1
|
Early TNF-Dependent Regulation of Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapses on Striatal Direct Pathway Medium Spiny Neurons in the YAC128 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. J Neurosci 2023; 43:672-680. [PMID: 36517241 PMCID: PMC9888503 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1655-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin gene. Neurodegeneration first occurs in the striatum, accompanied by an elevation in inflammatory cytokines. Using the presymptomatic male YAC128 HD model mouse, we examined the synaptic input onto the striatal medium spiny neurons to look for early changes that precede degeneration. We observed an increase in excitatory synaptic strength, as measured by AMPA/NMDA ratios, specifically on direct pathway D1 receptor expressing medium spiny neurons, with no changes on indirect pathway neurons. The changes in excitation were accompanied by a decrease in inhibitory synaptic strength, as measured by the amplitude of miniature inhibitory synaptic currents. The pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) was elevated in the striatum of YAC128 at the ages examined. Critically, the changes in excitatory and inhibitory inputs are both dependent on TNF signaling, as blocking TNF signaling genetically or pharmacological normalized synaptic strength. The observed changes in synaptic function are similar to the changes seen in D1 medium spiny neurons treated with high levels of TNF, suggesting that saturating levels of TNF exist in the striatum even at early stages of HD. The increase in glutamatergic synaptic strength and decrease in inhibitory synaptic strength would increase direct pathway neuronal excitability, which may potentiate excitotoxicity during the progress of HD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The striatum is the first structure to degenerate in Huntington's disease, but the early changes that presage the degeneration are not well defined. Here we identify early synaptic changes in the YAC128 mouse model of Huntington's disease specifically on a subpopulation of striatal neurons. These neurons have stronger excitatory synapses and weaker inhibitory inputs, and thus would increase the susceptibility to excitotoxicity. These changes are dependent on signaling by the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα. TNF is elevated even at early presymptomatic stages, and blocking TNF signaling even acutely will reverse the synaptic changes. This suggests early intervention could be important therapeutically.
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang S, Cheng Y, Shang H. The updated development of blood-based biomarkers for Huntington's disease. J Neurol 2023; 270:2483-2503. [PMID: 36692635 PMCID: PMC9873222 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11572-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by mutation of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The identification of mutation carriers before symptom onset provides an opportunity to intervene in the early stage of the disease course. Optimal biomarkers are of great value to reflect neuropathological and clinical progression and are sensitive to potential disease-modifying treatments. Blood-based biomarkers have the merits of minimal invasiveness, low cost, easy accessibility and safety. In this review, we summarized the updated development of blood-based biomarkers for HD from six aspects, including neuronal injuries, oxidative stress, endocrine functions, immune reactions, metabolism and differentially expressed miRNAs. The blood-based biomarkers presented and discussed in this review were close to clinical applicability and might facilitate clinical design as surrogate endpoints. Exploration and validation of robust blood-based biomarkers require further standard and systemic study design in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sirui Zhang
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 Sichuan China ,grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 China ,grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Yangfan Cheng
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 Sichuan China ,grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Huifang Shang
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 Sichuan China ,grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ramírez Hernández E, Alanis Olvera B, Carmona González D, Guerrero Marín O, Pantoja Mercado D, Valencia Gil L, Hernández-Zimbrón LF, Sánchez Salgado JL, Limón ID, Zenteno E. Neuroinflammation and galectins: a key relationship in neurodegenerative diseases. Glycoconj J 2022; 39:685-699. [PMID: 35653015 DOI: 10.1007/s10719-022-10064-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegeneration is a pathological condition that is associated with the loss of neuronal function and structure. In neurodegenerative diseases, mounting evidence indicates that neuroinflammation is a common factor that contributes to neuronal damage and neurodegeneration. Neuroinflammation is characterized by the activation of microglia, the neuroimmune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), which have been implicated as active contributors to neuronal damage. Glycan structure modification is defining the outcome of neuroinflammation and neuronal regeneration; moreover, the expression of galectins, a group of lectins that specifically recognize β-galactosides, has been proposed as a key factor in neuronal regeneration and modulation of the inflammatory response. Of the different galectins identified, galectin-1 stimulates the secretion of neurotrophic factors in astrocytes and promotes neuronal regeneration, whereas galectin-3 induces the proliferation of microglial cells and modulates cell apoptosis. Galectin-8 emerged as a neuroprotective factor, which, in addition to its immunosuppressive function, could generate a neuroprotective environment in the brain. This review describes the role of galectins in the activation and modulation of astrocytes and microglia and their anti- and proinflammatory functions within the context of neuroinflammation. Furthermore, it discusses the potential use of galectins as a therapeutic target for the inflammatory response and remodeling in damaged tissues in the central nervous system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleazar Ramírez Hernández
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Beatriz Alanis Olvera
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Daniela Carmona González
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Oscar Guerrero Marín
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Denisse Pantoja Mercado
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Lucero Valencia Gil
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luis F Hernández-Zimbrón
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Luis Sánchez Salgado
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - I Daniel Limón
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Edgar Zenteno
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yefimova MG, Béré E, Cantereau-Becq A, Meunier-Balandre AC, Merceron B, Burel A, Merienne K, Ravel C, Becq F, Bourmeyster N. Myelinosome Organelles in the Retina of R6/1 Huntington Disease (HD) Mice: Ubiquitous Distribution and Possible Role in Disease Spreading. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312771. [PMID: 34884576 PMCID: PMC8657466 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual deficit is one of the complications of Huntington disease (HD), a fatal neurological disorder caused by CAG trinucleotide expansions in the Huntingtin gene, leading to the production of mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) protein. Transgenic HD R6/1 mice expressing human HTT exon1 with 115 CAG repeats recapitulate major features of the human pathology and exhibit a degeneration of the retina. Our aim was to gain insight into the ultrastructure of the pathological HD R6/1 retina by electron microscopy (EM). We show that the HD R6/1 retina is enriched with unusual organelles myelinosomes, produced by retinal neurons and glia. Myelinosomes are present in all nuclear and plexiform layers, in the synaptic terminals of photoreceptors, in the processes of retinal neurons and glial cells, and in the subretinal space. In vitro study shows that myelinosomes secreted by human retinal glial Müller MIO-M1 cells transfected with EGFP-mHTT-exon1 carry EGFP-mHTT-exon1 protein, as revealed by immuno-EM and Western-blotting. Myelinosomes loaded with mHTT-exon1 are incorporated by naive neuronal/neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. This results in the emergence of mHTT-exon1 in recipient cells. This process is blocked by membrane fusion inhibitor MDL 28170. Conclusion: Incorporation of myelinosomes carrying mHTT-exon1 in recipient cells may contribute to HD spreading in the retina. Exploring ocular fluids for myelinosome presence could bring an additional biomarker for HD diagnostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina G. Yefimova
- Laboratoire Signalisation et Transports Ioniques Membranaires, Université de Poitiers/CNRS, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, 86022 Poitiers, France; (A.C.-B.); (A.-C.M.-B.); (F.B.); (N.B.)
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 44 Pr. Thorez, 194233 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction-CECOS, Hopital SUD, 16 Bd de Bulgarie, CEDEX, 35000 Rennes, France;
- Correspondence:
| | - Emile Béré
- Plateforme IMAGE-UP, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, 86022 Poitiers, France; (E.B.); (B.M.)
| | - Anne Cantereau-Becq
- Laboratoire Signalisation et Transports Ioniques Membranaires, Université de Poitiers/CNRS, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, 86022 Poitiers, France; (A.C.-B.); (A.-C.M.-B.); (F.B.); (N.B.)
- Plateforme IMAGE-UP, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, 86022 Poitiers, France; (E.B.); (B.M.)
| | - Annie-Claire Meunier-Balandre
- Laboratoire Signalisation et Transports Ioniques Membranaires, Université de Poitiers/CNRS, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, 86022 Poitiers, France; (A.C.-B.); (A.-C.M.-B.); (F.B.); (N.B.)
| | - Bruno Merceron
- Plateforme IMAGE-UP, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, 86022 Poitiers, France; (E.B.); (B.M.)
| | - Agnès Burel
- Plateforme Mric TEM, BIOSIT UMS 34 80, Université de Rennes 1, 2 Av. Pr. Léon Bernard, CEDEX, 35043 Rennes, France;
| | - Karine Merienne
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive Neurosciences (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France;
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Célia Ravel
- Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction-CECOS, Hopital SUD, 16 Bd de Bulgarie, CEDEX, 35000 Rennes, France;
| | - Frédéric Becq
- Laboratoire Signalisation et Transports Ioniques Membranaires, Université de Poitiers/CNRS, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, 86022 Poitiers, France; (A.C.-B.); (A.-C.M.-B.); (F.B.); (N.B.)
| | - Nicolas Bourmeyster
- Laboratoire Signalisation et Transports Ioniques Membranaires, Université de Poitiers/CNRS, 1 Rue Georges Bonnet, 86022 Poitiers, France; (A.C.-B.); (A.-C.M.-B.); (F.B.); (N.B.)
- Service de Biochimie, CHU de Poitiers, 1, Rue de la Milétrie, 86021 Poitiers, France
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rocha NP, Charron O, Latham LB, Colpo GD, Zanotti-Fregonara P, Yu M, Freeman L, Furr Stimming E, Teixeira AL. Microglia Activation in Basal Ganglia Is a Late Event in Huntington Disease Pathophysiology. NEUROLOGY-NEUROIMMUNOLOGY & NEUROINFLAMMATION 2021; 8:8/3/e984. [PMID: 33795375 PMCID: PMC8017723 DOI: 10.1212/nxi.0000000000000984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To define the role played by microglia in different stages of Huntington disease (HD), we used the TSPO radioligand [11C]-ER176 and PET to evaluate microglial activation in relation to neurodegeneration and in relation to the clinical features seen at premanifest and manifest stages of the disease. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study in which 18 subjects (6 controls, 6 premanifest, and 6 manifest HD gene carriers) underwent a [11C]-ER176 PET scan and an MRI for anatomic localization. Segmentation of regions of interest (ROIs) was performed, and group differences in [11C]-ER176 binding (used to evaluate the extent of microglial activation) were assessed by the standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR). Microglial activation was correlated with ROIs volumes, disease burden, and the scores obtained in the clinical scales. As an exploratory aim, we evaluated the dynamic functions of microglia in vitro, by using induced microglia-like (iMG) cells from peripheral blood monocytes. RESULTS Individuals with manifest HD present higher [11C]-ER176 SUVR in both globi pallidi and putamina in comparison with controls. No differences were observed when we compared premanifest HD with controls or with manifest HD. We also found a significant correlation between increased microglial activation and cumulative disease burden, and with reduced volumes. iMG from controls, premanifest HD, and manifest HD patients showed similar phagocytic capacity. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, our data demonstrate that microglial activation is involved in HD pathophysiology and is associated with disease progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia P Rocha
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.).
| | - Odelin Charron
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.)
| | - Leigh B Latham
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.)
| | - Gabriela D Colpo
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.)
| | - Paolo Zanotti-Fregonara
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.)
| | - Meixiang Yu
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.)
| | - Leorah Freeman
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.)
| | - Erin Furr Stimming
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.)
| | - Antonio L Teixeira
- From the Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders (N.P.R.), Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston; Department of Neurology (O.C., L.F.), The University of Texas at Austin; School of Medicine (L.B.L.), University of Washington, Seattle; Neuropsychiatry Program (G.D.C., A.L.T.), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston; Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine (P.Z.-F., M.Y.), TX; and HDSA Center of Excellence at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (E.F.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Holbrook JA, Jarosz-Griffiths HH, Caseley E, Lara-Reyna S, Poulter JA, Williams-Gray CH, Peckham D, McDermott MF. Neurodegenerative Disease and the NLRP3 Inflammasome. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:643254. [PMID: 33776778 PMCID: PMC7987926 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.643254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of neurodegenerative disease has increased significantly in recent years, and with a rapidly aging global population, this trend is expected to continue. These diseases are characterised by a progressive neuronal loss in the brain or peripheral nervous system, and generally involve protein aggregation, as well as metabolic abnormalities and immune dysregulation. Although the vast majority of neurodegeneration is idiopathic, there are many known genetic and environmental triggers. In the past decade, research exploring low-grade systemic inflammation and its impact on the development and progression of neurodegenerative disease has increased. A particular research focus has been whether systemic inflammation arises only as a secondary effect of disease or is also a cause of pathology. The inflammasomes, and more specifically the NLRP3 inflammasome, a crucial component of the innate immune system, is usually activated in response to infection or tissue damage. Dysregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome has been implicated in the progression of several neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and prion diseases. This review aims to summarise current literature on the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, and recent work investigating NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition as a potential future therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A Holbrook
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Heledd H Jarosz-Griffiths
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM), University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Leeds Cystic Fibrosis Trust Strategic Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Caseley
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM), University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Lara-Reyna
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - James A Poulter
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM), University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline H Williams-Gray
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Peckham
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Leeds Cystic Fibrosis Trust Strategic Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Leeds Centre for Cystic Fibrosis, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Michael F McDermott
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM), University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Leeds Cystic Fibrosis Trust Strategic Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Baidya F, Bohra M, Datta A, Sarmah D, Shah B, Jagtap P, Raut S, Sarkar A, Singh U, Kalia K, Borah A, Wang X, Dave KR, Yavagal DR, Bhattacharya P. Neuroimmune crosstalk and evolving pharmacotherapies in neurodegenerative diseases. Immunology 2021; 162:160-178. [PMID: 32939758 PMCID: PMC7808166 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration is characterized by gradual onset and limited availability of specific biomarkers. Apart from various aetiologies such as infection, trauma, genetic mutation, the interaction between the immune system and CNS is widely associated with neuronal damage in neurodegenerative diseases. The immune system plays a distinct role in disease progression and cellular homeostasis. It induces cellular and humoral responses, and enables tissue repair, cellular healing and clearance of cellular detritus. Aberrant and chronic activation of the immune system can damage healthy neurons. The pro-inflammatory mediators secreted by chief innate immune components, the complement system, microglia and inflammasome can augment cytotoxicity. Furthermore, these inflammatory mediators accelerate microglial activation resulting in progressive neuronal loss. Various animal studies have been carried out to unravel the complex pathology and ascertain biomarkers for these harmful diseases, but have had limited success. The present review will provide a thorough understanding of microglial activation, complement system and inflammasome generation, which lead the healthy brain towards neurodegeneration. In addition to this, possible targets of immune components to confer a strategic treatment regime for the alleviation of neuronal damage are also summarized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Falguni Baidya
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Mariya Bohra
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Aishika Datta
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Deepaneeta Sarmah
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Birva Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Priya Jagtap
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Swapnil Raut
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Ankan Sarkar
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Upasna Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Kiran Kalia
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| | - Anupom Borah
- Department of Life Science and BioinformaticsAssam UniversitySilcharAssamIndia
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of NeurosurgeryBrigham and Women’s HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
| | - Kunjan R. Dave
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFLUSA
| | - Dileep R. Yavagal
- Department of Neurology and NeurosurgeryUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFLUSA
| | - Pallab Bhattacharya
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad (NIPER‐A)GandhinagarGujaratIndia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
González-Guevara E, Cárdenas G, Pérez-Severiano F, Martínez-Lazcano JC. Dysregulated Brain Cholesterol Metabolism Is Linked to Neuroinflammation in Huntington's Disease. Mov Disord 2020; 35:1113-1127. [PMID: 32410324 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an autosomal-dominant, neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in exon-1 of the huntingtin gene. Alterations in cholesterol metabolism and distribution have been reported in Huntington's disease, including abnormal interactions between mutant huntingtin and sterol regulatory element-binding proteins, decreased levels of apolipoprotein E/cholesterol/low-density lipoprotein receptor complexes, and alterations in the synthesis of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1. Plasma levels of 24S-hydroxycholestrol, a key intermediary in cholesterol metabolism and a possible marker in neurodegenerative diseases, decreased proportionally to the degree of caudate nucleus atrophy. The interaction of mutant huntingtin with sterol regulatory element-binding proteins is of particular interest given that sterol regulatory element-binding proteins play a dual role: They take part in lipid and cholesterol metabolism, but also in the inflammatory response that induces immune cell migration as well as toxic effects, particularly in astrocytes. This work summarizes current evidence on the metabolic and immune implications of sterol regulatory element-binding protein dysregulation in Huntington's disease, highlighting the potential use of drugs that modulate these alterations. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edith González-Guevara
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "MVS", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Graciela Cárdenas
- Departamento de Neurología y Enfermedades Neuro-Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "MVS", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Francisca Pérez-Severiano
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "MVS", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Juan Carlos Martínez-Lazcano
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "MVS", Mexico City, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ramírez Hernández E, Sánchez-Maldonado C, Mayoral Chávez MA, Hernández-Zimbrón LF, Patricio Martínez A, Zenteno E, Limón Pérez de León ID. The therapeutic potential of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Expert Rev Neurother 2020; 20:439-448. [PMID: 32303136 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2020.1750955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Neuroinflammation has been proposed as a common factor and one of the main inducers of neuronal degeneration. Galectins are a group of β-galactoside-binding lectins, that play an important role in the immune response, adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, migration and cell growth. Up to 15 members of the galectin's family have been identified; however, the expression of galectin-1 and galectin-3 has been considered a key factor in neuronal regeneration and modulation of the inflammatory response. Galectin-1 is necessary to stimulate the secretion of neurotrophic factors in astrocytes and promoting neuronal regeneration. In contrast, galectin-3 fosters the proliferation of microglial cells and modulates cellular apoptosis, therefore these proteins are considered a useful alternative for the treatment of degenerative diseases.Areas covered: This review describes the roles of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in the modulation of neuroinflammation and their potential as therapeutic targets in the treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.Expert opinion: Although data in the literature vary, the effects of galectin-1 and galectin-3 on the activation and modulation of astrocytes and microglia has been described. Due to its anti-inflammatory effects, galectin-1 is proposed as a molecule with therapeutic potential, whereas the inhibition of galectin-3 could contribute to reduce the neuroinflammatory response in neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleazar Ramírez Hernández
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Claudia Sánchez-Maldonado
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México
| | - Miguel A Mayoral Chávez
- Centro de Investigaciones Médicas UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, México
| | - Luis F Hernández-Zimbrón
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.,Departamento de Investigación, Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México, "Hospital Dr. Luis Sánchez Bulnes", Ciudad de México, México
| | - Aleidy Patricio Martínez
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México.,Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México
| | - Edgar Zenteno
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - I Daniel Limón Pérez de León
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Essen MR, Hellem MNN, Vinther‐Jensen T, Ammitzbøll C, Hansen RH, Hjermind LE, Nielsen TT, Nielsen JE, Sellebjerg F. Early Intrathecal T Helper 17.1 Cell Activity in Huntington Disease. Ann Neurol 2019; 87:246-255. [DOI: 10.1002/ana.25647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marina R. Essen
- Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, RigshospitaletUniversity of Copenhagen Glostrup Denmark
| | - Marie N. N. Hellem
- Neurogenetics Clinic, Danish Dementia Research Center, RigshospitaletUniversity of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Tua Vinther‐Jensen
- Neurogenetics Clinic, Danish Dementia Research Center, RigshospitaletUniversity of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Cecilie Ammitzbøll
- Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, RigshospitaletUniversity of Copenhagen Glostrup Denmark
| | - Rikke H. Hansen
- Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, RigshospitaletUniversity of Copenhagen Glostrup Denmark
| | - Lena E. Hjermind
- Neurogenetics Clinic, Danish Dementia Research Center, RigshospitaletUniversity of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Troels T. Nielsen
- Neurogenetics Clinic, Danish Dementia Research Center, RigshospitaletUniversity of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Jørgen E. Nielsen
- Neurogenetics Clinic, Danish Dementia Research Center, RigshospitaletUniversity of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Valadão PAC, Oliveira BDS, Joviano-Santos JV, Vieira ÉLM, Rocha NP, Teixeira AL, Guatimosim C, de Miranda AS. Inflammatory changes in peripheral organs in the BACHD murine model of Huntington's disease. Life Sci 2019; 232:116653. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.116653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
12
|
Denis HL, Lauruol F, Cicchetti F. Are immunotherapies for Huntington's disease a realistic option? Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:364-377. [PMID: 29487401 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0021-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that the pathophysiology of many neurodegenerative diseases includes dysregulation of the immune system, with some elements that precede disease onset. However, if these alterations are prominent, why have clinical trials targeting this system failed to translate into long-lasting meaningful benefits for patients? This review focuses on Huntington's disease, a genetic disorder marked by notable cerebral and peripheral inflammation. We summarize ongoing and completed clinical trials that have involved pharmacological approaches to inhibit various components of the immune system and their pre-clinical correlates. We then discuss new putative treatment strategies using more targeted immunotherapies such as vaccination and intrabodies and how these may offer new hope in the treatment of Huntington's disease as well as other neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Florian Lauruol
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada. .,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
iNKT Cell Activation Exacerbates the Development of Huntington's Disease in R6/2 Transgenic Mice. Mediators Inflamm 2019; 2019:3540974. [PMID: 30766446 PMCID: PMC6350536 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3540974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder which is caused by a mutation of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Although the pathogenesis of HD has been associated with inflammatory responses, if and how the immune system contributes to the onset of HD is largely unknown. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a group of innate-like regulatory T lymphocytes that can rapidly produce various cytokines such as IFNγ and IL4 upon stimulation with the glycolipid α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer). By employing both R6/2 Tg mice (murine HD model) and Jα18 KO mice (deficient in iNKT cells), we investigated whether alterations of iNKT cells affect the development of HD in R6/2 Tg mice. We found that Jα18 KO R6/2 Tg mice showed disease progression comparable to R6/2 Tg mice, indicating that the absence of iNKT cells did not have any significant effects on HD development. However, repeated activation of iNKT cells with α-GalCer facilitated HD progression in R6/2 Tg mice, and this was associated with increased infiltration of iNKT cells in the brain. Taken together, our results demonstrate that repeated α-GalCer treatment of R6/2 Tg mice accelerates HD progression, suggesting that immune activation can affect the severity of HD pathogenesis.
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease that results in motor, cognitive and psychiatric dysfunction. It is caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion mutation in the widely expressed HTT protein. The clinical manifestations of HD have been largely attributed to the neurodegeneration of specific neuronal cell types in the brain. However, it has become clear that other cell types, including astrocytes, play important roles in the pathogenesis of HD. The mutant HTT (mHTT) protein is present in neuronal and non-neuronal cell types throughout the nervous system. Studies designed to understand the contribution of mHTT expression in non-neuronal cell types to HD pathogenesis has lagged considerably behind those focused on neurons. However, the role of astrocytes in HD has received more attention over the last 5-10 years. In this chapter we present an overview of HD and our current understanding of astrocytic involvement in this disease. We describe the neuropathological features of HD and provide evidence of morphological and molecular changes in mHTT expressing astrocytes. We review data from animal models and HD patients that implicate mHTT expressing astrocytes to the progression of HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Gray
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, CIRC 425B, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lee SW, Park HJ, Im W, Kim M, Hong S. Repeated immune activation with low-dose lipopolysaccharide attenuates the severity of Huntington's disease in R6/2 transgenic mice. Anim Cells Syst (Seoul) 2018; 22:219-226. [PMID: 30460101 PMCID: PMC6138304 DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2018.1473291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene. Previously, therapeutic approaches using anti-inflammatory agents were reportedly not effective for preventing HD progression. Since whether immune responses contribute to the onset of HD is not entirely understood, we herein investigated the role of immune activation in HD using the R6/2 transgenic (Tg) HD model mouse. IL12 production and the expression of costimulatory molecules (e.g. CD86 and CD40) on innate immune cells (DCs and macrophages) were diminished in the disease stage of R6/2 Tg mice. Moreover, the number of adaptive T cells (CD4+ and CD8+ T cells) and the frequency of effector memory phenotype CD4+ T cells were decreased in these mice. These results suggest that the severity of HD is closely related to an impaired immune system and might be reversed by activation of the immune system. Since lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent TLR4 agonist, activates immune cells, we evaluated the effect of immune activation on the pathogenesis of HD using LPS. The repeated immune activation with low-dose LPS significantly recovered the impaired immune status back to normal levels and attenuated both severe weight loss and the increased clasping phenotype found in the disease stage of R6/2 Tg mice, consequently resulting in prolonged survival. Taken together, these results strongly indicate that immune activation has beneficial influences on alleviating HD pathology and could provide new therapeutic strategies for HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sung Won Lee
- Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Anticancer Medicine Development, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyun Jung Park
- Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Anticancer Medicine Development, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Wooseok Im
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Manho Kim
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seokmann Hong
- Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Anticancer Medicine Development, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Griffioen K, Mattson MP, Okun E. Deficiency of Toll-like receptors 2, 3 or 4 extends life expectancy in Huntington's disease mice. Heliyon 2018; 4:e00508. [PMID: 29560427 PMCID: PMC5857515 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD), an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive striatal and cortical atrophy, has been strongly linked with neuroinflammation. Toll-like receptors, a family of innate immune receptors, are a major pathway for neuroinflammation with pleiotropic effects on neuronal plasticity and neurodevelopment. We assessed whether deficiency for TLRs 2, 3 or 4 affects life expectancy in the N171-82Q mouse model of HD. Our data indicate that homozygous TLRs 2 and 3 as well as heterozygous TLR4 deficiency significantly extends the life expectancy of HD mice. Our data suggest that multiple TLR pathways may be involved in the neuroinflammatory and degenerative processes during HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Griffioen
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, 24515, USA
| | - Mark P Mattson
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sciacca G, Cicchetti F. Mutant huntingtin protein expression and blood-spinal cord barrier dysfunction in huntington disease. Ann Neurol 2017; 82:981-994. [PMID: 29171910 DOI: 10.1002/ana.25107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to assess the distribution, frequency, and specific location of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) aggregates-the pathological hallmark of Huntington disease (HD)-within the various compartments of the spinal cord and their potential impact on the local vasculature and blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB). METHODS We performed a series of postmortem immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent stainings, as well as Western blot analyses, on cervical and lumbar sections of the spinal cord in patients diagnosed with HD (n = 11 of all grades of disease severity) along with sex- and age-matched healthy controls (n = 9). RESULTS We observed that mHTT was preferably expressed within the anterior horn of the gray matter, in both cervical and lumbar sections. At the cellular level, mHTT aggregates were more often encountered in the extracellular matrix but could also be observed within cell bodies and neurites as well as within the endothelium of blood vessels with an increase in the density of small blood vessels in cervical sections of HD cases. These vasculature changes were accompanied with features of BSCB leakage, as assessed by the presence of increased levels of fibrinogen in the surrounding parenchyma and enhanced leukocyte infiltration. INTERPRETATION This alteration in BSCB integrity may be explained, in part, by the dysregulation we found in some of the main proteins associated with it such as junctional adhesion molecule-1 and vascular endothelial cadherin. These observations have important implications for our understanding of HD pathology and may also have significant therapeutic implications. Ann Neurol 2017;82:981-994.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Sciacca
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kelly MEM, Lehmann C, Zhou J. The Endocannabinoid System in Local and Systemic Inflammation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.4199/c00151ed1v01y201702isp074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
19
|
Churchward MA, Tchir DR, Todd KG. Microglial Function during Glucose Deprivation: Inflammatory and Neuropsychiatric Implications. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:1477-1487. [PMID: 28176274 PMCID: PMC5820372 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0422-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a contributor to the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders and autism, though the factors leading to contextually inappropriate or sustained inflammation in pathological conditions are yet to be elucidated. Microglia, as the key mediators of inflammation in the CNS, serve as likely candidates in initiating pathological inflammation and as an ideal point of therapeutic intervention. Glucose deprivation, as a component of the pathophysiology of ischemia or occurring transiently in diabetes, may serve to modify microglial function contributing to inflammatory injury. To this end, primary microglia were cultured from postnatal rat brain and subject to glucose deprivation in vitro. Microglia were characterized for their proliferation, phagocytic function and secretion of inflammatory factors, and tested for their capacity to respond to a potent inflammatory stimulus. In the absence of glucose, microglia remained capable of proliferation, phagocytosis and inflammatory activation and showed increased release of inflammatory factors after presentation of an inflammatory stimulus. Glucose-deprived microglia demonstrated increased phagocytic activity and decreased accumulation of lipids in lipid droplets over a 48-h timecourse, suggesting they may use scavenged lipids as a key alternate energy source during metabolic stress. In the present manuscript, we present novel findings that glucose deprivation may sensitize microglial release of inflammatory mediators and prime microglial functions for both survival and inflammatory roles, which may contribute to psychiatric comorbidities of ischemia, diabetes and/or metabolic disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Churchward
- Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, 116th St and 85th Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6G2R3, Canada
| | - Devan R Tchir
- Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, 116th St and 85th Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6G2R3, Canada
| | - Kathryn G Todd
- Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, 116th St and 85th Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6G2R3, Canada. .,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Chen JY, Tran C, Hwang L, Deng G, Jung ME, Faull KF, Levine MS, Cepeda C. Partial Amelioration of Peripheral and Central Symptoms of Huntington's Disease via Modulation of Lipid Metabolism. J Huntingtons Dis 2016; 5:65-81. [PMID: 27031732 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-150181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal, inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by uncontrollable dance-like movements, as well as cognitive deficits and mood changes. A feature of HD is a metabolic disturbance that precedes neurological symptoms. In addition, brain cholesterol synthesis is significantly reduced, which could hamper synaptic transmission. OBJECTIVE Alterations in lipid metabolism as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in the R6/2 mouse model of HD were examined. METHODS Electrophysiological recordings in vitro examined the acute effects of cholesterol-modifying drugs. In addition, behavioral testing, effects on synaptic activity, and measurements of circulating and brain tissue concentrations of cholesterol and the ketone β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), were examined in symptomatic R6/2 mice and littermate controls raised on normal chow or a ketogenic diet (KD). RESULTS Whole-cell voltage clamp recordings of striatal medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) from symptomatic R6/2 mice showed increased frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) compared with littermate controls. Incubation of slices in cholesterol reduced the frequency of large-amplitude sIPSCs. Addition of BHB or the Liver X Receptor (LXR) agonist T0901317 reduced the frequency and amplitude of sIPSCs. Surprisingly, incubation in simvastatin to reduce cholesterol levels also decreased the frequency of sIPSCs. HD mice fed the KD lost weight more gradually, performed better in an open field, had fewer stereotypies and lower brain levels of cholesterol than mice fed a regular diet. CONCLUSIONS Lipid metabolism represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention in HD. Modifying cholesterol or ketone levels acutely in the brain can partially rescue synaptic alterations, and the KD can prevent weight loss and improve some behavioral abnormalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jane Y Chen
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Conny Tran
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lin Hwang
- Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gang Deng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael E Jung
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kym F Faull
- Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Laquinimod rescues striatal, cortical and white matter pathology and results in modest behavioural improvements in the YAC128 model of Huntington disease. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31652. [PMID: 27528441 PMCID: PMC4985819 DOI: 10.1038/srep31652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence supports a role for abnormal immune activation and inflammatory responses in Huntington disease (HD). In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of laquinimod (1 and 10 mg/kg), a novel immunomodulatory agent shown to be protective in a number of neuroinflammatory conditions, in the YAC128 mouse model of HD. Treatment with laquinimod for 6 months rescued atrophy in the striatum, in certain cortical regions, and in the corpus callosum of YAC128 HD mice. Diffusion tensor imaging showed that white matter microstructural abnormalities in the posterior corpus callosum were improved following treatment with low dose (1 mg/kg) laquinimod, and were paralleled by reduced levels of interleukin-6 in the periphery of YAC128 HD mice. Functionally, treatment with laquinimod (1 and 10 mg/kg) led to modest improvements in motor function and in depressive-like behaviour. Taken together, these results suggest that laquinimod may improve some features of pathology in HD, and provides support for the role of immune activation in the pathogenesis of HD.
Collapse
|
22
|
Larkin PB, Muchowski PJ. Genetic Deficiency of Complement Component 3 Does Not Alter Disease Progression in a Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2016; 1:107-18. [PMID: 23097680 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-2012-120021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Several genes and proteins of the complement cascade are present at elevated levels in brains of patients with Huntington's disease (HD). The complement cascade is well characterized as an effector arm of the immune system, and in the brain it is important for developmental synapse elimination. We hypothesized that increased levels of complement in HD brains contributes to disease progression, perhaps by contributing to synapse elimination or inflammatory signaling. We tested this hypothesis in the R6/2 mouse model of HD by crossing mice deficient in complement component 3 (C3), a crucial complement protein found at increased levels in HD brains, to R6/2 mice and monitoring behavioral and neuropathological disease progression. We found no alterations in multiple behavioral assays, weight or survival in R6/2 mice lacking C3. We also quantified the expression of several complement cascade genes in R6/2 brains and found that the large scale upregulation of complement genes observed in HD brains is not mirrored in R6/2 brains. These data show that C3 deficiency does not alter disease progression in the R6/2 mouse model of HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul B Larkin
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wallace M, Downing N, Lourens S, Mills J, Kim JI, Long J, Paulsen J. Is There an Association of Physical Activity with Brain Volume, Behavior, and Day-to-day Functioning? A Cross Sectional Design in Prodromal and Early Huntington Disease. PLOS CURRENTS 2016; 8. [PMID: 27818843 PMCID: PMC4866530 DOI: 10.1371/currents.hd.cba6ea74972cf8412a73ce52eb018c1e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease leading to progressive motor, cognitive, and behavioral decline. Subtle changes in these domains are detectable up to 15 years before a definitive motor diagnosis is made. This period, called prodromal HD, provides an opportunity to examine lifestyle behaviors that may impact disease progression. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Physical activity relates to decreased rates of brain atrophy and improved cognitive and day-to-day functioning in Alzheimer disease and healthy aging populations. Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding the impact of physical activity on disease progression in HD and paid little attention to the prodromal phase. METHODS We conducted analyses of associations among current physical activity level, current and retrospective rate of change for hippocampus and striatum volume, and cognitive, motor, and day-to-day functioning variables. Participants were 48 gene-expanded cases with prodromal and early-diagnosed HD and 27 nongene-expanded control participants. Participants wore Fitbit Ultra activity monitors for three days and completed the self-reported International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Hippocampal and striatal white matter volumes were measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Cognitive tests included the Stroop Color and Word Test, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Motor function was assessed using the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale total motor score (TMS). Day-to-day functioning was measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) version 2.0. RESULTS Higher Fitbit activity scores were significantly related to better scores on the SDMT and WHODAS in case participants but not in controls. Fitbit activity scores tracked better with TMS scores in the group as a whole, though the association did not reach statistical significance in the case participants. Higher Fitbit activity scores related to less day-to-day functioning decline in retrospective slope analyses. Fitbit activity scores did not differ significantly between cases and controls. CONCLUSIONS This is the first known study examining the associations between activity level and imaging, motor, cognitive, and day-to-day functioning outcomes in prodromal and early HD. Preliminary results suggest physical activity positively correlates with improved cognitive and day-to-day functioning and possibly motor function in individuals in the prodromal and early phase of the condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- McKenzie Wallace
- Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Nancy Downing
- College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Spencer Lourens
- School of Medicine, Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - James Mills
- Department on Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Ji-In Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Jeffrey Long
- Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Jane Paulsen
- Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
St-Amour I, Aubé B, Rieux M, Cicchetti F. Targeting cerebrovascular impairments in Huntington's disease: a novel treatment perspective. Neurodegener Dis Manag 2015; 5:389-93. [PMID: 26517444 DOI: 10.2217/nmt.15.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle St-Amour
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Benoit Aubé
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Marie Rieux
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Crotti A, Glass CK. The choreography of neuroinflammation in Huntington's disease. Trends Immunol 2015; 36:364-73. [PMID: 26001312 PMCID: PMC4786070 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Revised: 04/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Currently, the concept of 'neuroinflammation' includes inflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases, in which there is little or no infiltration of blood-derived immune cells into the brain. The roles of brain-resident and peripheral immune cells in these inflammatory settings are poorly understood, and it is unclear whether neuroinflammation results from immune reaction to neuronal dysfunction/degeneration, and/or represents cell-autonomous phenotypes of dysfunctional immune cells. Here, we review recent studies examining these questions in the context of Huntington's disease (HD), where mutant Huntingtin (HTT) is expressed in both neurons and glia. Insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation in HD may provide a better understanding of inflammation in more complex neurodegenerative disorders, and of the contribution of the neuroinflammatory component to neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher K Glass
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Rosas HD, Doros G, Bhasin S, Thomas B, Gevorkian S, Malarick K, Matson W, Hersch SM. A systems-level "misunderstanding": the plasma metabolome in Huntington's disease. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2015; 2:756-68. [PMID: 26273688 PMCID: PMC4531058 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Revised: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansion of an N-terminal repeat in the huntingtin protein. The protein is expressed in all cells in the body; hence, peripheral tissues, such as blood, may recapitulate processes in the brain. The plasma metabolome may provide a window into active processes that influence brain health and a unique opportunity to noninvasively identify processes that may contribute to neurodegeneration. Alterations in metabolic pathways in brain have been shown to profoundly impact HD. Therefore, identification and quantification of critical metabolomic perturbations could provide novel biomarkers for disease onset and disease progression. Methods We analyzed the plasma metabolomic profiles from 52 premanifest (PHD), 102 early symptomatic HD, and 140 healthy controls (NC) using liquid chromatography coupled with a highly sensitive electrochemical detection platform. Results Alterations in tryptophan, tyrosine, purine, and antioxidant pathways were identified, including many related to energetic and oxidative stress and derived from the gut microbiome. Multivariate statistical modeling demonstrated mutually distinct metabolomic profiles, suggesting that the processes that determine onset were likely distinct from those that determine progression. Gut microbiome-derived metabolites particularly differentiated the PHD metabolome, while the symptomatic HD metabolome was increasingly influenced by metabolites that may reflect mutant huntingtin toxicity and neurodegeneration. Interpretation Understanding the complex changes in the delicate balance of the metabolome and the gut microbiome in HD, and how they relate to disease onset, progression, and phenotypic variability in HD are critical questions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Herminia D Rosas
- Department of Neurology Boston, Massachusetts ; Center for Neuro-imaging of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Boston, Massachusetts ; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging Charlestown, Massachusetts ; Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Gheorghe Doros
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Boston University Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Swati Bhasin
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford, Massachusetts
| | - Beena Thomas
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford, Massachusetts
| | - Sona Gevorkian
- Department of Neurology Boston, Massachusetts ; Center for Neuro-imaging of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Boston, Massachusetts ; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Keith Malarick
- Department of Neurology Boston, Massachusetts ; Center for Neuro-imaging of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Boston, Massachusetts ; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Wayne Matson
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford, Massachusetts
| | - Steven M Hersch
- Department of Neurology Boston, Massachusetts ; MassGeneral Institutes for Neurodegenerative Disease, Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Neurotherapeutics, Boston University Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Sulfhydryl-mediated redox signaling in inflammation: role in neurodegenerative diseases. Arch Toxicol 2015; 89:1439-67. [DOI: 10.1007/s00204-015-1496-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
|
29
|
McCourt AC, Parker J, Silajdžić E, Haider S, Sethi H, Tabrizi SJ, Warner TT, Björkqvist M. Analysis of White Adipose Tissue Gene Expression Reveals CREB1 Pathway Altered in Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2015; 4:371-82. [PMID: 26756592 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-150172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In addition to classical neurological symptoms, Huntington's disease (HD) is complicated by peripheral pathology and both the mutant gene and the protein are found in cells and tissues throughout the body. Despite the adipose tissue gene expression alterations described in HD mouse models, adipose tissue and its gene expression signature have not been previously explored in human HD. OBJECTIVE We investigated gene expression signatures in subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained from control subjects, premanifest HD gene carriers and manifest HD subjects with the aim to identify gene expression changes and signalling pathway alterations in adipose tissue relevant to HD. METHODS Gene expression was assessed using Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Gene 1.0 ST Array. Target genes were technically validated using real-time quantitative PCR and the expression signature was validated in an independent subject cohort. RESULTS In subcutaneous adipose tissue, more than 500 genes were significantly different in premanifest HD subjects as compared to healthy controls. Pathway analysis suggests that the differentially expressed genes found here in HD adipose tissue are involved in fatty acid metabolism pathways, angiotensin signalling pathways and immune pathways. Transcription factor analysis highlights CREB1. Using RT-qPCR, we found that MAL2, AGTR2, COBL and the transcription factor CREB1 were significantly upregulated, with CREB1 and AGT also being significantly upregulated in a separate cohort. CONCLUSIONS Distinct gene expression profiles can be seen in HD subcutaneous adipose tissue, with CREB1 highlighted as a key transcription factor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Christopher McCourt
- Brain Disease Biomarker unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jennifer Parker
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL, London, UK
- Magnus Life Science, Rayne Building, 5 University Street, London, UK
| | - Edina Silajdžić
- Brain Disease Biomarker unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Salman Haider
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL, London, UK
| | - Huma Sethi
- Victor Horsley Department of Neurosurgery, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL, London, UK
| | - Thomas T Warner
- Reta Lila Weston Institute, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Maria Björkqvist
- Brain Disease Biomarker unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Neueder A, Bates GP. A common gene expression signature in Huntington's disease patient brain regions. BMC Med Genomics 2014; 7:60. [PMID: 25358814 PMCID: PMC4219025 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-014-0060-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gene expression data provide invaluable insights into disease mechanisms. In Huntington’s disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disease caused by a tri-nucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, extensive transcriptional dysregulation has been reported. Conventional dysregulation analysis has shown that e.g. in the caudate nucleus of the post mortem HD brain the gene expression level of about a third of all genes was altered. Owing to this large number of dysregulated genes, the underlying relevance of expression changes is often lost in huge gene lists that are difficult to comprehend. Methods To alleviate this problem, we employed weighted correlation network analysis to archival gene expression datasets of HD post mortem brain regions. Results We were able to uncover previously unidentified transcription dysregulation in the HD cerebellum that contained a gene expression signature in common with the caudate nucleus and the BA4 region of the frontal cortex. Furthermore, we found that yet unassociated pathways, e.g. global mRNA processing, were dysregulated in HD. We provide evidence to show that, contrary to previous findings, mutant huntingtin is sufficient to induce a subset of stress response genes in the cerebellum and frontal cortex BA4 region. The comparison of HD with other neurodegenerative disorders showed that the immune system, in particular the complement system, is generally activated. We also demonstrate that HD mouse models mimic some aspects of the disease very well, while others, e.g. the activation of the immune system are inadequately reflected. Conclusion Our analysis provides novel insights into the molecular pathogenesis in HD and identifies genes and pathways as potential therapeutic targets. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12920-014-0060-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Neueder
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
| | - Gillian P Bates
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Spielman LJ, Little JP, Klegeris A. Inflammation and insulin/IGF-1 resistance as the possible link between obesity and neurodegeneration. J Neuroimmunol 2014; 273:8-21. [PMID: 24969117 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2014.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2013] [Revised: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is a growing epidemic that contributes to several brain disorders including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. Obesity could promote these diseases through several different mechanisms. Here we review evidence supporting the involvement of two recently recognized factors linking obesity with neurodegeneration: the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and onset of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) resistance. Excess peripheral pro-inflammatory mediators, some of which can cross the blood brain barrier, may trigger neuroinflammation, which subsequently exacerbates neurodegeneration. Insulin and IGF-1 resistance leads to weakening of neuroprotective signaling by these molecules and can contribute to onset of neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay J Spielman
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada
| | - Jonathan P Little
- School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada
| | - Andis Klegeris
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Biochemical and immunological aspects of protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. JOURNAL OF THE IRANIAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s13738-014-0491-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
|
33
|
Kucharska-Mazur J, Tarnowski M, Dołęgowska B, Budkowska M, Pędziwiatr D, Jabłoński M, Pełka-Wysiecka J, Kazimierczak A, Ratajczak MZ, Samochowiec J. Novel evidence for enhanced stem cell trafficking in antipsychotic-naïve subjects during their first psychotic episode. J Psychiatr Res 2014; 49:18-24. [PMID: 24246416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Revised: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we tested the novel hypothesis that stem cells and those factors that modulate their trafficking may be biological markers for acute psychosis. Twenty-eight subjects during their first nonaffective psychotic episode were investigated before and after antipsychotic treatment and were compared with 35 healthy controls (CG); the psychotic group (PG) was divided into "schizophrenic" (SG) and "non-schizophrenic" (NG) subgroups. We examined the number of circulating Lin(-)/CD45(-)/CD34(+) and Lin(-)/CD45(-)/CD133(+) very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs), which express markers of the neural lineage, and also the plasma levels of factors that modulate their trafficking: the C3a, C5a, and C5b-9 activated complement cascade components, stromal-derived factor 1, and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). We found that the mean numbers of Lin(-)/CD45(-)/CD34(+) VSELs and the plasma levels of S1P prior to treatment differ between the CG and PG and that these cells express markers of neural lineage. The number of Lin(-)/CD45(-)/CD133(+) VSELs in peripheral blood differed between the SG and NG prior to treatment. Using logistic regression analysis, we found that C3a and S1P are the best predictors of risk and are potential markers for the first psychotic episode. Furthermore, in the SG, the number of circulating Lin(-)/CD45(-)/CD34(+) VSELs and the S1P plasma level are the best predictors of risk and are proposed as novel markers for the first "schizophrenic" episode of psychosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Maciej Tarnowski
- Department of Physiology, Pomeranian University of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Barbara Dołęgowska
- Department of Medical Analytics, Pomeranian University of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Marta Budkowska
- Department of Medical Analytics, Pomeranian University of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Daniel Pędziwiatr
- Department of Physiology, Pomeranian University of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Marcin Jabłoński
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian University of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland
| | | | | | - Mariusz Z Ratajczak
- Department of Physiology, Pomeranian University of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland; Stem Cell Biology Program at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Jerzy Samochowiec
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian University of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Träger U, Andre R, Lahiri N, Magnusson-Lind A, Weiss A, Grueninger S, McKinnon C, Sirinathsinghji E, Kahlon S, Pfister EL, Moser R, Hummerich H, Antoniou M, Bates GP, Luthi-Carter R, Lowdell MW, Björkqvist M, Ostroff GR, Aronin N, Tabrizi SJ. HTT-lowering reverses Huntington's disease immune dysfunction caused by NFκB pathway dysregulation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 137:819-33. [PMID: 24459107 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awt355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene. The peripheral innate immune system contributes to Huntington's disease pathogenesis and has been targeted successfully to modulate disease progression, but mechanistic understanding relating this to mutant huntingtin expression in immune cells has been lacking. Here we demonstrate that human Huntington's disease myeloid cells produce excessive inflammatory cytokines as a result of the cell-intrinsic effects of mutant huntingtin expression. A direct effect of mutant huntingtin on the NFκB pathway, whereby it interacts with IKKγ, leads to increased degradation of IκB and subsequent nuclear translocation of RelA. Transcriptional alterations in intracellular immune signalling pathways are also observed. Using a novel method of small interfering RNA delivery to lower huntingtin expression, we show reversal of disease-associated alterations in cellular function-the first time this has been demonstrated in primary human cells. Glucan-encapsulated small interfering RNA particles were used to lower huntingtin levels in human Huntington's disease monocytes/macrophages, resulting in a reversal of huntingtin-induced elevated cytokine production and transcriptional changes. These findings improve our understanding of the role of innate immunity in neurodegeneration, introduce glucan-encapsulated small interfering RNA particles as tool for studying cellular pathogenesis ex vivo in human cells and raise the prospect of immune cell-directed HTT-lowering as a therapeutic in Huntington's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Träger
- 1 UCL Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Barker RA, de Beaufort I. Scientific and ethical issues related to stem cell research and interventions in neurodegenerative disorders of the brain. Prog Neurobiol 2013; 110:63-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2013.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2012] [Revised: 04/04/2013] [Accepted: 04/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
36
|
Diamanti D, Mori E, Incarnato D, Malusa F, Fondelli C, Magnoni L, Pollio G. Whole gene expression profile in blood reveals multiple pathways deregulation in R6/2 mouse model. Biomark Res 2013; 1:28. [PMID: 24252798 PMCID: PMC4177605 DOI: 10.1186/2050-7771-1-28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Huntington Disease (HD) is a progressive neurological disorder, with pathological manifestations in brain areas and in periphery caused by the ubiquitous expression of mutant Huntingtin protein. Transcriptional dysregulation is considered a key molecular mechanism responsible of HD pathogenesis but, although numerous studies investigated mRNA alterations in HD, so far none evaluated a whole gene expression profile in blood of R6/2 mouse model. Findings To discover novel pathogenic mechanisms and potential peripheral biomarkers useful to monitor disease progression or drug efficacy, a microarray study was performed in blood of R6/2 at manifest stage and wild type littermate mice. This approach allowed to propose new peripheral molecular processes involved in HD and to suggest different panels of candidate biomarkers. Among the discovered deregulated processes, we focused on specific ones: complement and coagulation cascades, PPAR signaling, cardiac muscle contraction, and dilated cardiomyopathy pathways. Selected genes derived from these pathways were additionally investigated in other accessible tissues to validate these matrices as source of biomarkers, and in brain, to link central and peripheral disease manifestations. Conclusions Our findings validated the skeletal muscle as suitable source to investigate peripheral transcriptional alterations in HD and supported the hypothesis that immunological alteration may contribute to neurological degeneration. Moreover, the identification of altered signaling in mouse blood enforce R6/2 transgenic mouse as a powerful HD model while suggesting novel disease biomarkers for pre-clinical investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Diamanti
- Siena Biotech S,p,A,, strada del Petriccio e Belriguardo, Siena 35, 53100, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Ellrichmann G, Reick C, Saft C, Linker RA. The role of the immune system in Huntington's disease. Clin Dev Immunol 2013; 2013:541259. [PMID: 23956761 PMCID: PMC3727178 DOI: 10.1155/2013/541259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by a progressive course of disease until death 15-20 years after the first symptoms occur and is caused by a mutation with expanded CAG repeats in the huntingtin (htt) protein. Mutant htt (mhtt) in the striatum is assumed to be the main reason for neurodegeneration. Knowledge about pathophysiology has rapidly improved discussing influences of excitotoxicity, mitochondrial damage, free radicals, and inflammatory mechanisms. Both innate and adaptive immune systems may play an important role in HD. Activation of microglia with expression of proinflammatory cytokines, impaired migration of macrophages, and deposition of complement factors in the striatum indicate an activation of the innate immune system. As part of the adaptive immune system, dendritic cells (DCs) prime T-cell responses secreting inflammatory mediators. In HD, DCs may contain mhtt which brings the adaptive immune system into the focus of interest. These data underline an increasing interest in the peripheral immune system for pathomechanisms of HD. It is still unclear if neuroinflammation is a reactive process or if there is an active influence on disease progression. Further understanding the influence of inflammation in HD using mouse models may open various avenues for promising therapeutic approaches aiming at slowing disease progression or forestalling onset of disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gisa Ellrichmann
- Department of Neurology, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Ghasemi R, Dargahi L, Haeri A, Moosavi M, Mohamed Z, Ahmadiani A. Brain insulin dysregulation: implication for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 47:1045-65. [PMID: 23335160 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8404-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2012] [Accepted: 01/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Arduous efforts have been made in the last three decades to elucidate the role of insulin in the brain. A growing number of evidences show that insulin is involved in several physiological function of the brain such as food intake and weight control, reproduction, learning and memory, neuromodulation and neuroprotection. In addition, it is now clear that insulin and insulin disturbances particularly diabetes mellitus may contribute or in some cases play the main role in development and progression of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Focusing on the molecular mechanisms, this review summarizes the recent findings on the involvement of insulin dysfunction in neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease and also mental disorders like depression and psychosis sharing features of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rasoul Ghasemi
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Physiology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Gonzalez-Perez O, Gutierrez-Fernandez F, Lopez-Virgen V, Collas-Aguilar J, Quinones-Hinojosa A, Garcia-Verdugo JM. Immunological regulation of neurogenic niches in the adult brain. Neuroscience 2012; 226:270-81. [PMID: 22986164 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.08.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2012] [Revised: 08/27/2012] [Accepted: 08/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis are germinal processes that occur in the adult brain throughout life. The subventricular zone (SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ) are the main neurogenic regions in the adult brain. Therein, resides a subpopulation of astrocytes that act as neural stem cells (NSCs). Increasing evidence indicates that pro-inflammatory and other immunological mediators are important regulators of neural precursors into the SVZ and the SGZ. There are a number of inflammatory cytokines that regulate the function of NSCs. Some of the most studied include: interleukin-1, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, insulin-like growth factor-1, growth-regulated oncogene-alpha, leukemia inhibitory factor, cardiotrophin-1, ciliary neurotrophic factor, interferon-gamma, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha. This plethora of immunological mediators can control the migration, proliferation, quiescence, cell-fate choices and survival of NSCs and their progeny. Thus, systemic or local inflammatory processes represent important regulators of germinal niches in the adult brain. In this review, we summarized the current evidence regarding the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in the regulation of adult NSCs under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Additionally, we described the role of proinflammatory cytokines in neurodegenerative diseases and some therapeutical approaches for the immunomodulation of neural progenitor cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- O Gonzalez-Perez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad de Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
An in vitro perspective on the molecular mechanisms underlying mutant huntingtin protein toxicity. Cell Death Dis 2012; 3:e382. [PMID: 22932724 PMCID: PMC3434668 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2012.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder whose main hallmark is brain atrophy. However, several peripheral organs are considerably affected and their symptoms may, in fact, manifest before those resulting from brain pathology. HD is of genetic origin and caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene. The mutated protein has detrimental effects on cell survival, but whether the mutation leads to a gain of toxic function or a loss of function of the altered protein is still highly controversial. Most currently used in vitro models have been designed, to a large extent, to investigate the effects of the aggregation process in neuronal-like cells. However, as the pathology involves several other organs, new in vitro models are critically needed to take into account the deleterious effects of mutant huntingtin in peripheral tissues, and thus to identify new targets that could lead to more effective clinical interventions in the early course of the disease. This review aims to present current in vitro models of HD pathology and to discuss the knowledge that has been gained from these studies as well as the new in vitro tools that have been developed, which should reflect the more global view that we now have of the disease.
Collapse
|
41
|
Klomp JA, Furge KA. Genome-wide matching of genes to cellular roles using guilt-by-association models derived from single sample analysis. BMC Res Notes 2012; 5:370. [PMID: 22824328 PMCID: PMC3599284 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 07/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High-throughput methods that ascribe a cellular or physiological function for each gene product are useful to understand the roles of genes that have not been extensively characterized by molecular or genetic approaches. One method to infer gene function is "guilt-by-association", in which the expression pattern of a poorly characterized gene is shown to co-vary with the expression of better-characterized genes. The function of the poorly characterized gene is inferred from the known function(s) of the well-described genes. For example, genes co-expressed with transcripts that vary during the cell cycle, development, environmental stresses, and with oncogenesis have been implicated in those processes. Findings While examining the expression characteristics of several poorly characterized genes, we noted that we could associate each of the genes with a cellular phenotype by correlating individual gene expression changes with gene set enrichment scores from individual samples. We evaluated the effectiveness of this approach using a modest sized gene expression data set (expO) and a compendium of gene expression phenotypes (MSigDBv3.0). We found the transcripts that correlated best with enrichment in mitochondrial and lysosomal gene sets were mostly related to those processes (89/100 and 44/50, respectively). The reciprocal evaluation, ranking gene sets according to correlation of enrichment with an individual gene’s expression, also reflected known associations for prominent genes in the biomedical literature (16/19). In evaluating the model, we also found that 4% of the genome encodes proteins that are associated with small molecule and small peptide signal transduction gene sets, implicating a large number of genes in both internal and external environmental sensing. Conclusions Our results show that this approach is useful to infer functions of disparate sets of genes. This method mirrors the biological experimental approaches used by others to associate individual genes with defined gene expression changes. Moreover, the approach can be used beyond discovering genes related to a cellular process to discover meaningful expression phenotypes from a compendium that are associated with a given gene. The effectiveness, versatility, and breadth of this approach make possible its application in a variety of contexts and with a variety of downstream analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeff A Klomp
- Center for Cancer Genomics and Computational Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Barker RA, Cicchetti F. Current understanding of the glial response to disorders of the aging CNS. Front Pharmacol 2012; 3:95. [PMID: 22654755 PMCID: PMC3361074 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2012.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2012] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this special issue of Frontiers in Pharmacology, we have asked leading experts to comment and review the evidence that inflammatory cells play a leading role in the pathological processes underlying neurodegenerative disorders. We now seek to draw these various observations together into a conclusion, with the hope that this will inform further work in this area and result in the identification of new therapeutic targets that will have a disease modifying effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roger A Barker
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Bone marrow transplantation confers modest benefits in mouse models of Huntington's disease. J Neurosci 2012; 32:133-42. [PMID: 22219276 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4846-11.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an expanded polyglutamine tract in the protein huntingtin (htt). Although HD has historically been viewed as a brain-specific disease, htt is expressed ubiquitously, and recent studies indicate that mutant htt might cause changes to the immune system that could contribute to pathogenesis. Monocytes from HD patients and mouse models are hyperactive in response to stimulation, and increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are found in pre-manifest patients that correlate with pathogenesis. In this study, wild-type (WT) bone marrow cells were transplanted into two lethally irradiated transgenic mouse models of HD that ubiquitously express full-length htt (YAC128 and BACHD mice). Bone marrow transplantation partially attenuated hypokinetic and motor deficits in HD mice. Increased levels of synapses in the cortex were found in HD mice that received bone marrow transplants. Importantly, serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-10, CXC chemokine ligand 1, and interferon-γ were significantly higher in HD than WT mice but were normalized in mice that received a bone marrow transplant. These results suggest that immune cell dysfunction might be an important modifier of pathogenesis in HD.
Collapse
|