look for true hits, the newest technologies such as CRIPSR/Cas9, human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and axon sequencing, as well as the development of more transgenic animal models could potentially help to: differentiate the variants that truly act as a primary cause of the disease from the ones that act as risk factors or disease modifiers, identify potential interactions between two or more ALS-related genes in disease onset and progression and increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to cytoskeletal defects. Altogether, this information will give us a hint on the real contribution of the cytoskeletal ALS-related genes during this lethal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mathilde Chaineau
- Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Thomas M Durcan
- Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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14
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Different Clinical Contexts of Use of Blood Neurofilament Light Chain Protein in the Spectrum of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4667-4691. [PMID: 32772223 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02035-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
One of the most pressing challenges in the clinical research of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) is the validation and standardization of pathophysiological biomarkers for different contexts of use (CoUs), such as early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of treatment response. Neurofilament light chain (NFL) concentration is a particularly promising candidate, an indicator of axonal degeneration, which can be analyzed in peripheral blood with advanced ultrasensitive methods. Serum/plasma NFL concentration is closely correlated with cerebrospinal fluid NFL and directly reflects neurodegeneration within the central nervous system. Here, we provide an update on the feasible CoU of blood NFL in NDDs and translate recent findings to potentially valuable clinical practice applications. As NFL is not a disease-specific biomarker, however, blood NFL is an easily accessible biomarker with promising different clinical applications for several NDDs: (1) early detection and diagnosis (i.e., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, atypical parkinsonisms, sporadic late-onset ataxias), (2) prognosis (Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease), and (3) prediction of time to symptom onset (presymptomatic mutation carriers in genetic Alzheimer's disease and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3).
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15
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Mishra PS, Boutej H, Soucy G, Bareil C, Kumar S, Picher-Martel V, Dupré N, Kriz J, Julien JP. Transmission of ALS pathogenesis by the cerebrospinal fluid. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:65. [PMID: 32381112 PMCID: PMC7206749 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-00943-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
To test the hypothesis that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) could provide a spreading route for pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we have examined the effects of intraventricular infusion during 2 weeks of pooled CSF samples from sporadic ALS patients or control CSF samples into transgenic mice expressing human TDP43WT which do not develop pathological phenotypes. Infusion of ALS-CSF, but not of control CSF, triggered motor and cognitive dysfunction, as well as ALS-like pathological changes including TDP43 proteinopathy, neurofilament disorganization and neuroinflammation. In addition, the neuron-specific translational profiles from peptide analyses of immunoprecipitated ribosomes revealed dysregulation of multiple protein networks in response to ALS-CSF altering cytoskeletal organization, vesicle trafficking, mitochondrial function, and cell metabolism. With normal mice, similar ALS-CSF infusion induced mild motor dysfunction but without significant TDP43 pathology in spinal neurons. We conclude that the CSF from sporadic ALS contains factors that can transmit and disseminate disease including TDP43 proteinopathy into appropriate recipient animal model expressing human TDP43. These findings open new research avenues for the discovery of etiogenic factors for sporadic ALS and for the testing of drugs aiming to neutralize the ALS-CSF toxicity.
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16
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Didonna A, Opal P. The role of neurofilament aggregation in neurodegeneration: lessons from rare inherited neurological disorders. Mol Neurodegener 2019; 14:19. [PMID: 31097008 PMCID: PMC6524292 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-019-0318-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, are well known to involve the accumulation of disease-specific proteins. Less well known are the accumulations of another set of proteins, neuronal intermediate filaments (NFs), which have been observed in these diseases for decades. NFs belong to the family of cytoskeletal intermediate filament proteins (IFs) that give cells their shape; they determine axonal caliber, which controls signal conduction; and they regulate the transport of synaptic vesicles and modulate synaptic plasticity by binding to neurotransmitter receptors. In the last two decades, a number of rare disorders caused by mutations in genes that encode NFs or regulate their metabolism have been discovered. These less prevalent disorders are providing novel insights into the role of NF aggregation in the more common neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Didonna
- Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Puneet Opal
- Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. .,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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17
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MiR-105 and miR-9 regulate the mRNA stability of neuronal intermediate filaments. Implications for the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Brain Res 2019; 1706:93-100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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18
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Radecki DZ, Johnson EL, Brown AK, Meshkin NT, Perrine SA, Gow A. Corticohippocampal Dysfunction In The OBiden Mouse Model Of Primary Oligodendrogliopathy. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16116. [PMID: 30382234 PMCID: PMC6208344 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34414-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite concerted efforts over decades, the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear. Autoimmunity, environmental-challenges, molecular mimicry and viral hypotheses have proven equivocal because early-stage disease is typically presymptomatic. Indeed, most animal models of MS also lack defined etiologies. We have developed a novel adult-onset oligodendrogliopathy using a delineated metabolic stress etiology in myelinating cells, and our central question is, “how much of the pathobiology of MS can be recapitulated in this model?” The analyses described herein demonstrate that innate immune activation, glial scarring, cortical and hippocampal damage with accompanying electrophysiological, behavioral and memory deficits naturally emerge from disease progression. Molecular analyses reveal neurofilament changes in normal-appearing gray matter that parallel those in cortical samples from MS patients with progressive disease. Finally, axon initial segments of deep layer pyramidal neurons are perturbed in entorhinal/frontal cortex and hippocampus from OBiden mice, and computational modeling provides insight into vulnerabilities of action potential generation during demyelination and early remyelination. We integrate these findings into a working model of corticohippocampal circuit dysfunction to predict how myelin damage might eventually lead to cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Z Radecki
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.,Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Johnson
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.,Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Ashley K Brown
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Nicholas T Meshkin
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Shane A Perrine
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Alexander Gow
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA. .,Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA. .,Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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19
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Taga A, Maragakis NJ. Current and emerging ALS biomarkers: utility and potential in clinical trials. Expert Rev Neurother 2018; 18:871-886. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1530987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arens Taga
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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20
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Intermediate filament accumulation can stabilize microtubules in Caenorhabditis elegans motor neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:3114-3119. [PMID: 29511101 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1721930115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits utilize a coordinated cellular machinery to form and eliminate synaptic connections, with the neuronal cytoskeleton playing a prominent role. During larval development of Caenorhabditis elegans, synapses of motor neurons are stereotypically rewired through a process facilitated by dynamic microtubules (MTs). Through a genetic suppressor screen on mutant animals that fail to rewire synapses, and in combination with live imaging and ultrastructural studies, we find that intermediate filaments (IFs) stabilize MTs to prevent synapse rewiring. Genetic ablation of IFs or pharmacological disruption of IF networks restores MT growth and rescues synapse rewiring defects in the mutant animals, indicating that IF accumulation directly alters MT stability. Our work sheds light on the impact of IFs on MT dynamics and axonal transport, which is relevant to the mechanistic understanding of several human motor neuron diseases characterized by IF accumulation in axonal swellings.
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21
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Azizi SA, Azizi SA. Synucleinopathies in neurodegenerative diseases: Accomplices, an inside job and selective vulnerability. Neurosci Lett 2017; 672:150-152. [PMID: 29217261 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Pathogenesis of degenerative diseases is complex and multifaceted. The disease phenotypes depend on the location of injury/damage in the brain networks and pathologically are characterized by loss of brain cells. The reason for this loss appears to be an accumulation of misfolded and dysfunctional proteins that trigger apoptotic cell death. The role of alpha-synuclein mutations, its interaction with other proteins and the cellular environment is discussed in the context of selective neuron loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ausim Azizi
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 10140, United States.
| | - Saara-Anne Azizi
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Il 60637, United States.
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22
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Pan S, Chan JR. Regulation and dysregulation of axon infrastructure by myelinating glia. J Cell Biol 2017; 216:3903-3916. [PMID: 29114067 PMCID: PMC5716274 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201702150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pan and Chan discuss the role of myelinating glia in axonal development and the impact of demyelination on axon degeneration. Axon loss and neurodegeneration constitute clinically debilitating sequelae in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, but the underlying mechanisms of secondary degeneration are not well understood. Myelinating glia play a fundamental role in promoting the maturation of the axon cytoskeleton, regulating axon trafficking parameters, and imposing architectural rearrangements such as the nodes of Ranvier and their associated molecular domains. In the setting of demyelination, these changes may be reversed or persist as maladaptive features, leading to axon degeneration. In this review, we consider recent insights into axon–glial interactions during development and disease to propose that disruption of the cytoskeleton, nodal architecture, and other components of axon infrastructure is a potential mediator of pathophysiological damage after demyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Pan
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA .,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Jonah R Chan
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
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23
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Zhao J, Brown K, Liem RKH. Abnormal neurofilament inclusions and segregations in dorsal root ganglia of a Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2E mouse model. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180038. [PMID: 28654681 PMCID: PMC5487060 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease or hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy is the most prevalent inherited peripheral neuropathy and is associated with over 90 causative genes. Mutations in neurofilament light polypeptide gene, NEFL cause CMT2E, an axonal form of CMT that results in abnormal structures and/or functions of peripheral axons in spinal cord motor neurons and dorsal root ganglion neurons. We have previously generated and characterized a knock-in mouse model of CMT2E with the N98S mutation in Nefl that presented with multiple inclusions in spinal cord neurons. In this report, we conduct immunofluorescence studies of cultured dorsal root ganglia (DRG) from NeflN98S/+ mice, and show that inclusions found in DRG neurites can occur in embryonic stages. Ultrastructural analyses reveal that the inclusions are disordered neurofilaments packed in high density, segregated from other organelles. Immunochemical studies show decreased NFL protein levels in DRG, cerebellum and spinal cord in NeflN98S/+ mice, and total NFL protein pool is shifted toward the triton-insoluble fraction. Our findings reveal the nature of the inclusions in NeflN98S/+ mice, provide useful information to understand mechanisms of CMT2E disease, and identify DRG from NeflN98S/+ mice as a useful cell line model for therapeutic discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhao
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kristy Brown
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ronald K. H. Liem
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology and Taub Institute for Research in Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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24
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Yuan A, Rao MV, Veeranna, Nixon RA. Neurofilaments and Neurofilament Proteins in Health and Disease. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2017; 9:9/4/a018309. [PMID: 28373358 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a018309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 419] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYNeurofilaments (NFs) are unique among tissue-specific classes of intermediate filaments (IFs) in being heteropolymers composed of four subunits (NF-L [neurofilament light]; NF-M [neurofilament middle]; NF-H [neurofilament heavy]; and α-internexin or peripherin), each having different domain structures and functions. Here, we review how NFs provide structural support for the highly asymmetric geometries of neurons and, especially, for the marked radial expansion of myelinated axons crucial for effective nerve conduction velocity. NFs in axons extensively cross-bridge and interconnect with other non-IF components of the cytoskeleton, including microtubules, actin filaments, and other fibrous cytoskeletal elements, to establish a regionally specialized network that undergoes exceptionally slow local turnover and serves as a docking platform to organize other organelles and proteins. We also discuss how a small pool of oligomeric and short filamentous precursors in the slow phase of axonal transport maintains this network. A complex pattern of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events on each subunit modulates filament assembly, turnover, and organization within the axonal cytoskeleton. Multiple factors, and especially turnover rate, determine the size of the network, which can vary substantially along the axon. NF gene mutations cause several neuroaxonal disorders characterized by disrupted subunit assembly and NF aggregation. Additional NF alterations are associated with varied neuropsychiatric disorders. New evidence that subunits of NFs exist within postsynaptic terminal boutons and influence neurotransmission suggests how NF proteins might contribute to normal synaptic function and neuropsychiatric disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidong Yuan
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York 10962.,Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016
| | - Mala V Rao
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York 10962.,Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016
| | - Veeranna
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York 10962.,Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016
| | - Ralph A Nixon
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York 10962.,Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016.,Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016
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Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a highly heterogeneous disease with no effective treatment. Drug development has been hampered by the lack of biomarkers that aid in early diagnosis, demonstrate target engagement, monitor disease progression, and can serve as surrogate endpoints to assess the efficacy of treatments. Fluid-based biomarkers may potentially address these issues. An ideal biomarker should exhibit high specificity and sensitivity for distinguishing ALS from control (appropriate disease mimics and other neurologic diseases) populations and monitor disease progression within individual patients. Significant progress has been made using cerebrospinal fluid, serum, and plasma in the search for ALS biomarkers, with urine and saliva biomarkers still in earlier stages of development. A few of these biomarker candidates have demonstrated use in patient stratification, predicting disease course (fast vs slow progression) and severity, or have been used in preclinical and clinical applications. However, while ALS biomarker discovery has seen tremendous advancements in the last decade, validating biomarkers and moving them towards the clinic remains more elusive. In this review, we highlight biomarkers that are moving towards clinical utility and the challenges that remain in order to implement biomarkers at all stages of the ALS drug development process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas T Vu
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Robert Bowser
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA.
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26
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Current Perspective of Stem Cell Therapy in Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:7276-7296. [PMID: 27815831 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0217-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases have been an unsolved riddle for quite a while; to date, there are no proper and effective curative treatments and only palliative and symptomatic treatments are available to treat these illnesses. The absence of therapeutic treatments for neurodegenerative ailments has huge economic hit and strain on the society. Pharmacotherapies and various surgical procedures like deep brain stimulation are being given to the patient, but they are only effective for the symptoms and not for the diseases. This paper reviews the recent studies and development of stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative disorders. Stem cell-based treatment is a promising new way to deal with neurodegenerative diseases. Stem cell transplantation can advance useful recuperation by delivering trophic elements that impel survival and recovery of host neurons in animal models and patients with neurodegenerative maladies. Several mechanisms, for example, substitution of lost cells, cell combination, release of neurotrophic factor, proliferation of endogenous stem cell, and transdifferentiation, may clarify positive remedial results. With the current advancements in the stem cell therapies, a new hope for the cure has come out since they have potential to be a cure for the same. This review compiles stem cell therapy recent conceptions in neurodegenerative and neurometabolic diseases and updates in this field. Graphical Absract ᅟ.
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27
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Role of Intermediate Filaments in Vesicular Traffic. Cells 2016; 5:cells5020020. [PMID: 27120621 PMCID: PMC4931669 DOI: 10.3390/cells5020020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Intermediate filaments are an important component of the cellular cytoskeleton. The first established role attributed to intermediate filaments was the mechanical support to cells. However, it is now clear that intermediate filaments have many different roles affecting a variety of other biological functions, such as the organization of microtubules and microfilaments, the regulation of nuclear structure and activity, the control of cell cycle and the regulation of signal transduction pathways. Furthermore, a number of intermediate filament proteins have been involved in the acquisition of tumorigenic properties. Over the last years, a strong involvement of intermediate filament proteins in the regulation of several aspects of intracellular trafficking has strongly emerged. Here, we review the functions of intermediate filaments proteins focusing mainly on the recent knowledge gained from the discovery that intermediate filaments associate with key proteins of the vesicular membrane transport machinery. In particular, we analyze the current understanding of the contribution of intermediate filaments to the endocytic pathway.
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Abstract
Neuromuscular diseases can affect the survival of peripheral neurons, their axons extending to peripheral targets, their synaptic connections onto those targets, or the targets themselves. Examples include motor neuron diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, peripheral neuropathies such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth diseases, myasthenias, and muscular dystrophies. Characterizing these phenotypes in mouse models requires an integrated approach, examining both the nerve and muscle histologically, anatomically, and functionally by electrophysiology. Defects observed at these levels can be related back to onset, severity, and progression, as assessed by "Quality of life measures" including tests of gross motor performance such as gait or grip strength. This chapter describes methods for assessing neuromuscular disease models in mice, and how interpretation of these tests can be complicated by the inter-relatedness of the phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Burgess
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA.
| | - Gregory A Cox
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA
| | - Kevin L Seburn
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA
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A Stochastic Multiscale Model That Explains the Segregation of Axonal Microtubules and Neurofilaments in Neurological Diseases. PLoS Comput Biol 2015; 11:e1004406. [PMID: 26285012 PMCID: PMC4540448 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The organization of the axonal cytoskeleton is a key determinant of the normal function of an axon, which is a long thin projection of a neuron. Under normal conditions two axonal cytoskeletal polymers, microtubules and neurofilaments, align longitudinally in axons and are interspersed in axonal cross-sections. However, in many neurotoxic and neurodegenerative disorders, microtubules and neurofilaments segregate apart from each other, with microtubules and membranous organelles clustered centrally and neurofilaments displaced to the periphery. This striking segregation precedes the abnormal and excessive neurofilament accumulation in these diseases, which in turn leads to focal axonal swellings. While neurofilament accumulation suggests an impairment of neurofilament transport along axons, the underlying mechanism of their segregation from microtubules remains poorly understood for over 30 years. To address this question, we developed a stochastic multiscale model for the cross-sectional distribution of microtubules and neurofilaments in axons. The model describes microtubules, neurofilaments and organelles as interacting particles in a 2D cross-section, and is built upon molecular processes that occur on a time scale of seconds or shorter. It incorporates the longitudinal transport of neurofilaments and organelles through this domain by allowing stochastic arrival and departure of these cargoes, and integrates the dynamic interactions of these cargoes with microtubules mediated by molecular motors. Simulations of the model demonstrate that organelles can pull nearby microtubules together, and in the absence of neurofilament transport, this mechanism gradually segregates microtubules from neurofilaments on a time scale of hours, similar to that observed in toxic neuropathies. This suggests that the microtubule-neurofilament segregation can be a consequence of the selective impairment of neurofilament transport. The model generates the experimentally testable prediction that the rate and extent of segregation will be dependent on the sizes of the moving organelles as well as the density of their traffic. The shape and function of axons is dependent on a dynamic system of microscopic intracellular protein polymers (microtubules, neurofilaments and microfilaments) that comprise the axonal cytoskeleton. Neurofilaments are cargoes of intracellular transport that move along microtubule tracks, and they accumulate abnormally in axons in many neurotoxic and neurodegenerative disorders. Intriguingly, it has been reported that neurofilaments and microtubules, which are normally interspersed in axonal cross-sections, often segregate apart from each other in these disorders, which is something that is never observed in healthy axons. Here we describe a stochastic multiscale computational model that explains the mechanism of this striking segregation and offers insights into the mechanism of neurofilament accumulation in disease.
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30
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Agrawal PB, Joshi M, Marinakis NS, Schmitz-Abe K, Ciarlini PDSC, Sargent JC, Markianos K, De Girolami U, Chad DA, Beggs AH. Expanding the phenotype associated with the NEFL mutation: neuromuscular disease in a family with overlapping myopathic and neurogenic findings. JAMA Neurol 2015; 71:1413-20. [PMID: 25264603 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.1432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Newer sequencing technologies in combination with traditional gene mapping techniques, such as linkage analysis, can help identify the genetic basis of disease for patients with rare disorders of uncertain etiology. This approach may expand the phenotypic spectrum of disease associated with those genetic mutations. OBJECTIVE To elucidate the molecular cause of a neuromuscular disease among a family in which 4 members, a mother and her 3 sons, were affected. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Two of 4 affected members manifested nemaline myopathy, a common subtype of congenital myopathy, while the other 2 had a nonspecific myopathy. Single-nucleotide polymorphism-based linkage analysis was performed on DNA samples from the 4 affected family members, and whole-genome sequencing was performed in the proband. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and Western blot analysis were performed on muscle biopsy specimens. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Whole-genome sequencing and linkage analysis identified a variant in a gene that explains the phenotype. RESULTS We identified a novel neurofilament light polypeptide (NEFL) nonsense mutation in all affected members. NEFL mutations have been previously linked to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in humans. This led us to reevaluate the diagnosis, and we recognized that several of the findings, especially those related to the muscle biopsy specimens and electromyography, were consistent with a neurogenic disease. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE NEFL mutations are known to cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in humans and motor neuron disease in mice. We report the identification of an NEFL mutation in a family clinically manifesting congenital myopathy. We also describe potential overlap between myopathic and neurogenic findings in this family. These findings expand the phenotypic spectrum of diseases associated with NEFL mutations. This study is an example of the power of genomic approaches to identify potentially pathogenic mutations in unsuspected genes responsible for heterogeneous neuromuscular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj B Agrawal
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts2Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts3Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research
| | - Mugdha Joshi
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts3Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicholas S Marinakis
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts3Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Klaus Schmitz-Abe
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts3Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts4Department of Pathology, Bost
| | - Pedro D S C Ciarlini
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts5Broad Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
| | - Jane C Sargent
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
| | - Kyriacos Markianos
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts3Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - David A Chad
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Alan H Beggs
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts3Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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31
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Mathis S, Magy L, Vallat JM. Therapeutic options in Charcot–Marie–Tooth diseases. Expert Rev Neurother 2015; 15:355-66. [DOI: 10.1586/14737175.2015.1017471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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32
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Ahuja A, Dev K, Tanwar RS, Selwal KK, Tyagi PK. Copper mediated neurological disorder: visions into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer and Menkes disease. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2015; 29:11-23. [PMID: 24975171 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2014.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Revised: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Copper (Cu) is a vital redox dynamic metal that is possibly poisonous in superfluous. Metals can traditionally or intricately cause propagation in reactive oxygen species (ROS) accretion in cells and this may effect in programmed cell death. Accumulation of Cu causes necrosis that looks to be facilitated by DNA damage, followed by activation of P53. Cu dyshomeostasis has also been concerned in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Menkes disease and is directly related to neurodegenerative syndrome that usually produces senile dementia. These mortal syndromes are closely related with an immense damage of neurons and synaptic failure in the brain. This review focuses on copper mediated neurological disorders with insights into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer and Menkes disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anami Ahuja
- Department of Biotechnology, NIMS University, Jaipur, India.
| | - Kapil Dev
- Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University of Charles, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ranjeet S Tanwar
- Department of Biotechnology, N.C. College of Engineering, Israna, India
| | - Krishan K Selwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Deenbandhu Chotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, India
| | - Pankaj K Tyagi
- Department of Biotechnology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut, India
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33
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The combination of limb-bud removal and in ovo electroporation techniques: A new powerful method to study gene function in motoneurons undergoing lesion-induced cell death. J Neurosci Methods 2015; 239:206-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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35
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Bouhy D, Timmerman V. Animal models and therapeutic prospects for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Ann Neurol 2013; 74:391-6. [PMID: 23913540 DOI: 10.1002/ana.23987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) neuropathies are inherited neuromuscular disorders caused by a length-dependent neurodegeneration of peripheral nerves. More than 900 mutations in 60 different genes are causative of the neuropathy. Despite significant progress in therapeutic strategies, the disease remains incurable. The increasing number of genes linked to the disease, and their considerable clinical and genetic heterogeneity render the development of these strategies particularly challenging. In this context, cellular and animals models provide powerful tools. Efficient motor and sensory tests have been developed to assess the behavioral phenotype in transgenic animal models (rodent and fly). When these models reproduce a phenotype comparable to CMT, they allow therapeutic approaches and the discovery of modifiers and biomarkers. In this review, we describe the most convincing transgenic rodent and fly models of CMT and how they can lead to clinical trial. We also discuss the challenges that the research, the clinic, and the pharmaceutical industry will face in developing efficient and accessible treatment for CMT patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Bouhy
- Peripheral Neuropathy Group, Department of Molecular Genetics, Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, Institute Born Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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36
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Bouhy D, Timmerman V. Modèles animaux dans la maladie de Charcot-Marie-Tooth et applications de la compréhension de la maladie chez l’homme. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2013; 169:971-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2013.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2013] [Revised: 07/25/2013] [Accepted: 07/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Binukumar BK, Shukla V, Amin ND, Reddy P, Skuntz S, Grant P, Pant HC. Topographic regulation of neuronal intermediate filaments by phosphorylation, role of peptidyl-prolyl isomerase 1: significance in neurodegeneration. Histochem Cell Biol 2013; 140:23-32. [PMID: 23793952 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-013-1108-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The neuronal cytoskeleton is tightly regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation reactions mediated by numerous associated kinases, phosphatases and their regulators. Defects in the relative kinase and phosphatase activities and/or deregulation of compartment-specific phosphorylation result in neurodegenerative disorders. The largest family of cytoskeletal proteins in mammalian cells is the superfamily of intermediate filaments (IFs). The neurofilament (NF) proteins are the major IFs. Aggregated forms of hyperphosphorylated tau and phosphorylated NFs are found in pathological cell body accumulations in the central nervous system of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The precise mechanisms for this compartment-specific phosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins are not completely understood. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms of neurofilament phosphorylation in normal physiology and neurodegenerative diseases. We also address the recent breakthroughs in our understanding the role of different kinases and phosphatases involved in regulating the phosphorylation status of the NFs. In addition, special emphasis has been given to describe the role of phosphatases and Pin1 in phosphorylation of NFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- B K Binukumar
- Laboratory of Neuronal Cytoskeletal Protein Regulation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Aung KH, Kurihara R, Nakashima S, Maekawa F, Nohara K, Kobayashi T, Tsukahara S. Inhibition of neurite outgrowth and alteration of cytoskeletal gene expression by sodium arsenite. Neurotoxicology 2013; 34:226-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2012.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2012] [Revised: 09/07/2012] [Accepted: 09/17/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Pareyson D, Marchesi C, Salsano E. Dominant Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome and cognate disorders. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2013; 115:817-845. [PMID: 23931817 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-52902-2.00047-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy (CMT) is a group of genetically heterogeneous disorders sharing a similar phenotype, characterized by wasting and weakness mainly involving the distal muscles of lower and upper limbs, variably associated with distal sensory loss and skeletal deformities. This chapter deals with dominantly transmitted CMT and related disorders, namely hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) and hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy (HNA). During the last 20 years, several genes have been uncovered associated with CMT and our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms has greatly improved. Consequently, a precise genetic diagnosis is now possible in the majority of cases, thus allowing proper genetic counseling. Although, unfortunately, treatment is still unavailable for all types of CMT, several cellular and animal models have been developed and some compounds have proved effective in these models. The first trials with ascorbic acid in CMT type 1A have been completed and, although negative, are providing relevant information on disease course and on how to prepare for future trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Pareyson
- Clinics of Central and Peripheral Degenerative Neuropathies Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, IRCCS Foundation, C. Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy.
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40
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Holmgren A, Bouhy D, Timmerman V. Neurofilament phosphorylation and their proline-directed kinases in health and disease. J Peripher Nerv Syst 2012; 17:365-76. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1529-8027.2012.00434.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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41
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Redler RL, Dokholyan NV. The complex molecular biology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2012; 107:215-62. [PMID: 22482452 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385883-2.00002-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder that causes selective death of motor neurons followed by paralysis and death. A subset of ALS cases is caused by mutations in the gene for Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), which impart a toxic gain of function to this antioxidant enzyme. This neurotoxic property is widely believed to stem from an increased propensity to misfold and aggregate caused by decreased stability of the native homodimer or a tendency to lose stabilizing posttranslational modifications. Study of the molecular mechanisms of SOD1-related ALS has revealed a complex array of interconnected pathological processes, including glutamate excitotoxicity, dysregulation of neurotrophic factors and axon guidance proteins, axonal transport defects, mitochondrial dysfunction, deficient protein quality control, and aberrant RNA processing. Many of these pathologies are directly exacerbated by misfolded and aggregated SOD1 and/or cytosolic calcium overload, suggesting the primacy of these events in disease etiology and their potential as targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Redler
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Lu CH, Petzold A, Kalmar B, Dick J, Malaspina A, Greensmith L. Plasma neurofilament heavy chain levels correlate to markers of late stage disease progression and treatment response in SOD1(G93A) mice that model ALS. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40998. [PMID: 22815892 PMCID: PMC3397981 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterised by progressive degeneration of motor neurons leading to death, typically within 3–5 years of symptom onset. The diagnosis of ALS is largely reliant on clinical assessment and electrophysiological findings. Neither specific investigative tools nor reliable biomarkers are currently available to enable an early diagnosis or monitoring of disease progression, hindering the design of treatment trials. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, using the well-established SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS and a new in-house ELISA method, we have validated that plasma neurofilament heavy chain protein (NfH) levels correlate with both functional markers of late stage disease progression and treatment response. We detected a significant increase in plasma levels of phosphorylated NfH during disease progression in SOD1G93A mice from 105 days onwards. Moreover, increased plasma NfH levels correlated with the decline in muscle force, motor unit survival and, more significantly, with the loss of spinal motor neurons in SOD1 mice during this critical period of decline. Importantly, mice treated with the disease modifying compound arimoclomol had lower plasma NfH levels, suggesting plasma NfH levels could be validated as an outcome measure for treatment trials. Conclusions/Significance These results show that plasma NfH levels closely reflect later stages of disease progression and therapeutic response in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS and may potentially be a valuable biomarker of later disease progression in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hua Lu
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Trauma and Neuroscience Centre, Blizard Institute, Barts and The School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Axel Petzold
- Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- VU Medical Centre, Dept. of Neurology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bernadett Kalmar
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James Dick
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Malaspina
- Trauma and Neuroscience Centre, Blizard Institute, Barts and The School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- North-East London and Essex MND Care and Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | - Linda Greensmith
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Tortelli R, Ruggieri M, Cortese R, D'Errico E, Capozzo R, Leo A, Mastrapasqua M, Zoccolella S, Leante R, Livrea P, Logroscino G, Simone IL. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light levels in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a possible marker of disease severity and progression. Eur J Neurol 2012; 19:1561-7. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2012.03777.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2012] [Accepted: 04/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Tortelli
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - M. Ruggieri
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - R. Cortese
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - E. D'Errico
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - R. Capozzo
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - A. Leo
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - M. Mastrapasqua
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - S. Zoccolella
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - R. Leante
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - P. Livrea
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - G. Logroscino
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
| | - I. L. Simone
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs; University of Bari; Policlinico Bari Italy
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Nitric oxide-mediated oxidative damage and the progressive demise of motor neurons in ALS. Neurotox Res 2012; 22:251-64. [PMID: 22488161 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-012-9322-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2012] [Revised: 03/15/2012] [Accepted: 03/24/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative damage is a common and early feature of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and other neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Mark Smith and his colleagues have built the case for oxidative stress being a primary progenitor rather than a secondary end-stage epiphenomenon of neurodegeneration. They proposed that reactive oxygen species contribute to the "age-related cascade of neurodegeneration," whereby accumulative oxidative damage with age promotes other characteristic pathological changes in afflicted brain regions, including protein aggregation, metabolic deficiencies, and inflammation. Nitric oxide (NO) likely plays a critical role in this age-related cascade. NO is a major signaling molecule produced in the central nervous system to modulate neurological activity through stimulating cyclic GMP synthesis. However, the same physiological concentrations of NO, relevant in cellular signaling, may also initiate and amplify oxidative damage by diffusion-limited reactions with superoxide (O(2)(•-)) to produce peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)). This is perhaps best illustrated in ALS where physiological levels of NO promote survival of motor neurons, but the same concentrations can stimulate motor neuron apoptosis and glial cell activation under pathological conditions. While these changes represent a complex mechanism involving multiple cell types in the pathogenesis of ALS, they also reveal general processes underlying neurodegeneration.
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Poitelon Y, Kozlov S, Devaux J, Vallat JM, Jamon M, Roubertoux P, Rabarimeriarijaona S, Baudot C, Hamadouche T, Stewart CL, Levy N, Delague V. Behavioral and molecular exploration of the AR-CMT2A mouse model Lmna (R298C/R298C). Neuromolecular Med 2012; 14:40-52. [PMID: 22331516 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-012-8168-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2011] [Accepted: 01/18/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In 2002, we identified LMNA as the first gene responsible for an autosomal recessive axonal form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, AR-CMT2A. All patients were found to be homozygous for the same mutation in the LMNA gene, p.Arg298Cys. In order to investigate the physiopathological mechanisms underlying AR-CMT2A, we have generated a knock-in mouse model for the Lmna p.Arg298Cys mutation. We have explored these mice through an exhaustive series of behavioral tests and histopathological analyses, but were not able to find any peripheral nerve phenotype, even at 18 months of age. Interestingly at the molecular level, however, we detect a downregulation of the Lmna gene in all tissues tested from the homozygous knock-in mouse Lmna (R298C/R298C) (skeletal muscle, heart, peripheral nerve, spinal cord and cerebral trunk). Importantly, we further reveal a significant upregulation of Pmp22, specifically in the sciatic nerves of Lmna (R298C/R298C) mice. These results indicate that, despite the absence of a perceptible phenotype, abnormalities exist in the peripheral nerves of Lmna (R298C/R298C) mice that are absent from other tissues. Although the mechanisms leading to deregulation of Pmp22 in Lmna (R298C/R298C) mice are still unclear, our results support a relation between Lmna and Pmp22 and constitute a first step toward understanding AR-CMT2A physiopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Poitelon
- UMR_S 910, Génétique Médicale et Génomique Fonctionnelle, Inserm, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
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Liu Q, Xie F, Alvarado-Diaz A, Smith MA, Moreira PI, Zhu X, Perry G. Neurofilamentopathy in neurodegenerative diseases. Open Neurol J 2011; 5:58-62. [PMID: 21915226 PMCID: PMC3170930 DOI: 10.2174/1874205x01105010058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2011] [Revised: 07/25/2011] [Accepted: 07/28/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurofilament protein alterations are found in many neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson, Alzheimer, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth. Abnormal modifications of neurofilament, such as mutation, oxidation and phosphorylation, are linked to the disease-related alteration. In this review, the most recent discovery and central arguments about functions, pathological modifications, and genetic mutations related to neurofilaments in neurodegenerative diseases is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Liu
- School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Emmer KL, Waxman EA, Covy JP, Giasson BI. E46K human alpha-synuclein transgenic mice develop Lewy-like and tau pathology associated with age-dependent, detrimental motor impairment. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:35104-18. [PMID: 21846727 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.247965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Synucleinopathies are a group of neurodegenerative disorders associated with the formation of aberrant amyloid inclusions composed of the normally soluble presynaptic protein α-synuclein (α-syn). Parkinson disease is the most well known of these disorders because it bears α-syn pathological inclusions known as Lewy bodies (LBs). Mutations in the gene for α-syn, including the E46K missense mutation, are sufficient to cause Parkinson disease as well as other synucleinopathies like dementia with LBs. Herein, we describe transgenic mice expressing E46K human α-syn in CNS neurons that develop detrimental age-dependent motor impairments. These animals accumulate age-dependent intracytoplasmic neuronal α-syn inclusions that parallel disease and recapitulate the biochemical, histological, and morphological properties of LBs. Surprisingly, the morphology of α-syn inclusions in E46K human α-syn transgenic mice more closely resemble LBs than the previously described transgenic mice (line M83) that express neuronal A53T human α-syn. E46K human α-syn mice also develop abundant neuronal tau inclusions that resemble neurofibrillary tangles. Subsequent studies on the ability of E46K α-syn to induce tau inclusions in cellular models suggest that both direct and indirect mechanisms of protein aggregation are probably involved in the formation of the tau inclusions observed here in vivo. Re-evaluation of presymptomatic transgenic mice expressing A53T human α-syn reveals that the formation of α-syn inclusions in mice must be synchronized; however, inclusion formation is diffuse within affected areas of the neuroaxis such that there was no clustering of inclusions. Collectively, these findings provide insights in the mechanisms of formation of these aberrant proteinaceous inclusions and support the notion that α-syn aggregates are involved in the pathogenesis of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristel L Emmer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease that results in increasing disability and that is uniformly fatal. Since its approval in the 1990s, riluzole remains the sole treatment for ALS offering modest survival benefit. While significant advances have been made in the symptomatic management of the disease, more effective drug therapy targeting disease progression is sorely needed. AREAS COVERED Advances in the understanding of pathogenic mechanisms involved in disease development and progression have provided multiple avenues for developing effective treatment strategies. This review highlights recent discoveries relating to these diverse mechanisms and their implications for the development of drug therapy. Previous human clinical trials that have targeted these pathways are mentioned and ongoing drug trials are discussed. EXPERT OPINION The search for effective drug therapy faces important challenges in the areas of basic science and animal research, translation of these results into human clinical trials, inherent bias in human studies and issues related to delays in clinical diagnosis. How these issues may be addressed and why ALS research constitutes fertile grounds for drug development not only for this devastating disease, but also for other more prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, is discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Aamer Habib
- The Neurological Institute of Columbia University, Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Center, NY 10032, USA.
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Riboldi G, Nizzardo M, Simone C, Falcone M, Bresolin N, Comi GP, Corti S. ALS genetic modifiers that increase survival of SOD1 mice and are suitable for therapeutic development. Prog Neurobiol 2011; 95:133-48. [PMID: 21816207 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2011.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2011] [Accepted: 07/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a frequently fatal motor neuron disease without any cure. To find molecular therapeutic targets, several studies crossed transgenic ALS murine models with animals transgenic for some ALS target genes. We aimed to revise the new discoveries and new works in this field. We selected the 10 most promising genes, according to their capability when down-regulated or up-regulated in ALS animal models, for increasing life span and mitigating disease progression: XBP-1, NogoA and NogoB, dynein, heavy and medium neurofilament, NOX1 and NOX2, MLC-mIGF-1, NSE-VEGF, and MMP-9. Interestingly, some crucial modifier genes have been described as being involved in common pathways, the most significant of which are inflammation and cytoskeletal activities. The endoplasmic reticulum also seems to play an important role in ALS pathogenesis, as it is involved in different selected gene pathways. In addition, these genes have evident links to each other, introducing the hypothesis of a single unknown, common pathway involving all of these identified genes and others to be discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulietta Riboldi
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, IRCCS Fondazione Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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Swarup V, Julien JP. ALS pathogenesis: recent insights from genetics and mouse models. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2011; 35:363-9. [PMID: 20728492 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2010] [Revised: 07/15/2010] [Accepted: 08/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
For the vast majority of cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) the etiology remains unknown. After the discovery of missense mutations in the gene coding for the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in subsets of familial ALS, several transgenic mouse lines have been generated with various forms of SOD1 mutants overexpressed at different levels. Studies with these mice yielded complex results with multiple targets of damage in disease including mitochondria, proteasomes, and secretory pathways. Many unexpected discoveries were made. For instance, the toxicity of mutant SOD1 seems unrelated to copper-mediated catalysis but rather to formation of misfolded SOD1 species and aggregates. Transgenic studies revealed a potential role of wtSOD1 in exacerbating mutant SOD1-mediated disease. Another key finding came from chimeric mouse studies and from Cre-lox mediated gene deletion experiments which have highlighted the importance of non-neuronal cells in the disease progression. Involvement of cytoskeletal components in ALS pathogenesis is supported by several mouse models of motor neuron disease with neurofilament abnormalities and with genetic defects in microtubule-based transport. Recently, the generation of new animal models of ALS has been made possible with the discovery of ALS-linked mutations in other genes encoding for alsin, dynactin, senataxin, VAPB, TDP-43 and FUS. Following the discovery of mutations in the TARDBP gene linked to ALS, there have been some reports of transgenic mice with high level overexpression of WT or mutant forms of TDP-43 under strong gene promoters. However, these TDP-43 transgenic mice do not exhibit all pathological features the human ALS disease. Here, we will describe these new TDP-43 transgenic mice and discuss their validity as animal models of human ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Swarup
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
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