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Anwar MM, Pérez-Martínez L, Pedraza-Alva G. Exploring the Significance of Microglial Phenotypes and Morphological Diversity in Neuroinflammation and Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Mechanisms to Potential Therapeutic Targets. Immunol Invest 2024:1-56. [PMID: 38836373 DOI: 10.1080/08820139.2024.2358446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Studying various microglial phenotypes and their functions in neurodegenerative diseases is crucial due to the intricate nature of their phenomics and their vital immunological role. Microglia undergo substantial phenomic changes, encompassing morphological, transcriptional, and functional aspects, resulting in distinct cell types with diverse structures, functions, properties, and implications. The traditional classification of microglia as ramified, M1 (proinflammatory), or M2 (anti-inflammatory) phenotypes is overly simplistic, failing to capture the wide range of recently identified microglial phenotypes in various brain regions affected by neurodegenerative diseases. Altered and activated microglial phenotypes deviating from the typical ramified structure are significant features of many neurodegenerative conditions. Understanding the precise role of each microglial phenotype is intricate and sometimes contradictory. This review specifically focuses on elucidating recent modifications in microglial phenotypes within neurodegenerative diseases. Recognizing the heterogeneity of microglial phenotypes in diseased states can unveil novel therapeutic strategies for targeting microglia in neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, the exploration of the use of healthy isolated microglia to mitigate disease progression has provided an innovative perspective. In conclusion, this review discusses the dynamic landscape of mysterious microglial phenotypes, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding to pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai M Anwar
- Department of Biochemistry, National Organization for Drug Control and Research (NODCAR)/Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Leonor Pérez-Martínez
- Neuroimmunobiology Laboratory, Department of Molecular Medicine and Bioprocesses, Institute of Biotechnology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Pedraza-Alva
- Neuroimmunobiology Laboratory, Department of Molecular Medicine and Bioprocesses, Institute of Biotechnology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
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2
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Jellinger KA. Mild cognitive impairment in Huntington's disease: challenges and outlooks. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:289-304. [PMID: 38265518 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-024-02744-8] [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] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Although Huntington's disease (HD) has classically been viewed as an autosomal-dominant inherited neurodegenerative motor disorder, cognitive and/or behavioral changes are predominant and often an early manifestation of disease. About 40% of individuals in the presymptomatic period of HD meet the criteria for mild cognitive impairment, later progressing to dementia. The heterogenous spectrum of cognitive decline is characterized by deficits across multiple domains, particularly executive dysfunctions, but the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are still poorly understood. Investigating the pathophysiology of cognitive changes may give insight into important and early neurodegenerative events. Multimodal imaging revealed circuit-wide gray and white matter degenerative processes in several key brain regions, affecting prefronto-striatal/cortico-basal ganglia circuits and many other functional brain networks. Studies in transgenic animal models indicated early synaptic dysfunction, deficient neurotrophic transport and other molecular changes contributing to neuronal death. Synaptopathy within the cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus may be particularly important in mediating cognitive and neuropsychiatric manifestations of HD, although many other neuronal systems are involved. The interaction of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with tau and its implication for cognitive impairment in HD is a matter of discussion. Further neuroimaging and neuropathological studies are warranted to better elucidate early pathophysiological mechanisms and to develop validated biomarkers to detect patients' cognitive status during the early stages of the condition significantly to implement effective preventing or management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt A Jellinger
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Alberichgasse 5/13, 1150, Vienna, Austria.
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Ferrari Bardile C, Radulescu CI, Pouladi MA. Oligodendrocyte pathology in Huntington's disease: from mechanisms to therapeutics. Trends Mol Med 2023; 29:802-816. [PMID: 37591764 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.07.010] [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] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes (OLGs), highly specialized glial cells that wrap axons with myelin sheaths, are critical for brain development and function. There is new recognition of the role of OLGs in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), including Huntington's disease (HD), a prototypic NDD caused by a polyglutamine tract expansion in huntingtin (HTT), which results in gain- and loss-of-function effects. Clinically, HD is characterized by a constellation of motor, cognitive, and psychiatric disturbances. White matter (WM) structures, representing myelin-rich regions of the brain, are profoundly affected in HD, and recent findings reveal oligodendroglia dysfunction as an early pathological event. Here, we focus on mechanisms that underlie oligodendroglial deficits and dysmyelination in the progression of the disease, highlighting the pathogenic contributions of mutant HTT (mHTT). We also discuss potential therapeutic implications involving these molecular pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Ferrari Bardile
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Carola I Radulescu
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Mahmoud A Pouladi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada.
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Valenza M, Birolini G, Cattaneo E. The translational potential of cholesterol-based therapies for neurological disease. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:583-598. [PMID: 37644213 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00864-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol is an important metabolite and membrane component and is enriched in the brain owing to its role in neuronal maturation and function. In the adult brain, cholesterol is produced locally, predominantly by astrocytes. When cholesterol has been used, recycled and catabolized, the derivatives are excreted across the blood-brain barrier. Abnormalities in any of these steps can lead to neurological dysfunction. Here, we examine how precise interactions between cholesterol production and its use and catabolism in neurons ensures cholesterol homeostasis to support brain function. As an example of a neurological disease associated with cholesterol dyshomeostasis, we summarize evidence from animal models of Huntington disease (HD), which demonstrate a marked reduction in cholesterol biosynthesis with clinically relevant consequences for synaptic activity and cognition. In addition, we examine the relationship between cholesterol loss in the brain and cognitive decline in ageing. We then present emerging therapeutic strategies to restore cholesterol homeostasis, focusing on evidence from HD mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Valenza
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare 'Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', Milan, Italy.
| | - Giulia Birolini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare 'Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare 'Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', Milan, Italy.
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5
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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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Cvetanovic M, Gray M. Contribution of Glial Cells to Polyglutamine Diseases: Observations from Patients and Mouse Models. Neurotherapeutics 2023; 20:48-66. [PMID: 37020152 PMCID: PMC10119372 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-023-01357-5] [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] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are broadly characterized neuropathologically by the degeneration of vulnerable neuronal cell types in a specific brain region. The degeneration of specific cell types has informed on the various phenotypes/clinical presentations in someone suffering from these diseases. Prominent neurodegeneration of specific neurons is seen in polyglutamine expansion diseases including Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA). The clinical manifestations observed in these diseases could be as varied as the abnormalities in motor function observed in those who have Huntington's disease (HD) as demonstrated by a chorea with substantial degeneration of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) or those with various forms of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) with an ataxic motor presentation primarily due to degeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells. Due to the very significant nature of the degeneration of MSNs in HD and Purkinje cells in SCAs, much of the research has centered around understanding the cell autonomous mechanisms dysregulated in these neuronal cell types. However, an increasing number of studies have revealed that dysfunction in non-neuronal glial cell types contributes to the pathogenesis of these diseases. Here we explore these non-neuronal glial cell types with a focus on how each may contribute to the pathogenesis of HD and SCA and the tools used to evaluate glial cells in the context of these diseases. Understanding the regulation of supportive and harmful phenotypes of glia in disease could lead to development of novel glia-focused neurotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Cvetanovic
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Michelle Gray
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Taghian T, Gallagher J, Batcho E, Pullan C, Kuchel T, Denney T, Perumal R, Moore S, Muirhead R, Herde P, Johns D, Christou C, Taylor A, Passler T, Pulaparthi S, Hall E, Chandra S, O’Neill CA, Gray-Edwards H. Brain Alterations in Aged OVT73 Sheep Model of Huntington's Disease: An MRI Based Approach. J Huntingtons Dis 2022; 11:391-406. [PMID: 36189602 PMCID: PMC9837686 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-220526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative autosomal dominant disorder with prevalence of 1 : 20000 that has no effective treatment to date. Translatability of candidate therapeutics could be enhanced by additional testing in large animal models because of similarities in brain anatomy, size, and immunophysiology. These features enable realistic pre-clinical studies of biodistribution, efficacy, and toxicity. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS Here we non-invasively characterized alterations in brain white matter microstructure, neurochemistry, neurological status, and mutant Huntingtin protein (mHTT) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of aged OVT73 HD sheep. RESULTS Similar to HD patients, CSF mHTT differentiates HD from normal sheep. Our results are indicative of a decline in neurological status, and alterations in brain white matter diffusion and spectroscopy metric that are more severe in aged female HD sheep. Longitudinal analysis of aged female HD sheep suggests that the decline is detectable over the course of a year. In line with reports of HD human studies, white matter alterations in corpus callosum correlates with a decline in gait of HD sheep. Moreover, alterations in the occipital cortex white matter correlates with a decline in clinical rating score. In addition, the marker of energy metabolism in striatum of aged HD sheep, shows a correlation with decline of clinical rating score and eye coordination. CONCLUSION This data suggests that OVT73 HD sheep can serve as a pre-manifest large animal model of HD providing a platform for pre-clinical testing of HD therapeutics and non-invasive tracking of the efficacy of the therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toloo Taghian
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA,
Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jillian Gallagher
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Erin Batcho
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Caitlin Pullan
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Gillies Plains, SA, Australia
| | - Tim Kuchel
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Gillies Plains, SA, Australia
| | - Thomas Denney
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Raj Perumal
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Gillies Plains, SA, Australia
| | - Shamika Moore
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Gillies Plains, SA, Australia
| | - Robb Muirhead
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Gillies Plains, SA, Australia
| | - Paul Herde
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Gillies Plains, SA, Australia
| | - Daniel Johns
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Gillies Plains, SA, Australia
| | - Chris Christou
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Gillies Plains, SA, Australia
| | - Amanda Taylor
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Thomas Passler
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Sanjana Pulaparthi
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Erin Hall
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Sundeep Chandra
- Sana Biotechnology, South San Francisco, CA, USA,Bio Marin Pharmaceutical Inc., San Rafael, CA, USA
| | | | - Heather Gray-Edwards
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA,
Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA,Correspondence to: Heather L. Gray-Edwards, DVM, PhD, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Department of Radiology and Horae Gene Therapy Center, 368 Plantation Street, ASC6-2055, Worcester, MA 01605, USA. Tel.: +1 508 856 4051; Fax: +1 508 856 1552; E-mail:
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8
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Pérot JB, Célestine M, Palombo M, Dhenain M, Humbert S, Brouillet E, Flament J. Longitudinal multimodal MRI characterization of a knock-in mouse model of Huntington's disease reveals early gray and white matter alterations. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:3581-3596. [PMID: 35147158 PMCID: PMC9616570 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenesis of the inherited neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD) is progressive with a long presymptomatic phase in which subtle changes occur up to 15 years before the onset of symptoms. Thus, there is a need for early, functional biomarker to better understand disease progression and to evaluate treatment efficacy far from onset. Recent studies have shown that white matter may be affected early in mutant HTT gene carriers. A previous study performed on 12 months old Ki140CAG mice showed reduced glutamate level measured by Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer of glutamate (gluCEST), especially in the corpus callosum. In this study, we scanned longitudinally Ki140CAG mice with structural MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, gluCEST and magnetization transfer imaging, in order to assess white matter integrity over the life of this mouse model characterized by slow progression of symptoms. Our results show early defects of diffusion properties in the anterior part of the corpus callosum at 5 months of age, preceding gluCEST defects in the same region at 8 and 12 months that spread to adjacent regions. At 12 months, frontal and piriform cortices showed reduced gluCEST, as well as the pallidum. MT imaging showed reduced signal in the septum at 12 months. Cortical and striatal atrophy then appear at 18 months. Vulnerability of the striatum and motor cortex, combined with alterations of anterior corpus callosum, seems to point out the potential role of white matter in the brain dysfunction that characterizes HD and the pertinence of gluCEST and DTI as biomarkers in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Pérot
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Marina Célestine
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Marco Palombo
- Department of Computer Science, Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Marc Dhenain
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Sandrine Humbert
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, Grenoble 38000 , France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Julien Flament
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
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Ramirez-Garcia G, Galvez V, Diaz R, Campos-Romo A, Fernandez-Ruiz J. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) performance in Huntington's disease patients correlates with cortical and caudate atrophy. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12917. [PMID: 35402100 PMCID: PMC8988933 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is an autosomal neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Cognitive impairment develops gradually in HD patients, progressing later into a severe cognitive dysfunction. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a brief screening test commonly employed to detect mild cognitive impairment, which has also been useful to assess cognitive decline in HD patients. However, the relationship between MoCA performance and brain structural integrity in HD patients remains unclear. Therefore, to explore this relationship we analyzed if cortical thinning and subcortical nuclei volume differences correlated with HD patients' MoCA performance. Twenty-two HD patients and twenty-two healthy subjects participated in this study. T1-weighted images were acquired to analyze cortical thickness and subcortical nuclei volumes. Group comparison analysis showed a significantly lower score in the MoCA global performance of HD patients. Also, the MoCA total score correlated with cortical thinning of fronto-parietal and temporo-occipital cortices, as well as with bilateral caudate volume differences in HD patients. These results provide new insights into the effectiveness of using the MoCA test to detect cognitive impairment and the brain atrophy pattern associated with the cognitive status of prodromal/early HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Ramirez-Garcia
- Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Victor Galvez
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Panamericana, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Rosalinda Diaz
- Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Aurelio Campos-Romo
- Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Periférica de Neurociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México/Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Juan Fernandez-Ruiz
- Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
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Callahan JW, Wokosin DL, Bevan MD. Dysregulation of the Basal Ganglia Indirect Pathway in Early Symptomatic Q175 Huntington's Disease Mice. J Neurosci 2022; 42:2080-2102. [PMID: 35058372 PMCID: PMC8916764 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0782-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The debilitating psychomotor symptoms of Huntington's disease (HD) are linked partly to degeneration of the basal ganglia indirect pathway. At early symptomatic stages, before major cell loss, indirect pathway neurons exhibit numerous cellular and synaptic changes in HD and its models. However, the impact of these alterations on circuit activity remains poorly understood. To address this gap, optogenetic- and reporter-guided electrophysiological interrogation was used in early symptomatic male and female Q175 HD mice. D2 dopamine receptor-expressing striatal projection neurons (D2-SPNs) were hypoactive during synchronous cortical slow-wave activity, consistent with known reductions in dendritic excitability and cortical input strength. Downstream prototypic parvalbumin-expressing external globus pallidus (PV+ GPe) neurons discharged at 2-3 times their normal rate, even during periods of D2-SPN inactivity, arguing that defective striatopallidal inhibition was not the only cause of their hyperactivity. Indeed, PV+ GPe neurons also exhibited abnormally elevated autonomous firing ex vivo Optogenetic inhibition of PV+ GPe neurons in vivo partially and fully ameliorated the abnormal hypoactivity of postsynaptic subthalamic nucleus (STN) and putative PV- GPe neurons, respectively. In contrast to STN neurons whose autonomous firing is impaired in HD mice, putative PV- GPe neuron activity was unaffected ex vivo, implying that excessive inhibition was responsible for their hypoactivity in vivo Together with previous studies, these data demonstrate that (1) indirect pathway nuclei are dysregulated in Q175 mice through changes in presynaptic activity and/or intrinsic cellular and synaptic properties; and (2) prototypic PV+ GPe neuron hyperactivity and excessive target inhibition are prominent features of early HD pathophysiology.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The early symptoms of Huntington's disease (HD) are linked to degenerative changes in the action-suppressing indirect pathway of the basal ganglia. Consistent with this linkage, the intrinsic properties of cells in this pathway exhibit complex alterations in HD and its models. However, the impact of these changes on activity is poorly understood. Using electrophysiological and optogenetic approaches, we demonstrate that the indirect pathway is highly dysregulated in early symptomatic HD mice through changes in upstream activity and/or intrinsic properties. Furthermore, we reveal that hyperactivity of external globus pallidus neurons and excessive inhibition of their targets are key features of early HD pathophysiology. Together, these findings could help to inform the development and targeting of viral-based, gene therapeutic approaches for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua W Callahan
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - David L Wokosin
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Mark D Bevan
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611
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11
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Chen JF, Wang F, Huang NX, Xiao L, Mei F. Oligodendrocytes and Myelin: Active players in Neurodegenerative brains? Dev Neurobiol 2022; 82:160-174. [PMID: 35081276 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are a major type of glial cells in the central nervous system that generate multiple myelin sheaths to wrap axons. Myelin ensures fast and efficient propagation of action potentials along axons and supports neurons with nourishment. The decay of OLs and myelin has been implicated in age-related neurodegenerative diseases and these changes are generally considered as an inevitable result of neuron loss and axon degeneration. Noticeably, OLs and myelin undergo dynamic changes in healthy adult brains, that is, newly formed OLs are continuously added throughout life from the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and the pre-existing myelin sheaths may undergo degeneration or remodeling. Increasing evidence has shown that changes in OLs and myelin are present in the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, and even prior to significant neuronal loss and functional deficits. More importantly, oligodendroglia-specific manipulation, by either deletion of the disease gene or enhancement of myelin renewal, can alleviate functional impairments in neurodegenerative animal models. These findings underscore the possibility that OLs and myelin are not passively but actively involved in neurodegenerative diseases and may play an important role in modulating neuronal function and survival. In this review, we summarize recent work characterizing OL and myelin changes in both healthy and neurodegenerative brains and discuss the potential of targeting oligodendroglial cells in treating neurodegenerative diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Fei Chen
- Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Department of Histology and Embryology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Department of Histology and Embryology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Nan-Xing Huang
- Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Department of Histology and Embryology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Lan Xiao
- Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Department of Histology and Embryology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Feng Mei
- Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Department of Histology and Embryology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
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12
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Liu Y, Castano D, Girolamo F, Trigueros-Motos L, Bae HG, Neo SP, Oh J, Narayanaswamy P, Torta F, Rye KA, Jo DG, Gunaratne J, Jung S, Virgintino D, Singaraja RR. Abca8b promotes myelination via regulation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 localization in oligodendrocyte precursor cells in mice. J Lipid Res 2021; 63:100147. [PMID: 34752805 PMCID: PMC8953628 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2021.100147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The myelin sheath, which is wrapped around axons, is a lipid-enriched structure produced by mature oligodendrocytes. Disruption of the myelin sheath is observed in several neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. A crucial component of myelin is sphingomyelin, levels of which can be increased by ABCA8, a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter family. ABCA8 is highly expressed in the cerebellum, specifically in oligodendroglia. However, whether ABCA8 plays a role in myelination and mechanisms that would underlie this role remain unknown. Here, we found that the absence of Abca8b, a mouse ortholog of ABCA8, led to decreased numbers of cerebellar oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and mature oligodendrocytes in mice. We show that in oligodendrocytes, ABCA8 interacts with chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), a molecule essential for OPC proliferation, migration, and myelination. In the absence of Abca8b, localization of CSPG4 to the plasma membrane was decreased, contributing to reduced cerebellar CSPG4 expression. Cerebellar CSPG4+ OPCs were also diminished, leading to decreased mature myelinating oligodendrocyte numbers and cerebellar myelination levels in Abca8b−/− mice. In addition, electron microscopy analyses showed that the number of nonmyelinated cerebellar axons was increased, whereas cerebellar myelin thickness (g-ratio), myelin sheath periodicity, and axonal diameter were all decreased, indicative of disordered myelin ultrastructure. In line with disrupted cerebellar myelination, Abca8b−/− mice showed lower cerebellar conduction velocity and disturbed locomotion. In summary, ABCA8 modulates cerebellar myelination, in part through functional regulation of the ABCA8-interacting protein CSPG4. Our findings suggest that ABCA8 disruption may contribute to the pathophysiology of myelin disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Liu
- Translational Laboratories in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Cardiovascular Research Institute, National University Health System, Singapore
| | - David Castano
- Translational Laboratories in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Cardiovascular Research Institute, National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Francesco Girolamo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Sensory Organs, Human Anatomy and Histology Unit, University of Bari School of Medicine, Bari, Italy
| | - Laia Trigueros-Motos
- Translational Laboratories in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Han-Gyu Bae
- Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Suat Peng Neo
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Jeongah Oh
- Singapore Lipidomics Incubator, Department of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Institute and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
| | - Pradeep Narayanaswamy
- Singapore Lipidomics Incubator, Department of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Institute and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
| | - Federico Torta
- Singapore Lipidomics Incubator, Department of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Institute and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
| | - Kerry Anne Rye
- University of New South Wales, School of Medical Sciences, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dong-Gyu Jo
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Jayantha Gunaratne
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Sangyong Jung
- Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Daniela Virgintino
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Sensory Organs, Human Anatomy and Histology Unit, University of Bari School of Medicine, Bari, Italy
| | - Roshni R Singaraja
- Translational Laboratories in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Cardiovascular Research Institute, National University Health System, Singapore.
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13
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Gabery S, Kwa JE, Cheong RY, Baldo B, Ferrari Bardile C, Tan B, McLean C, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Poudel GR, Halliday G, Pouladi MA, Petersén Å. Early white matter pathology in the fornix of the limbic system in Huntington disease. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 142:791-806. [PMID: 34448021 PMCID: PMC8500909 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02362-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The typical motor symptoms have been associated with basal ganglia pathology. However, psychiatric and cognitive symptoms often precede the motor component and may be due to changes in the limbic system. Recent work has indicated pathology in the hypothalamus in HD but other parts of the limbic system have not been extensively studied. Emerging evidence suggests that changes in HD also include white matter pathology. Here we investigated if the main white matter tract of the limbic system, the fornix, is affected in HD. We demonstrate that the fornix is 34% smaller already in prodromal HD and 41% smaller in manifest HD compared to controls using volumetric analyses of MRI of the IMAGE-HD study. In post-mortem fornix tissue from HD cases, we confirm the smaller fornix volume in HD which is accompanied by signs of myelin breakdown and reduced levels of the transcription factor myelin regulating factor but detect no loss of oligodendrocytes. Further analyses using RNA-sequencing demonstrate downregulation of oligodendrocyte identity markers in the fornix of HD cases. Analysis of differentially expressed genes based on transcription-factor/target-gene interactions also revealed enrichment for binding sites of SUZ12 and EZH2, components of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2, as well as RE1 Regulation Transcription Factor. Taken together, our data show that there is early white matter pathology of the fornix in the limbic system in HD likely due to a combination of reduction in oligodendrocyte genes and myelin break down.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Gabery
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jing Eugene Kwa
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Rachel Y Cheong
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Barbara Baldo
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, 22184, Lund, Sweden
- Evotec SE, HD Research and Translational Sciences, 22419, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Costanza Ferrari Bardile
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Department of Medical Genetics, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Brendan Tan
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3180, Australia
| | - Catriona McLean
- Department of Pathology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Govinda R Poudel
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3180, Australia
| | - Glenda Halliday
- The Brain and Mind Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mahmoud A Pouladi
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Department of Medical Genetics, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Åsa Petersén
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, 22184, Lund, Sweden.
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14
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Ferrari Bardile C, Sidik H, Quek R, Yusof NABM, Garcia-Miralles M, Pouladi MA. Abnormal Spinal Cord Myelination due to Oligodendrocyte Dysfunction in a Model of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 10:377-384. [PMID: 34366364 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-210495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relative contribution of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) degeneration to the progressive brain atrophy in Huntington's disease (HD) has been well studied. The pathology of the spinal cord in HD is comparatively less well documented. OBJECTIVE We aim to characterize spinal cord WM abnormalities in a mouse model of HD and evaluate whether selective removal of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) from oligodendroglia rescues these deficits. METHODS Histological assessments were used to determine the area of GM and WM in the spinal cord of 12-month-old BACHD mice, while electron microscopy was used to analyze myelin fibers in the cervical area of the spinal cord. To investigate the impact of inactivation of mHTT in oligodendroglia on these measures, we used the previously described BACHDxNG2Cre mouse line where mHTT is specifically reduced in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. RESULTS We show that spinal GM and WM areas are significantly atrophied in HD mice compared to wild-type controls. We further demonstrate that specific reduction of mHTT in oligodendroglial cells rescues the atrophy of spinal cord WM, but not GM, observed in HD mice. Inactivation of mHTT in oligodendroglia had no effect on the density of oligodendroglial cells but enhanced the expression of myelin-related proteins in the spinal cord. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate that the myelination abnormalities observed in brain WM structures in HD extend to the spinal cord and suggest that specific expression of mHTT in oligodendrocytes contributes to such abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Ferrari Bardile
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A *STAR), Singapore.,Departments of Medicine and Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Harwin Sidik
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A *STAR), Singapore
| | - Reynard Quek
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A *STAR), Singapore
| | | | - Marta Garcia-Miralles
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A *STAR), Singapore
| | - Mahmoud A Pouladi
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A *STAR), Singapore.,Departments of Medicine and Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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15
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Chan ST, Mercaldo ND, Kwong KK, Hersch SM, Rosas HD. Impaired Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Huntington's Disease. Front Physiol 2021; 12:663898. [PMID: 34366879 PMCID: PMC8334185 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.663898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that impairments of cerebrovascular function and/or abnormalities of the cerebral vasculature might contribute to early neuronal cell loss in Huntington's disease (HD). Studies in both healthy individuals as well as in patients with other neurodegenerative disorders have used an exogenous carbon dioxide (CO2) challenge in conjunction with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess regional cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR). In this study, we explored potential impairments of CVR in HD. Twelve gene expanded HD individuals, including both pre-symptomatic and early symptomatic HD and eleven healthy controls were administered a gas mixture targeting a 4-8 mmHg increase in CO2 relative to the end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (P ET CO2) at rest. A Hilbert Transform analysis was used to compute the cross-correlation between the time series of regional BOLD signal changes (ΔBOLD) and increased P ET CO2, and to estimate the response delay of ΔBOLD relative to P ET CO2. After correcting for age, we found that the cross-correlation between the time series for regional ΔBOLD and for P ET CO2 was weaker in HD subjects than in controls in several subcortical white matter regions, including the corpus callosum, subcortical white matter adjacent to rostral and caudal anterior cingulate, rostral and caudal middle frontal, insular, middle temporal, and posterior cingulate areas. In addition, greater volume of dilated perivascular space (PVS) was observed to overlap, primarily along the periphery, with the areas that showed greater ΔBOLD response delay. Our preliminary findings support that alterations in cerebrovascular function occur in HD and may be an important, not as yet considered, contributor to early neuropathology in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk Tak Chan
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Nathaniel D Mercaldo
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Kenneth K Kwong
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Steven M Hersch
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Herminia D Rosas
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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16
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Adanyeguh IM, Branzoli F, Delorme C, Méneret A, Monin ML, Luton MP, Durr A, Sabidussi E, Mochel F. Multiparametric characterization of white matter alterations in early stage Huntington disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13101. [PMID: 34162958 PMCID: PMC8222368 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92532-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic, fully penetrant neurodegenerative disorder. Widespread white matter damage affects the brain of patients with HD at very early stages of the disease. Fixel-based analysis (FBA) is a novel method to investigate the contribution of individual crossing fibers to the white matter damage and to detect possible alterations in both fiber density and fiber-bundle morphology. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DW-MRS), on the other hand, quantifies the motion of brain metabolites in vivo, thus enabling the investigation of microstructural alteration of specific cell populations. The aim of this study was to identify novel specific microstructural imaging markers of white matter degeneration in HD, by combining FBA and DW-MRS. Twenty patients at an early stage of HD and 20 healthy controls were recruited in a monocentric study. Using diffusion imaging we observed alterations to the brain microstructure and their morphology in patients with HD. Furthermore, FBA revealed specific fiber populations that were affected by the disease. Moreover, the mean diffusivity of the intra-axonal metabolite N-acetylaspartate, co-measured with N-acetylaspartylglutamate (tNAA), was significantly reduced in the corpus callosum of patients compared to controls. FBA and DW-MRS of tNAA provided more specific information about the biological mechanisms underlying HD and showed promise for early investigation of white matter degeneration in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac M Adanyeguh
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Francesca Branzoli
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France.,Center for NeuroImaging Research (CENIR), Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Delorme
- Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Méneret
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France.,Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Lorraine Monin
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Luton
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Durr
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Emanoel Sabidussi
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Fanny Mochel
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau Et de La Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France. .,Department of Genetics, Center for Neurometabolic Diseases, AP-HP, La Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, 47 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
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17
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In Vivo Expression of Reprogramming Factor OCT4 Ameliorates Myelination Deficits and Induces Striatal Neuroprotection in Huntington's Disease. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12050712. [PMID: 34068799 PMCID: PMC8150572 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
White matter atrophy has been shown to precede the massive loss of striatal GABAergic neurons in Huntington’s disease (HD). This study investigated the effects of in vivo expression of reprogramming factor octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) on neural stem cell (NSC) niche activation in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and induction of cell fate specific to the microenvironment of HD. R6/2 mice randomly received adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-OCT4, AAV9-Null, or phosphate-buffered saline into both lateral ventricles at 4 weeks of age. The AAV9-OCT4 group displayed significantly improved behavioral performance compared to the control groups. Following AAV9-OCT4 treatment, the number of newly generated NSCs and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) significantly increased in the SVZ, and the expression of OPC-related genes and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) significantly increased. Further, amelioration of myelination deficits in the corpus callosum was observed through electron microscopy and magnetic resonance imaging, and striatal DARPP32+ GABAergic neurons significantly increased in the AAV9-OCT4 group. These results suggest that in situ expression of the reprogramming factor OCT4 in the SVZ induces OPC proliferation, thereby attenuating myelination deficits. Particularly, GDNF released by OPCs seems to induce striatal neuroprotection in HD, which explains the behavioral improvement in R6/2 mice overexpressing OCT4.
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18
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Simmons DA, Mills BD, Butler Iii RR, Kuan J, McHugh TLM, Akers C, Zhou J, Syriani W, Grouban M, Zeineh M, Longo FM. Neuroimaging, Urinary, and Plasma Biomarkers of Treatment Response in Huntington's Disease: Preclinical Evidence with the p75 NTR Ligand LM11A-31. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:1039-1063. [PMID: 33786806 PMCID: PMC8423954 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01023-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an expansion of the CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene leading to preferential neurodegeneration of the striatum. Disease-modifying treatments are not yet available to HD patients and their development would be facilitated by translatable pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and plasma cytokines have been suggested as disease onset/progression biomarkers, but their ability to detect treatment efficacy is understudied. This study used the R6/2 mouse model of HD to assess if structural neuroimaging and biofluid assays can detect treatment response using as a prototype the small molecule p75NTR ligand LM11A-31, shown previously to reduce HD phenotypes in these mice. LM11A-31 alleviated volume reductions in multiple brain regions, including striatum, of vehicle-treated R6/2 mice relative to wild-types (WTs), as assessed with in vivo MRI. LM11A-31 also normalized changes in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics and diminished increases in certain plasma cytokine levels, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, in R6/2 mice. Finally, R6/2-vehicle mice had increased urinary levels of the p75NTR extracellular domain (ecd), a cleavage product released with pro-apoptotic ligand binding that detects the progression of other neurodegenerative diseases; LM11A-31 reduced this increase. These results are the first to show that urinary p75NTR-ecd levels are elevated in an HD mouse model and can be used to detect therapeutic effects. These data also indicate that multi-modal MRI and plasma cytokine levels may be effective pharmacodynamic biomarkers and that using combinations of these markers would be a viable and powerful option for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A Simmons
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Brian D Mills
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Robert R Butler Iii
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jason Kuan
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Tyne L M McHugh
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Carolyn Akers
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - James Zhou
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Wassim Syriani
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Maged Grouban
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Michael Zeineh
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Frank M Longo
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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19
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Bøstrand SMK, Williams A. Oligodendroglial Heterogeneity in Neuropsychiatric Disease. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11020125. [PMID: 33562031 PMCID: PMC7914430 DOI: 10.3390/life11020125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodendroglia interact with neurons to support their health and maintain the normal functioning of the central nervous system (CNS). Human oligodendroglia are a highly heterogeneous population characterised by distinct developmental origins and regional differences, as well as variation in cellular states, as evidenced by recent analysis at single-nuclei resolution. Increasingly, there is evidence to suggest that the highly heterogeneous nature of oligodendroglia might underpin their role in a range of CNS disorders, including those with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Understanding the role of oligodendroglial heterogeneity in this group of disorders might pave the way for novel approaches to identify biomarkers and develop treatments.
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20
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Chipika RH, Siah WF, McKenna MC, Li Hi Shing S, Hardiman O, Bede P. The presymptomatic phase of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: are we merely scratching the surface? J Neurol 2020; 268:4607-4629. [PMID: 33130950 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-020-10289-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Presymptomatic studies in ALS have consistently captured considerable disease burden long before symptom manifestation and contributed important academic insights. With the emergence of genotype-specific therapies, however, there is a pressing need to address practical objectives such as the estimation of age of symptom onset, phenotypic prediction, informing the optimal timing of pharmacological intervention, and identifying a core panel of biomarkers which may detect response to therapy. Existing presymptomatic studies in ALS have adopted striking different study designs, relied on a variety of control groups, used divergent imaging and electrophysiology methods, and focused on different genotypes and demographic groups. We have performed a systematic review of existing presymptomatic studies in ALS to identify common themes, stereotyped shortcomings, and key learning points for future studies. Existing presymptomatic studies in ALS often suffer from sample size limitations, lack of disease controls and rarely follow their cohort until symptom manifestation. As the characterisation of presymptomatic processes in ALS serves a multitude of academic and clinical purposes, the careful review of existing studies offers important lessons for future initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rangariroyashe H Chipika
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin, Ireland
| | - We Fong Siah
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mary Clare McKenna
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stacey Li Hi Shing
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Peter Bede
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin, Ireland.
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21
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Chan ST, Mercaldo ND, Ravina B, Hersch SM, Rosas HD. Association of Dilated Perivascular Spaces and Disease Severity in Patients With Huntington Disease. Neurology 2020; 96:e890-e894. [PMID: 33106388 PMCID: PMC8105900 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000011121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To quantify the percent volume of dilated perivascular space (PVS) in the subcortical forebrain in patients with early Huntington disease (HD) and to explore the relationship between PVS and disease severity. Methods MRI scans were performed on 25 patients with HD and 23 healthy age-matched controls at Massachusetts General Hospital. The imaging data were analyzed with a novel algorithm to determine regional PVS volume. A fractional logistic regression analysis was used to quantify the association between regional percent PVS volume and (1) disease designation (HD or control) and (2) disease severity as assessed by normalized caudate volume. Results Patients with HD had the greatest percent volume of dilated PVS in the putamen (left putamen: odds ratio 2.06 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.62–2.62], HD 3.27% [95% CI 2.83–3.78] vs controls 1.62% [95% CI 1.32–1.97], pfdr < 0.001; right putamen: odds ratio 1.66 [95% CI 1.33–2.08], HD 3.43% [95% CI 2.94–4.01] vs controls 2.09% [95% CI 1.79–2.45], pfdr < 0.001) and several subcortical white matter regions compared to controls. Dilated PVS increased with disease severity. Conclusions The objective quantification of dilated PVS suggests that PVS burden is high, is associated with disease severity, and may affect the distribution and success of treatments administered either intrathecally such as antisense oligonucleotides or by intraparenchymal administration such as cell and gene therapies. Classification of Evidence This study provides Class II evidence that increased dilated PVS is associated with worse HD severity. The study is rated Class II because of the cross-sectional design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk Tak Chan
- From the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (S.T.C., H.D.R.), Department of Radiology, and Department of Neurology (N.D.M., S.M.H., H.D.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Voyager Therapeutics (S.M.H.); and Praxis Medicines (B.R.), Cambridge, MA
| | - Nathaniel D Mercaldo
- From the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (S.T.C., H.D.R.), Department of Radiology, and Department of Neurology (N.D.M., S.M.H., H.D.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Voyager Therapeutics (S.M.H.); and Praxis Medicines (B.R.), Cambridge, MA
| | - Bernard Ravina
- From the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (S.T.C., H.D.R.), Department of Radiology, and Department of Neurology (N.D.M., S.M.H., H.D.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Voyager Therapeutics (S.M.H.); and Praxis Medicines (B.R.), Cambridge, MA
| | - Steven M Hersch
- From the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (S.T.C., H.D.R.), Department of Radiology, and Department of Neurology (N.D.M., S.M.H., H.D.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Voyager Therapeutics (S.M.H.); and Praxis Medicines (B.R.), Cambridge, MA
| | - Herminia D Rosas
- From the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (S.T.C., H.D.R.), Department of Radiology, and Department of Neurology (N.D.M., S.M.H., H.D.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Voyager Therapeutics (S.M.H.); and Praxis Medicines (B.R.), Cambridge, MA.
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22
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Estevez-Fraga C, Scahill R, Rees G, Tabrizi SJ, Gregory S. Diffusion imaging in Huntington's disease: comprehensive review. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020; 92:jnnp-2020-324377. [PMID: 33033167 PMCID: PMC7803908 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2020-324377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic disorder with 100% penetrance. With the advent of genetic testing in adults, disease-related, structural brain changes can be investigated from the earliest, premorbid stages of HD. While examining macrostructural change characterises global neuronal damage, investigating microstructural alterations provides information regarding brain organisation and its underlying biological properties. Diffusion MRI can be used to track the progression of microstructural anomalies in HD decades prior to clinical disease onset, providing a greater understanding of neurodegeneration. Multiple approaches, including voxelwise, region of interest and tractography, have been used in HD cohorts, showing a centrifugal pattern of white matter (WM) degeneration starting from deep brain areas, which is consistent with neuropathological studies. The corpus callosum, longer WM tracts and areas that are more densely connected, in particular the sensorimotor network, also tend to be affected early during premanifest stages. Recent evidence supports the routine inclusion of diffusion analyses within clinical trials principally as an additional measure to improve understanding of treatment effects, while the advent of novel techniques such as multitissue compartment models and connectomics can help characterise the underpinnings of progressive functional decline in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Estevez-Fraga
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rachael Scahill
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Geraint Rees
- Wellcome Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Gregory
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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23
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Birolini G, Valenza M, Di Paolo E, Vezzoli E, Talpo F, Maniezzi C, Caccia C, Leoni V, Taroni F, Bocchi VD, Conforti P, Sogne E, Petricca L, Cariulo C, Verani M, Caricasole A, Falqui A, Biella G, Cattaneo E. Striatal infusion of cholesterol promotes dose-dependent behavioral benefits and exerts disease-modifying effects in Huntington's disease mice. EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e12519. [PMID: 32959531 PMCID: PMC7539329 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202012519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of pathophysiological mechanisms are implicated in Huntington's disease (HD). Among them, reduced cholesterol biosynthesis has been detected in the HD mouse brain from pre-symptomatic stages, leading to diminished cholesterol synthesis, particularly in the striatum. In addition, systemic injection of cholesterol-loaded brain-permeable nanoparticles ameliorates synaptic and cognitive function in a transgenic mouse model of HD. To identify an appropriate treatment regimen and gain mechanistic insights into the beneficial activity of exogenous cholesterol in the HD brain, we employed osmotic mini-pumps to infuse three escalating doses of cholesterol directly into the striatum of HD mice in a continuous and rate-controlled manner. All tested doses prevented cognitive decline, while amelioration of disease-related motor defects was dose-dependent. In parallel, we found morphological and functional recovery of synaptic transmission involving both excitatory and inhibitory synapses of striatal medium spiny neurons. The treatment also enhanced endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis and clearance of mutant Huntingtin aggregates. These results indicate that cholesterol infusion to the striatum can exert a dose-dependent, disease-modifying effect and may be therapeutically relevant in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Birolini
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”MilanItaly
| | - Marta Valenza
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”MilanItaly
| | - Eleonora Di Paolo
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”MilanItaly
| | - Elena Vezzoli
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”MilanItaly
- Present address:
Department of Biomedical Sciences for HealthUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Francesca Talpo
- Department of Biology and BiotechnologiesUniversity of PaviaPaviaItaly
| | - Claudia Maniezzi
- Department of Biology and BiotechnologiesUniversity of PaviaPaviaItaly
| | - Claudio Caccia
- Unit of Medical Genetics and NeurogeneticsFondazione I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Valerio Leoni
- School of Medicine and SurgeryMonza and Laboratory of Clinical PathologyHospital of DesioASST‐MonzaUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Franco Taroni
- Unit of Medical Genetics and NeurogeneticsFondazione I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Vittoria D Bocchi
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”MilanItaly
| | - Paola Conforti
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”MilanItaly
| | - Elisa Sogne
- Biological and Environmental Science & Engineering (BESE) DivisionNABLA LabKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Lara Petricca
- Neuroscience UnitTranslational and Discovery Research DepartmentIRBM S.p.ARomeItaly
| | - Cristina Cariulo
- Neuroscience UnitTranslational and Discovery Research DepartmentIRBM S.p.ARomeItaly
| | - Margherita Verani
- Neuroscience UnitTranslational and Discovery Research DepartmentIRBM S.p.ARomeItaly
| | - Andrea Caricasole
- Neuroscience UnitTranslational and Discovery Research DepartmentIRBM S.p.ARomeItaly
| | - Andrea Falqui
- Biological and Environmental Science & Engineering (BESE) DivisionNABLA LabKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Gerardo Biella
- Department of Biology and BiotechnologiesUniversity of PaviaPaviaItaly
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”MilanItaly
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24
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Casella C, Bourbon-Teles J, Bells S, Coulthard E, Parker GD, Rosser A, Jones DK, Metzler-Baddeley C. Drumming Motor Sequence Training Induces Apparent Myelin Remodelling in Huntington's Disease: A Longitudinal Diffusion MRI and Quantitative Magnetization Transfer Study. J Huntingtons Dis 2020; 9:303-320. [PMID: 32894249 PMCID: PMC7836062 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-200424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Background: Impaired myelination may contribute to Huntington’s disease (HD) pathogenesis. Objective: This study assessed differences in white matter (WM) microstructure between HD patients and controls, and tested whether drumming training stimulates WM remodelling in HD. Furthermore, it examined whether training-induced microstructural changes are related to improvements in motor and cognitive function. Methods: Participants undertook two months of drumming exercises. Working memory and executive function were assessed before and post-training. Changes in WM microstructure were investigated with diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI)-based metrics, the restricted diffusion signal fraction (Fr) from the composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion (CHARMED) and the macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) from quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) imaging. WM pathways linking putamen and supplementary motor areas (SMA-Putamen), and three segments of the corpus callosum (CCI, CCII, CCIII) were studied using deterministic tractography. Baseline MPF differences between patients and controls were assessed with tract-based spatial statistics. Results: MPF was reduced in the mid-section of the CC in HD subjects at baseline, while a significantly greater change in MPF was detected in HD patients relative to controls in the CCII, CCIII, and the right SMA-putamen post-training. Further, although patients improved their drumming and executive function performance, such improvements did not correlate with microstructural changes. Increased MPF suggests training-induced myelin changes in HD. Conclusion: Though only preliminary and based on a small sample size, these results suggest that tailored behavioural stimulation may lead to neural benefits in early HD, that could be exploited for delaying disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Casella
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jose Bourbon-Teles
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sonya Bells
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Neurosciences and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Greg D Parker
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK
| | - Anne Rosser
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, UK.,Department of Neurology and Psychological Medicine, Hayden Ellis Building, Cardiff, UK
| | - Derek K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK.,Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claudia Metzler-Baddeley
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK
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25
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Casella C, Lipp I, Rosser A, Jones DK, Metzler-Baddeley C. A Critical Review of White Matter Changes in Huntington's Disease. Mov Disord 2020; 35:1302-1311. [PMID: 32537844 PMCID: PMC9393936 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder. White matter alterations have recently been identified as a relevant pathophysiological feature of Huntington’s disease, but their etiology and role in disease pathogenesis and progression remain unclear. Increasing evidence suggests that white matter changes in this disorder are attributed to alterations in myelin‐associated biological processes. This review first discusses evidence from neurochemical studies lending support to the demyelination hypothesis of Huntington’s disease, demonstrating aberrant myelination and changes in oligodendrocytes in the Huntington’s brain. Next, evidence from neuroimaging studies is reviewed, the limitations of the described methodologies are discussed, and suggested interpretations of findings from published studies are challenged. Although our understanding of Huntington’s associated pathological changes in the brain will increasingly rely on neuroimaging techniques, the shortcomings of these methodologies must not be forgotten. Advances in magnetic resonance imaging techniques and tissue modeling will enable a better in vivo, longitudinal characterization of the biological properties of white matter microstructure. This in turn will facilitate identification of disease‐related biomarkers and the specification of outcome measures in clinical trials. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Casella
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Ilona Lipp
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anne Rosser
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Derek K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.,Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claudia Metzler-Baddeley
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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26
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Altinoz MA, Ozpinar A, Ozpinar A, Hacker E. Erucic acid, a nutritional PPARδ-ligand may influence Huntington's disease pathogenesis. Metab Brain Dis 2020; 35:1-9. [PMID: 31625071 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-019-00500-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Increasing recent evidence suggests a key role of oligodendroglial injury and demyelination in the pathophysiology of Huntington's Disease (HD) and the transcription factor PPARδ is critical for oligodendroglial regeneration and myelination. PPARδ directly involves in the pathogenesis of HD and treatment with a brain-permeable PPARδ-agonist (KD3010) alleviates its severity in mice. Erucic acid (EA) is also a PPARδ-ligand ω9 fatty acid which is highly consumed in Asian countries through ingesting cruciferous vegetables such as rapeseed (Brassica napus) and indian mustard (Brassica juncea). EA is also an ingredient of Lorenzo's oil employed in the medical treatment of adrenoleukodystrophy and can be converted to nervonic acid, a component of myelin. HD pathogenesis also involves oxidative and inflammatory injury and EA exerts antioxidative and antiinflammatory efficacies including inhibition of thrombin and elastase. Consumption of rapeseed, indian mustard, and Canola oils (containing EA) improves cognitive parameters in animal models, as well as treatment with pure EA. Moreover, erucamide, an endogenous EA-amide derivative regulating angiogenesis and water balance, exerts antidepressive and anxiolytic effects in mice. Hitherto, no study has investigated the therapeutic potential of EA in HD and we believe that it strongly merits to be studied in animal models of HD as a potential therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meric A Altinoz
- Department of Biochemistry, Acibadem (Mehmet Ali Aydinlar) University, Istanbul, Turkey.
- Department of Psychiatry, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
| | - Aysel Ozpinar
- Department of Biochemistry, Acibadem (Mehmet Ali Aydinlar) University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alp Ozpinar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Emily Hacker
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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27
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Intrinsic mutant HTT-mediated defects in oligodendroglia cause myelination deficits and behavioral abnormalities in Huntington disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:9622-9627. [PMID: 31015293 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1818042116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
White matter abnormalities are a nearly universal pathological feature of neurodegenerative disorders including Huntington disease (HD). A long-held assumption is that this white matter pathology is simply a secondary outcome of the progressive neuronal loss that manifests with advancing disease. Using a mouse model of HD, here we show that white matter and myelination abnormalities are an early disease feature appearing before the manifestation of any behavioral abnormalities or neuronal loss. We further show that selective inactivation of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) in the NG2+ oligodendrocyte progenitor cell population prevented myelin abnormalities and certain behavioral deficits in HD mice. Strikingly, the improvements in behavioral outcomes were seen despite the continued expression of mHTT in nonoligodendroglial cells including neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. Using RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses, we implicate a pathogenic mechanism that involves enhancement of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) activity by mHTT in the intrinsic oligodendroglial dysfunction and myelination deficits observed in HD. Our findings challenge the long-held dogma regarding the etiology of white matter pathology in HD and highlight the contribution of epigenetic mechanisms to the observed intrinsic oligodendroglial dysfunction. Our results further suggest that ameliorating white matter pathology and oligodendroglial dysfunction may be beneficial for HD.
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28
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Teo RTY, Ferrari Bardile C, Tay YL, Yusof NABM, Kreidy CA, Tan LJ, Pouladi MA. Impaired Remyelination in a Mouse Model of Huntington Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:6873-6882. [PMID: 30937636 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-1579-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
White matter (WM) abnormalities are a well-established feature of Huntington disease (HD), although their nature is not fully understood. Here, we asked whether remyelination as a measure of WM plasticity is impaired in a model of HD. Using the cuprizone assay, we examined demyelination and remyelination responses in YAC128 HD mice. Treatment with 0.2% cuprizone (CPZ) for 6 weeks resulted in significant reduction in mature (GSTπ-positive) oligodendrocyte counts and FluoroMyelin staining in the corpus callosum, leading to similar demyelination states in YAC128 and wild-type (WT) mice. Six weeks following cessation of CPZ, we observed robust remyelination in WT mice as indicated by an increase in mature oligodendrocyte counts and FluoroMyelin staining. In contrast, YAC128 mice exhibited an impaired remyelination response. The increase in mature oligodendrocyte counts in YAC128 HD mice following CPZ cessation was lower than that of WT. Furthermore, there was no increase in FluoroMyelin staining compared to the demyelinated state in YAC128 mice. We confirmed these findings using electron microscopy where the CPZ-induced reduction in myelinated axons was reversed following CPZ cessation in WT but not YAC128 mice. Our findings demonstrate that remyelination is impaired in YAC128 mice and suggest that WM plasticity may be compromised in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Tang Yi Teo
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos, Level 5, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Costanza Ferrari Bardile
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos, Level 5, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Yi Lin Tay
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos, Level 5, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Nur Amirah Binte Mohammad Yusof
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos, Level 5, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Charbel A Kreidy
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos, Level 5, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Liang Juin Tan
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos, Level 5, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Mahmoud A Pouladi
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos, Level 5, Singapore, 138648, Singapore.
- Department of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.
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Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Huntington's Disease. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2018; 142:335-380. [PMID: 30409258 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2018.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder, caused by expansion of the CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene. HD is characterized clinically by progressive motor, cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms. There are currently no disease modifying treatments available for HD, and there is a great need for biomarkers to monitor disease progression and identify new targets for therapeutic intervention. Neuroimaging techniques provide a powerful tool for assessing disease pathology and progression in premanifest stages, before the onset of overt motor symptoms. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is non-invasive imaging techniques which have been employed to study structural and microstructural changes in premanifest and manifest HD gene carriers. This chapter described structural imaging techniques and analysis methods employed across HD MRI studies. Current evidence for structural MRI abnormalities in HD, and associations between atrophy, structural white matter changes, iron deposition and clinical performance are discussed; together with the use of structural MRI measures as a diagnostic tool, to assess longitudinal changes, and as potential biomarkers and endpoints for clinical trials.
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