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Langerscheidt F, Wied T, Al Kabbani MA, van Eimeren T, Wunderlich G, Zempel H. Genetic forms of tauopathies: inherited causes and implications of Alzheimer's disease-like TAU pathology in primary and secondary tauopathies. J Neurol 2024; 271:2992-3018. [PMID: 38554150 PMCID: PMC11136742 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12314-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a heterogeneous group of neurologic diseases characterized by pathological axodendritic distribution, ectopic expression, and/or phosphorylation and aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein TAU, encoded by the gene MAPT. Neuronal dysfunction, dementia, and neurodegeneration are common features of these often detrimental diseases. A neurodegenerative disease is considered a primary tauopathy when MAPT mutations/haplotypes are its primary cause and/or TAU is the main pathological feature. In case TAU pathology is observed but superimposed by another pathological hallmark, the condition is classified as a secondary tauopathy. In some tauopathies (e.g. MAPT-associated frontotemporal dementia (FTD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD)) TAU is recognized as a significant pathogenic driver of the disease. In many secondary tauopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD), TAU is suggested to contribute to the development of dementia, but in others (e.g. Niemann-Pick disease (NPC)) TAU may only be a bystander. The genetic and pathological mechanisms underlying TAU pathology are often not fully understood. In this review, the genetic predispositions and variants associated with both primary and secondary tauopathies are examined in detail, assessing evidence for the role of TAU in these conditions. We highlight less common genetic forms of tauopathies to increase awareness for these disorders and the involvement of TAU in their pathology. This approach not only contributes to a deeper understanding of these conditions but may also lay the groundwork for potential TAU-based therapeutic interventions for various tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Langerscheidt
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tamara Wied
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Natural Sciences, Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, Von-Liebig-Str. 20, 53359, Rheinbach, Germany
| | - Mohamed Aghyad Al Kabbani
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thilo van Eimeren
- Multimodal Neuroimaging Group, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gilbert Wunderlich
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Rare Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hans Zempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
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Mohanty P, Phan TM, Mittal J. Transient interdomain interactions modulate the monomeric structural ensemble and oligomerization landscape of Huntingtin Exon 1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.03.592468. [PMID: 38766024 PMCID: PMC11100600 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.03.592468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Polyglutamine expansion (≥ 36 residues) within the N-terminal exon-1 of Huntingtin (Httex1) leads to Huntington's disease, a neurogenerative condition marked by the presence of intranuclear Htt inclusions. Notably, the polyglutamine tract in Httex1 is flanked by an N-terminal coiled-coil domain - N17 (17 amino acids), which undergoes self-association to promote the formation of soluble Httex1 oligomers and brings the aggregation-prone polyQ tracts in close spatial proximity. However, the mechanisms underlying the subsequent conversion of soluble oligomers into insoluble β-rich aggregates with increasing polyQ length, remain unclear. Current knowledge suggests that expansion of the polyQ tract increases its helicity, and this favors its oligomerization and aggregation. In addition, studies utilizing conformation-specific antibodies and a stable coiled-coil heterotetrametric system fused to polyQ indicate that domain "cross-talk" (i.e., interdomain interactions) may be necessary to efficiently promote the emergence of toxic conformations (in monomers and oligomers) and fibrillar aggregation. Here, we performed extensive atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (aggregate time ∼ 0.7 ms) of N17-polyQ fragments to uncover the interplay between structural transformation and domain "cross-talk" on the monomeric structural ensemble and oligomerization landscape of Httex1. Our simulation ensembles of N17-polyQ monomers validated against 13 C NMR chemical shifts indicated that in addition to elevated α-helicity, polyQ expansion also favors transient, interdomain (N17-polyQ) interactions which result in the emergence of β-conformations. Further, interdomain interactions decreased the overall stability of N17-mediated dimers by counteracting the stabilizing effect of increased α-helicity and promoted a heterogenous oligomerization landscape on the sub-microsecond timescale. Overall, our study uncovers the significance of domain "cross-talk" in modulating the monomeric conformational ensemble and oligomerization landscape of Httex1 to favor the formation of amyloid aggregates.
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Kaushik A, Parashar S, Ambasta RK, Kumar P. Ubiquitin E3 ligases assisted technologies in protein degradation: Sharing pathways in neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 96:102279. [PMID: 38521359 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102279] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
E3 ligases, essential components of the ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated protein degradation system, play a critical role in cellular regulation. By covalently attaching ubiquitin (Ub) molecules to target proteins, these ligases mark them for degradation, influencing various bioprocesses. With over 600 E3 ligases identified, there is a growing realization of their potential as therapeutic candidates for addressing proteinopathies in cancer and neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs). Recent research has highlighted the need to delve deeper into the intricate roles of E3 ligases as nexus points in the pathogenesis of both cancer and NDDs. Their dysregulation is emerging as a common thread linking these seemingly disparate diseases, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their molecular intricacies. Herein, we have discussed (i) the fundamental mechanisms through which different types of E3 ligases actively participate in selective protein degradation in cancer and NDDs, followed by an examination of common E3 ligases playing pivotal roles in both situations, emphasising common players. Moving to, (ii) the functional domains and motifs of E3 ligases involved in ubiquitination, we have explored their interactions with specific substrates in NDDs and cancer. Additionally, (iii) we have explored techniques like PROTAC, molecular glues, and other state-of-the-art methods for hijacking neurotoxic and oncoproteins. Lastly, (iv) we have provided insights into ongoing clinical trials, offering a glimpse into the evolving landscape of E3-based therapeutics for cancer and NDDs. Unravelling the intricate network of E3 ligase-mediated regulation holds the key to unlocking targeted therapies that address the specific molecular signatures of individual patients, heralding a new era in personalized medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aastha Kaushik
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University (Formerly DCE), Delhi 110042, India
| | - Somya Parashar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University (Formerly DCE), Delhi 110042, India
| | - Rashmi K Ambasta
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, SRM University-Sonepat, Haryana, India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University (Formerly DCE), Delhi 110042, India.
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Ponomareva NV, Klyushnikov SA, Abramycheva N, Konovalov RN, Krotenkova M, Kolesnikova E, Malina D, Urazgildeeva G, Kanavets E, Mitrofanov A, Fokin V, Rogaev E, Illarioshkin SN. Neurophysiological hallmarks of Huntington's disease progression: an EEG and fMRI connectivity study. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1270226. [PMID: 38161585 PMCID: PMC10755012 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1270226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can provide corroborative data on neurophysiological alterations in Huntington's disease (HD). However, the alterations in EEG and fMRI resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC), as well as their interrelations, at different stages of HD remain insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to identify neurophysiological alterations in individuals with preclinical HD (preHD) and early manifest HD (EMHD) by analyzing EEG and fMRI rsFC and examining their interrelationships. We found significant differences in EEG power between preHD individuals and healthy controls (HC), with a decrease in power in a specific frequency range at the theta-alpha border and slow alpha activity. In EMHD patients, in addition to the decrease in power in the 7-9 Hz range, a reduction in power within the classic alpha band compared to HC was observed. The fMRI analysis revealed disrupted functional connectivity in various brain networks, particularly within frontal lobe, putamen-cortical, and cortico-cerebellar networks, in individuals with the HD mutation compared to HC. The analysis of the relationship between EEG and fMRI rsFC revealed an association between decreased alpha power, observed in individuals with EMHD, and increased connectivity in large-scale brain networks. These networks include putamen-cortical, DMN-related and cortico-hippocampal circuits. Overall, the findings suggest that EEG and fMRI provide valuable information for monitoring pathological processes during the development of HD. A decrease in inhibitory control within the putamen-cortical, DMN-related and cortico-hippocampal circuits, accompanied by a reduction in alpha and theta-alpha border oscillatory activity, could potentially contribute to cognitive decline in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya V. Ponomareva
- Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Genetics and Life Science, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Evgeny Rogaev
- Center for Genetics and Life Science, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
- Department of Psychiatry, Umass Chan Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA, United States
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Almeida LM, Oliveira Â, Oliveira JMA, Pinho BR. Stress response mechanisms in protein misfolding diseases: Profiling a cellular model of Huntington's disease. Arch Biochem Biophys 2023; 745:109711. [PMID: 37541563 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress response pathways like the integrated stress response (ISR), the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) and the heat shock response (HSR) have emerged as part of the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD) - a currently incurable disease caused by the production of mutant huntingtin (mut-Htt). Previous data from HD patients suggest that ISR is activated while UPRmt and HSR are impaired in HD. The study of these stress response pathways as potential therapeutic targets in HD requires cellular models that mimic the activation status found in HD patients of such pathways. PC12 cells with inducible expression of the N-terminal fragment of mut-Htt are among the most used cell lines to model HD, however the activation of stress responses remains unclear in this model. The goal of this study is to characterize the activation of ISR, UPRmt and HSR in this HD cell model and evaluate if it mimics the activation status found in HD patients. We show that PC12 HD cell model presents reduced levels of Hsp90 and mitochondrial chaperones, suggesting an impaired activation or function of HSR and UPRmt. This HD model also presents increased levels of phosphorylated eIF2α, the master regulator of the ISR, but overall similar levels of ATF4 and decreased levels of CHOP - transcription factors downstream to eIF2α - in comparison to control, suggesting an initial activation of ISR. These results show that this model mimics the ISR activation and the impaired UPRmt and HSR found in HD patients. This work suggests that the PC12 N-terminal HD model is suitable for studying the role of stress response pathways in the pathophysiology of HD and for exploratory studies investigating the therapeutic potential of drugs targeting stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana M Almeida
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ângela Oliveira
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge M A Oliveira
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Brígida R Pinho
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
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Therapeutic targeting of Huntington's disease: Molecular and clinical approaches. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 655:18-24. [PMID: 36913762 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.02.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant ailment that affects a larger population. Due to its complex pathology operating at DNA, RNA, and protein levels, it is regarded as a protein-misfolding disease and an expansion repeat disorder. Despite the availability of early genetic diagnostics, disease-modifying treatments are still missing. Importantly, potential therapies are starting to make their way through clinical trials. Still, clinical trials are ongoing to discover potential drugs to relieve HD symptoms. However, now being aware of the root cause, the clinical studies are focused on molecular therapies to target it. The road to success has not been without bumps since a big phase III trial of tominersen was unexpectedly discontinued due to exceeding risks than drug's benefit to the patients. Although the trial's conclusion was disappointing, there is still cause to be optimistic about what this technique may achieve. We have reviewed the present disease-modifying therapies in clinical development for HD and examined the current landscape of developing clinical therapies. We further investigated the pharmaceutical development of Huntington's medicine in the pharma industries and addressed the existing challenges in their therapeutic success.
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Mitroshina EV, Saviuk M, Vedunova MV. Necroptosis in CNS diseases: Focus on astrocytes. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 14:1016053. [PMID: 36778591 PMCID: PMC9911465 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1016053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last few years, necroptosis, a recently described type of cell death, has been reported to play an important role in the development of various brain pathologies. Necroptosis is a cell death mechanism that has morphological characteristics similar to necrosis but is mediated by fundamentally different molecular pathways. Necroptosis is initiated by signaling through the interaction of RIP1/RIP3/MLKL proteins (receptor-interacting protein kinase 1/receptor-interacting protein kinase 3/mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein). RIPK1 kinase is usually inactive under physiological conditions. It is activated by stimulation of death receptors (TNFR1, TNFR2, TLR3, and 4, Fas-ligand) by external signals. Phosphorylation of RIPK1 results in the formation of its complex with death receptors. Further, complexes with the second member of the RIP3 and MLKL cascade appear, and the necroptosome is formed. There is enough evidence that necroptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of brain ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases. In recent years, a point of view that both neurons and glial cells can play a key role in the development of the central nervous system (CNS) pathologies finds more and more confirmation. Astrocytes play complex roles during neurodegeneration and ischemic brain damage initiating both impair and protective processes. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that induce pathogenic activity of astrocytes remain veiled. In this review, we consider these processes in terms of the initiation of necroptosis. On the other hand, it is important to remember that like other types of programmed cell death, necroptosis plays an important role for the organism, as it induces a strong immune response and is involved in the control of cancerogenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of the complex role of necroptosis as an important pathogenetic component of neuronal and astrocyte death in neurodegenerative diseases, epileptogenesis, and ischemic brain damage.
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Sun Y, Tong H, Yang T, Liu L, Li XJ, Li S. Insights into White Matter Defect in Huntington's Disease. Cells 2022; 11:3381. [PMID: 36359783 PMCID: PMC9656068 DOI: 10.3390/cells11213381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant inherited progressive neurodegenerative disorder. It is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the Huntingtin gene that is translated to an expanded polyglutamine (PolyQ) repeat in huntingtin protein. HD is characterized by mood swings, involuntary movement, and cognitive decline in the late disease stage. HD patients often die 15-20 years after disease onset. Currently, there is no cure for HD. Due to the striking neuronal loss in HD, most studies focused on the investigation of the predominantly neuronal degeneration in specific brain regions. However, the pathology of the white matter area in the brains of HD patients was also reported by clinical imaging studies, which showed white matter abnormalities even before the clinical onset of HD. Since oligodendrocytes form myelin sheaths around the axons in the brain, white matter lesions are likely attributed to alterations in myelin and oligodendrocyte-associated changes in HD. In this review, we summarized the evidence for white matter, myelin, and oligodendrocytes alterations that were previously observed in HD patients and animal models. We also discussed potential mechanisms for white matter changes and possible treatment to prevent glial dysfunction in HD.
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Bergh S, Cheong RY, Petersén Å, Gabery S. Oxytocin in Huntington’s disease and the spectrum of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal dementia. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:984317. [PMID: 36187357 PMCID: PMC9515306 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.984317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) such as Huntington’s disease (HD) and the spectrum of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are characterized by progressive loss of selectively vulnerable populations of neurons. Although often associated with motor impairments, these NDDs share several commonalities in early symptoms and signs that extend beyond motor dysfunction. These include impairments in social cognition and psychiatric symptoms. Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide known to play a pivotal role in the regulation of social cognition as well as in emotional behaviors such as anxiety and depression. Here, we present an overview of key results implicating OXT in the pathology of HD, ALS and FTD and seek to identify commonalities across these NDDs. OXT is produced in the hypothalamus, a region in the brain that during the past decade has been shown to be affected in HD, ALS, and FTD. Several studies using human post-mortem neuropathological analyses, measurements of cerebrospinal fluid, experimental treatments with OXT as well as genetic animal models have collectively implicated an important role of central OXT in the development of altered social cognition and psychiatric features across these diseases. Understanding central OXT signaling may unveil the underlying mechanisms of early signs of the social cognitive impairment and the psychiatric features in NDDs. It is therefore possible that OXT might have potential therapeutic value for early disease intervention and better symptomatic treatment in NDDs.
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Kapadia K, Trojniak AE, Guzmán Rodríguez KB, Klus NJ, Huntley C, McDonald P, Roy A, Frankowski KJ, Aubé J, Muma NA. Small-Molecule Disruptors of Mutant Huntingtin-Calmodulin Protein-Protein Interaction Attenuate Deleterious Effects of Mutant Huntingtin. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2315-2337. [PMID: 35833925 PMCID: PMC11005818 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a progressive and lethal neurodegenerative disease caused by an increased CAG repeat mutation in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene (mutant huntingtin). Current drug treatments provide only limited symptomatic relief without impacting disease progression. Previous studies in our lab and others identified the abnormal binding of mutant huntingtin protein with calmodulin, a key regulator of calcium signaling. Disrupting the abnormal binding of mutant huntingtin to calmodulin reduces perturbations caused by mutant huntingtin in cell and mouse models of Huntington's disease and importantly normalizes receptor-stimulated calcium release. Using a series of high-throughput in vitro and cell-based screening assays, we identified numerous small-molecule hits that disrupt the binding of mutant huntingtin to calmodulin and demonstrate protective effects. Iterative optimization of one hit resulted in nontoxic, selective compounds that are protective against mutant huntingtin cytotoxicity and normalized receptor-stimulated intracellular calcium release in PC12 cell models of Huntington's disease. Importantly, the compounds do not work by reducing the levels of mutant huntingtin, allowing this strategy to complement future molecular approaches to reduce mutant huntingtin expression. Our novel scaffold will serve as a prototype for further drug development in Huntington's disease. These studies indicate that the development of small-molecule compounds that disrupt the binding of mutant huntingtin to calmodulin is a promising approach for the advancement of therapeutics to treat Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Kapadia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, 1251 Wescoe Hall Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States
| | - Ashley E Trojniak
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, and the Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 125 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Kenneth B Guzmán Rodríguez
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, and the Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 125 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Nicholas J Klus
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, and the Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 125 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Coral Huntley
- University of Kansas High-Throughput Screening Laboratory, University of Kansas, 2034 Becker Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
| | - Peter McDonald
- University of Kansas High-Throughput Screening Laboratory, University of Kansas, 2034 Becker Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
| | - Anuradha Roy
- University of Kansas High-Throughput Screening Laboratory, University of Kansas, 2034 Becker Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
| | - Kevin J Frankowski
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, and the Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 125 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jeffrey Aubé
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, and the Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 125 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Nancy A Muma
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, 1251 Wescoe Hall Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States
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Alpaugh M, Masnata M, de Rus Jacquet A, Lepinay E, Denis HL, Saint-Pierre M, Davies P, Planel E, Cicchetti F. Passive immunization against phosphorylated tau improves features of Huntington's disease pathology. Mol Ther 2022; 30:1500-1522. [PMID: 35051614 PMCID: PMC9077324 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is classically described as a neurodegenerative disorder of monogenic aetiology. The disease is characterized by an abnormal polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin gene, which drives the toxicity of the mutated form of the protein. However, accumulation of the microtubule-associated protein tau, which is involved in a number of neurological disorders, has also been observed in patients with Huntington's disease. In order to unravel the contribution of tau hyperphosphorylation to hallmark features of Huntington's disease, we administered weekly intraperitoneal injections of the anti-tau pS202 CP13 monoclonal antibody to zQ175 mice and characterized the resulting behavioral and biochemical changes. After 12 weeks of treatment, motor impairments, cognitive performance and general health were improved in zQ175 mice along with a significant reduction in hippocampal pS202 tau levels. Despite the lack of effect of CP13 on neuronal markers associated with Huntington's disease pathology, tau-targeting enzymes and gliosis, CP13 was shown to directly impact mutant huntingtin aggregation such that brain levels of amyloid fibrils and huntingtin oligomers were decreased, while larger huntingtin protein aggregates were increased. Investigation of CP13 treatment of Huntington's disease patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) revealed a reduction in pS202 levels in differentiated cortical neurons and a rescue of neurite length. Collectively, these findings suggest that attenuating tau pathology could mitigate behavioral and molecular hallmarks associated with Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Alpaugh
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Maria Masnata
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Aurelie de Rus Jacquet
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Eva Lepinay
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Martine Saint-Pierre
- Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Peter Davies
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Emmanuel Planel
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 0A6, Canada.
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12
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Trujillo-Del Río C, Tortajada-Pérez J, Gómez-Escribano AP, Casterá F, Peiró C, Millán JM, Herrero MJ, Vázquez-Manrique RP. Metformin to treat Huntington disease: a pleiotropic drug against a multi-system disorder. Mech Ageing Dev 2022; 204:111670. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2022.111670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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13
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Gatto RG, Weissmann C, Amin M, Angeles-López QD, García-Lara L, Castellanos LCS, Deyoung D, Segovia J, Mareci TH, Uchitel OD, Magin RL. Evaluation of early microstructural changes in the R6/1 mouse model of Huntington's disease by ultra-high field diffusion MR imaging. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 102:32-49. [PMID: 33765430 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Diffusion MRI (dMRI) has been able to detect early structural changes related to neurological symptoms present in Huntington's disease (HD). However, there is still a knowledge gap to interpret the biological significance at early neuropathological stages. The purpose of this study is two-fold: (i) establish if the combination of Ultra-High Field Diffusion MRI (UHFD-MRI) techniques can add a more comprehensive analysis of the early microstructural changes observed in HD, and (ii) evaluate if early changes in dMRI microstructural parameters can be linked to cellular biomarkers of neuroinflammation. Ultra-high field magnet (16.7T), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) techniques were applied to fixed ex-vivo brains of a preclinical model of HD (R6/1 mice). Fractional anisotropy (FA) was decreased in deep and superficial grey matter (GM) as well as white matter (WM) brain regions with well-known early HD microstructure and connectivity pathology. NODDI parameters associated with the intracellular and extracellular compartment, such as intracellular ventricular fraction (ICVF), orientation dispersion index (ODI), and isotropic volume fractions (IsoVF) were altered in R6/1 mice GM. Further, histological studies in these areas showed that glia cell markers associated with neuroinflammation (GFAP & Iba1) were consistent with the dMRI findings. dMRI can be used to extract non-invasive information of neuropathological events present in the early stages of HD. The combination of multiple imaging techniques represents a better approach to understand the neuropathological process allowing the early diagnosis and neuromonitoring of patients affected by HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo G Gatto
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Carina Weissmann
- Insituto de Fisiología Biología Molecular y Neurociencias-IFIBYNE-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos, Aires, Argentina
| | - Manish Amin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Quetzalli D Angeles-López
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, México City, México
| | - Lucia García-Lara
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, México City, México
| | - Libia C Salinas Castellanos
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, México City, México
| | - Daniel Deyoung
- Department of Biochemistry, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jose Segovia
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, México City, México
| | - Thomas H Mareci
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Osvaldo D Uchitel
- Insituto de Fisiología Biología Molecular y Neurociencias-IFIBYNE-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos, Aires, Argentina
| | - Richard L Magin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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14
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Huang B, Guo Q, Niedermeier ML, Cheng J, Engler T, Maurer M, Pautsch A, Baumeister W, Stengel F, Kochanek S, Fernández-Busnadiego R. Pathological polyQ expansion does not alter the conformation of the Huntingtin-HAP40 complex. Structure 2021; 29:804-809.e5. [PMID: 33909994 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The abnormal amplification of a CAG repeat in the gene coding for huntingtin (HTT) leads to Huntington's disease (HD). At the protein level, this translates into the expansion of a polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch located at the HTT N terminus, which renders HTT aggregation prone by unknown mechanisms. Here we investigated the effects of polyQ expansion on HTT in a complex with its stabilizing interaction partner huntingtin-associated protein 40 (HAP40). Surprisingly, our comprehensive biophysical, crosslinking mass spectrometry and cryo-EM experiments revealed no major differences in the conformation of HTT-HAP40 complexes of various polyQ length, including 17QHTT-HAP40 (wild type), 46QHTT-HAP40 (typical polyQ length in HD patients), and 128QHTT-HAP40 (extreme polyQ length). Thus, HTT polyQ expansion does not alter the global conformation of HTT when associated with HAP40.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Huang
- Department of Gene Therapy, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Qiang Guo
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152 Martinsried, Germany; State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China
| | - Marie L Niedermeier
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany; Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jingdong Cheng
- Gene Center, Department of Biochemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Tatjana Engler
- Department of Gene Therapy, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Melanie Maurer
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Alexander Pautsch
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Baumeister
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Florian Stengel
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany; Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Stefan Kochanek
- Department of Gene Therapy, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Rubén Fernández-Busnadiego
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152 Martinsried, Germany; Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
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15
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Nicoletti V, Palermo G, Del Prete E, Mancuso M, Ceravolo R. Understanding the Multiple Role of Mitochondria in Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders: Lesson From Genetics and Protein-Interaction Network. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:636506. [PMID: 33869180 PMCID: PMC8047151 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.636506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As neurons are highly energy-demanding cell, increasing evidence suggests that mitochondria play a large role in several age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Synaptic damage and mitochondrial dysfunction have been associated with early events in the pathogenesis of major neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonisms, and Huntington disease. Disruption of mitochondrial structure and dynamic is linked to increased levels of reactive oxygen species production, abnormal intracellular calcium levels, and reduced mitochondrial ATP production. However, recent research has uncovered a much more complex involvement of mitochondria in such disorders than has previously been appreciated, and a remarkable number of genes and proteins that contribute to the neurodegeneration cascade interact with mitochondria or affect mitochondrial function. In this review, we aim to summarize and discuss the deep interconnections between mitochondrial dysfunction and basal ganglia disorders, with an emphasis into the molecular triggers to the disease process. Understanding the regulation of mitochondrial pathways may be beneficial in finding pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions to delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Nicoletti
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Palermo
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eleonora Del Prete
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Mancuso
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberto Ceravolo
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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16
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Chang Z, Deng J, Zhao W, Yang J. Exploring interactions between lipids and amyloid-forming proteins: A review on applying fluorescence and NMR techniques. Chem Phys Lipids 2021; 236:105062. [PMID: 33600803 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2021.105062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A hallmark of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other amyloid diseases is the assembly of amyloid proteins into amyloid aggregates or fibrils. In many cases, the formation and cytotoxicity of amyloid assemblies are associated with their interaction with cell membranes. Despite studied for many years, the characterization of the interaction is challenged for reasons on the multiple aggregation states of amyloid-forming proteins, transient and weak interactions in the complex system. Although several strategies such as computation biology, spectroscopy, and imaging methods have been performed, there is an urgent need to detail the molecular mechanism in different time scales and high resolutions. This review highlighted the recent applications of fluorescence, solution and solid-state NMR in exploring the interactions between amyloid protein and membranes attributing to their advantages of high sensitivity and atomic resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Chang
- National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, PR China
| | - Jing Deng
- National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Weijing Zhao
- National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, PR China
| | - Jun Yang
- National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, PR China; Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
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17
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Kumar MJV, Shah D, Giridharan M, Yadav N, Manjithaya R, Clement JP. Spatiotemporal analysis of soluble aggregates and autophagy markers in the R6/2 mouse model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:96. [PMID: 33420088 PMCID: PMC7794371 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78850-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of cellular proteostasis is vital for post-mitotic cells like neurons to sustain normal physiological function and homeostasis, defects in which are established hallmarks of several age-related conditions like AD, PD, HD, and ALS. The Spatio-temporal accumulation of aggregated proteins in the form of inclusion bodies/plaques is one of the major characteristics of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD). Toxic accumulation of HUNTINGTIN (HTT) aggregates in neurons bring about the aberrant phenotypes of HD, including severe motor dysfunction, dementia, and cognitive impairment at the organismal level, in an age-dependent manner. In several cellular and animal models, aggrephagy induction has been shown to clear aggregate-prone proteins like HTT and ameliorate disease pathology by conferring neuroprotection. In this study, we used the mouse model of HD, R6/2, to understand the pathogenicity of mHTT aggregates, primarily focusing on autophagy dysfunction. We report that basal autophagy is not altered in R6/2 mice, whilst being functional at a steady-state level in neurons. Moreover, we tested the efficacy of a known autophagy modulator, Nilotinib (Tasigna™), presently in clinical trials for PD, and HD, in curbing mHTT aggregate growth and their potential clearance, which was ineffective in both inducing autophagy and rescuing the pathological phenotypes in R6/2 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Vijay Kumar
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, India
| | - Devanshi Shah
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, India
| | - Mridhula Giridharan
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, India
| | - Niraj Yadav
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, India
| | - Ravi Manjithaya
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, India.
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, India.
| | - James P Clement
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, India.
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18
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Liu YY, Lin YC, Hsiao HT, Wang JCF, Liu YC. Morphine produces better thermal analgesia in young Huntington mice and are associated with less neuroinflammation in spinal cord. J Chin Med Assoc 2021; 84:73-78. [PMID: 33177404 DOI: 10.1097/jcma.0000000000000448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease characterized by both mental and motor dysfunctions. Our previous studies showed that HD mice demonstrate a diminished pain response. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between HD and morphine analgesia. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the analgesic effects of morphine in HD and wild-type (WT) mice. METHODS We used clinically similar transgenic HD mice (7-10 weeks of age with motor dysfunction at 8-9 mo of age) carrying a mutant Huntington CAG trinucleotide repeats to evaluate morphine analgesia. The morphine (10 mg/kg subcutaneously) analgesia was evaluated with a tail-flick in hot water (52°C). Mice spinal cords were harvested at the end of the analgesia studies. An immunofluorescence assay and western blotting were used to identify changes in the cells and cytokines. RESULTS Our data demonstrate that preonset young HD mice exhibited a better analgesic response to morphine than the WT mice. Western blotting and an immunohistological examination of the lumbar spinal cord tissue indicated less activation of glial cells and astrocytes in the HD mice compared with the WT mice. The production levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukine-1β were also lower in the young HD mice. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate better morphine analgesic and less pain-related cytokine responses at the spinal cord level for HD mice. Further studies are needed to determine the morphine analgesia mechanism in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Yuarn Liu
- Division of Trauma, Department of Emergency, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ya-Chi Lin
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hung-Tsung Hsiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jeffery Chi-Fei Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yen-Chin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
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Gatto RG, Weissmann C. Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Preclinical and Human Studies of Huntington's Disease: What Have we Learned so Far? Curr Med Imaging 2020; 15:521-542. [PMID: 32008561 DOI: 10.2174/1573405614666181115113400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's Disease is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive deterioration of specific brain nerve cells. The current evaluation of cellular and physiological events in patients with HD relies on the development of transgenic animal models. To explore such events in vivo, diffusion tensor imaging has been developed to examine the early macro and microstructural changes in brain tissue. However, the gap in diffusion tensor imaging findings between animal models and clinical studies and the lack of microstructural confirmation by histological methods has questioned the validity of this method. OBJECTIVE This review explores white and grey matter ultrastructural changes associated to diffusion tensor imaging, as well as similarities and differences between preclinical and clinical Huntington's Disease studies. METHODS A comprehensive review of the literature using online-resources was performed (Pub- Med search). RESULTS Similar changes in fractional anisotropy as well as axial, radial and mean diffusivities were observed in white matter tracts across clinical and animal studies. However, comparative diffusion alterations in different grey matter structures were inconsistent between clinical and animal studies. CONCLUSION Diffusion tensor imaging can be related to specific structural anomalies in specific cellular populations. However, some differences between animal and clinical studies could derive from the contrasting neuroanatomy or connectivity across species. Such differences should be considered before generalizing preclinical results into the clinical practice. Moreover, current limitations of this technique to accurately represent complex multicellular events at the single micro scale are real. Future work applying complex diffusion models should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Gabriel Gatto
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, United States
| | - Carina Weissmann
- Insituto de Fisiología Biologia Molecular y Neurociencias-IFIBYNE-CONICET, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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20
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Manickam N, Radhakrishnan RK, Vergil Andrews JF, Selvaraj DB, Kandasamy M. Cell cycle re-entry of neurons and reactive neuroblastosis in Huntington's disease: Possibilities for neural-glial transition in the brain. Life Sci 2020; 263:118569. [PMID: 33049278 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant pathogenic condition that causes progressive degeneration of GABAergic neurons in the brain. The abnormal expansion of the CAG repeats in the exon 1 of the Huntingtin gene (HTT gene) has been associated with the onset and progression of movement disorders, psychiatric disturbance and cognitive decline in HD. Microglial activation and reactive astrogliosis have been recognized as the key pathogenic cellular events in the brains of HD subjects. Besides, HD has been characterized by induced quiescence of neural stem cells (NSCs), reactive neuroblastosis and reduced survival of newborn neurons in the brain. Strikingly, the expression of the mutant HTT gene has been reported to induce the cell cycle re-entry of neurons in HD brains. However, the underlying basis for the induction of cell cycle in neurons and the fate of dedifferentiating neurons in the pathological brain remain largely unknown. Thus, this review article revisits the reports on the regulation of key signaling pathways responsible for altered cell cycle events in diseased brains, with special reference to HD and postulates the occurrence of reactive neuroblastosis as a consequential cellular event of dedifferentiation of neurons. Meanwhile, a substantial number of studies indicate that many neuropathogenic events are associated with the expression of potential glial cell markers by neuroblasts. Taken together, this article represents a hypothesis that transdifferentiation of neurons into glial cells might be highly possible through the transient generation of reactive neuroblasts in the brain upon certain pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivethitha Manickam
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Risna Kanjirassery Radhakrishnan
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jemi Feiona Vergil Andrews
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Divya Bharathi Selvaraj
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mahesh Kandasamy
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India; Faculty Recharge Programme, University Grants Commission (UGC-FRP), New Delhi 110002, India.
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21
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Chatterjee M, Steffan JS, Lukacsovich T, Marsh JL, Agrawal N. Serine residues 13 and 16 are key modulators of mutant huntingtin induced toxicity in Drosophila. Exp Neurol 2020; 338:113463. [PMID: 32941796 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Poly-glutamine expansion near the N-terminus of the huntingtin protein (HTT) is the prime determinant of Huntington's disease (HD) pathology; however, post-translational modifications and protein context are also reported to influence poly-glutamine induced HD toxicity. The impact of phosphorylating serine 13/16 of mutant HTT (mHTT) on HD has been documented in cell culture and murine models. However, endogenous processing of the human protein in mammalian systems complicates the interpretations. Therefore, to study the impact of S13/16 phosphorylation on the subcellular behavior of HTT under a controlled genetic background with minimal proteolytic processing of the human protein, we employed Drosophila as the model system. We ectopically expressed full-length (FL) and exon1 fragment of human HTT with phosphomimetic and resistant mutations at serines 13 and 16 in different neuronal populations. Phosphomimetic mHTT aggravates and the phosphoresistant mutation ameliorates mHTT-induced toxicity in the context of both FL- and exon1- mHTT in Drosophila although in all cases FL appears less toxic than exon1. Our observations strongly indicate that the phosphorylation status of S13/16 can affect HD pathology in Drosophila and these residues can be potential targets for affecting HD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megha Chatterjee
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Joan S Steffan
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-1705, USA
| | - Tamas Lukacsovich
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - J Lawrence Marsh
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2300, USA
| | - Namita Agrawal
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India.
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22
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Huntingtons disease: A new evidence of neurovascular dysfunction. J Neurol Sci 2020; 416:116994. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.116994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Gatto EM, Rojas NG, Persi G, Etcheverry JL, Cesarini ME, Perandones C. Huntington disease: Advances in the understanding of its mechanisms. Clin Park Relat Disord 2020; 3:100056. [PMID: 34316639 PMCID: PMC8298812 DOI: 10.1016/j.prdoa.2020.100056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a devastating monogenic autosomal dominant disorder. HD is caused by a CAG expansion in exon 1 of the gene coding for huntingtin, placed in the short arm of chromosome 4. Despite its well-defined genetic origin, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the disease are unclear and complex. Here, we review some of the currently known functions of the wild-type huntingtin protein and discuss the deleterious effects that arise from the expansion of the CAG repeats, which are translated into an abnormally long polyglutamine tract. Also, we present a modern view on the molecular biology of HD as a representative of the group of polyglutamine diseases, with an emphasis on conformational changes of mutant huntingtin, disturbances in its cellular processing, and proteolytic stress in degenerating neurons. The main pathogenetic mechanisms of neurodegeneration in HD are discussed in detail, such as autophagy, impaired mitochondrial biogenesis, lysosomal dysfunction, organelle and protein transport, inflammation, oxidative stress, and transcription factor modulation. However, other unraveling mechanisms are still unknown. This practical and brief review summarizes some of the currently known functions of the wild-type huntingtin protein and the recent findings related to the mechanisms involved in HD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia M Gatto
- Institute of Neuroscience Buenos Aires (INEBA), Argentina.,Sanatorio de la Trinidad Mitre, Argentina
| | | | - Gabriel Persi
- Institute of Neuroscience Buenos Aires (INEBA), Argentina.,Sanatorio de la Trinidad Mitre, Argentina
| | | | | | - Claudia Perandones
- National Administration of Laboratories and Institutes of Health, ANLIS, Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Argentina
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24
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Modulation of in vitro Brain Endothelium by Mechanical Trauma: Structural and Functional Restoration by Poloxamer 188. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3054. [PMID: 32080247 PMCID: PMC7033190 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59888-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain injuries caused by an explosive blast or blunt force is typically presumed to associate with mechanical trauma to the brain tissue. Recent findings from our laboratory suggest that shockwaves produced by a blast can generate micron-sized bubbles in the tissue. The collapse of microbubbles (i.e., microcavitation) may induce a mechanical trauma and compromise the integrity of the blood-brain endothelium (BBE). To test our hypothesis, we engineered a BBE model to determine the effect of microbubbles on the structural and functional changes in the BBE. Using monolayers of mouse primary brain microvascular endothelial cells, the permeability coefficient was measured following simulated blast-induced microcavitation. This event down-regulated the expression of tight junction markers, disorganized the cell-cell junction, and increased permeability. Since poloxamers have been shown to rescue damaged cells, the cells were treated with the FDA-approved poloxamer 188 (P188). The results indicate P188 recovered the permeability, restored the tight junctions, and suppressed the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases. The biomimetic interface we developed appears to provide a systematic approach to replicate the structure and function of BBE, determine its alteration in response to traumatic brain injury, and test potential therapeutic treatments to repair the damaged brain endothelium.
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Wang W, Gopal S, Pocock R, Xiao Z. Glycan Mimetics from Natural Products: New Therapeutic Opportunities for Neurodegenerative Disease. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24244604. [PMID: 31888221 PMCID: PMC6943557 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24244604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) affect millions of people worldwide. Characterized by the functional loss and death of neurons, NDs lead to symptoms (dementia and seizures) that affect the daily lives of patients. In spite of extensive research into NDs, the number of approved drugs for their treatment remains limited. There is therefore an urgent need to develop new approaches for the prevention and treatment of NDs. Glycans (carbohydrate chains) are ubiquitous, abundant, and structural complex natural biopolymers. Glycans often covalently attach to proteins and lipids to regulate cellular recognition, adhesion, and signaling. The importance of glycans in both the developing and mature nervous system is well characterized. Moreover, glycan dysregulation has been observed in NDs such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Therefore, glycans are promising but underexploited therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of glycans in NDs. We also discuss a number of natural products that functionally mimic glycans to protect neurons, which therefore represent promising new therapeutic approaches for patients with NDs.
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Discovery of a potent small molecule inhibiting Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis via targeting CAG repeats RNA and Poly Q protein. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16872. [PMID: 31728006 PMCID: PMC6856162 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
CAG repeats RNA causes various fatal neurodegenerative diseases exemplified by Huntington's disease (HD) and several spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). Although there are differences in the pathogenic mechanisms, these diseases share the common cause, i.e., expansion of CAG repeats. The shared cause of these diseases raises the possibility for the exploiting the common target as a potential therapeutic approach. Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics are designed earlier with the help of the base pairing rule but are not very promiscuous, considering the nonspecific stimulation of the immune system and the poor cellular delivery. Therefore, small molecules-based therapeutics are preferred for targeting the repeats expansion disorders. Here, we have used the chemical similarity search approach to discern the small molecules that selectively target toxic CAG RNA. The lead compounds showed the specificity towards AA mismatch in biophysical studies including CD, ITC, and NMR spectroscopy and thus aided to forestall the polyQ mediated pathogenicity. Furthermore, the lead compounds also explicitly alleviate the polyQ mediated toxicity in HD cell models and patient-derived cells. These findings suggest that the lead compound could act as a chemical probe for AA mismatch containing RNA as well as plays a neuroprotective role in fatal neurodegenerative diseases like HD and SCAs.
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Tellone E, Galtieri A, Russo A, Ficarra S. Protective Effects of the Caffeine Against Neurodegenerative Diseases. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:5137-5151. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666171009104040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Recent studies and increased interest of the scientific community helped to
clarify the neurological health property of caffeine, one of the pharmacologically active substances
most consumed in the world.
Methods:
This article is a review search to provide an overview on the current state of understanding
neurobiochemical impact of caffeine, focusing on the ability of the drug to effectively counteract several
neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s diseases, Multiple
sclerosis and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Results:
Data collection shown in this review provide a significant therapeutic and prophylactic potentiality
of caffeine which acts on human brain through several pathways because of its antioxidant activity
combined with multiple molecular targets. However, the need to adjust the CF dosage to individuals,
because some people are more sensitive to drugs than others, may constituted a limit to the CF effectiveness.
Conclusion:
What emerges from the complex of clinical and epidemiological studies is a significant CF
potential impact against all neurological disorders. Although, further studies are needed to fully elucidate
the several mechanisms of drug action which in part are still elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Tellone
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, V. le Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Antonio Galtieri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, V. le Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Annamaria Russo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, V. le Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Silvana Ficarra
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, V. le Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
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Kevadiya BD, Ottemann BM, Thomas MB, Mukadam I, Nigam S, McMillan J, Gorantla S, Bronich TK, Edagwa B, Gendelman HE. Neurotheranostics as personalized medicines. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2019; 148:252-289. [PMID: 30421721 PMCID: PMC6486471 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The discipline of neurotheranostics was forged to improve diagnostic and therapeutic clinical outcomes for neurological disorders. Research was facilitated, in largest measure, by the creation of pharmacologically effective multimodal pharmaceutical formulations. Deployment of neurotheranostic agents could revolutionize staging and improve nervous system disease therapeutic outcomes. However, obstacles in formulation design, drug loading and payload delivery still remain. These will certainly be aided by multidisciplinary basic research and clinical teams with pharmacology, nanotechnology, neuroscience and pharmaceutic expertise. When successful the end results will provide "optimal" therapeutic delivery platforms. The current report reviews an extensive body of knowledge of the natural history, epidemiology, pathogenesis and therapeutics of neurologic disease with an eye on how, when and under what circumstances neurotheranostics will soon be used as personalized medicines for a broad range of neurodegenerative, neuroinflammatory and neuroinfectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavesh D Kevadiya
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Brendan M Ottemann
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Midhun Ben Thomas
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Insiya Mukadam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Saumya Nigam
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - JoEllyn McMillan
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Santhi Gorantla
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Tatiana K Bronich
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Benson Edagwa
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Howard E Gendelman
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
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Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by expanded polyglutamine (polyQ)-encoding repeats in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Traditionally, HD cellular models consisted of either patient cells not affected by disease or rodent neurons expressing expanded polyQ repeats in HTT. As these models can be limited in their disease manifestation or proper genetic context, respectively, human HD pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are currently under investigation as a way to model disease in patient-derived neurons and other neural cell types. This chapter reviews embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of disease, including published differentiation paradigms for neurons and their associated phenotypes, as well as current challenges to the field such as validation of the PSCs and PSC-derived cells. Highlighted are potential future technical advances to HD PSC modeling, including transdifferentiation, complex in vitro multiorgan/system reconstruction, and personalized medicine. Using a human HD patient model of the central nervous system, hopefully one day researchers can tease out the consequences of mutant HTT (mHTT) expression on specific cell types within the brain in order to identify and test novel therapies for disease.
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Lin YC, Hsiao HT, Wu SN, Liu YC. Huntington Mice Demonstrate Diminished Pain Response in Inflammatory Pain Model. Anesth Analg 2018; 126:661-669. [PMID: 28858902 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000002419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) affects the nervous system and leads to mental and motor dysfunction. Previous studies have shown that HD is caused by the exon 1 region of the huntingtin (HTT) gene having expanded CAG trinucleotide repeats. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between HD and pain. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between HD and pain response. METHODS We used clinical similar transgenic HD mice carrying a mutant HTT exon 1 containing 84 CAG trinucleotide repeats to evaluate the relationship between HD and pain. Inflammatory pain models were induced by either formalin or complete Freund adjuvant injection over the hind paw. Spinal cord, dorsal root ganglion, and paw skin tissues were harvested at the end of the behavioral inflammatory pain studies. Immunofluorescence assay, Western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to identify changes in cells and cytokines. RESULTS Our data demonstrate that preonset HD mice exhibited less pain behavior than wild-type (WT) mice in both young (n = 11 [WT], 13 [HD]) and aged (n = 8 [WT], 9 [HD]) mice. Western blotting and immunohistological examination of lumbar spinal cord tissue and dorsal root ganglion indicate less activation of glial cells and astrocytes in young HD mice (n = 6-7) compared to that in WT mice (n = 6-7). The production levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and substance P were also lower in young HD mice (n = 6-7). CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate less pain behavior and pain-related cytokine response at the spinal cord level for HD mice compared to those for WT mice. Further studies are needed for determining the mechanism as to how mutant HTT leads to altered pain behavior and pain-related cytokine response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Chi Lin
- From the Department of Physiology.,Department of Anesthesiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Tsung Hsiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | | | - Yen-Chin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
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Current Screening Methodologies in Drug Discovery for Selected Human Diseases. Mar Drugs 2018; 16:md16080279. [PMID: 30110923 PMCID: PMC6117650 DOI: 10.3390/md16080279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The increase of many deadly diseases like infections by multidrug-resistant bacteria implies re-inventing the wheel on drug discovery. A better comprehension of the metabolisms and regulation of diseases, the increase in knowledge based on the study of disease-born microorganisms’ genomes, the development of more representative disease models and improvement of techniques, technologies, and computation applied to biology are advances that will foster drug discovery in upcoming years. In this paper, several aspects of current methodologies for drug discovery of antibacterial and antifungals, anti-tropical diseases, antibiofilm and antiquorum sensing, anticancer and neuroprotectors are considered. For drug discovery, two different complementary approaches can be applied: classical pharmacology, also known as phenotypic drug discovery, which is the historical basis of drug discovery, and reverse pharmacology, also designated target-based drug discovery. Screening methods based on phenotypic drug discovery have been used to discover new natural products mainly from terrestrial origin. Examples of the discovery of marine natural products are provided. A section on future trends provides a comprehensive overview on recent advances that will foster the pharmaceutical industry.
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Mutant Huntingtin Causes a Selective Decrease in the Expression of Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2C. Neurosci Bull 2018; 34:747-758. [PMID: 29713895 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-018-0230-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin (Htt) protein. Mutant Htt causes synaptic transmission dysfunctions by interfering in the expression of synaptic proteins, leading to early HD symptoms. Synaptic vesicle proteins 2 (SV2s), a family of synaptic vesicle proteins including 3 members, SV2A, SV2B, and SV2C, plays important roles in synaptic physiology. Here, we investigated whether the expression of SV2s is affected by mutant Htt in the brains of HD transgenic (TG) mice and Neuro2a mouse neuroblastoma cells (N2a cells) expressing mutant Htt. Western blot analysis showed that the protein levels of SV2A and SV2B were not significantly changed in the brains of HD TG mice expressing mutant Htt with 82 glutamine repeats. However, in the TG mouse brain there was a dramatic decrease in the protein level of SV2C, which has a restricted distribution pattern in regions particularly vulnerable in HD. Immunostaining revealed that the immunoreactivity of SV2C was progressively weakened in the basal ganglia and hippocampus of TG mice. RT-PCR demonstrated that the mRNA level of SV2C progressively declined in the TG mouse brain without detectable changes in the mRNA levels of SV2A and SV2B, indicating that mutant Htt selectively inhibits the transcriptional expression of SV2C. Furthermore, we found that only SV2C expression was progressively inhibited in N2a cells expressing a mutant Htt containing 120 glutamine repeats. These findings suggest that the synaptic dysfunction in HD results from the mutant Htt-mediated inhibition of SV2C transcriptional expression. These data also imply that the restricted distribution and decreased expression of SV2C contribute to the brain region-selective pathology of HD.
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Fan HC, Chi CS, Lee YJ, Tsai JD, Lin SZ, Harn HJ. The Role of Gene Editing in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Cell Transplant 2018; 27:364-378. [PMID: 29766738 PMCID: PMC6038035 DOI: 10.1177/0963689717753378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 01/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), at least including Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases, have become the most dreaded maladies because there are no precise diagnostic tools or definite treatments for these debilitating diseases. The increased prevalence and a substantial impact on the social-economic and medical care of NDs propel governments to develop policies to counteract the impact. Although the etiologies of NDs are still unknown, growing evidence suggests that genetic, cellular, and circuit alternations may cause the generation of abnormal misfolded proteins, which uncontrolledly accumulate to damage and eventually overwhelm the protein-disposal mechanisms of these neurons, leading to a common pathological feature of NDs. If the functions and the connectivity can be restored, alterations and accumulated damages may improve. The gene-editing tools including zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated nucleases (CRISPR/CAS) have emerged as a novel tool not only for generating specific ND animal models for interrogating the mechanisms and screening potential drugs against NDs but also for the editing sequence-specific genes to help patients with NDs to regain function and connectivity. This review introduces the clinical manifestations of three distinct NDs and the applications of the gene-editing technology on these debilitating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hueng-Chuen Fan
- Department of Pediatrics, Tungs’ Taichung Metroharbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Tungs’ Taichung Metroharbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Rehabilitation, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Shiang Chi
- Department of Pediatrics, Tungs’ Taichung Metroharbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yih-Jing Lee
- School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Dau Tsai
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shinn-Zong Lin
- Bioinnovation Center, Tzu Chi Foundation, Department of Neurosurgery, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Jyh Harn
- Bioinnovation Center, Tzu Chi Foundation, Department of Pathology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
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Chaibva M, Gao X, Jain P, Campbell WA, Frey SL, Legleiter J. Sphingomyelin and GM1 Influence Huntingtin Binding to, Disruption of, and Aggregation on Lipid Membranes. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:273-285. [PMID: 29399649 PMCID: PMC5793032 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.7b01472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansion beyond a critical threshold of a polyglutamine (polyQ) tract near the N-terminus of the huntingtin (htt) protein. Expanded polyQ promotes the formation of a variety of oligomeric and fibrillar aggregates of htt that accumulate into the hallmark proteinaceous inclusion bodies associated with HD. htt is also highly associated with numerous cellular and subcellular membranes that contain a variety of lipids. As lipid homeostasis and metabolism abnormalities are observed in HD patients, we investigated how varying both the sphingomyelin (SM) and ganglioside (GM1) contents modifies the interactions between htt and lipid membranes. SM composition is altered in HD, and GM1 has been shown to have protective effects in animal models of HD. A combination of Langmuir trough monolayer techniques, vesicle permeability and binding assays, and in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to directly monitor the interaction of a model, synthetic htt peptide and a full-length htt-exon1 recombinant protein with model membranes comprised of total brain lipid extract (TBLE) and varying amounts of exogenously added SM or GM1. The addition of either SM or GM1 decreased htt insertion into the lipid monolayers. However, TBLE vesicles with an increased SM content were more susceptible to htt-induced permeabilization, whereas GM1 had no effect on permeablization. Pure TBLE bilayers and TBLE bilayers enriched with GM1 developed regions of roughened, granular morphologies upon exposure to htt-exon1, but plateau-like domains with a smoother appearance formed in bilayers enriched with SM. Oligomeric aggregates were observed on all bilayer systems regardless of induced morphology. Collectively, these observations suggest that the lipid composition and its subsequent effects on membrane material properties strongly influence htt binding and aggregation on lipid membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxmore Chaibva
- The
C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, P.O. Box 6045, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
| | - Xiang Gao
- The
C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, P.O. Box 6045, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
| | - Pranav Jain
- The
C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, P.O. Box 6045, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
| | - Warren A. Campbell
- Department
of Chemistry, Gettysburg College, 300 N. Washington Avenue, Campus Box 0393, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325, United States
| | - Shelli L. Frey
- Department
of Chemistry, Gettysburg College, 300 N. Washington Avenue, Campus Box 0393, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325, United States
- E-mail: . Phone: 717-337-6259 (S.L.F.)
| | - Justin Legleiter
- The
C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, P.O. Box 6045, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
- Blanchette
Rockefeller Neurosciences Institutes, West
Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr., P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
- E-mail: . Phone: 304-293-0175 (J.L.)
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Of rodents and men: understanding the emergence of motor and cognitive symptoms in Huntington disease. Behav Pharmacol 2017; 27:403-14. [PMID: 26886208 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Arguably, one of the most important milestones in Huntington disease research since the discovery of the gene responsible has been the generation of different genetic animal models. Although clinical reports have shown evidence of progressive cognitive impairments in gene carriers before motor symptoms are diagnosed, such symptoms have been much less obvious in animal models. In this review, we summarize the three main classes of animal models for Huntington disease and describe some relevant translational assays for behavioural deficits evaluation. Finally, we argue that a good knowledge of the emergence of motor and cognitive symptoms in mice and rat models is indispensable for the selection of endpoint measures in early preclinical drug screening studies.
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36
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van Hagen M, Piebes DGE, de Leeuw WC, Vuist IM, van Roon-Mom WMC, Moerland PD, Verschure PJ. The dynamics of early-state transcriptional changes and aggregate formation in a Huntington's disease cell model. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:373. [PMID: 28499347 PMCID: PMC5429582 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3745-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Proteolytic cleavage of mutant huntingtin (Htt) protein with an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch results in production of Htt fragments that aggregate and induce impaired ubiquitin proteasome, mitochondrial functioning and transcriptional dysregulation. To understand the time-resolved relationship between aggregate formation and transcriptional changes at early disease stages, we performed temporal transcriptome profiling and quantification of aggregate formation in living cells in an inducible HD cell model. Results Rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells containing a stably integrated, doxycycline-inducible, eGFP-tagged N-terminal human Htt fragment with an expanded polyQ domain were used to analyse gene expression changes at different stages of mutant Htt aggregation. At earliest time points after doxycycline induction no detectable aggregates and few changes in gene expression were observed. Aggregates started to appear at intermediate time points. Aggregate formation and subsequent enlargement of aggregates coincided with a rapid increase in the number of differentially expressed (DE) genes. The increase in number of large aggregates coincided with a decrease in the number of smaller aggregates whereas the transcription profile reverted towards the profile observed before mutant Htt induction. Cluster-based analysis of the 2,176 differentially expressed genes revealed fourteen distinct clusters responding differently over time. Functional enrichment analysis of the two major gene clusters revealed that genes in the up-regulated cluster were mainly involved in metabolic (antioxidant activity and cellular ketone metabolic processes) and genes in the down-regulated cluster in developmental processes, respectively. Promoter-based analysis of the identified gene clusters resulted in identification of a transcription factor network of which several previously have been linked to HD. Conclusions We demonstrate a time-resolved relationship between Htt aggregation and changes in the transcriptional profile. We identified two major gene clusters showing involvement of (i) mitochondrial dysfunction and (ii) developmental processes implying cellular homeostasis defects. We identified novel and known HD-linked transcription factors and show their interaction with known and predicted regulatory proteins. Our data provide a novel resource for hypothesis building on the role of transcriptional key regulators in early stages of HD and possibly other polyQ-dependent diseases. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3745-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn van Hagen
- Synthetic, Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diewertje G E Piebes
- Synthetic, Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wim C de Leeuw
- MicroArray Department, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ilona M Vuist
- Synthetic, Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Perry D Moerland
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pernette J Verschure
- Synthetic, Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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37
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Leuchter MK, Donzis EJ, Cepeda C, Hunter AM, Estrada-Sánchez AM, Cook IA, Levine MS, Leuchter AF. Quantitative Electroencephalographic Biomarkers in Preclinical and Human Studies of Huntington's Disease: Are They Fit-for-Purpose for Treatment Development? Front Neurol 2017; 8:91. [PMID: 28424652 PMCID: PMC5371600 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A major focus in development of novel therapies for Huntington's disease (HD) is identification of treatments that reduce the burden of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein in the brain. In order to identify and test the efficacy of such therapies, it is essential to have biomarkers that are sensitive to the effects of mHTT on brain function to determine whether the intervention has been effective at preventing toxicity in target brain systems before onset of clinical symptoms. Ideally, such biomarkers should have a plausible physiologic basis for detecting the effects of mHTT, be measureable both in preclinical models and human studies, be practical to measure serially in clinical trials, and be reliably measurable in HD gene expansion carriers (HDGECs), among other features. Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) fulfills many of these basic criteria of a "fit-for-purpose" biomarker. qEEG measures brain oscillatory activity that is regulated by the brain structures that are affected by mHTT in premanifest and early symptom individuals. The technology is practical to implement in the laboratory and is well tolerated by humans in clinical trials. The biomarkers are measureable across animal models and humans, with findings that appear to be detectable in HDGECs and translate across species. We review here the literature on recent developments in both preclinical and human studies of the use of qEEG biomarkers in HD, and the evidence for their usefulness as biomarkers to help guide development of novel mHTT lowering treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Leuchter
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elissa J Donzis
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aimee M Hunter
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Neuromodulation Division, Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ana María Estrada-Sánchez
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ian A Cook
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Neuromodulation Division, Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrew F Leuchter
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Neuromodulation Division, Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
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38
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Adegbuyiro A, Sedighi F, Pilkington AW, Groover S, Legleiter J. Proteins Containing Expanded Polyglutamine Tracts and Neurodegenerative Disease. Biochemistry 2017; 56:1199-1217. [PMID: 28170216 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Several hereditary neurological and neuromuscular diseases are caused by an abnormal expansion of trinucleotide repeats. To date, there have been 10 of these trinucleotide repeat disorders associated with an expansion of the codon CAG encoding glutamine (Q). For these polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, there is a critical threshold length of the CAG repeat required for disease, and further expansion beyond this threshold is correlated with age of onset and symptom severity. PolyQ expansion in the translated proteins promotes their self-assembly into a variety of oligomeric and fibrillar aggregate species that accumulate into the hallmark proteinaceous inclusion bodies associated with each disease. Here, we review aggregation mechanisms of proteins with expanded polyQ-tracts, structural consequences of expanded polyQ ranging from monomers to fibrillar aggregates, the impact of protein context and post-translational modifications on aggregation, and a potential role for lipid membranes in aggregation. As the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie these disorders are often classified as either a gain of toxic function or loss of normal protein function, some toxic mechanisms associated with mutant polyQ tracts will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adewale Adegbuyiro
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, 217 Clark Hall, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Faezeh Sedighi
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, 217 Clark Hall, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Albert W Pilkington
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, 217 Clark Hall, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Sharon Groover
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, 217 Clark Hall, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Justin Legleiter
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, 217 Clark Hall, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States.,Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, P.O. Box 9304, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States.,NanoSAFE, P.O. Box 6223, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
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39
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Binette V, Côté S, Mousseau N. Free-Energy Landscape of the Amino-Terminal Fragment of Huntingtin in Aqueous Solution. Biophys J 2016; 110:1075-88. [PMID: 26958885 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The first exon of Huntingtin-a protein with multiple biological functions whose misfolding is related to Huntington's disease-modulates its localization, aggregation, and function within the cell. It is composed of a 17-amino-acid amphipathic segment (Htt17), an amyloidogenic segment of consecutive glutamines (QN), and a proline-rich segment. Htt17 is of fundamental importance: it serves as a membrane anchor to control the localization of huntingtin, it modulates huntingtin's function through posttranslational modifications, and it controls the self-assembly of the amyloidogenic QN segment into oligomers and fibrils. Experimentally, the conformational ensemble of the Htt17 monomer, as well as the impact of the polyglutamine and proline-rich segments, remains, however, mostly uncharacterized at the atomic level due to its intrinsic flexibility. Here, we unveil the free-energy landscape of Htt17, Htt17Q17, and Htt17Q17P11 using Hamiltonian replica exchange combined with well-tempered metadynamics. We characterize the free-energy landscape of these three fragments in terms of a few selected collective variables. Extensive simulations reveal that the free energy of Htt17 is dominated by a broad ensemble of configurations that agree with solution NMR chemical shifts. Addition of Q17 at its carboxy-terminus reduces the extent of the main basin to more extended configurations of Htt17 with lower helix propensity. Also, the aliphatic carbons of Q17 partially sequester the nonpolar amino acids of Htt17. For its part, addition of Q17P11 shifts the overall landscape to a more extended and helical Htt17 stabilized by interactions with Q17 and P11, which almost exclusively form a PPII-helix, as well as by intramolecular H-bonds and salt bridges. Our characterization of Huntingtin's amino-terminus provides insights into the structural origin of its ability to oligomerize and interact with phospholipid bilayers, processes closely linked to the biological functions of this protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Binette
- Département de Physique and Groupe de Recherche sur les Protéines Membranaires (GEPROM), Université de Montréal, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sébastien Côté
- Département de Physique and Groupe de Recherche sur les Protéines Membranaires (GEPROM), Université de Montréal, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Normand Mousseau
- Département de Physique and Groupe de Recherche sur les Protéines Membranaires (GEPROM), Université de Montréal, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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40
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Lokhande S, Patra BN, Ray A. A link between chromatin condensation mechanisms and Huntington's disease: connecting the dots. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2016; 12:3515-3529. [PMID: 27714015 DOI: 10.1039/c6mb00598e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a rare neurodegenerative disorder whose complex pathophysiology exhibits system-wide changes in the body, with striking and debilitating clinical features targeting the central nervous system. Among the various molecular functions affected in this disease, mitochondrial dysfunction and transcriptional dysregulation are some of the most studied aspects of this disease. However, there is evidence of the involvement of a mutant Huntingtin protein in the processes of DNA damage, chromosome condensation and DNA repair. This review attempts to briefly recapitulate the clinical features, model systems used to study the disease, major molecular processes affected, and, more importantly, examines recent evidence for the involvement of the mutant Huntingtin protein in the processes regulating chromosome condensation, leading to DNA damage response and neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Lokhande
- Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
| | - Biranchi N Patra
- Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
| | - Animesh Ray
- Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
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41
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Human-to-mouse prion-like propagation of mutant huntingtin protein. Acta Neuropathol 2016; 132:577-92. [PMID: 27221146 PMCID: PMC5023734 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-016-1582-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that is defined by a CAG expansion in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene leading to the production of mutant huntingtin (mHtt). To date, the disease pathophysiology has been thought to be primarily driven by cell-autonomous mechanisms, but, here, we demonstrate that fibroblasts derived from HD patients carrying either 72, 143 and 180 CAG repeats as well as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) also characterized by 143 CAG repeats can transmit protein aggregates to genetically unrelated and healthy host tissue following implantation into the cerebral ventricles of neonatal mice in a non-cell-autonomous fashion. Transmitted mHtt aggregates gave rise to both motor and cognitive impairments, loss of striatal medium spiny neurons, increased inflammation and gliosis in associated brain regions, thereby recapitulating the behavioural and pathological phenotypes which characterizes HD. In addition, both in vitro work using co-cultures of mouse neural stem cells with 143 CAG fibroblasts and the SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line as well as in vivo experiments conducted in newborn wild-type mice suggest that exosomes can cargo mHtt between cells triggering the manifestation of HD-related behaviour and pathology. This is the first evidence of human-to-mouse prion-like propagation of mHtt in the mammalian brain; a finding which will help unravel the molecular bases of HD pathology as well as to lead to the development of a whole new range of therapies for neurodegenerative diseases of the CNS.
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42
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Glorioso JC, Cohen JB, Carlisle DL, Munoz-Sanjuan I, Friedlander RM. Moving toward a gene therapy for Huntington's disease. Gene Ther 2016; 22:931-3. [PMID: 26633828 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2015.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J C Glorioso
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - J B Cohen
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - D L Carlisle
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - I Munoz-Sanjuan
- CHDI Foundation/CHDI Management, Los Angeles, CA, USA. E-mail:
| | - R M Friedlander
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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43
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Arendt T, Stieler JT, Holzer M. Tau and tauopathies. Brain Res Bull 2016; 126:238-292. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 333] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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44
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Pfister JA, D'Mello SR. Regulation of Neuronal Survival by Nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) Is Dependent on Its Expression Level, Subcellular Localization, and Oligomerization Status. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:20787-97. [PMID: 27510036 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.723015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
NPM1 (nucleophosmin 1) is a nucleolar phosphoprotein that regulates many cellular processes, including ribosome biogenesis, proliferation, and genomic integrity. Although its role in proliferating cell types and tissues has been extensively investigated, little is known about its function in neurons and in the brain where it is highly expressed. We report that NPM1 protein expression is increased selectively in the striatum in both the R6/2 transgenic and 3-nitropropionic acid-injected mouse models of Huntington's disease. Examination of the effect of ectopic expression on cultured neurons revealed that increasing NPM1 is toxic to otherwise healthy cerebellar granule and cortical neurons. Toxicity is dependent on its cytoplasmic localization and oligomerization status. Forced retention of NPM1 in the nucleus, as well as inhibiting its ability to oligomerize, not only neutralizes NPM1 toxicity but also renders it protective against apoptosis. Although not blocked by pharmacological inhibition of the pro-apoptotic molecules, JNK, glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta, or caspases, toxicity is blocked by compounds targeting cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), as well as by dominant-negative forms of CDK1 and CDK2 and the pan-CDK inhibitor, p21(Cip1/Waf1) Although induced in in vivo Huntington's disease models, NPM1 protein levels are unchanged in cultured cerebellar granule and cortical neurons induced to die by low potassium or homocysteic acid treatment, respectively. Moreover, and counterintuitively, knockdown of its expression or inhibition of endogenous NPM1 oligomerization in these cultured neurons is toxic. Taken together, our study suggests that although neurons need NPM1 for survival, an increase in its expression beyond physiological levels and its translocation to the cytoplasm leads to death through abortive cell cycle induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Pfister
- From the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080 and
| | - Santosh R D'Mello
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275
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45
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Inayathullah M, Tan A, Jeyaraj R, Lam J, Cho NJ, Liu CW, Manoukian MAC, Ashkan K, Mahmoudi M, Rajadas J. Self-assembly and sequence length dependence on nanofibrils of polyglutamine peptides. Neuropeptides 2016; 57:71-83. [PMID: 26874369 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2016.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is recognized as a currently incurable, inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by the accumulation of misfolded polyglutamine (polyQ) peptide aggregates in neuronal cells. Yet, the mechanism by which newly formed polyQ chains interact and assemble into toxic oligomeric structures remains a critical, unresolved issue. In order to shed further light on the matter, our group elected to investigate the folding of polyQ peptides - examining glutamine repeat lengths ranging from 3 to 44 residues. To characterize these aggregates we employed a diverse array of technologies, including: nuclear magnetic resonance; circular dichroism; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and atomic force microscopy. The data we obtained suggest that an increase in the number of glutamine repeats above 14 residues results in disordered loop structures, with different repeat lengths demonstrating unique folding characteristics. This differential folding manifests in the formation of distinct nano-sized fibrils, and on this basis, we postulate the idea of 14 polyQ repeats representing a critical loop length for neurotoxicity - a property that we hope may prove amenable to future therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, FRET measurements on aged assemblages indicate an increase in the end-to-end distance of the peptide with time, most probably due to the intermixing of individual peptide strands within the nanofibril. Further insight into this apparent time-dependent reorganization of aggregated polyQ peptides may influence future disease modeling of polyQ-related proteinopathies, in addition to directing novel clinical innovations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Inayathullah
- Biomaterials & Advanced Drug Delivery Laboratory (BioADD), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Bioorganic and Neurochemistry Laboratory, Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India; Cardiovascular Pharmacology Division, Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Aaron Tan
- Biomaterials & Advanced Drug Delivery Laboratory (BioADD), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK; University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - Rebecca Jeyaraj
- UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - James Lam
- UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Nam-Joon Cho
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Corey W Liu
- Stanford Magnetic Resonance Laboratory, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Martin A C Manoukian
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Keyoumars Ashkan
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Morteza Mahmoudi
- Biomaterials & Advanced Drug Delivery Laboratory (BioADD), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Cardiovascular Pharmacology Division, Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Jayakumar Rajadas
- Biomaterials & Advanced Drug Delivery Laboratory (BioADD), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Cardiovascular Pharmacology Division, Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
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46
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Gratuze M, Cisbani G, Cicchetti F, Planel E. Is Huntington's disease a tauopathy? Brain 2016; 139:1014-25. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/aww021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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47
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Côté S, Binette V, Salnikov ES, Bechinger B, Mousseau N. Probing the Huntingtin 1-17 membrane anchor on a phospholipid bilayer by using all-atom simulations. Biophys J 2016; 108:1187-98. [PMID: 25762330 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Revised: 01/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mislocalization and aggregation of the huntingtin protein are related to Huntington's disease. Its first exon-more specifically the first 17 amino acids (Htt17)-is crucial for the physiological and pathological functions of huntingtin. It regulates huntingtin's activity through posttranslational modifications and serves as an anchor to membrane-containing organelles of the cell. Recently, structure and orientation of the Htt17 membrane anchor were determined using a combined solution and solid-state NMR approach. This prompted us to refine this model by investigating the dynamics and thermodynamics of this membrane anchor on a POPC bilayer using all-atom, explicit solvent molecular dynamics and Hamiltonian replica exchange. Our simulations are combined with various experimental measurements to generate a high-resolution atomistic model for the huntingtin Htt17 membrane anchor on a POPC bilayer. More precisely, we observe that the single α-helix structure is more stable in the phospholipid membrane than the NMR model obtained in the presence of dodecylphosphocholine detergent micelles. The resulting Htt17 monomer has its hydrophobic plane oriented parallel to the bilayer surface. Our results further unveil the key residues interacting with the membrane in terms of hydrogen bonds, salt-bridges, and nonpolar contributions. We also observe that Htt17 equilibrates at a well-defined insertion depth and that it perturbs the physical properties-order parameter, thickness, and area per lipid-of the bilayer in a manner that could favor its dimerization. Overall, our observations reinforce and refine the NMR measurements on the Htt17 membrane anchor segment of huntingtin that is of fundamental importance to its biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Côté
- Département de Physique and Groupe de Recherche sur les Protéines Membranaires, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Vincent Binette
- Département de Physique and Groupe de Recherche sur les Protéines Membranaires, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Evgeniy S Salnikov
- Université de Strasbourg/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, Strasbourg, France
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- Université de Strasbourg/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, Strasbourg, France
| | - Normand Mousseau
- Département de Physique and Groupe de Recherche sur les Protéines Membranaires, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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48
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Kerkis I, Haddad MS, Valverde CW, Glosman S. Neural and mesenchymal stem cells in animal models of Huntington's disease: past experiences and future challenges. Stem Cell Res Ther 2015; 6:232. [PMID: 26667114 PMCID: PMC4678723 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-015-0248-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease that causes progressive nerve cell degeneration. It is triggered by a mutation in the HTT gene that strongly influences functional abilities and usually results in movement, cognitive and psychiatric disorders. HD is incurable, although treatments are available to help manage symptoms and to delay the physical, mental and behavioral declines associated with the condition. Stem cells are the essential building blocks of life, and play a crucial role in the genesis and development of all higher organisms. Ablative surgical procedures and fetal tissue cell transplantation, which are still experimental, demonstrate low rates of recovery in HD patients. Due to neuronal cell death caused by accumulation of the mutated huntingtin (mHTT) protein, it is unlikely that such brain damage can be treated solely by drug-based therapies. Stem cell-based therapies are important in order to reconstruct damaged brain areas in HD patients. These therapies have a dual role: stem cell paracrine action, stimulating local cell survival, and brain tissue regeneration through the production of new neurons from the intrinsic and likely from donor stem cells. This review summarizes current knowledge on neural stem/progenitor cell and mesenchymal stem cell transplantation, which has been carried out in several animal models of HD, discussing cell distribution, survival and differentiation after transplantation, as well as functional recovery and anatomic improvements associated with these approaches. We also discuss the usefulness of this information for future preclinical and clinical studies in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Kerkis
- Laboratório de Genética, Instituto Butantan, 1500 Av. Vital Brasil, São Paulo, 05503-900, Brazil.
| | - Monica Santoro Haddad
- Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, 455 Av. Dr. Arnaldao, São Paulo, 01246903, Brazil
| | | | - Sabina Glosman
- SoluBest Ltd, Weizmann Science Park, POB 4053 18 Einstein Street, Ness Ziona, 74140, Israel
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49
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Leuchter AF, Hunter AM, Krantz DE, Cook IA. Intermediate phenotypes and biomarkers of treatment outcome in major depressive disorder. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2015. [PMID: 25733956 PMCID: PMC4336921 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2014.16.4/aleuchter] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a pleomorphic illness originating from gene x environment interactions. Patients with differing symptom phenotypes receive the same diagnosis and similar treatment recommendations without regard to genomics, brain structure or function, or other physiologic or psychosocial factors. Using this present approach, only one third of patients enter remission with the first medication prescribed, and patients may take longer than 1 year to enter remission with repeated trials. Research to improve treatment effectiveness recently has focused on identification of intermediate phenotypes (IPs) that could parse the heterogeneous population of patients with MDD into subgroups with more homogeneous responses to treatment. Such IPs could be used to develop biomarkers that could be applied clinically to match patients with the treatment that would be most likely to lead to remission. Putative biomarkers include genetic polymorphisms, RNA and protein expression (transcriptome and proteome), neurotransmitter levels (metabolome), additional measures of signaling cascades, oscillatory synchrony, neuronal circuits and neural pathways (connectome), along with other possible physiologic measures. All of these measures represent components of a continuum that extends from proximity to the genome to proximity to the clinical phenotype of depression, and there are many levels along this continuum at which useful IPs may be defined. Because of the highly integrative nature of brain systems and the complex neurobiology of depression, the most useful biomarkers are likely to be those with intermediate proximity both to the genome and the clinical phenotype of MDD. Translation of findings across the spectrum from genotype to phenotype promises to better characterize the complex disruptions in signaling and neuroplasticity that accompany MDD, and ultimately to lead to greater understanding of the causes of depressive illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Leuchter
- Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, and the Depression Research and Clinical Program, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA; the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Aimee M Hunter
- Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, and the Depression Research and Clinical Program, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA; the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - David E Krantz
- Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, and the Depression Research and Clinical Program, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA; the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ian A Cook
- Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, and the Depression Research and Clinical Program, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA; the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA; the Department of Bioengineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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50
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Szeliga M, Różycka A, Jędrak P, Barańska S, Janik P, Jamrozik Z, Albrecht J. Expression of RNAs Coding for Metal Transporters in Blood of Patients with Huntington's Disease. Neurochem Res 2015; 41:101-6. [PMID: 26471164 PMCID: PMC4773475 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-015-1737-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated elevated levels of iron (Fe) in brains of patients with Huntington's disease (HD). Striatal cells carrying mutated Huntingtin presented increased sensitivity to cadmium (Cd) toxicity, decreased sensitivity to manganese (Mn) toxicity and deficits in Mn uptake. The hypothesis arose that the observed alterations result from the altered expression and/or activity of proteins engaged in the transport of these metals, that is: transferrin (TF), transferrin receptor (TFR), divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and ZIP8 protein. Here we examined the expression levels of genes encoding these proteins in blood of HD patients and control subjects. A decreasing tendency in the level of TF transcript and increasing tendency of SLC11A2 mRNA encoding DMT1 was observed in the blood of HD patients compared to the control subjects, but neither attained statistical significance. No changes were found in the levels of TFRC coding for TFR and SLC39A8 coding for ZIP8 between HD patients and controls. The results indicate that HD-associated changes in metal homeostasis occur are not related to mechanisms other than the expression level of the here analyzed metal transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Szeliga
- Department of Neurotoxicology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawińskiego Str., 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Różycka
- Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Landscape Architecture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 166 Nowoursynowska Str., 02-787, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paulina Jędrak
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza Str., 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Sylwia Barańska
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza Str., 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Piotr Janik
- Department of Neurology, The Wolski Hospital im Dr Anny Gostyńskiej, 17 Kasprzaka Str., 01-211, Warsaw, Poland.,Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, 1 Banacha Str., 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zygmunt Jamrozik
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, 1 Banacha Str., 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jan Albrecht
- Department of Neurotoxicology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawińskiego Str., 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
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