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Richardson B, Goedert T, Quraishe S, Deinhardt K, Mudher A. How do neurons age? A focused review on the aging of the microtubular cytoskeleton. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1899-1907. [PMID: 38227514 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.390974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. We now understand that a breakdown in the neuronal cytoskeleton, mainly underpinned by protein modifications leading to the destabilization of microtubules, is central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. This is accompanied by morphological defects across the somatodendritic compartment, axon, and synapse. However, knowledge of what occurs to the microtubule cytoskeleton and morphology of the neuron during physiological aging is comparatively poor. Several recent studies have suggested that there is an age-related increase in the phosphorylation of the key microtubule stabilizing protein tau, a modification, which is known to destabilize the cytoskeleton in Alzheimer's disease. This indicates that the cytoskeleton and potentially other neuronal structures reliant on the cytoskeleton become functionally compromised during normal physiological aging. The current literature shows age-related reductions in synaptic spine density and shifts in synaptic spine conformation which might explain age-related synaptic functional deficits. However, knowledge of what occurs to the microtubular and actin cytoskeleton, with increasing age is extremely limited. When considering the somatodendritic compartment, a regression in dendrites and loss of dendritic length and volume is reported whilst a reduction in soma volume/size is often seen. However, research into cytoskeletal change is limited to a handful of studies demonstrating reductions in and mislocalizations of microtubule-associated proteins with just one study directly exploring the integrity of the microtubules. In the axon, an increase in axonal diameter and age-related appearance of swellings is reported but like the dendrites, just one study investigates the microtubules directly with others reporting loss or mislocalization of microtubule-associated proteins. Though these are the general trends reported, there are clear disparities between model organisms and brain regions that are worthy of further investigation. Additionally, longitudinal studies of neuronal/cytoskeletal aging should also investigate whether these age-related changes contribute not just to vulnerability to disease but also to the decline in nervous system function and behavioral output that all organisms experience. This will highlight the utility, if any, of cytoskeletal fortification for the promotion of healthy neuronal aging and potential protection against age-related neurodegenerative disease. This review seeks to summarize what is currently known about the physiological aging of the neuron and microtubular cytoskeleton in the hope of uncovering mechanisms underpinning age-related risk to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brad Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Thomas Goedert
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Shmma Quraishe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Katrin Deinhardt
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Amritpal Mudher
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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2
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Galimberti M, Nucera MR, Bocchi VD, Conforti P, Vezzoli E, Cereda M, Maffezzini C, Iennaco R, Scolz A, Falqui A, Cordiglieri C, Cremona M, Espuny-Camacho I, Faedo A, Felsenfeld DP, Vogt TF, Ranzani V, Zuccato C, Besusso D, Cattaneo E. Huntington's disease cellular phenotypes are rescued non-cell autonomously by healthy cells in mosaic telencephalic organoids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6534. [PMID: 39095390 PMCID: PMC11297310 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50877-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) causes selective degeneration of striatal and cortical neurons, resulting in cell mosaicism of coexisting still functional and dysfunctional cells. The impact of non-cell autonomous mechanisms between these cellular states is poorly understood. Here we generated telencephalic organoids with healthy or HD cells, grown separately or as mosaics of the two genotypes. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed neurodevelopmental abnormalities in the ventral fate acquisition of HD organoids, confirmed by cytoarchitectural and transcriptional defects leading to fewer GABAergic neurons, while dorsal populations showed milder phenotypes mainly in maturation trajectory. Healthy cells in mosaic organoids restored HD cell identity, trajectories, synaptic density, and communication pathways upon cell-cell contact, while showing no significant alterations when grown with HD cells. These findings highlight cell-type-specific alterations in HD and beneficial non-cell autonomous effects of healthy cells, emphasizing the therapeutic potential of modulating cell-cell communication in disease progression and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura Galimberti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Maria R Nucera
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- Stem Cell Biology Department; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Vittoria D Bocchi
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Paola Conforti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Vezzoli
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- ALEMBIC Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy BioImaging Center, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, DIBIT 1, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Cereda
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Camilla Maffezzini
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaele Iennaco
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Scolz
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Falqui
- Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli", University of Milan, Via Celoria 16, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cordiglieri
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Cremona
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- Swiss Stem Cell Foundation, Via Petrini 2, 6900, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Ira Espuny-Camacho
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- GIGA-Neuroscience, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA-R), University of Liège, C.H.U. Sart Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Andrea Faedo
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- Axxam, OpenZone, Via Meucci 3, 20091, Bresso, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Valeria Ranzani
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Zuccato
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Dario Besusso
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy.
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy.
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Yang S, Ma J, Zhang H, Chen L, Li Y, Pan M, Zhu H, Liang J, He D, Li S, Li XJ, Guo X. Mutant HTT does not affect glial development but impairs myelination in the early disease stage. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1238306. [PMID: 37539389 PMCID: PMC10394243 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1238306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by expanded CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene (HTT) and is characterized by late-onset neurodegeneration that primarily affects the striatum. Several studies have shown that mutant HTT can also affect neuronal development, contributing to the late-onset neurodegeneration. However, it is currently unclear whether mutant HTT impairs the development of glial cells, which is important for understanding whether mutant HTT affects glial cells during early brain development. Methods Using HD knock-in mice that express full-length mutant HTT with a 140 glutamine repeat at the endogenous level, we analyzed the numbers of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes from postnatal day 1 to 3 months of age via Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. We also performed electron microscopy, RNAseq analysis, and quantitative RT-PCR. Results The numbers of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes were not significantly altered in postnatal HD KI mice compared to wild type (WT) mice. Consistently, glial protein expression levels were not significantly different between HD KI and WT mice. However, at 3 months of age, myelin protein expression was reduced in HD KI mice, as evidenced by Western blotting and immunocytochemical results. Electron microscopy revealed a slight but significant reduction in myelin thickness of axons in the HD KI mouse brain at 3 months of age. RNAseq analysis did not show significant reductions in myelin-related genes in postnatal HD KI mice. Conclusion These data suggest that cytoplasmic mutant HTT, rather than nuclear mutant HTT, mediates myelination defects in the early stages of the disease without impacting the differentiation and maturation of glial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiangyu Guo
- *Correspondence: Xiao-Jiang Li, ; Xiangyu Guo
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Ghose A, Pullarkat P. The role of mechanics in axonal stability and development. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 140:22-34. [PMID: 35786351 PMCID: PMC7615100 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Much of the focus of neuronal cell biology has been devoted to growth cone guidance, synaptogenesis, synaptic activity, plasticity, etc. The axonal shaft too has received much attention, mainly for its astounding ability to transmit action potentials and the transport of material over long distances. For these functions, the axonal cytoskeleton and membrane have been often assumed to play static structural roles. Recent experiments have changed this view by revealing an ultrastructure much richer in features than previously perceived and one that seems to be maintained at a dynamic steady state. The role of mechanics in this is only beginning to be broadly appreciated and appears to involve passive and active modes of coupling different biopolymer filaments, filament turnover dynamics and membrane biophysics. Axons, being unique cellular processes in terms of high aspect ratios and often extreme lengths, also exhibit unique passive mechanical properties that might have evolved to stabilize them under mechanical stress. In this review, we summarize the experiments that have exposed some of these features. It is our view that axonal mechanics deserves much more attention not only due to its significance in the development and maintenance of the nervous system but also due to the susceptibility of axons to injury and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurnab Ghose
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411 008, India.
| | - Pramod Pullarkat
- Raman Research Institute, C. V. Raman Avenue, Bengaluru 560 080, India.
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Casella C, Chamberland M, Laguna PL, Parker GD, Rosser AE, Coulthard E, Rickards H, Berry SC, Jones DK, Metzler‐Baddeley C. Mutation-related magnetization-transfer, not axon density, drives white matter differences in premanifest Huntington disease: Evidence from in vivo ultra-strong gradient MRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:3439-3460. [PMID: 35396899 PMCID: PMC9248323 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
White matter (WM) alterations have been observed in Huntington disease (HD) but their role in the disease-pathophysiology remains unknown. We assessed WM changes in premanifest HD by exploiting ultra-strong-gradient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This allowed to separately quantify magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and hindered and restricted diffusion-weighted signal fractions, and assess how they drove WM microstructure differences between patients and controls. We used tractometry to investigate region-specific alterations across callosal segments with well-characterized early- and late-myelinating axon populations, while brain-wise differences were explored with tract-based cluster analysis (TBCA). Behavioral measures were included to explore disease-associated brain-function relationships. We detected lower MTR in patients' callosal rostrum (tractometry: p = .03; TBCA: p = .03), but higher MTR in their splenium (tractometry: p = .02). Importantly, patients' mutation-size and MTR were positively correlated (all p-values < .01), indicating that MTR alterations may directly result from the mutation. Further, MTR was higher in younger, but lower in older patients relative to controls (p = .003), suggesting that MTR increases are detrimental later in the disease. Finally, patients showed higher restricted diffusion signal fraction (FR) from the composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion (CHARMED) in the cortico-spinal tract (p = .03), which correlated positively with MTR in the posterior callosum (p = .033), potentially reflecting compensatory mechanisms. In summary, this first comprehensive, ultra-strong gradient MRI study in HD provides novel evidence of mutation-driven MTR alterations at the premanifest disease stage which may reflect neurodevelopmental changes in iron, myelin, or a combination of these.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Casella
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging SciencesKing's College London, St Thomas' HospitalLondonUK
| | - Maxime Chamberland
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviorRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Pedro L. Laguna
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | - Greg D. Parker
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | - Anne E. Rosser
- Department of Neurology and Psychological MedicineHayden Ellis BuildingCardiffUK
- School of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | | | - Hugh Rickards
- Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustBirminghamUK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical and Dental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Samuel C. Berry
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | - Derek K. Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | - Claudia Metzler‐Baddeley
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
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Quintino L, Gubinelli F, Sarauskyte L, Arvidsson E, Davidsson M, Lundberg C, Heuer A. Automated quantification of neuronal swellings in a preclinical rodent model of Parkinson's disease detects region-specific changes in pathology. J Neurosci Methods 2022; 378:109640. [PMID: 35690332 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109640] [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: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of axonal pathology is a key characteristic of many neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. With advanced disease progression, affected axons do display several signs of pathology such as swelling and fragmentation. In the AAV vector-mediated alpha-synuclein overexpression model of Parkinson's disease, large (> 20 µm2) pathological swellings are prominent characteristics in cortical and subcortical structures. NEW METHOD This report describes a novel, macro-based workflow to quantify axonal pathology in the form of axonal swellings in the AAV vector-based alpha-synuclein overexpression model. Specifically, the approach is using background correction and thresholding before quantification of structures in 3D throughout a tissue stack. RESULTS The method was used to quantify TH and aSYN axonal swellings in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. Regional differences in volume and number of axonal swellings were observed for both in TH and aSYN, with the striatum displaying the greatest signs of pathology. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Existing methods for the quantification of axonal pathology do either rely on proprietary software or are based on manual quantification. The ImageJ workflow described here provides a method to objectively quantify axonal swellings both in volume and number. CONCLUSION The method described can readily assess axonal pathology in preclinical rodent models of Parkinson's disease and can be easily adapted to other model systems and/or markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Quintino
- CNS Gene Therapy, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Francesco Gubinelli
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Livija Sarauskyte
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Elin Arvidsson
- CNS Gene Therapy, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Marcus Davidsson
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Cecilia Lundberg
- CNS Gene Therapy, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Andreas Heuer
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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Quantification of Neurite Degeneration with Enhanced Accuracy and Efficiency in an In Vitro Model of Parkinson's Disease. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0327-21.2022. [PMID: 35210286 PMCID: PMC8938979 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0327-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurite degeneration is associated with early stages of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. One method that is commonly used to analyze neurite degeneration involves calculation of a Degeneration Index (DI) following utilization of the Analyze Particles tool of ImageJ to detect neurite fragments in micrographs of cultured cells. However, DI analyses are prone to several types of measurement error, can be time consuming to perform, and are limited in application. Here, we describe an improved method for performing DI analyses. Accuracy of measurements was enhanced through modification of selection criteria for detecting neurite fragments, removal of image artifacts and non-neurite materials from images, and optimization of image contrast. Such enhancements were implemented into an ImageJ macro that enables rapid and fully automated DI analysis of multiple images. The macro features operations for automated removal of cell bodies from micrographs, thus expanding the application of DI analyses to use in experiments involving dissociated cultures. We present experimental findings supporting that, compared with the conventional method, the enhanced analysis method yields measurements with increased accuracy and requires significantly less time to perform. Furthermore, we demonstrate the utility of the method to investigate neurite degeneration in a cell culture model of PD by conducting an experiment revealing the effects of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) on neurite degeneration induced by oxidative stress in human mesencephalic cells. This improved analysis method may be used to gain novel insight into factors underlying neurite degeneration and the progression of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases: An interplay among axonal transport failure, oxidative stress, and inflammation? Semin Immunol 2022; 59:101628. [PMID: 35779975 PMCID: PMC9807734 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2022.101628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are heterogeneous neurological disorders characterized by a progressive loss of selected neuronal populations. A significant risk factor for most NDs is aging. Considering the constant increase in life expectancy, NDs represent a global public health burden. Axonal transport (AT) is a central cellular process underlying the generation and maintenance of neuronal architecture and connectivity. Deficits in AT appear to be a common thread for most, if not all, NDs. Neuroinflammation has been notoriously difficult to define in relation to NDs. Inflammation is a complex multifactorial process in the CNS, which varies depending on the disease stage. Several lines of evidence suggest that AT defect, axonopathy and neuroinflammation are tightly interlaced. However, whether these impairments play a causative role in NDs or are merely a downstream effect of neuronal degeneration remains unsettled. We still lack reliable information on the temporal relationship between these pathogenic mechanisms, although several findings suggest that they may occur early during ND pathophysiology. This article will review the latest evidence emerging on whether the interplay between AT perturbations and some aspects of CNS inflammation can participate in ND etiology, analyze their potential as therapeutic targets, and the urge to identify early surrogate biomarkers.
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9
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Shahsavani N, Kataria H, Karimi-Abdolrezaee S. Mechanisms and repair strategies for white matter degeneration in CNS injury and diseases. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021; 1867:166117. [PMID: 33667627 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
White matter degeneration is an important pathophysiological event of the central nervous system that is collectively characterized by demyelination, oligodendrocyte loss, axonal degeneration and parenchymal changes that can result in sensory, motor, autonomic and cognitive impairments. White matter degeneration can occur due to a variety of causes including trauma, neurotoxic exposure, insufficient blood flow, neuroinflammation, and developmental and inherited neuropathies. Regardless of the etiology, the degeneration processes share similar pathologic features. In recent years, a plethora of cellular and molecular mechanisms have been identified for axon and oligodendrocyte degeneration including oxidative damage, calcium overload, neuroinflammatory events, activation of proteases, depletion of adenosine triphosphate and energy supply. Extensive efforts have been also made to develop neuroprotective and neuroregenerative approaches for white matter repair. However, less progress has been achieved in this area mainly due to the complexity and multifactorial nature of the degeneration processes. Here, we will provide a timely review on the current understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of white matter degeneration and will also discuss recent pharmacological and cellular therapeutic approaches for white matter protection as well as axonal regeneration, oligodendrogenesis and remyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narjes Shahsavani
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Regenerative Medicine Program, Spinal Cord Research Centre, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Hardeep Kataria
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Regenerative Medicine Program, Spinal Cord Research Centre, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Soheila Karimi-Abdolrezaee
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Regenerative Medicine Program, Spinal Cord Research Centre, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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Salvadores N, Court FA. The necroptosis pathway and its role in age-related neurodegenerative diseases: will it open up new therapeutic avenues in the next decade? Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:679-693. [PMID: 32310729 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1758668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Necroptosis is a programmed form of necrotic cell death. Growing evidence demonstrates that necroptosis contributes to cell demise in different pathological conditions including age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). These findings open new avenues for understanding the mechanisms of neuronal loss in NDs, which might eventually translate into novel therapeutic interventions. AREAS COVERED We reviewed key aspects of necroptosis, in health and disease, focusing on evidence demonstrating its involvement in the pathogenesis of age-related NDs. We then highlight the activation of this pathway in the mechanism of axonal degeneration. We searched on PubMed the literature regarding necroptosis published between 2008 and 2020 and reviewed all publications were necroptosis was studied in the context of age-related NDs. EXPERT OPINION Axonal loss and neuronal death are the ultimate consequences of NDs that translate into disease phenotypes. Targeting degenerative mechanisms of the neuron appears as a strategy that might cover a wide range of diseases. Thus, the participation of necroptosis as a common mediator of neuronal demise emerges as a promising target for therapeutic intervention. Considering evidence demonstrating that necroptosis mediates axonal degeneration, we propose and discuss the potential of targeting necroptosis-mediated axonal destruction as a strategy to tackle NDs before neuronal loss occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Salvadores
- Faculty of Sciences, Center for Integrative Biology, Universidad Mayor , Santiago, Chile.,Fondap Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism , Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe A Court
- Faculty of Sciences, Center for Integrative Biology, Universidad Mayor , Santiago, Chile.,Fondap Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism , Santiago, Chile
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Datar A, Ameeramja J, Bhat A, Srivastava R, Mishra A, Bernal R, Prost J, Callan-Jones A, Pullarkat PA. The Roles of Microtubules and Membrane Tension in Axonal Beading, Retraction, and Atrophy. Biophys J 2019; 117:880-891. [PMID: 31427070 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Axonal beading, or the formation of a series of swellings along the axon, and retraction are commonly observed shape transformations that precede axonal atrophy in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative conditions. The mechanisms driving these morphological transformations are poorly understood. Here, we report controlled experiments that can induce either beading or retraction and follow the time evolution of these responses. By making quantitative analysis of the shape modes under different conditions, measurement of membrane tension, and using theoretical considerations, we argue that membrane tension is the main driving force that pushes cytosol out of the axon when microtubules are degraded, causing axonal thinning. Under pharmacological perturbation, atrophy is always retrograde, and this is set by a gradient in the microtubule stability. The nature of microtubule depolymerization dictates the type of shape transformation, vis-à-vis beading or retraction. Elucidating the mechanisms of these shape transformations may facilitate development of strategies to prevent or arrest axonal atrophy due to neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alka Bhat
- Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | | | | | - Roberto Bernal
- Departamento de Física, SMAT-C, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jacques Prost
- Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Institut Curie, 10 PSL Research University, CNRS UMR168, Paris, France; Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andrew Callan-Jones
- Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France.
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12
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Sasaki Y. Metabolic aspects of neuronal degeneration: From a NAD + point of view. Neurosci Res 2018; 139:9-20. [PMID: 30006197 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cellular metabolism maintains the life of cells, allowing energy production required for building cellular constituents and maintaining homeostasis under constantly changing external environments. Neuronal cells maintain their structure and function for the entire life of organisms and the loss of neurons, with limited neurogenesis in adults, directly causes loss of complexity in the neuronal networks. The nervous system organizes the neurons by placing cell bodies containing nuclei of similar types of neurons in discrete regions. Accordingly, axons must travel great distances to connect different types of neurons and peripheral organs. The enormous surface area of neurons makes them high-energy demanding to keep their membrane potential. Distal axon survival is dependent on axonal transport that is another energy demanding process. All of these factors make metabolic stress a potential risk factor for neuronal death and neuronal degeneration often associated with metabolic diseases. This review discusses recent findings on metabolic dysregulations under neuronal degeneration and pathways protecting neurons in these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yo Sasaki
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. Louis, Couch Biomedical Research Building, 4515 McKinley Ave., Saint Louis, MO, 63110, United States
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13
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Draper ACE, Piercy RJ. Pathological classification of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. J Vet Intern Med 2018; 32:1397-1409. [PMID: 29691904 PMCID: PMC6060325 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent Laryngeal Neuropathy (RLN) is a highly prevalent and predominantly left-sided, degenerative disorder of the recurrent laryngeal nerves (RLn) of tall horses, that causes inspiratory stridor at exercise because of intrinsic laryngeal muscle paresis. The associated laryngeal dysfunction and exercise intolerance in athletic horses commonly leads to surgical intervention, retirement or euthanasia with associated financial and welfare implications. Despite speculation, there is a lack of consensus and conflicting evidence supporting the primary classification of RLN, as either a distal ("dying back") axonopathy or as a primary myelinopathy and as either a (bilateral) mononeuropathy or a polyneuropathy; this uncertainty hinders etiological and pathophysiological research. In this review, we discuss the neuropathological changes and electrophysiological deficits reported in the RLn of affected horses, and the evidence for correct classification of the disorder. In so doing, we summarize and reveal the limitations of much historical research on RLN and propose future directions that might best help identify the etiology and pathophysiology of this enigmatic disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra C. E. Draper
- Comparative Neuromuscular Disease LaboratoryDepartment is Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary CollegeLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Piercy
- Comparative Neuromuscular Disease LaboratoryDepartment is Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary CollegeLondonUnited Kingdom
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14
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Yan S, Tu Z, Liu Z, Fan N, Yang H, Yang S, Yang W, Zhao Y, Ouyang Z, Lai C, Yang H, Li L, Liu Q, Shi H, Xu G, Zhao H, Wei H, Pei Z, Li S, Lai L, Li XJ. A Huntingtin Knockin Pig Model Recapitulates Features of Selective Neurodegeneration in Huntington's Disease. Cell 2018; 173:989-1002.e13. [PMID: 29606351 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by preferential loss of the medium spiny neurons in the striatum. Using CRISPR/Cas9 and somatic nuclear transfer technology, we established a knockin (KI) pig model of HD that endogenously expresses full-length mutant huntingtin (HTT). By breeding this HD pig model, we have successfully obtained F1 and F2 generation KI pigs. Characterization of founder and F1 KI pigs shows consistent movement, behavioral abnormalities, and early death, which are germline transmittable. More importantly, brains of HD KI pig display striking and selective degeneration of striatal medium spiny neurons. Thus, using a large animal model of HD, we demonstrate for the first time that overt and selective neurodegeneration seen in HD patients can be recapitulated by endogenously expressed mutant proteins in large mammals, a finding that also underscores the importance of using large mammals to investigate the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and their therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Yan
- Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuchi Tu
- Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoming Liu
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Nana Fan
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiming Yang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Su Yang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Weili Yang
- Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Ouyang
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengdan Lai
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Huaqiang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Qishuai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Shi
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangqing Xu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080 Guangdong, China
| | - Heng Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, 650201 Kunming, China
| | - Hongjiang Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, 650201 Kunming, China
| | - Zhong Pei
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080 Guangdong, China
| | - Shihua Li
- Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, China; Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Liangxue Lai
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, China; Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo Engineering, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, 130062 Changchun, China.
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, China; Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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15
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Veldman MB, Yang XW. Molecular insights into cortico-striatal miscommunications in Huntington's disease. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2017; 48:79-89. [PMID: 29125980 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD), a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease, is defined by its genetic cause, a CAG-repeat expansion in the HTT gene, its motor and psychiatric symptomology and primary loss of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs). However, the molecular mechanisms from genetic lesion to disease phenotype remain largely unclear. Mouse models of HD have been created that exhibit phenotypes partially recapitulating those in the patient, and specifically, cortico-striatal disconnectivity appears to be a shared pathogenic event shared by HD mouse models and patients. Molecular studies have begun to unveil converging molecular and cellular pathogenic mechanisms that may account for cortico-striatal miscommunication in various HD mouse models. Systems biological approaches help to illuminate synaptic molecular networks as a nexus for HD cortio-striatal pathogenesis, and may offer new candidate targets to modify the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Veldman
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics and Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - X William Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics and Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
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16
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Salvadores N, Sanhueza M, Manque P, Court FA. Axonal Degeneration during Aging and Its Functional Role in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:451. [PMID: 28928628 PMCID: PMC5591337 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging constitutes the main risk factor for the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This represents a major health issue worldwide that is only expected to escalate due to the ever-increasing life expectancy of the population. Interestingly, axonal degeneration, which occurs at early stages of neurodegenerative disorders (ND) such as Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, also takes place as a consequence of normal aging. Moreover, the alteration of several cellular processes such as proteostasis, response to cellular stress and mitochondrial homeostasis, which have been described to occur in the aging brain, can also contribute to axonal pathology. Compelling evidence indicate that the degeneration of axons precedes clinical symptoms in NDs and occurs before cell body loss, constituting an early event in the pathological process and providing a potential therapeutic target to treat neurodegeneration before neuronal cell death. Although, normal aging and the development of neurodegeneration are two processes that are closely linked, the molecular basis of the switch that triggers the transition from healthy aging to neurodegeneration remains unrevealed. In this review we discuss the potential role of axonal degeneration in this transition and provide a detailed overview of the literature and current advances in the molecular understanding of the cellular changes that occur during aging that promote axonal degeneration and then discuss this in the context of ND.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Salvadores
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad MayorSantiago, Chile.,Fondap Geroscience Center for Brain Health and MetabolismSantiago, Chile
| | - Mario Sanhueza
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad MayorSantiago, Chile.,Fondap Geroscience Center for Brain Health and MetabolismSantiago, Chile
| | - Patricio Manque
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad MayorSantiago, Chile
| | - Felipe A Court
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad MayorSantiago, Chile.,Fondap Geroscience Center for Brain Health and MetabolismSantiago, Chile
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17
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Human-to-mouse prion-like propagation of mutant huntingtin protein. Acta Neuropathol 2016; 132:577-92. [PMID: 27221146 PMCID: PMC5023734 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-016-1582-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that is defined by a CAG expansion in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene leading to the production of mutant huntingtin (mHtt). To date, the disease pathophysiology has been thought to be primarily driven by cell-autonomous mechanisms, but, here, we demonstrate that fibroblasts derived from HD patients carrying either 72, 143 and 180 CAG repeats as well as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) also characterized by 143 CAG repeats can transmit protein aggregates to genetically unrelated and healthy host tissue following implantation into the cerebral ventricles of neonatal mice in a non-cell-autonomous fashion. Transmitted mHtt aggregates gave rise to both motor and cognitive impairments, loss of striatal medium spiny neurons, increased inflammation and gliosis in associated brain regions, thereby recapitulating the behavioural and pathological phenotypes which characterizes HD. In addition, both in vitro work using co-cultures of mouse neural stem cells with 143 CAG fibroblasts and the SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line as well as in vivo experiments conducted in newborn wild-type mice suggest that exosomes can cargo mHtt between cells triggering the manifestation of HD-related behaviour and pathology. This is the first evidence of human-to-mouse prion-like propagation of mHtt in the mammalian brain; a finding which will help unravel the molecular bases of HD pathology as well as to lead to the development of a whole new range of therapies for neurodegenerative diseases of the CNS.
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18
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Steventon JJ, Trueman RC, Ma D, Yhnell E, Bayram-Weston Z, Modat M, Cardoso J, Ourselin S, Lythgoe M, Stewart A, Rosser AE, Jones DK. Longitudinal in vivo MRI in a Huntington's disease mouse model: Global atrophy in the absence of white matter microstructural damage. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32423. [PMID: 27581950 PMCID: PMC5007531 DOI: 10.1038/srep32423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetically-determined neurodegenerative disease. Characterising neuropathology in mouse models of HD is commonly restricted to cross-sectional ex vivo analyses, beset by tissue fixation issues. In vivo longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for disease progression to be probed non-invasively. In the HdhQ150 mouse model of HD, in vivo MRI was employed at two time points, before and after the onset of motor signs, to assess brain macrostructure and white matter microstructure. Ex vivo MRI, immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy and behavioural testing were also conducted. Global brain atrophy was found in HdhQ150 mice at both time points, with no neuropathological progression across time and a selective sparing of the cerebellum. In contrast, no white matter abnormalities were detected from the MRI images or electron microscopy images alike. The relationship between motor function and MR-based structural measurements was different for the HdhQ150 and wild-type mice, although there was no relationship between motor deficits and histopathology. Widespread neuropathology prior to symptom onset is consistent with patient studies, whereas the absence of white matter abnormalities conflicts with patient data. The myriad reasons for this inconsistency require further attention to improve the translatability from mouse models of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Steventon
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.,Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.,Experimental MRI Centre, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Rebecca C Trueman
- Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Da Ma
- Centre for Medical Imaging Computing, University College London, London, UK.,Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Emma Yhnell
- Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Zubeyde Bayram-Weston
- Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Marc Modat
- Centre for Medical Imaging Computing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jorge Cardoso
- Centre for Medical Imaging Computing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sebastian Ourselin
- Centre for Medical Imaging Computing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Lythgoe
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Stewart
- Experimental MRI Centre, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Anne E Rosser
- Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.,Institute of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Derek K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
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19
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De Santis S, Jones DK, Roebroeck A. Including diffusion time dependence in the extra-axonal space improves in vivo estimates of axonal diameter and density in human white matter. Neuroimage 2016; 130:91-103. [PMID: 26826514 PMCID: PMC4819719 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.01.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Revised: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Axonal density and diameter are two fundamental properties of brain white matter. Recently, advanced diffusion MRI techniques have made these two parameters accessible in vivo. However, the techniques available to estimate such parameters are still under development. For example, current methods to map axonal diameters capture relative trends over different structures, but consistently over-estimate absolute diameters. Axonal density estimates are more accessible experimentally, but different modeling approaches exist and the impact of the experimental parameters has not been thoroughly quantified, potentially leading to incompatibility of results obtained in different studies using different techniques. Here, we characterise the impact of diffusion time on axonal density and diameter estimates using Monte Carlo simulations and STEAM diffusion MRI at 7 T on 9 healthy volunteers. We show that axonal density and diameter estimates strongly depend on diffusion time, with diameters almost invariably overestimated and density both over and underestimated for some commonly used models. Crucially, we also demonstrate that these biases are reduced when the model accounts for diffusion time dependency in the extra-axonal space. For axonal density estimates, both upward and downward bias in different situations are removed by modeling extra-axonal time-dependence, showing increased accuracy in these estimates. For axonal diameter estimates, we report increased accuracy in ground truth simulations and axonal diameter estimates decreased away from high values given by earlier models and towards known values in the human corpus callosum when modeling extra-axonal time-dependence. Axonal diameter feasibility under both advanced and clinical settings is discussed in the light of the proposed advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia De Santis
- CUBRIC, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK; Faculty of Psychology & Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Derek K Jones
- CUBRIC, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK; Neuroscience & Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Alard Roebroeck
- Faculty of Psychology & Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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20
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Hahn K, Rohdin C, Jagannathan V, Wohlsein P, Baumgärtner W, Seehusen F, Spitzbarth I, Grandon R, Drögemüller C, Jäderlund KH. TECPR2 Associated Neuroaxonal Dystrophy in Spanish Water Dogs. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141824. [PMID: 26555167 PMCID: PMC4640708 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical, pathological and genetic examination revealed an as yet uncharacterized juvenile-onset neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) in Spanish water dogs. Affected dogs presented with various neurological deficits including gait abnormalities and behavioral deficits. Histopathology demonstrated spheroid formation accentuated in the grey matter of the cerebral hemispheres, the cerebellum, the brain stem and in the sensory pathways of the spinal cord. Iron accumulation was absent. Ultrastructurally spheroids contained predominantly closely packed vesicles with a double-layered membrane, which were characterized as autophagosomes using immunohistochemistry. The family history of the four affected dogs suggested an autosomal recessive inheritance. SNP genotyping showed a single genomic region of extended homozygosity of 4.5 Mb in the four cases on CFA 8. Linkage analysis revealed a maximal parametric LOD score of 2.5 at this region. By whole genome re-sequencing of one affected dog, a perfectly associated, single, non-synonymous coding variant in the canine tectonin beta-propeller repeat-containing protein 2 (TECPR2) gene affecting a highly conserved region was detected (c.4009C>T or p.R1337W). This canine NAD form displays etiologic parallels to an inherited TECPR2 associated type of human hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP). In contrast to the canine NAD, the spinal cord lesions in most types of human HSP involve the sensory and the motor pathways. Furthermore, the canine NAD form reveals similarities to cases of human NAD defined by widespread spheroid formation without iron accumulation in the basal ganglia. Thus TECPR2 should also be considered as candidate gene for human NAD. Immunohistochemistry and the ultrastructural findings further support the assumption, that TECPR2 regulates autophagosome accumulation in the autophagic pathways. Consequently, this report provides the first genetic characterization of juvenile canine NAD, describes the histopathological features associated with the TECPR2 mutation and provides evidence to emphasize the association between failure of autophagy and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Hahn
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Department of Pathology, Hannover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Cecilia Rohdin
- University Animal Hospital, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Anicura, Albano Small Animal Hospital, Danderyd, Sweden
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Wohlsein
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Department of Pathology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Baumgärtner
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Department of Pathology, Hannover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Frauke Seehusen
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Department of Pathology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ingo Spitzbarth
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Department of Pathology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rodrigo Grandon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Division of Pathology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Cord Drögemüller
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Karin Hultin Jäderlund
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
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21
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Rothe T, Deliano M, Wójtowicz AM, Dvorzhak A, Harnack D, Paul S, Vagner T, Melnick I, Stark H, Grantyn R. Pathological gamma oscillations, impaired dopamine release, synapse loss and reduced dynamic range of unitary glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the striatum of hypokinetic Q175 Huntington mice. Neuroscience 2015; 311:519-38. [PMID: 26546830 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a severe genetically inherited neurodegenerative disorder. Patients present with three principal phenotypes of motor symptoms: choreatic, hypokinetic-rigid and mixed. The Q175 mouse model of disease offers an opportunity to investigate the cellular basis of the hypokinetic-rigid form of HD. At the age of 1 year homozygote Q175 mice exhibited the following signs of hypokinesia: Reduced frequency of spontaneous movements on a precision balance at daytime (-55%), increased total time spent without movement in an open field (+42%), failures in the execution of unconditioned avoidance reactions (+32%), reduced ability for conditioned avoidance (-96%) and increased reaction times (+65%) in a shuttle box. Local field potential recordings revealed low-frequency gamma oscillations in the striatum as a characteristic feature of HD mice at rest. There was no significant loss of DARPP-32 immunolabeled striatal projection neurons (SPNs) although the level of DARPP-32 immunoreactivity was lower in HD. As a potential cause of hypokinesia, HD mice revealed a strong reduction in striatal KCl-induced dopamine release, accompanied by a decrease in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase-(TH)- and VMAT2-positive synaptic varicosities. The presynaptic TH fluorescence level was also reduced. Patch-clamp experiments were performed in slices from 1-year-old mice to record unitary EPSCs (uEPSCs) of presumed cortical origin in the absence of G-protein-mediated modulation. In HD mice, the maximal amplitudes of uEPSCs amounted to 69% of the WT level which matches the loss of VGluT1+/SYP+ synaptic terminals in immunostained sections. These results identify impairment of cortico-striatal synaptic transmission and dopamine release as a potential basis of hypokinesia in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Rothe
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology Magdeburg, Germany
| | - M Deliano
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology Magdeburg, Germany
| | | | - A Dvorzhak
- Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Berlin, Germany
| | - D Harnack
- Department of Experimental Neurology, University Medicine Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - S Paul
- Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Berlin, Germany
| | - T Vagner
- Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Berlin, Germany
| | - I Melnick
- Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Berlin, Germany; Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Kiev, Ukraine
| | - H Stark
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology Magdeburg, Germany
| | - R Grantyn
- Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Berlin, Germany; Department of Experimental Neurology, University Medicine Charité, Berlin, Germany.
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22
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Gatto RG, Chu Y, Ye AQ, Price SD, Tavassoli E, Buenaventura A, Brady ST, Magin RL, Kordower JH, Morfini GA. Analysis of YFP(J16)-R6/2 reporter mice and postmortem brains reveals early pathology and increased vulnerability of callosal axons in Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:5285-98. [PMID: 26123489 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cumulative evidence indicates that the onset and severity of Huntington's disease (HD) symptoms correlate with connectivity deficits involving specific neuronal populations within cortical and basal ganglia circuits. Brain imaging studies and pathological reports further associated these deficits with alterations in cerebral white matter structure and axonal pathology. However, whether axonopathy represents an early pathogenic event or an epiphenomenon in HD remains unknown, nor is clear the identity of specific neuronal populations affected. To directly evaluate early axonal abnormalities in the context of HD in vivo, we bred transgenic YFP(J16) with R6/2 mice, a widely used HD model. Diffusion tensor imaging and fluorescence microscopy studies revealed a marked degeneration of callosal axons long before the onset of motor symptoms. Accordingly, a significant fraction of YFP-positive cortical neurons in YFP(J16) mice cortex were identified as callosal projection neurons. Callosal axon pathology progressively worsened with age and was influenced by polyglutamine tract length in mutant huntingtin (mhtt). Degenerating axons were dissociated from microscopically visible mhtt aggregates and did not result from loss of cortical neurons. Interestingly, other axonal populations were mildly or not affected, suggesting differential vulnerability to mhtt toxicity. Validating these results, increased vulnerability of callosal axons was documented in the brains of HD patients. Observations here provide a structural basis for the alterations in cerebral white matter structure widely reported in HD patients. Collectively, our data demonstrate a dying-back pattern of degeneration for cortical projection neurons affected in HD, suggesting that axons represent an early and potentially critical target for mhtt toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo G Gatto
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yaping Chu
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA and
| | - Allen Q Ye
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Steven D Price
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Ehsan Tavassoli
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Andrea Buenaventura
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Scott T Brady
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Richard L Magin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Kordower
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA and
| | - Gerardo A Morfini
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St., Rm 578 M/C 512, Chicago, IL 60612, USA,
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