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Burton CL, Longaretti A, Zlatanovic A, Gomes GM, Tonini R. Striatal insights: a cellular and molecular perspective on repetitive behaviors in pathology. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1386715. [PMID: 38601025 PMCID: PMC11004256 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1386715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals often behave repetitively and predictably. These repetitive behaviors can have a component that is learned and ingrained as habits, which can be evolutionarily advantageous as they reduce cognitive load and the expenditure of attentional resources. Repetitive behaviors can also be conscious and deliberate, and may occur in the absence of habit formation, typically when they are a feature of normal development in children, or neuropsychiatric disorders. They can be considered pathological when they interfere with social relationships and daily activities. For instance, people affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, Huntington's disease and Gilles de la Tourette syndrome can display a wide range of symptoms like compulsive, stereotyped and ritualistic behaviors. The striatum nucleus of the basal ganglia is proposed to act as a master regulator of these repetitive behaviors through its circuit connections with sensorimotor, associative, and limbic areas of the cortex. However, the precise mechanisms within the striatum, detailing its compartmental organization, cellular specificity, and the intricacies of its downstream connections, remain an area of active research. In this review, we summarize evidence across multiple scales, including circuit-level, cellular, and molecular dimensions, to elucidate the striatal mechanisms underpinning repetitive behaviors and offer perspectives on the implicated disorders. We consider the close relationship between behavioral output and transcriptional changes, and thereby structural and circuit alterations, including those occurring through epigenetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Raffaella Tonini
- Neuromodulation of Cortical and Subcortical Circuits Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
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2
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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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3
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Walczak-Nowicka ŁJ, Herbet M. Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Role of Acetylcholinesterase in their Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9290. [PMID: 34502198 PMCID: PMC8430571 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases by influencing the inflammatory response, apoptosis, oxidative stress and aggregation of pathological proteins. There is a search for new compounds that can prevent the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases and slow down their course. The aim of this review is to present the role of AChE in the pathomechanism of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, this review aims to reveal the benefits of using AChE inhibitors to treat these diseases. The selected new AChE inhibitors were also assessed in terms of their potential use in the described disease entities. Designing and searching for new drugs targeting AChE may in the future allow the discovery of therapies that will be effective in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariola Herbet
- Chair and Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 8bStreet, 20-090 Lublin, Poland;
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4
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Deng Y, Wang H, Joni M, Sekhri R, Reiner A. Progression of basal ganglia pathology in heterozygous Q175 knock-in Huntington's disease mice. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:1327-1371. [PMID: 32869871 PMCID: PMC8049038 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We used behavioral testing and morphological methods to detail the progression of basal ganglia neuron type-specific pathology and the deficits stemming from them in male heterozygous Q175 mice, compared to age-matched WT males. A rotarod deficit was not present in Q175 mice until 18 months, but increased open field turn rate (reflecting hyperkinesia) and open field anxiety were evident at 6 months. No loss of striatal neurons was seen out to 18 months, but ENK+ and DARPP32+ striatal perikarya were fewer by 6 months, due to diminished expression, with further decline by 18 months. No reduction in SP+ striatal perikarya or striatal interneurons was seen in Q175 mice at 18 months, but cholinergic interneurons showed dendrite attenuation by 6 months. Despite reduced ENK expression in indirect pathway striatal perikarya, ENK-immunostained terminals in globus pallidus externus (GPe) were more abundant at 6 months and remained so out to 18 months. Similarly, SP-immunostained terminals from striatal direct pathway neurons were more abundant in globus pallidus internus and substantia nigra at 6 months and remained so at 18 months. FoxP2+ arkypallidal GPe neurons and subthalamic nucleus neurons were lost by 18 months but not prototypical PARV+ GPe neurons or dopaminergic nigral neurons. Our results show that striatal projection neuron abnormalities and behavioral abnormalities reflecting them develop between 2 and 6 months of age in Q175 male heterozygotes, indicating early effects of the HD mutation. The striatal pathologies resemble those in human HD, but are less severe at 18 months than even in premanifest HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunping Deng
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTennesseeUSA
| | - Hongbing Wang
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTennesseeUSA
| | - Marion Joni
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTennesseeUSA
| | - Radhika Sekhri
- Department of PathologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTennesseeUSA
| | - Anton Reiner
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTennesseeUSA
- Department of OphthalmologyThe University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTennesseeUSA
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Poppi LA, Ho-Nguyen KT, Shi A, Daut CT, Tischfield MA. Recurrent Implication of Striatal Cholinergic Interneurons in a Range of Neurodevelopmental, Neurodegenerative, and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Cells 2021; 10:907. [PMID: 33920757 PMCID: PMC8071147 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic interneurons are "gatekeepers" for striatal circuitry and play pivotal roles in attention, goal-directed actions, habit formation, and behavioral flexibility. Accordingly, perturbations to striatal cholinergic interneurons have been associated with many neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric disorders. The role of acetylcholine in many of these disorders is well known, but the use of drugs targeting cholinergic systems fell out of favor due to adverse side effects and the introduction of other broadly acting compounds. However, in response to recent findings, re-examining the mechanisms of cholinergic interneuron dysfunction may reveal key insights into underlying pathogeneses. Here, we provide an update on striatal cholinergic interneuron function, connectivity, and their putative involvement in several disorders. In doing so, we aim to spotlight recurring physiological themes, circuits, and mechanisms that can be investigated in future studies using new tools and approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A. Poppi
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Tourette International Collaborative (TIC) Genetics Study, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Khue Tu Ho-Nguyen
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Anna Shi
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Cynthia T. Daut
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Max A. Tischfield
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Tourette International Collaborative (TIC) Genetics Study, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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6
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Lim SAO, Surmeier DJ. Enhanced GABAergic Inhibition of Cholinergic Interneurons in the zQ175 +/- Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 14:626412. [PMID: 33551760 PMCID: PMC7854471 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.626412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder that initially manifests itself in the striatum. How intrastriatal circuitry is altered by the disease is poorly understood. To help fill this gap, the circuitry linking spiny projection neurons (SPNs) to cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) was examined using electrophysiological and optogenetic approaches in ex vivo brain slices from wildtype mice and zQ175+/− models of HD. These studies revealed a severalfold enhancement of GABAergic inhibition of ChIs mediated by collaterals of indirect pathway SPNs (iSPNs), but not direct pathway SPNs (dSPNs). This cell-specific alteration in synaptic transmission appeared in parallel with the emergence of motor symptoms in the zQ175+/− model. The adaptation had a presynaptic locus, as it was accompanied by a reduction in paired-pulse ratio but not in the postsynaptic response to GABA. The alterations in striatal GABAergic signaling disrupted spontaneous ChI activity, potentially contributing to the network dysfunction underlying the hyperkinetic phase of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Austin O Lim
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Neuroscience Program, College of Science and Health, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - D James Surmeier
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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7
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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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8
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Crevier-Sorbo G, Rymar VV, Crevier-Sorbo R, Sadikot AF. Thalamostriatal degeneration contributes to dystonia and cholinergic interneuron dysfunction in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:14. [PMID: 32033588 PMCID: PMC7007676 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-0878-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant trinucleotide repeat disorder characterized by choreiform movements, dystonia and striatal neuronal loss. Amongst multiple cellular processes, abnormal neurotransmitter signalling and decreased trophic support from glutamatergic cortical afferents are major mechanisms underlying striatal degeneration. Recent work suggests that the thalamostriatal (TS) system, another major source of glutamatergic input, is abnormal in HD although its phenotypical significance is unknown. We hypothesized that TS dysfunction plays an important role in generating motor symptoms and contributes to degeneration of striatal neuronal subtypes. Our results using the R6/2 mouse model of HD indicate that neurons of the parafascicular nucleus (PF), the main source of TS afferents, degenerate at an early stage. PF lesions performed prior to motor dysfunction or striatal degeneration result in an accelerated dystonic phenotype and are associated with premature loss of cholinergic interneurons. The progressive loss of striatal medium spiny neurons and parvalbumin-positive interneurons observed in R6/2 mice is unaltered by PF lesions. Early striatal cholinergic ablation using a mitochondrial immunotoxin provides evidence for increased cholinergic vulnerability to cellular energy failure in R6/2 mice, and worsens the dystonic phenotype. The TS system therefore contributes to trophic support of striatal interneuron subtypes in the presence of neurodegenerative stress, and TS deafferentation may be a novel cell non-autonomous mechanism contributing to the pathogenesis of HD. Furthermore, behavioural experiments demonstrate that the TS system and striatal cholinergic interneurons are key motor-network structures involved in the pathogenesis of dystonia. This work suggests that treatments aimed at rescuing the TS system may preserve important elements of striatal structure and function and provide symptomatic relief in HD.
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9
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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: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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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10
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Simmons DA. Modulating Neurotrophin Receptor Signaling as a Therapeutic Strategy for Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2018; 6:303-325. [PMID: 29254102 PMCID: PMC5757655 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-170275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG repeat expansions in the IT15 gene which encodes the huntingtin (HTT) protein. Currently, no treatments capable of preventing or slowing disease progression exist. Disease modifying therapeutics for HD would be expected to target a comprehensive set of degenerative processes given the diverse mechanisms contributing to HD pathogenesis including neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, and transcription dysregulation. A major contributor to HD-related degeneration is mutant HTT-induced loss of neurotrophic support. Thus, neurotrophin (NT) receptors have emerged as therapeutic targets in HD. The considerable overlap between NT signaling networks and those dysregulated by mutant HTT provides strong theoretical support for this approach. This review will focus on the contributions of disrupted NT signaling in HD-related neurodegeneration and how targeting NT receptors to augment pro-survival signaling and/or to inhibit degenerative signaling may combat HD pathologies. Therapeutic strategies involving NT delivery, peptidomimetics, and the targeting of specific NT receptors (e.g., Trks or p75NTR), particularly with small molecule ligands, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A Simmons
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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11
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Kaplan SV, Limbocker RA, Levant B, Johnson MA. Regional differences in dopamine release in the R6/2 mouse caudate putamen. ELECTROANAL 2018; 30:1066-1072. [PMID: 29955208 PMCID: PMC6016844 DOI: 10.1002/elan.201700827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by degeneration of the striatum. Here, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at carbon-fiber microelectrodes was used to uncover regional differences in dopamine (DA) release in the caudate putamen of R6/2 and wild-type control mice. We found a decreasing ventral-to-dorsal gradient in DA release, evoked by a single electrical stimulus pulse, in aged R6/2 mice. Moreover, under more intense stimulation conditions (120 pulses), DA release was significantly attenuated in the dorsal, but not in the ventral caudate. Autoradiography measurements using [3H]WIN 35,428 revealed that the overall density of DA transporter (DAT) protein molecules was significantly less in R6/2 mice compared to WT control mice; however, quadrants of the caudate putamen were not differentially altered in the R6/2 mice. These data collectively suggest that DA release in the dorsal caudate region is more vulnerable with age progression compared to the ventral region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam V. Kaplan
- Department of Chemistry and R. N. Adams Institute for Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045 USA
| | - Ryan A. Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and R. N. Adams Institute for Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045 USA
| | - Beth Levant
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas 66160 USA
| | - Michael A. Johnson
- Department of Chemistry and R. N. Adams Institute for Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045 USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045 USA
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12
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Blockage of High-Affinity Choline Transporter Increases Visceral Hypersensitivity in Rats with Chronic Stress. Gastroenterol Res Pract 2018; 2018:9252984. [PMID: 29849603 PMCID: PMC5904806 DOI: 10.1155/2018/9252984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Visceral hypersensitivity is a common feature of irritable bowel syndrome. Cholinergic system involves in the development of visceral hypersensitivity, and high-affinity choline transporter (CHT1) is of crucial importance in choline uptake system. However, involvement of CHT1 in visceral hypersensitivity remains unknown. The research aimed to study the CHT1 expression in dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) and the role of CHT1 in visceral hypersensitivity. Methods Repetitive water avoidance stress (WAS) was used to induce visceral hypersensitivity in rats. Colorectal distension (CRD) was determined, and the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) and threshold intensity data were recorded to measure the visceral sensitivity. After intraperitoneal injection of hemicholinium-3 (HC-3), the specific inhibitor of CHT1, CRD data were also recorded. The CHT1 expression of DRGs was investigated by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative RT-PCR. Acetylcholine levels in the DRGs were detected by the assay kit. Results Repetitive WAS increased the AWR score of CRD at high distension pressure and decreased the mean threshold of rats. The CHT1 expression and acetylcholine concentration of DRG were significantly increased in WAS rats. After the administration of HC-3, the AWR score in WAS group was significantly increased at higher distension pressure while the threshold intensity was significantly reduced compared to the normal saline group. Acetylcholine concentration was significantly lower than the normal saline rats. Conclusion Our research firstly reports that CHT1 is overexpressed in noninflammatory visceral hypersensitivity, and blockage of CHT1 can enhance the visceral hypersensitivity. CHT1 may play an inhibitory role in visceral hypersensitivity.
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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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D’Souza GX, Waldvogel HJ. Targeting the Cholinergic System to Develop a Novel Therapy for Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2017; 5:333-342. [PMID: 27983560 PMCID: PMC5181681 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-160200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we outline the role of the cholinergic system in Huntington’s disease, and briefly describe the dysfunction of cholinergic transmission, cholinergic neurons, cholinergic receptors and cholinergic survival factors observed in post-mortem human brains and animal models of Huntington’s disease. We postulate how the dysfunctional cholinergic system can be targeted to develop novel therapies for Huntington’s disease, and discuss the beneficial effects of cholinergic therapies in pre-clinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henry J. Waldvogel
- Correspondence to: Associate Professor Henry J. Waldvogel, Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. Tel.: +64 9 923 6051; E-mail:
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Simmons DA, Belichenko NP, Ford EC, Semaan S, Monbureau M, Aiyaswamy S, Holman CM, Condon C, Shamloo M, Massa SM, Longo FM. A small molecule p75NTR ligand normalizes signalling and reduces Huntington's disease phenotypes in R6/2 and BACHD mice. Hum Mol Genet 2016; 25:4920-4938. [PMID: 28171570 PMCID: PMC5418739 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Decreases in the ratio of neurotrophic versus neurodegenerative signalling play a critical role in Huntington’s disease (HD) pathogenesis and recent evidence suggests that the p75 neurotrophin receptor (NTR) contributes significantly to disease progression. p75NTR signalling intermediates substantially overlap with those promoting neuronal survival and synapse integrity and with those affected by the mutant huntingtin (muHtt) protein. MuHtt increases p75NTR-associated deleterious signalling and decreases survival signalling suggesting that p75NTR could be a valuable therapeutic target. This hypothesis was investigated by examining the effects of an orally bioavailable, small molecule p75NTR ligand, LM11A-31, on HD-related neuropathology in HD mouse models (R6/2, BACHD). LM11A-31 restored striatal AKT and other pro-survival signalling while inhibiting c-Jun kinase (JNK) and other degenerative signalling. Normalizing p75NTR signalling with LM11A-31 was accompanied by reduced Htt aggregates and striatal cholinergic interneuron degeneration as well as extended survival in R6/2 mice. The p75NTR ligand also decreased inflammation, increased striatal and hippocampal dendritic spine density, and improved motor performance and cognition in R6/2 and BACHD mice. These results support small molecule modulation of p75NTR as an effective HD therapeutic strategy. LM11A-31 has successfully completed Phase I safety and pharmacokinetic clinical trials and is therefore a viable candidate for clinical studies in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A. Simmons
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Nadia P. Belichenko
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Ellen C. Ford
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Sarah Semaan
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Marie Monbureau
- Behavioral and Functional Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute for Neuro-Innovation and Translational Neurosciences
| | - Sruti Aiyaswamy
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Cameron M. Holman
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Christina Condon
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Mehrdad Shamloo
- Behavioral and Functional Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute for Neuro-Innovation and Translational Neurosciences
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stephen M. Massa
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory for Computational Neurochemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Department of Neurology, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Frank M. Longo
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
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Deng YP, Reiner A. Cholinergic interneurons in the Q140 knockin mouse model of Huntington's disease: Reductions in dendritic branching and thalamostriatal input. J Comp Neurol 2016; 524:3518-3529. [PMID: 27219491 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We have previously found that thalamostriatal axodendritic terminals are reduced as early as 1 month of age in heterozygous Q140 HD mice (Deng et al. [] Neurobiol Dis 60:89-107). Because cholinergic interneurons are a major target of thalamic axodendritic terminals, we examined the VGLUT2-immunolabeled thalamic input to striatal cholinergic interneurons in heterozygous Q140 males at 1 and 4 months of age, using choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunolabeling to identify cholinergic interneurons. Although blinded neuron counts showed that ChAT+ perikarya were in normal abundance in Q140 mice, size measurements indicated that they were significantly smaller. Sholl analysis further revealed the dendrites of Q140 ChAT+ interneurons were significantly fewer and shorter. Consistent with the light microscopic data, ultrastructural analysis showed that the number of ChAT+ dendritic profiles per unit area of striatum was significantly decreased in Q140 striata, as was the abundance of VGLUT2+ axodendritic terminals making synaptic contact with ChAT+ dendrites per unit area of striatum. The density of thalamic terminals along individual cholinergic dendrites was, however, largely unaltered, indicating that the reduction in the areal striatal density of axodendritic thalamic terminals on cholinergic neurons was due to their dendritic territory loss. These results show that the abundance of thalamic input to individual striatal cholinergic interneurons is reduced early in the life span of Q140 mice, raising the possibility that this may occur in human HD as well. Because cholinergic interneurons differentially affect striatal direct vs. indirect pathway spiny projection neurons, their reduced thalamic excitatory drive may contribute to early abnormalities in movement in HD. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:3518-3529, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Ping Deng
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, 38163
| | - Anton Reiner
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, 38163.
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Allosteric activation of M4 muscarinic receptors improve behavioral and physiological alterations in early symptomatic YAC128 mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:14078-83. [PMID: 26508634 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1512812112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations that lead to Huntington's disease (HD) result in increased transmission at glutamatergic corticostriatal synapses at early presymptomatic stages that have been postulated to set the stage for pathological changes and symptoms that are observed at later ages. Based on this, pharmacological interventions that reverse excessive corticostriatal transmission may provide a novel approach for reducing early physiological changes and motor symptoms observed in HD. We report that activation of the M4 subtype of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor reduces transmission at corticostriatal synapses and that this effect is dramatically enhanced in presymptomatic YAC128 HD and BACHD relative to wild-type mice. Furthermore, chronic administration of a novel highly selective M4 positive allosteric modulator (PAM) beginning at presymptomatic ages improves motor and synaptic deficits in 5-mo-old YAC128 mice. These data raise the exciting possibility that selective M4 PAMs could provide a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HD.
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Deffains M, Bergman H. Striatal cholinergic interneurons and cortico-striatal synaptic plasticity in health and disease. Mov Disord 2015; 30:1014-25. [PMID: 26095280 DOI: 10.1002/mds.26300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Revised: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Basal ganglia disorders such as Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and Huntington's disease are characterized by a dysregulation of the basal ganglia neuromodulators (dopamine, acetylcholine, and others), which impacts cortico-striatal transmission. Basal ganglia disorders are often associated with an imbalance between the midbrain dopaminergic and striatal cholinergic systems. In contrast to the extensive research and literature on the consequences of a malfunction of midbrain dopaminergic signaling on the plasticity of the cortico-striatal synapse, very little is known about the role of striatal cholinergic interneurons in normal and pathological control of cortico-striatal transmission. In this review, we address the functional role of striatal cholinergic interneurons, also known as tonically active neurons and attempt to understand how the alteration of their functional properties in basal ganglia disorders leads to abnormal cortico-striatal synaptic plasticity. Specifically, we suggest that striatal cholinergic interneurons provide a permissive signal, which enables long-term changes in the efficacy of the cortico-striatal synapse. We further discuss how modifications in the striatal cholinergic activity pattern alter or prohibit plastic changes of the cortico-striatal synapse. Long-term cortico-striatal synaptic plasticity is the cellular substrate of procedural learning and adaptive control behavior. Hence, abnormal changes in this plasticity may underlie the inability of patients with basal ganglia disorders to adjust their behavior to situational demands. Normalization of the cholinergic modulation of cortico-striatal synaptic plasticity may be considered as a critical feature in future treatments of basal ganglia disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Deffains
- Department of Medical Neurobiology (Physiology), Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.,The Edmond and Lily Safra Center (ELSC) for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hagai Bergman
- Department of Medical Neurobiology (Physiology), Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.,The Edmond and Lily Safra Center (ELSC) for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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Enhanced GABAergic Inputs Contribute to Functional Alterations of Cholinergic Interneurons in the R6/2 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. eNeuro 2015. [PMID: 26203463 PMCID: PMC4507822 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0008-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Although large cholinergic interneurons (LCIs) in striatum are spared in Huntington's disease (HD), deficits in cholinergic function have been described. Here we demonstrate in a mouse model of HD that the firing patterns of LCIs are disrupted and this is due to aberrant GABAergic neurotransmission. This explains cholinergic deficits in HD. In Huntington’s disease (HD), a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder, striatal medium-sized spiny neurons undergo degenerative changes. In contrast, large cholinergic interneurons (LCIs) are relatively spared. However, their ability to release acetylcholine (ACh) is impaired. The present experiments examined morphological and electrophysiological properties of LCIs in the R6/2 mouse model of HD. R6/2 mice show a severe, rapidly progressing phenotype. Immunocytochemical analysis of choline acetyltransferase-positive striatal neurons showed that, although the total number of cells was not changed, somatic areas were significantly smaller in symptomatic R6/2 mice compared to wild-type (WT) littermates, For electrophysiology, brain slices were obtained from presymptomatic (3-4 weeks) and symptomatic (>8 weeks) R6/2 mice and their WT littermates. Striatal LCIs were identified by somatic size and spontaneous action potential firing in the cell-attached mode. Passive and active membrane properties of LCIs were similar in presymptomatic R6/2 and WT mice. In contrast, LCIs from symptomatic R6/2 animals displayed smaller membrane capacitance and higher input resistance, consistent with reduced somatic size. In addition, more LCIs from symptomatic mice displayed irregular firing patterns and bursts of action potentials. They also displayed a higher frequency of spontaneous GABAergic IPSCs and larger amplitude of electrically evoked IPSCs. Selective optogenetic stimulation of somatostatin- but not parvalbumin-containing interneurons also evoked larger amplitude IPSCs in LCIs from R6/2 mice. In contrast, glutamatergic spontaneous or evoked postsynaptic currents were not affected. Morphological and electrophysiological alterations, in conjunction with the presence of mutant huntingtin in LCIs, could explain impaired ACh release in HD mouse models.
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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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21
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Zhao L, Chu CB, Li JF, Yang YT, Niu SQ, Qin W, Hao YG, Dong Q, Guan R, Hu WL, Wang Y. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 reduces acetylcholine level in striatum via disturbing cellular distribution of choline acetyltransferase in cholinergic interneurons in rats. Neuroscience 2013; 255:203-11. [PMID: 24121130 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic interneurons, which provide the main source of acetylcholine (ACh) in the striatum, control the striatal local circuits and deeply involve in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a crucial kinase with diverse fundamental functions and accepted that deregulation of GSK-3 activity also plays important roles in diverse neurodegenerative diseases. However, up to now, there is no direct proof indicating whether GSK-3 activation is responsible for cholinergic dysfunction. In the present study, with combined intracerebroventricular injection of Wortmannin and GF-109203X, we activated GSK-3 and demonstrated the increased phosphorylation level of microtubule-associated protein tau and neurofilaments (NFs) in the rat striatum. The activated GSK-3 consequently decreased ACh level in the striatum as a result of the reduction of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity. The alteration of ChAT activity was due to impaired ChAT distribution rather than its expression. Furthermore, we proved that cellular ChAT distribution was dependent on low phosphorylation level of NFs. Nevertheless, the cholinergic dysfunction in the striatum failed to induce significant neuronal number reduction. In summary, our data demonstrates the link between GSK-3 activation and cholinergic dysfunction in the striatum and provided beneficial evidence for the pathogenesis study of relevant neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Zhao
- Department of Neurobiology and Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Ghiglieri V, Bagetta V, Calabresi P, Picconi B. Functional interactions within striatal microcircuit in animal models of Huntington's disease. Neuroscience 2012; 211:165-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.06.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2011] [Revised: 06/25/2011] [Accepted: 06/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Blum K, Chen ALC, Oscar-Berman M, Chen TJH, Lubar J, White N, Lubar J, Bowirrat A, Braverman E, Schoolfield J, Waite RL, Downs BW, Madigan M, Comings DE, Davis C, Kerner MM, Knopf J, Palomo T, Giordano JJ, Morse SA, Fornari F, Barh D, Femino J, Bailey JA. Generational association studies of dopaminergic genes in reward deficiency syndrome (RDS) subjects: selecting appropriate phenotypes for reward dependence behaviors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2011; 8:4425-59. [PMID: 22408582 PMCID: PMC3290972 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph8124425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2011] [Revised: 11/23/2011] [Accepted: 11/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Abnormal behaviors involving dopaminergic gene polymorphisms often reflect an insufficiency of usual feelings of satisfaction, or Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). RDS results from a dysfunction in the "brain reward cascade," a complex interaction among neurotransmitters (primarily dopaminergic and opioidergic). Individuals with a family history of alcoholism or other addictions may be born with a deficiency in the ability to produce or use these neurotransmitters. Exposure to prolonged periods of stress and alcohol or other substances also can lead to a corruption of the brain reward cascade function. We evaluated the potential association of four variants of dopaminergic candidate genes in RDS (dopamine D1 receptor gene [DRD1]; dopamine D2 receptor gene [DRD2]; dopamine transporter gene [DAT1]; dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene [DBH]). METHODOLOGY We genotyped an experimental group of 55 subjects derived from up to five generations of two independent multiple-affected families compared to rigorously screened control subjects (e.g., N = 30 super controls for DRD2 gene polymorphisms). Data related to RDS behaviors were collected on these subjects plus 13 deceased family members. RESULTS Among the genotyped family members, the DRD2 Taq1 and the DAT1 10/10 alleles were significantly (at least p < 0.015) more often found in the RDS families vs. controls. The TaqA1 allele occurred in 100% of Family A individuals (N = 32) and 47.8% of Family B subjects (11 of 23). No significant differences were found between the experimental and control positive rates for the other variants. CONCLUSIONS Although our sample size was limited, and linkage analysis is necessary, the results support the putative role of dopaminergic polymorphisms in RDS behaviors. This study shows the importance of a nonspecific RDS phenotype and informs an understanding of how evaluating single subset behaviors of RDS may lead to spurious results. Utilization of a nonspecific "reward" phenotype may be a paradigm shift in future association and linkage studies involving dopaminergic polymorphisms and other neurotransmitter gene candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Blum
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, W University Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601, USA;
- Department of Nutrigenomics, LifeGen, Inc., P.O. Box 366, 570 Lederach Stattion Way, Lederach, PA 19450, USA; (R.L.W.); (B.W.D.); (M.M.)
- Department of Integrative Medicine, PATH Medical Research Foundation, 304 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010, USA; (M.M.K.); (J.K.)
- Department of Holistic Medicine, G&G Holistic Addiction Treatment, Inc., 1590 Northeast 162nd Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33162, USA;
- Department of Research, National Institute for Holistic Addiction Studies, 1590 Northeast 162nd Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33162, USA;
- Dominion Diagnostics, Inc., 211 Circuit Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852, USA;
- Center for Genomics and Applied Gene Technology, Institute of Integrative Omics and Applied Biotechnology, Nonakuri, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India;
| | - Amanda L. C. Chen
- Department of Engineering Management Advanced Technology, Chang Jung Christian University, No. 396, Sec. 1, Changrong Road, Tainan 71101, Taiwan
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Thomas J. H. Chen
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Chang Jung Christian University, No. 396, Sec. 1, Changrong Road, Tainan 71101, Taiwan;
| | - Joel Lubar
- Emeritus, Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee, 719 Andy Holt Tower, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA;
| | - Nancy White
- Unique Mindcare, Inc., 1900 Saint James Place, Houston, TX 77056, USA;
| | - Judith Lubar
- Department of Neurofeedback, Southeastern Biofeedback and Neurobehavioral Clinic, 101 Westwood Road, Knoxville, TN 37919, USA;
| | - Abdalla Bowirrat
- Department of Neuroscience & Population Genetics, EMMS Nazareth Hospital, Nazareth, Israel;
| | - Eric Braverman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell College of Medicine, 1300 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, USA;
- Department of Integrative Medicine, PATH Medical Research Foundation, 304 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010, USA; (M.M.K.); (J.K.)
| | - John Schoolfield
- Department of Academic Informatics Services, University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA;
| | - Roger L. Waite
- Department of Nutrigenomics, LifeGen, Inc., P.O. Box 366, 570 Lederach Stattion Way, Lederach, PA 19450, USA; (R.L.W.); (B.W.D.); (M.M.)
| | - Bernard W. Downs
- Department of Nutrigenomics, LifeGen, Inc., P.O. Box 366, 570 Lederach Stattion Way, Lederach, PA 19450, USA; (R.L.W.); (B.W.D.); (M.M.)
| | - Margaret Madigan
- Department of Nutrigenomics, LifeGen, Inc., P.O. Box 366, 570 Lederach Stattion Way, Lederach, PA 19450, USA; (R.L.W.); (B.W.D.); (M.M.)
| | - David E. Comings
- Department of Genomic Research, Carlsbad Science Foundation, Department of Medical Genetics, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Caroline Davis
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
| | - Mallory M. Kerner
- Department of Integrative Medicine, PATH Medical Research Foundation, 304 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010, USA; (M.M.K.); (J.K.)
| | - Jennifer Knopf
- Department of Integrative Medicine, PATH Medical Research Foundation, 304 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010, USA; (M.M.K.); (J.K.)
| | - Tomas Palomo
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Servicio de Psiquiatria, Av. Cordoba SN, Madrid 28041, Spain;
| | - John J. Giordano
- Department of Holistic Medicine, G&G Holistic Addiction Treatment, Inc., 1590 Northeast 162nd Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33162, USA;
- Department of Research, National Institute for Holistic Addiction Studies, 1590 Northeast 162nd Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33162, USA;
| | - Siobhan A. Morse
- Department of Holistic Medicine, G&G Holistic Addiction Treatment, Inc., 1590 Northeast 162nd Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33162, USA;
- Department of Research, National Institute for Holistic Addiction Studies, 1590 Northeast 162nd Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33162, USA;
| | - Frank Fornari
- Dominion Diagnostics, Inc., 211 Circuit Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852, USA;
| | - Debmalya Barh
- Center for Genomics and Applied Gene Technology, Institute of Integrative Omics and Applied Biotechnology, Nonakuri, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India;
| | - John Femino
- Meadows Edge Recovery Center, 580 10 Rod Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852, USA;
| | - John A. Bailey
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, W University Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601, USA;
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Farrar AM, Callahan JW, Abercrombie ED. Reduced striatal acetylcholine efflux in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease: an examination of the role of altered inhibitory and excitatory mechanisms. Exp Neurol 2011; 232:119-25. [PMID: 21864528 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2011] [Revised: 07/25/2011] [Accepted: 08/08/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the progressive onset of cognitive, psychiatric, and motor symptoms. In parallel, the neuropathology of HD is characterized by progressive loss of projection neurons in cortex and striatum; striatal cholinergic interneurons are relatively spared. Nonetheless, there is evidence that striatal acetylcholine (ACh) function is altered in HD. The present study is the first to examine striatal ACh function in awake, behaving animals, using the R6/2 mouse model of HD, which is transgenic for exon 1 of the mutant huntingtin gene. Physiological levels of extracellular striatal ACh were monitored in R6/2 mice and wild type controls using in vivo microdialysis. Results indicate that spontaneous ACh release is reduced in R6/2 mice relative to controls. Intrastriatal application of the GABA(A) antagonist bicuculline methiodide (10.0 μM) significantly elevated ACh levels in both R6/2 mice and wild type controls, while overall ACh levels were reduced in the R6/2 mice compared to the wild type group. In contrast, systemic administration of the D(1) dopamine receptor partial agonist, SKF-38393 (10.0mg/kg, IP), elevated ACh levels in control animals, but not R6/2 mice. Taken together, the present results suggest that GABA-mediated inhibition of striatal ACh release is intact in R6/2 mice, further demonstrating that cholinergic interneurons are capable of increased ACh release, whereas D(1) receptor-dependent activation of excitatory inputs to striatal cholinergic interneurons is dysfunctional in R6/2 mice. Reduced levels of extracellular striatal ACh in HD may reflect abnormalities in the excitatory innervation of cholinergic interneurons, which may have implications ACh-dependent processes that are altered in HD, including corticostriatal plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Farrar
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
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Striatum–hippocampus balance: From physiological behavior to interneuronal pathology. Prog Neurobiol 2011; 94:102-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2011.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2010] [Revised: 03/28/2011] [Accepted: 04/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Altered dopamine and serotonin metabolism in motorically asymptomatic R6/2 mice. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18336. [PMID: 21483838 PMCID: PMC3069081 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2010] [Accepted: 03/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The pattern of cerebral dopamine (DA) abnormalities in Huntington disease (HD) is complex, as reflected by the variable clinical benefit of both DA antagonists and agonists in treating HD symptoms. In addition, little is known about serotonin metabolism despite the early occurrence of anxiety and depression in HD. Post-mortem enzymatic changes are likely to interfere with the in vivo profile of biogenic amines. Hence, in order to reliably characterize the regional and chronological profile of brain neurotransmitters in a HD mouse model, we used a microwave fixation system that preserves in vivo concentrations of dopaminergic and serotoninergic amines. DA was decreased in the striatum of R6/2 mice at 8 and 12 weeks of age while DA metabolites, 3-methoxytyramine and homovanillic acid, were already significantly reduced in 4-week-old motorically asymptomatic R6/2 mice. In the striatum, hippocampus and frontal cortex of 4, 8 and 12-week-old R6/2 mice, serotonin and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were significantly decreased in association with a decreased turnover of serotonin. In addition, automated high-resolution behavioural analyses displayed stress-like behaviours such as jumping and grooming and altered spatial learning in R6/2 mice at age 4 and 6 weeks respectively. Therefore, we describe the earliest alterations of DA and serotonin metabolism in a HD murine model. Our findings likely underpin the neuropsychological symptoms at time of disease onset in HD.
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Differential electrophysiological changes in striatal output neurons in Huntington's disease. J Neurosci 2011; 31:1170-82. [PMID: 21273402 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3539-10.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is considerable evidence that alterations in striatal medium-sized spiny neurons (MSSNs) giving rise to the direct (D1 receptor-expressing) and indirect (D2 receptor-expressing) pathways differentially contribute to the phenotype of Huntington's disease (HD). To determine how each subpopulation of MSSN is functionally affected, we examined spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and dopamine (DA) modulation in two HD mouse models, the YAC128 and the BACHD (a bacterial-artificial chromosome). These mice also expressed enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of the promoter for either DA D1 or D2 receptors to identify neurons. In early symptomatic YAC128 and BACHD mice, glutamate transmission was increased in both D1 and D2 MSSNs, but in different ways. D1 cells displayed increased sEPSC frequencies and decreased paired-pulse ratios (PPRs) while D2 cells displayed larger evoked glutamate currents but no change in sEPSC frequencies or PPRs. D1 receptor modulation of sEPSCs was absent in D1-YAC128 cells at the early symptomatic stage but was restored by treating the slices with tetrabenazine. In contrast, in fully symptomatic YAC128 mice, glutamate transmission was decreased specifically in D1 cells, and D1 receptor modulation was normal in D1-YAC128 cells. Behaviorally, early symptomatic mice showed increased stereotypies that were decreased by tetrabenazine treatment. Together, these studies support differential imbalances in glutamate and DA transmission in direct and indirect pathway MSSNs. Stereotypic behavior at an early stage could be explained by increased glutamate activity and DA tone in direct pathway neurons, whereas hypokinesia at later stages could result from reduced input onto these neurons.
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Nishimura Y, Yalgin C, Akimoto S, Doumanis J, Sasajima R, Nukina N, Miyakawa H, Moore AW, Morimoto T. Selection of behaviors and segmental coordination during larval locomotion is disrupted by nuclear polyglutamine inclusions in a new Drosophila Huntington's disease-like model. J Neurogenet 2011; 24:194-206. [PMID: 21087194 DOI: 10.3109/01677063.2010.514367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by abnormal expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin protein, resulting in intracellular aggregate formation and neurodegeneration. How neuronal cells are affected by such a polyglutamine tract expansion remains obscure. To dissect the ways in which polyglutamine expansion can cause neural dysfunction, the authors generated Drosophila transgenic strains expressing either a nuclear targeted or cytoplasmic form of pathogenic (NHtt-152Q(NLS), NHtt-152Q), or nonpathogenic (NHtt-18Q(NLS), NHtt-18Q) N-terminal human huntingtin. These proteins were expressed in the dendritic arborization neurons of the larval peripheral nervous system and their effects on neuronal survival, morphology, and larval locomotion were examined. The authors found that NHtt-152Q(NLS) larvae had altered dendrite morphology and larval locomotion, whereas NHtt-152Q, NHtt-18Q(NLS), and NHtt-18Q larvae did not. Furthermore, the authors examined the physiological defect underlying this disrupted larval locomotion in detail by recording spontaneous ongoing segmental nerve activity. NHtt-152Q(NLS) larvae displayed uncoordinated activity between anterior and posterior segments. Moreover, anterior segments had shorter bursts and longer interburst intervals in NHtt-152Q(NLS) larvae than in NHtt-18Q(NLS) larvae, whereas posterior segments had longer bursts and shorter interburst intervals. These results suggest that the pathogenic protein disrupts neuron function without inducing cell death, and describe how this dysfunction leads to a locomotor defect. These results also suggest that sensory inputs are necessary for the coordination of anterior and posterior body parts during locomotion. From these analyses the authors show that examination of motor behaviors in the Drosophila larvae is a powerful new model to dissect non-cell-lethal mechanisms of mutant Htt toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoichi Nishimura
- Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
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Bonsi P, Cuomo D, Martella G, Madeo G, Schirinzi T, Puglisi F, Ponterio G, Pisani A. Centrality of striatal cholinergic transmission in Basal Ganglia function. Front Neuroanat 2011; 5:6. [PMID: 21344017 PMCID: PMC3036975 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2011.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2010] [Accepted: 01/21/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Work over the past two decades revealed a previously unexpected role for striatal cholinergic interneurons in the context of basal ganglia function. The recognition that these interneurons are essential in synaptic plasticity and motor learning represents a significant step ahead in deciphering how the striatum processes cortical inputs, and why pathological circumstances cause motor dysfunction. Loss of the reciprocal modulation between dopaminergic inputs and the intrinsic cholinergic innervation within the striatum appears to be the trigger for pathophysiological changes occurring in basal ganglia disorders. Accordingly, there is now compelling evidence showing profound changes in cholinergic markers in these disorders, in particular Parkinson's disease and dystonia. Based on converging experimental and clinical evidence, we provide an overview of the role of striatal cholinergic transmission in physiological and pathological conditions, in the context of the pathogenesis of movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Bonsi
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS Rome, Italy
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Dowie MJ, Scotter EL, Molinari E, Glass M. The therapeutic potential of G-protein coupled receptors in Huntington's disease. Pharmacol Ther 2010; 128:305-23. [PMID: 20708032 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2010.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2010] [Accepted: 07/14/2010] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a late-onset autosomal dominant inherited neurodegenerative disease characterised by increased symptom severity over time and ultimately premature death. An expanded CAG repeat sequence in the huntingtin gene leads to a polyglutamine expansion in the expressed protein, resulting in complex dysfunctions including cellular excitotoxicity and transcriptional dysregulation. Symptoms include cognitive deficits, psychiatric changes and a movement disorder often referred to as Huntington's chorea, which involves characteristic involuntary dance-like writhing movements. Neuropathologically Huntington's disease is characterised by neuronal dysfunction and death in the striatum and cortex with an overall decrease in cerebral volume (Ho et al., 2001). Neuronal dysfunction begins prior to symptom presentation, and cells of particular vulnerability include the striatal medium spiny neurons. Huntington's is a devastating disease for patients and their families and there is currently no cure, or even an effective therapy for disease symptoms. G-protein coupled receptors are the most abundant receptor type in the central nervous system and are linked to complex downstream pathways, manipulation of which may have therapeutic application in many neurological diseases. This review will highlight the potential of G-protein coupled receptor drug targets as emerging therapies for Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan J Dowie
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019 Auckland, New Zealand
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Schippling S, Schneider SA, Bhatia KP, Münchau A, Rothwell JC, Tabrizi SJ, Orth M. Abnormal motor cortex excitability in preclinical and very early Huntington's disease. Biol Psychiatry 2009; 65:959-65. [PMID: 19200948 PMCID: PMC2998173 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2008] [Revised: 12/19/2008] [Accepted: 12/19/2008] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Huntington's disease (HD), the cerebral cortex is involved early in the disease process. The study of cortical excitability can therefore contribute to understanding HD pathophysiology. METHODS With transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) we examined motor cortex excitability in 8 premanifest HD gene carriers, 8 very early symptomatic HD patients, and 22 healthy control subjects. Electrophysiological measures were correlated with the clinical stage of HD to identify motor cortical dysfunction before overt clinical disease onset. RESULTS Premanifest and early manifest HD patients had higher resting and active motor cortex thresholds than control subjects (p = .024). At rest, recruitment of motor evoked potentials was more gradual in both patient groups than in control subjects (p = .001). When active, recruitment and the duration of the cortical silent period were similar in all groups. There was a tendency for short interval intra-cortical inhibition to have a higher threshold in all patients taken together but not in each group separately. Short latency afferent inhibition (SAI) was reduced in early manifest patients compared with control subjects and premanifest patients (p < .001) and in contrast to all other measures was inversely associated with estimated time to onset (p = .013, adjusted R(2) = .32) and the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale motor score (p = .001, adjusted R(2) = .5). A combination of age, CAG repeat length, and SAI strongly predicted the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale motor score (p = .001, adjusted R(2) = .68). CONCLUSIONS Our findings add to the evidence for early cortical involvement in HD possibly before HD signs appear.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Schippling
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.
,Department of Neurology, Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf, Martinistr.52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - SA Schneider
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - KP Bhatia
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - A Münchau
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf, Martinistr.52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - JC Rothwell
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - SJ Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - M Orth
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.
,Department of Neurology, Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf, Martinistr.52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
,Department of Neurology, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45/1, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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Chan KC, So KF, Wu EX. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed choline reduction in the visual cortex in an experimental model of chronic glaucoma. Exp Eye Res 2008; 88:65-70. [PMID: 18992243 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2008.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2008] [Revised: 09/28/2008] [Accepted: 10/02/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease of the visual system. While elevated intraocular pressure is considered to be a major risk factor, the primary cause and pathogenesis of this disease are still unclear. This study aims to employ in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) to evaluate the metabolic changes in the visual cortex in a rat model of chronic glaucoma. Five Sprague-Dawley female rats were prepared to induce ocular hypertension unilaterally in the right eye by photocoagulating the episcleral and limbal veins using an argon laser. Single voxel (1)H MRS was performed on each side of the visual cortex 6 weeks after laser treatment. Relative to the creatine level, the choline level was found to be significantly lower in the left glaucomatous visual cortex than the right control visual cortex in all animals. In addition, a marginally significant increase in glutamate level was observed in the glaucomatous visual cortex. No apparent difference was observed between contralateral sides of the visual cortex in T1-weighted or T2-weighted imaging. The results of this study showed that glaucoma is accompanied with alterations in the metabolism of choline-containing compounds in the visual cortex contralateral to the glaucomatous rat eye. These potentially associated the pathophysiological mechanisms of glaucoma with the dysfunction of the cholinergic system in the visual pathway. (1)H MRS is a potential tool for studying the metabolic changes in glaucoma in vivo in normally appearing brain structures, and may possess direct clinical applications for humans. Measurement of the Cho:Cr reduction in the visual cortex may be a noninvasive biomarker for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C Chan
- Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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Huntingtin-interacting protein 1 influences worm and mouse presynaptic function and protects Caenorhabditis elegans neurons against mutant polyglutamine toxicity. J Neurosci 2007; 27:11056-64. [PMID: 17928447 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1941-07.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntingtin-interacting protein 1 (HIP1) was identified through its interaction with htt (huntingtin), the Huntington's disease (HD) protein. HIP1 is an endocytic protein that influences transport and function of AMPA and NMDA receptors in the brain. However, little is known about its contribution to neuronal dysfunction in HD. We report that the Caenorhabditis elegans HIP1 homolog hipr-1 modulates presynaptic activity and the abundance of synaptobrevin, a protein involved in synaptic vesicle fusion. Presynaptic function was also altered in hippocampal brain slices of HIP1-/- mice demonstrating delayed recovery from synaptic depression and a reduction in paired-pulse facilitation, a form of presynaptic plasticity. Interestingly, neuronal dysfunction in transgenic nematodes expressing mutant N-terminal huntingtin was specifically enhanced by hipr-1 loss of function. A similar effect was observed with several other mutant proteins that are expressed at the synapse and involved in endocytosis, such as unc-11/AP180, unc-26/synaptojanin, and unc-57/endophilin. Thus, HIP1 is involved in presynaptic nerve terminal activity and modulation of mutant polyglutamine-induced neuronal dysfunction. Moreover, synaptic proteins involved in endocytosis may protect neurons against amino acid homopolymer expansion.
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Smith R, Klein P, Koc-Schmitz Y, Waldvogel HJ, Faull RLM, Brundin P, Plomann M, Li JY. Loss of SNAP-25 and rabphilin 3a in sensory-motor cortex in Huntington's disease. J Neurochem 2007; 103:115-23. [PMID: 17877635 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04703.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG-expansion in the gene encoding the protein huntingtin. The disease is characterized by progressive motor disturbances, cognitive defects, dementia, and weight loss. Using western blotting and immunohistochemistry we have assessed the expression levels and patterns of a number of proteins involved in neurotransmitter release in post-mortem frontal cortex samples from 10 HD cases with different disease grades. We report a loss of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein, synaptosome-associated protein 25 (SNAP 25) in HD brains of grades I-IV. Moreover, in brains of grade III and IV we found a reduction in rabphilin 3a, a protein involved in vesicle docking and recycling. These losses appear to be specific and not due to a general loss of synapses in the HD cortex. Thus, levels of synaptobrevin II, syntaxin 1, rab3a or synaptophysin are unaltered in the same patient samples. SNAP 25 and rabphilin 3a are crucial for neurotransmitter release. Therefore, we suggest that a deficient pre-synaptic transmitter release may underlie some of the symptoms of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Smith
- Neuronal Survival Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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Pisani A, Bernardi G, Ding J, Surmeier DJ. Re-emergence of striatal cholinergic interneurons in movement disorders. Trends Neurosci 2007; 30:545-53. [PMID: 17904652 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2007.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 333] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2007] [Revised: 06/28/2007] [Accepted: 07/26/2007] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Twenty years ago, striatal cholinergic neurons were central figures in models of basal ganglia function. But since then, they have receded in importance. Recent studies are likely to lead to their re-emergence in our thinking. Cholinergic interneurons have been implicated as key players in the induction of synaptic plasticity and motor learning, as well as in motor dysfunction. In Parkinson's disease and dystonia, diminished striatal dopaminergic signalling leads to increased release of acetylcholine by interneurons, distorting network function and inducing structural changes that undoubtedly contribute to the symptoms. By contrast, in Huntington's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, there is a fall in striatal cholinergic markers. This review gives an overview of these recent experimental and clinical studies, placing them within the context of the pathogenesis of movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Pisani
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, and Clinica Neurologica, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00135, Rome, Italy.
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Smith R, Chung H, Rundquist S, Maat-Schieman MLC, Colgan L, Englund E, Liu YJ, Roos RAC, Faull RLM, Brundin P, Li JY. Cholinergic neuronal defect without cell loss in Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2006; 15:3119-31. [PMID: 16987871 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddl252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG-repeat expansion in the huntingtin (IT15) gene. The striatum is one of the regions most affected by neurodegeneration, resulting in the loss of the medium-sized spiny neurons. Traditionally, the large cholinergic striatal interneurons are believed to be spared. Recent studies demonstrate that neuronal dysfunction without cell death also plays an important role in early and mid-stages of the disease. Here, we report that cholinergic transmission is affected in a HD transgenic mouse model (R6/1) and in tissues from HD patients. Stereological analysis shows no loss of cholinergic neurons in the striatum or septum in R6/1 mice. In contrast, the levels of mRNA and protein for vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) are decreased in the striatum and cortex, and acetylcholine esterase activity is lowered in the striatum of R6/1 mice already at young ages. Accordingly, VAChT is also reduced in striatal tissue from patients with HD. The decrease of VAChT in the patient samples studied is restricted to the striatum and does not occur in the hippocampus or the spinal cord. The expression and localization of REST/NRSF, a transcriptional regulator for the VAChT and ChAT genes, are not altered in cholinergic neurons. We show that the R6/1 mice exhibit severe deficits in learning and reference memory. Taken together, our data show that the cholinergic system is dysfunctional in R6/1 and HD patients. Consequently, they provide a rationale for testing of pro-cholinergic drugs in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Smith
- Neuronal Survival Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, BMC A10, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
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Parikh V, Apparsundaram S, Kozak R, Richards JB, Sarter M. Reduced expression and capacity of the striatal high-affinity choline transporter in hyperdopaminergic mice. Neuroscience 2006; 141:379-89. [PMID: 16675138 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.03.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2006] [Revised: 03/21/2006] [Accepted: 03/24/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral and neuronal abnormalities observed in mice exhibiting a reduced expression of the dopamine transporter model important aspects of schizophrenia, addiction, and attentional disorders. As the consequences of a chronic hyperdopaminergic tone for striatal output regulation have remained poorly understood, the present experiments were designed to determine the status of striatal interneuronal cholinergic neurotransmission in dopamine transporter knockdown animals. The high-affinity choline transporter represents the rate-limiting step of acetylcholine synthesis and release. Compared with wild type mice, striatal high-affinity choline transporter expression in dopamine transporter knockdown mice was significantly decreased. As in vivo basal striatal acetylcholine release did not differ between the strains, reduced high-affinity choline transporter expression in dopamine transporter knockdown mice was not due to reduced basal cholinergic activity. Furthermore, the proportion of high-affinity choline transporters expressed in plasma membrane-enriched versus vesicular membrane-enriched fractions did not differ from wild type animals, suggesting that changes in intracellular high-affinity choline transporter trafficking were not associated with lower overall levels of striatal high-affinity choline transporters. Synaptosomal choline uptake assays indicated a reduced capacity of striatal high-affinity choline transporters in dopamine transporter knockdown mice, and thus the functional significance of the reduced level of high-affinity choline transporter expression. Likewise, in vivo measures of the capacity of striatal high-affinity choline transporters to clear increases in extracellular choline concentrations, using choline-sensitive microelectrodes, revealed a 37-41% reduction in hemicholinium-sensitive clearance of exogenous choline in dopamine transporter knockdown mice. Furthermore, clearance of potassium-evoked choline signals was reduced in dopamine transporter knockdown mice (1.63+/-0.15 microM/s) compared with wild type animals (2.29+/-0.21 microM/s). Dysregulated striatal cholinergic neurotransmission is hypothesized to disrupt the integration of thalamic and cortical information at spiny projection neurons and thus to contribute to abnormal striatal information processing in dopamine transporter knockdown mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Parikh
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043, USA
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Picconi B, Passino E, Sgobio C, Bonsi P, Barone I, Ghiglieri V, Pisani A, Bernardi G, Ammassari-Teule M, Calabresi P. Plastic and behavioral abnormalities in experimental Huntington's disease: A crucial role for cholinergic interneurons. Neurobiol Dis 2006; 22:143-52. [PMID: 16326108 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2005.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2005] [Revised: 10/07/2005] [Accepted: 10/26/2005] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal hereditary neurodegenerative disease causing degeneration of striatal spiny neurons, whereas cholinergic interneurons are spared. This cell-type specific pathology produces an array of abnormalities including involuntary movements, cognitive impairments, and psychiatric disorders. Although the genetic mutation responsible for HD has been identified, little is known about the early synaptic changes occurring within the striatal circuitry at the onset of clinical symptoms. We therefore studied the synaptic plasticity of spiny neurons and cholinergic interneurons in two animal models of early HD. As a pathogenetic model, we used the chronic subcutaneous infusion of the mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) in rats. This treatment caused striatal damage and impaired response flexibility in the cross-maze task as well as defective extinction of conditioned fear suggesting a perseverative behavior. In these animals, we observed a loss of depotentiation in striatal spiny neurons and a lack of long-term potentiation (LTP) in cholinergic interneurons. These abnormalities of striatal synaptic plasticity were also observed in R6/2 transgenic mice, a genetic model of HD, indicating that both genetic and phenotypic models of HD show cell-type specific alterations of LTP. We also found that in control rats, as well as in wild-type (WT) mice, depotentiation of spiny neurons was blocked by either scopolamine or hemicholinium, indicating that reversal of LTP requires activation of muscarinic receptors by endogenous acetylcholine. Our findings suggest that the defective plasticity of cholinergic interneurons could be the primary event mediating abnormal functioning of striatal circuits, and the loss of behavioral flexibility typical of early HD might largely depend on cell-type specific plastic abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Picconi
- Laboratorio di Neurofisiologia, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143 Rome, Italy
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Johnson MA, Rajan V, Miller CE, Wightman RM. Dopamine release is severely compromised in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease. J Neurochem 2006; 97:737-46. [PMID: 16573654 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.03762.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recently, alterations in dopamine signaling have been implicated in Huntington's disease. In this work, dopamine release and uptake was measured in striatal slices from the R6/2 transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at carbon-fiber microelectrodes. Dopamine release in brain slices from 6-week-old R6/2 mice is substantially reduced (53% of wild type), while dopamine uptake is unaffected. In agreement with this, R6/2 mice injected with the dopamine uptake inhibitor cocaine exhibited a blunted motor activity response (54% of wild type). At 10 weeks of age, an even more dramatic motor activity decrease in response to cocaine injection (21% of wild type) was observed. Moreover, the pre-drug activity of 10-week-old R6/2 mice was significantly reduced (by 37%) compared with 6-week-old R6/2 mice. Striatal dopamine release decreased with age, indicating that progressive alterations in dopaminergic pathways may affect motor activity. The inhibition constants of cocaine and methamphetamine (METH) determined in brain slices differed little between genotype or age group, suggesting that the decreased responses to cocaine and METH arise from compromised dopamine release rather than differences in uptake or drug action. Collectively, these data demonstrate (i) a reduction in the ability of dopamine terminals to release dopamine and (ii) the importance of this attenuation of release on the motor symptoms of Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, USA
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Gianfriddo M, Melani A, Turchi D, Giovannini MG, Pedata F. Adenosine and glutamate extracellular concentrations and mitogen-activated protein kinases in the striatum of Huntington transgenic mice. Selective antagonism of adenosine A2A receptors reduces transmitter outflow. Neurobiol Dis 2004; 17:77-88. [PMID: 15350968 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2004.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2004] [Revised: 05/24/2004] [Accepted: 05/28/2004] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The basal ganglia and deep layers of cerebral cortex neurodegeneration typically characterize the postmortem brain of Huntington disease (HD) patients. In this study, we employed 10- to 11-week-old transgenic HD mice (R6/2 line), in which the striatal adenosine extracellular levels, measured using the microdialysis technique, are significantly increased in comparison to wild-type mice. An increase in striatal adenosine is probably a precocious index of mitochondrial dysfunction that is described in both the postmortem brain of HD patients and transgenic mice striatal cells. The adenosine increase is matched by activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the striatal neurons of R6/2 mouse but not in the cortex. This result indicates that p38 MAPK is a correlate of striatal damage and suggests a role for p38 in the striatal neuron suffering and apoptosis described in this disease. The selective adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonist SCH 58261, administered through microdialysis fiber into the striatum, significantly decreases the outflow of glutamate in R6/2 mice. Antagonism of adenosine A(2A) receptors might be regarded as potentially useful in the treatment of this disease to control striatal excitotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Gianfriddo
- Department of Preclinical and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Florence, 50139, Florence, Italy
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Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the protein huntingtin. In its terminal stage, HD is characterized by widespread neuronal death in the neocortex and the striatum. Classically, this neuronal death has been thought to underlie most of the symptoms of the disease. Accumulating evidence suggests, however, that cellular dysfunction is important in the pathogenesis of HD. We propose that specific impairment of the exocytosis and endocytosis machinery contributes to the development of HD. We also suggest that abnormal synaptic transmission underlies the early symptoms of HD and can contribute to the triggering of cell death in later stages of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Yi Li
- Section for Neuronal Survival, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, BMC A10, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
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