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Almeida RA, Ferreira CG, Matos VUS, Nogueira JM, Braga MP, Caldi Gomes L, Jorge EC, Soriani FM, Michel U, Ribas VT. AAV-Mediated Expression of miR-17 Enhances Neurite and Axon Regeneration In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9057. [PMID: 39201743 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25169057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders, including traumatic injuries to the central nervous system (CNS) and neurodegenerative diseases, are characterized by early axonal damage, which does not regenerate in the adult mammalian CNS, leading to permanent neurological deficits. One of the primary causes of the loss of regenerative ability is thought to be a developmental decline in neurons' intrinsic capability for axon growth. Different molecules are involved in the developmental loss of the ability for axon regeneration, including many transcription factors. However, the function of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are also modulators of gene expression, in axon re-growth is still unclear. Among the various miRNAs recently identified with roles in the CNS, miR-17, which is highly expressed during early development, emerges as a promising target to promote axon regeneration. Here, we used adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors to overexpress miR-17 (AAV.miR-17) in primary cortical neurons and evaluate its effects on neurite and axon regeneration in vitro. Although AAV.miR-17 had no significant effect on neurite outgrowth and arborization, it significantly enhances neurite regeneration after scratch lesion and axon regeneration after axotomy of neurons cultured in microfluidic chambers. Target prediction and functional annotation analyses suggest that miR-17 regulates gene expression associated with autophagy and cell metabolism. Our findings suggest that miR-17 promotes regenerative response and thus could mitigate neurodegenerative effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Alves Almeida
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31279-901, Brazil
| | - Carolina Gomes Ferreira
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31279-901, Brazil
| | - Victor Ulysses Souza Matos
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31279-901, Brazil
| | - Julia Meireles Nogueira
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31279-901, Brazil
| | - Marina Pimenta Braga
- Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31279-901, Brazil
| | - Lucas Caldi Gomes
- Clinical Department of Neurology, TUM School of Medicine, Rechts der Isar Hospital, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Erika Cristina Jorge
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31279-901, Brazil
| | - Frederico Marianetti Soriani
- Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31279-901, Brazil
| | - Uwe Michel
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Vinicius Toledo Ribas
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31279-901, Brazil
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Kim HN, McCrea MR, Li S. Advances in molecular therapies for targeting pathophysiology in spinal cord injury. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023; 27:171-187. [PMID: 37017093 PMCID: PMC10148912 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2194532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects 25,000-50,000 people around the world each year and there is no cure for SCI patients currently. The primary injury damages spinal cord tissues and secondary injury mechanisms, including ischemia, apoptosis, inflammation, and astrogliosis, further exacerbate the lesions to the spinal cord. Recently, researchers have designed various therapeutic approaches for SCI by targeting its major cellular or molecular pathophysiology. AREAS COVERED Some strategies have shown promise in repairing injured spinal cord for functional recoveries, such as administering neuroprotective reagents, targeting specific genes to promote robust axon regeneration of disconnected spinal fiber tracts, targeting epigenetic factors to enhance cell survival and neural repair, and facilitating neuronal relay pathways and neuroplasticity for restoration of function after SCI. This review focuses on the major advances in preclinical molecular therapies for SCI reported in recent years. EXPERT OPINION Recent progress in developing novel and effective repairing strategies for SCI is encouraging, but many challenges remain for future design of effective treatments, including developing highly effective neuroprotectants for early interventions, stimulating robust neuronal regeneration with functional synaptic reconnections among disconnected neurons, maximizing the recovery of lost neural functions with combination strategies, and translating the most promising therapies into human use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Neui Kim
- Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center, Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Madeline R. McCrea
- Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center, Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Shuxin Li
- Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center, Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
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Function and regulation of ULK1: From physiology to pathology. Gene 2022; 840:146772. [PMID: 35905845 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The expression of ULK1, a core protein of autophagy, is closely related to autophagic activity. Numerous studies have shown that pathological abnormal expression of ULK1 is associated with various human diseases such as neurological disorders, infections, cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases and cancers. In addition, new advances in the regulation of ULK1 have been identified. Furthermore, targeting ULK1 as a therapeutic strategy for diseases is gaining attention as new corresponding activators or inhibitors are being developed. In this review, we describe the structure and regulation of ULK1 as well as the current targeted activators and inhibitors. Moreover, we highlight the pathological disorders of ULK1 expression and its critical role in human diseases.
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Zou L, Liao M, Zhen Y, Zhu S, Chen X, Zhang J, Hao Y, Liu B. Autophagy and beyond: Unraveling the complexity of UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) from biological functions to therapeutic implications. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:3743-3782. [PMID: 36213540 PMCID: PMC9532564 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), as a serine/threonine kinase, is an autophagic initiator in mammals and a homologous protein of autophagy related protein (Atg) 1 in yeast and of UNC-51 in Caenorhabditis elegans. ULK1 is well-known for autophagy activation, which is evolutionarily conserved in protein transport and indispensable to maintain cell homeostasis. As the direct target of energy and nutrition-sensing kinase, ULK1 may contribute to the distribution and utilization of cellular resources in response to metabolism and is closely associated with multiple pathophysiological processes. Moreover, ULK1 has been widely reported to play a crucial role in human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, and infections, and subsequently targeted small-molecule inhibitors or activators are also demonstrated. Interestingly, the non-autophagy function of ULK1 has been emerging, indicating that non-autophagy-relevant ULK1 signaling network is also linked with diseases under some specific contexts. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the structure and functions of ULK1 as an autophagic initiator, with a focus on some new approaches, and further elucidated the key roles of ULK1 in autophagy and non-autophagy. Additionally, we also discussed the relationships between ULK1 and human diseases, as well as illustrated a rapid progress for better understanding of the discovery of more candidate small-molecule drugs targeting ULK1, which will provide a clue on novel ULK1-targeted therapeutics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Zou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Minru Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yongqi Zhen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Shiou Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiya Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
| | - Yue Hao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
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Liu C, Gao W, Zhao L, Cao Y. Progesterone attenuates neurological deficits and exerts a protective effect on damaged axons via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR-dependent pathway in a mouse model of intracerebral hemorrhage. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:2574-2589. [PMID: 35305084 PMCID: PMC9004566 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating event with high disability and fatality rates. However, there is a lack of effective treatments for this condition. We aimed to investigate the neuroprotective and axonal regenerative effects of progesterone after ICH. For this purpose, an ICH model was established in adult mice by injecting type VII collagenase into the striatum; the mice were then treated with progesterone (8 mg/kg). Hematoma absorption, neurological scores, and brain water content were evaluated on days one, three, and seven after the ICH. The effect of progesterone on inflammation and axonal regeneration was examined on day three after the ICH using western blotting, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, as well as hematoxylin-eosin, Nissl, and Luxol fast blue staining. In addition, we combined progesterone with the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/serine/threonine-specific protein kinase (PI3K/AKT) inhibitor, LY294002, to explore its potential neuroprotective mechanisms. Administration of progesterone attenuated the neurological deficits and expression of inflammatory cytokines and promoted axonal regeneration after ICH, this effect was blocked by LY294002. Collectively, these results suggest that progesterone could reduce axonal damage and produced partial neuroprotective effects after ICH through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, providing a new therapeutic target and basis for the treatment of ICH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Medical School, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Weina Gao
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Affiliated Chengdu 363 Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Long Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637002, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Yi Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chengdu Second People's Hospital, Chengdu 610021, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
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