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Hamilton HL, Akther M, Anis S, Colwell CB, Vargas MR, Pehar M. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Precursor Supplementation Modulates Neurite Complexity and Survival in Motor Neurons from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Models. Antioxid Redox Signal 2024; 41:573-589. [PMID: 38504592 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2023.0360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Aims: Increasing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) availability has been proposed as a therapeutic approach to prevent neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Accordingly, NAD+ precursor supplementation appears to exert neuroprotective effects in ALS patients and mouse models. The mechanisms mediating neuroprotection remain uncertain but could involve changes in multiple cell types. We investigated a potential direct effect of the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) on the health of cultured induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived human motor neurons and in motor neurons isolated from two ALS mouse models, that is, mice overexpressing wild-type transactive response DNA binding protein-43 (TDP-43) or the ALS-linked human superoxide dismutase 1 with the G93A mutation (hSOD1G93A). Results: NMN treatment increased the complexity of neuronal processes in motor neurons isolated from both mouse models and in iPSC-derived human motor neurons. In addition, NMN prevented neuronal death induced by trophic factor deprivation. In mouse and human motor neurons expressing ALS-linked mutant superoxide dismutase 1, NMN induced an increase in glutathione levels, but this effect was not observed in nontransgenic or TDP-43 overexpressing motor neurons. In contrast, NMN treatment normalized the TDP-43 cytoplasmic mislocalization induced by its overexpression. Innovation: NMN can directly act on motor neurons to increase the growth and complexity of neuronal processes and prevent the death induced by trophic factor deprivation. Conclusion: Our results support a direct beneficial effect of NAD+ precursor supplementation on the maintenance of the neuritic arbor in motor neurons. Importantly, this was observed in motor neurons isolated from two different ALS models, with and without involvement of TDP-43 pathology, supporting its therapeutic potential in sporadic and familial ALS. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 41, 573-589.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haylee L Hamilton
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mahbuba Akther
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Shaheer Anis
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Christopher B Colwell
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Marcelo R Vargas
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mariana Pehar
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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2
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Fogarty MJ, Drieberg-Thompson JR, Bellingham MC, Noakes PG. Timeline of hypoglossal motor neuron death and intrinsic tongue muscle denervation in high-copy number SOD1 G93A mice. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1422943. [PMID: 39119557 PMCID: PMC11306148 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1422943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) postmortem tissue and the SOD1 mouse model at mid-disease, death of hypoglossal motor neurons (XII MNs) is evident. These XII MNs innervate the intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles, and despite their importance in many oral and lingual motor behaviours that are affected by ALS (e.g., swallowing, speech, and respiratory functions), little is known about the timing and extent of tongue muscle denervation. Here in the well-characterised SOD1G93A (high-copy) mouse model, we evaluated XII MN numbers and intrinsic tongue muscle innervation using standard histopathological approaches, which included stereological evaluation of Nissl-stained brainstem, and the presynaptic and postsynaptic evaluation of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), using synapsin, neurofilament, and α-bungarotoxin immunolabelling, at presymptomatic, onset, mid-disease, and endstage timepoints. We found that reduction in XII MN size at onset preceded reduced XII MN survival, while the denervation of tongue muscle did not appear until the endstage. Our study suggests that denervation-induced weakness may not be the most pertinent feature of orolingual deficits in ALS. Efforts to preserve oral and respiratory functions of XII MNs are incredibly important if we are to influence patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Fogarty
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- School of Biomedical Sciences, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | - Peter G. Noakes
- School of Biomedical Sciences, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Queensland Brain Institute, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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3
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Limone F, Mordes DA, Couto A, Joseph BJ, Mitchell JM, Therrien M, Ghosh SD, Meyer D, Zhang Y, Goldman M, Bortolin L, Cobos I, Stevens B, McCarroll SA, Kadiu I, Burberry A, Pietiläinen O, Eggan K. Single-nucleus sequencing reveals enriched expression of genetic risk factors in extratelencephalic neurons sensitive to degeneration in ALS. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:984-997. [PMID: 38907103 PMCID: PMC11257952 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00640-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of motor function linked to degenerating extratelencephalic neurons/Betz cells (ETNs). The reasons why these neurons are selectively affected remain unclear. Here, to understand the unique molecular properties that may sensitize ETNs to ALS, we performed RNA sequencing of 79,169 single nuclei from cortices of patients and controls. In both patients and unaffected individuals, we found significantly higher expression of ALS risk genes in THY1+ ETNs, regardless of diagnosis. In patients, this was accompanied by the induction of genes involved in protein homeostasis and stress responses that were significantly induced in a wide collection of ETNs. Examination of oligodendroglial and microglial nuclei revealed patient-specific downregulation of myelinating genes in oligodendrocytes and upregulation of an endolysosomal reactive state in microglia. Our findings suggest that selective vulnerability of extratelencephalic neurons is partly connected to their intrinsic molecular properties sensitizing them to genetics and mechanisms of degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Limone
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Daniel A Mordes
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Couto
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Brian J Joseph
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jana M Mitchell
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Martine Therrien
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sulagna Dia Ghosh
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Meyer
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Melissa Goldman
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura Bortolin
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Inma Cobos
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Beth Stevens
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steven A McCarroll
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irena Kadiu
- Neuroinflammation Focus Area, UCB Pharma, Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - Aaron Burberry
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Olli Pietiläinen
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kevin Eggan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Salzinger A, Ramesh V, Das Sharma S, Chandran S, Thangaraj Selvaraj B. Neuronal Circuit Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2024; 13:792. [PMID: 38786016 PMCID: PMC11120636 DOI: 10.3390/cells13100792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The primary neural circuit affected in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients is the corticospinal motor circuit, originating in upper motor neurons (UMNs) in the cerebral motor cortex which descend to synapse with the lower motor neurons (LMNs) in the spinal cord to ultimately innervate the skeletal muscle. Perturbation of these neural circuits and consequent loss of both UMNs and LMNs, leading to muscle wastage and impaired movement, is the key pathophysiology observed. Despite decades of research, we are still lacking in ALS disease-modifying treatments. In this review, we document the current research from patient studies, rodent models, and human stem cell models in understanding the mechanisms of corticomotor circuit dysfunction and its implication in ALS. We summarize the current knowledge about cortical UMN dysfunction and degeneration, altered excitability in LMNs, neuromuscular junction degeneration, and the non-cell autonomous role of glial cells in motor circuit dysfunction in relation to ALS. We further highlight the advances in human stem cell technology to model the complex neural circuitry and how these can aid in future studies to better understand the mechanisms of neural circuit dysfunction underpinning ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Salzinger
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Vidya Ramesh
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Shreya Das Sharma
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Siddharthan Chandran
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic (ARRNC), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Bhuvaneish Thangaraj Selvaraj
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic (ARRNC), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
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5
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Broce IJ, Sirkis DW, Nillo RM, Bonham LW, Lee SE, Miller BL, Castruita PA, Sturm VE, Sugrue LS, Desikan RS, Yokoyama JS. C9orf72 gene networks in the human brain correlate with cortical thickness in C9-FTD and implicate vulnerable cell types. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1258996. [PMID: 38469573 PMCID: PMC10925697 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1258996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction A hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) intronic to chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) is recognized as the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and ALS-FTD. Identifying genes that show similar regional co-expression patterns to C9orf72 may help identify novel gene targets and biological mechanisms that mediate selective vulnerability to ALS and FTD pathogenesis. Methods We leveraged mRNA expression data in healthy brain from the Allen Human Brain Atlas to evaluate C9orf72 co-expression patterns. To do this, we correlated average C9orf72 expression values in 51 regions across different anatomical divisions (cortex, subcortex, and cerebellum) with average gene expression values for 15,633 protein-coding genes, including 54 genes known to be associated with ALS, FTD, or ALS-FTD. We then performed imaging transcriptomic analyses to evaluate whether the identified C9orf72 co-expressed genes correlated with patterns of cortical thickness in symptomatic C9orf72 pathogenic HRE carriers (n = 19) compared to controls (n = 23). Lastly, we explored whether genes with significant C9orf72 imaging transcriptomic correlations (i.e., "C9orf72 imaging transcriptomic network") were enriched in specific cell populations in the brain and enriched for specific biological and molecular pathways. Results A total of 2,120 genes showed an anatomical distribution of gene expression in the brain similar to C9orf72 and significantly correlated with patterns of cortical thickness in C9orf72 HRE carriers. This C9orf72 imaging transcriptomic network was differentially expressed in cell populations previously implicated in ALS and FTD, including layer 5b cells, cholinergic neurons in the spinal cord and brainstem and medium spiny neurons of the striatum, and was enriched for biological and molecular pathways associated with protein ubiquitination, autophagy, cellular response to DNA damage, endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi vesicle-mediated transport, among others. Conclusion Considered together, we identified a network of C9orf72 associated genes that may influence selective regional and cell-type-specific vulnerabilities in ALS/FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris J. Broce
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Daniel W. Sirkis
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Ryan M. Nillo
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Luke W. Bonham
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Suzee E. Lee
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Bruce L. Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Patricia A. Castruita
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Virginia E. Sturm
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Leo S. Sugrue
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Rahul S. Desikan
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jennifer S. Yokoyama
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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6
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Dey B, Kumar A, Patel AB. Pathomechanistic Networks of Motor System Injury in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1778-1806. [PMID: 37622689 PMCID: PMC11284732 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230824091601] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is the most common, adult-onset, progressive motor neurodegenerative disorder that results in death within 3 years of the clinical diagnosis. Due to the clinicopathological heterogeneity, any reliable biomarkers for diagnosis or prognosis of ALS have not been identified till date. Moreover, the only three clinically approved treatments are not uniformly effective in slowing the disease progression. Over the last 15 years, there has been a rapid advancement in research on the complex pathomechanistic landscape of ALS that has opened up new avenues for successful clinical translation of targeted therapeutics. Multiple studies suggest that the age-dependent interaction of risk-associated genes with environmental factors and endogenous modifiers is critical to the multi-step process of ALS pathogenesis. In this review, we provide an updated discussion on the dysregulated cross-talk between intracellular homeostasis processes, the unique molecular networks across selectively vulnerable cell types, and the multisystemic nature of ALS pathomechanisms. Importantly, this work highlights the alteration in epigenetic and epitranscriptomic landscape due to gene-environment interactions, which have been largely overlooked in the context of ALS pathology. Finally, we suggest that precision medicine research in ALS will be largely benefitted from the stratification of patient groups based on the clinical phenotype, onset and progression, genome, exposome, and metabolic identities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bedaballi Dey
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India
- AcSIR-Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Arvind Kumar
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India
- AcSIR-Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anant Bahadur Patel
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India
- AcSIR-Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India
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7
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Nolan M, Scott C, Hof PR, Ansorge O. Betz cells of the primary motor cortex. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25567. [PMID: 38289193 PMCID: PMC10952528 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25567] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Betz cells, named in honor of Volodymyr Betz (1834-1894), who described them as "giant pyramids" in the primary motor cortex of primates and other mammalian species, are layer V extratelencephalic projection (ETP) neurons that directly innervate α-motoneurons of the brainstem and spinal cord. Despite their large volume and circumferential dendritic architecture, to date, no single molecular criterion has been established that unequivocally distinguishes adult Betz cells from other layer V ETP neurons. In primates, transcriptional signatures suggest the presence of at least two ETP neuron clusters that contain mature Betz cells; these are characterized by an abundance of axon guidance and oxidative phosphorylation transcripts. How neurodevelopmental programs drive the distinct positional and morphological features of Betz cells in humans remains unknown. Betz cells display a distinct biphasic firing pattern involving early cessation of firing followed by delayed sustained acceleration in spike frequency and magnitude. Few cell type-specific transcripts and electrophysiological characteristics are conserved between rodent layer V ETP neurons of the motor cortex and primate Betz cells. This has implications for the modeling of disorders that affect the motor cortex in humans, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Perhaps vulnerability to ALS is linked to the evolution of neural networks for fine motor control reflected in the distinct morphomolecular architecture of the human motor cortex, including Betz cells. Here, we discuss histological, molecular, and functional data concerning the position of Betz cells in the emerging taxonomy of neurons across diverse species and their role in neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Nolan
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Connor Scott
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Patrick. R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain InstituteIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Olaf Ansorge
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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Pelaez MC, Desmeules A, Gelon PA, Glasson B, Marcadet L, Rodgers A, Phaneuf D, Pozzi S, Dutchak PA, Julien JP, Sephton CF. Neuronal dysfunction caused by FUSR521G promotes ALS-associated phenotypes that are attenuated by NF-κB inhibition. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:182. [PMID: 37974279 PMCID: PMC10652582 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01671-1] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are related neurodegenerative diseases that belong to a common disease spectrum based on overlapping clinical, pathological and genetic evidence. Early pathological changes to the morphology and synapses of affected neuron populations in ALS/FTD suggest a common underlying mechanism of disease that requires further investigation. Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a DNA/RNA-binding protein with known genetic and pathological links to ALS/FTD. Expression of ALS-linked FUS mutants in mice causes cognitive and motor defects, which correlate with loss of motor neuron dendritic branching and synapses, in addition to other pathological features of ALS/FTD. The role of ALS-linked FUS mutants in causing ALS/FTD-associated disease phenotypes is well established, but there are significant gaps in our understanding of the cell-autonomous role of FUS in promoting structural changes to motor neurons, and how these changes relate to disease progression. Here we generated a neuron-specific FUS-transgenic mouse model expressing the ALS-linked human FUSR521G variant, hFUSR521G/Syn1, to investigate the cell-autonomous role of FUSR521G in causing loss of dendritic branching and synapses of motor neurons, and to understand how these changes relate to ALS-associated phenotypes. Longitudinal analysis of mice revealed that cognitive impairments in juvenile hFUSR521G/Syn1 mice coincide with reduced dendritic branching of cortical motor neurons in the absence of motor impairments or changes in the neuromorphology of spinal motor neurons. Motor impairments and dendritic attrition of spinal motor neurons developed later in aged hFUSR521G/Syn1 mice, along with FUS cytoplasmic mislocalisation, mitochondrial abnormalities and glial activation. Neuroinflammation promotes neuronal dysfunction and drives disease progression in ALS/FTD. The therapeutic effects of inhibiting the pro-inflammatory nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway with an analog of Withaferin A, IMS-088, were assessed in symptomatic hFUSR521G/Syn1 mice and were found to improve cognitive and motor function, increase dendritic branches and synapses of motor neurons, and attenuate other ALS/FTD-associated pathological features. Treatment of primary cortical neurons expressing FUSR521G with IMS-088 promoted the restoration of dendritic mitochondrial numbers and mitochondrial activity to wild-type levels, suggesting that inhibition of NF-κB permits the restoration of mitochondrial stasis in our models. Collectively, this work demonstrates that FUSR521G has a cell-autonomous role in causing early pathological changes to dendritic and synaptic structures of motor neurons, and that these changes precede motor defects and other well-known pathological features of ALS/FTD. Finally, these findings provide further support that modulation of the NF-κB pathway in ALS/FTD is an important therapeutic approach to attenuate disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Carmen Pelaez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Antoine Desmeules
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Pauline A Gelon
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Bastien Glasson
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Laetitia Marcadet
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Alicia Rodgers
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel Phaneuf
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Silvia Pozzi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Paul A Dutchak
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Julien
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Chantelle F Sephton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
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9
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Li J, Jaiswal MK, Chien JF, Kozlenkov A, Jung J, Zhou P, Gardashli M, Pregent LJ, Engelberg-Cook E, Dickson DW, Belzil VV, Mukamel EA, Dracheva S. Divergent single cell transcriptome and epigenome alterations in ALS and FTD patients with C9orf72 mutation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5714. [PMID: 37714849 PMCID: PMC10504300 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41033-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A repeat expansion in the C9orf72 (C9) gene is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here we investigate single nucleus transcriptomics (snRNA-seq) and epigenomics (snATAC-seq) in postmortem motor and frontal cortices from C9-ALS, C9-FTD, and control donors. C9-ALS donors present pervasive alterations of gene expression with concordant changes in chromatin accessibility and histone modifications. The greatest alterations occur in upper and deep layer excitatory neurons, as well as in astrocytes. In neurons, the changes imply an increase in proteostasis, metabolism, and protein expression pathways, alongside a decrease in neuronal function. In astrocytes, the alterations suggest activation and structural remodeling. Conversely, C9-FTD donors have fewer high-quality neuronal nuclei in the frontal cortex and numerous gene expression changes in glial cells. These findings highlight a context-dependent molecular disruption in C9-ALS and C9-FTD, indicating unique effects across cell types, brain regions, and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Li
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, US
| | - Manoj K Jaiswal
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US
| | - Jo-Fan Chien
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, US
| | - Alexey Kozlenkov
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US
| | - Jinyoung Jung
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US
| | - Ping Zhou
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US
| | | | - Luc J Pregent
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, US
| | | | - Dennis W Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, US
| | | | - Eran A Mukamel
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, US.
| | - Stella Dracheva
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US.
- Research & Development and VISN2 MIREC, James J, Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10468, US.
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10
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Broce IJ, Sirkis DW, Nillo RM, Bonham LW, Lee SE, Miller B, Castruita P, Sturm VE, Sugrue LS, Desikan RS, Yokoyama JS. C9orf72 gene networks in the human brain correlate with cortical thickness in C9-FTD and implicate vulnerable cell types. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.17.549377. [PMID: 37503230 PMCID: PMC10370095 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.17.549377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Introduction A hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) intronic to chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) is recognized as the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and ALS-FTD. Identifying genes that show similar regional co-expression patterns to C9orf72 may help identify novel gene targets and biological mechanisms that mediate selective vulnerability to ALS and FTD pathogenesis. Methods We leveraged mRNA expression data in healthy brain from the Allen Human Brain Atlas to evaluate C9orf72 co-expression patterns. To do this, we correlated average C9orf72 expression values in 51 regions across different anatomical divisions (cortex, subcortex, cerebellum) with average gene expression values for 15,633 protein-coding genes, including 50 genes known to be associated with ALS, FTD, or ALS-FTD. We then evaluated whether the identified C9orf72 co-expressed genes correlated with patterns of cortical thickness in symptomatic C9orf72 pathogenic HRE carriers (n=19). Lastly, we explored whether genes with significant C9orf72 radiogenomic correlations (i.e., 'C9orf72 gene network') were enriched in specific cell populations in the brain and enriched for specific biological and molecular pathways. Results A total of 1,748 genes showed an anatomical distribution of gene expression in the brain similar to C9orf72 and significantly correlated with patterns of cortical thickness in C9orf72 HRE carriers. This C9orf72 gene network was differentially expressed in cell populations previously implicated in ALS and FTD, including layer 5b cells, cholinergic motor neurons in the spinal cord, and medium spiny neurons of the striatum, and was enriched for biological and molecular pathways associated with multiple neurotransmitter systems, protein ubiquitination, autophagy, and MAPK signaling, among others. Conclusions Considered together, we identified a network of C9orf72-associated genes that may influence selective regional and cell-type-specific vulnerabilities in ALS/FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris J. Broce
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Daniel W. Sirkis
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Ryan M. Nillo
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Luke W. Bonham
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Suzee E. Lee
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Bruce Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Patricia Castruita
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Virginia E. Sturm
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Leo S. Sugrue
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Rahul S. Desikan
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jennifer S. Yokoyama
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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11
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Genç B, Nho B, Seung H, Helmold B, Park H, Gözütok Ö, Kim S, Park J, Ye S, Lee H, Lee N, Yu SS, Kim S, Lee J, Özdinler H. Novel rAAV vector mediated intrathecal HGF delivery has an impact on neuroimmune modulation in the ALS motor cortex with TDP-43 pathology. Gene Ther 2023; 30:560-574. [PMID: 36823441 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-023-00383-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-based gene therapies offer an immense opportunity for rare diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is defined by the loss of the upper and the lower motor neurons. Here, we describe generation, characterization, and utilization of a novel vector system, which enables expression of the active form of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) under EF-1α promoter with bovine growth hormone (bGH) poly(A) sequence and is effective with intrathecal injections. HGF's role in promoting motor neuron survival had been vastly reported. Therefore, we investigated whether intrathecal delivery of HGF would have an impact on one of the most common pathologies of ALS: the TDP-43 pathology. Increased astrogliosis, microgliosis and progressive upper motor neuron loss are important consequences of ALS in the motor cortex with TDP-43 pathology. We find that cortex can be modulated via intrathecal injection, and that expression of HGF reduces astrogliosis, microgliosis in the motor cortex, and help restore ongoing UMN degeneration. Our findings not only introduce a novel viral vector for the treatment of ALS, but also demonstrate modulation of motor cortex by intrathecal viral delivery, and that HGF treatment is effective in reducing astrogliosis and microgliosis in the motor cortex of ALS with TDP-43 pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barış Genç
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Boram Nho
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Hana Seung
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Benjamin Helmold
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Huiwon Park
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Öge Gözütok
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Seunghyun Kim
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinil Park
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyun Ye
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Haneul Lee
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Nayeon Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Shin Yu
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunyoung Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Junghun Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hande Özdinler
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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12
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Cavarsan CF, Steele PR, Genry LT, Reedich EJ, McCane LM, LaPre KJ, Puritz AC, Manuel M, Katenka N, Quinlan KA. Inhibitory interneurons show early dysfunction in a SOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Physiol 2023; 601:647-667. [PMID: 36515374 PMCID: PMC9898203 DOI: 10.1113/jp284192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Few studies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) measure effects of the disease on inhibitory interneurons synapsing onto motoneurons (MNs). However, inhibitory interneurons could contribute to dysfunction, particularly if altered before MN neuropathology, and establish a long-term imbalance of inhibition/excitation. We directly assessed excitability and morphology of glycinergic (GlyT2 expressing) ventral lumbar interneurons from SOD1G93AGlyT2eGFP (SOD1) and wild-type GlyT2eGFP (WT) mice on postnatal days 6-10. Patch clamp revealed dampened excitability in SOD1 interneurons, including depolarized persistent inward currents (PICs), increased voltage and current threshold for firing action potentials, along with a marginal decrease in afterhyperpolarization duration. Primary neurites of ventral SOD1 inhibitory interneurons were larger in volume and surface area than WT. GlyT2 interneurons were then divided into three subgroups based on location: (1) interneurons within 100 μm of the ventral white matter, where Renshaw cells (RCs) are located, (2) interneurons interspersed with MNs in lamina IX, and (3) interneurons in the intermediate ventral area including laminae VII and VIII. Ventral interneurons in the RC area were the most profoundly affected, exhibiting more depolarized PICs and larger primary neurites. Interneurons in lamina IX had depolarized PIC onset. In lamina VII-VIII, interneurons were least affected. In summary, inhibitory interneurons show very early region-specific perturbations poised to impact excitatory/inhibitory balance of MNs, modify motor output and provide early biomarkers of ALS. Therapeutics like riluzole that universally reduce CNS excitability could exacerbate the inhibitory dysfunction described here. KEY POINTS: Spinal inhibitory interneurons could contribute to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology, but their excitability has never been directly measured. We studied the excitability and morphology of glycinergic interneurons in early postnatal transgenic mice (SOD1G93A GlyT2eGFP). Interneurons were less excitable and had marginally smaller somas but larger primary neurites in SOD1 mice. GlyT2 interneurons were analysed according to their localization within the ventral spinal cord. Interestingly, the greatest differences were observed in the most ventrally located interneurons. We conclude that inhibitory interneurons show presymptomatic changes that may contribute to excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa F Cavarsan
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Preston R Steele
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Landon T Genry
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Emily J Reedich
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Lynn M McCane
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Kay J LaPre
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Alyssa C Puritz
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Marin Manuel
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Natallia Katenka
- Department of Computer Science and Statistics, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Katharina A Quinlan
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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13
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Liu H, Guan L, Deng M, Bolund L, Kristiansen K, Zhang J, Luo Y, Zhang Z. Integrative genetic and single cell RNA sequencing analysis provides new clues to the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis neurodegeneration. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1116087. [PMID: 36875658 PMCID: PMC9983639 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1116087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The gradual loss of motor neurons (MNs) in the brain and spinal cord is a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in ALS are still not fully understood. Methods Based on 75 ALS-pathogenicity/susceptibility genes and large-scale single-cell transcriptomes of human/mouse brain/spinal cord/muscle tissues, we performed an expression enrichment analysis to identify cells involved in ALS pathogenesis. Subsequently, we created a strictness measure to estimate the dosage requirement of ALS-related genes in linked cell types. Results Remarkably, expression enrichment analysis showed that α- and γ-MNs, respectively, are associated with ALS-susceptibility genes and ALS-pathogenicity genes, revealing differences in biological processes between sporadic and familial ALS. In MNs, ALS-susceptibility genes exhibited high strictness, as well as the ALS-pathogenicity genes with known loss of function mechanism, indicating the main characteristic of ALS-susceptibility genes is dosage-sensitive and the loss of function mechanism of these genes may involve in sporadic ALS. In contrast, ALS-pathogenicity genes with gain of function mechanism exhibited low strictness. The significant difference of strictness between loss of function genes and gain of function genes provided a priori understanding for the pathogenesis of novel genes without an animal model. Besides MNs, we observed no statistical evidence for an association between muscle cells and ALS-related genes. This result may provide insight into the etiology that ALS is not within the domain of neuromuscular diseases. Moreover, we showed several cell types linked to other neurological diseases [i.e., spinocerebellar ataxia (SA), hereditary motor neuropathies (HMN)] and neuromuscular diseases [i.e. hereditary spastic paraplegia (SPG), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)], including an association between Purkinje cells in brain and SA, an association between α-MNs in spinal cord and SA, an association between smooth muscle cells and SA, an association between oligodendrocyte and HMN, a suggestive association between γ-MNs and HMN, a suggestive association between mature skeletal muscle and HMN, an association between oligodendrocyte in brain and SPG, and no statistical evidence for an association between cell type and SMA. Discussion These cellular similarities and differences deepened our understanding of the heterogeneous cellular basis of ALS, SA, HMN, SPG, and SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hankui Liu
- Hebei Industrial Technology Research Institute of Genomics in Maternal and Child Health, BGI-Shijiazhuang Medical Laboratory, Shijiazhuang, China.,BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liping Guan
- Hebei Industrial Technology Research Institute of Genomics in Maternal and Child Health, BGI-Shijiazhuang Medical Laboratory, Shijiazhuang, China.,Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Min Deng
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lars Bolund
- Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao, China.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Karsten Kristiansen
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jianguo Zhang
- Hebei Industrial Technology Research Institute of Genomics in Maternal and Child Health, BGI-Shijiazhuang Medical Laboratory, Shijiazhuang, China.,BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yonglun Luo
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao, China.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Zhanchi Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.,Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease Mechanism, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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14
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Theme 05 - Human Cell Biology and Pathology (including iPSC studies). Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2022.2120681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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15
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Ashhurst JF, Tu S, Timmins HC, Kiernan MC. Progress, development, and challenges in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis clinical trials. Expert Rev Neurother 2022; 22:905-913. [PMID: 36543326 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2022.2161893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) brings unique challenges to a clinical trial setting, due in part to relatively low disease prevalence coupled with a poor prognosis, in addition to the complexities linked to disease heterogeneity. As critical understanding of the disease develops, particularly in relation to clinical phenotype and the mechanisms of disease progression, so too new concepts evolve in relation to clinical trials, including the advent of precision therapy, targeted to subgroups of ALS patients. AREAS COVERED Individualized, or precision medicine in ALS recognizes the heterogeneous nature of the disease and utilizes information such as the clinical phenotype of the disease, clinical biomarkers, and genotyping to promote a tailored approach to treatment. Separate to these considerations, the present review will discuss clinical trial design and how this can be improved to better match patient and investigator needs in ALS clinical trials. EXPERT OPINION Precision therapy will promote a more focused treatment approach, with the goal of improving clinical outcomes for ALS patients. An increased community awareness of ALS, coupled with significant industry and philanthropic funding for ALS research, is accelerating this process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sicong Tu
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Hannah C Timmins
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
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16
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Gelon PA, Dutchak PA, Sephton CF. Synaptic dysfunction in ALS and FTD: anatomical and molecular changes provide insights into mechanisms of disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1000183. [PMID: 36263379 PMCID: PMC9575515 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1000183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic loss is a pathological feature of all neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). ALS is a disease of the cortical and spinal motor neurons resulting in fatal paralysis due to denervation of muscles. FTD is a form of dementia that primarily affects brain regions controlling cognition, language and behavior. Once classified as two distinct diseases, ALS and FTD are now considered as part of a common disease spectrum based on overlapping clinical, pathological and genetic evidence. At the cellular level, aggregation of common proteins and overlapping gene susceptibilities are shared in both ALS and FTD. Despite the convergence of these two fields of research, the underlying disease mechanisms remain elusive. However, recent discovers from ALS and FTD patient studies and models of ALS/FTD strongly suggests that synaptic dysfunction is an early event in the disease process and a unifying hallmark of these diseases. This review provides a summary of the reported anatomical and cellular changes that occur in cortical and spinal motor neurons in ALS and FTD tissues and models of disease. We also highlight studies that identify changes in the proteome and transcriptome of ALS and FTD models and provide a conceptual overview of the processes that contribute to synaptic dysfunction in these diseases. Due to space limitations and the vast number of publications in the ALS and FTD fields, many articles have not been discussed in this review. As such, this review focuses on the three most common shared mutations in ALS and FTD, the hexanucleuotide repeat expansion within intron 1 of chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72), transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TARDBP or TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS), with the intention of highlighting common pathways that promote synaptic dysfunction in the ALS-FTD disease spectrum.
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17
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Ghaffari LT, Trotti D, Haeusler AR, Jensen BK. Breakdown of the central synapses in C9orf72-linked ALS/FTD. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1005112. [PMID: 36187344 PMCID: PMC9523884 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1005112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease that leads to the death of motor and cortical neurons. The clinical manifestations of ALS are heterogenous, and efficacious treatments to significantly slow the progression of the disease are lacking. Cortical hyper-excitability is observed pre-symptomatically across disease-causative genetic variants, as well as in the early stages of sporadic ALS, and typically precedes motor neuron involvement and overt neurodegeneration. The causes of cortical hyper-excitability are not yet fully understood but is mainly agreed to be an early event. The identification of the nucleotide repeat expansion (GGGGCC)n in the C9ORF72 gene has provided evidence that ALS and another neurodegenerative disease, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), are part of a disease spectrum with common genetic origins. ALS and FTD are diseases in which synaptic dysfunction is reported throughout disease onset and stages of progression. It has become apparent that ALS/FTD-causative genes, such as C9ORF72, may have roles in maintaining the normal physiology of the synapse, as mutations in these genes often manifest in synaptic dysfunction. Here we review the dysfunctions of the central nervous system synapses associated with the nucleotide repeat expansion in C9ORF72 observed in patients, organismal, and cellular models of ALS and FTD.
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GJA1/CX43 High Expression Levels in the Cervical Spinal Cord of ALS Patients Correlate to Microglia-Mediated Neuroinflammatory Profile. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092246. [PMID: 36140348 PMCID: PMC9496195 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting motoneurons (MNs) with a fatal outcome. The typical degeneration of cortico-spinal, spinal, and bulbar MNs, observed in post-mortem biopsies, is associated with the activation of neuroimmune cells. GJA1, a member of the connexins (Cxs) gene family, encodes for connexin 43 (Cx43), a core gap junctions (GJs)- and hemichannels (HCs)-forming protein, involved in cell death, proliferation, and differentiation. Recently, Cx43 expression was found to play a role in ALS pathogenesis. Here, we used microarray and RNA-seq datasets from the NCBI of the spinal cord of control (NDC) and ALS patients, which were stratified according to the GJA1 gene expression. Genes that positively or negatively correlated to GJA1 expression were used to perform a genomic deconvolution analysis (GDA) using neuroimmune signatures. Expression analysis revealed a significantly higher GJA1 expression in the MNs of ALS patients as compared to NDC. Gene deconvolution analysis revealed that positively correlated genes were associated with microglia activation, whereas negatively correlated genes were associated with neuronal activation profiles. Moreover, gene ontology analysis, performed on genes characterizing either microglia or neuronal signature, indicated immune activation or neurogenesis as main biological processes. Finally, using a synthetic analysis of drugs able to revert the GJA1 transcriptomic signatures, we found a specific drug profile for ALS patients with high GJA1 expression levels, composed of amlodipine, sertraline, and prednisolone. In conclusion, our exploratory study suggests GJA1 as a new neuro-immunological gene correlated to microglial cellular profile in the spinal cord of ALS patients. Further studies are warranted to confirm these results and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of drugs able to revert typical GJA1/CX43 signature in ALS patients
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Barbosa M, Santos M, de Sousa N, Duarte-Silva S, Vaz AR, Salgado AJ, Brites D. Intrathecal Injection of the Secretome from ALS Motor Neurons Regulated for miR-124 Expression Prevents Disease Outcomes in SOD1-G93A Mice. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092120. [PMID: 36140218 PMCID: PMC9496075 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with short life expectancy and no effective therapy. We previously identified upregulated miR-124 in NSC-34-motor neurons (MNs) expressing human SOD1-G93A (mSOD1) and established its implication in mSOD1 MN degeneration and glial cell activation. When anti-miR-124-treated mSOD1 MN (preconditioned) secretome was incubated in spinal cord organotypic cultures from symptomatic mSOD1 mice, the dysregulated homeostatic balance was circumvented. To decipher the therapeutic potential of such preconditioned secretome, we intrathecally injected it in mSOD1 mice at the early stage of the disease (12-week-old). Preconditioned secretome prevented motor impairment and was effective in counteracting muscle atrophy, glial reactivity/dysfunction, and the neurodegeneration of the symptomatic mSOD1 mice. Deficits in corticospinal function and gait abnormalities were precluded, and the loss of gastrocnemius muscle fiber area was avoided. At the molecular level, the preconditioned secretome enhanced NeuN mRNA/protein expression levels and the PSD-95/TREM2/IL-10/arginase 1/MBP/PLP genes, thus avoiding the neuronal/glial cell dysregulation that characterizes ALS mice. It also prevented upregulated GFAP/Cx43/S100B/vimentin and inflammatory-associated miRNAs, specifically miR-146a/miR-155/miR-21, which are displayed by symptomatic animals. Collectively, our study highlights the intrathecal administration of the secretome from anti-miR-124-treated mSOD1 MNs as a therapeutic strategy for halting/delaying disease progression in an ALS mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Barbosa
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Santos
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nídia de Sousa
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Sara Duarte-Silva
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Vaz
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - António J. Salgado
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Dora Brites
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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20
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Synaptic Effects of Palmitoylethanolamide in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12081161. [PMID: 36009055 PMCID: PMC9405819 DOI: 10.3390/biom12081161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence strongly supports the key role of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuroinflammation may alter synaptic transmission contributing to the progression of neurodegeneration, as largely documented in animal models and in patients’ studies. In the last few years, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), an endogenous lipid mediator, and its new composite, which is a formulation constituted of PEA and the well-recognized antioxidant flavonoid luteolin (Lut) subjected to an ultra-micronization process (co-ultraPEALut), has been identified as a potential therapeutic agent in different disorders by exerting potential beneficial effects on neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation by modulating synaptic transmission. In this review, we will show the potential therapeutic effects of PEA in animal models and in patients affected by neurodegenerative disorders.
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21
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Genç B, Jara JH, Sanchez SS, Lagrimas AKB, Gözütok Ö, Koçak N, Zhu Y, Hande Özdinler P. Upper motor neurons are a target for gene therapy and UCHL1 is necessary and sufficient to improve cellular integrity of diseased upper motor neurons. Gene Ther 2022; 29:178-192. [PMID: 34853443 PMCID: PMC9018479 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-021-00303-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
There are no effective cures for upper motor neuron (UMN) diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), primary lateral sclerosis, and hereditary spastic paraplegia. Here, we show UMN loss occurs independent of spinal motor neuron degeneration and that UMNs are indeed effective cellular targets for gene therapy, which offers a potential solution especially for UMN disease patients. UCHL1 (ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1) is a deubiquitinating enzyme crucial for maintaining free ubiquitin levels. Corticospinal motor neurons (CSMN, a.k.a UMNs in mice) show early, selective, and profound degeneration in Uchl1nm3419 (UCHL1-/-) mice, which lack all UCHL1 function. When UCHL1 activity is ablated only from spinal motor neurons, CSMN remained intact. However, restoring UCHL1 specifically in CSMN of UCHL1-/- mice via directed gene delivery was sufficient to improve CSMN integrity to the healthy control levels. In addition, when UCHL1 gene was delivered selectively to CSMN that are diseased due to misfolded SOD1 toxicity and TDP-43 pathology via AAV-mediated retrograde transduction, the disease causing misfolded SOD1 and mutant human TDP-43 were reduced in hSOD1G93A and prpTDP-43A315T models, respectively. Diseased CSMN retained their neuronal integrity and cytoarchitectural stability in two different mouse models that represent two distinct causes of neurodegeneration in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barış Genç
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Javier H Jara
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Santana S Sanchez
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Amiko K B Lagrimas
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Öge Gözütok
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Nuran Koçak
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Yongling Zhu
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - P Hande Özdinler
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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22
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NU-9 improves health of hSOD1 G93A mouse upper motor neurons in vitro, especially in combination with riluzole or edaravone. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5383. [PMID: 35354901 PMCID: PMC8967818 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09332-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease of the upper and lower motor neurons, to date none of the compounds in clinical trials have been tested for improving the health of diseased upper motor neurons (UMNs). There is an urgent need to develop preclinical assays that include UMN health as a readout. Since ALS is a complex disease, combinatorial treatment strategies will be required to address the mechanisms perturbed in patients. Here, we describe a novel in vitro platform that takes advantage of an UMN reporter line in which UMNs are genetically labeled with fluorescence and have misfolded SOD1 toxicity. We report that NU-9, an analog of the cyclohexane-1,3-dione family of compounds, improves the health of UMNs with misfolded SOD1 toxicity more effectively than riluzole or edaravone, -the only two FDA-approved ALS drugs to date-. Interestingly, when NU-9 is applied in combination with riluzole or edaravone, there is an additive effect on UMN health, as they extend longer axons and display enhanced branching and arborization, two important characteristics of healthy UMNs in vitro.
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23
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Moya MV, Kim RD, Rao MN, Cotto BA, Pickett SB, Sferrazza CE, Heintz N, Schmidt EF. Unique molecular features and cellular responses differentiate two populations of motor cortical layer 5b neurons in a preclinical model of ALS. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110556. [PMID: 35320722 PMCID: PMC9059890 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110556] [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: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), lead to the selective degeneration of discrete cell types in the CNS despite the ubiquitous expression of many genes linked to disease. Therapeutic advancement depends on understanding the unique cellular adaptations that underlie pathology of vulnerable cells in the context of disease-causing mutations. Here, we employ bacTRAP molecular profiling to elucidate cell type-specific molecular responses of cortical upper motor neurons in a preclinical ALS model. Using two bacTRAP mouse lines that label distinct vulnerable or resilient projection neuron populations in motor cortex, we show that the regulation of oxidative phosphorylation (Oxphos) pathways is a common response in both cell types. However, differences in the baseline expression of genes involved in Oxphos and the handling of reactive oxygen species likely lead to the selective degeneration of the vulnerable cells. These results provide a framework to identify cell-type-specific processes in neurodegenerative disease. Moya et al. use bacTRAP mouse lines to characterize two highly related subpopulations of layer 5b projection neurons in motor cortex that are differentially susceptible to neurodegeneration in the SOD1-G93A mouse model of ALS. They identify the regulation of genes involved in bioenergetics as a key factor regulating susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria V Moya
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 260, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rachel D Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 260, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Meghana N Rao
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 260, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Bianca A Cotto
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 260, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sarah B Pickett
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 260, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Caroline E Sferrazza
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 260, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nathaniel Heintz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 260, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eric F Schmidt
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 260, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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24
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Pasniceanu IS, Atwal MS, Souza CDS, Ferraiuolo L, Livesey MR. Emerging Mechanisms Underpinning Neurophysiological Impairments in C9ORF72 Repeat Expansion-Mediated Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Frontotemporal Dementia. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:784833. [PMID: 34975412 PMCID: PMC8715728 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.784833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are characterized by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons and neurons of the prefrontal cortex. The emergence of the C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion mutation as the leading genetic cause of ALS and FTD has led to a progressive understanding of the multiple cellular pathways leading to neuronal degeneration. Disturbances in neuronal function represent a major subset of these mechanisms and because such functional perturbations precede degeneration, it is likely that impaired neuronal function in ALS/FTD plays an active role in pathogenesis. This is supported by the fact that ALS/FTD patients consistently present with neurophysiological impairments prior to any apparent degeneration. In this review we summarize how the discovery of the C9ORF72 repeat expansion mutation has contributed to the current understanding of neuronal dysfunction in ALS/FTD. Here, we discuss the impact of the repeat expansion on neuronal function in relation to intrinsic excitability, synaptic, network and ion channel properties, highlighting evidence of conserved and divergent pathophysiological impacts between cortical and motor neurons and the influence of non-neuronal cells. We further highlight the emerging association between these dysfunctional properties with molecular mechanisms of the C9ORF72 mutation that appear to include roles for both, haploinsufficiency of the C9ORF72 protein and aberrantly generated dipeptide repeat protein species. Finally, we suggest that relating key pathological observations in C9ORF72 repeat expansion ALS/FTD patients to the mechanistic impact of the C9ORF72 repeat expansion on neuronal function will lead to an improved understanding of how neurophysiological dysfunction impacts upon pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris-Stefania Pasniceanu
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Manpreet Singh Atwal
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Cleide Dos Santos Souza
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Ferraiuolo
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew R Livesey
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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25
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McLeod VM, Chiam MDF, Perera ND, Lau CL, Boon WC, Turner BJ. Mapping Motor Neuron Vulnerability in the Neuraxis of Male SOD1 G93A Mice Reveals Widespread Loss of Androgen Receptor Occurring Early in Spinal Motor Neurons. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:808479. [PMID: 35273564 PMCID: PMC8902593 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.808479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex steroid hormones have been implicated as disease modifiers in the neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Androgens, signalling via the androgen receptor (AR), predominate in males, and have widespread actions in the periphery and the central nervous system (CNS). AR translocates to the cell nucleus when activated upon binding androgens, whereby it regulates transcription of target genes via the classical genomic signalling pathway. We previously reported that AR protein is decreased in the lumbar spinal cord tissue of symptomatic male SOD1G93A mice. Here, we further explored the changes in AR within motor neurons (MN) of the CNS, assessing their nuclear AR content and propensity to degenerate by endstage disease in male SOD1G93A mice. We observed that almost all motor neuron populations had undergone significant loss in nuclear AR in SOD1G93A mice. Interestingly, loss of nuclear AR was evident in lumbar spinal MNs as early as the pre-symptomatic age of 60 days. Several MN populations with high AR content were identified which did not degenerate in SOD1G93A mice. These included the brainstem ambiguus and vagus nuclei, and the sexually dimorphic spinal MNs: cremaster, dorsolateral nucleus (DLN) and spinal nucleus of bulbocavernosus (SNB). In conclusion, we demonstrate that AR loss directly associates with MN vulnerability and disease progression in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M. McLeod
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Mathew D. F. Chiam
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Nirma D. Perera
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Chew L. Lau
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Wah Chin Boon
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Bradley J. Turner
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Bradley J. Turner,
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26
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Schiel KA. A beneficial role for elevated extracellular glutamate in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and cerebral ischemia. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100127. [PMID: 34585427 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This hypothesis proposes that increased extracellular glutamate in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and cerebral ischemia, currently viewed as a trigger for excitotoxicity, is actually beneficial as it stimulates the utilization of glutamate as metabolic fuel. Renewed appreciation of glutamate oxidation by ischemic neurons has raised questions regarding the role of extracellular glutamate in ischemia. Is it detrimental, as suggested by excitotoxicity in early in vitro studies, or beneficial, as suggested by its oxidation in later in vivo studies? The answer may depend on the activity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors. Early in vitro procedures co-activated NMDA receptors (NMDARs) containing 2A (GluN2A) and 2B (GluN2B) subunits, an event now believed to trigger excitotoxicity; however, during in vivo ischemia D-serine and zinc molecules are released and these ensure only GluN2B receptors are stimulated. This not only prevents excitotoxicity but also initiates signaling cascades that allow ischemic neurons to import and oxidize glutamate.
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27
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Differential NPY-Y1 Receptor Density in the Motor Cortex of ALS Patients and Familial Model of ALS. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11080969. [PMID: 34439588 PMCID: PMC8393413 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11080969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Destabilization of faciliatory and inhibitory circuits is an important feature of corticomotor pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). While GABAergic inputs to upper motor neurons are reduced in models of the disease, less understood is the involvement of peptidergic inputs to upper motor neurons in ALS. The neuropeptide Y (NPY) system has been shown to confer neuroprotection against numerous pathogenic mechanisms implicated in ALS. However, little is known about how the NPY system functions in the motor system. Herein, we investigate post-synaptic NPY signaling on upper motor neurons in the rodent and human motor cortex, and on cortical neuron populations in vitro. Using immunohistochemistry, we show the increased density of NPY-Y1 receptors on the soma of SMI32-positive upper motor neurons in post-mortem ALS cases and SOD1G93A excitatory cortical neurons in vitro. Analysis of receptor density on Thy1-YFP-H-positive upper motor neurons in wild-type and SOD1G93A mouse tissue revealed that the distribution of NPY-Y1 receptors was changed on the apical processes at early-symptomatic and late-symptomatic disease stages. Together, our data demonstrate the differential density of NPY-Y1 receptors on upper motor neurons in a familial model of ALS and in ALS cases, indicating a novel pathway that may be targeted to modulate upper motor neuron activity.
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28
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Dyer MS, Woodhouse A, Blizzard CA. Cytoplasmic Human TDP-43 Mislocalization Induces Widespread Dendritic Spine Loss in Mouse Upper Motor Neurons. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11070883. [PMID: 34209287 PMCID: PMC8301870 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is defined by the destruction of upper- and lower motor neurons. Post-mortem, nearly all ALS cases are positive for cytoplasmic aggregates containing the DNA/RNA binding protein TDP-43. Recent studies indicate that this pathogenic mislocalization of TDP-43 may participate in generating hyperexcitability of the upper motor neurons, the earliest detectable change in ALS patients, yet the mechanisms driving this remain unclear. We investigated how mislocalisation of TDP-43 could initiate network dysfunction in ALS. We employed a tetracycline inducible system to express either human wildtype TDP-43 (TDP-43WT) or human TDP-43 that cannot enter the nucleus (TDP-43ΔNLS) in excitatory neurons (Camk2α promoter), crossed Thy1-YFPH mice to visualize dendritic spines, the major site of excitatory synapses. In comparison to both TDP-43WT and controls, TDP-43ΔNLS drove a robust loss in spine density in all the dendrite regions of the upper motor neurons, most affecting thin spines. This indicates that TDP-43 is involved in the generation of network dysfunction in ALS likely through impacting the formation or durability of excitatory synapses. These findings are relevant to the vast majority of ALS cases, and provides further evidence that upper motor neurons may need to be protected from TDP-43 mediated synaptic excitatory changes early in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus S. Dyer
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia;
| | - Adele Woodhouse
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, College Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia;
| | - Catherine A. Blizzard
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia;
- Correspondence:
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29
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Overexpression of miR-124 in Motor Neurons Plays a Key Role in ALS Pathological Processes. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22116128. [PMID: 34200161 PMCID: PMC8201298 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
miRNA(miR)-124 is an important regulator of neurogenesis, but its upregulation in SOD1G93A motor neurons (mSOD1 MNs) was shown to associate with neurodegeneration and microglia activation. We used pre-miR-124 in wild-type (WT) MNs and anti-miR-124 in mSOD1 MNs to characterize the miR-124 pathological role. miR-124 overexpression in WT MNs produced a miRNA profile like that of mSOD1 MNs (high miR-125b; low miR-146a and miR-21), and similarly led to early apoptosis. Alterations in mSOD1 MNs were abrogated with anti-miR-124 and changes in their miRNAs mostly recapitulated by their secretome. Normalization of miR-124 levels in mSOD1 MNs prevented the dysregulation of neurite network, mitochondria dynamics, axonal transport, and synaptic signaling. Same alterations were observed in WT MNs after pre-miR-124 transfection. Secretome from mSOD1 MNs triggered spinal microglia activation, which was unno-ticed with that from anti-miR-124-modulated cells. Secretome from such modulated MNs, when added to SC organotypic cultures from mSOD1 mice in the early symptomatic stage, also coun-teracted the pathology associated to GFAP decrease, PSD-95 and CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling im-pairment, neuro-immune homeostatic imbalance, and enhanced miR-124 expression levels. Data suggest that miR-124 is implicated in MN degeneration and paracrine-mediated pathogenicity. We propose miR-124 as a new therapeutic target and a promising ALS biomarker in patient sub-populations.
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30
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Nishimura AL, Arias N. Synaptopathy Mechanisms in ALS Caused by C9orf72 Repeat Expansion. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:660693. [PMID: 34140881 PMCID: PMC8203826 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.660693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease caused by degeneration of motor neurons (MNs). ALS pathogenic features include accumulation of misfolded proteins, glutamate excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction at distal axon terminals, and neuronal cytoskeleton changes. Synergies between loss of C9orf72 functions and gain of function by toxic effects of repeat expansions also contribute to C9orf72-mediated pathogenesis. However, the impact of haploinsufficiency of C9orf72 on neurons and in synaptic functions requires further examination. As the motor neurons degenerate, the disease symptoms will lead to neurotransmission deficiencies in the brain, spinal cord, and neuromuscular junction. Altered neuronal excitability, synaptic morphological changes, and C9orf72 protein and DPR localization at the synapses, suggest a potential involvement of C9orf72 at synapses. In this review article, we provide a conceptual framework for assessing the putative involvement of C9orf72 as a synaptopathy, and we explore the underlying and common disease mechanisms with other neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, we reflect on the major challenges of understanding C9orf72-ALS as a synaptopathy focusing on integrating mitochondrial and neuronal cytoskeleton degeneration as biomarkers and potential targets to treat ALS neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes L Nishimura
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, UK Dementia Research Institute, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Arias
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, UK Dementia Research Institute, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
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31
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Lemon RN. The Cortical "Upper Motoneuron" in Health and Disease. Brain Sci 2021; 11:619. [PMID: 34066053 PMCID: PMC8151778 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Upper motoneurons (UMNs) in motor areas of the cerebral cortex influence spinal and cranial motor mechanisms through the corticospinal tract (CST) and through projections to brainstem motor pathways. The primate corticospinal system has a diverse cortical origin and a wide spectrum of fibre diameters, including large diameter fibres which are unique to humans and other large primates. Direct cortico-motoneuronal (CM) projections from the motor cortex to arm and hand motoneurons are a late evolutionary feature only present in dexterous primates and best developed in humans. CM projections are derived from a more restricted cortical territory ('new' M1, area 3a) and arise not only from corticospinal neurons with large, fast axons but also from those with relatively slow-conducting axons. During movement, corticospinal neurons are organised and recruited quite differently from 'lower' motoneurons. Accumulating evidence strongly implicates the corticospinal system in the early stages of ALS, with particular involvement of CM projections to distal limb muscles, but also to other muscle groups influenced by the CM system. There are important species differences in the organisation and function of the corticospinal system, and appropriate animal models are needed to understand disorders involving the human corticospinal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger N Lemon
- Department of Clinical and Movement Sciences, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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32
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Neurophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Cortical Hyper-Excitability in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Review. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050549. [PMID: 33925493 PMCID: PMC8145013 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neuromotor disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs), resulting in muscle paralysis and death. Early cortical hyper-excitability is a common pathological process observed clinically and in animal disease models. Although the mechanisms that underlie cortical hyper-excitability are not completely understood, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause enhanced neuronal intrinsic excitability and changes in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity are starting to emerge. Here, we review the evidence for an anterograde glutamatergic excitotoxic process, leading to cortical hyper-excitability via intrinsic cellular and synaptic mechanisms and for the role of interneurons in establishing disinhibition in clinical and experimental settings. Understanding the mechanisms that lead to these complex pathological processes will likely produce key insights towards developing novel therapeutic strategies to rescue upper MNs, thus alleviating the impact of this fatal disease.
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33
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Genç B, Gautam M, Gözütok Ö, Dervishi I, Sanchez S, Goshu GM, Koçak N, Xie E, Silverman RB, Özdinler PH. Improving mitochondria and ER stability helps eliminate upper motor neuron degeneration that occurs due to mSOD1 toxicity and TDP-43 pathology. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e336. [PMID: 33634973 PMCID: PMC7898037 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Upper motor neurons (UMNs) are a key component of motor neuron circuitry. Their degeneration is a hallmark for diseases, such as hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently there are no preclinical assays investigating cellular responses of UMNs to compound treatment, even for diseases of the UMNs. The basis of UMN vulnerability is not fully understood, and no compound has yet been identified to improve the health of diseased UMNs: two major roadblocks for building effective treatment strategies. METHODS Novel UMN reporter models, in which UMNs that are diseased because of misfolded superoxide dismutase protein (mSOD1) toxicity and TDP-43 pathology are labeled with eGFP expression, allow direct assessment of UMN response to compound treatment. Electron microscopy reveals very precise aspects of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrial damage. Administration of NU-9, a compound initially identified based on its ability to reduce mSOD1 toxicity, has profound impact on improving the health and stability of UMNs, as identified by detailed cellular and ultrastructural analyses. RESULTS Problems with mitochondria and ER are conserved in diseased UMNs among different species. NU-9 has drug-like pharmacokinetic properties. It lacks toxicity and crosses the blood brain barrier. NU-9 improves the structural integrity of mitochondria and ER, reduces levels of mSOD1, stabilizes degenerating UMN apical dendrites, improves motor behavior measured by the hanging wire test, and eliminates ongoing degeneration of UMNs that become diseased both because of mSOD1 toxicity and TDP-43 pathology, two distinct and important overarching causes of motor neuron degeneration. CONCLUSIONS Mechanism-focused and cell-based drug discovery approaches not only addressed key cellular defects responsible for UMN loss, but also identified NU-9, the first compound to improve the health of diseased UMNs, neurons that degenerate in ALS, HSP, PLS, and ALS/FTLD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barış Genç
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Mukesh Gautam
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Öge Gözütok
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Ina Dervishi
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Santana Sanchez
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Gashaw M. Goshu
- Department of ChemistryNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
| | - Nuran Koçak
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Edward Xie
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Richard B. Silverman
- Department of ChemistryNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Center for Developmental TherapeuticsNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Chemistry of Life Processes InstituteNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIL60208
| | - P. Hande Özdinler
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Center for Developmental TherapeuticsNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Chemistry of Life Processes InstituteNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIL60208
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's DiseaseNorthwestern University, Feinberg School of MedicineChicagoIL60611
- Les Turner ALS CenterNorthwestern University, Feinberg School of MedicineChicagoIL60611
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34
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Cheng L, Yuan Y, Tang X, Zhou Y, Luo C, Liu D, Zhang Y, Zhang J. Structural and functional underpinnings of precentral abnormalities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Eur J Neurol 2021; 28:1528-1536. [PMID: 33404153 DOI: 10.1111/ene.14717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of both upper and lower motor neurons. Studies using various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analytical approaches have consistently identified significant precentral abnormalities in ALS, whereas their structural and functional underpinnings remain poorly understood. METHODS Using cortical thickness, fractional anisotropy (FA), and effective connectivity, we performed a multimodal MRI study to examine the structural and functional alterations associated with precentral abnormalities in patients with ALS (n = 60) compared with healthy controls (n = 60). RESULTS Cortical thickness analysis revealed significant cortical thinning in the right precentral gyrus (PCG), superior frontal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus in patients with ALS. Tractwise white matter microstructure analyses revealed decreased FA in the tracts connected to the PCG cluster in patients with ALS involving the right corticospinal tract and the middle posterior body of the corpus callosum. Additionally, the cortical thickness of the PCG cluster was found to be positively correlated with FA of the tracts connected to the PCG cluster, suggesting that these two structural features are tightly coupled. Using spectral dynamic causal modelling, effective connectivity analysis among the three regions with cortical thinning revealed decreased self-inhibitory influence in the PCG cluster in patients with ALS, which might be an endophenotypic manifestation of an imbalance in inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in this region. CONCLUSIONS The present data shed new light on the structural and functional underpinnings of precentral abnormalities in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luqi Cheng
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yumin Yuan
- School of Intelligent Technology and Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, China
| | - Xie Tang
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunxia Luo
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Daihong Liu
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing Cancer Institute, and Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiuquan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing Cancer Institute, and Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
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35
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Agarwal S, Highton-Williamson E, Caga J, Howells J, Dharmadasa T, Matamala JM, Ma Y, Shibuya K, Hodges JR, Ahmed RM, Vucic S, Kiernan MC. Motor cortical excitability predicts cognitive phenotypes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2172. [PMID: 33500476 PMCID: PMC7838179 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81612-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are well-recognised as an extended disease spectrum. This study hypothesised that cortical hyperexcitability, an early pathophysiological abnormality in ALS, would distinguish cognitive phenotypes, as a surrogate marker of pathological disease burden. 61 patients with ALS, matched for disease duration (pure motor ALS, n = 39; ALS with coexistent FTD, ALS-FTD, n = 12; ALS with cognitive/behavioural abnormalities not meeting FTD criteria, ALS-Cog, n = 10) and 30 age-matched healthy controls. Cognitive function on the Addenbrooke's cognitive examination (ACE) scale, behavioural function on the motor neuron disease behavior scale (MiND-B) and cortical excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were documented. Cortical resting motor threshold (RMT), lower threshold indicating hyperexcitability, was lower in ALS-FTD (50.2 ± 6.9) compared to controls (64.3 ± 12.6, p < 0.005), while ALS-Cog (63.3 ± 12.7) and ALS (60.8 ± 13.9, not significant) were similar to controls. Short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) was reduced across all ALS groups compared to controls, indicating hyperexcitability. On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, RMT differentiated ALS-FTD from ALS (area under the curve AUC = 0.745, p = 0.011). The present study has identified a distinct pattern of cortical excitability across cognitive phenotypes in ALS. As such, assessment of cortical physiology may provide more precise clinical prognostication in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smriti Agarwal
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. .,Neurology Unit, A5, Box 165, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | | | - Jashelle Caga
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - James Howells
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Thanuja Dharmadasa
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - José M Matamala
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Yan Ma
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kazumoto Shibuya
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - John R Hodges
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebekah M Ahmed
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Steve Vucic
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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36
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Fogarty MJ, Mu EWH, Lavidis NA, Noakes PG, Bellingham MC. Size‐dependent dendritic maladaptations of hypoglossal motor neurons in SOD1
G93A
mice. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2020; 304:1562-1581. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Fogarty
- School of Biomedical Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Australia
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USA
| | - Erica W. H. Mu
- School of Biomedical Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Australia
| | - Nickolas A. Lavidis
- School of Biomedical Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Australia
| | - Peter G. Noakes
- School of Biomedical Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Australia
- Queensland Brain Institute The University of Queensland St Lucia Australia
| | - Mark C. Bellingham
- School of Biomedical Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Australia
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37
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Ozdinler PH, Gautam M, Gozutok O, Konrad C, Manfredi G, Gomez EA, Mitsumoto H, Erb ML, Tian Z, Haase G. Better understanding the neurobiology of primary lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2020; 21:35-46. [PMID: 33602014 PMCID: PMC8016556 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1837175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is a rare neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive degeneration of upper motor neurons (UMNs). Recent studies shed new light onto the cellular events that are particularly important for UMN maintenance including intracellular trafficking, mitochondrial energy homeostasis and lipid metabolism. This review summarizes these advances including the role of Alsin as a gene linked to atypical forms of juvenile PLS, and discusses wider aspects of cellular pathology that have been observed in adult forms of PLS. The review further discusses the prospects of new transgenic upper motor neuron reporter mice, human stem cell-derived UMN cultures, cerebral organoids and non-human primates as future model systems to better understand and ultimately treat PLS.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Hande Ozdinler
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mukesh Gautam
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Oge Gozutok
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, New York, NY USA
| | - Csaba Konrad
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, New York, NY USA
| | - Giovanni Manfredi
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, New York, NY USA
| | - Estela Area Gomez
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marcella L. Erb
- School of Medicine Light Microscopy Core, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Zheng Tian
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Georg Haase
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Marseille, France
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38
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Variable Interhemispheric Asymmetry in Layer V of the Supplementary Motor Area following Cervical Hemisection in Adult Macaque Monkeys. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0280-20.2020. [PMID: 32917794 PMCID: PMC7548435 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0280-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor cortical areas from both hemispheres play a role during functional recovery after a unilateral spinal cord injury (SCI). However, little is known about the morphologic and phenotypical differences that a SCI could trigger in corticospinal (CS) neurons of the ipsilesional and contralesional hemisphere. Using an SMI-32 antibody which specifically labeled pyramidal neurons in cortical Layers V, we investigated the impact of a unilateral cervical cord lesion on the rostral part (F6) and caudal part (F3) of the supplementary motor area (SMA) in both hemispheres of eight adult macaque monkeys compared with four intact control monkeys. We observed in F3 (but not in F6) interindividual variable and adaptive interhemispheric asymmetries of SMI-32-positive Layer V neuronal density and dendritic arborization, which are strongly correlated with the extent of the SCI as well as the duration of functional recovery, but not with the extent (percentage) of functional recovery.
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39
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Paasila PJ, Davies DS, Sutherland GT, Goldsbury C. Clustering of activated microglia occurs before the formation of dystrophic neurites in the evolution of Aβ plaques in Alzheimer's disease. FREE NEUROPATHOLOGY 2020; 1. [PMID: 34396367 DOI: 10.17879/freeneuropathology-2020-2845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a late-onset disease that has proved difficult to model. Microglia are implicated in AD, but reports vary on precisely when and how in the sequence of pathological changes they become involved. Here, post-mortem human tissue from two differentially affected regions of the AD brain and from non-demented individuals with a high load of AD-type pathology (high pathology controls) was used to model the disease time course in order to determine how microglial activation relates temporally to the deposition of hallmark amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated microtubule associated protein tau pathology. Immunofluorescence against the pan-microglial marker, ionised calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1), Aβ and tau, was performed in the primary motor cortex (PMC), a region relatively spared of AD pathological changes, and compared to the severely affected inferior temporal cortex (ITC) in the same cases. Unlike the ITC, the PMC in the AD cases was spared of any degenerative changes in cortical thickness and the density of Betz cells and total neurons. The clustering of activated microglia was greatest in the PMC of AD cases and high pathology controls compared to the ITC. This suggests microglial activation is most prominent in the early phases of AD pathophysiology. Nascent tau inclusions were found in neuritic plaques in the PMC but were more numerous in the ITC of the same case. This shows that tau positive neuritic plaques begin early in AD which is likely of pathogenic importance, however major tau deposition follows the accumulation of Aβ and clustering of activated microglia. Importantly, findings presented here demonstrate that different states of microglial activation, corresponding to regional accumulations of Aβ and tau, are present simultaneously in the same individual; an important factor for consideration if targeting these cells for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jarmo Paasila
- Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Danielle Suzanne Davies
- Discipline of Anatomy and Histology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Greg Trevor Sutherland
- Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Claire Goldsbury
- Discipline of Anatomy and Histology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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40
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McColgan P, Joubert J, Tabrizi SJ, Rees G. The human motor cortex microcircuit: insights for neurodegenerative disease. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:401-415. [PMID: 32555340 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0315-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The human motor cortex comprises a microcircuit of five interconnected layers with different cell types. In this Review, we use a layer-specific and cell-specific approach to integrate physiological accounts of this motor cortex microcircuit with the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases affecting motor functions. In doing so we can begin to link motor microcircuit pathology to specific disease stages and clinical phenotypes. Based on microcircuit physiology, we can make future predictions of axonal loss and microcircuit dysfunction. With recent advances in high-resolution neuroimaging we can then test these predictions in humans in vivo, providing mechanistic insights into neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter McColgan
- Huntington's Disease Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Julie Joubert
- Huntington's Disease Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Huntington's Disease Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
| | - Geraint Rees
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
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41
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Gatto RG, Weissmann C, Amin M, Finkielsztein A, Sumagin R, Mareci TH, Uchitel OD, Magin RL. Assessing neuraxial microstructural changes in a transgenic mouse model of early stage Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis by ultra-high field MRI and diffusion tensor metrics. Animal Model Exp Med 2020; 3:117-129. [PMID: 32613171 PMCID: PMC7323706 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cell structural changes are one of the main features observed during the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this work, we propose the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics to assess specific ultrastructural changes in the central nervous system during the early neurodegenerative stages of ALS. METHODS Ultra-high field MRI and DTI data at 17.6T were obtained from fixed, excised mouse brains, and spinal cords from ALS (G93A-SOD1) mice. RESULTS Changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) and linear, planar, and spherical anisotropy ratios (CL, CP, and CS, respectively) of the diffusion eigenvalues were measured in white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) areas associated with early axonal degenerative processes (in both the brain and the spinal cord). Specifically, in WM structures (corpus callosum, corticospinal tract, and spinal cord funiculi) as the disease progressed, FA, CL, and CP values decreased, whereas CS values increased. In GM structures (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and central spinal cord) FA and CP decreased, whereas the CL and CS values were unchanged or slightly smaller. Histological studies of a fluorescent mice model (YFP, G93A-SOD1 mouse) corroborated the early alterations in neuronal morphology and axonal connectivity measured by DTI. CONCLUSIONS Changes in diffusion tensor shape were observed in this animal model at the early, nonsymptomatic stages of ALS. Further studies of CL, CP, and CS as imaging biomarkers should be undertaken to refine this neuroimaging tool for future clinical use in the detection of the early stages of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo G. Gatto
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Carina Weissmann
- Instituto de Fisiología Biologia Molecular y Neurociencias‐IFIBYNE‐CONICETUniversity of Buenos AiresBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Manish Amin
- Department of BiochemistryNational High Magnetic Field LaboratoryUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
| | - Ariel Finkielsztein
- Department of PathologySchool of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoILUSA
| | - Ronen Sumagin
- Department of PathologySchool of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoILUSA
| | - Thomas H. Mareci
- Department of BiochemistryNational High Magnetic Field LaboratoryUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
| | - Osvaldo D. Uchitel
- Instituto de Fisiología Biologia Molecular y Neurociencias‐IFIBYNE‐CONICETUniversity of Buenos AiresBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Richard L. Magin
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoILUSA
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42
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Herzog JJ, Xu W, Deshpande M, Rahman R, Suib H, Rodal AA, Rosbash M, Paradis S. TDP-43 dysfunction restricts dendritic complexity by inhibiting CREB activation and altering gene expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:11760-11769. [PMID: 32393629 PMCID: PMC7260973 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1917038117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are two related neurodegenerative diseases that present with similar TDP-43 pathology in patient tissue. TDP-43 is an RNA-binding protein which forms aggregates in neurons of ALS and FTD patients as well as in a subset of patients diagnosed with other neurodegenerative diseases. Despite our understanding that TDP-43 is essential for many aspects of RNA metabolism, it remains obscure how TDP-43 dysfunction contributes to neurodegeneration. Interestingly, altered neuronal dendritic morphology is a common theme among several neurological disorders and is thought to precede neurodegeneration. We previously found that both TDP-43 overexpression (OE) and knockdown (KD) result in reduced dendritic branching of cortical neurons. In this study, we used TRIBE (targets of RNA-binding proteins identified by editing) as an approach to identify signaling pathways that regulate dendritic branching downstream of TDP-43. We found that TDP-43 RNA targets are enriched for pathways that signal to the CREB transcription factor. We further found that TDP-43 dysfunction inhibits CREB activation and CREB transcriptional output, and restoring CREB signaling rescues defects in dendritic branching. Finally, we demonstrate, using RNA sequencing, that TDP-43 OE and KD cause similar changes in the abundance of specific messenger RNAs, consistent with their ability to produce similar morphological defects. Our data therefore provide a mechanism by which TDP-43 dysfunction interferes with dendritic branching, and may define pathways for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiah J Herzog
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
- Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
| | - Weijin Xu
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
| | - Mugdha Deshpande
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
- Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
| | - Reazur Rahman
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
| | - Hannah Suib
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
- Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
| | - Avital A Rodal
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
| | - Michael Rosbash
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453;
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
| | - Suzanne Paradis
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453;
- Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453
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43
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Tazelaar GHP, Boeynaems S, De Decker M, van Vugt JJFA, Kool L, Goedee HS, McLaughlin RL, Sproviero W, Iacoangeli A, Moisse M, Jacquemyn M, Daelemans D, Dekker AM, van der Spek RA, Westeneng HJ, Kenna KP, Assialioui A, Da Silva N, Povedano M, Pardina JSM, Hardiman O, Salachas F, Millecamps S, Vourc'h P, Corcia P, Couratier P, Morrison KE, Shaw PJ, Shaw CE, Pasterkamp RJ, Landers JE, Van Den Bosch L, Robberecht W, Al-Chalabi A, van den Berg LH, Van Damme P, Veldink JH, van Es MA. ATXN1 repeat expansions confer risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and contribute to TDP-43 mislocalization. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa064. [PMID: 32954321 PMCID: PMC7425293 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasingly, repeat expansions are being identified as part of the complex genetic architecture of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. To date, several repeat expansions have been genetically associated with the disease: intronic repeat expansions in C9orf72, polyglutamine expansions in ATXN2 and polyalanine expansions in NIPA1. Together with previously published data, the identification of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient with a family history of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, caused by polyglutamine expansions in ATXN1, suggested a similar disease association for the repeat expansion in ATXN1. We, therefore, performed a large-scale international study in 11 700 individuals, in which we showed a significant association between intermediate ATXN1 repeat expansions and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (P = 3.33 × 10-7). Subsequent functional experiments have shown that ATXN1 reduces the nucleocytoplasmic ratio of TDP-43 and enhances amyotrophic lateral sclerosis phenotypes in Drosophila, further emphasizing the role of polyglutamine repeat expansions in the pathophysiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gijs H P Tazelaar
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Steven Boeynaems
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU
Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease
Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine,
Stanford, CA 94305-5120, USA
| | - Mathias De Decker
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU
Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease
Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Joke J F A van Vugt
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lindy Kool
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H Stephan Goedee
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Russell L McLaughlin
- Population Genetics Laboratory, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College
Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland
| | - William Sproviero
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical
Neuroscience Institute and United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, King’s College
London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Alfredo Iacoangeli
- Department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry,
Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Matthieu Moisse
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU
Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease
Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Maarten Jacquemyn
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Virology and
Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Daelemans
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Virology and
Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annelot M Dekker
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rick A van der Spek
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Henk-Jan Westeneng
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin P Kenna
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Abdelilah Assialioui
- Servei de Neurologia, IDIBELL-Hospital de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de
Llobregat, Barcelona 08908, Spain
| | - Nica Da Silva
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical
Neuroscience Institute and United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, King’s College
London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | | | - Mónica Povedano
- Servei de Neurologia, IDIBELL-Hospital de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08908, Spain
| | | | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland.,Department of Neurology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland
| | - François Salachas
- Centre de compétence SLA-Département de Neurologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris 75651, France.,Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière, INSERM U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Universités, Paris 75651, France
| | - Stéphanie Millecamps
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière, INSERM U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Universités, Paris 75651, France
| | - Patrick Vourc'h
- INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, Tours 92120, France
| | - Philippe Corcia
- Centre de compétence SLA-fédération Tours-Limoges, Tours 92120, France
| | - Philippe Couratier
- Centre de compétence SLA-fédération Tours-Limoges, Limoges 87100, France
| | - Karen E Morrison
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Christopher E Shaw
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - John E Landers
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Wim Robberecht
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center, Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center, Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michael A van Es
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center, Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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44
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Jara JH, Sheets PL, Nigro MJ, Perić M, Brooks C, Heller DB, Martina M, Andjus PR, Ozdinler PH. The Electrophysiological Determinants of Corticospinal Motor Neuron Vulnerability in ALS. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:73. [PMID: 32508590 PMCID: PMC7248374 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is complex and heterogeneous. Even though numerous independent studies indicate cortical hyperexcitability as a potential contributor to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology, the mechanisms that are responsible for upper motor neuron (UMN) vulnerability remain elusive. To reveal the electrophysiological determinants of corticospinal motor neuron (CSMN, a.k.a UMN in mice) vulnerability, we investigated the motor cortex of hSOD1G93A mice at P30 (postnatal day 30), a presymptomatic time point. Glutamate uncaging by laser scanning photostimulation (LSPS) revealed altered dynamics especially within the inhibitory circuitry and more specifically in L2/3 of the motor cortex, whereas the excitatory microcircuits were unchanged. Observed microcircuitry changes were specific to CSMN in the motor column. Electrophysiological evaluation of the intrinsic properties in response to the microcircuit changes, as well as the exon microarray expression profiles of CSMN isolated from hSOD1G93A and healthy mice at P30, revealed the presence of a very dynamic set of events, ultimately directed to establish, maintain and retain the balance at this early stage. Also, the expression profile of key voltage-gated potassium and sodium channel subunits as well as of the inhibitory GABA receptor subunits and modulatory proteins began to suggest the challenges CSMN face at this early age. Since neurodegeneration is initiated when neurons can no longer maintain balance, the complex cellular events that occur at this critical time point help reveal how CSMN try to cope with the challenges of disease manifestation. This information is critically important for the proper modulation of UMNs and for developing effective treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier H Jara
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Patrick L Sheets
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Maximiliano José Nigro
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Mina Perić
- Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Ivan Djaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Carolyn Brooks
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Daniel B Heller
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Marco Martina
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Pavle R Andjus
- Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Ivan Djaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - P Hande Ozdinler
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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45
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Brunet A, Stuart-Lopez G, Burg T, Scekic-Zahirovic J, Rouaux C. Cortical Circuit Dysfunction as a Potential Driver of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:363. [PMID: 32410944 PMCID: PMC7201269 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that affects selected cortical and spinal neuronal populations, leading to progressive paralysis and death. A growing body of evidences suggests that the disease may originate in the cerebral cortex and propagate in a corticofugal manner. In particular, transcranial magnetic stimulation studies revealed that ALS patients present with early cortical hyperexcitability arising from a combination of increased excitability and decreased inhibition. Here, we discuss the possibility that initial cortical circuit dysfunction might act as the main driver of ALS onset and progression, and review recent functional, imaging and transcriptomic studies conducted on ALS patients, along with electrophysiological, pathological and transcriptomic studies on animal and cellular models of the disease, in order to evaluate the potential cellular and molecular origins of cortical hyperexcitability in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Caroline Rouaux
- INSERM UMR_S 1118, Mécanismes Centraux et Périphériques de la Neurodégénérescence, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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46
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Fogarty MJ. Needles in straw-stacks on camel’s backs: Globalized versus specific loci of dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Clin Neurophysiol 2020; 131:940-941. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.12.402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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47
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Nye DMR, Albertson RM, Weiner AT, Hertzler JI, Shorey M, Goberdhan DCI, Wilson C, Janes KA, Rolls MM. The receptor tyrosine kinase Ror is required for dendrite regeneration in Drosophila neurons. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000657. [PMID: 32163406 PMCID: PMC7067388 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While many regulators of axon regeneration have been identified, very little is known about mechanisms that allow dendrites to regenerate after injury. Using a Drosophila model of dendrite regeneration, we performed a candidate screen of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and found a requirement for RTK-like orphan receptor (Ror). We confirmed that Ror was required for regeneration in two different neuron types using RNA interference (RNAi) and mutants. Ror was not required for axon regeneration or normal dendrite development, suggesting a specific role in dendrite regeneration. Ror can act as a Wnt coreceptor with frizzleds (fzs) in other contexts, so we tested the involvement of Wnt signaling proteins in dendrite regeneration. We found that knockdown of fz, dishevelled (dsh), Axin, and gilgamesh (gish) also reduced dendrite regeneration. Moreover, Ror was required to position dsh and Axin in dendrites. We recently found that Wnt signaling proteins, including dsh and Axin, localize microtubule nucleation machinery in dendrites. We therefore hypothesized that Ror may act by regulating microtubule nucleation at baseline and during dendrite regeneration. Consistent with this hypothesis, localization of the core nucleation protein γTubulin was reduced in Ror RNAi neurons, and this effect was strongest during dendrite regeneration. In addition, dendrite regeneration was sensitive to partial reduction of γTubulin. We conclude that Ror promotes dendrite regeneration as part of a Wnt signaling pathway that regulates dendritic microtubule nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek M. R. Nye
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- MSTP Program, Milton S. Hershey College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Richard M. Albertson
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- MSTP Program, Milton S. Hershey College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Alexis T. Weiner
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - J. Ian Hertzler
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Matthew Shorey
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | | | - Clive Wilson
- Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin A. Janes
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Melissa M. Rolls
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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48
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Swash M, Burke D, Turner MR, Grosskreutz J, Leigh PN, deCarvalho M, Kiernan MC. Occasional essay: Upper motor neuron syndrome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020; 91:227-234. [PMID: 32054724 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2019-321938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Swash
- Barts and the London School of Medicine, QMUL, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Univeridade de Lisboa, London, UK
| | - David Burke
- University of Sydney and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Martin R Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian Grosskreutz
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - P Nigel Leigh
- Trafford Centre for Biomedical Research, Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Mamede deCarvalho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Univeridade de Lisboa, and Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- University of Sydney and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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49
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The Timing and Extent of Motor Neuron Vulnerability in ALS Correlates with Accumulation of Misfolded SOD1 Protein in the Cortex and in the Spinal Cord. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020502. [PMID: 32098365 PMCID: PMC7072754 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the cellular and molecular basis of selective vulnerability has been challenging, especially for motor neuron diseases. Developing drugs that improve the health of neurons that display selective vulnerability relies on in vivo cell-based models and quantitative readout measures that translate to patient outcome. We initially developed and characterized UCHL1-eGFP mice, in which motor neurons are labeled with eGFP that is stable and long-lasting. By crossing UCHL1-eGFP to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease models, we generated ALS mouse models with fluorescently labeled motor neurons. Their examination over time began to reveal the cellular basis of selective vulnerability even within the related motor neuron pools. Accumulation of misfolded SOD1 protein both in the corticospinal and spinal motor neurons over time correlated with the timing and extent of degeneration. This further proved simultaneous degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons, and the requirement to consider both upper and lower motor neuron populations in drug discovery efforts. Demonstration of the direct correlation between misfolded SOD1 accumulation and motor neuron degeneration in both cortex and spinal cord is important for building cell-based assays in vivo. Our report sets the stage for shifting focus from mice to diseased neurons for drug discovery efforts, especially for motor neuron diseases.
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50
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Gautam M, Xie EF, Kocak N, Ozdinler PH. Mitoautophagy: A Unique Self-Destructive Path Mitochondria of Upper Motor Neurons With TDP-43 Pathology Take, Very Early in ALS. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:489. [PMID: 31787882 PMCID: PMC6854036 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the converging paths for many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and TDP-43 pathology is the most common proteinopathy detected in ALS and ALS/Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (ALS/FTLD). We recently identified mitochondrial problems in corticospinal motor neurons (CSMN) and in Betz cells of patients with TDP-43 pathology. However, the timing and the extent of mitochondrial defects, and their mode of degeneration have not been revealed. Because it is important to reveal when problems first begin to emerge and whether they are shared or unique, we investigated the health and integrity of mitochondria in CSMN of prpTDP-43A315T, PFN1G118V, and hSOD1G93A mice at P15 (post-natal day 15)—a very early age in mice without any sign of cellular degeneration.Utilization of immuno-coupled electron microscopy for a detailed surveillance of mitochondria in CSMN and other non-CSMN cells revealed presence of a novel self-destructive path of mitochondrial degeneration, which we named mitoautophagy. Mitoauthopgy is different from mitophagy, as it does not require autophagosome-mediated degradation. In contrast, in this novel path, mitochondria can clear themselves independently. We find that even at this early age, all diseased CSMN begin to display mitochondrial defects, whereas mitochondria in non-CSMN cells are healthy. Our findings not only reveal mitoautophagy as a novel path of mitochondrial clearance that occurs prior to neuronal vulnerability, but it also highlights that it is present mainly in the upper motor neurons of prpTDP-43A315T and PFN1G118V mice, which mimic many aspects of the disease in patients with TDP-43 pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukesh Gautam
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States.,Les Turner ALS Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Edward F Xie
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Nuran Kocak
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - P Hande Ozdinler
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States.,Les Turner ALS Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States.,Mesulam Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Research Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
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