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Schwab K, Frahm S, Horsley D, Rickard JE, Melis V, Goatman EA, Magbagbeolu M, Douglas M, Leith MG, Baddeley TC, Storey JMD, Riedel G, Wischik CM, Harrington CR, Theuring F. A Protein Aggregation Inhibitor, Leuco-Methylthioninium Bis(Hydromethanesulfonate), Decreases α-Synuclein Inclusions in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Synucleinopathy. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 10:447. [PMID: 29375308 PMCID: PMC5767730 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation is a pathological feature of synucleinopathies, neurodegenerative disorders that include Parkinson's disease (PD). We have tested whether N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-10H-phenothiazine-3,7-diaminium bis(hydromethanesulfonate) (leuco-methylthioninium bis(hydromethanesulfonate); LMTM), a tau aggregation inhibitor, affects α-Syn aggregation in vitro and in vivo. Both cellular and transgenic models in which the expression of full-length human α-Syn (h-α-Syn) fused with a signal sequence peptide to promote α-Syn aggregation were used. Aggregated α-Syn was observed following differentiation of N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells transfected with h-α-Syn. The appearance of aggregated α-Syn was inhibited by LMTM, with an EC50 of 1.1 μM, with minimal effect on h-α-Syn mRNA levels being observed. Two independent lines of mice (L58 and L62) transgenic for the same fusion protein accumulated neuronal h-α-Syn that, with aging, developed into fibrillary inclusions characterized by both resistance to proteinase K (PK)-cleavage and their ability to bind thiazin red. There was a significant decrease in α-Syn-positive neurons in multiple brain regions following oral treatment of male and female mice with LMTM administered daily for 6 weeks at 5 and 15 mg MT/kg. The early aggregates of α-Syn and the late-stage fibrillar inclusions were both susceptible to inhibition by LMTM, a treatment that also resulted in the rescue of movement and anxiety-related traits in these mice. The results suggest that LMTM may provide a potential disease modification therapy in PD and other synucleinopathies through the inhibition of α-Syn aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karima Schwab
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Frahm
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - David Horsley
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Janet E. Rickard
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Valeria Melis
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth A. Goatman
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mandy Magbagbeolu
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Morag Douglas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Michael G. Leith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas C. Baddeley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - John M. D. Storey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gernot Riedel
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Claude M. Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Charles R. Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Franz Theuring
- Institute of Pharmacology, Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Melis V, Zabke C, Stamer K, Magbagbeolu M, Schwab K, Marschall P, Veh RW, Bachmann S, Deiana S, Moreau PH, Davidson K, Harrington KA, Rickard JE, Horsley D, Garman R, Mazurkiewicz M, Niewiadomska G, Wischik CM, Harrington CR, Riedel G, Theuring F. Different pathways of molecular pathophysiology underlie cognitive and motor tauopathy phenotypes in transgenic models for Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Cell Mol Life Sci 2015; 72:2199-222. [PMID: 25523019 PMCID: PMC4427622 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1804-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Revised: 11/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A poorly understood feature of the tauopathies is their very different clinical presentations. The frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) spectrum is dominated by motor and emotional/psychiatric abnormalities, whereas cognitive and memory deficits are prominent in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We report two novel mouse models overexpressing different human tau protein constructs. One is a full-length tau carrying a double mutation [P301S/G335D; line 66 (L66)] and the second is a truncated 3-repeat tau fragment which constitutes the bulk of the PHF core in AD corresponding to residues 296-390 fused with a signal sequence targeting it to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane (line 1; L1). L66 has abundant tau pathology widely distributed throughout the brain, with particularly high counts of affected neurons in hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. The pathology is neuroanatomically static and declines with age. Behaviourally, the model is devoid of a higher cognitive phenotype but presents with sensorimotor impairments and motor learning phenotypes. L1 displays a much weaker histopathological phenotype, but shows evidence of neuroanatomical spread and amplification with age that resembles the Braak staging of AD. Behaviourally, the model has minimal motor deficits but shows severe cognitive impairments affecting particularly the rodent equivalent of episodic memory which progresses with advancing age. In both models, tau aggregation can be dissociated from abnormal phosphorylation. The two models make possible the demonstration of two distinct but nevertheless convergent pathways of tau molecular pathogenesis. L1 appears to be useful for modelling the cognitive impairment of AD, whereas L66 appears to be more useful for modelling the motor features of the FTLD spectrum. Differences in clinical presentation of AD-like and FTLD syndromes are therefore likely to be inherent to the respective underlying tauopathy, and are not dependent on presence or absence of concomitant APP pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. Melis
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - C. Zabke
- CCR/Institut für Pharmakologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Pharmacology, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - K. Stamer
- CCR/Institut für Pharmakologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Pharmacology, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - M. Magbagbeolu
- CCR/Institut für Pharmakologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Pharmacology, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - K. Schwab
- CCR/Institut für Pharmakologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Pharmacology, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - P. Marschall
- CCR/Institut für Pharmakologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Pharmacology, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - R. W. Veh
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Anatomy, Berlin, Germany
| | - S. Bachmann
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Anatomy, Berlin, Germany
| | - S. Deiana
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - P.-H. Moreau
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - K. Davidson
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - K. A. Harrington
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - J. E. Rickard
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - D. Horsley
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - R. Garman
- Consultants in Veterinary Pathology Inc., Murrysville, PA USA
| | | | | | - C. M. Wischik
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - C. R. Harrington
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - G. Riedel
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Scotland, UK
| | - F. Theuring
- CCR/Institut für Pharmakologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Pharmacology, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany
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Harrington CR, Storey JMD, Clunas S, Harrington KA, Horsley D, Ishaq A, Kemp SJ, Larch CP, Marshall C, Nicoll SL, Rickard JE, Simpson M, Sinclair JP, Storey LJ, Wischik CM. Cellular Models of Aggregation-dependent Template-directed Proteolysis to Characterize Tau Aggregation Inhibitors for Treatment of Alzheimer Disease. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:10862-75. [PMID: 25759392 PMCID: PMC4409250 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.616029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is a degenerative tauopathy characterized by aggregation of Tau protein through the repeat domain to form intraneuronal paired helical filaments (PHFs). We report two cell models in which we control the inherent toxicity of the core Tau fragment. These models demonstrate the properties of prion-like recruitment of full-length Tau into an aggregation pathway in which template-directed, endogenous truncation propagates aggregation through the core Tau binding domain. We use these in combination with dissolution of native PHFs to quantify the activity of Tau aggregation inhibitors (TAIs). We report the synthesis of novel stable crystalline leucomethylthioninium salts (LMTX®), which overcome the pharmacokinetic limitations of methylthioninium chloride. LMTX®, as either a dihydromesylate or a dihydrobromide salt, retains TAI activity in vitro and disrupts PHFs isolated from AD brain tissues at 0.16 μM. The Ki value for intracellular TAI activity, which we have been able to determine for the first time, is 0.12 μM. These values are close to the steady state trough brain concentration of methylthioninium ion (0.18 μM) that is required to arrest progression of AD on clinical and imaging end points and the minimum brain concentration (0.13 μM) required to reverse behavioral deficits and pathology in Tau transgenic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles R Harrington
- From the School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom, TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore 068805, and the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - John M D Storey
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore 068805, and the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Scott Clunas
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Kathleen A Harrington
- From the School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom
| | - David Horsley
- From the School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom
| | - Ahtsham Ishaq
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Steven J Kemp
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher P Larch
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Marshall
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah L Nicoll
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Janet E Rickard
- From the School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Simpson
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - James P Sinclair
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Lynda J Storey
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - Claude M Wischik
- From the School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, United Kingdom, TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore 068805, and
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Enhanced protein synthesis and secretion using a rational signal-peptide library approach as a tailored tool. BMC Proc 2011; 5 Suppl 8:O13. [PMID: 22373211 PMCID: PMC3284986 DOI: 10.1186/1753-6561-5-s8-o13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Knappskog S, Ravneberg H, Gjerdrum C, Trösse C, Stern B, Pryme IF. The level of synthesis and secretion of Gaussia princeps luciferase in transfected CHO cells is heavily dependent on the choice of signal peptide. J Biotechnol 2007; 128:705-15. [PMID: 17316861 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2006.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2006] [Revised: 11/15/2006] [Accepted: 11/29/2006] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
There is a great demand for the improvement of mammalian cell production systems such that they can compete economically with their prokaryotic counterparts. Of a number of parameters that need to be explored to accomplish this we have tested the effects of different signal peptides on the synthesis and secretion of Gaussia princeps luciferase in mammalian cells. A series of plasmids were transfected into CHO cells where the coding region for the marine luciferase was fused to the signal peptide coding regions derived from different sources. Both cell extracts and medium samples were analysed for luciferase activity. When the native Gaussia luciferase signal sequence in the vector was substituted by that from human interleukin-2 or albumin then the amount of active recombinant protein produced was substantially reduced, both in transiently and stably transfected cells. Western blotting showed that enzyme activity and protein levels mirrored one another. The major decrease in luciferase activity was shown not to be a result of decreased mRNA levels, indicating the involvement of a post-transcriptional event. When the coding region of human endostatin was fused to that of the Gaussia luciferase signal peptide then an elevated level of secreted endostatin was observed compared to when that of the albumin signal peptide was used. Stable transfection of HepG2 cells with the different signal peptide constructs gave essentially the same results as seen in CHO cells. The overall results indicate that the choice of signal peptide can be imperative to ensure an optimal synthesis and secretion of a recombinant protein in a mammalian cell culture system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stian Knappskog
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, N-5009 Bergen, Norway
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Gramolini AO, Bélanger G, Jasmin BJ. Distinct regions in the 3' untranslated region are responsible for targeting and stabilizing utrophin transcripts in skeletal muscle cells. J Cell Biol 2001; 154:1173-83. [PMID: 11551978 PMCID: PMC2150820 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200101108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we have sought to determine whether utrophin transcripts are targeted to a distinct subcellular compartment in skeletal muscle cells, and have examined the role of the 3' untranslated region (UTR) in regulating the stability and localization of utrophin transcripts. Our results show that utrophin transcripts associate preferentially with cytoskeleton-bound polysomes via actin microfilaments. Because this association is not evident in myoblasts, our findings also indicate that the localization of utrophin transcripts with cytoskeleton-bound polysomes is under developmental influences. Transfection of LacZ reporter constructs containing the utrophin 3'UTR showed that this region is critical for targeting chimeric mRNAs to cytoskeleton-bound polysomes and controlling transcript stability. Deletion studies resulted in the identification of distinct regions within the 3'UTR responsible for targeting and stabilizing utrophin mRNAs. Together, these results illustrate the contribution of posttranscriptional events in the regulation of utrophin in skeletal muscle. Accordingly, these findings provide novel targets, in addition to transcriptional events, for which pharmacological interventions may be envisaged to ultimately increase the endogenous levels of utrophin in skeletal muscle fibers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- A O Gramolini
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, and Center for Neuromuscular Disease, University of Ottawa, Canada
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Bermano G, Shepherd RK, Zehner ZE, Hesketh JE. Perinuclear mRNA localisation by vimentin 3'-untranslated region requires a 100 nucleotide sequence and intermediate filaments. FEBS Lett 2001; 497:77-81. [PMID: 11377416 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-5793(01)02438-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The role of the vimentin 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) in mRNA localisation was studied in cells transfected with a reporter sequence linked to subregions of the 3'-UTR. In situ hybridisation showed that nucleotides 37-137, including a previously identified protein-binding domain, were sufficient to localise transcripts to perinuclear cytoplasm. Transfection of two SW13 cell lines that do and do not express vimentin showed that perinuclear localisation due to either the vimentin or c-myc 3'-UTR requires intermediate filaments. The data suggest that both a specific protein-binding region of the vimentin 3'-UTR and intermediate filaments themselves are required to determine the site of vimentin synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Bermano
- Intrecellular Targeting Group, Rowett Research Institute Aberdeen, UK
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