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Handy NB, Xu Y, Moon D, Sowizral JJ, Moon E, Ho M, Wilson BA. Hierarchical determinants in cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF) toxins driving Rho G-protein deamidation versus transglutamination. mBio 2024:e0122124. [PMID: 38920360 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01221-24] [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: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF) family of AB-type bacterial protein toxins catalyze two types of modification on their Rho GTPase substrates: deamidation and transglutamination. It has been established that E. coli CNF1 and its close homolog proteins catalyze primarily deamidation and Bordetella dermonecrotic toxin (DNT) catalyzes primarily transglutamination. The rapidly expanding microbial genome sequencing data have revealed that there are at least 13 full-length variants of CNF1 homologs. CNFx from E. coli strain GN02091 is the most distant from all other members of the CNF family with 50%-55% sequence identity at the protein level and 0.45-0.52 nucleotide substitutions per site at the DNA level. CNFx modifies RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, and like CNF1, activates downstream SRE-dependent mitogenic signaling pathways in human HEK293T cells, but at a 1,000-fold higher EC50 value. Unlike other previously characterized CNF toxins, CNFx modifies Rho proteins primarily through transglutamination, as evidenced by gel-shift assay and confirmed by MALDI mass spectral analysis, when coexpressed with Rho-protein substrates in E. coli BL21 cells or through direct treatment of HEK293T cells. A comparison of CNF1 and CNFx sequences identified two critical active-site residues corresponding to positions 832 and 862 in CNF1. Reciprocal site-specific mutations at these residues in each toxin revealed hierarchical rules that define the preference for deamidase versus a transglutaminase activity in CNFs. An additional unique Cys residue at the C-terminus of CNFx was also discovered to be critical for retarding cargo delivery.IMPORTANCECytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF) toxins not only play important virulence roles in pathogenic E. coli and other bacterial pathogens, but CNF-like genes have also been found in an expanding number of genomes from clinical isolates. Harnessing the power of evolutionary relationships among the CNF toxins enabled the deciphering of the hierarchical active-site determinants that define whether they modify their Rho GTPase substrates through deamidation or transglutamination. With our finding that a distant CNF variant (CNFx) unlike other known CNFs predominantly transglutaminates its Rho GTPase substrates, the paradigm of "CNFs deamidate and DNTs transglutaminate" could finally be attributed to two critical amino acid residues within the active site other than the previously identified catalytic Cys-His dyad residues. The significance of our approach and research findings is that they can be applied to deciphering enzyme reaction determinants and substrate specificities for other bacterial proteins in the development of precision therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B Handy
- Department of Microbiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Yiting Xu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Damee Moon
- Department of Microbiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Jacob J Sowizral
- Department of Microbiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Eric Moon
- Department of Microbiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Mengfei Ho
- Department of Microbiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Brenda A Wilson
- Department of Microbiology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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2
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Schmidt G. Some Examples of Bacterial Toxins as Tools. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:202. [PMID: 38787054 PMCID: PMC11125981 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16050202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria produce diverse protein toxins to disturb the host's defenses. This includes the opening of epithelial barriers to establish bacterial growth in deeper tissues of the host and to modulate immune cell functions. To achieve this, many toxins share the ability to enter mammalian cells, where they catalyze the modification of cellular proteins. The enzymatic activity is diverse and ranges from ribosyl- or glycosyl-transferase activity, the deamidation of proteins, and adenylate-cyclase activity to proteolytic cleavage. Protein toxins are highly active enzymes often with tight specificity for an intracellular protein or a protein family coupled with the intrinsic capability of entering mammalian cells. A broad understanding of their molecular mechanisms established bacterial toxins as powerful tools for cell biology. Both the enzymatic part and the pore-forming/protein transport capacity are currently used as tools engineered to study signaling pathways or to transport cargo like labeled compounds, nucleic acids, peptides, or proteins directly into the cytosol. Using several representative examples, this review is intended to provide a short overview of the state of the art in the use of bacterial toxins or parts thereof as tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gudula Schmidt
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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3
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Wang X, Feng J, Luan S, Zhou Y, Zhang S, Su H, Wang Z. Linkage of CDC42 and T-helper cell ratio with anxiety, depression and quality of life in ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Biomark Med 2024; 18:157-168. [PMID: 38440868 DOI: 10.2217/bmm-2023-0712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the correlations between CDC42 and T-cell subsets concerning anxiety, depression and quality of life in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: Sera from 156 participants were analyzed for CDC42 levels and Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cells. Results: CDC42 correlated with reduced Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg ratios, lower anxiety and depression, and higher EuroQol visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) score. The Th17/Treg ratio correlated with elevated anxiety, depression, EuroQol-5 dimensions score and decreased EQ-VAS score. The Th1/Th2 ratio was positively related to the EQ-VAS score. Conclusion: CDC42 correlates with reduced Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg ratios, reduced anxiety and depression, and improved quality of life in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechao Wang
- Department of Psychology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, 056002, China
| | - Junjie Feng
- Department of Psychology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, 056002, China
| | - Shaohua Luan
- Department of Cardiology Ward 3, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, 056002, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry Ward 9, Beijing Anding Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100088, China
| | - Shipan Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050051, China
| | - Hongling Su
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, 056002, China
| | - Zhongyu Wang
- Department of Oncology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, 056002, China
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4
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Qi F, Zuo Z, Hu K, Wang R, Wu T, Liu H, Tang J, Wang Q, Xie Y, Tan L, Yang Y, Zhang X, Zheng J, Xu J, Yao Z, Wang S, Wu LJ, Guo K. VEGF-A in serum protects against memory impairment in APP/PS1 transgenic mice by blocking neutrophil infiltration. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4374-4389. [PMID: 37280283 PMCID: PMC10827659 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02097-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Activation of innate immunity in the brain is a prominent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study investigated the regulation of innate immunity by wild-type serum injection in a transgenic AD mouse model. We found that treatment with wild-type mouse serum significantly reduced the number of neutrophils and microglial reactivity in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. Mimicking this effect, neutrophil depletion via Ly6G neutralizing antibodies resulted in improvements in AD brain functions. Serum proteomic analysis identified vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) as factors enriched in serum samples, which are crucial for neutrophil migration and chemotaxis, leukocyte migration, and cell chemotaxis. Exogenous VEGF-A reversed amyloid β (Aβ)-induced decreases in cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and increases in CXCL1 in vitro and blocked neutrophil infiltration into the AD brain. Endothelial Cdk5 overexpression conferred an inhibitory effect on CXCL1 and neutrophil infiltration, thereby restoring memory abilities in APP/PS1 mice. Our findings uncover a previously unknown link between blood-derived VEGF signaling and neutrophil infiltration and support targeting endothelial Cdk5 signaling as a potential therapeutic strategy for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Qi
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Editorial Department of Journal of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Zejie Zuo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Kaishun Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiaoling Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Qingbo Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Yufeng Xie
- Five-year Programs of Clinical Medicine in the 2017 grade, School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 528406, China
| | - Liren Tan
- Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yunjie Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiaoran Zhang
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiaying Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zhibin Yao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Shengwen Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
| | - Long-Jun Wu
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| | - Kaihua Guo
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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5
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Bai H, Huang H, Zhao N, Gu H, Li Y, Zou W, Wu T, Huang X. Small G protein RAC-2 regulates forgetting via the JNK-1 signalling pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:6162-6173. [PMID: 36321581 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15855] [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: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Although forgetting was once regarded as a passive decline in memory and an occasional source of embarrassment, recent research suggests that it is an active biological process of removing outdated or irrelevant memories via activation of specific genes and signal transduction pathways. Rho family G proteins are known to have a role in synaptic plasticity mediated by the actin cytoskeleton. However, the current study reveals that another Rho guanosine triphosphate enzyme (GTPase), RAC-2, facilitates the occurrence of forgetting in Caenorhabditis elegans independent of actin dynamics. Functioning downstream of RAC-2 in the same signalling pathway, JNK-1 and its phosphorylated protein are required to positively regulate forgetting. The pan-neuronal rescue of RAC-2 or JNK-1, instead of AWC neuron-specific expression, reverses the delayed forgetting caused by the rac-2 mutation, which indicates that the involvement of RAC-2/JNK-1 in more than AWCs must be required. In summary, our work elucidates the action of the Rho GTPase RAC-2 and downstream JNK-1 as a potential novel pathway in forgetting in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Bai
- School of Medicine, and State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.,College of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Hui Huang
- School of Medicine, and State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Ninghui Zhao
- Neurosurgery of the Second Hospital affiliated with Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Huan Gu
- School of Medicine, and State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Yixin Li
- School of Medicine, and State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Wei Zou
- College of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Tingting Wu
- Neurosurgery of the Second Hospital affiliated with Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xiaowei Huang
- School of Medicine, and State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
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6
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Haas-Neil S, Dvorkin-Gheva A, Forsythe P. Severe, but not moderate asthmatics share blood transcriptomic changes with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275864. [PMID: 36206293 PMCID: PMC9543640 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Asthma, an inflammatory disorder of the airways, is one of the most common chronic illnesses worldwide and is associated with significant morbidity. There is growing recognition of an association between asthma and mood disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Although there are several hypotheses regarding the relationship between asthma and mental health, there is little understanding of underlying mechanisms and causality. In the current study we utilized publicly available datasets of human blood mRNA collected from patients with severe and moderate asthma, MDD, and PTSD. We performed differential expression (DE) analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) on diseased subjects against the healthy subjects from their respective datasets, compared the results between diseases, and validated DE genes and gene sets with 4 more independent datasets. Our analysis revealed that commonalities in blood transcriptomic changes were only found between the severe form of asthma and mood disorders. Gene expression commonly regulated in PTSD and severe asthma, included ORMDL3 a gene known to be associated with asthma risk and STX8, which is involved in TrkA signaling. We also identified several pathways commonly regulated to both MDD and severe asthma. This study reveals gene and pathway regulation that potentially drives the comorbidity between severe asthma, PTSD, and MDD and may serve as foci for future research aimed at gaining a better understanding of both the relationship between asthma and PTSD, and the pathophysiology of the individual disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandor Haas-Neil
- The Brain Body Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anna Dvorkin-Gheva
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul Forsythe
- Alberta Respiratory Centre, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
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7
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Li W. Excitation and Inhibition Imbalance in Rett Syndrome. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:825063. [PMID: 35250460 PMCID: PMC8894599 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.825063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A loss of the excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance in the neural circuit has emerged as a common neuropathological feature in many neurodevelopmental disorders. Rett syndrome (RTT), a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1:10,000-15,000 women globally, is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the Methyl-CpG-binding Protein-2 (Mecp2) gene. E/I imbalance is recognized as the leading cellular and synaptic hallmark that is fundamental to diverse RTT neurological symptoms, including stereotypic hand movements, impaired motor coordination, breathing irregularities, seizures, and learning/memory dysfunctions. E/I balance in RTT is not homogeneously altered but demonstrates brain region and cell type specificity instead. In this review, I elaborate on the current understanding of the loss of E/I balance in a range of brain areas at molecular and cellular levels. I further describe how the underlying cellular mechanisms contribute to the disturbance of the proper E/I ratio. Last, I discuss current pharmacologic innervations for RTT and their role in modifying the E/I balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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8
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The Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factors (CNFs)-A Family of Rho GTPase-Activating Bacterial Exotoxins. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13120901. [PMID: 34941738 PMCID: PMC8709095 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13120901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytotoxic necrotizing factors (CNFs) are a family of Rho GTPase-activating single-chain exotoxins that are produced by several Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Due to the pleiotropic activities of the targeted Rho GTPases, the CNFs trigger multiple signaling pathways and host cell processes with diverse functional consequences. They influence cytokinesis, tissue integrity, cell barriers, and cell death, as well as the induction of inflammatory and immune cell responses. This has an enormous influence on host-pathogen interactions and the severity of the infection. The present review provides a comprehensive insight into our current knowledge of the modular structure, cell entry mechanisms, and the mode of action of this class of toxins, and describes their influence on the cell, tissue/organ, and systems levels. In addition to their toxic functions, possibilities for their use as drug delivery tool and for therapeutic applications against important illnesses, including nervous system diseases and cancer, have also been identified and are discussed.
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9
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Zhang H, Ben Zablah Y, Zhang H, Jia Z. Rho Signaling in Synaptic Plasticity, Memory, and Brain Disorders. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:729076. [PMID: 34671600 PMCID: PMC8520953 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.729076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory impairments are associated with many brain disorders such as autism, Alzheimer's disease, and depression. Forming memories involves modifications of synaptic transmission and spine morphology. The Rho family small GTPases are key regulators of synaptic plasticity by affecting various downstream molecules to remodel the actin cytoskeleton. In this paper, we will review recent studies on the roles of Rho proteins in the regulation of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), the most extensively studied forms of synaptic plasticity widely regarded as cellular mechanisms for learning and memory. We will also discuss the involvement of Rho signaling in spine morphology, the structural basis of synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Finally, we will review the association between brain disorders and abnormalities of Rho function. It is expected that studying Rho signaling at the synapse will contribute to the understanding of how memory is formed and disrupted in diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haorui Zhang
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Youssif Ben Zablah
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Haiwang Zhang
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zhengping Jia
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Cornelius J, Rottner K, Korte M, Michaelsen-Preusse K. Cortactin Contributes to Activity-Dependent Modulation of Spine Actin Dynamics and Spatial Memory Formation. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071835. [PMID: 34360003 PMCID: PMC8303107 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Postsynaptic structures on excitatory neurons, dendritic spines, are actin-rich. It is well known that actin-binding proteins regulate actin dynamics and by this means orchestrate structural plasticity during the development of the brain, as well as synaptic plasticity mediating learning and memory processes. The actin-binding protein cortactin is localized to pre- and postsynaptic structures and translocates in a stimulus-dependent manner between spines and the dendritic compartment, thereby indicating a crucial role for synaptic plasticity and neuronal function. While it is known that cortactin directly binds F-actin, the Arp2/3 complex important for actin nucleation and branching as well as other factors involved in synaptic plasticity processes, its precise role in modulating actin remodeling in neurons needs to be deciphered. In this study, we characterized the general neuronal function of cortactin in knockout mice. Interestingly, we found that the loss of cortactin leads to deficits in hippocampus-dependent spatial memory formation. This impairment is correlated with a prominent dysregulation of functional and structural plasticity. Additional evidence shows impaired long-term potentiation in cortactin knockout mice together with a complete absence of structural spine plasticity. These phenotypes might at least in part be explained by alterations in the activity-dependent modulation of synaptic actin in cortactin-deficient neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Cornelius
- Division of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (J.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Klemens Rottner
- Research Group Molecular Cell Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Division of Molecular Cell Biology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Martin Korte
- Division of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (J.C.); (M.K.)
- Research Group Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kristin Michaelsen-Preusse
- Division of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (J.C.); (M.K.)
- Correspondence:
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Urbinati C, Cosentino L, Germinario EAP, Valenti D, Vigli D, Ricceri L, Laviola G, Fiorentini C, Vacca RA, Fabbri A, De Filippis B. Treatment with the Bacterial Toxin CNF1 Selectively Rescues Cognitive and Brain Mitochondrial Deficits in a Female Mouse Model of Rett Syndrome Carrying a MeCP2-Null Mutation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6739. [PMID: 34201747 PMCID: PMC8269120 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurological disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene and a major cause of intellectual disability in females. No cure exists for RTT. We previously reported that the behavioural phenotype and brain mitochondria dysfunction are widely rescued by a single intracerebroventricular injection of the bacterial toxin CNF1 in a RTT mouse model carrying a truncating mutation of the MeCP2 gene (MeCP2-308 mice). Given the heterogeneity of MECP2 mutations in RTT patients, we tested the CNF1 therapeutic efficacy in a mouse model carrying a null mutation (MeCP2-Bird mice). CNF1 selectively rescued cognitive defects, without improving other RTT-related behavioural alterations, and restored brain mitochondrial respiratory chain complex activity in MeCP2-Bird mice. To shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the differential CNF1 effects on the behavioural phenotype, we compared treatment effects on relevant signalling cascades in the brain of the two RTT models. CNF1 provided a significant boost of the mTOR activation in MeCP2-308 hippocampus, which was not observed in the MeCP2-Bird model, possibly explaining the differential effects of CNF1. These results demonstrate that CNF1 efficacy depends on the mutation beared by MeCP2-mutated mice, stressing the need of testing potential therapeutic approaches across RTT models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Urbinati
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Livia Cosentino
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Elena Angela Pia Germinario
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.)
| | - Daniela Valenti
- Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Institute of Biomembranes, National Council of Research, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.V.); (R.A.V.)
| | - Daniele Vigli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- Association for Research on Integrative Oncology Therapies (ARTOI), 00165 Rome, Italy;
| | - Rosa Anna Vacca
- Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Institute of Biomembranes, National Council of Research, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.V.); (R.A.V.)
| | - Alessia Fabbri
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.)
| | - Bianca De Filippis
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
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12
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Liaci C, Camera M, Caslini G, Rando S, Contino S, Romano V, Merlo GR. Neuronal Cytoskeleton in Intellectual Disability: From Systems Biology and Modeling to Therapeutic Opportunities. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22116167. [PMID: 34200511 PMCID: PMC8201358 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Intellectual disability (ID) is a pathological condition characterized by limited intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviors. It affects 1–3% of the worldwide population, and no pharmacological therapies are currently available. More than 1000 genes have been found mutated in ID patients pointing out that, despite the common phenotype, the genetic bases are highly heterogeneous and apparently unrelated. Bibliomic analysis reveals that ID genes converge onto a few biological modules, including cytoskeleton dynamics, whose regulation depends on Rho GTPases transduction. Genetic variants exert their effects at different levels in a hierarchical arrangement, starting from the molecular level and moving toward higher levels of organization, i.e., cell compartment and functions, circuits, cognition, and behavior. Thus, cytoskeleton alterations that have an impact on cell processes such as neuronal migration, neuritogenesis, and synaptic plasticity rebound on the overall establishment of an effective network and consequently on the cognitive phenotype. Systems biology (SB) approaches are more focused on the overall interconnected network rather than on individual genes, thus encouraging the design of therapies that aim to correct common dysregulated biological processes. This review summarizes current knowledge about cytoskeleton control in neurons and its relevance for the ID pathogenesis, exploiting in silico modeling and translating the implications of those findings into biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Liaci
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Mattia Camera
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Giovanni Caslini
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Simona Rando
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Salvatore Contino
- Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 8, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Valentino Romano
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Giorgio R. Merlo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0116706449; Fax: +39-0116706432
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13
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Guiler W, Koehler A, Boykin C, Lu Q. Pharmacological Modulators of Small GTPases of Rho Family in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:661612. [PMID: 34054432 PMCID: PMC8149604 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.661612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Classical Rho GTPases, including RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, are members of the Ras small GTPase superfamily and play essential roles in a variety of cellular functions. Rho GTPase signaling can be turned on and off by specific GEFs and GAPs, respectively. These features empower Rho GTPases and their upstream and downstream modulators as targets for scientific research and therapeutic intervention. Specifically, significant therapeutic potential exists for targeting Rho GTPases in neurodegenerative diseases due to their widespread cellular activity and alterations in neural tissues. This study will explore the roles of Rho GTPases in neurodegenerative diseases with focus on the applications of pharmacological modulators in recent discoveries. There have been exciting developments of small molecules, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and natural products and toxins for each classical Rho GTPase category. A brief overview of each category followed by examples in their applications will be provided. The literature on their roles in various diseases [e.g., Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and Multiple sclerosis (MS)] highlights the unique and broad implications targeting Rho GTPases for potential therapeutic intervention. Clearly, there is increasing knowledge of therapeutic promise from the discovery of pharmacological modulators of Rho GTPases for managing and treating these conditions. The progress is also accompanied by the recognition of complex Rho GTPase modulation where targeting its signaling can improve some aspects of pathogenesis while exacerbating others in the same disease model. Future directions should emphasize the importance of elucidating how different Rho GTPases work in concert and how they produce such widespread yet different cellular responses during neurodegenerative disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qun Lu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The Harriet and John Wooten Laboratory for Alzheimer’s and Neurogenerative Diseases Research, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
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14
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Chaoprasid P, Lukat P, Mühlen S, Heidler T, Gazdag E, Dong S, Bi W, Rüter C, Kirchenwitz M, Steffen A, Jänsch L, Stradal TEB, Dersch P, Blankenfeldt W. Crystal structure of bacterial cytotoxic necrotizing factor CNF Y reveals molecular building blocks for intoxication. EMBO J 2021; 40:e105202. [PMID: 33410511 PMCID: PMC7883292 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic necrotizing factors (CNFs) are bacterial single-chain exotoxins that modulate cytokinetic/oncogenic and inflammatory processes through activation of host cell Rho GTPases. To achieve this, they are secreted, bind surface receptors to induce endocytosis and translocate a catalytic unit into the cytosol to intoxicate host cells. A three-dimensional structure that provides insight into the underlying mechanisms is still lacking. Here, we determined the crystal structure of full-length Yersinia pseudotuberculosis CNFY . CNFY consists of five domains (D1-D5), and by integrating structural and functional data, we demonstrate that D1-3 act as export and translocation module for the catalytic unit (D4-5) and for a fused β-lactamase reporter protein. We further found that D4, which possesses structural similarity to ADP-ribosyl transferases, but had no equivalent catalytic activity, changed its position to interact extensively with D5 in the crystal structure of the free D4-5 fragment. This liberates D5 from a semi-blocked conformation in full-length CNFY , leading to higher deamidation activity. Finally, we identify CNF translocation modules in several uncharacterized fusion proteins, which suggests their usability as a broad-specificity protein delivery tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweena Chaoprasid
- Institute of InfectiologyCenter for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE)University of MünsterMünsterGermany
- Molecular Infection BiologyHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Peer Lukat
- Structure and Function of ProteinsHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Sabrina Mühlen
- Institute of InfectiologyCenter for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE)University of MünsterMünsterGermany
- Molecular Infection BiologyHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
- Deutsches Zentrum für InfektionsforschungBraunschweigGermany
| | - Thomas Heidler
- Molecular Structural BiologyHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Emerich‐Mihai Gazdag
- Structure and Function of ProteinsHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Shuangshuang Dong
- Structure and Function of ProteinsHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Wenjie Bi
- Cellular ProteomicsHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Christian Rüter
- Institute of InfectiologyCenter for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE)University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Marco Kirchenwitz
- Cell BiologyHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Anika Steffen
- Cell BiologyHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Lothar Jänsch
- Cellular ProteomicsHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
- Institute of ZoologyTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
| | - Theresia E B Stradal
- Cell BiologyHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
- Institute of ZoologyTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
| | - Petra Dersch
- Institute of InfectiologyCenter for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE)University of MünsterMünsterGermany
- Molecular Infection BiologyHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
- Deutsches Zentrum für InfektionsforschungBraunschweigGermany
- Institute of MicrobiologyTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
| | - Wulf Blankenfeldt
- Structure and Function of ProteinsHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and BioinformaticsTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
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15
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Lavanderos B, Silva I, Cruz P, Orellana-Serradell O, Saldías MP, Cerda O. TRP Channels Regulation of Rho GTPases in Brain Context and Diseases. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:582975. [PMID: 33240883 PMCID: PMC7683514 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.582975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders are mediated by several pathophysiological mechanisms, including developmental and degenerative abnormalities caused primarily by disturbances in cell migration, structural plasticity of the synapse, and blood-vessel barrier function. In this context, critical pathways involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases are related to structural, scaffolding, and enzymatic activity-bearing proteins, which participate in Ca2+- and Ras Homologs (Rho) GTPases-mediated signaling. Rho GTPases are GDP/GTP binding proteins that regulate the cytoskeletal structure, cellular protrusion, and migration. These proteins cycle between GTP-bound (active) and GDP-bound (inactive) states due to their intrinsic GTPase activity and their dynamic regulation by GEFs, GAPs, and GDIs. One of the most important upstream inputs that modulate Rho GTPases activity is Ca2+ signaling, positioning ion channels as pivotal molecular entities for Rho GTPases regulation. Multiple non-selective cationic channels belonging to the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) family participate in cytoskeletal-dependent processes through Ca2+-mediated modulation of Rho GTPases. Moreover, these ion channels have a role in several neuropathological events such as neuronal cell death, brain tumor progression and strokes. Although Rho GTPases-dependent pathways have been extensively studied, how they converge with TRP channels in the development or progression of neuropathologies is poorly understood. Herein, we review recent evidence and insights that link TRP channels activity to downstream Rho GTPase signaling or modulation. Moreover, using the TRIP database, we establish associations between possible mediators of Rho GTPase signaling with TRP ion channels. As such, we propose mechanisms that might explain the TRP-dependent modulation of Rho GTPases as possible pathways participating in the emergence or maintenance of neuropathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Lavanderos
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Santiago, Chile
| | - Ian Silva
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Cruz
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Santiago, Chile
| | - Octavio Orellana-Serradell
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Santiago, Chile
| | - María Paz Saldías
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Santiago, Chile
| | - Oscar Cerda
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Santiago, Chile.,The Wound Repair, Treatment and Health (WoRTH) Initiative, Santiago, Chile
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16
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Rho GTPases in the Amygdala-A Switch for Fears? Cells 2020; 9:cells9091972. [PMID: 32858950 PMCID: PMC7563696 DOI: 10.3390/cells9091972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear is a fundamental evolutionary process for survival. However, excess or irrational fear hampers normal activity and leads to phobia. The amygdala is the primary brain region associated with fear learning and conditioning. There, Rho GTPases are molecular switches that act as signaling molecules for further downstream processes that modulate, among others, dendritic spine morphogenesis and thereby play a role in fear conditioning. The three main Rho GTPases—RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, together with their modulators, are known to be involved in many psychiatric disorders that affect the amygdala′s fear conditioning mechanism. Rich2, a RhoGAP mainly for Rac1 and Cdc42, has been studied extensively in such regard. Here, we will discuss these effectors, along with Rich2, as a molecular switch for fears, especially in the amygdala. Understanding the role of Rho GTPases in fear controlling could be beneficial for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting conditions with abnormal fear/anxiety-like behaviors.
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17
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Malan-Müller S, de Souza VBC, Daniels WMU, Seedat S, Robinson MD, Hemmings SMJ. Shedding Light on the Transcriptomic Dark Matter in Biological Psychiatry: Role of Long Noncoding RNAs in D-cycloserine-Induced Fear Extinction in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2020; 24:352-369. [PMID: 32453623 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2020.0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biological psychiatry scholarship on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is making strides with new omics technologies. In this context, there is growing recognition that noncoding RNAs are vital for the regulation of gene and protein expression. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can modulate splicing, influence RNA editing, messenger RNA (mRNA) stability, translation activation, and microRNA-mRNA interactions, are highly abundant in the brain, and have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. The largest subclass of lncRNAs is long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs). We report on lincRNAs and their predicted mRNA targets associated with fear extinction induced by co-administration of D-cycloserine and behavioral fear extinction in a PTSD animal model. Forty-three differentially expressed lincRNAs and 190 differentially expressed mRNAs were found to be associated with fear extinction. Eight lincRNAs were predicted to interact with and regulate 108 of these mRNAs, while seven lincRNAs were predicted to interact with 22 of their pre-mRNA transcripts. Based on the functions of their target mRNAs, we inferred that these lincRNAs bind to nucleotides, ribonucleotides, and proteins; subsequently influence nervous system development, morphology, and immune system functioning; and could be associated with nervous system and mental health disorders. We found the quantitative trait loci that overlapped with fear extinction-related lincRNAs included traits such as serum corticosterone level, neuroinflammation, anxiety, stress, and despair-related responses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify lincRNAs and their RNA targets with a putative role in transcriptional regulation during fear extinction in the context of an animal model of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Malan-Müller
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Vladimir B C de Souza
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences and SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Willie M U Daniels
- School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Mark D Robinson
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences and SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sîan M J Hemmings
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
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18
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Wegrzyn D, Wegrzyn C, Tedford K, Fischer KD, Faissner A. Deletion of the Nucleotide Exchange Factor Vav3 Enhances Axonal Complexity and Synapse Formation but Tampers Activity of Hippocampal Neuronal Networks In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21030856. [PMID: 32013053 PMCID: PMC7037001 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21030856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vav proteins activate GTPases of the RhoA subfamily that regulate the cytoskeleton and are involved in adhesion, migration, differentiation, polarity and the cell cycle. While the importance of RhoA GTPases for neuronal morphology is undisputed, their regulation is less well understood. In this perspective, we studied the consequences of the deletion of Vav2, Vav3 and Vav2 and 3 (Vav2-/-, Vav3-/-, Vav2-/-/3-/-) for the development of embryonic hippocampal neurons in vitro. Using an indirect co-culture system of hippocampal neurons with primary wild-type (WT) cortical astrocytes, we analysed axonal and dendritic parameters, structural synapse numbers and the spontaneous network activity via immunocytochemistry and multielectrode array analysis (MEA). Here, we observed a higher process complexity in Vav3-/-, but not in Vav2-/- neurons after three and five days in vitro (DIV). Furthermore, an enhanced synapse formation was observed in Vav3-/- after 14 days in culture. Remarkably, Vav2-/-/3-/- double knockout neurons did not display synergistic effects. Interestingly, these differences were transient and compensated after a cultivation period of 21 days. Network analysis revealed a diminished number of spontaneously occurring action potentials in Vav3-/- neurons after 21 DIV. Based on these results, it appears that Vav3 participates in key events of neuronal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wegrzyn
- Department of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstr. 150, Ruhr-University, D-44801 Bochum, Germany; (D.W.); (C.W.)
| | - Christine Wegrzyn
- Department of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstr. 150, Ruhr-University, D-44801 Bochum, Germany; (D.W.); (C.W.)
| | - Kerry Tedford
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, OVGU University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (K.T.); (K.-D.F.)
| | - Klaus-Dieter Fischer
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, OVGU University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (K.T.); (K.-D.F.)
| | - Andreas Faissner
- Department of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitaetsstr. 150, Ruhr-University, D-44801 Bochum, Germany; (D.W.); (C.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-234-3223851
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19
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Jiang L, Wang L, Yin Y, Huo M, Liu C, Zhou Q, Yu D, Xu L, Mao R. Spaced Training Enhances Contextual Fear Memory via Activating Hippocampal 5-HT2A Receptors. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 12:317. [PMID: 32038159 PMCID: PMC6992649 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00317] [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: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spaced training is robustly superior to massed training, which is a well-documented phenomenon in humans and animals. However, the mechanisms underlying the spacing effect still remain unclear. We have reported previously that spacing training exerts memory-enhancing effects by inhibiting forgetting via decreasing hippocampal Rac1 activity. Here, using contextual fear conditioning in rat, we found that spaced but not massed training increased hippocampal 5-HT2A receptors' expression. Furthermore, hippocampal administration of 5-HT2A receptor antagonist MDL11939 before spaced training blocked the enhanced memory, while hippocampal administration of 5-HT2A receptor agonist TCB-2 before massed training promoted the memory. Moreover, MDL11939 activated hippocampal Rac1, while TCB-2 decreased hippocampal Rac1 activity in naïve rats. These results indicated the possibility of interaction between 5-HT2A receptors and Rac1, which was demonstrated by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Our study first demonstrates that activation of hippocampal 5-HT2A is a mechanism underlying the spacing effect, and forgetting related molecular Rac1 is engaged in this process through interacting with 5-HT2A receptors, which suggest a promising strategy to modulate abnormal learning in cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhu Jiang
- Department of Neuropsychopathy, Clinical Medical School, Dali University, Dali, China
- Key Lab of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, China
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Third People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Key Lab of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, China
| | - Yan Yin
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Third People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Mengke Huo
- Department of Neuropsychopathy, Clinical Medical School, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Key Lab of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, China
- Key Lab of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qixin Zhou
- Key Lab of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, China
| | - Dafu Yu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Key Lab of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, China
- Key Lab of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rongrong Mao
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
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20
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Cicvaric A, Sachernegg HM, Stojanovic T, Symmank D, Smani T, Moeslinger T, Uhrin P, Monje FJ. Podoplanin Gene Disruption in Mice Promotes in vivo Neural Progenitor Cells Proliferation, Selectively Impairs Dentate Gyrus Synaptic Depression and Induces Anxiety-Like Behaviors. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 13:561. [PMID: 32009902 PMCID: PMC6974453 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Podoplanin (Pdpn), a brain-tumor-related glycoprotein identified in humans and animals, is endogenously expressed in several organs critical for life support such as kidney, lung, heart and brain. In the brain, Pdpn has been identified in proliferative nestin-positive adult neural progenitor cells and in neurons of the neurogenic hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), a structure associated to anxiety, critical for learning and memory functions and severely damaged in people with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The in vivo role of Pdpn in adult neurogenesis and anxiety-like behavior remained however unexplored. Using mice with disrupted Pdpn gene as a model organism and applying combined behavioral, molecular biological and electrophysiological assays, we here show that the absence of Pdpn selectively impairs long-term synaptic depression in the neurogenic DG without affecting the CA3-Schaffer's collateral-CA1 synapses. Pdpn deletion also enhanced the proliferative capacity of DG neural progenitor cells and diminished survival of differentiated neuronal cells in vitro. In addition, mice with podoplanin gene disruption showed increased anxiety-like behaviors in experimentally validated behavioral tests as compared to wild type littermate controls. Together, these findings broaden our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms influencing hippocampal synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis in vivo and reveal Pdpn as a novel molecular target for future studies addressing general anxiety disorder and synaptic depression-related memory dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cicvaric
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hannah M. Sachernegg
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tamara Stojanovic
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dörte Symmank
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute for Physiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tarik Smani
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS)/University of Seville/CIBERCV, Seville, Spain
| | - Thomas Moeslinger
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute for Physiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Pavel Uhrin
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Francisco J. Monje
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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21
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Zelek-Molik A, Costanzi M, Rafa-Zabłocka K, Kreiner G, Roman A, Vetulani J, Rossi-Arnaud C, Cestari V, Nalepa I. Fear memory-induced alterations in the mRNA expression of G proteins in the mouse brain and the impact of immediate posttraining treatment with morphine. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 93:221-231. [PMID: 30953677 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Disturbances in fear-evoked signal transduction in the hippocampus (HP), the nuclei of the amygdala (AMY), and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) underlie anxiety-related disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain elusive. Heterotrimeric G proteins (GPs) are divided into the following four families based on the intracellular activity of their alpha subunit (Gα): Gα(s) proteins stimulate cyclic AMP (cAMP) generation, Gα(i/o) proteins inhibit the cAMP pathway, Gα(q/11) proteins increase the intracellular Ca++ concentration and the inositol trisphosphate level, and Gα(12/13) proteins activate monomeric GP-Rho. In the present study, we assessed the effects of a fear memory procedure on the mRNA expression of the Gα subunits of all four GP families in the HP, AMY and PFC. C57BL/6 J mice were subjected to a fear conditioning (FC) procedure followed by a contextual or cued fear memory test (CTX-R and CS-R, respectively). Morphine (MOR, 1 mg/kg/ip) was injected immediately after FC to prevent the fear consolidation process. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of Gα subunits at 1 h after FC, 24 h after FC, and 1 h after the CTX-R or CS-R. In the HP, the mRNA levels of Gα(s), Gα(12) and Gα(11) were higher at 1 h after training. Gα(s) levels were slightly lower when consolidation was stabilized and after the CS-R. The mRNA levels of Gα(12) were increased at 1 h after FC, returned to control levels at 24 h after FC and increased again with the CTX-R. The increase in the Gα(11) level persisted at 24 h after FC and after CTX-R. In the AMY, no specific changes were induced by FC. In the PFC, CTX-R was accompanied by a decrease in Gα(i/o) mRNA levels; however, only Gα(i2) downregulation was prevented by MOR treatment. Hence, the FC-evoked changes in Gα mRNA expression were observed mainly in the HP and connected primarily to contextual learning. These results suggest that the activation of signaling pathways by Gα(s) and Gα(12) is required to begin the fear memory consolidation process in the HP, while signal transduction via Gα(11) is implicated in the maintenance of fear consolidation. In the PFC, the downregulation of Gα(i2) appears to be related to the contextual learning of fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Zelek-Molik
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Brain Biochemistry, 31-343 Krakow, Smętna Street 12, Poland
| | - Marco Costanzi
- Free University Maria Ss. Assunta (LUMSA), Department of Human Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Katarzyna Rafa-Zabłocka
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Brain Biochemistry, 31-343 Krakow, Smętna Street 12, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Kreiner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Brain Biochemistry, 31-343 Krakow, Smętna Street 12, Poland
| | - Adam Roman
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Brain Biochemistry, 31-343 Krakow, Smętna Street 12, Poland
| | - Jerzy Vetulani
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Brain Biochemistry, 31-343 Krakow, Smętna Street 12, Poland
| | | | - Vincenzo Cestari
- Sapienza University Rome, Department of Psychology, Rome, Italy.
| | - Irena Nalepa
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Brain Biochemistry, 31-343 Krakow, Smętna Street 12, Poland.
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22
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Dresler M, Sandberg A, Bublitz C, Ohla K, Trenado C, Mroczko-Wąsowicz A, Kühn S, Repantis D. Hacking the Brain: Dimensions of Cognitive Enhancement. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:1137-1148. [PMID: 30550256 PMCID: PMC6429408 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In an increasingly complex information society, demands for cognitive functioning are growing steadily. In recent years, numerous strategies to augment brain function have been proposed. Evidence for their efficacy (or lack thereof) and side effects has prompted discussions about ethical, societal, and medical implications. In the public debate, cognitive enhancement is often seen as a monolithic phenomenon. On a closer look, however, cognitive enhancement turns out to be a multifaceted concept: There is not one cognitive enhancer that augments brain function per se, but a great variety of interventions that can be clustered into biochemical, physical, and behavioral enhancement strategies. These cognitive enhancers differ in their mode of action, the cognitive domain they target, the time scale they work on, their availability and side effects, and how they differentially affect different groups of subjects. Here we disentangle the dimensions of cognitive enhancement, review prominent examples of cognitive enhancers that differ across these dimensions, and thereby provide a framework for both theoretical discussions and empirical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Dresler
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour , Radboud University Medical Centre , Nijmegen 6525 EN , The Netherlands
| | - Anders Sandberg
- Future of Humanity Institute , Oxford University , Oxford OX1 1PT , United Kingdom
| | | | - Kathrin Ohla
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Cognitive Neuroscience (INM3) , Forschungszentrum Jülich , Jülich 52428 , Germany
| | - Carlos Trenado
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology , Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf , Düsseldorf 40225 , Germany
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors , TU Dortmund , Dortmund 44139 , Germany
| | | | - Simone Kühn
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development , Berlin 14195 , Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University Clinic Hamburg Eppendorf , Hamburg 20246 , Germany
| | - Dimitris Repantis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin 12203 , Germany
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Essmann CL, Ryan KR, Elmi M, Bryon-Dodd K, Porter A, Vaughan A, McMullan R, Nurrish S. Activation of RHO-1 in cholinergic motor neurons competes with dopamine signalling to control locomotion. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204057. [PMID: 30240421 PMCID: PMC6150489 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The small GTPase RhoA plays a crucial role in the regulation of neuronal signalling to generate behaviour. In the developing nervous system RhoA is known to regulate the actin cytoskeleton, however the effectors of RhoA-signalling in adult neurons remain largely unidentified. We have previously shown that activation of the RhoA ortholog (RHO-1) in C. elegans cholinergic motor neurons triggers hyperactivity of these neurons and loopy locomotion with exaggerated body bends. This is achieved in part through increased diacylglycerol (DAG) levels and the recruitment of the synaptic vesicle protein UNC-13 to synaptic release sites, however other pathways remain to be identified. Dopamine, which is negatively regulated by the dopamine re-uptake transporter (DAT), has a central role in modulating locomotion in both humans and C. elegans. In this study we identify a new pathway in which RHO-1 regulates locomotory behaviour by repressing dopamine signalling, via DAT-1, linking these two pathways together. We observed an upregulation of dat-1 expression when RHO-1 is activated and show that loss of DAT-1 inhibits the loopy locomotion phenotype caused by RHO-1 activation. Reducing dopamine signalling in dat-1 mutants through mutations in genes involved in dopamine synthesis or in the dopamine receptor DOP-1 restores the ability of RHO-1 to trigger loopy locomotion in dat-1 mutants. Taken together, we show that negative regulation of dopamine signalling via DAT-1 is necessary for the neuronal RHO-1 pathway to regulate locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara L. Essmann
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Katie R. Ryan
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Muna Elmi
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kimberley Bryon-Dodd
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Porter
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Vaughan
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel McMullan
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Nurrish
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Tantillo E, Colistra A, Vannini E, Cerri C, Pancrazi L, Baroncelli L, Costa M, Caleo M. Bacterial Toxins and Targeted Brain Therapy: New Insights from Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factor 1 (CNF1). Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19061632. [PMID: 29857515 PMCID: PMC6032336 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria produce toxins to promote host invasion and, therefore, their survival. The extreme potency and specificity of these toxins confer to this category of proteins an exceptionally strong potential for therapeutic exploitation. In this review, we deal with cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF1), a cytotoxin produced by Escherichia coli affecting fundamental cellular processes, including cytoskeletal dynamics, cell cycle progression, transcriptional regulation, cell survival and migration. First, we provide an overview of the mechanisms of action of CNF1 in target cells. Next, we focus on the potential use of CNF1 as a pharmacological treatment in central nervous system’s diseases. CNF1 appears to impact neuronal morphology, physiology, and plasticity and displays an antineoplastic activity on brain tumors. The ability to preserve neural functionality and, at the same time, to trigger senescence and death of proliferating glioma cells, makes CNF1 an encouraging new strategy for the treatment of brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Tantillo
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
- Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza Onlus (FPS), via Ferruccio Giovannini 13, San Giuliano Terme, 56017 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Antonella Colistra
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
- Departement of Biology, University of Pisa, via Luca Ghini 13, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Vannini
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Chiara Cerri
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
- Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, Piazza Velasca 5, 20122 Milano, Italy.
| | - Laura Pancrazi
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Laura Baroncelli
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Mario Costa
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Matteo Caleo
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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Maroccia Z, Loizzo S, Travaglione S, Frank C, Fabbri A, Fiorentini C. New therapeutics from Nature: The odd case of the bacterial cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 101:929-937. [PMID: 29635902 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.02.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products may represent a rich source of new drugs. The enthusiasm toward this topic has recently been fueled by the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, awarded for the discovery of avermectin and artemisinin, natural products from Bacteria and Plantae, respectively, which have targeted one of the major global health issues, the parasitic diseases. Specifically, bacteria either living in the environment or colonizing our body may produce compounds of unexpected biomedical value with the potentiality to be employed as therapeutic drugs. In this review, the fascinating history of CNF1, a protein toxin produced by pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, is divulged. Even if produced by bacteria responsible for a variety of diseases, CNF1 can behave as a promising benefactor to mankind. By modulating the Rho GTPases, this bacterial product plays a key role in organizing the actin cytoskeleton, enhancing synaptic plasticity and brain energy level, rescuing cognitive deficits, reducing glioma growth in experimental animals. These abilities strongly suggest the need to proceed with the studies on this odd drug in order to pave the way toward clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaira Maroccia
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Loizzo
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Travaglione
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Frank
- Italian Centre for Rare Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Fabbri
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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26
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Aguilar BJ, Zhu Y, Lu Q. Rho GTPases as therapeutic targets in Alzheimer's disease. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2017; 9:97. [PMID: 29246246 PMCID: PMC5732365 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-017-0320-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The progress we have made in understanding Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis has led to the identification of several novel pathways and potential therapeutic targets. Rho GTPases have been implicated as critical components in AD pathogenesis, but their various functions and interactions make understanding their complex signaling challenging to study. Recent advancements in both the field of AD and Rho GTPase drug development provide novel tools for the elucidation of Rho GTPases as a viable target for AD. Herein, we summarize the fluctuating activity of Rho GTPases in various stages of AD pathogenesis and in several in vitro and in vivo AD models. We also review the current pharmacological tools such as NSAIDs, RhoA/ROCK, Rac1, and Cdc42 inhibitors used to target Rho GTPases and their use in AD-related studies. Finally, we summarize the behavioral modifications following Rho GTPase modulation in several AD mouse models. As key regulators of several AD-related signals, Rho GTPases have been studied as targets in AD. However, a consensus has yet to be reached regarding the stage at which targeting Rho GTPases would be the most beneficial. The studies discussed herein emphasize the critical role of Rho GTPases and the benefits of their modulation in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron J Aguilar
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
| | - Yi Zhu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Qun Lu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA. .,The Harriet and John Wooten Laboratory for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
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27
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Liao Z, Tao Y, Guo X, Cheng D, Wang F, Liu X, Ma L. Fear Conditioning Downregulates Rac1 Activity in the Basolateral Amygdala Astrocytes to Facilitate the Formation of Fear Memory. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:396. [PMID: 29230165 PMCID: PMC5712045 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are well known to scale synaptic structural and functional plasticity, while the role in learning and memory, such as conditioned fear memory, is poorly elucidated. Here, using pharmacological approach, we find that fluorocitrate (FC) significantly inhibits the acquisition of fear memory, suggesting that astrocyte activity is required for fear memory formation. We further demonstrate that fear conditioning downregulates astrocytic Rac1 activity in basolateral amygdala (BLA) in mice and promotes astrocyte structural plasticity. Ablation of astrocytic Rac1 in BLA promotes fear memory acquisition, while overexpression or constitutive activation of astrocytic Rac1 attenuates fear memory acquisition. Furthermore, temporal activation of Rac1 by photoactivatable Rac1 (Rac1-PA) induces structural alterations in astrocytes and in vivo activation of Rac1 in BLA astrocytes during fear conditioning attenuates the formation of fear memory. Taken together, our study demonstrates that fear conditioning-induced suppression of BLA astrocytic Rac1 activity, associated with astrocyte structural plasticity, is required for the formation of conditioned fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaohui Liao
- The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Institutes of Brain Science, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yezheng Tao
- The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Institutes of Brain Science, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomu Guo
- The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Institutes of Brain Science, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Deqin Cheng
- The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Institutes of Brain Science, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Feifei Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Institutes of Brain Science, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Institutes of Brain Science, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan Ma
- The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Institutes of Brain Science, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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28
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Chen ZG, Liu X, Wang W, Geng F, Gao J, Gan CL, Chai JR, He L, Hu G, Zhou H, Liu JG. Dissociative role for dorsal hippocampus in mediating heroin self-administration and relapse through CDK5 and RhoB signaling revealed by proteomic analysis. Addict Biol 2017; 22:1731-1742. [PMID: 27549397 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 07/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Addiction is characterized by drug craving, compulsive drug taking and relapse, which is attributed to aberrant neuroadaptation in brain regions implicated in drug addiction, induced by changes in gene and protein expression in these regions after chronic drug exposure. Accumulating evidence suggests that the dorsal hippocampus (DH) plays an important role in mediating drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior and relapse. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects of the DH are unclear. In the present study, we employed a label-free quantitative proteomic approach to analyze the proteins altered in the DH of heroin self-administering rats. A total of 4015 proteins were quantified with high confidence, and 361 proteins showed significant differences compared with the saline control group. Among them, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) and ras homolog family member B (RhoB) were up-regulated in rats with a history of extended access to heroin. Functionally, inhibition of CDK5 in the DH enhanced heroin self-administration, indicating that CDK5 signaling in the DH acts as a homeostatic compensatory mechanism to limit heroin-taking behavior, whereas blockade of the Rho-Rho kinase (ROCK) pathway attenuated context-induced heroin relapse, indicating that RhoB signaling in the DH is required for the retrieval (recall) of addiction memory. Our findings suggest that manipulation of CDK5 signaling in the DH may be essential in determining vulnerability to opiate taking, whereas manipulation of RhoB signaling in the DH may be essential in determining vulnerability to relapse. Overall, the present study suggests that the DH can exert dissociative effects on heroin addiction through CDK5 and RhoB signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Guo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai China
| | - Xing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai China
| | - Weisheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai China
| | - Fan Geng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing China
| | - Jing Gao
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai China
| | - Chen-Ling Gan
- Department of Pharmacology; China Pharmaceutical University; Nanjing China
| | - Jing-Rui Chai
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai China
| | - Ling He
- Department of Pharmacology; China Pharmaceutical University; Nanjing China
| | - Gang Hu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing China
| | - Hu Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai China
- SIMMUOMICS Laboratory, Joint Research Laboratory of Translational “OMICS” between Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences; China and University of Ottawa; Canada
| | - Jing-Gen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai China
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29
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MicroRNA-mediated disruption of dendritogenesis during a critical period of development influences cognitive capacity later in life. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:9188-9193. [PMID: 28790189 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1706069114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The prenatal period of cortical development is important for the establishment of neural circuitry and functional connectivity of the brain; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Here we report that disruption of the actin-cytoskeletal network in the developing mouse prefrontal cortex alters dendritic morphogenesis and synapse formation, leading to enhanced formation of fear-related memory in adulthood. These effects are mediated by a brain-enriched microRNA, miR-9, through its negative regulation of diaphanous homologous protein 1 (Diap1), a key organizer of the actin cytoskeletal assembly. Our findings not only revealed important regulation of dendritogenesis and synaptogenesis during early brain development but also demonstrated a tight link between these early developmental events and cognitive functions later in life.
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30
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Liu X, Guo Z, Liu W, Sun W, Ma C. Differential proteome analysis of hippocampus and temporal cortex using label-free based 2D-LC-MS/MS. J Proteomics 2017. [PMID: 28627465 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2017.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hippocampus and temporal cortex are important brain regions, which play distinct, but complimentary roles in mediating learning and memory. Herein, we utilized label-free differential proteome strategy to explore function of normal human hippocampus and temporal cortex in learning and memory. As a result, a total of 5529 and 5702 proteins were identified in hippocampus and temporal cortex, respectively, 516 of which were significantly differential expressed, with abundance span 5 orders of magnitudes. Pathways analysis showed that temporal cortex was involved in growth of axons growth and synapse density regulation, through which could regulate long-term potentiation and long-term retention of trace memory. Hippocampus was involved in regulation of cell survival and cell viability, and regulates neurons proliferation by actin dynamics changes, through which involved in both short-term memory and long-term memory. Four selected differential proteins were further validated by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. For the first time, we identified proteins and associated pathways of hippocampus and temporal cortex in human cognition process using proteomic strategy, which would provide references for generating corresponding insights in hippocampus and temporal cortex-related cognitive function. The original data files can be downloaded at http://211.102.209.254/page/PSV023.html;?url=1489542083729AFHp (password: kYxh). SIGNIFICANCE This study explored the potential molecular mechanism of hippocampus and temporal cortex in human cognition function using proteomics strategy, which will offer a baseline reference for further cognitive disorders study and reveal insights into physiology of temporal cortex and hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Liu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengguang Guo
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Chao Ma
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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31
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Valenti D, de Bari L, Vigli D, Lacivita E, Leopoldo M, Laviola G, Vacca RA, De Filippis B. Stimulation of the brain serotonin receptor 7 rescues mitochondrial dysfunction in female mice from two models of Rett syndrome. Neuropharmacology 2017; 121:79-88. [PMID: 28419872 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by severe behavioral and physiological symptoms. Mutations in the methyl CpG binding protein 2 gene (MECP2) cause more than 95% of classic cases, and currently there is no cure for this devastating disorder. Recently we have demonstrated that neurobehavioral and brain molecular alterations can be rescued in a RTT mouse model, by pharmacological stimulation of the brain serotonin receptor 7 (5-HT7R). This member of the serotonin receptor family, crucially involved in the regulation of brain structural plasticity and cognitive processes, can be stimulated by systemic repeated treatment with LP-211, a brain-penetrant selective agonist. The present study extends previous findings by demonstrating that LP-211 treatment (0.25 mg/kg, once per day for 7 days) rescues mitochondrial respiratory chain impairment, oxidative phosphorylation deficiency and the reduced energy status in the brain of heterozygous female mice from two highly validated mouse models of RTT (MeCP2-308 and MeCP2-Bird mice). Moreover, LP-211 treatment completely restored the radical species overproduction by brain mitochondria in the MeCP2-308 model and partially recovered the oxidative imbalance in the more severely affected MeCP2-Bird model. These results provide the first evidence that RTT brain mitochondrial dysfunction can be rescued targeting the brain 5-HT7R and add compelling preclinical evidence of the potential therapeutic value of LP-211 as a pharmacological approach for this devastating neurodevelopmental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Valenti
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, National Council of Research, Bari, Italy.
| | - Lidia de Bari
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, National Council of Research, Bari, Italy
| | - Daniele Vigli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Enza Lacivita
- Dept. Pharmacy, University of Bari "A. Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Marcello Leopoldo
- Dept. Pharmacy, University of Bari "A. Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa Anna Vacca
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, National Council of Research, Bari, Italy
| | - Bianca De Filippis
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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Guadagni V, Cerri C, Piano I, Novelli E, Gargini C, Fiorentini C, Caleo M, Strettoi E. The bacterial toxin CNF1 as a tool to induce retinal degeneration reminiscent of retinitis pigmentosa. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35919. [PMID: 27775019 PMCID: PMC5075935 DOI: 10.1038/srep35919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) comprises a group of inherited pathologies characterized by progressive photoreceptor degeneration. In rodent models of RP, expression of defective genes and retinal degeneration usually manifest during the first weeks of postnatal life, making it difficult to distinguish consequences of primary genetic defects from abnormalities in retinal development. Moreover, mouse eyes are small and not always adequate to test pharmacological and surgical treatments. An inducible paradigm of retinal degeneration potentially extensible to large animals is therefore desirable. Starting from the serendipitous observation that intraocular injections of a Rho GTPase activator, the bacterial toxin Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factor 1 (CNF1), lead to retinal degeneration, we implemented an inducible model recapitulating most of the key features of Retinitis Pigmentosa. The model also unmasks an intrinsic vulnerability of photoreceptors to the mechanism of CNF1 action, indicating still unexplored molecular pathways potentially leading to the death of these cells in inherited forms of retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Guadagni
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - Chiara Cerri
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, 56124, Italy.,Accademia dei Lincei, Rome, 00165, Italy
| | - Ilaria Piano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Elena Novelli
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - Claudia Gargini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Caleo
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - Enrica Strettoi
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, 56124, Italy
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Therapeutic effects of the Rho GTPase modulator CNF1 in a model of Parkinson’s disease. Neuropharmacology 2016; 109:357-365. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Gan P, Ding ZY, Gan C, Mao RR, Zhou H, Xu L, Zhou QX. Corticosterone regulates fear memory via Rac1 activity in the hippocampus. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 71:86-93. [PMID: 27249795 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Stressful events can generate enduring memories, which may induce certain psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms in these processes remain unclear. In this study, we examined whether the active form of the small G protein Rac1, Rac1-GTP, is involved in fear memory. Firstly, we detected the time course changes of Rac1-GTP after foot shocks (a strong stressor) and exogenous corticosterone (CORT) treatment. The data showed that stress and CORT induced the downregulation of Rac1-GTP in the hippocampus. Changes in the serum CORT level were negatively correlated with the level of Rac1-GTP. Additionally, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, RU38486, not only recovered the expression of Rac1-GTP but also impaired fear memory. Furthermore, systemic administration of NSC23766, an inhibitor of Rac1-GTP, improved fear memory at 1.5 and 24h. Therefore, Rac1 activity plays a critical role in stress-related cognition and may be a potential target in stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Gan
- College of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, China; College of Basic Medicine, Kunming Medical University, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Disease, and Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Ze-Yang Ding
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Disease, and Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Cheng Gan
- Endocrinology Department, Second Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Rong-Rong Mao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Disease, and Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Heng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Disease, and Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Disease, and Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Qi-Xin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Disease, and Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.
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Vannini E, Olimpico F, Middei S, Ammassari-Teule M, de Graaf EL, McDonnell L, Schmidt G, Fabbri A, Fiorentini C, Baroncelli L, Costa M, Caleo M. Electrophysiology of glioma: a Rho GTPase-activating protein reduces tumor growth and spares neuron structure and function. Neuro Oncol 2016; 18:1634-1643. [PMID: 27298309 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/now114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastomas are the most aggressive type of brain tumor. A successful treatment should aim at halting tumor growth and protecting neuronal cells to prevent functional deficits and cognitive deterioration. Here, we exploited a Rho GTPase-activating bacterial protein toxin, cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1), to interfere with glioma cell growth in vitro and vivo. We also investigated whether this toxin spares neuron structure and function in peritumoral areas. METHODS We performed a microarray transcriptomic and in-depth proteomic analysis to characterize the molecular changes triggered by CNF1 in glioma cells. We also examined tumor cell senescence and growth in vehicle- and CNF1-treated glioma-bearing mice. Electrophysiological and morphological techniques were used to investigate neuronal alterations in peritumoral cortical areas. RESULTS Administration of CNF1 triggered molecular and morphological hallmarks of senescence in mouse and human glioma cells in vitro. CNF1 treatment in vivo induced glioma cell senescence and potently reduced tumor volumes. In peritumoral areas of glioma-bearing mice, neurons showed a shrunken dendritic arbor and severe functional alterations such as increased spontaneous activity and reduced visual responsiveness. CNF1 treatment enhanced dendritic length and improved several physiological properties of pyramidal neurons, demonstrating functional preservation of the cortical network. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that CNF1 reduces glioma volume while at the same time maintaining the physiological and structural properties of peritumoral neurons. These data indicate a promising strategy for the development of more effective antiglioma therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Vannini
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Francesco Olimpico
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Silvia Middei
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Martine Ammassari-Teule
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Erik L de Graaf
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Liam McDonnell
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Gudula Schmidt
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Alessia Fabbri
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Laura Baroncelli
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Mario Costa
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
| | - Matteo Caleo
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy (E.V., F.O., L.B., M.C., Mat.C.); CNR Cellular Biology and Neurobiology Institute, Rome, Italy (S.M., M.A.-T.); Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Pisa, Italy (E.L.d.G., L.M.); Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Freiburg, Germany (G.S.); Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy (A.F., C.F.); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy (M.C., Mat.C.)
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Wang P, Cao J, Liu N, Ma L, Zhou X, Zhang H, Wang Y. Protective Effects of Edaravone in Adult Rats with Surgery and Lipopolysaccharide Administration-Induced Cognitive Function Impairment. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153708. [PMID: 27116382 PMCID: PMC4846078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by cognitive declines in patients after surgery. Previous studies have suggested that surgery contributed to such impairment. It has been proven that neuroinflammation may exacerbate surgery-induced cognitive impairment in aged rats. The free radical scavenger edaravone has high blood brain barrier permeability, and was demonstrated to effectively remove free radicals from the brain and alleviate the development of POCD in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy, suggesting its potential role in preventing POCD. For this reason, this study was designed to determine whether edaravone is protective against POCD through its inhibitory effects on inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. First, Sprague Dawley adult male rats were administered 3 mg/kg edaravone intraperitoneally after undergoing a unilateral nephrectomy combined with lipopolysaccharide injection. Second, behavioral parameters related to cognitive function were recorded by fear conditioning and Morris Water Maze tests. Last, superoxide dismutase activities and malondialdehyde levels were measured in the hippocampi and prefrontal cortex on postoperative days 3 and 7, and microglial (Iba1) activation, p-Akt and p-mTOR protein expression, and synaptic function (synapsin 1) were also examined 3 and 7 days after surgery. Rats that underwent surgery plus lipopolysaccharide administration showed significant impairments in spatial and working memory, accompanied by significant reductions in hippocampal-dependent and independent fear responses. All impairments were attenuated by treatment with edaravone. Moreover, an abnormal decrease in superoxide dismutase activation, abnormal increase in malondialdehyde levels, significant increase in microglial reactivity, downregulation of p-Akt and p-mTOR protein expression, and a statistically significant decrease in synapsin-1 were observed in the hippocampi and prefrontal cortices of rats at different time points after surgery. All mentioned abnormal changes were totally or partially reversed by edaravone. To our knowledge, few reports have shown greater protective effects of edaravone on POCD induced by surgery plus lipopolysaccharide administration from its anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as maintenance of Akt/mTOR signal pathway activation; these might be closely related to the therapeutic effects of edaravone. Our research demonstrates the potential use of edaravone in the treatment of POCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiqi Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Operation Center, Chinese PLA, General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangbei Cao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Operation Center, Chinese PLA, General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Operation Center, Chinese PLA, General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, China
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology and Operation Center, Chinese PLA, General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Military General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyue Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology and Operation Center, Chinese PLA, General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Operation Center, Chinese PLA, General Hospital, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (HZ); (YW)
| | - Yongan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (HZ); (YW)
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Cell-to-cell propagation of the bacterial toxin CNF1 via extracellular vesicles: potential impact on the therapeutic use of the toxin. Toxins (Basel) 2015; 7:4610-21. [PMID: 26556375 PMCID: PMC4663523 DOI: 10.3390/toxins7114610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Revised: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs), either constitutively or in a regulated manner, which represent an important mode of intercellular communication. EVs serve as vehicles for transfer between cells of membrane and cytosolic proteins, lipids and RNA. Furthermore, certain bacterial protein toxins, or possibly their derived messages, can be transferred cell to cell via EVs. We have herein demonstrated that eukaryotic EVs represent an additional route of cell-to-cell propagation for the Escherichia coli protein toxin cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1). Our results prove that EVs from CNF1 pre-infected epithelial cells can induce cytoskeleton changes, Rac1 and NF-κB activation comparable to that triggered by CNF1. The observation that the toxin is detectable inside EVs derived from CNF1-intoxicated cells strongly supports the hypothesis that extracellular vesicles can offer to the toxin a novel route to travel from cell to cell. Since anthrax and tetanus toxins have also been reported to engage in the same process, we can hypothesize that EVs represent a common mechanism exploited by bacterial toxins to enhance their pathogenicity.
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Gao Q, Yao W, Wang J, Yang T, Liu C, Tao Y, Chen Y, Liu X, Ma L. Post-training activation of Rac1 in the basolateral amygdala is required for the formation of both short-term and long-term auditory fear memory. Front Mol Neurosci 2015; 8:65. [PMID: 26582975 PMCID: PMC4631819 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2015.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Rac1, a member of the Rho family of small GTPases, is crucial for morphological changes of the mature neuronal synapse including spine formation and activity-dependent spine enlargement, while its role in the formation of associated memories, such as conditioned fear memory, is not clear. Here, we report that selective deletion of Rac1 in excitatory neurons, but not in parvalbumin inhibitory neurons, impaired short- and long-term memories (STM and LTM) of fear conditioning. Conditional knockout of Rac1 before associative fear training in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a key area for fear memory acquisition and storage, impaired fear memory. The expression of dominant-negative mutant of Rac1, or infusion of Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 into BLA blocked both STM and LTM of fear conditioning. Furthermore, selective inhibition of Rac1 activation in BLA immediately following fear conditioning impaired STM and LTM, demonstrating that fear conditioning-induced Rac1 activation in BLA plays a critical role in the formation of both STM and LTM of conditioned fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinqin Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Wenqing Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Junjun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Tong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Cao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Yezheng Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Yuejun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Lan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and the Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, China
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Nakashima R, Morooka M, Shiraki N, Sakano D, Ogaki S, Kume K, Kume S. Neural cells play an inhibitory role in pancreatic differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. Genes Cells 2015; 20:1028-45. [PMID: 26514269 PMCID: PMC4738370 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic endocrine β-cells derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have received attention as screening systems for therapeutic drugs and as the basis for cell-based therapies. Here, we used a 12-day β-cell differentiation protocol for mouse ES cells and obtained several hit compounds that promoted β-cell differentiation. One of these compounds, mycophenolic acid (MPA), effectively promoted ES cell differentiation with a concomitant reduction of neuronal cells. The existence of neural cell-derived inhibitory humoral factors for β-cell differentiation was suggested using a co-culture system. Based on gene array analysis, we focused on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and showed that the Wnt pathway inhibitor reversed MPA-induced β-cell differentiation. Wnt pathway activation promoted β-cell differentiation also in human iPS cells. Our results showed that Wnt signaling activation positively regulates β-cell differentiation, and represent a downstream target of the neural inhibitory factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryutaro Nakashima
- Division of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Mayu Morooka
- Division of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Shiraki
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259-B-25 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sakano
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259-B-25 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan
| | - Soichiro Ogaki
- Division of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.,Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259-B-25 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Kume
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabe Street, Mizuho, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Shoen Kume
- Division of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.,Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259-B-25 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan.,Program for Leading Graduate Schools, Health life science: Interdisciplinary and Glocal Oriented (HIGO), Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
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Modulation of Rho GTPases rescues brain mitochondrial dysfunction, cognitive deficits and aberrant synaptic plasticity in female mice modeling Rett syndrome. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 25:889-901. [PMID: 25890884 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Rho GTPases are molecules critically involved in neuronal plasticity and cognition. We have previously reported that modulation of brain Rho GTPases by the bacterial toxin CNF1 rescues the neurobehavioral phenotype in MeCP2-308 male mice, a model of Rett syndrome (RTT). RTT is a rare X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder and a genetic cause of intellectual disability, for which no effective therapy is available. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been proposed to be involved in the mechanism of the disease pathogenesis. Here we demonstrate that modulation of Rho GTPases by CNF1 rescues the reduced mitochondrial ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation in the brain of MeCP2-308 heterozygous female mice, the condition which more closely recapitulates that of RTT patients. In RTT mouse brain, CNF1 also restores the alterations in the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) complexes and of ATP synthase, the molecular machinery responsible for the majority of cell energy production. Such effects were achieved through the upregulation of the protein content of those MRC complexes subunits, which were defective in RTT mouse brain. Restored mitochondrial functionality was accompanied by the rescue of deficits in cognitive function (spatial reference memory in the Barnes maze), synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation) and Tyr1472 phosphorylation of GluN2B, which was abnormally enhanced in the hippocampus of RTT mice. Present findings bring into light previously unknown functional mitochondrial alterations in the brain of female mice modeling RTT and provide the first evidence that RTT brain mitochondrial dysfunction can be rescued by modulation of Rho GTPases.
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De Filippis B, Chiodi V, Adriani W, Lacivita E, Mallozzi C, Leopoldo M, Domenici MR, Fuso A, Laviola G. Long-lasting beneficial effects of central serotonin receptor 7 stimulation in female mice modeling Rett syndrome. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:86. [PMID: 25926782 PMCID: PMC4396444 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by severe behavioral and physiological symptoms. Mutations in the methyl CpG binding protein 2 gene (MECP2) cause more than 95% of classic cases, and currently there is no cure for this devastating disorder. Recently we have demonstrated that specific behavioral and brain molecular alterations can be rescued in MeCP2-308 male mice, a RTT mouse model, by pharmacological stimulation of the brain serotonin receptor 7 (5-HT7R). This member of the serotonin receptor family—crucially involved in the regulation of brain structural plasticity and cognitive processes—can be stimulated by systemic repeated treatment with LP-211, a brain-penetrant selective 5-HT7R agonist. The present study extends previous findings by demonstrating that the LP-211 treatment (0.25 mg/kg, once per day for 7 days) rescues RTT-related phenotypic alterations, motor coordination (Dowel test), spatial reference memory (Barnes mazetest) and synaptic plasticity (hippocampal long-term-potentiation) in MeCP2-308 heterozygous female mice, the genetic and hormonal milieu that resembles that of RTT patients. LP-211 also restores the activation of the ribosomal protein (rp) S6, the downstream target of mTOR and S6 kinase, in the hippocampus of RTT female mice. Notably, the beneficial effects on neurobehavioral and molecular parameters of a seven-day long treatment with LP-211 were evident up to 2 months after the last injection, thus suggesting long-lasting effects on RTT-related impairments. Taken together with our previous study, these results provide compelling preclinical evidence of the potential therapeutic value for RTT of a pharmacological approach targeting the brain 5-HT7R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca De Filippis
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Chiodi
- Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
| | - Walter Adriani
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
| | - Enza Lacivita
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Bari "A. Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Cinzia Mallozzi
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Rosaria Domenici
- Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Fuso
- Department of Psychology, Section of Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy ; European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
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Lefort R. Reversing synapse loss in Alzheimer's disease: Rho-guanosine triphosphatases and insights from other brain disorders. Neurotherapeutics 2015; 12:19-28. [PMID: 25588580 PMCID: PMC4322073 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-014-0328-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a monumental public health crisis with no effective cure or treatment. To date, therapeutic strategies have focused almost exclusively on upstream signaling events in the disease, namely on β-amyloid and amyloid precursor protein processing, and have, unfortunately, yielded few, if any, promising results. An alternative approach may be to target signaling events downstream of β-amyloid and even tau. However, with so many pathways already linked to the disease, understanding which ones are "drivers" versus "passengers" in the pathogenesis of the disease remains a tremendous challenge. Given the critical roles of Rho-guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) in regulating the actin cytoskeleton and spine dynamics, and the strong association between spine abnormalities and cognition, it is not surprising that mutations in a number of genes involved in Rho-GTPase signaling have been implicated in several brain disorders, including schizophrenia and autism. And now, there is mounting literature implicating Rho-GTPase signaling in AD pathogenesis as well. Here, I review this evidence, with a particular emphasis on the regulators of Rho-GTPase signaling, namely guanine nucleotide exchange factors and GTPase-activating proteins. Several of these have been linked to various aspects of AD, and each offers a novel potential therapeutic target for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Lefort
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, and Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA,
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Kempf SJ, Casciati A, Buratovic S, Janik D, von Toerne C, Ueffing M, Neff F, Moertl S, Stenerlöw B, Saran A, Atkinson MJ, Eriksson P, Pazzaglia S, Tapio S. The cognitive defects of neonatally irradiated mice are accompanied by changed synaptic plasticity, adult neurogenesis and neuroinflammation. Mol Neurodegener 2014; 9:57. [PMID: 25515237 PMCID: PMC4280038 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-9-57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/purpose of the study Epidemiological evidence suggests that low doses of ionising radiation (≤1.0 Gy) produce persistent alterations in cognition if the exposure occurs at a young age. The mechanisms underlying such alterations are unknown. We investigated the long-term effects of low doses of total body gamma radiation on neonatally exposed NMRI mice on the molecular and cellular level to elucidate neurodegeneration. Results Significant alterations in spontaneous behaviour were observed at 2 and 4 months following a single 0.5 or 1.0 Gy exposure. Alterations in the brain proteome, transcriptome, and several miRNAs were analysed 6–7 months post-irradiation in the hippocampus, dentate gyrus (DG) and cortex. Signalling pathways related to synaptic actin remodelling such as the Rac1-Cofilin pathway were altered in the cortex and hippocampus. Further, synaptic proteins MAP-2 and PSD-95 were increased in the DG and hippocampus (1.0 Gy). The expression of synaptic plasticity genes Arc, c-Fos and CREB was persistently reduced at 1.0 Gy in the hippocampus and cortex. These changes were coupled to epigenetic modulation via increased levels of microRNAs (miR-132/miR-212, miR-134). Astrogliosis, activation of insulin-growth factor/insulin signalling and increased level of microglial cytokine TNFα indicated radiation-induced neuroinflammation. In addition, adult neurogenesis within the DG was persistently negatively affected after irradiation, particularly at 1.0 Gy. Conclusion These data suggest that neurocognitive disorders may be induced in adults when exposed at a young age to low and moderate cranial doses of radiation. This raises concerns about radiation safety standards and regulatory practices. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1750-1326-9-57) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Soile Tapio
- Institute of Radiation Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
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Kempf SJ, Buratovic S, von Toerne C, Moertl S, Stenerlöw B, Hauck SM, Atkinson MJ, Eriksson P, Tapio S. Ionising radiation immediately impairs synaptic plasticity-associated cytoskeletal signalling pathways in HT22 cells and in mouse brain: an in vitro/in vivo comparison study. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110464. [PMID: 25329592 PMCID: PMC4203799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients suffering from brain malignancies are treated with high-dose ionising radiation. However, this may lead to severe learning and memory impairment. Preventive treatments to minimise these side effects have not been possible due to the lack of knowledge of the involved signalling pathways and molecular targets. Mouse hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells were irradiated with acute gamma doses of 0.5 Gy, 1.0 Gy and 4.0 Gy. Changes in the cellular proteome were investigated by isotope-coded protein label technology and tandem mass spectrometry after 4 and 24 hours. To compare the findings with the in vivo response, male NMRI mice were irradiated on postnatal day 10 with a gamma dose of 1.0 Gy, followed by evaluation of the cellular proteome of hippocampus and cortex 24 hours post-irradiation. Analysis of the in vitro proteome showed that signalling pathways related to synaptic actin-remodelling were significantly affected at 1.0 Gy and 4.0 Gy but not at 0.5 Gy after 4 and 24 hours. We observed radiation-induced reduction of the miR-132 and Rac1 levels; miR-132 is known to regulate Rac1 activity by blocking the GTPase-activating protein p250GAP. In the irradiated hippocampus and cortex we observed alterations in the signalling pathways similar to those in vitro. The decreased expression of miR-132 and Rac1 was associated with an increase in hippocampal cofilin and phospho-cofilin. The Rac1-Cofilin pathway is involved in the modulation of synaptic actin filament formation that is necessary for correct spine and synapse morphology to enable processes of learning and memory. We suggest that acute radiation exposure leads to rapid dendritic spine and synapse morphology alterations via aberrant cytoskeletal signalling and processing and that this is associated with the immediate neurocognitive side effects observed in patients treated with ionising radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan J. Kempf
- Institute of Radiation Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sonja Buratovic
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christine von Toerne
- Research Unit Protein Science, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Simone Moertl
- Institute of Radiation Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Bo Stenerlöw
- Division of Biomedical Radiation Sciences, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stefanie M. Hauck
- Research Unit Protein Science, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michael J. Atkinson
- Institute of Radiation Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chair of Radiation Biology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Per Eriksson
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Soile Tapio
- Institute of Radiation Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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De Filippis B, Nativio P, Fabbri A, Ricceri L, Adriani W, Lacivita E, Leopoldo M, Passarelli F, Fuso A, Laviola G. Pharmacological stimulation of the brain serotonin receptor 7 as a novel therapeutic approach for Rett syndrome. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:2506-18. [PMID: 24809912 PMCID: PMC4207333 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2013] [Revised: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by severe behavioral and physiological symptoms. Mutations in the methyl CpG-binding protein 2 gene (MECP2) cause >95% of classic cases, and currently there is no cure for this devastating disorder. The serotonin receptor 7 (5-HT7R) is linked to neuro-physiological regulation of circadian rhythm, mood, cognition, and synaptic plasticity. We presently report that 5-HT7R density is consistently reduced in cortical and hippocampal brain areas of symptomatic MeCP2-308 male mice, a RTT model. Systemic repeated treatment with LP-211 (0.25 mg/kg once/day for 7 days), a brain-penetrant selective 5-HT7R agonist, was able to rescue RTT-related defective performance: anxiety-related profiles in a Light/Dark test, motor abilities in a Dowel test, the exploratory behavior in the Marble Burying test, as well as memory in the Novelty Preference task. In the brain of RTT mice, LP-211 also reversed the abnormal activation of PAK and cofilin (key regulators of actin cytoskeleton dynamics) and of the ribosomal protein (rp) S6, whose reduced activation in MECP2 mutant neurons by mTOR is responsible for the altered protein translational control. Present findings indicate that pharmacological targeting of 5-HT7R improves specific behavioral and molecular manifestations of RTT, thus representing a first step toward the validation of an innovative systemic treatment. Beyond RTT, the latter might be extended to other disorders associated with intellectual disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca De Filippis
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Nativio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Fabbri
- Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Walter Adriani
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Enza Lacivita
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Bari ‘A Moro', Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrea Fuso
- Department of Psychology, Section of Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Long-term inhibition of Rho-kinase restores the LTP impaired in chronic forebrain ischemia rats by regulating GABAA and GABAB receptors. Neuroscience 2014; 277:383-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Revised: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Wu P, Ding ZB, Meng SQ, Shen HW, Sun SC, Luo YX, Liu JF, Lu L, Zhu WL, Shi J. Differential role of Rac in the basolateral amygdala and cornu ammonis 1 in the reconsolidation of auditory and contextual Pavlovian fear memory in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:2909-19. [PMID: 24553575 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3462-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES A conditioned stimulus (CS) is associated with a fearful unconditioned stimulus (US) in the traditional fear conditioning model. After fear conditioning, the CS-US association memory undergoes the consolidation process to become stable. Consolidated memory enters an unstable state after retrieval and requires the reconsolidation process to stabilize again. Evidence indicates the important role of Rac (Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate) in the acquisition and extinction of fear memory. In the present study, we hypothesized that Rac in the amygdala is crucial for the reconsolidation of auditory and contextual Pavlovian fear memory. METHODS Auditory and contextual fear conditioning and microinjections of the Rac inhibitor NSC23766 were used to explore the role of Rac in the reconsolidation of auditory and contextual Pavlovian fear memory in rats. RESULTS A microinjection of NSC23766 into the basolateral amygdala (BLA) but not central amygdala (CeA) or cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) immediately after memory retrieval disrupted the reconsolidation of auditory Pavlovian fear memory. A microinjection of NSC23766 into the CA1 but not BLA or CeA after memory retrieval disrupted the reconsolidation of contextual Pavlovian fear memory. CONCLUSIONS Our experiments demonstrate that Rac in the BLA is crucial for the reconsolidation of auditory Pavlovian fear memory, whereas Rac in the CA1 is critical for the reconsolidation of contextual Pavlovian fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Wu
- National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, 38, Xue Yuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China
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De Filippis B, Romano E, Laviola G. Aberrant Rho GTPases signaling and cognitive dysfunction: in vivo evidence for a compelling molecular relationship. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 46 Pt 2:285-301. [PMID: 24971827 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Rho GTPases are key intracellular signaling molecules that coordinate dynamic changes in the actin cytoskeleton, thereby stimulating a variety of processes, including morphogenesis, migration, neuronal development, cell division and adhesion. Deviations from normal Rho GTPases activation state have been proposed to disrupt cognition and synaptic plasticity. This review focuses on the functional consequences of genetic ablation of upstream and downstream Rho GTPases molecules on cognitive function and neuronal morphology and connectivity. Available information on this issue is described and compared to that gained from mice carrying mutations in the most studied Rho GTPases and from pharmacological in vivo studies in which brain Rho GTPases signaling was modulated. Results from reviewed literature provide definitive evidence of a compelling link between Rho GTPases signaling and cognitive function, thus supporting the notion that Rho GTPases and their downstream effectors may represent important therapeutic targets for disorders associated with cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca De Filippis
- Sect. Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
| | - Emilia Romano
- Sect. Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy; Bambino Gesù, Children Hospital, IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Sect. Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
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Vannini E, Panighini A, Cerri C, Fabbri A, Lisi S, Pracucci E, Benedetto N, Vannozzi R, Fiorentini C, Caleo M, Costa M. The bacterial protein toxin, cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1) provides long-term survival in a murine glioma model. BMC Cancer 2014; 14:449. [PMID: 24939046 PMCID: PMC4075618 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Glioblastomas are largely unresponsive to all available treatments and there is therefore an urgent need for novel therapeutics. Here we have probed the antineoplastic effects of a bacterial protein toxin, the cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1), in the syngenic GL261 glioma cell model. CNF1 produces a long-lasting activation of Rho GTPases, with consequent blockade of cytodieresis in proliferating cells and promotion of neuron health and plasticity. Methods We have tested the antiproliferative effects of CNF1 on GL261 cells and human glioma cells obtained from surgical specimens. For the in vivo experiments, we injected GL261 cells into the adult mouse visual cortex, and five days later we administered either a single intracerebral dose of CNF1 or vehicle. To compare CNF1 with a canonical antitumoral drug, we infused temozolomide (TMZ) via minipumps for 1 week in an additional animal group. Results In culture, CNF1 was very effective in blocking proliferation of GL261 cells, leading them to multinucleation, senescence and death within 15 days. CNF1 had a similar cytotoxic effect in primary human glioma cells. CNF1 also inhibited motility of GL261 cells in a scratch-wound migration assay. Low dose (2 nM) CNF1 and continuous TMZ infusion significantly prolonged animal survival (median survival 35 days vs. 28 days in vehicle controls). Remarkably, increasing CNF1 concentration to 80 nM resulted in a dramatic enhancement of survival with no obvious toxicity. Indeed, 57% of the CNF1-treated animals survived up to 60 days following GL261 glioma cell transplant. Conclusions The activation of Rho GTPases by CNF1 represents a novel potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of central nervous system tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Matteo Caleo
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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Lamprecht R. The actin cytoskeleton in memory formation. Prog Neurobiol 2014; 117:1-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2014.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2013] [Revised: 02/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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