1
|
Posern C, Dreyer B, Maier SL, Eichler F, Gelb MH, Santer R, Bley A, Murko S. Quantification of N-acetyl-l-aspartate in dried blood spots: A simple and fast LC-MS/MS neonatal screening method for the diagnosis of Canavan disease. Mol Genet Metab 2024; 142:108489. [PMID: 38718669 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2024.108489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Canavan disease is a devastating neurometabolic disorder caused by accumulation of N acetylaspartate in brain and body fluids due to genetic defects in the aspartoacylase gene (ASPA). New gene therapies are on the horizon but will require early presymptomatic diagnosis to be fully effective. METHODS We therefore developed a fast and highly sensitive liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based method for quantification of N-acetylaspartate in dried blood spots and established reference ranges for neonates and older controls. With this test, we investigated 45 samples of 25 Canavan patients including 8 with a neonatal sample. RESULTS Measuring N-acetylaspartate concentration in dried blood with this novel test, all Canavan patients (with variable severity) were well separated from the control group (median; range: 5.7; 1.6-13.6 μmol/L [n = 45] vs 0.44; 0.24-0.99 μmol/L [n = 59] (p < 0.05)). There was also no overlap when comparing neonatal samples of Canavan patients (7.3; 5.1-9.9 μmol/L [n = 8]) and neonatal controls (0.93; 0.4-1.8 μmol/L [n = 784]) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS We have developed a new LC-MS/MS-based screening test for early postnatal diagnosis of Canavan disease that should be further evaluated in a population-based study once a promising treatment becomes available. The method meets the general requirements of newborn screening and should be appropriate for multiplexing with other screening approaches that combine chromatographic and mass spectrometry techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Posern
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Benjamin Dreyer
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Sarah L Maier
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Florian Eichler
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Michael H Gelb
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, 109 Bagley Hall, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - René Santer
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Annette Bley
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Simona Murko
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Xiong F, Jiang K, Wu Y, Lou C, Ding C, Zhang W, Zhang X, Li C, Zheng H, Gao H. Intermittent fasting alleviates type 1 diabetes-induced cognitive dysfunction by improving the frontal cortical metabolic disorder. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023:166725. [PMID: 37127173 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an ecological strategy to control various metabolic disorder symptoms, but its protective effect on type 1 diabetes (T1D)-induced cognitive dysfunction and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. Herein, we examined the efficacy of IF in altering the behaviors and brain metabolome in T1D mice and investigated the potential molecular mechanisms. We demonstrated that IF remarkably improved frontal cortical-dependent memory in T1D mice and reduced the loss of neuronal cells. Metabolomics and targeted mass spectrometry assay showed that IF reprogrammed the frontal cortical metabolome composition, including activated the aspartate and glutamate pathway and reversed glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid depositions in T1D mice. Mechanistically, IF attenuated the levels of oxidative stress proteins, such as NOX2, NOX4, 8-OHdG, 4-HNE, and inhibited the levels of pro-apoptotic factors Bax and cleaved Caspase-3, finally improved the memory ability of T1D mice. In vitro studies confirmed the protective effect of the supplemented N-acetylaspartate, a pivotal metabolite involved in IF-regulated T1D-induced cognitive dysfunction, in high glucose-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells by eliminating toxic lipids accumulation, oxidative stress and apoptosis. To conclude, the frontal cortical metabolites mediated the protective effects of IF against T1D-induced cognitive dysfunction by attenuating oxidative stress and apoptotic signaling. Thus, IF can be a potential therapeutic strategy for T1D-induced cognitive dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fen Xiong
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Kaiyuan Jiang
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yali Wu
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Cong Lou
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Chengjie Ding
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Chen Li
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Hong Zheng
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Hongchang Gao
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Metabonomics & Medical NMR, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Key Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Encephalopathy Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Amanat M, Nemeth CL, Fine AS, Leung DG, Fatemi A. Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapy for the Nervous System: From Bench to Bedside with Emphasis on Pediatric Neurology. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:2389. [PMID: 36365206 PMCID: PMC9695718 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are disease-modifying agents affecting protein-coding and noncoding ribonucleic acids. Depending on the chemical modification and the location of hybridization, ASOs are able to reduce the level of toxic proteins, increase the level of functional protein, or modify the structure of impaired protein to improve function. There are multiple challenges in delivering ASOs to their site of action. Chemical modifications in the phosphodiester bond, nucleotide sugar, and nucleobase can increase structural thermodynamic stability and prevent ASO degradation. Furthermore, different particles, including viral vectors, conjugated peptides, conjugated antibodies, and nanocarriers, may improve ASO delivery. To date, six ASOs have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in three neurological disorders: spinal muscular atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and polyneuropathy caused by hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis. Ongoing preclinical and clinical studies are assessing the safety and efficacy of ASOs in multiple genetic and acquired neurological conditions. The current review provides an update on underlying mechanisms, design, chemical modifications, and delivery of ASOs. The administration of FDA-approved ASOs in neurological disorders is described, and current evidence on the safety and efficacy of ASOs in other neurological conditions, including pediatric neurological disorders, is reviewed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Man Amanat
- Moser Center for Leukodystrophies, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Christina L. Nemeth
- Moser Center for Leukodystrophies, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Amena Smith Fine
- Moser Center for Leukodystrophies, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Doris G. Leung
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Center for Genetic Muscle Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ali Fatemi
- Moser Center for Leukodystrophies, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chaudhary S, Parvez S. Neuroprotective Effects of Natural Antioxidants Against Branched-Chain Fatty Acid-Induced Oxidative Stress in Cerebral Cortex and Cerebellum Regions of the Rat Brain. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:38269-38276. [PMID: 36340064 PMCID: PMC9631910 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c00163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Valproic acid (VPA) is short branched-chain fatty acid (BCFA) derived from valeric acids which are naturally produced by Valeriana officinalis (flowering plant). Neurotoxicity caused by BCFA-like VPA may be mediated by oxidative stress, according to research involving the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. In the present study, we explored the possible protective effect of different antioxidants such as melatonin, quercetin, and piperine on VPA exposure by using a supernatant preparation of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum regions of the rat brain. The present study revealed that melatonin, quercetin, and piperine significantly prevented VPA-induced oxidative stress in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum regions. VPA was also observed to lower the level of reduced glutathione, and this effect was significantly mitigated by these antioxidants. Melatonin, quercetin, and piperine also ameliorated and altered the activities of AChE, Na+, K+ATPase, and MAO in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Results of this study also suggest that prior treatment of antioxidants like melatonin, quercetin, and piperine helps in combating the oxidative stress induced by VPA in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum region of the rat brain. Thus, sufficient dietary intake of these antioxidants by individuals at high risk of VPA exposure could prove beneficial in combating the adverse effect of VPA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Suhel Parvez
- . Phone: +91 11 26059688x5573. Fax: +91 11 26059663
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wei H, Moffett JR, Amanat M, Fatemi A, Tsukamoto T, Namboodiri AM, Slusher BS. The pathogenesis of, and pharmacological treatment for, Canavan disease. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:2467-2483. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
6
|
Laugwitz L, Zizmare L, Santhanakumaran V, Cannet C, Böhringer J, Okun JG, Spraul M, Krägeloh‐Mann I, Groeschel S, Trautwein C. Identification of neurodegeneration indicators and disease progression in metachromatic leukodystrophy using quantitative NMR-based urinary metabolomics. JIMD Rep 2022; 63:168-180. [PMID: 35281658 PMCID: PMC8898726 DOI: 10.1002/jmd2.12273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency of the arylsulfatase A (ARSA). ARSA deficiency leads to an accumulation of sulfatides primarily in the nervous system ultimately causing demyelination. With evolving therapeutic options, there is an increasing need for indicators to evaluate disease progression. Here, we report targeted metabolic urine profiling of 56 MLD patients including longitudinal sampling, using 1H (proton) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. 1H-NMR urine spectra of 119 MLD samples and 323 healthy controls were analyzed by an in vitro diagnostics research (IVDr) tool, covering up to 50 endogenous and 100 disease-related metabolites on a 600-MHz IVDr NMR spectrometer. Quantitative data reports were analyzed regarding age of onset, clinical course, and therapeutic intervention. The NMR data reveal metabolome changes consistent with a multiorgan affection in MLD patients in comparison to controls. In the MLD cohort, N-acetylaspartate (NAA) excretion in urine is elevated. Early onset MLD forms show a different metabolic profile suggesting a metabolic shift toward ketogenesis in comparison to late onset MLD and controls. In samples of juvenile MLD patients who stabilize clinically after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the macrophage activation marker neopterin is elevated. We were able to identify different metabolic patterns reflecting variable organ disturbances in MLD, including brain and energy metabolism and inflammatory processes. We suggest NAA in urine as a quantitative biomarker for neurodegeneration. Intriguingly, elevated neopterin after HSCT supports the hypothesis that competent donor macrophages are crucial for favorable outcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Laugwitz
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Developmental Neurology and Social PediatricsUniversity of TuebingenTuebingenGermany
| | - Laimdota Zizmare
- Werner Siemens Imaging CenterUniversity of TuebingenTuebingenGermany
| | - Vidiyaah Santhanakumaran
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Developmental Neurology and Social PediatricsUniversity of TuebingenTuebingenGermany
| | | | - Judith Böhringer
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Developmental Neurology and Social PediatricsUniversity of TuebingenTuebingenGermany
| | - Jürgen G. Okun
- Dietmar‐Hopp Metabolic CenterChildren's Hospital HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Manfred Spraul
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Developmental Neurology and Social PediatricsUniversity of TuebingenTuebingenGermany
| | - Ingeborg Krägeloh‐Mann
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Developmental Neurology and Social PediatricsUniversity of TuebingenTuebingenGermany
| | - Samuel Groeschel
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Developmental Neurology and Social PediatricsUniversity of TuebingenTuebingenGermany
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lotun A, Gessler DJ, Gao G. Canavan Disease as a Model for Gene Therapy-Mediated Myelin Repair. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:661928. [PMID: 33967698 PMCID: PMC8102781 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.661928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the scientific and therapeutic fields for rare, genetic central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as leukodystrophies, or white matter disorders, have expanded significantly in part due to technological advancements in cellular and clinical screenings as well as remedial therapies using novel techniques such as gene therapy. However, treatments aimed at normalizing the pathological changes associated with leukodystrophies have especially been complicated due to the innate and variable effects of glial abnormalities, which can cause large-scale functional deficits in developmental myelination and thus lead to downstream neuronal impairment. Emerging research in the past two decades have depicted glial cells, particularly oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, as key, regulatory modulators in constructing and maintaining myelin function and neuronal viability. Given the significance of myelin formation in the developing brain, myelin repair in a time-dependent fashion is critical in restoring homeostatic functionality to the CNS of patients diagnosed with white matter disorders. Using Canavan Disease (CD) as a leukodystrophy model, here we review the hypothetical roles of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), one of the brain's most abundant amino acid derivatives, in Canavan disease's CNS myelinating pathology, as well as discuss the possible functions astrocytes serve in both CD and other leukodystrophies' time-sensitive disease correction. Through this analysis, we also highlight the potential remyelinating benefits of gene therapy for other leukodystrophies in which alternative CNS cell targeting for white matter disorders may be an applicable path for reparative treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anoushka Lotun
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Dominic J Gessler
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.,Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
A framework for large-scale metabolome drug profiling links coenzyme A metabolism to the toxicity of anti-cancer drug dichloroacetate. Commun Biol 2018; 1:101. [PMID: 30271981 PMCID: PMC6123704 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0111-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic profiling of cell line collections has become an invaluable tool to study disease etiology, drug modes of action and to select personalized treatments. However, large-scale in vitro dynamic metabolic profiling is limited by time-consuming sampling and complex measurement procedures. By adapting a mass spectrometry-based metabolomics workflow for high-throughput profiling of diverse adherent mammalian cells, we establish a framework for the rapid measurement and analysis of drug-induced dynamic changes in intracellular metabolites. This methodology is scalable to large compound libraries and is here applied to study the mechanism underlying the toxic effect of dichloroacetate in ovarian cancer cell lines. System-level analysis of the metabolic responses revealed a key and unexpected role of CoA biosynthesis in dichloroacetate toxicity and the more general importance of CoA homeostasis across diverse human cell lines. The herein-proposed strategy for high-content drug metabolic profiling is complementary to other molecular profiling techniques, opening new scientific and drug-discovery opportunities.
Collapse
|
9
|
Appu AP, Moffett JR, Arun P, Moran S, Nambiar V, Krishnan JKS, Puthillathu N, Namboodiri AMA. Increasing N-acetylaspartate in the Brain during Postnatal Myelination Does Not Cause the CNS Pathologies of Canavan Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:161. [PMID: 28626388 PMCID: PMC5454052 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Canavan disease is caused by mutations in the gene encoding aspartoacylase (ASPA), a deacetylase that catabolizes N-acetylaspartate (NAA). The precise involvement of elevated NAA in the pathogenesis of Canavan disease is an ongoing debate. In the present study, we tested the effects of elevated NAA in the brain during postnatal development. Mice were administered high doses of the hydrophobic methyl ester of NAA (M-NAA) twice daily starting on day 7 after birth. This treatment increased NAA levels in the brain to those observed in the brains of Nur7 mice, an established model of Canavan disease. We evaluated various serological parameters, oxidative stress, inflammatory and neurodegeneration markers and the results showed that there were no pathological alterations in any measure with increased brain NAA levels. We examined oxidative stress markers, malondialdehyde content (indicator of lipid peroxidation), expression of NADPH oxidase and nuclear translocation of the stress-responsive transcription factor nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF-2) in brain. We also examined additional pathological markers by immunohistochemistry and the expression of activated caspase-3 and interleukin-6 by Western blot. None of the markers were increased in the brains of M-NAA treated mice, and no vacuoles were observed in any brain region. These results show that ASPA expression prevents the pathologies associated with excessive NAA concentrations in the brain during postnatal myelination. We hypothesize that the pathogenesis of Canavan disease involves not only disrupted NAA metabolism, but also excessive NAA related signaling processes in oligodendrocytes that have not been fully determined and we discuss some of the potential mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhilash P. Appu
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, United States
| | - John R. Moffett
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, United States
| | - Peethambaran Arun
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sean Moran
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, United States
| | - Vikram Nambiar
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jishnu K. S. Krishnan
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, United States
| | - Narayanan Puthillathu
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, United States
| | - Aryan M. A. Namboodiri
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Roscoe RB, Elliott C, Zarros A, Baillie GS. Non-genetic therapeutic approaches to Canavan disease. J Neurol Sci 2016; 366:116-124. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
|
11
|
Ahmed SS, Schattgen SA, Frakes AE, Sikoglu EM, Su Q, Li J, Hampton TG, Denninger AR, Kirschner DA, Kaspar B, Matalon R, Gao G. rAAV Gene Therapy in a Canavan's Disease Mouse Model Reveals Immune Impairments and an Extended Pathology Beyond the Central Nervous System. Mol Ther 2016; 24:1030-1041. [PMID: 27039844 PMCID: PMC4923332 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2016.68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspartoacylase (AspA) gene mutations cause the pediatric lethal neurodegenerative Canavan disease (CD). There is emerging promise of successful gene therapy for CD using recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs). Here, we report an intracerebroventricularly delivered AspA gene therapy regime using three serotypes of rAAVs at a 20-fold reduced dose than previously described in AspA(-/-) mice, a bona-fide mouse model of CD. Interestingly, central nervous system (CNS)-restricted therapy prolonged survival over systemic therapy in CD mice but failed to sustain motor functions seen in systemically treated mice. Importantly, we reveal through histological and functional examination of untreated CD mice that AspA deficiency in peripheral tissues causes morphological and functional abnormalities in this heretofore CNS-defined disorder. We demonstrate for the first time that AspA deficiency, possibly through excessive N-acetyl aspartic acid accumulation, elicits both a peripheral and CNS immune response in CD mice. Our data establish a role for peripheral tissues in CD pathology and serve to aid the development of more efficacious and sustained gene therapy for this disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seemin Seher Ahmed
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stefan A Schattgen
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ashley E Frakes
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Elif M Sikoglu
- The Center for Comparative Neuroimaging, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qin Su
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jia Li
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | | | - Brian Kaspar
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Reuben Matalon
- Department of Pediatrics, Biochemical and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ahmed SS, Gao G. Making the White Matter Matters: Progress in Understanding Canavan's Disease and Therapeutic Interventions Through Eight Decades. JIMD Rep 2015; 19:11-22. [PMID: 25604619 DOI: 10.1007/8904_2014_356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Revised: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Canavan's disease (CD) is a fatal autosomal recessive pediatric leukodystrophy in which patients show severe neurodegeneration and typically die by the age of 10, though life expectancy in patients can be highly variable. Currently, there is no effective treatment for CD; however, gene therapy seems to be a feasible approach to combat the disease. Being a monogenic defect, the disease provides an excellent model system to develop gene therapy approaches that can be extended to other monogenic leukodystrophies and neurodegenerative diseases. CD results from mutations in a single gene aspartoacylase which hydrolyses N-acetyl aspartic acid (NAA) which accumulates in its absences. Since CD is one of the few diseases that show high NAA levels, it can also be used to study the enigmatic biological role of NAA. The disease was first described in 1931, and this review traces the progress made in the past 8 decades to understand the disease by enumerating current hypotheses and ongoing palliative measures to alleviate patient symptoms in the context of the latest advances in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seemin S Ahmed
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, ASC6, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
An in vitro approach to assess the neurotoxicity of valproic acid-induced oxidative stress in cerebellum and cerebral cortex of young rats. Neuroscience 2012; 225:258-68. [PMID: 22960313 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.08.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2012] [Revised: 08/27/2012] [Accepted: 08/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Valproic acid (VPA), a branched short-chain fatty acid, is generally used as an antiepileptic drug and a mood stabilizer. VPA is a relatively safe drug, but its use in higher concentrations is associated with idiosyncratic neurotoxicity. Investigations involving cerebral cortex and cerebellum can shed light on whether neurotoxicity induced by branched chain fatty acids like VPA is mediated by oxidative stress. The aim of our investigation was to evaluate the neurotoxic potential of VPA by using preparation of cerebral cortex and cerebellum of young rats as an in vitro model. Oxidative stress indexes such as lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein carbonyl (PC) formation were evaluated to visualize whether the first line of defence was breached. The levels of oxidative stress markers, LPO and PC were significantly elevated. Non-enzymatic antioxidants' effect was also demonstrated as a significant depletion in reduced glutathione (GSH) and non-protein thiol activity (NP-SH), but there was no significant increase or decrease in the concentrations of total thiol (T-SH) and protein thiol (P-SH). VPA also showed significant reduction in the activities of glutathione metabolizing enzymes such as glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and other antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) in cerebellum and cerebral cortex. A significant elevation was also observed in the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO). Some neurotoxicity biomarkers were investigated in which the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and sodium-potassium ATPase (Na(+), K(+)-ATPase) was decreased and monoamine oxidase (MAO) was increased. These results indicate that VPA induces oxidative stress by compromising the antioxidant status of the neuronal tissue. Further studies are required to decipher the cellular and molecular mechanisms of branched chain fatty acid-induced neurotoxicity.
Collapse
|
14
|
Surendran S, Bhatnagar M. Upregulation of N-acetylaspartic acid induces oxidative stress to contribute in disease pathophysiology. Int J Neurosci 2011; 121:305-9. [PMID: 21348802 DOI: 10.3109/00207454.2011.558225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA) is predominantly present in brain and also present in lower amount in peripheral organs. The role of NAA in pathophysiology is poorly understood. Therefore the review was aimed to understand contribution of NAA in disease process. Amniotic fluid of mothers with Canavan disease (CD) fetus and patients with the disease show increased levels of NAA. Increase of this pathway is also reported in Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes. In HIV-related dementia, NAA is affected. Recent studies suggest that upregulation of NAA leads to oxidative stress including upregulation of nitric oxide and reducing potential antioxidants. NAA also leads to physiological abnormalities including walking disorder. These changes suggest that NAA contributes in disease pathophysiology.
Collapse
|
15
|
Pederzolli CD, Rosa AP, de Oliveira AS, Coelho JG, da Luz Becker D, Dalazen GR, Moraes TB, Dutra-Filho CS. Neuroprotective role of lipoic acid against acute toxicity of N-acetylaspartic acid. Mol Cell Biochem 2010; 344:231-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s11010-010-0547-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2010] [Accepted: 07/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
16
|
Pederzolli CD, Mescka CP, Magnusson AS, Deckmann KB, de Souza Streck E, Sgaravatti AM, Sgarbi MB, Wyse ATS, Wannmacher CMD, Wajner M, Dutra-Filho CS. N-acetylaspartic acid impairs enzymatic antioxidant defenses and enhances hydrogen peroxide concentration in rat brain. Metab Brain Dis 2010; 25:251-9. [PMID: 20437087 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-010-9202-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2009] [Accepted: 03/22/2010] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
N-Acetylaspartic acid accumulates in Canavan Disease, a severe inherited neurometabolic disease clinically characterized by severe mental retardation, hypotonia, macrocephaly and generalized tonic and clonic type seizures. Considering that the mechanisms of brain damage in this disease remain poorly understood, in the present study we investigated the in vitro and in vivo effects of N-acetylaspartic acid on the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, as well as on hydrogen peroxide concentration in cerebral cortex of 14-day-old rats. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were significantly inhibited, while hydrogen peroxide concentration was significantly enhanced by N-acetylaspartic acid both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, superoxide dismutase activity was not altered by N-acetylaspartic acid. Our results clearly show that N-acetylaspartic acid impairs the enzymatic antioxidant defenses in rat brain. This could be involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for the brain damage observed in patients affected by Canavan Disease.
Collapse
|
17
|
Pederzolli CD, Rockenbach FJ, Zanin FR, Henn NT, Romagna EC, Sgaravatti AM, Wyse ATS, Wannmacher CMD, Wajner M, de Mattos Dutra A, Dutra-Filho CS. Intracerebroventricular administration of N-acetylaspartic acid impairs antioxidant defenses and promotes protein oxidation in cerebral cortex of rats. Metab Brain Dis 2009; 24:283-98. [PMID: 19294497 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-009-9137-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2008] [Accepted: 09/29/2008] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA) is the biochemical hallmark of Canavan Disease, an inherited metabolic disease caused by deficiency of aspartoacylase activity. NAA is an immediate precursor for the enzyme-mediated biosynthesis of N-acetylaspartylglutamic acid (NAAG), whose concentration is also increased in urine and cerebrospinal fluid of patients affected by CD. This neurodegenerative disorder is clinically characterized by severe mental retardation, hypotonia and macrocephaly, and generalized tonic and clonic type seizures. Considering that the mechanisms of brain damage in this disease remain not fully understood, in the present study we investigated whether intracerebroventricular administration of NAA or NAAG elicits oxidative stress in cerebral cortex of 30-day-old rats. NAA significantly reduced total radical-trapping antioxidant potential, catalase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities, whereas protein carbonyl content and superoxide dismutase activity were significantly enhanced. Lipid peroxidation indices and glutathione peroxidase activity were not affected by NAA. In contrast, NAAG did not alter any of the oxidative stress parameters tested. Our results indicate that intracerebroventricular administration of NAA impairs antioxidant defenses and induces oxidative damage to proteins, which could be involved in the neurotoxicity of NAA accumulation in CD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Didonet Pederzolli
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brasil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Tomiya M, Fukushima T, Ogaya T, Sone Y, Mitsuhashi S, Toyo'oka T. Determination of kynurenic acid levels in rat brain microdialysis samples and changes in kynurenic acid levels induced byN-acetylaspartic acid. Biomed Chromatogr 2009; 24:569-73. [DOI: 10.1002/bmc.1336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
19
|
The ubiquitin-proteasome system in spongiform degenerative disorders. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2008; 1782:700-12. [PMID: 18790052 PMCID: PMC2612938 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2008.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2008] [Revised: 08/13/2008] [Accepted: 08/15/2008] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Spongiform degeneration is characterized by vacuolation in nervous tissue accompanied by neuronal death and gliosis. Although spongiform degeneration is a hallmark of prion diseases, this pathology is also present in the brains of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, diffuse Lewy body disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and Canavan’s spongiform leukodystrophy. The shared outcome of spongiform degeneration in these diverse diseases suggests that common cellular mechanisms must underlie the processes of spongiform change and neurodegeneration in the central nervous system. Immunohistochemical analysis of brain tissues reveals increased ubiquitin immunoreactivity in and around areas of spongiform change, suggesting the involvement of ubiquitin–proteasome system dysfunction in the pathogenesis of spongiform neurodegeneration. The link between aberrant ubiquitination and spongiform neurodegeneration has been strengthened by the discovery that a null mutation in the E3 ubiquitin–protein ligase mahogunin ring finger-1 (Mgrn1) causes an autosomal recessively inherited form of spongiform neurodegeneration in animals. Recent studies have begun to suggest that abnormal ubiquitination may alter intracellular signaling and cell functions via proteasome-dependent and proteasome-independent mechanisms, leading to spongiform degeneration and neuronal cell death. Further elucidation of the pathogenic pathways involved in spongiform neurodegeneration should facilitate the development of novel rational therapies for treating prion diseases, HIV infection, and other spongiform degenerative disorders.
Collapse
|