1
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Jellinger KA. Pathomechanisms of behavioral abnormalities in Huntington disease: an update. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:999-1012. [PMID: 38874766 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-024-02794-y] [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: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD), a devastating autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat, is clinically characterized by a triad of symptoms including involuntary motions, behavior problems and cognitive deficits. Behavioral symptoms with anxiety, irritability, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, apathy and other neuropsychiatric symptoms, occurring in over 50% of HD patients are important features of this disease and contribute to impairment of quality of life, but their pathophysiology is poorly understood. Behavior problems, more frequent than depression, can be manifest before obvious motor symptoms and occur across all HD stages, usually correlated with duration of illness. While specific neuropathological data are missing, the relations between gene expression and behavior have been elucidated in transgenic models of HD. Disruption of interneuronal communications, with involvement of prefronto-striato-thalamic networks and hippocampal dysfunctions produce deficits in multiple behavioral domains. These changes that have been confirmed by multistructural neuroimaging studies are due to a causal cascade linking molecular pathologies (glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunctions inducing multiple biochemical and structural alterations) and deficits in multiple behavioral domains. The disruption of large-scale connectivities may explain the variability of behavior profiles and is useful in understanding the biological backgrounds of functional decline in HD. Such findings offer new avenues for targeted treatments in terms of minimizing neurobehavioral impairment in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt A Jellinger
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Alberichgasse 5/13, Vienna, A-1150, Austria.
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2
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Jiang A, You L, Handley RR, Hawkins V, Reid SJ, Jacobsen JC, Patassini S, Rudiger SR, Mclaughlan CJ, Kelly JM, Verma PJ, Bawden CS, Gusella JF, MacDonald ME, Waldvogel HJ, Faull RLM, Lehnert K, Snell RG. Single nuclei RNA-seq reveals a medium spiny neuron glutamate excitotoxicity signature prior to the onset of neuronal death in an ovine Huntington's disease model. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:1524-1539. [PMID: 38776957 PMCID: PMC11336116 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae087] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative genetic disorder caused by an expansion in the CAG repeat tract of the huntingtin (HTT) gene resulting in behavioural, cognitive, and motor defects. Current knowledge of disease pathogenesis remains incomplete, and no disease course-modifying interventions are in clinical use. We have previously reported the development and characterisation of the OVT73 transgenic sheep model of HD. The 73 polyglutamine repeat is somatically stable and therefore likely captures a prodromal phase of the disease with an absence of motor symptomatology even at 5-years of age and no detectable striatal cell loss. To better understand the disease-initiating events we have undertaken a single nuclei transcriptome study of the striatum of an extensively studied cohort of 5-year-old OVT73 HD sheep and age matched wild-type controls. We have identified transcriptional upregulation of genes encoding N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and kainate receptors in medium spiny neurons, the cell type preferentially lost early in HD. Further, we observed an upregulation of astrocytic glutamate uptake transporters and medium spiny neuron GABAA receptors, which may maintain glutamate homeostasis. Taken together, these observations support the glutamate excitotoxicity hypothesis as an early neurodegeneration cascade-initiating process but the threshold of toxicity may be regulated by several protective mechanisms. Addressing this biochemical defect early may prevent neuronal loss and avoid the more complex secondary consequences precipitated by cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Jiang
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Linya You
- Department of Human Anatomy & Histoembryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 131 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention of Shanghai, 130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Renee R Handley
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Victoria Hawkins
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Suzanne J Reid
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Jessie C Jacobsen
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Stefano Patassini
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Skye R Rudiger
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development Institute, 129 Holland Road, Adelaide, SA 5350, Australia
| | - Clive J Mclaughlan
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development Institute, 129 Holland Road, Adelaide, SA 5350, Australia
| | - Jennifer M Kelly
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development Institute, 129 Holland Road, Adelaide, SA 5350, Australia
| | - Paul J Verma
- Aquatic and Livestock Sciences, South Australian Research and Development Institute, 129 Holland Road, Adelaide, SA 5350, Australia
| | - C Simon Bawden
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development Institute, 129 Holland Road, Adelaide, SA 5350, Australia
| | - James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, United States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, United States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Henry J Waldvogel
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, The University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Richard L M Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, The University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Klaus Lehnert
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Russell G Snell
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
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3
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Fernández A, Martínez-Ramírez C, Gómez A, de Diego AMG, Gandía L, Casarejos MJ, García AG. Mitochondrial dysfunction in chromaffin cells from the R6/1 mouse model of Huntington's disease: Impact on exocytosis and calcium current regulation. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 179:106046. [PMID: 36806818 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
Abstract
From a pathogenic perspective, Huntington's disease (HD) is being considered as a synaptopathy. As such, alterations in brain neurotransmitter release occur. As the activity of the sympathoadrenal axis is centrally controlled, deficits in the exocytotic release of catecholamine release may also occur. In fact, in chromaffin cells (CCs) of the adrenal medulla of the R6/1 model of HD, decrease of secretion and altered kinetics of the exocytotic fusion pore have been reported. Those alterations could be linked to mitochondrial deficits occurring in peripheral CCs, similar to those described in brain mitochondria. Here we have inquired about alterations in mitochondrial structure and function and their impact on exocytosis and calcium channel currents (ICa). We have monitored various parameters linked to those events, in wild type (WT) and the R6/1 mouse model of HD at a pre-disease stage (2 months age, 2 m), and when motor deficits are present (7 months age, 7 m). In isolated CCs from 7 m and in the adrenal medulla of R6/1 mice, we found the following alterations (with respect 7 m WT mice): (i) augmented fragmented mitochondria and oxidative stress with increased oxidized glutathione; (ii) decreased basal and maximal respiration; (iii) diminution of ATP cell levels; (iv) mitochondrial depolarization; (v) drastic decrease of catecholamine release with poorer potentiation by protonophore FCCP; (vi) decreased ICa inhibition by FCCP; and (vii) lesser potentiation by BayK8644 of ICa and smaller prolongation of current deactivation. Of note was the fact several of these alterations were already manifested in CCs from 2 m R6/1 mice at pre-disease stages. Based on those results, a plausible hypothesis can be raised in the sense that altered mitochondrial function seems to be an early primary event in HD pathogenesis. This is in line with an increasing number of mitochondrial, metabolic, and inflammatory alterations being recently reported in various HD peripheral tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fernández
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Fundación Teófilo Hernando, Parque científico de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Martínez-Ramírez
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Fundación Teófilo Hernando, Parque científico de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Gómez
- Servicio de Neurobiología, IRYCIS, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio M G de Diego
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Gandía
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Fundación Teófilo Hernando, Parque científico de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Casarejos
- Servicio de Neurobiología, IRYCIS, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio G García
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Fundación Teófilo Hernando, Parque científico de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain.
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4
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Burtscher J, Pepe G, Maharjan N, Riguet N, Di Pardo A, Maglione V, Millet GP. Sphingolipids and impaired hypoxic stress responses in Huntington disease. Prog Lipid Res 2023; 90:101224. [PMID: 36898481 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2023.101224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a debilitating, currently incurable disease. Protein aggregation and metabolic deficits are pathological hallmarks but their link to neurodegeneration and symptoms remains debated. Here, we summarize alterations in the levels of different sphingolipids in an attempt to characterize sphingolipid patterns specific to HD, an additional molecular hallmark of the disease. Based on the crucial role of sphingolipids in maintaining cellular homeostasis, the dynamic regulation of sphingolipids upon insults and their involvement in cellular stress responses, we hypothesize that maladaptations or blunted adaptations, especially following cellular stress due to reduced oxygen supply (hypoxia) contribute to the development of pathology in HD. We review how sphingolipids shape cellular energy metabolism and control proteostasis and suggest how these functions may fail in HD and in combination with additional insults. Finally, we evaluate the potential of improving cellular resilience in HD by conditioning approaches (improving the efficiency of cellular stress responses) and the role of sphingolipids therein. Sphingolipid metabolism is crucial for cellular homeostasis and for adaptations following cellular stress, including hypoxia. Inadequate cellular management of hypoxic stress likely contributes to HD progression, and sphingolipids are potential mediators. Targeting sphingolipids and the hypoxic stress response are novel treatment strategies for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Burtscher
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Giuseppe Pepe
- IRCCS Neuromed, Via Dell'Elettronica, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Niran Maharjan
- Department of Neurology, Center for Experimental Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland; Department for Biomedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Alba Di Pardo
- IRCCS Neuromed, Via Dell'Elettronica, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | | | - Grégoire P Millet
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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5
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Lalonde R, Strazielle C. The mouse at the popcorn stage of development. Int J Dev Neurosci 2022; 82:199-204. [PMID: 35080044 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In mice, rats, and rabbits vigorous jumping and hyperexcitability occur at the popcorn stage of postnatal development. In view of subcortical structures appearing before cortical ones, the trait is deemed to occur at the maturation time of ascending excitatory projections from the brainstem and to disappear at the maturation time of descending inhibitory projections from the forebrain. There is evidence that the popcorn stage may be due in part to the lack of a cholinergic influence on dopamine systems. Based mostly on results found in adult mice and rats, there may also be a role for cortico-subcortical systems that include the cerebellum and basal ganglia requiring the influence of biogenic amines, glutamate, and endocannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Lalonde
- University of Lorraine, Laboratory of Stress, Immunity, Pathogens (EA7300), Medical School, Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France
| | - Catherine Strazielle
- University of Lorraine, Laboratory of Stress, Immunity, Pathogens (EA7300), Medical School, Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France.,CHRU Nancy, Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France
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6
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C57BL/6 Background Attenuates mHTT Toxicity in the Striatum of YAC128 Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312664. [PMID: 34884469 PMCID: PMC8657915 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312664] [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: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse models are frequently used to study Huntington’s disease (HD). The onset and severity of neuronal and behavioral pathologies vary greatly between HD mouse models, which results from different huntingtin expression levels and different CAG repeat length. HD pathology appears to depend also on the strain background of mouse models. Thus, behavioral deficits of HD mice are more severe in the FVB than in the C57BL/6 background. Alterations in medium spiny neuron (MSN) morphology and function have been well documented in young YAC128 mice in the FVB background. Here, we tested the relevance of strain background for mutant huntingtin (mHTT) toxicity on the cellular level by investigating HD pathologies in YAC128 mice in the C57BL/6 background (YAC128/BL6). Morphology, spine density, synapse function and membrane properties were not or only subtly altered in MSNs of 12-month-old YAC128/BL6 mice. Despite the mild cellular phenotype, YAC128/BL6 mice showed deficits in motor performance. More pronounced alterations in MSN function were found in the HdhQ150 mouse model in the C57BL/6 background (HdhQ150/BL6). Consistent with the differences in HD pathology, the number of inclusion bodies was considerably lower in YAC128/BL6 mice than HdhQ150/BL6 mice. This study highlights the relevance of strain background for mHTT toxicity in HD mouse models.
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7
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Henningsen JB, Soylu-Kucharz R, Björkqvist M, Petersén Å. Effects of excitotoxicity in the hypothalamus in transgenic mouse models of Huntington disease. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07808. [PMID: 34458633 PMCID: PMC8379469 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative movement disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene (HTT). The mutant huntingtin protein is ubiquitously expressed, but only certain brain regions are affected. The hypothalamus has emerged as an important area of pathology with selective loss of neurons expressing the neuropeptides orexin (hypocretin), oxytocin and vasopressin in human postmortem HD tissue. Hypothalamic changes in HD may have implications for early disease manifestations affecting the regulation of sleep, emotions and metabolism. The underlying mechanisms of selective vulnerability of certain neurons in HD are not fully understood, but excitotoxicity has been proposed to play a role. Further understanding of mechanisms rendering neurons sensitive to mutant huntingtin may reveal novel targets for therapeutic interventions. In the present study, we wanted to examine whether transgenic HD mice display altered sensitivity to excitotoxicity in the hypothalamus. We first assessed effects of hypothalamic injections of the excitotoxin quinolinic acid (QA) into wild-type (WT) mice. We show that neuronal populations expressing melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) display a dose-dependent sensitivity to QA. In contrast, neuronal populations expressing orexin, oxytocin, vasopressin as well as tyrosine hydroxylase in the A13 area are resistant to QA-induced toxicity. We demonstrate that the R6/2 transgenic mouse model expressing a short fragment of mutant HTT displays hypothalamic neuropathology with discrete loss of the neuronal populations expressing orexin, MCH, CART, and orexin at 12 weeks of age. The BACHD mouse model expressing full-length mutant HTT does not display any hypothalamic neuropathology at 2 months of age. There was no effect of hypothalamic injections of QA on the neuronal populations expressing orexin, MCH, CART or oxytocin in neither HD mouse model. In conclusion, we find no support for a role of excitotoxicity in the loss of hypothalamic neuronal populations in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo B. Henningsen
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Corresponding author.
| | - Rana Soylu-Kucharz
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
- Brain Disease Biomarker Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Maria Björkqvist
- Brain Disease Biomarker Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Åsa Petersén
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
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8
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Mahaman YAR, Huang F, Embaye KS, Wang X, Zhu F. The Implication of STEP in Synaptic Plasticity and Cognitive Impairments in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Neurological Disorders. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:680118. [PMID: 34195199 PMCID: PMC8236946 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.680118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
STriatal-Enriched protein tyrosine Phosphatase (STEP) is a tyrosine phosphatase that has been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, and many other neurological diseases. The protein level and activity of STEP have been found to be elevated in most of these disorders, and specifically in AD as a result of dysregulation of different pathways including PP2B/DARPP32/PP1, PKA as well as impairments of both proteasomal and lysosomal systems. The upregulation in STEP leads to increased binding to, and dephosphorylation of, its substrates which are mainly found to be synaptic plasticity and thus learning and memory related proteins. These proteins include kinases like Fyn, Pyk2, ERK1/2 and both NMDA and AMPA receptor subunits GluN2B and GluA2. The dephosphorylation of these molecules results in inactivation of these kinases and internalization of NMDA and AMPA receptor complexes leading to synapse loss and cognitive impairments. In this study, we aim to review STEP regulation and its implications in AD as well as other neurological disorders and then summarize data on targeting STEP as therapeutic strategy in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yacoubou Abdoul Razak Mahaman
- Cognitive Impairment Ward of Neurology Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fang Huang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kidane Siele Embaye
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaochuan Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Feiqi Zhu
- Cognitive Impairment Ward of Neurology Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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9
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Ghavami A, Olsen M, Kwan M, Beltran J, Shea J, Ramboz S, Duan W, Lavery D, Howland D, Park LC. Transcriptional Assessment of Striatal mRNAs as Valid Biomarkers of Disease Progression in Three Mouse Models of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 9:13-31. [PMID: 32007959 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-190389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that prominently affects the basal ganglia, leading to affective, cognitive, behavioral, and motor decline. The primary site of neuron loss in HD is the striatal part of the basal ganglia, with GABAergic medium size spiny neurons (MSNs) being nearly completely lost in advanced HD. OBJECTIVE Based on the hypothesis that mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein injures neurons via transcriptional dysregulation, we set out to establish a transcriptional profile of HD disease progression in the well characterized transgenic mouse model, R6/2, and two Knock-in models (KI); zQ175KI (expressing mutant mouse/human chimeric Htt protein) and HdhQ200 HET KI (carrying one allele of expanded mouse CAG repeats). METHODS In this study, we used quantitative PCR (qPCR) to evaluate striatal mRNA levels of markers of neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, and energy metabolism. RESULTS After analyzing and comparing transcripts from pre-symptomatic and symptomatic stages, markers expressed in the basal ganglia MSNs, which are typically involved in maintaining normal neurotransmission, showed a genotype-specific decrease in mRNA expression in a pattern consistent with human studies. In contrast, transcripts associated with neuroinflammation and energy metabolism were mostly unaffected in these animal models of HD. CONCLUSION Our results show that transcripts linked to neurotransmission are significantly reduced and are consistent with disease progression in both zQ175KI and R6/2 transgenic mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mei Kwan
- PsychoGenics Inc., Paramus, NJ, USA
| | | | | | | | - Wenzhen Duan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Neurobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel Lavery
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Inc, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - David Howland
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Inc, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Larry C Park
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Inc, Princeton, NJ, USA
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10
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Singh S, Singh TG, Rehni AK, Sharma V, Singh M, Kaur R. Reviving mitochondrial bioenergetics: A relevant approach in epilepsy. Mitochondrion 2021; 58:213-226. [PMID: 33775871 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2021.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Epileptogenesis is most commonly associated with neurodegeneration and a bioenergetic defect attributing to the fact that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key precursor for neuronal death. Mitochondria are the essential organelle of neuronal cells necessary for certain neurophysiological processes like neuronal action potential activity and synaptic transmission. The mitochondrial dysfunction disrupts calcium homeostasis leading to inhibitory interneuron dysfunction and increasing the excitatory postsynaptic potential. In epilepsy, the prolonged repetitive neuronal activity increases the excessive demand for energy and acidosis in the brain further increasing the intracellular calcium causing neuronal death. Similarly, the mitochondrial damage also leads to the decline of energy by dysfunction of the electron transport chain and abnormal production of the ROS triggering the apoptotic neuronal death. Thus, the elevated level of cytosolic calcium causes the mitochondria DNA damage coinciding with mtROS and releasing the cytochrome c binding to Apaf protein further initiating the apoptosis resulting in epileptic encephalopathies. The various genetic and mRNA studies of epilepsy have explored the various pathogenic mutations of genes affecting the mitochondria functioning further initiating the neuronal excitotoxicity. Based on the results of previous studies, the recent therapeutic approaches are targeting basic mitochondrial processes, such as energy metabolism or free-radical generation, or specific interactions of disease-related proteins with mitochondria and hold great promise to attenuate epileptogenesis. Therefore, the current review emphasizes the emerging insights to uncover the relation between mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS generation contributing to mechanisms underlying epileptic seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shareen Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
| | | | - Ashish Kumar Rehni
- Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratories, Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Program, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India; Govt. College of Pharmacy, Rohru, District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171207, India
| | - Manjinder Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
| | - Rupinder Kaur
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
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11
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Angeles-López QD, García-Lara L, Aguirre-Pineda N, Castañeda-Arellano R, Elizondo-Azuela G, Pérez-Severiano F, Segovia J. The absence of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the R6/1 transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease improves the neurological phenotype. Behav Brain Res 2021; 408:113230. [PMID: 33684424 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an abnormal CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene coding for a protein with an elongated polyglutamine sequence. HD patients present choreiform movements, which are caused by the loss of neurons in the striatum and cerebral cortex. Previous reports indicate that the absence of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) protects mice from excitotoxic insults and increases the transcription of neurotrophic factors. Based on these data, we evaluated the effects of the lack of the AhR on a mice model of HD, generating a double transgenic mouse, expressing human mutated huntingtin (R6/1 mice) and knockout for the AhR. Our results show that the body weight of 30-week-old double transgenic mice is similar to that of R6/1 mice; however, feet clasping, an indicative of neuronal damage in the R6/1 animals, was not observed. In addition, motor coordination and ambulatory behavior in double transgenic mice did not deteriorate over time as occur in the R6/1 mice. Moreover, the anxiety behavior of double transgenic mice was similar to wild type mice. Interestingly, astrogliosis is also reduced in the double transgenic mice. The present data demonstrate that the complete loss of the AhR reduces the motor and behavioral deterioration observed in R6/1 mice, suggesting that the pharmacological modulation of the AhR could be a therapeutic target in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quetzalli D Angeles-López
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, 07360, Mexico; Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, 14269, Mexico
| | - Lucia García-Lara
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, 14269, Mexico
| | - Nicolás Aguirre-Pineda
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, 07360, Mexico
| | - Rolando Castañeda-Arellano
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara 45425, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Guillermo Elizondo-Azuela
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, 07360, Mexico
| | - Francisca Pérez-Severiano
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, 14269, Mexico
| | - José Segovia
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, 07360, Mexico.
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12
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Alcalá‐Vida R, Garcia‐Forn M, Castany‐Pladevall C, Creus‐Muncunill J, Ito Y, Blanco E, Golbano A, Crespí‐Vázquez K, Parry A, Slater G, Samarajiwa S, Peiró S, Di Croce L, Narita M, Pérez‐Navarro E. Neuron type-specific increase in lamin B1 contributes to nuclear dysfunction in Huntington's disease. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e12105. [PMID: 33369245 PMCID: PMC7863407 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202012105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Lamins are crucial proteins for nuclear functionality. Here, we provide new evidence showing that increased lamin B1 levels contribute to the pathophysiology of Huntington's disease (HD), a CAG repeat-associated neurodegenerative disorder. Through fluorescence-activated nuclear suspension imaging, we show that nucleus from striatal medium-sized spiny and CA1 hippocampal neurons display increased lamin B1 levels, in correlation with altered nuclear morphology and nucleocytoplasmic transport disruption. Moreover, ChIP-sequencing analysis shows an alteration of lamin-associated chromatin domains in hippocampal nuclei, accompanied by changes in chromatin accessibility and transcriptional dysregulation. Supporting lamin B1 alterations as a causal role in mutant huntingtin-mediated neurodegeneration, pharmacological normalization of lamin B1 levels in the hippocampus of the R6/1 mouse model of HD by betulinic acid administration restored nuclear homeostasis and prevented motor and cognitive dysfunction. Collectively, our work points increased lamin B1 levels as a new pathogenic mechanism in HD and provides a novel target for its intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Alcalá‐Vida
- Departament de BiomedicinaFacultat de Medicina i Ciències de la SalutInstitut de NeurociènciesUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaCatalonia
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaCatalonia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain
- Present address:
Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive NeuroscienceUMR 7364 (CNRS/Strasbourg University)StrasbourgFrance
| | - Marta Garcia‐Forn
- Departament de BiomedicinaFacultat de Medicina i Ciències de la SalutInstitut de NeurociènciesUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaCatalonia
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaCatalonia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain
- Present address:
Seaver Autism Center for Research and TreatmentIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Carla Castany‐Pladevall
- Departament de BiomedicinaFacultat de Medicina i Ciències de la SalutInstitut de NeurociènciesUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaCatalonia
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaCatalonia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain
| | - Jordi Creus‐Muncunill
- Departament de BiomedicinaFacultat de Medicina i Ciències de la SalutInstitut de NeurociènciesUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaCatalonia
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaCatalonia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain
| | - Yoko Ito
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Enrique Blanco
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Arantxa Golbano
- Departament de BiomedicinaFacultat de Medicina i Ciències de la SalutInstitut de NeurociènciesUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaCatalonia
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaCatalonia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain
| | - Kilian Crespí‐Vázquez
- Departament de BiomedicinaFacultat de Medicina i Ciències de la SalutInstitut de NeurociènciesUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaCatalonia
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaCatalonia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain
| | - Aled Parry
- Epigenetics ProgrammeThe Babraham InstituteCambridgeUK
| | - Guy Slater
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Shamith Samarajiwa
- MRC Cancer UnitHutchison/MRC Research CentreUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Sandra Peiró
- Vall d'Hebron Institute of OncologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Luciano Di Croce
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)BarcelonaSpain
- ICREABarcelonaSpain
| | - Masashi Narita
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Esther Pérez‐Navarro
- Departament de BiomedicinaFacultat de Medicina i Ciències de la SalutInstitut de NeurociènciesUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaCatalonia
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaCatalonia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain
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13
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Dridi H, Liu X, Yuan Q, Reiken S, Yehia M, Sittenfeld L, Apostolou P, Buron J, Sicard P, Matecki S, Thireau J, Menuet C, Lacampagne A, Marks AR. Role of defective calcium regulation in cardiorespiratory dysfunction in Huntington's disease. JCI Insight 2020; 5:140614. [PMID: 32897880 PMCID: PMC7566717 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.140614] [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: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a progressive, autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder affecting striatal neurons beginning in young adults with loss of muscle coordination and cognitive decline. Less appreciated is the fact that patients with HD also exhibit cardiac and respiratory dysfunction, including pulmonary insufficiency and cardiac arrhythmias. The underlying mechanism for these symptoms is poorly understood. In the present study we provide insight into the cause of cardiorespiratory dysfunction in HD and identify a potentially novel therapeutic target. We now show that intracellular calcium (Ca2+) leak via posttranslationally modified ryanodine receptor/intracellular calcium release (RyR) channels plays an important role in HD pathology. RyR channels were oxidized, PKA phosphorylated, and leaky in brain, heart, and diaphragm both in patients with HD and in a murine model of HD (Q175). HD mice (Q175) with endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak exhibited cognitive dysfunction, decreased parasympathetic tone associated with cardiac arrhythmias, and reduced diaphragmatic contractile function resulting in impaired respiratory function. Defects in cognitive, motor, and respiratory functions were ameliorated by treatment with a novel Rycal small-molecule drug (S107) that fixes leaky RyR. Thus, leaky RyRs likely play a role in neuronal, cardiac, and diaphragmatic pathophysiology in HD, and RyRs are a potential novel therapeutic target. This study explores the role of ryanodine receptor calcium channels in the brain, the heart, and the diaphragm and central versus peripheral pathophysiological mechanisms in Huntington’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haikel Dridi
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xiaoping Liu
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | - Qi Yuan
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | - Steve Reiken
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mohamad Yehia
- PHYMEDEXP, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Leah Sittenfeld
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | - Panagiota Apostolou
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | - Julie Buron
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée, INMED UMR1249, INSERM, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre Sicard
- PHYMEDEXP, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Stefan Matecki
- PHYMEDEXP, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jérome Thireau
- PHYMEDEXP, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,LIA MusCaRyR, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Clement Menuet
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée, INMED UMR1249, INSERM, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Alain Lacampagne
- PHYMEDEXP, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,LIA MusCaRyR, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Andrew R Marks
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
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14
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Huang TT, Smith R, Bacos K, Song DY, Faull RM, Waldvogel HJ, Li JY. No symphony without bassoon and piccolo: changes in synaptic active zone proteins in Huntington's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:77. [PMID: 32493491 PMCID: PMC7268643 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-00949-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Prominent features of HD neuropathology are the intranuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions of huntingtin and striatal and cortical neuronal cell death. Recently, synaptic defects have been reported on HD-related studies, including impairment of neurotransmitter release and alterations of synaptic components. However, the definite characteristics of synapse dysfunction and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. We studied the gene expression levels and patterns of a number of proteins forming the cytoskeletal matrix of the presynaptic active zones in HD transgenic mice (R6/1), in hippocampal neuronal cultures overexpressing mutant huntingtin and in postmortem brain tissues of HD patients. To investigate the interactions between huntingtin and active proteins, we performed confocal microscopic imaging and immunoprecipitation in mouse and HEK 293 cell line models. The mRNA and protein levels of Bassoon were reduced in mouse and cell culture models of HD and in brain tissues of patients with HD. Moreover, a striking re-distribution of a complex of proteins including Bassoon, Piccolo and Munc 13-1 from the cytoplasm and synapses into intranuclear huntingtin aggregates with loss of active zone proteins and dendritic spines. This re-localization was age-dependent and coincided with the formation of huntingtin aggregates. Using co-immunoprecipitation, we demonstrated that huntingtin interacts with Bassoon, and that this interaction is likely mediated by a third linking protein. Three structural proteins involved in neurotransmitter release in the presynaptic active zones of neurons are altered in expression and that the proteins are redistributed from their normal functional site into mutant huntingtin aggregates.
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15
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Donzis EJ, Estrada-Sánchez AM, Indersmitten T, Oikonomou K, Tran CH, Wang C, Latifi S, Golshani P, Cepeda C, Levine MS. Cortical Network Dynamics Is Altered in Mouse Models of Huntington's Disease. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:2372-2388. [PMID: 31761935 PMCID: PMC7174987 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by involuntary movements, cognitive deficits, and psychiatric disturbances. Although evidence indicates that projections from motor cortical areas play a key role in the development of dysfunctional striatal activity and motor phenotype, little is known about the changes in cortical microcircuits and their role in the development of the HD phenotype. Here we used two-photon laser-scanning microscopy to evaluate network dynamics of motor cortical neurons in layers II/III in behaving transgenic R6/2 and knock-in Q175+/- mice. Symptomatic R6/2 mice displayed increased motion manifested by a significantly greater number of motion epochs, whereas symptomatic Q175 mice displayed decreased motion. In both models, calcium transients in symptomatic mice displayed reduced amplitude, suggesting decreased bursting activity. Changes in frequency were genotype- and time-dependent; for R6/2 mice, the frequency was reduced during both motion and nonmotion, whereas in symptomatic Q175 mice, the reduction only occurred during nonmotion. In presymptomatic Q175 mice, frequency was increased during both behavioral states. Interneuronal correlation coefficients were generally decreased in both models, suggesting disrupted interneuronal communication in HD cerebral cortex. These results indicate similar and contrasting effects of the HD mutation on cortical ensemble activity depending on mouse model and disease stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa J Donzis
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Ana María Estrada-Sánchez
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Tim Indersmitten
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Katerina Oikonomou
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Conny H Tran
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Catherine Wang
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Shahrzad Latifi
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Peyman Golshani
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Neurology, West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Michael S Levine
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
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16
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Kielar C, Morton AJ. Early Neurodegeneration in R6/2 Mice Carrying the Huntington's Disease Mutation with a Super-Expanded CAG Repeat, Despite Normal Lifespan. J Huntingtons Dis 2019; 7:61-76. [PMID: 29480204 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-170265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The threshold of CAG repeat expansion in the HTT gene that causes HD is 36 CAG repeats, although 'superlong' expansions are found in individual neurons in postmortem brains. Previously, we showed that, compared to mice with <250 CAG repeats, onset of disease in R6/2 mice carrying superlong (>440) CAG repeat expansions was delayed, and disease progression was slower. Inclusion pathology also differed from 250 CAG repeat mice, being dominated by a novel kind of extranuclear neuronal inclusion (nENNI) that resembles a class of aggregate seen in patients with the adult onset form of HD. Here, we characterised neuropathology in R6/2 mice with >400 CAG repeats using light and electron microscopy. nENNIs were found with increased frequency and wider distribution with age. Some nENNIs appear to 'mature' as the disease develops, developing a multi-layered cored structure. Mice with superlong CAG repeats do not develop clinical signs until they are around 30-40 weeks of age, and they attain a normal life span (>2 years). Nevertheless, they show brain atrophy and unequivocal neuron loss from the striatum and cortex by 22 weeks of age, an age at which similar pathology is seen in 250 CAG repeat mice. Since this time-point is 'end stage' for a 250 CAG mouse, but very far (at least 18 months) from end stage for a > 440 CAG repeat mouse, our data confirm that the appearance of clinical signs, the formation of inclusions, and neurodegeneration are processes that progress independently. A better understanding of the relationship between CAG repeat length, neurodegenerative pathways, and clinical behavioural signs is essential, if we are to find strategies to delay or reverse the course of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Kielar
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - A Jennifer Morton
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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17
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Carbone E, Borges R, Eiden LE, García AG, Hernández‐Cruz A. Chromaffin Cells of the Adrenal Medulla: Physiology, Pharmacology, and Disease. Compr Physiol 2019; 9:1443-1502. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c190003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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18
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Rangel-Barajas C, Rebec GV. Overview of Huntington's Disease Models: Neuropathological, Molecular, and Behavioral Differences. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 83:e47. [PMID: 30040221 DOI: 10.1002/cpns.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative condition caused by a single gene mutation, have been transformative in their ability to reveal the molecular processes and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the HD behavioral phenotype. Three model categories have been generated depending on the genetic context in which the mutation is expressed: truncated, full-length, and knock-in. No single model, however, broadly replicates the behavioral symptoms and massive neuronal loss that occur in human patients. The disparity between model and patient requires careful consideration of what each model has to offer when testing potential treatments. Although the translation of animal data to the clinic has been limited, each model can make unique contributions toward an improved understanding of the neurobehavioral underpinnings of HD. Thus, conclusions based on data obtained from more than one model are likely to have the most success in the search for new treatment targets. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Rangel-Barajas
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - George V Rebec
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
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19
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Morton AJ, Skillings EA, Wood NI, Zheng Z. Antagonistic pleiotropy in mice carrying a CAG repeat expansion in the range causing Huntington's disease. Sci Rep 2019; 9:37. [PMID: 30631090 PMCID: PMC6328633 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37102-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antagonist pleiotropy, where a gene exerts a beneficial effect at early stages and a deleterious effect later on in an animal’s life, may explain the evolutionary persistence of devastating genetic diseases such as Huntington’s disease (HD). To date, however, there is little direct experimental evidence to support this theory. Here, we studied a transgenic mouse carrying the HD mutation with a repeat of 50 CAGs (R6/2_50) that is within the pathological range of repeats causing adult-onset disease in humans. R6/2_50 mice develop characteristic HD brain aggregate pathology, with aggregates appearing predominantly in the striatum and cortex. However, they show few signs of disease in their lifetime. On the contrary, R6/2_50 mice appear to benefit from carrying the mutation. They have extended lifespans compared to wildtype (WT) mice, and male mice show enhanced fecundity. Furthermore, R6/2_50 mice outperform WT mice on the rotarod and show equal or better performance in the two choice discrimination task than WT mice. This novel mouse line provides direct experimental evidence that, although the HD mutation causes a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, there may be premorbid benefits of carrying the mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Morton
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, United Kingdom.
| | - E A Skillings
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - N I Wood
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Z Zheng
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
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20
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Martínez-Ramírez C, Baraibar AM, Nanclares C, Méndez-López I, Gómez A, Muñoz MP, de Diego AMG, Gandía L, Casarejos MJ, García AG. Altered excitability and exocytosis in chromaffin cells from the R6/1 mouse model of Huntington's disease is linked to over-expression of mutated huntingtin. J Neurochem 2018; 147:454-476. [PMID: 30182387 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
As the peripheral sympathoadrenal axis is tightly controlled by the cortex via hypothalamus and brain stem, the central pathological features of Hunting's disease, (HD) that is, deposition of mutated huntingtin and synaptic dysfunctions, could also be expressed in adrenal chromaffin cells. To test this hypothesis we here present a thorough investigation on the pathological and functional changes undergone by chromaffin cells (CCs) from 2-month (2 m) to 7-month (7 m) aged wild-type (WT) and R6/1 mouse model of Huntington's disease (HD), stimulated with acetylcholine (ACh) or high [K+ ] (K+ ). In order to do this, we used different techniques such as inmunohistochemistry, patch-clamp, and amperometric recording. With respect to WT cells, some of the changes next summarized were already observed in HD mice at a pre-disease stage (2 m); however, they were more pronounced at 7 m when motor deficits were clearly established, as follows: (i) huntingtin over-expression as nuclear aggregates in CCs; (ii) smaller CC size with decreased dopamine β-hydroxylase expression, indicating lesser number of chromaffin secretory vesicles; (iii) reduced adrenal tissue catecholamine content; (iv) reduced Na+ currents with (v) membrane hyperpolarization and reduced ACh-evoked action potentials; (v) reduced [Ca2+ ]c transients with faster Ca2+ clearance; (vi) diminished quantal secretion with smaller vesicle quantal size; (vii) faster kinetics of the exocytotic fusion pore, pore expansion, and closure. On the basis of these data, the hypothesis is here raised in the sense that nuclear deposition of mutated huntingtin in adrenal CCs of R6/1 mice could be primarily responsible for poorer Na+ channel expression and function, giving rise to profound depression of cell excitability, altered Ca2+ handling and exocytosis. OPEN PRACTICES: This article has received a badge for *Open Materials* because it provided all relevant information to reproduce the study in the manuscript. The complete Open Science Disclosure form for this article can be found at the end of the article. More information about the Open Practices badges can be found at https://cos.io/our-services/open-science-badges/. Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14201.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Martínez-Ramírez
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés M Baraibar
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Nanclares
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Iago Méndez-López
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Gómez
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mᵃ Paz Muñoz
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio M G de Diego
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.,DNS Neuroscience, Parque Científico de Madrid, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Gandía
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Casarejos
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio G García
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.,DNS Neuroscience, Parque Científico de Madrid, C/Faraday, Madrid, Spain
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21
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Doty RL, MacGillivray MR, Talab H, Tourbier I, Reish M, Davis S, Cuzzocreo JL, Shepard NT, Pham DL. Balance in multiple sclerosis: relationship to central brain regions. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:2739-2750. [PMID: 30019234 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5332-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Dizziness, postural instability, and ataxia are among the most debilitating symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), reflecting, in large part, dysfunctional integration of visual, somatosensory, and vestibular sensory cues. However, the role of MS-related supratentorial lesions in producing such symptoms is poorly understood. In this study, motor control test (MCT) and dynamic sensory organization test (SOT) scores of 58 MS patients were compared to those of 72 healthy controls; correlations were determined between the MS scores of 49 patients and lesion volumes within 26 brain regions. Depending upon platform excursion direction and magnitude, MCT latencies, which were longer in MS patients than controls (p < 0.0001), were correlated with lesion volumes in the cortex, medial frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and parietal opercula (r's ranging from 0.20 to 0.39). SOT test scores were also impacted by MS and correlated with lesions in these same brain regions as well as within the superior frontal lobe (r's ranging from - 0.28 to - 0.40). The strongest and most consistent correlations occurred for the most challenging tasks in which incongruent visual and proprioceptive feedback were given. This study demonstrates that supratentorial lesion volumes are associated with quantitative balance measures in MS, in accord with the concept that balance relies upon highly convergent and multimodal neural pathways involving the skin, muscles, joints, eyes, and vestibular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Doty
- Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 5 Ravdin Pavilion, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4823, USA.
| | - Michael R MacGillivray
- Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 5 Ravdin Pavilion, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4823, USA
| | - Hussam Talab
- Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 5 Ravdin Pavilion, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4823, USA
| | - Isabelle Tourbier
- Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 5 Ravdin Pavilion, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4823, USA
| | - Megan Reish
- Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 5 Ravdin Pavilion, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4823, USA
| | - Sherrie Davis
- Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 5 Ravdin Pavilion, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4823, USA
| | | | - Neil T Shepard
- Division of Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Dzung L Pham
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Henry Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, USA
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22
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Reiner A, Deng Y. Disrupted striatal neuron inputs and outputs in Huntington's disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2018; 24:250-280. [PMID: 29582587 PMCID: PMC5875736 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the gene coding for the protein huntingtin, resulting in a pathogenic expansion of the polyglutamine tract in the N-terminus of this protein. The HD pathology resulting from the mutation is most prominent in the striatal part of the basal ganglia, and progressive differential dysfunction and loss of striatal projection neurons and interneurons account for the progression of motor deficits seen in this disease. The present review summarizes current understanding regarding the progression in striatal neuron dysfunction and loss, based on studies both in human HD victims and in genetic mouse models of HD. We review evidence on early loss of inputs to striatum from cortex and thalamus, which may be the basis of the mild premanifest bradykinesia in HD, as well as on the subsequent loss of indirect pathway striatal projection neurons and their outputs to the external pallidal segment, which appears to be the basis of the chorea seen in early symptomatic HD. Later loss of direct pathway striatal projection neurons and their output to the internal pallidal segment account for the severe akinesia seen late in HD. Loss of parvalbuminergic striatal interneurons may contribute to the late dystonia and rigidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Reiner
- Department of Anatomy & NeurobiologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTNUSA
- Department of OphthalmologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTNUSA
| | - Yun‐Ping Deng
- Department of Anatomy & NeurobiologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTNUSA
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23
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Mackay JP, Nassrallah WB, Raymond LA. Cause or compensation?-Altered neuronal Ca 2+ handling in Huntington's disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2018; 24:301-310. [PMID: 29427371 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder of typically middle-aged onset for which there is no disease-modifying treatment. Caudate and putamen medium-sized spiny projection neurons (SPNs) most severely degenerate in HD. However, it is unclear why mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) is preferentially toxic to these neurons or why symptoms manifest only relatively late in life. mHTT interacts with numerous neuronal proteins. Likewise, multiple SPN cellular processes have been described as altered in various HD models. Among these, altered neuronal Ca2+ influx and intracellular Ca2+ handling feature prominently and are addressed here. Specifically, we focus on extrasynaptic NMDA-type glutamate receptors, endoplasmic reticulum IP3 receptors, and mitochondria. As mHTT is expressed throughout development, compensatory processes will likely be mounted to mitigate any deleterious effects. Although some compensations can lessen mHTT's disruptive effects, others-such as upregulation of the ER-refilling store-operated Ca2+ channel response-contribute to pathogenesis. A causation-based approach is therefore necessary to decipher the complex sequence of events linking mHTT to neurodegeneration, and to design rational therapeutic interventions. With this in mind, we highlight evidence, or lack thereof, that the above alterations in Ca2+ handling occur early in the disease process, clearly interact with mHTT, and show disease-modifying potential when reversed in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Mackay
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Wissam B Nassrallah
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience and MD/PhD Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lynn A Raymond
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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24
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Tyebji S, Hannan AJ. Synaptopathic mechanisms of neurodegeneration and dementia: Insights from Huntington's disease. Prog Neurobiol 2017; 153:18-45. [PMID: 28377290 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Revised: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Dementia encapsulates a set of symptoms that include loss of mental abilities such as memory, problem solving or language, and reduces a person's ability to perform daily activities. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, however dementia can also occur in other neurological disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD). Many studies have demonstrated that loss of neuronal cell function manifests pre-symptomatically and thus is a relevant therapeutic target to alleviate symptoms. Synaptopathy, the physiological dysfunction of synapses, is now being approached as the target for many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including HD. HD is an autosomal dominant and progressive degenerative disorder, with clinical manifestations that encompass movement, cognition, mood and behaviour. HD is one of the most common tandem repeat disorders and is caused by a trinucleotide (CAG) repeat expansion, encoding an extended polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin protein. Animal models as well as human studies have provided detailed, although not exhaustive, evidence of synaptic dysfunction in HD. In this review, we discuss the neuropathology of HD and how the changes in synaptic signalling in the diseased brain lead to its symptoms, which include dementia. Here, we review and discuss the mechanisms by which the 'molecular orchestras' and their 'synaptic symphonies' are disrupted in neurodegeneration and dementia, focusing on HD as a model disease. We also explore the therapeutic strategies currently in pre-clinical and clinical testing that are targeted towards improving synaptic function in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiraz Tyebji
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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25
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Raymond LA. Striatal synaptic dysfunction and altered calcium regulation in Huntington disease. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 483:1051-1062. [PMID: 27423394 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.07.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic dysfunction and altered calcium homeostasis in the brain is common to many neurodegenerative disorders. Among these, Huntington disease (HD), which is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, can serve as a model for investigating these mechanisms. HD generally manifests in middle age as a disorder of movement, mood and cognition. An expanded polymorphic CAG repeat in the HTT gene results in progressive neurodegeneration that impacts striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs) earliest and most severely. Striatal SPNs receive massive glutamatergic input from cortex and thalamus, and these excitatory synapses are a focus for early changes that can trigger aberrant downstream signaling to disrupt synaptic plasticity and lead to later degeneration. Mitochondrial dysfunction and altered intracellular calcium-induced calcium release and sequestration mechanisms add to the impairments in circuit function that may underlie prodromal cognitive and subtle motor deficits. These mechanisms and implications for developing disease-modifying therapy will be reviewed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn A Raymond
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 4834-2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z3.
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26
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Comparison of mHTT Antibodies in Huntington's Disease Mouse Models Reveal Specific Binding Profiles and Steady-State Ubiquitin Levels with Disease Development. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155834. [PMID: 27196694 PMCID: PMC4873140 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) cellular pathology is characterised by the aggregation of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein into inclusion bodies. The present paper compared the sensitivity of five widely used mHTT antibodies (S830; MW8; EM48; 1C2; ubiquitin) against mice from five commonly used HD mouse models (R6/1; YAC128; HdhQ92; B6 HdhQ150; B6 x129/Ola HdhQ150) at two ages to determine: the most sensitive antibodies for each model; whether mHTT antibody binding differed depending on aggregation stage (diffuse versus frank inclusion); the role of ubiquitin during aggregation as the ubiquitin proteosome system has been implicated in disease development. The models demonstrated unique profiles of antibody binding even when the models varied only by background strain (HdhQ150). MW8 was highly sensitive for detecting frank inclusions in all lines whereas EM48, ubiquitin and 1C2 demonstrated consistent staining in all models irrespective of age or form of mHTT. MW8 and S830 were the most sensitive antibodies with 1C2 the least. Ubiquitin levels were stable for each model regardless of age. Ubiquitin was particularly sensitive in young YAC128 mice that demonstrate an absence of inclusions until ~12 months of age suggesting high affinity to mHTT in its diffuse form. The data indicate that generalisations across models regarding the quantification of aggregations may not be valid and that mHTT antibody binding is unique to the mouse model and sensitive to changes in inclusion development.
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27
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Beaumont V, Mrzljak L, Dijkman U, Freije R, Heins M, Rassoulpour A, Tombaugh G, Gelman S, Bradaia A, Steidl E, Gleyzes M, Heikkinen T, Lehtimäki K, Puoliväli J, Kontkanen O, Javier RM, Neagoe I, Deisemann H, Winkler D, Ebneth A, Khetarpal V, Toledo-Sherman L, Dominguez C, Park LC, Munoz-Sanjuan I. The novel KMO inhibitor CHDI-340246 leads to a restoration of electrophysiological alterations in mouse models of Huntington's disease. Exp Neurol 2016; 282:99-118. [PMID: 27163548 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the kynurenine (Kyn) pathway has been associated with the progression of Huntington's disease (HD). In particular, elevated levels of the kynurenine metabolites 3-hydroxy kynurenine (3-OH-Kyn) and quinolinic acid (Quin), have been reported in the brains of HD patients as well as in rodent models of HD. The production of these metabolites is controlled by the activity of kynurenine mono-oxygenase (KMO), an enzyme which catalyzes the synthesis of 3-OH-Kyn from Kyn. In order to determine the role of KMO in the phenotype of mouse models of HD, we have developed a potent and selective KMO inhibitor termed CHDI-340246. We show that this compound, when administered orally to transgenic mouse models of HD, potently and dose-dependently modulates the Kyn pathway in peripheral tissues and in the central nervous system. The administration of CHDI-340246 leads to an inhibition of the formation of 3-OH-Kyn and Quin, and to an elevation of Kyn and Kynurenic acid (KynA) levels in brain tissues. We show that administration of CHDI-340246 or of Kyn and of KynA can restore several electrophysiological alterations in mouse models of HD, both acutely and after chronic administration. However, using a comprehensive panel of behavioral tests, we demonstrate that the chronic dosing of a selective KMO inhibitor does not significantly modify behavioral phenotypes or natural progression in mouse models of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Larry C Park
- CHDI Foundation/CHDI Management Inc., Los Angeles, USA
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28
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Strong MK, Southwell AL, Yonan JM, Hayden MR, Macgregor GR, Thompson LM, Steward O. Age-Dependent Resistance to Excitotoxicity in Htt CAG140 Mice and the Effect of Strain Background. J Huntingtons Dis 2016; 1:221-41. [PMID: 23833693 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-129005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Mouse strain background can influence vulnerability to excitotoxic neuronal cell death and potentially modulate phenotypes in transgenic mouse models of human disease. Evidence supports a contribution of excitotoxicity to the selective death of medium spiny neurons in Huntington's disease (HD). Here, we assess whether strain differences in excitotoxic vulnerability influence striatal cell death in a knock-in mouse model of HD. Previous studies that evaluated resistance to excitotoxic lesions in several mouse models of HD had variable outcomes. In the present study, we directly compare one model on two different background strains to test the contribution of strain to excitotoxicity-mediated neurodegeneration. Mice of the FVB/N strain, which are highly vulnerable to excitotoxicity, become extremely resistant to quinolinic acid-induced striatal neurodegeneration with age, when carrying a huntingtin (Htt) allele expressing a HD transgene (CAG140). The resistance is much greater than the age-dependent resistance that has been previously reported in YAC128 mice. By 12 months of age, both heterozygous and homozygous FVB.CAG140 mice displayed virtually complete resistance to quinolinic acid-induced striatal neurodegeneration. A similar resistance develops in CAG140 mice on a C57BL/6N background although the effect size is smaller because C57BL/6N mice are already resistant due to genetic background. In a direct comparison with the YAC128 mice, FVB.CAG140 mice have greater resistance. FVB.CAG140 mice are also resistant to neurodegeneration following kainic acid-induced status epilepticus suggesting the existence of a common cellular mechanism that provides protection against multiple types of excitotoxic insult. These findings establish FVB.CAG140 mice as a useful model to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that confer neuroprotection against excitotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa K Strong
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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29
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Lewerenz J, Maher P. Chronic Glutamate Toxicity in Neurodegenerative Diseases-What is the Evidence? Front Neurosci 2015; 9:469. [PMID: 26733784 PMCID: PMC4679930 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 468] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Together with aspartate, glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Glutamate binds and activates both ligand-gated ion channels (ionotropic glutamate receptors) and a class of G-protein coupled receptors (metabotropic glutamate receptors). Although the intracellular glutamate concentration in the brain is in the millimolar range, the extracellular glutamate concentration is kept in the low micromolar range by the action of excitatory amino acid transporters that import glutamate and aspartate into astrocytes and neurons. Excess extracellular glutamate may lead to excitotoxicity in vitro and in vivo in acute insults like ischemic stroke via the overactivation of ionotropic glutamate receptors. In addition, chronic excitotoxicity has been hypothesized to play a role in numerous neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. Based on this hypothesis, a good deal of effort has been devoted to develop and test drugs that either inhibit glutamate receptors or decrease extracellular glutamate. In this review, we provide an overview of the different pathways that are thought to lead to an over-activation of the glutamatergic system and glutamate toxicity in neurodegeneration. In addition, we summarize the available experimental evidence for glutamate toxicity in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Lewerenz
- Department of Neurology, Ulm UniversityUlm, Germany
| | - Pamela Maher
- Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological StudiesLa Jolla, CA, USA
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30
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Abstract
In this review, we explore the similarities and differences in the behavioural neurobiology found in the mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD) and the human disease state. The review is organised with a comparative focus on the functional domains of motor control, cognition and behavioural disturbance (akin to psychiatric disturbance in people) and how our knowledge of the underlying physiological changes that are manifest in the HD mouse lines correspond to those seen in the HD clinical population. The review is framed in terms of functional circuitry and neurotransmitter systems and how abnormalities in these systems impact on the behavioural readouts across the mouse lines and how these may correspond to the deficits observed in people. In addition, interpretational issues associated with the data from animal studies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P Brooks
- Brain Repair Group, Division of Neuroscience, Cardiff University School of Bioscience, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, Wales, UK,
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31
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Chakraborty J, Pandey M, Navneet A, Appukuttan T, Varghese M, Sreetama S, Rajamma U, Mohanakumar K. Profilin-2 increased expression and its altered interaction with β-actin in the striatum of 3-nitropropionic acid-induced Huntington’s disease in rats. Neuroscience 2014; 281:216-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Revised: 09/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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32
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Deng YP, Wong T, Wan JY, Reiner A. Differential loss of thalamostriatal and corticostriatal input to striatal projection neuron types prior to overt motor symptoms in the Q140 knock-in mouse model of Huntington's disease. Front Syst Neurosci 2014; 8:198. [PMID: 25360089 PMCID: PMC4197654 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2014.00198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor slowing and forebrain white matter loss have been reported in premanifest Huntington's disease (HD) prior to substantial striatal neuron loss. These findings raise the possibility that early motor defects in HD may be related to loss of excitatory input to striatum. In a prior study, we showed that in the heterozygous Q140 knock-in mouse model of HD that loss of thalamostriatal axospinous terminals is evident by 4 months, and loss of corticostriatal axospinous terminals is evident at 12 months, before striatal projection neuron pathology. In the present study, we specifically characterized the loss of thalamostriatal and corticostriatal terminals on direct (dSPN) and indirect (iSPN) pathway striatal projection neurons, using immunolabeling to identify thalamostriatal (VGLUT2+) and corticostriatal (VGLUT1+) axospinous terminals, and D1 receptor immunolabeling to distinguish dSPN (D1+) and iSPN (D1-) synaptic targets. We found that the loss of corticostriatal terminals at 12 months of age was preferential for D1+ spines, and especially involved smaller terminals, presumptively of the intratelencephalically projecting (IT) type. By contrast, indirect pathway D1- spines showed little loss of axospinous terminals at the same age. Thalamostriatal terminal loss was comparable for D1+ and D1- spines at both 4 and 12 months. Regression analysis showed that the loss of VGLUT1+ terminals on D1+ spines was correlated with a slight decline in open field motor parameters at 12 months. Our overall results raise the possibility that differential thalamic and cortical input loss to SPNs is an early event in human HD, with cortical loss to dSPNs in particular contributing to premanifest motor slowing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Ping Deng
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ting Wong
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jim Y Wan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Anton Reiner
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis, TN, USA
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33
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Sepers MD, Raymond LA. Mechanisms of synaptic dysfunction and excitotoxicity in Huntington's disease. Drug Discov Today 2014; 19:990-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2014.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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34
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Dau A, Gladding CM, Sepers MD, Raymond LA. Chronic blockade of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors ameliorates synaptic dysfunction and pro-death signaling in Huntington disease transgenic mice. Neurobiol Dis 2014; 62:533-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2013.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Revised: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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35
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Chakraborty J, Singh R, Dutta D, Naskar A, Rajamma U, Mohanakumar KP. Quercetin improves behavioral deficiencies, restores astrocytes and microglia, and reduces serotonin metabolism in 3-nitropropionic acid-induced rat model of Huntington's Disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2014; 20:10-9. [PMID: 24188794 PMCID: PMC6493046 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2013] [Revised: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 09/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder, for which clinically available drugs offer only symptomatic relief. These prescription drugs are not free of side effects, and the patients usually suffer from anxiety and depression. We investigated quercetin, a dietary flavonoid with free radical scavenging properties, for its beneficial potential if any, in 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP)-induced HD in rats where both drugs were administered simultaneously. METHODS Performance of rats on beam balancing, elevated plus maze and gait traits were investigated following 3-NP and/or quercetin treatments for 4 days. Striatal biogenic amine levels and monoamine oxidase activity were assayed. Striatal sections were examined for Cd11B and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity, and for evidences of neuronal lesion. RESULTS Quercetin significantly attenuated 3-NP-induced anxiety, motor coordination deficits, and gait despair. While the dopaminergic hyper-metabolism was unaffected, quercetin provided a significant reduction of 3-NP mediated increase in serotonin metabolism. Quercetin failed to affect 3-NP-induced striatal neuronal lesion, but decreased microglial proliferation, and increased astrocyte numbers in the lesion core. CONCLUSION These results taken together suggest that quercetin could be of potential use not only for correcting movement disturbances and anxiety in HD, but also for addressing inflammatory damages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Chakraborty
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental NeuroscienceDivision of Cell Biology and PhysiologyCSIR‐Indian Institute of Chemical BiologyKolkataIndia
| | - Raghavendra Singh
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental NeuroscienceDivision of Cell Biology and PhysiologyCSIR‐Indian Institute of Chemical BiologyKolkataIndia
| | - Debashis Dutta
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental NeuroscienceDivision of Cell Biology and PhysiologyCSIR‐Indian Institute of Chemical BiologyKolkataIndia
| | - Amit Naskar
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental NeuroscienceDivision of Cell Biology and PhysiologyCSIR‐Indian Institute of Chemical BiologyKolkataIndia
| | - Usha Rajamma
- Manovikas Biomedical Research and Diagnostic CentreManovikas KendraKolkataIndia
| | - Kochupurackal P. Mohanakumar
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental NeuroscienceDivision of Cell Biology and PhysiologyCSIR‐Indian Institute of Chemical BiologyKolkataIndia
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36
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Chakraborty J, Rajamma U, Mohanakumar KP. A mitochondrial basis for Huntington's disease: therapeutic prospects. Mol Cell Biochem 2013; 389:277-91. [PMID: 24374792 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-013-1951-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disease, with overt movement dysfunctions. Despite focused research on the basis of neurodegeneration in HD for last few decades, the mechanism for the site-specific lesion of neurons in the brain is not clear. All the explanations that partially clarify the phenomenon of neurodegeneration leads to one organelle, mitochondrion, which is severely affected in HD at the level of electron transport chain, Ca(2+) buffering efficiency and morphology. But, with the existing knowledge, it is not clear whether the cell death processes in HD initiate from mitochondria, though the Huntingtin (Htt) aggregates show close proximity to this organelle, or do some extracellular stimuli like TNFα or FasL trigger the process. Mainly because of the disparity in the different available experimental models, the results are quite confusing or at least inconsistent to a great extent. The fact remains that the mutant Htt protein was seen to be associated with mitochondria directly, and as the striatum is highly enriched with dopamine and glutamate, it may make the striatal mitochondria more vulnerable because of the presence of dopa-quinones, and due to an imbalance in Ca(2+). The current therapeutic strategies are based on symptomatic relief, and, therefore, mainly target neurotransmitter(s) and their receptors to modulate behavioral outputs, but none of them targets mitochondria or try to address the basic molecular events that cause neurons to die in discrete regions of the brain, which could probably be resulting from grave mitochondrial dysfunctions. Therefore, targeting mitochondria for their protection, while addressing symptomatic recovery, holds a great potential to tone down the progression of the disease, and to provide better relief to the patients and caretakers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Chakraborty
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience, Division of Cell Biology & Physiology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Rooms 117&119, 4, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, 700 032, India
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Anglada-Huguet M, Xifró X, Giralt A, Zamora-Moratalla A, Martín ED, Alberch J. Prostaglandin E2 EP1 receptor antagonist improves motor deficits and rescues memory decline in R6/1 mouse model of Huntington's disease. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 49:784-95. [PMID: 24198227 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8556-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we evaluated the potential beneficial effects of antagonizing prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) EP1 receptor on motor and memory deficits in Huntington's disease (HD). To this aim, we implanted an osmotic mini-pump system to chronically administrate an EP1 receptor antagonist (SC-51089) in the R6/1 mouse model of HD, from 13 to 18 weeks of age, and used different paradigms to assess motor and memory function. SC-51089 administration ameliorated motor coordination and balance dysfunction in R6/1 mice as analyzed by rotarod, balance beam, and vertical pole tasks. Long-term memory deficit was also rescued after EP1 receptor antagonism as assessed by the T-maze spontaneous alternation and the novel object recognition tests. Additionally, treatment with SC-51089 improved the expression of specific synaptic markers and reduced the number of huntingtin nuclear inclusions in the striatum and hippocampus of 18-week-old R6/1 mice. Moreover, electrophysiological studies showed that hippocampal long-term potentiation was significantly recovered in R6/1 mice after EP1 receptor antagonism. Altogether, these results show that the antagonism of PGE2 EP1 receptor has a strong therapeutic effect on R6/1 mice and point out a new therapeutic candidate to treat motor and memory deficits in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Anglada-Huguet
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Immunologia i Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain
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Loss of corticostriatal and thalamostriatal synaptic terminals precedes striatal projection neuron pathology in heterozygous Q140 Huntington's disease mice. Neurobiol Dis 2013; 60:89-107. [PMID: 23969239 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2013.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2013] [Revised: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 08/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor slowing, forebrain white matter loss, and striatal shrinkage have been reported in premanifest Huntington's disease (HD) prior to overt striatal neuron loss. We carried out detailed LM and EM studies in a genetically precise HD mimic, heterozygous Q140 HD knock-in mice, to examine the possibility that loss of corticostriatal and thalamostriatal terminals prior to striatal neuron loss underlies these premanifest HD abnormalities. In our studies, we used VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 immunolabeling to detect corticostriatal and thalamostriatal (respectively) terminals in dorsolateral (motor) striatum over the first year of life, prior to striatal projection neuron pathology. VGLUT1+ axospinous corticostriatal terminals represented about 55% of all excitatory terminals in striatum, and VGLUT2+ axospinous thalamostriatal terminals represented about 35%, with VGLUT1+ and VGLUT2+ axodendritic terminals accounting for the remainder. In Q140 mice, a significant 40% shortfall in VGLUT2+ axodendritic thalamostriatal terminals and a 20% shortfall in axospinous thalamostriatal terminals were already observed at 1 month of age, but VGLUT1+ terminals were normal in abundance. The 20% deficiency in VGLUT2+ thalamostriatal axospinous terminals persisted at 4 and 12 months in Q140 mice, and an additional 30% loss of VGLUT1+ corticostriatal terminals was observed at 12 months. The early and persistent deficiency in thalamostriatal axospinous terminals in Q140 mice may reflect a development defect, and the impoverishment of this excitatory drive to striatum may help explain early motor defects in Q140 mice and in premanifest HD. The loss of corticostriatal terminals at 1 year in Q140 mice is consistent with prior evidence from other mouse models of corticostriatal disconnection early during progression, and can explain both the measurable bradykinesia and striatal white matter loss in late premanifest HD.
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Kreiner G, Bierhoff H, Armentano M, Rodriguez-Parkitna J, Sowodniok K, Naranjo JR, Bonfanti L, Liss B, Schütz G, Grummt I, Parlato R. A neuroprotective phase precedes striatal degeneration upon nucleolar stress. Cell Death Differ 2013; 20:1455-64. [PMID: 23764776 PMCID: PMC3792439 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2013.66] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Revised: 05/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleolus is implicated in sensing and responding to cellular stress by stabilizing p53. The pro-apoptotic effect of p53 is associated with several neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease (HD), which is characterized by the progressive loss of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum. Here we show that disruption of nucleolar integrity and function causes nucleolar stress and is an early event in MSNs of R6/2 mice, a transgenic model of HD. Targeted perturbation of nucleolar function in MSNs by conditional knockout of the RNA polymerase I-specific transcription initiation factor IA (TIF-IA) leads to late progressive striatal degeneration, HD-like motor abnormalities and molecular signatures. Significantly, p53 prolongs neuronal survival in TIF-IA-deficient MSNs by transient upregulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), a tumor suppressor that inhibits mammalian target of rapamycin signaling and induces autophagy. The results emphasize the initial role of nucleolar stress in neurodegeneration and uncover a p53/PTEN-dependent neuroprotective response.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Kreiner
- 1] Department of Molecular Biology of the Cell I, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany [2] Department of Brain Biochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Cracow, Poland
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Ignarro RS, Vieira AS, Sartori CR, Langone F, Rogério F, Parada CA. JAK2 inhibition is neuroprotective and reduces astrogliosis after quinolinic acid striatal lesion in adult mice. J Chem Neuroanat 2013; 48-49:14-22. [PMID: 23403094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2013.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2012] [Revised: 02/02/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Quinolinic acid (QA) striatal lesion in rodents induces neuronal death, astrogliosis and migration of neuroblasts from subventricular zone to damaged striatum. These phenomena occur in some human neurodegenerative illnesses, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We investigated the effect of AG490, a Janus-kinase 2 (JAK2) inhibitor, on astrogliosis, neuronal loss and neurogenesis in the striatum of adult mice after unilateral infusion of QA (30 nmol). Animals were given subcutaneous injections of AG490 (10 mg/kg) or vehicle immediately after lesion and then once daily for six days. Brain sections were used for neuronal stereological quantification, immunohistochemical and Western Blotting analyses for GFAP and doublecortin, markers of astrocytes and neuroblasts, respectively. The total area of doublecortin-positive cells (ADPC) and the number of neurons (NN) in the lesioned (L) and contralateral (CL) sides were evaluated. Neurogenesis index (NI=ADPC(L)/ADPC(CL)) and neuronal ratio (NR=NN(L)/NN(CL)) were calculated. After QA administration, blotting for GFAP showed an ipsilateral decrease of 19% in AG490- vs vehicle-treated animals. NR was 25% higher in mice given AG490 vs controls given vehicle. NI showed a decrease of 21% in AG490- vs vehicle-treated mice. Our results indicate that JAK2 inhibition reduces QA lesion and suggest that astrogliosis may impair neuronal survival in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaela Silvestre Ignarro
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Giacomello M, Oliveros JC, Naranjo JR, Carafoli E. Neuronal Ca(2+) dyshomeostasis in Huntington disease. Prion 2013; 7:76-84. [PMID: 23324594 DOI: 10.4161/pri.23581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The expansion of the N-terminal poly-glutamine tract of the huntingtin (Htt) protein is responsible for Huntington disease (HD). A large number of studies have explored the neuronal phenotype of HD, but the molecular aethiology of the disease is still very poorly understood. This has hampered the development of an appropriate therapeutical strategy to at least alleviate its symptoms. In this short review, we have focused our attention on the alteration of a specific cellular mechanism common to all HD models, either genetic or induced by treatment with 3-NPA, i.e. the cellular dyshomeostasis of Ca(2+). We have highlighted the direct and indirect (i.e. transcriptionally mediated) effects of mutated Htt on the maintenance of the intracellular Ca(2+) balance, the correct modulation of which is fundamental to cell survival and the disturbance of which plays a key role in the death of the cell.
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Suzuki M, Nagai Y, Wada K, Koike T. Calcium leak through ryanodine receptor is involved in neuronal death induced by mutant huntingtin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2012; 429:18-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.10.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Accepted: 10/24/2012] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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Renoir T, Pang TYC, Mo C, Chan G, Chevarin C, Lanfumey L, Hannan AJ. Differential effects of early environmental enrichment on emotionality related behaviours in Huntington's disease transgenic mice. J Physiol 2012; 591:41-55. [PMID: 23045340 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.239798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety are reported in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). Recent studies suggest beneficial effects of environmental enrichment (EE) on HD progression possibly through the serotonergic system. We investigated the potential effectiveness of EE in correcting the affective-like phenotype of female R6/1 HD mice. In addition to a behavioural battery of tests assessing depression and anxiety-related endophenotypes, we recorded physiological measures, including body temperature regulation and defecation rate as indices of stress reactivity. Finally, following identification of changes in serotonin (5-HT) receptor gene expression we measured the function of 5-HT(1A) auto- and hetero-receptors. We found that 8-week-old female HD mice exhibited higher immobility time in the forced swimming test and a decreased preference for saccharin solution. EE did not correct those depressive-like behaviours but reduced anxiety-related measures in unconditioned approach/avoidance conflict situations. Defecation rate in a large open field and change in temperature during exposure to the tail suspension test were both enhanced in HD compared to wild-type animals. Despite the enhanced hypothermic response to the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT exhibited by HD mice, we found a reduction in 5-HT(1A) receptor-mediated stimulation of [(35)S]GTP-γ-S binding in the dorsal raphe nucleus and the hippocampus of HD animals. EE did not change 5-HT(1A) receptor function. Our data suggest that early EE has beneficial effects on the anxiety-like, but not on depression-like, behaviours in HD. This is the first evidence that these affective endophenotypes can be dissociated via this form of environmental stimulation. As 5-HT(1A) receptor dysfunction was not affected by EE, this receptor is unlikely to underlie the anxiety-related phenotype of HD. However, the specific regulatory role of the 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor in mediating depressive-like behaviour in HD remains to be elucidated. Interestingly, by comparing in vivo and in vitro results, our findings suggest that 8-OH-DPAT-induced hypothermia could be mediated by other targets besides the 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor, including hippocampal 5-HT(7) receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Renoir
- Florey Neuroscience Institutes, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Melbourne, Australia.
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Figiel M, Szlachcic WJ, Switonski PM, Gabka A, Krzyzosiak WJ. Mouse models of polyglutamine diseases: review and data table. Part I. Mol Neurobiol 2012; 46:393-429. [PMID: 22956270 PMCID: PMC3461215 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-012-8315-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2012] [Accepted: 07/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) disorders share many similarities, such as a common mutation type in unrelated human causative genes, neurological character, and certain aspects of pathogenesis, including morphological and physiological neuronal alterations. The similarities in pathogenesis have been confirmed by findings that some experimental in vivo therapy approaches are effective in multiple models of polyQ disorders. Additionally, mouse models of polyQ diseases are often highly similar between diseases with respect to behavior and the features of the disease. The common features shared by polyQ mouse models may facilitate the investigation of polyQ disorders and may help researchers explore the mechanisms of these diseases in a broader context. To provide this context and to promote the understanding of polyQ disorders, we have collected and analyzed research data about the characterization and treatment of mouse models of polyQ diseases and organized them into two complementary Excel data tables. The data table that is presented in this review (Part I) covers the behavioral, molecular, cellular, and anatomic characteristics of polyQ mice and contains the most current knowledge about polyQ mouse models. The structure of this data table is designed in such a way that it can be filtered to allow for the immediate retrieval of the data corresponding to a single mouse model or to compare the shared and unique aspects of many polyQ models. The second data table, which is presented in another publication (Part II), covers therapeutic research in mouse models by summarizing all of the therapeutic strategies employed in the treatment of polyQ disorders, phenotypes that are used to examine the effects of the therapy, and therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Figiel
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznan, Poland.
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Gong B, Kielar C, Morton AJ. Temporal separation of aggregation and ubiquitination during early inclusion formation in transgenic mice carrying the Huntington's disease mutation. PLoS One 2012; 7:e41450. [PMID: 22848498 PMCID: PMC3404089 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2011] [Accepted: 06/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal insoluble ubiqitinated protein aggregates are found in the brains of Huntington’s disease (HD) patients and in mice transgenic for the HTT mutation. Here, we describe the earliest stages of visible NII formation in brains of R6/2 mice killed between 2 and 6 weeks of age. We found that huntingtin-positive aggregates formed rapidly (within 24–48 hours) in a spatiotemporal manner similar to that we described previously for ubiquitinated inclusions. However, in most neurons, aggregates are not ubiquitinated when they first form. It has always been assumed that mutant huntingtin is recognised as ‘foreign’ and consequently ubiquitinated and targeted for degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system pathway. Our data, however, suggest that aggregation and ubiquitination are separate processes, and that mutant huntingtin fragment is not recognized as ‘abnormal’ by the ubiquitin-proteasome system before aggregation. Rather, mutant Htt appears to aggregate before it is ubiquitinated, and then either aggregated huntingtin is ubiquitinated or ubiquitinated proteins are recruited into aggregates. Our findings have significant implications for the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in the formation of aggregates, as they suggest that this system is not involved until after the first aggregates form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belvin Gong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- UC Davis/NIH NeuroMab Facility, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Catherine Kielar
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - A. Jennifer Morton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Brooks SP, Janghra N, Workman VL, Bayram-Weston Z, Jones L, Dunnett SB. Longitudinal analysis of the behavioural phenotype in R6/1 (C57BL/6J) Huntington's disease transgenic mice. Brain Res Bull 2012; 88:94-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2010] [Revised: 01/05/2011] [Accepted: 01/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Bayram-Weston Z, Jones L, Dunnett SB, Brooks SP. Light and electron microscopic characterization of the evolution of cellular pathology in the R6/1 Huntington's disease transgenic mice. Brain Res Bull 2012; 88:104-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2011] [Revised: 06/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/12/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Ehrlich ME. Huntington's disease and the striatal medium spiny neuron: cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms of disease. Neurotherapeutics 2012; 9:270-84. [PMID: 22441874 PMCID: PMC3337013 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-012-0112-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a mutation in the gene encoding the protein huntingtin on chromosome 4. The mutation is an expanded CAG repeat in the first exon, encoding a polyglutamine tract. If the polyglutamine tract is > 40, penetrance is 100% and death is inevitable. Despite the widespread expression of huntingtin, HD has long been considered primarily as a disease of the striatum. It is characterized by selective vulnerability with dysfunction followed by death of the medium size spiny neuron. Considerable effort is being expended to determine whether striatal damage is cell-autonomous, non-cell-autonomous, requiring cell-cell and region to region communication, or both. We review data supporting both mechanisms. We also attempt to organize the data into common mechanisms that may arise outside the medium, spiny neuron, but ultimately have their greatest impact in the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle E Ehrlich
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Annenberg 14-44, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10019, USA.
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Reiner A, Lafferty DC, Wang HB, Del Mar N, Deng YP. The group 2 metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist LY379268 rescues neuronal, neurochemical and motor abnormalities in R6/2 Huntington's disease mice. Neurobiol Dis 2012; 47:75-91. [PMID: 22472187 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2012.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2011] [Revised: 03/14/2012] [Accepted: 03/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitotoxic injury to striatum by dysfunctional cortical input or aberrant glutamate uptake may contribute to Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis. Since corticostriatal terminals possess mGluR2/3 autoreceptors, whose activation dampens glutamate release, we tested the ability of the mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 to improve the phenotype in R6/2 HD mice with 120-125 CAG repeats. Daily subcutaneous injection of a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of LY379268 (20mg/kg) had no evident adverse effects in WT mice, and diverse benefits in R6/2 mice, both in a cohort of mice tested behaviorally until the end of R6/2 lifespan and in a cohort sacrificed at 10weeks of age for blinded histological analysis. MTD LY379268 yielded a significant 11% increase in R6/2 survival, an improvement on rotarod, normalization and/or improvement in locomotor parameters measured in open field (activity, speed, acceleration, endurance, and gait), a rescue of a 15-20% cortical and striatal neuron loss, normalization of SP striatal neuron neurochemistry, and to a lesser extent enkephalinergic striatal neuron neurochemistry. Deficits were greater in male than female R6/2 mice, and drug benefit tended to be greater in males. The improvements in SP striatal neurons, which facilitate movement, are consistent with the improved movement in LY379268-treated R6/2 mice. Our data indicate that mGluR2/3 agonists may be particularly useful for ameliorating the morphological, neurochemical and motor defects observed in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Reiner
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
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