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Ohno K, Ohkawara B, Shen XM, Selcen D, Engel AG. Clinical and Pathologic Features of Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes Caused by 35 Genes-A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043730. [PMID: 36835142 PMCID: PMC9961056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by impaired neuromuscular signal transmission due to germline pathogenic variants in genes expressed at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). A total of 35 genes have been reported in CMS (AGRN, ALG14, ALG2, CHAT, CHD8, CHRNA1, CHRNB1, CHRND, CHRNE, CHRNG, COL13A1, COLQ, DOK7, DPAGT1, GFPT1, GMPPB, LAMA5, LAMB2, LRP4, MUSK, MYO9A, PLEC, PREPL, PURA, RAPSN, RPH3A, SCN4A, SLC18A3, SLC25A1, SLC5A7, SNAP25, SYT2, TOR1AIP1, UNC13A, VAMP1). The 35 genes can be classified into 14 groups according to the pathomechanical, clinical, and therapeutic features of CMS patients. Measurement of compound muscle action potentials elicited by repetitive nerve stimulation is required to diagnose CMS. Clinical and electrophysiological features are not sufficient to identify a defective molecule, and genetic studies are always required for accurate diagnosis. From a pharmacological point of view, cholinesterase inhibitors are effective in most groups of CMS, but are contraindicated in some groups of CMS. Similarly, ephedrine, salbutamol (albuterol), amifampridine are effective in most but not all groups of CMS. This review extensively covers pathomechanical and clinical features of CMS by citing 442 relevant articles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinji Ohno
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
- Correspondence: (K.O.); (A.G.E.)
| | - Bisei Ohkawara
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Xin-Ming Shen
- Department of Neurology and Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Duygu Selcen
- Department of Neurology and Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Andrew G. Engel
- Department of Neurology and Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Correspondence: (K.O.); (A.G.E.)
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Pugliese A, Holland SH, Rodolico C, Lochmüller H, Spendiff S. Presynaptic Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes: Understanding Clinical Phenotypes through In vivo Models. J Neuromuscul Dis 2023; 10:731-759. [PMID: 37212067 PMCID: PMC10578258 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-221646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Presynaptic congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a group of genetic disorders affecting the presynaptic side of the neuromuscular junctions (NMJ). They can result from a dysfunction in acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis or recycling, in its packaging into synaptic vesicles, or its subsequent release into the synaptic cleft. Other proteins involved in presynaptic endplate development and maintenance can also be impaired.Presynaptic CMS usually presents during the prenatal or neonatal period, with a severe phenotype including congenital arthrogryposis, developmental delay, and apnoeic crisis. However, milder phenotypes with proximal muscle weakness and good response to treatment have been described. Finally, many presynaptic genes are expressed in the brain, justifying the presence of additional central nervous system symptoms.Several animal models have been developed to study CMS, providing the opportunity to identify disease mechanisms and test treatment options. In this review, we describe presynaptic CMS phenotypes with a focus on in vivo models, to better understand CMS pathophysiology and define new causative genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Pugliese
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Stephen H. Holland
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Carmelo Rodolico
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Hanns Lochmüller
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG), Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sally Spendiff
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Pathophysiology, Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Modalities Associated with Skeletal Muscle Loss Following Spinal Cord Injury. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10120933. [PMID: 33276534 PMCID: PMC7761577 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A spinal cord injury (SCI) may lead to loss of strength, sensation, locomotion and other body functions distal to the lesion site. Individuals with SCI also develop secondary conditions due to the lack of skeletal muscle activity. As SCI case numbers increase, recent studies have attempted to determine the best options to salvage affected musculature before it is lost. These approaches include pharmacotherapeutic options, immunosuppressants, physical activity or a combination thereof. Associated biomarkers are increasingly used to determine if these treatments aid in the protection and reconstruction of affected musculature.
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Gerwin L, Haupt C, Wilkinson KA, Kröger S. Acetylcholine receptors in the equatorial region of intrafusal muscle fibres modulate mouse muscle spindle sensitivity. J Physiol 2019; 597:1993-2006. [PMID: 30673133 DOI: 10.1113/jp277139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Acetylcholine receptors are aggregated in the central regions of intrafusal muscle fibres. Single unit muscle spindle afferent responses from isolated mouse extensor digitorum longus muscle were recorded in the absence of fusimotor input to ramp and hold stretches as well as to sinusoidal vibrations in the presence and absence of the acetylcholine receptor blockers d-tubocurarine and α-bungarotoxin. Proprioceptive afferent responses to both types of stretch were enhanced in the presence of either blocker. Blocking acetylcholine uptake and vesicular acetylcholine release by hemicholinium-3 also enhanced stretch-evoked responses. These results represent the first evidence that acetylcholine receptors negatively modulate muscle spindle responses to stretch. The data support the hypothesis that the sensory nerve terminal is able to release vesicles to fine-tune proprioceptive afferent sensitivity. ABSTRACT Muscle spindles are complex stretch-sensitive mechanoreceptors. They consist of specialized skeletal muscle fibres, called intrafusal fibres, which are innervated in the central (equatorial) region by afferent sensory axons and in both polar regions by efferent γ-motoneurons. Previously it was shown that acetylcholine receptors (AChR) are concentrated in the equatorial region at the contact site between the sensory neuron and the intrafusal muscle fibre. To address the function of these AChRs, single unit sensory afferents were recorded from an isolated mouse extensor digitorum longus muscle in the absence of γ-motoneuron activity. Specifically, we investigated the responses of individual sensory neurons to ramp-and-hold stretches and sinusoidal vibrations before and after the addition of the competitive and non-competitive AChR blockers d-tubocurarine and α-bungarotoxin, respectively. The presence of either drug did not affect the resting action potential discharge frequency. However, the action potential frequencies in response to stretch were increased. In particular, frequencies of the dynamic peak and dynamic index to ramp-and-hold stretches were significantly higher in the presence of either drug. Treatment of muscle spindle afferents with the high-affinity choline transporter antagonist hemicholinium-3 similarly increased muscle spindle afferent firing frequencies during stretch. Moreover, the firing rate during sinusoidal vibration stimuli at low amplitudes was higher in the presence of α-bungarotoxin compared to control spindles also indicating an increased sensitivity to stretch. Collectively these data suggest a modulation of the muscle spindle afferent response to stretch by AChRs in the central region of intrafusal fibres possibly fine-tuning muscle spindle sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gerwin
- Department of Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Großhaderner Str. 9, D-82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.,Institute for Stem Cell Research, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Helmholtz Centre Munich, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Corinna Haupt
- Department of Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Großhaderner Str. 9, D-82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Katherine A Wilkinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA, 95192, USA
| | - Stephan Kröger
- Department of Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Großhaderner Str. 9, D-82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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Ennis EA, Blakely RD. Choline on the Move: Perspectives on the Molecular Physiology and Pharmacology of the Presynaptic Choline Transporter. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2016; 76:175-213. [PMID: 27288078 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2016.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Genetic, biochemical, physiological, and pharmacological approaches have advanced our understanding of cholinergic biology for over 100 years. High-affinity choline uptake (HACU) was one of the last features of cholinergic signaling to be defined at a molecular level, achieved through the cloning of the choline transporter (CHT, SLC5A7). In retrospect, the molecular era of CHT studies initiated with the identification of hemicholinium-3 (HC-3), a potent, competitive CHT antagonist, though it would take another 30 years before HC-3, in radiolabeled form, was used by Joseph Coyle's laboratory to identify and monitor the dynamics of CHT proteins. Though HC-3 studies provided important insights into CHT distribution and regulation, another 15 years would pass before the structure of CHT genes and proteins were identified, a full decade after the cloning of most other neurotransmitter-associated transporters. The availability of CHT gene and protein probes propelled the development of cell and animal models as well as efforts to gain insights into how human CHT gene variation affects the risk for brain and neuromuscular disorders. Most recently, our group has pursued a broadening of CHT pharmacology, elucidating novel chemical structures that may serve to advance cholinergic diagnostics and medication development. Here we provide a short review of the transformation that has occurred in HACU research and how such advances may promote the development of novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Ennis
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - R D Blakely
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States.
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Iwamoto H, Calcutt MW, Blakely RD. Differential impact of genetically modulated choline transporter expression on the release of endogenous versus newly synthesized acetylcholine. Neurochem Int 2016; 98:138-45. [PMID: 27013347 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2016] [Revised: 03/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The efficient import of choline into cholinergic nerve terminals by the presynaptic, high-affinity choline transporter (CHT, SLC5A7) dictates the capacity for acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis and release. Tissue levels of ACh are significantly reduced in mice heterozygous for a loss of function mutation in Slc5a7 (HET, CHT(+/-)), but significantly elevated in overexpressing, Slc5a7 BAC-transgenic mice (BAC). Since the readily-releasable pool of ACh is thought to constitute a small fraction of the total ACh pool, these genotype-dependent changes raised the question as to whether CHT expression or activity might preferentially influence the size of reserve pool ACh vesicles. In the current study, we approached this question by evaluating CHT genotype effects on the release of ACh from suprafused mouse forebrain slices. We treated slices from HET, BAC or wildtype (WT) controls with elevated K(+) and monitored release of both newly synthesized and storage pools of ACh. Newly synthesized ACh produced following uptake of [(3)H]choline was quantified by scintillation spectrometry whereas release of endogenous ACh storage pools was quantified by an HPLC-MS approach, from the same samples. Whereas endogenous ACh release scaled with CHT gene dosage, preloaded [(3)H]ACh release displayed no significant genotype dependence. Our findings suggest that CHT protein levels preferentially impact the capacity for ACh release afforded by mobilization of reserve pool vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Iwamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - M Wade Calcutt
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Randy D Blakely
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
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7
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Ennis EA, Wright J, Retzlaff CL, McManus OB, Lin Z, Huang X, Wu M, Li M, Daniels JS, Lindsley CW, Hopkins CR, Blakely RD. Identification and characterization of ML352: a novel, noncompetitive inhibitor of the presynaptic choline transporter. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:417-27. [PMID: 25560927 PMCID: PMC4367188 DOI: 10.1021/cn5001809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
The high-affinity choline transporter
(CHT) is the rate-limiting
determinant of acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis, yet the transporter
remains a largely undeveloped target for the detection and manipulation
of synaptic cholinergic signaling. To expand CHT pharmacology, we
pursued a high-throughput screen for novel CHT-targeted small molecules
based on the electrogenic properties of transporter-mediated choline
transport. In this effort, we identified five novel, structural classes
of CHT-specific inhibitors. Chemical diversification and functional
analysis of one of these classes identified ML352 as a high-affinity
(Ki = 92 nM) and selective CHT inhibitor.
At concentrations that fully antagonized CHT in transfected cells
and nerve terminal preparations, ML352 exhibited no inhibition of
acetylcholinesterase (AChE) or cholineacetyltransferase (ChAT) and
also lacked activity at dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine transporters,
as well as many receptors and ion channels. ML352 exhibited noncompetitive
choline uptake inhibition in intact cells and synaptosomes and reduced
the apparent density of hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) binding sites in membrane
assays, suggesting allosteric transporter interactions. Pharmacokinetic
studies revealed limited in vitro metabolism and
significant CNS penetration, with features predicting rapid clearance.
ML352 represents a novel, potent, and specific tool for the manipulation
of CHT, providing a possible platform for the development of cholinergic
imaging and therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Owen B. McManus
- Johns Hopkins University Ion Channel Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Zhinong Lin
- Johns Hopkins University Ion Channel Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Xiaofang Huang
- Johns Hopkins University Ion Channel Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Meng Wu
- Johns Hopkins University Ion Channel Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Min Li
- Johns Hopkins University Ion Channel Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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Holmstrand EC, Lund D, Cherian AK, Wright J, Martin RF, Ennis EA, Stanwood GD, Sarter M, Blakely RD. Transgenic overexpression of the presynaptic choline transporter elevates acetylcholine levels and augments motor endurance. Neurochem Int 2013; 73:217-28. [PMID: 24274995 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2013.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Revised: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) sensitive, high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) sustains cholinergic signaling via the presynaptic uptake of choline derived from dietary sources or from acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-mediated hydrolysis of acetylcholine (ACh). Loss of cholinergic signaling capacity is associated with cognitive and motor deficits in humans and in animal models. Whereas genetic elimination of CHT has revealed the critical nature of CHT in maintaining ACh stores and sustaining cholinergic signaling, the consequences of elevating CHT expression have yet to be studied. Using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-mediated transgenic methods, we generated mice with integrated additional copies of the mouse Slc5a7 gene. BAC-CHT mice are viable, appear to develop normally, and breed at wild-type (WT) rates. Biochemical studies revealed a 2 to 3-fold elevation in CHT protein levels in the CNS and periphery, paralleled by significant increases in [(3)H]HC-3 binding and synaptosomal choline transport activity. Elevations of ACh in the BAC-CHT mice occurred without compensatory changes in the activity of either choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or AChE. Immunohistochemistry for CHT in BAC-CHT brain sections revealed markedly elevated CHT expression in the cell bodies of cholinergic neurons and in axons projecting to regions known to receive cholinergic innervation. Behaviorally, BAC-CHT mice exhibited diminished fatigue and increased speeds on the treadmill test without evidence of increased strength. Finally, BAC-CHT mice displayed elevated horizontal activity in the open field test, diminished spontaneous alteration in the Y-maze, and reduced time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze. Together, these studies provide biochemical, pharmacological and behavioral evidence that CHT protein expression and activity can be elevated beyond that seen in wild-type animals. BAC-CHT mice thus represent a novel tool to examine both the positive and negative impact of constitutively elevated cholinergic signaling capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ericka C Holmstrand
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - David Lund
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ajeesh Koshy Cherian
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jane Wright
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rolicia F Martin
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Ennis
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Gregg D Stanwood
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Martin Sarter
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Randy D Blakely
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
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9
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Dong Y, Dani JA, Blakely RD. Choline transporter hemizygosity results in diminished basal extracellular dopamine levels in nucleus accumbens and blunts dopamine elevations following cocaine or nicotine. Biochem Pharmacol 2013; 86:1084-8. [PMID: 23939187 PMCID: PMC4413453 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2013] [Revised: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) signaling in the central nervous system mediates the addictive capacities of multiple commonly abused substances, including cocaine, amphetamine, heroin and nicotine. The firing of DA neurons residing in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and the release of DA by the projections of these neurons in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), is under tight control by cholinergic signaling mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (nAChRs). The capacity for cholinergic signaling is dictated by the availability and activity of the presynaptic, high-affinity, choline transporter (CHT, SLC5A7) that acquires choline in an activity-dependent matter to sustain ACh synthesis. Here, we present evidence that a constitutive loss of CHT expression, mediated by genetic elimination of one copy of the Slc5a7 gene in mice (CHT+/-), leads to a significant reduction in basal extracellular DA levels in the NAc, as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Moreover, CHT heterozygosity results in blunted DA elevations following systemic nicotine or cocaine administration. These findings reinforce a critical role of ACh signaling capacity in both tonic and drug-modulated DA signaling and argue that genetically imposed reductions in CHT that lead to diminished DA signaling may lead to poor responses to reinforcing stimuli, possibly contributing to disorders linked to perturbed cholinergic signaling including depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Dong
- Center on Addiction, Learning, Memory; Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA 77030-3498
| | - John A. Dani
- Center on Addiction, Learning, Memory; Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA 77030-3498
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA 19104
| | - Randy D. Blakely
- Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA 37232-8548
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10
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ChAT-ChR2-EYFP mice have enhanced motor endurance but show deficits in attention and several additional cognitive domains. J Neurosci 2013; 33:10427-38. [PMID: 23785154 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0395-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh) is an important neuromodulator in the nervous system implicated in many forms of cognitive and motor processing. Recent studies have used bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mice expressing channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) protein under the control of the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) promoter (ChAT-ChR2-EYFP) to dissect cholinergic circuit connectivity and function using optogenetic approaches. We report that a mouse line used for this purpose also carries several copies of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter gene (VAChT), which leads to overexpression of functional VAChT and consequently increased cholinergic tone. We demonstrate that these mice have marked improvement in motor endurance. However, they also present severe cognitive deficits, including attention deficits and dysfunction in working memory and spatial memory. These results suggest that increased VAChT expression may disrupt critical steps in information processing. Our studies demonstrate that ChAT-ChR2-EYFP mice show altered cholinergic tone that fundamentally differentiates them from wild-type mice.
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11
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Hanrieder J, Malmberg P, Lindberg OR, Fletcher JS, Ewing AG. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry based molecular histology of human spinal cord tissue and motor neurons. Anal Chem 2013; 85:8741-8. [PMID: 23947367 DOI: 10.1021/ac401830m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Secondary ion mass spectrometry is a powerful method for imaging biological samples with high spatial resolution. Whole section time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) scans and multivariate data analysis have been performed on the human spinal cord in order to delineate anatomical regions of interest based on their chemical distribution pattern. TOF-SIMS analysis of thoracic spinal cord sections was performed at 5 μm resolution within 2 h. Multivariate image analysis by means of principal component analysis and maximum auto correlation factor analysis resulted in detection of more than 400 m/z peaks that were found to be significantly changed. Here, the results show characteristic biochemical distributions that are well in line with major histological regions, including gray and white matter. As an approach for iterative segmentation, we further evaluated previously outlined regions of interest as identified by multivariate image analysis. Here, further discrimination of the gray matter into ventral, lateral, and dorsal neuroanatomical regions was observed. TOF-SIMS imaging has been carried out at submicrometer resolution obtaining localization and characterization of spinal motor neurons based on their chemical fingerprint, including neurotransmitter precursors that serve as molecular indicators for motor neuron integrity. Thus, TOF-SIMS can be used as an approach for chemical histology and pathology. TOF-SIMS holds immense potential for investigating the subcellular mechanisms underlying spinal cord related diseases including chronic pain and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Hanrieder
- National Center for Imaging Mass Spectrometry, Gothenburg University and Chalmers University of Technology , Sweden
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12
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Nagy PM, Aubert I. B6eGFPChAT mice overexpressing the vesicular acetylcholine transporter exhibit spontaneous hypoactivity and enhanced exploration in novel environments. Brain Behav 2013; 3:367-83. [PMID: 24381809 PMCID: PMC3869679 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2012] [Revised: 03/18/2013] [Accepted: 03/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic innervation is extensive throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. Among its many roles, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) contributes to the regulation of motor function, locomotion, and exploration. Cholinergic deficits and replacement strategies have been investigated in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly in cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Focus has been on blocking acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and enhancing ACh synthesis to improve cholinergic neurotransmission. As a first step in evaluating the physiological effects of enhanced cholinergic function through the upregulation of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), we used the hypercholinergic B6eGFPChAT congenic mouse model that has been shown to contain multiple VAChT gene copies. Analysis of biochemical and behavioral paradigms suggest that modest increases in VAChT expression can have a significant effect on spontaneous locomotion, reaction to novel stimuli, and the adaptation to novel environments. These observations support the potential of VAChT as a therapeutic target to enhance cholinergic tone, thereby decreasing spontaneous hyperactivity and increasing exploration in novel environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Nagy
- Brain Sciences, Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Isabelle Aubert
- Brain Sciences, Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
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13
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Park D, Yang YH, Bae DK, Lee SH, Yang G, Kyung J, Kim D, Choi EK, Lee SW, Kim GH, Hong JT, Choi KC, Lee HJ, Kim SU, Kim YB. Improvement of cognitive function and physical activity of aging mice by human neural stem cells over-expressing choline acetyltransferase. Neurobiol Aging 2013; 34:2639-46. [PMID: 23731954 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2012] [Revised: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aging is characterized by progressive loss of cognitive and memory functions as well as decrease in physical activities. In the present study, a human neural stem cell line (F3 NSC) over-expressing choline acetyltransferase (F3.ChAT), an enzyme responsible for acetylcholine synthesis, was generated and transplanted in the brain of 18-month-old male ICR mice. Four weeks post-transplantation, neurobehavioral functions, expression of ChAT enzyme, production of acetylcholine and neurotrophic factors, and expression of cholinergic nervous system markers in transplanted animals were investigated. F3.ChAT NSCs markedly improved both the cognitive function and physical activity of aging animals, in parallel with the elevation of brain acetylcholine level. Transplanted F3 and F3.ChAT cells were found to differentiate into neurons and astrocytes, and to produce ChAT proteins. Transplantation of the stem cells increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), enhanced expression of Trk B, and restored host microtubule-associated protein 2 and cholinergic nervous system. The results demonstrate that human NSCs over-expressing ChAT improve cognitive function and physical activity of aging mice, not only by producing ACh directly but also by restoring cholinergic neuronal integrity, which might be mediated by neurotrophins BDNF and NGF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsun Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
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Park D, Yang G, Bae DK, Lee SH, Yang YH, Kyung J, Kim D, Choi EK, Choi KC, Kim SU, Kang SK, Ra JC, Kim YB. Human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells improve cognitive function and physical activity in ageing mice. J Neurosci Res 2013; 91:660-70. [PMID: 23404260 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2012] [Revised: 10/19/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Brain ageing leads to atrophy and degeneration of the cholinergic nervous system, resulting in profound neurobehavioral and cognitive dysfunction from decreased acetylcholine biosynthesis and reduced secretion of growth and neurotrophic factors. Human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) were intravenously (1 × 10(6) cells) or intracerebroventricularly (4 × 10(5) cells) transplanted into the brains of 18-month-old mice once or four times at 2-week intervals. Transplantation of ADMSCs improved both locomotor activity and cognitive function in the aged animals, in parallel with recovery of acetylcholine levels in brain tissues. Transplanted cells differentiated into neurons and, in part, into astrocytes and produced choline acetyltransferase proteins. Transplantation of ADMSCs restored microtubule-associated protein 2 in brain tissue and enhanced Trk B expression and the concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor. These results indicate that human ADMSCs differentiate into neural cells in the brain microenvironment and can restore physical and cognitive functions of aged mice not only by increasing acetylcholine synthesis but also by restoring neuronal integrity that may be mediated by growth/neurotrophic factors. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsun Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
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