Metabolic injury to axons and myelin

Ca2+-induced myelin pathology precedes axonal spheroid formation and is mediated in part by store-operated Ca2+ entry after spinal cord injury

The formation of axonal spheroid is a common feature following spinal cord injury. To further understand the source of Ca²⁺ that mediates axonal spheroid formation, we used our previously characterized ex vivo mouse spinal cord model that allows precise perturbation of extracellular Ca²⁺. We performed two-photon excitation imaging of spinal cords isolated from Thy1^YFP+ transgenic mice and applied the lipophilic dye, Nile red, to record dynamic changes in dorsal column axons and their myelin sheaths respectively. We selectively released Ca²⁺ from internal stores using the Ca²⁺ ionophore ionomycin in the presence or absence of external Ca²⁺. We reported that ionomycin dose-dependently induces pathological changes in myelin and pronounced axonal spheroid formation in the presence of normal 2 mM Ca²⁺ artificial cerebrospinal fluid. In contrast, removal of external Ca²⁺ significantly decreased ionomycin-induced myelin and axonal spheroid formation at 2 hours but not at 1 hour after treatment. Using mice that express a neuron-specific Ca²⁺ indicator in spinal cord axons, we confirmed that ionomycin induced significant increases in intra-axonal Ca²⁺, but not in the absence of external Ca²⁺. Periaxonal swelling and the resultant disruption in the axo-myelinic interface often precedes and is negatively correlated with axonal spheroid formation. Pretreatment with YM58483 (500 nM), a well-established blocker of store-operated Ca²⁺ entry, significantly decreased myelin injury and axonal spheroid formation. Collectively, these data reveal that ionomycin-induced depletion of internal Ca²⁺ stores and subsequent external Ca²⁺ entry through store-operated Ca²⁺ entry contributes to pathological changes in myelin and axonal spheroid formation, providing new targets to protect central myelinated fibers.

Evidence That ITPR2-Mediated Intracellular Calcium Release in Oligodendrocytes Regulates the Development of Carbonic Anhydrase II + Type I/II Oligodendrocytes and the Sizes of Myelin Fibers

Myelination of neuronal axons in the central nervous system (CNS) by oligodendrocytes (OLs) enables rapid saltatory conductance and axonal integrity, which are crucial for normal brain functioning. Previous studies suggested that different subtypes of oligodendrocytes in the CNS form different types of myelin determined by the diameter of axons in the unit. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the developmental association of different types of oligodendrocytes with different fiber sizes remain elusive. In the present study, we present the evidence that the intracellular Ca²⁺ release channel associated receptor (Itpr2) contributes to this developmental process. During early development, Itpr2 is selectively up-regulated in oligodendrocytes coinciding with the initiation of myelination. Functional analyses in both conventional and conditional Itpr2 mutant mice revealed that Itpr2 deficiency causes a developmental delay of OL differentiation, resulting in an increased percentage of CAII⁺ type I/II OLs which prefer to myelinate small-diameter axons in the CNS. The increased percentage of small caliber myelinated axons leads to an abnormal compound action potentials (CAP) in the optic nerves. Together, these findings revealed a previously unrecognized role for Itpr2-mediated calcium signaling in regulating the development of different types of oligodendrocytes.

The Drama of Wallerian Degeneration: The Cast, Crew, and Script

Significant advances have been made in recent years in identifying the genetic components of Wallerian degeneration, the process that brings the progressive destruction and removal of injured axons. It has now been accepted that Wallerian degeneration is an active and dynamic cellular process that is well regulated at molecular and cellular levels. In this review, we describe our current understanding of Wallerian degeneration, focusing on the molecular players and mechanisms that mediate the injury response, activate the degenerative program, transduce the death signal, execute the destruction order, and finally, clear away the debris. By highlighting the starring roles and sketching out the molecular script of Wallerian degeneration, we hope to provide a useful framework to understand Wallerian and Wallerian-like degeneration and to lay a foundation for developing new therapeutic strategies to treat axon degeneration in neural injury as well as in neurodegenerative disease. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics, Volume 55 is November 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Engine Failure in Axo-Myelinic Signaling: A Potential Key Player in the Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a complex and chronic disease of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by both degenerative and inflammatory processes leading to axonal damage, demyelination, and neuronal loss. In the last decade, the traditional outside-in standpoint on MS pathogenesis, which identifies a primary autoimmune inflammatory etiology, has been challenged by a complementary inside-out theory. By focusing on the degenerative processes of MS, the axo-myelinic system may reveal new insights into the disease triggering mechanisms. Oxidative stress (OS) has been widely described as one of the means driving tissue injury in neurodegenerative disorders, including MS. Axonal mitochondria constitute the main energy source for electrically active axons and neurons and are largely vulnerable to oxidative injury. Consequently, axonal mitochondrial dysfunction might impair efficient axo-glial communication, which could, in turn, affect axonal integrity and the maintenance of axonal, neuronal, and synaptic signaling. In this review article, we argue that OS-derived mitochondrial impairment may underline the dysfunctional relationship between axons and their supportive glia cells, specifically oligodendrocytes and that this mechanism is implicated in the development of a primary cytodegeneration and a secondary pro-inflammatory response (inside-out), which in turn, together with a variably primed host's immune system, may lead to the onset of MS and its different subtypes.

Absence of R-Ras1 and R-Ras2 causes mitochondrial alterations that trigger axonal degeneration in a hypomyelinating disease model

Fast synaptic transmission in vertebrates is critically dependent on myelin for insulation and metabolic support. Myelin is produced by oligodendrocytes (OLs) that maintain multilayered membrane compartments that wrap around axonal fibers. Alterations in myelination can therefore lead to severe pathologies such as multiple sclerosis. Given that hypomyelination disorders have complex etiologies, reproducing clinical symptoms of myelin diseases from a neurological perspective in animal models has been difficult. We recently reported that R-Ras1^-/- and/or R-Ras2^-/- mice, which lack GTPases essential for OL survival and differentiation processes, present different degrees of hypomyelination in the central nervous system with a compounded hypomyelination in double knockout (DKO) mice. Here, we discovered that the loss of R-Ras1 and/or R-Ras2 function is associated with aberrant myelinated axons with increased numbers of mitochondria, and a disrupted mitochondrial respiration that leads to increased reactive oxygen species levels. Consequently, aberrant myelinated axons are thinner with cytoskeletal phosphorylation patterns typical of axonal degeneration processes, characteristic of myelin diseases. Although we observed different levels of hypomyelination in a single mutant mouse, the combined loss of function in DKO mice lead to a compromised axonal integrity, triggering the loss of visual function. Our findings demonstrate that the loss of R-Ras function reproduces several characteristics of hypomyelinating diseases, and we therefore propose that R-Ras1^-/- and R-Ras2^-/- neurological models are valuable approaches for the study of these myelin pathologies.

Neuronal mitochondrial calcium uniporter deficiency exacerbates axonal injury and suppresses remyelination in mice subjected to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

High-capacity mitochondrial calcium (Ca²⁺) uptake by the mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uniporter (MCU) is strategically positioned to support the survival and remyelination of axons in multiple sclerosis (MS) by undocking mitochondria, buffering Ca²⁺ and elevating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis at metabolically stressed sites. Respiratory chain deficits in MS are proposed to metabolically compromise axon survival and remyelination by suppressing MCU activity. In support of this hypothesis, clinical scores, mitochondrial dysfunction, myelin loss, axon damage and inflammation were elevated while remyelination was blocked in neuronal MCU deficient (Thy1-MCU Def) mice relative to Thy1 controls subjected to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). At the first sign of walking deficits, mitochondria in EAE/Thy1 axons showed signs of activation. By contrast, cytoskeletal damage, fragmented mitochondria and large autophagosomes were seen in EAE/Thy1-MCU Def axons. As EAE severity increased, EAE/Thy1 axons were filled with massively swollen mitochondria with damaged cristae while EAE/Thy1-MCU Def axons were riddled with late autophagosomes. ATP concentrations and mitochondrial gene expression were suppressed while calpain activity, autophagy-related gene mRNA levels and autophagosome marker (LC3) co-localization in Thy1-expressing neurons were elevated in the spinal cords of EAE/Thy1-MCU Def compared to EAE/Thy1 mice. These findings suggest that MCU inhibition contributes to axonal damage that drives MS progression.

Acute Cellular and Functional Changes With a Combinatorial Treatment of Ion Channel Inhibitors Following Spinal Cord Injury

Reducing the extent of secondary degeneration following spinal cord injury (SCI) is necessary to preserve function, but treatment options have thus far been limited. A combination of the ion channel inhibitors Lomerizine (Lom), YM872 and oxATP, to inhibit voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels, Ca²⁺ permeable AMPA receptors, and purinergic P2X₇ receptors respectively, effectively limits secondary consequences of injury in in vitro and in vivo models of CNS injury. Here, we investigated the efficacy of these inhibitors in a clinically relevant model of SCI. Fischer (F344) rats were subjected to a moderate (150 kD) contusive SCI at thoracic level T10 and assessed at 2 weeks or 10 weeks post-injury. Lom was delivered orally twice daily and YM872 and oxATP were delivered via osmotic mini-pump implanted at the time of SCI until 2 weeks following injury. Open field locomotion analysis revealed that treatment with the three inhibitors in combination improved the rate of functional recovery of the hind limb (compared to controls) as early as 1-day post-injury, with beneficial effects persisting to 14 days post-injury, while all three inhibitors were present. At 2 weeks following combinatorial treatment, the functional improvement was associated with significantly decreased cyst size, increased immunoreactivity of β-III tubulin^+ve axons, myelin basic protein, and reduced lipid peroxidation by-products, and increased CC1^+ve oligodendrocytes and NG2^+ve/PDGFα^+ve oligodendrocyte progenitor cell densities, compared to vehicle-treated SCI animals. The combination of Lom, oxATP, and YM872 shows preclinical promise for control of secondary degeneration following SCI, and further investigation of long-term sustained treatment is warranted.

Polarizing receptor activation dissociates fibroblast growth factor 2 mediated inhibition of myelination from its neuroprotective potential

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling contributes to failure of remyelination in multiple sclerosis, but targeting this therapeutically is complicated by its functional pleiotropy. We now identify FGF2 as a factor up-regulated by astrocytes in active inflammatory lesions that disrupts myelination via FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2) mediated activation of Wingless (Wnt) signaling; pharmacological inhibition of Wnt being sufficient to abrogate inhibition of myelination by FGF2 in tissue culture. Using a novel FGFR1-selective agonist (F2 V2) generated by deleting the N-terminal 26 amino acids of FGF2 we demonstrate polarizing signal transduction to favor FGFR1 abrogates FGF mediated inhibition of myelination but retains its ability to induce expression of pro-myelinating and immunomodulatory factors that include Cd93, Lif, Il11, Hbegf, Cxcl1 and Timp1. Our data provide new insights into the mechanistic basis of remyelination failure in MS and identify selective activation of FGFR1 as a novel strategy to induce a neuroprotective signaling environment in multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Multiple Sclerosis

In recent years, several studies have examined the potential associations between mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. In MS, neurological disability results from inflammation, demyelination, and ultimately, axonal damage within the central nervous system. The sustained inflammatory phase of the disease leads to ion channel changes and chronic oxidative stress. Several independent investigations have demonstrated mitochondrial respiratory chain deficiency in MS, as well as abnormalities in mitochondrial transport. These processes create an energy imbalance and contribute to a parallel process of progressive neurodegeneration and irreversible disability. The potential roles of mitochondria in neurodegeneration are reviewed. An overview of mitochondrial diseases that may overlap with MS are also discussed, as well as possible therapeutic targets for the treatment of MS and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Glutamate receptors and white matter stroke

White matter (WM) damage during ischemia occurs at multiple sites including myelin, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and axons. A major driver of WM demise is excitoxicity as a consequence of excessive glutamate release by vesicular and non-vesicular mechanisms from axons and glial cells. This results in over-activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors (GluRs) profusely expressed by all cell compartments in WM. Thus, blocking excitotoxicity in WM with selective antagonists of those receptors has a potential therapeutic value. The significance of WM GluR expression for WM stroke injury is the focus of this review, and we will examine the role of GluRs in injury to myelin, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and the axon cylinder.

Reduced AMPK activation and increased HCAR activation drive anti-inflammatory response and neuroprotection in glaucoma

Background

Glaucoma is a chronic degenerative disease for which inflammation is considered to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and progression. In this study, we examined the impact of a ketogenic diet on the inflammation evident in glaucoma as a follow-up to a recent set of experiments in which we determined that a ketogenic diet protected retinal ganglion cell structure and function.

Methods

Both sexes of DBA/2J (D2) mice were placed on a ketogenic diet (keto) or standard rodent chow (untreated) for 8 weeks beginning at 9 months of age. DBA/2J-Gpnmb⁺ (D2G) mice were also used as a non-pathological genetic control for the D2 mice. Retina and optic nerve (ON) tissues were micro-dissected and used for the analysis of microglia activation, expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules, and lactate- or ketone-mediated anti-inflammatory signaling. Data were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, quantitative RT-PCR, ELISA, western blot, and capillary tube-based electrophoresis techniques.

Results

Microglia activation was observed in D2 retina and ON as documented by intense microglial-specific Iba1 immunolabeling of rounded-up and enlarged microglia. Ketogenic diet treatment reduced Iba1 expression and the activated microglial phenotype. We detected low energy-induced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in D2 retina and ON that triggered NF-κB p65 signaling through its nuclear translocation. NF-κB induced pro-inflammatory TNF-α, IL-6, and NOS2 expression in D2 retina and ON. However, treatment with the ketogenic diet reduced AMPK phosphorylation, NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation, and expression of pro-inflammatory molecules. The ketogenic diet also induced expression of anti-inflammatory agents Il-4 and Arginase-1 in D2 retina and ON. Increased expression of hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 1 (HCAR1) after ketogenic diet treatment was observed. HCAR1 stimulation by lactate or ketones from the ketogenic diet reduced inflammasome formation, as shown by reduced mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3 and IL-1β. We also detected increased levels of Arrestin β-2 protein, an adapter protein required for HCAR1 signaling.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate that the AMPK activation apparent in the glaucomatous retina and ON triggers NF-κB signaling and consequently induces a pro-inflammatory response. The ketogenic diet resolves energy demand and ameliorates the inflammation by inhibition of AMPK activation and stimulation of HCAR1-ARRB2 signaling that inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation. Thus, these findings depict a neuroprotective mechanism of the ketogenic diet in controlling inflammation and suggest potential therapeutic targets for inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases, including glaucoma.

The leptin receptor mutation of the obese Zucker rat causes sciatic nerve demyelination with a centripetal pattern defect

Young male Zucker rats with a leptin receptor mutation are obese, have a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and other endocrinopathies. Tibial branches of the sciatic nerve reveal a progressive demyelination that progresses out of the Schwann cells (SCs) where electron-contrast deposits are accumulated while the minor lines or intermembranous SC contacts display exaggerated spacings. Cajal bands contain diversely contrasted vesicles adjacent to the abaxonal myelin layer with blemishes; they appear dispatched centripetally out of many narrow electron densities, regularly spaced around the myelin annulus. These anomalies widen and yield into sectors across the stacked myelin layers. Throughout the worse degradations, the adaxonal membrane remains along the axonal neuroplasm. This peripheral neuropathy with irresponsive leptin cannot modulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and SC neurosteroids, thus exacerbates NIDDM condition. Additionally, the ultrastructure of the progressive myelin alterations may have unraveled a peculiar, centripetal mode of trafficking maintenance of the peripheral nervous system myelin, while some adhesive glycoproteins remain between myelin layers, somewhat hindering the axon mutilation. Heading title: Peripheral neuropathy and myelin.

Involvement of Mitochondria in Neurodegeneration in Multiple Sclerosis

Functional disruption and neuronal loss followed by progressive dysfunction of the nervous system underlies the pathogenesis of numerous disorders defined as "neurodegenerative diseases". Multiple sclerosis, a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system resulting in serious neurological dysfunctions and disability, is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies suggest that disturbances in mitochondrial functioning are key factors leading to neurodegeneration. In this review, we consider data on mitochondrial dysfunctions in multiple sclerosis, which were obtained both with patients and with animal models. The contemporary data indicate that the axonal degeneration in multiple sclerosis largely results from the activation of Ca2+-dependent proteases and from misbalance of ion homeostasis caused by energy deficiency. The genetic studies analyzing association of mitochondrial DNA polymorphic variants in multiple sclerosis suggest the participation of mitochondrial genome variability in the development of this disease, although questions of the involvement of individual genomic variants are far from being resolved.

Retrograde interferon-gamma signaling induces major histocompatibility class I expression in human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons

Objective

Injury-associated axon-intrinsic signals are thought to underlie pathogenesis and progression in many neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Retrograde interferon gamma (IFN γ) signals are known to induce expression of major histocompatibility class I (MHC I) genes in murine axons, thereby increasing the susceptibility of these axons to attack by antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells. We sought to determine whether the same is true in human neurons.

Methods

A novel microisolation chamber design was used to physically isolate and manipulate axons from human skin fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neuron-enriched neural aggregates. Fluorescent retrobeads were used to assess the fraction of neurons with projections to the distal chamber. Axons were treated with IFN γ for 72 h and expression of MHC class I and antigen presentation genes were evaluated by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence.

Results

Human iPSC-derived neural stem cells maintained as 3D aggregate cultures in the cell body chamber of polymer microisolation chambers extended dense axonal projections into the fluidically isolated distal chamber. Treatment of these axons with IFN γ resulted in upregulation of MHC class I and antigen processing genes in the neuron cell bodies. IFN γ-induced MHC class I molecules were also anterogradely transported into the distal axon.

Interpretation

These results provide conclusive evidence that human axons are competent to express MHC class I molecules, suggesting that inflammatory factors enriched in demyelinated lesions may render axons vulnerable to attack by autoreactive CD8⁺ T cells in patients with MS. Future work will be aimed at identifying pathogenic anti-axonal T cells in these patients.

Potential role of ferric hemoglobin in MS pathogenesis: Effects of oxidative stress and extracellular methemoglobin or its degradation products on myelin components

There is a well-documented relationship between cerebral vasculature and multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions: abnormal accumulations of iron have been found in the walls of the dilated veins in cerebral MS plaques. The source of this iron is unknown, but could be related to the recognized phenomenon of capillary and venous hemorrhages leading to blood extravasation. In turn, hemorrhaging leading to hemolysis results in extracellular release of hemoglobin, a reactive molecule that could induce local oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue damage. Our previous studies with a reduced form of hemoglobin (oxyHb) have demonstrated its ability to cause extensive lipid and protein oxidation in vitro, which would result in membrane destabilization. Here, we investigated in further detail the mechanism by which the more abundant oxidized form of extracellular hemoglobin (metHb), and dissociated hemin, cause direct oxidative damage to myelin components, specifically membrane-mimetic lipid vesicles and myelin basic protein (MBP), a highly-abundant protein in the CNS. Oxidation of lipids was assessed by the formation of conjugated diene/triene and malondialdehyde, and oxidation of MBP was demonstrated by the bityrosine formation and by the change in protein mass. Our results show that metHb causes oxidative damage to MBP and myelin lipids, partly by transferring its hemin moiety to protein and lipid, but mostly as an intact protein possibly via formation of a ferryl radical. These results elucidating the mechanism of extracellular hemoglobin-induced oxidative damage to myelin components support the need for further research into vascular pathology in MS pathogenesis, to gain insight into the role of iron deposits and/or in stimulation of different comorbidities associated with the disease.

Understanding a role for hypoxia in lesion formation and location in the deep and periventricular white matter in small vessel disease and multiple sclerosis

The deep and periventricular white matter is preferentially affected in several neurological disorders, including cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting that common pathogenic mechanisms may be involved in this injury. Here we consider the potential pathogenic role of tissue hypoxia in lesion development, arising partly from the vascular anatomy of the affected white matter. Specifically, these regions are supplied by a sparse vasculature fed by long, narrow end arteries/arterioles that are vulnerable to oxygen desaturation if perfusion is reduced (as in SVD, MS and diabetes) or if the surrounding tissue is hypoxic (as in MS, at least). The oxygen crisis is exacerbated by a local preponderance of veins, as these can become highly desaturated 'sinks' for oxygen that deplete it from surrounding tissues. Additional haemodynamic deficiencies, including sluggish flow and impaired vasomotor reactivity and vessel compliance, further exacerbate oxygen insufficiency. The cells most vulnerable to hypoxic damage, including oligodendrocytes, die first, resulting in demyelination. Indeed, in preclinical models, demyelination is prevented if adequate oxygenation is maintained by raising inspired oxygen concentrations. In agreement with this interpretation, there is a predilection of lesions for the anterior and occipital horns of the lateral ventricles, namely regions located at arterial watersheds, or border zones, known to be especially susceptible to hypoperfusion and hypoxia. Finally, mitochondrial dysfunction due to genetic causes, as occurs in leucodystrophies or due to free radical damage, as occurs in MS, will compound any energy insufficiency resulting from hypoxia. Viewing lesion formation from the standpoint of tissue oxygenation not only reveals that lesion distribution is partly predictable, but may also inform new therapeutic strategies.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin-D3 induces brain proteomic changes in cuprizone mice during remyelination involving calcium proteins

Dietary supplementation of vitamin D is commonly recommended to patients with multiple sclerosis. We recently found that high-dose of the hormonally active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D₃ (1,25D) promotes myelin repair in the cuprizone model for de- and remyelination. In the present study, we quantified 5062 proteins, of which 125 were differentially regulated in brain tissue from 1,25D treated mice during remyelination, compared to placebo. Proteins upregulated in the early remyelination phase were involved in calcium binding, e.g. calretinin (>1.3 fold, p < 0.005), S10A5 and secretagogin, and involved in mitochondrial function, e.g. NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chain 3, and acyl-coenzyme A synthetase. Calretinin, S10A5 and secretagogin expression levels were characterized using immunohistochemistry. Calretinin immunoreactivity was significantly increased (>3 fold, p = 0.016) in the medial septal nuclei of 1,25D treated mice in the early remyelination phase. Our results indicate that vitamin D may influence remyelination by mechanisms involving an increase in calretinin expression and potentially other calcium binding proteins.

Optical Read-out of Neural Activity in Mammalian Peripheral Axons: Calcium Signaling at Nodes of Ranvier

Current neural interface technologies have serious limitations for advanced prosthetic and therapeutic applications due primarily to their lack of specificity in neural communication. An optogenetic approach has the potential to provide single cell/axon resolution in a minimally invasive manner by optical interrogation of light-sensitive reporters and actuators. Given the aim of reading neural activity in the peripheral nervous system, this work has investigated an activity-dependent signaling mechanism in the peripheral nerve. We demonstrate action potential evoked calcium signals in mammalian tibial nerve axons using an in vitro mouse model with a dextran-conjugated fluorescent calcium indicator. Spatial and temporal dynamics of the signal are presented, including characterization of frequency-modulated amplitude. Pharmacological experiments implicate T-type CaV channels and sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) as predominant mechanisms of calcium influx. This work shows the potential of using calcium-associated optical signals for neural activity read-out in peripheral nerve axons.

Metabolic Vulnerability in the Neurodegenerative Disease Glaucoma

Axons can be several orders of magnitude longer than neural somas, presenting logistical difficulties in cargo trafficking and structural maintenance. Keeping the axon compartment well supplied with energy also presents a considerable challenge; even seemingly subtle modifications of metabolism can result in functional deficits and degeneration. Axons require a great deal of energy, up to 70% of all energy used by a neuron, just to maintain the resting membrane potential. Axonal energy, in the form of ATP, is generated primarily through oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. In addition, glial cells contribute metabolic intermediates to axons at moments of high activity or according to need. Recent evidence suggests energy disruption is an early contributor to pathology in a wide variety of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by axonopathy. However, the degree to which the energy disruption is intrinsic to the axon vs. associated glia is not clear. This paper will review the role of energy availability and utilization in axon degeneration in glaucoma, a chronic axonopathy of the retinal projection.

N- and L-Type Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels Mediate Fast Calcium Transients in Axonal Shafts of Mouse Peripheral Nerve

In the peripheral nervous system (PNS) a vast number of axons are accommodated within fiber bundles that constitute peripheral nerves. A major function of peripheral axons is to propagate action potentials along their length, and hence they are equipped with Na(+) and K(+) channels, which ensure successful generation, conduction and termination of each action potential. However little is known about Ca(2+) ion channels expressed along peripheral axons and their possible functional significance. The goal of the present study was to test whether voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels (VGCCs) are present along peripheral nerve axons in situ and mediate rapid activity-dependent Ca(2+) elevations under physiological circumstances. To address this question we used mouse sciatic nerve slices, Ca(2+) indicator Oregon Green BAPTA-1, and 2-photon Ca(2+) imaging in fast line scan mode (500 Hz). We report that transient increases in intra-axonal Ca(2+) concentration take place along peripheral nerve axons in situ when axons are stimulated electrically with single pulses. Furthermore, we show for the first time that Ca(2+) transients in peripheral nerves are fast, i.e., occur in a millisecond time-domain. Combining Ca(2+) imaging and pharmacology with specific blockers of different VGCCs subtypes we demonstrate that Ca(2+) transients in peripheral nerves are mediated mainly by N-type and L-type VGCCs. Discovery of fast Ca(2+) entry into the axonal shafts through VGCCs in peripheral nerves suggests that Ca(2+) may be involved in regulation of action potential propagation and/or properties in this system, or mediate neurotransmitter release along peripheral axons as it occurs in the optic nerve and white matter of the central nervous system (CNS).

Inherited and acquired disorders of myelin: The underlying myelin pathology

Remyelination is a major therapeutic goal in human myelin disorders, serving to restore function to demyelinated axons and providing neuroprotection. The target disorders that might be amenable to the promotion of this repair process are diverse and increasing in number. They range primarily from those of genetic, inflammatory to toxic origin. In order to apply remyelinating strategies to these disorders, it is essential to know whether the myelin damage results from a primary attack on myelin or the oligodendrocyte or both, and whether indeed these lead to myelin breakdown and demyelination. In some disorders, myelin sheath abnormalities are prominent but demyelination does not occur. This review explores the range of human and animal disorders where myelin pathology exists and focusses on defining the myelin changes in each and their cause, to help define whether they are targets for myelin repair therapy.

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We reviewed myelin disorders of the CNS in humans and animals.

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Myelin damage results from primary attack on the oligodendrocyte or myelin sheath.

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All major categories of disease can affect CNS myelin.

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Myelin vacuolation is common, yet does not always result in demyelination.

Cause and prevention of demyelination in a model multiple sclerosis lesion

Objective

Demyelination is a cardinal feature of multiple sclerosis, but it remains unclear why new lesions form, and whether they can be prevented. Neuropathological evidence suggests that demyelination can occur in the relative absence of lymphocytes, and with distinctive characteristics suggestive of a tissue energy deficit. The objective was to examine an experimental model of the early multiple sclerosis lesion and identify pathogenic mechanisms and opportunities for therapy.

Methods

Demyelinating lesions were induced in the rat spinal dorsal column by microinjection of lipopolysaccharide, and examined immunohistochemically at different stages of development. The efficacy of treatment with inspired oxygen for 2 days following lesion induction was evaluated.

Results

Demyelinating lesions were not centered on the injection site, but rather formed 1 week later at the white–gray matter border, preferentially including the ventral dorsal column watershed. Lesion formation was preceded by a transient early period of hypoxia and increased production of superoxide and nitric oxide. Oligodendrocyte numbers decreased at the site shortly afterward, prior to demyelination. Lesions formed at a site of inherent susceptibility to hypoxia, as revealed by exposure of naive animals to a hypoxic environment. Notably, raising the inspired oxygen (80%, normobaric) during the hypoxic period significantly reduced or prevented the demyelination.

Interpretation

Demyelination characteristic of at least some early multiple sclerosis lesions can arise at a vascular watershed following activation of innate immune mechanisms that provoke hypoxia, and superoxide and nitric oxide formation, all of which can compromise cellular energy sufficiency. Demyelination can be reduced or eliminated by increasing inspired oxygen to alleviate the transient hypoxia. Ann Neurol 2016;79:591–604

Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Promotes Retinal Ganglion Cell Death in Glaucoma via Calcium-Permeable AMPA Receptor Activation

Loss of vision in glaucoma results from the selective death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) signaling has been linked to RGC damage, however, the mechanism by which TNFα promotes neuronal death remains poorly defined. Using an in vivo rat glaucoma model, we show that TNFα is upregulated by Müller cells and microglia/macrophages soon after induction of ocular hypertension. Administration of XPro1595, a selective inhibitor of soluble TNFα, effectively protects RGC soma and axons. Using cobalt permeability assays, we further demonstrate that endogenous soluble TNFα triggers the upregulation of Ca(2+)-permeable AMPA receptor (CP-AMPAR) expression in RGCs of glaucomatous eyes. CP-AMPAR activation is not caused by defects in GluA2 subunit mRNA editing, but rather reflects selective downregulation of GluA2 in neurons exposed to elevated eye pressure. Intraocular administration of selective CP-AMPAR blockers promotes robust RGC survival supporting a critical role for non-NMDA glutamate receptors in neuronal death. Our study identifies glia-derived soluble TNFα as a major inducer of RGC death through activation of CP-AMPARs, thereby establishing a novel link between neuroinflammation and cell loss in glaucoma.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) has been implicated in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death, but how TNFα exerts this effect is poorly understood. We report that ocular hypertension, a major risk factor in glaucoma, upregulates TNFα production by Müller cells and microglia. Inhibition of soluble TNFα using a dominant-negative strategy effectively promotes RGC survival. We find that TNFα stimulates the expression of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors (CP-AMPAR) in RGCs, a response that does not depend on abnormal GluA2 mRNA editing but on selective downregulation of the GluA2 subunit by these neurons. Consistent with this, CP-AMPAR blockers promote robust RGC survival supporting a critical role for non-NMDA glutamate receptors in glaucomatous damage. This study identifies a novel mechanism by which glia-derived soluble TNFα modulates neuronal death in glaucoma.

MyelStones: the executive roles of myelin basic protein in myelin assembly and destabilization in multiple sclerosis

The classic isoforms of myelin basic protein (MBP, 14–21.5 kDa) are essential to formation of the multilamellar myelin sheath of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). The predominant 18.5-kDa isoform links together the cytosolic surfaces of oligodendrocytes, but additionally participates in cytoskeletal turnover and membrane extension, Fyn-mediated signalling pathways, sequestration of phosphoinositides and maintenance of calcium homoeostasis. All MBP isoforms are intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that interact via molecular recognition fragments (MoRFs), which thereby undergo local disorder-to-order transitions. Their conformations and associations are modulated by environment and by a dynamic barcode of post-translational modifications, particularly phosphorylation by mitogen-activated and other protein kinases and deimination [a hallmark of demyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS)]. The MBPs are thus to myelin what basic histones are to chromatin. Originally thought to be merely structural proteins forming an inert spool, histones are now known to be dynamic entities involved in epigenetic regulation and diseases such as cancer. Analogously, the MBPs are not mere adhesives of compact myelin, but active participants in oligodendrocyte proliferation and in membrane process extension and stabilization during myelinogenesis. A central segment of these proteins is pivotal in membrane-anchoring and SH3 domain (Src homology 3) interaction. We discuss in the present review advances in our understanding of conformational conversions of this classic basic protein upon membrane association, including new thermodynamic analyses of transitions into different structural ensembles and how a shift in the pattern of its post-translational modifications is associated with the pathogenesis and potentially onset of demyelination in MS.

An ex vivo laser-induced spinal cord injury model to assess mechanisms of axonal degeneration in real-time

Injured CNS axons fail to regenerate and often retract away from the injury site. Axons spared from the initial injury may later undergo secondary axonal degeneration. Lack of growth cone formation, regeneration, and loss of additional myelinated axonal projections within the spinal cord greatly limits neurological recovery following injury. To assess how central myelinated axons of the spinal cord respond to injury, we developed an ex vivo living spinal cord model utilizing transgenic mice that express yellow fluorescent protein in axons and a focal and highly reproducible laser-induced spinal cord injury to document the fate of axons and myelin (lipophilic fluorescent dye Nile Red) over time using two-photon excitation time-lapse microscopy. Dynamic processes such as acute axonal injury, axonal retraction, and myelin degeneration are best studied in real-time. However, the non-focal nature of contusion-based injuries and movement artifacts encountered during in vivo spinal cord imaging make differentiating primary and secondary axonal injury responses using high resolution microscopy challenging. The ex vivo spinal cord model described here mimics several aspects of clinically relevant contusion/compression-induced axonal pathologies including axonal swelling, spheroid formation, axonal transection, and peri-axonal swelling providing a useful model to study these dynamic processes in real-time. Major advantages of this model are excellent spatiotemporal resolution that allows differentiation between the primary insult that directly injures axons and secondary injury mechanisms; controlled infusion of reagents directly to the perfusate bathing the cord; precise alterations of the environmental milieu (e.g., calcium, sodium ions, known contributors to axonal injury, but near impossible to manipulate in vivo); and murine models also offer an advantage as they provide an opportunity to visualize and manipulate genetically identified cell populations and subcellular structures. Here, we describe how to isolate and image the living spinal cord from mice to capture dynamics of acute axonal injury.

The central role of mitochondria in axonal degeneration in multiple sclerosis

Neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS) is related to inflammation and demyelination. In acute MS lesions and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis focal immune attacks damage axons by injuring axonal mitochondria. In progressive MS, however, axonal damage occurs in chronically demyelinated regions, myelinated regions and also at the active edge of slowly expanding chronic lesions. How axonal energy failure occurs in progressive MS is incompletely understood. Recent studies show that oligodendrocytes supply lactate to myelinated axons as a metabolic substrate for mitochondria to generate ATP, a process which will be altered upon demyelination. In addition, a number of studies have identified mitochondrial abnormalities within neuronal cell bodies in progressive MS, leading to a deficiency of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes or enzymes. Here, we summarise the mitochondrial abnormalities evident within neurons and discuss how these grey matter mitochondrial abnormalities may increase the vulnerability of axons to degeneration in progressive MS. Although neuronal mitochondrial abnormalities will culminate in axonal degeneration, understanding the different contributions of mitochondria to the degeneration of myelinated and demyelinated axons is an important step towards identifying potential therapeutic targets for progressive MS.

White matter injury: Ischemic and nonischemic

Ischemic pathologies of white matter (WM) include a large proportion of stroke and developmental lesions while multiple sclerosis (MS) is the archetype nonischemic pathology. Growing evidence suggests other important diseases including neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders also involve a significant WM component. Axonal, oligodendroglial, and astroglial damage proceed via distinct mechanisms in ischemic WM and these mechanisms evolve dramatically with maturation. Axons may pass through four developmental stages where the pattern of membrane protein expression influences how the structure responds to ischemia; WM astrocytes pass through at least two and differ significantly in their ischemia tolerance from grey matter astrocytes; oligodendroglia pass through at least three, with the highly ischemia intolerant pre-oligodendrocyte (pre-Oli) stage linking the less sensitive precursor and mature phenotypes. Neurotransmitters play a central role in WM pathology at all ages. Glutamate excitotoxicity in WM has both necrotic and apoptotic components; the latter mediated by intracellular pathways which differ between receptor types. ATP excitotoxicity may be largely mediated by the P2X7 receptor and also has both necrotic and apoptotic components. Interplay between microglia and other cell types is a critical element in the injury process. A growing appreciation of the significance of WM injury for nonischemic neurological disorders is currently stimulating research into mechanisms; with curious similarities being found with those operating during ischemia. A good example is traumatic brain injury, where axonal pathology can proceed via almost identical pathways to those described during acute ischemia.

Desvenlafaxine prevents white matter injury and improves the decreased phosphorylation of the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol synthesis in a chronic mouse model of depression

Serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors antidepressants exert their effects by increasing serotonin and norepinephrine in the synaptic cleft. Studies show it takes 2-3 weeks for the mood-enhancing effects, which indicate other mechanisms may underlie their treatment effects. Here, we investigated the role of white matter in treatment and pathogenesis of depression using an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) mouse model. Desvenlafaxine (DVS) was orally administrated to UCMS mice at the dose of 10 mg/kg/day 1 week before they went through a 7-week stress procedure and lasted for over 8 weeks before the mice were killed. No significant changes were found for protein markers of neurons and astrocytes in UCMS mice. However, myelin and oligodendrocyte-related proteins were significantly reduced in UCMS mice. DVS prevented the stress-induced injury to white matter and the decrease of phosphorylated 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase and 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase protein expression. DVS increased open arm entries in an elevated plus-maze test, sucrose consumption in the sucrose preference test and decreased immobility in tail suspension and forced swimming tests. These findings suggest that stress induces depression-like behaviors and white matter deficits in UCMS mice. DVS may ameliorate the oligodendrocyte dysfunction by affecting cholesterol synthesis, alleviating the depression-like phenotypes in these mice. We examined the possible role of oligodendrocyte and myelin in the pathological changes of depression with an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) mouse model. Oligodendrocyte-related proteins in the mouse brain were specifically changed during the stress period. The depressive-like behaviors and oligodendrocyte deficits could be prevented by the administration of desvenlafaxine. Oligodendrocyte and myelin may be an essential target of desvenlafaxine for the treatment of depression.

Myelin paucity of the superior cerebellar peduncle in individuals with Friedreich ataxia: an MRI magnetization transfer imaging study

The dentate nucleus (DN) is the major relay station for neural connection between the cerebellum and cerebrum via the thalamus, and is a significant component of the neuropathological profile of Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). We have previously shown that the size of the superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP), which links the DN to cortical and subcortical structures via the thalamus, is significantly reduced in individuals with FRDA compared to control participants. This study used magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) to examine and contrast the integrity of white matter (WM) in the SCP and the corpus callosum (CC) (control region) in ten individuals with FRDA and ten controls. Individuals with FRDA demonstrated a significant reduction in the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in the SCP compared to control participants. However, there was no significant difference between groups in MTR in the CC. When comparing regions within groups, there was a significant reduction in MTR in the SCP compared to CC in participants with FRDA only. We suggest that the reduction in MTR in the SCP may be indicative of lack of myelin secondary to axonal loss and oligodendroglial dysfunction in WM tracts in individuals with FRDA.

Hemoglobin as a source of iron overload in multiple sclerosis: does multiple sclerosis share risk factors with vascular disorders?

Although iron is known to be essential for the normal development and health of the central nervous system, abnormal iron deposits are found in and around multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions that themselves are closely associated with the cerebral vasculature. However, the origin of this excess iron is unknown, and it is not clear whether this is one of the primary causative events in the pathogenesis of MS, or simply another consequence of the long-lasting inflammatory conditions. Here, applying a systems biology approach, we propose an additional way for understanding the neurodegenerative component of the disease caused by chronic subclinical extravasation of hemoglobin, in combination with multiple other factors including, but not limited to, dysfunction of different cellular protective mechanisms against extracellular hemoglobin reactivity and oxidative stress. Moreover, such considerations could also shed light on and explain the higher susceptibility of MS patients to a wide range of cardiovascular disorders.

Neurotransmitter signaling in white matter

White matter (WM) tracts are bundles of myelinated axons that provide for rapid communication throughout the CNS and integration in grey matter (GM). The main cells in myelinated tracts are oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, with small populations of microglia and oligodendrocyte precursor cells. The prominence of neurotransmitter signaling in WM, which largely exclude neuronal cell bodies, indicates it must have physiological functions other than neuron-to-neuron communication. A surprising aspect is the diversity of neurotransmitter signaling in WM, with evidence for glutamatergic, purinergic (ATP and adenosine), GABAergic, glycinergic, adrenergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic and serotonergic signaling, acting via a wide range of ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. Both axons and glia are potential sources of neurotransmitters and may express the respective receptors. The physiological functions of neurotransmitter signaling in WM are subject to debate, but glutamate and ATP-mediated signaling have been shown to evoke Ca(2+) signals in glia and modulate axonal conduction. Experimental findings support a model of neurotransmitters being released from axons during action potential propagation acting on glial receptors to regulate the homeostatic functions of astrocytes and myelination by oligodendrocytes. Astrocytes also release neurotransmitters, which act on axonal receptors to strengthen action potential propagation, maintaining signaling along potentially long axon tracts. The co-existence of multiple neurotransmitters in WM tracts suggests they may have diverse functions that are important for information processing. Furthermore, the neurotransmitter signaling phenomena described in WM most likely apply to myelinated axons of the cerebral cortex and GM areas, where they are doubtless important for higher cognitive function.

Axoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) release causes secondary degeneration of spinal axons

OBJECTIVE

Transected axons of the central nervous system fail to regenerate and instead die back away from the lesion site, resulting in permanent disability. Although both intrinsic (eg, microtubule instability, calpain activation) and extrinsic (ie, macrophages) processes are implicated in axonal dieback, the underlying mechanisms remain uncertain. Furthermore, the precise mechanisms that cause delayed "bystander" loss of spinal axons, that is, ones that were not directly damaged by the initial insult, but succumbed to secondary degeneration, remain unclear. Our goal was to evaluate the role of intra-axonal Ca(2+) stores in secondary axonal degeneration following spinal cord injury.

METHODS

We developed a 2-photon laser-induced spinal cord injury model to follow morphological and Ca(2+) changes in live myelinated spinal axons acutely following injury.

RESULTS

Transected axons "died back" within swollen myelin or underwent synchronous pan-fragmentation associated with robust Ca(2+) increases. Spared fibers underwent delayed secondary bystander degeneration. Reducing Ca(2+) release from axonal stores mediated by ryanodine and inositol triphosphate receptors significantly decreased axonal dieback and bystander injury. Conversely, a gain-of-function ryanodine receptor 2 mutant or pharmacological treatments that promote axonal store Ca(2+) release worsened these events.

INTERPRETATION

Ca(2+) release from intra-axonal Ca(2+) stores, distributed along the length of the axon, contributes significantly to secondary degeneration of axons. This refocuses our approach to protecting spinal white matter tracts, where emphasis has been placed on limiting Ca(2+) entry from the extracellular space across cell membranes, and emphasizes that modulation of axonal Ca(2+) stores may be a key pharmacotherapeutic goal in spinal cord injury.

Mathematical Models of Blast-Induced TBI: Current Status, Challenges, and Prospects

Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a signature wound of recent military activities and is the leading cause of death and long-term disability among U.S. soldiers. The current limited understanding of brain injury mechanisms impedes the development of protection, diagnostic, and treatment strategies. We believe mathematical models of blast wave brain injury biomechanics and neurobiology, complemented with in vitro and in vivo experimental studies, will enable a better understanding of injury mechanisms and accelerate the development of both protective and treatment strategies. The goal of this paper is to review the current state of the art in mathematical and computational modeling of blast-induced TBI, identify research gaps, and recommend future developments. A brief overview of blast wave physics, injury biomechanics, and the neurobiology of brain injury is used as a foundation for a more detailed discussion of multiscale mathematical models of primary biomechanics and secondary injury and repair mechanisms. The paper also presents a discussion of model development strategies, experimental approaches to generate benchmark data for model validation, and potential applications of the model for prevention and protection against blast wave TBI.

Oligodendrocyte N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor signaling: insights into its functions

Myelination by oligodendrocytes facilitates rapid nerve conduction. Loss of oligodendrocytes and failure of myelination lead to nerve degeneration and numerous demyelinating white matter diseases. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which are key regulators on neuron survival and functions, have been recently identified to express in oligodendrocytes, especially in the myelin sheath. NMDA receptor signaling in oligodendrocytes plays crucial roles in energy metabolism and myelination. In the present review, we highlight the subcellular location-specific impairment of excessive NMDA receptor signaling on oligodendrocyte energy metabolism in soma and myelin, and the mechanisms including Ca(2+) overload, acidotoxicity, mitochondria dysfunction, and impairment of respiratory chains. Conversely, physiological NMDA receptor signaling regulates differentiation and migration of oligodendrocytes. How can we use above knowledge to treat excitotoxic oligodendrocyte loss, congenital myelination deficiency, or postnatal demyelination? A thorough understanding of NMDA receptor signaling-mediated cellular events in oligodendrocytes at the pathophysiological level will no doubt aid in exploring effective therapeutic strategies for demyelinating white matter diseases.

Focal increases of axoplasmic Ca2+, aggregation of sodium-calcium exchanger, N-type Ca2+ channel, and actin define the sites of spheroids in axons undergoing oxidative stress

Axonal spheroids occur as part of the pathology of a variety of neurologic diseases. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) trigger formation of spheroids, axonal severing, and Ca(2+) overload. The mechanisms by which ROS lead to the spheroid formation at specific axonal sites remain elusive. Here, using adult mouse primary neurons, we investigate the role of Ca(2+), its regulating systems, and cytoskeletal changes in formation of axonal spheroids triggered by ROS. The results reveal that dramatically higher axoplasmic Ca(2+) levels occur at the sites of axonal spheroids than in the rest of the axon. High focal axoplasmic Ca(2+) levels correlate with focal aggregation of the reverse Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger 1, voltage-gated N-type Ca(2+) channel α1B subunit, and actin at the sites of spheroids in individual axons. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of a spheroid formation at specific sites along axons undergoing oxidative stress and a basis for new neuroprotective strategies.

Will the real multiple sclerosis please stand up?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered to be an autoimmune, inflammatory disease of the CNS. In most patients, the disease follows a relapsing-remitting course and is characterized by dynamic inflammatory demyelinating lesions in the CNS. Although on the surface MS may appear consistent with a primary autoimmune disease, questions have been raised as to whether inflammation and/or autoimmunity are really at the root of the disease, and it has been proposed that MS might in fact be a degenerative disorder. We argue that MS may be an 'immunological convolution' between an underlying primary degenerative disorder and the host's aberrant immune response. To better understand this disease, we might need to consider non-inflammatory primary progressive MS as the 'real' MS, with inflammatory forms reflecting secondary, albeit very important, reactions.