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Pan X, Hu Y, Lei G, Wei Y, Li J, Luan T, Zhang Y, Chu Y, Feng Y, Zhan W, Zhao C, Meunier FA, Liu Y, Li Y, Wang T. Actomyosin-II protects axons from degeneration induced by mild mechanical stress. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202206046. [PMID: 38713825 PMCID: PMC11076810 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202206046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Whether, to what extent, and how the axons in the central nervous system (CNS) can withstand sudden mechanical impacts remain unclear. By using a microfluidic device to apply controlled transverse mechanical stress to axons, we determined the stress levels that most axons can withstand and explored their instant responses at nanoscale resolution. We found mild stress triggers a highly reversible, rapid axon beading response, driven by actomyosin-II-dependent dynamic diameter modulations. This mechanism contributes to hindering the long-range spread of stress-induced Ca2+ elevations into non-stressed neuronal regions. Through pharmacological and molecular manipulations in vitro, we found that actomyosin-II inactivation diminishes the reversible beading process, fostering progressive Ca2+ spreading and thereby increasing acute axonal degeneration in stressed axons. Conversely, upregulating actomyosin-II activity prevents the progression of initial injury, protecting stressed axons from acute degeneration both in vitro and in vivo. Our study unveils the periodic actomyosin-II in axon shafts cortex as a novel protective mechanism, shielding neurons from detrimental effects caused by mechanical stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorong Pan
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiqing Hu
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gaowei Lei
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences China, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaxuan Wei
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences China, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Li
- Division of Chemistry and Physical Biology, School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Tongshu Luan
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunfan Zhang
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences China, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanyuan Chu
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Feng
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenrong Zhan
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunxia Zhao
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Frédéric A. Meunier
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yifan Liu
- Division of Chemistry and Physical Biology, School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Li
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences China, Shanghai, China
| | - Tong Wang
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
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2
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Finan JD, Vogt TE, Samei Y. Cavitation in blunt impact traumatic brain injury. EXPERIMENTS IN FLUIDS 2024; 65:114. [PMID: 39036013 PMCID: PMC11255084 DOI: 10.1007/s00348-024-03853-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) poses a major public health challenge. No proven therapies for the condition exist so protective equipment that prevents or mitigates these injuries plays a critical role in minimizing the societal burden of this condition. Our ability to optimize protective equipment depends on our capacity to relate the mechanics of head impact events to morbidity and mortality. This capacity, in turn, depends on correctly identifying the mechanisms of injury. For several decades, a controversial theory of TBI biomechanics has attributed important classes of injury to cavitation inside the cranial vault during blunt impact. This theory explains counter-intuitive clinical observations, including the coup-contre-coup pattern of injury. However, it is also difficult to validate experimentally in living subjects. Also, blunt impact TBI is a broad term that covers a range of different head impact events, some of which may be better described by cavitation theory than others. This review surveys what has been learned about cavitation through mathematical modeling, physical modeling, and experimentation with living tissues and places it in context with competing theories of blunt injury biomechanics and recent research activity in the field in an attempt to understand what the theory has to offer the next generation of innovators in TBI biomechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D. Finan
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Thea E. Vogt
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Yasaman Samei
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
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3
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Yu K, Yao KR, Aguinaga MA, Choquette JM, Liu C, Wang Y, Liao D. G272V and P301L Mutations Induce Isoform Specific Tau Mislocalization to Dendritic Spines and Synaptic Dysfunctions in Cellular Models of 3R and 4R Tau Frontotemporal Dementia. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1215232024. [PMID: 38858079 PMCID: PMC11236579 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1215-23.2024] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Tau pathologies are detected in the brains of some of the most common neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Tau proteins are expressed in six isoforms with either three or four microtubule-binding repeats (3R tau or 4R tau) due to alternative RNA splicing. AD, LBD, and CTE brains contain pathological deposits of both 3R and 4R tau. FTD patients can exhibit either 4R tau pathologies in most cases or 3R tau pathologies less commonly in Pick's disease, which is a subfamily of FTD. Here, we report the isoform-specific roles of tau in FTD. The P301L mutation, linked to familial 4R tau FTD, induces mislocalization of 4R tau to dendritic spines in primary hippocampal cultures that were prepared from neonatal rat pups of both sexes. Contrastingly, the G272V mutation, linked to familial Pick's disease, induces phosphorylation-dependent mislocalization of 3R tau but not 4R tau proteins to dendritic spines. The overexpression of G272V 3R tau but not 4R tau proteins leads to the reduction of dendritic spine density and suppression of mEPSCs in 5-week-old primary rat hippocampal cultures. The decrease in mEPSC amplitude caused by G272V 3R tau is dynamin-dependent whereas that caused by P301L 4R tau is dynamin-independent, indicating that the two tau isoforms activate different signaling pathways responsible for excitatory synaptic dysfunction. Our 3R and 4R tau studies here will shed new light on diverse mechanisms underlying FTD, AD, LBD, and CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Yu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
- Department of General Practice, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Katherine R Yao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - Miguel A Aguinaga
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - Jessica M Choquette
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Chengliang Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Yuxin Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Dezhi Liao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
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4
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Katchur NJ, Notterman DA. Recent insights from non-mammalian models of brain injuries: an emerging literature. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1378620. [PMID: 38566857 PMCID: PMC10985199 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1378620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major global health concern and is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Repetitive TBIs (rTBIs), commonly observed in contact sports, military service, and intimate partner violence (IPV), pose a significant risk for long-term sequelae. To study the long-term consequences of TBI and rTBI, researchers have typically used mammalian models to recapitulate brain injury and neurodegenerative phenotypes. However, there are several limitations to these models, including: (1) lengthy observation periods, (2) high cost, (3) difficult genetic manipulations, and (4) ethical concerns regarding prolonged and repeated injury of a large number of mammals. Aquatic vertebrate model organisms, including Petromyzon marinus (sea lampreys), zebrafish (Danio rerio), and invertebrates, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), and Drosophila melanogaster (Drosophila), are emerging as valuable tools for investigating the mechanisms of rTBI and tauopathy. These non-mammalian models offer unique advantages, including genetic tractability, simpler nervous systems, cost-effectiveness, and quick discovery-based approaches and high-throughput screens for therapeutics, which facilitate the study of rTBI-induced neurodegeneration and tau-related pathology. Here, we explore the use of non-vertebrate and aquatic vertebrate models to study TBI and neurodegeneration. Drosophila, in particular, provides an opportunity to explore the longitudinal effects of mild rTBI and its impact on endogenous tau, thereby offering valuable insights into the complex interplay between rTBI, tauopathy, and neurodegeneration. These models provide a platform for mechanistic studies and therapeutic interventions, ultimately advancing our understanding of the long-term consequences associated with rTBI and potential avenues for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole J. Katchur
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
- Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Daniel A. Notterman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
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5
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Cai Q, Tai HC. Super-Resolution Imaging of Tau Proteins in Isolated and Immobilized Brain Synaptosomes. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2754:445-456. [PMID: 38512681 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3629-9_24] [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: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Tau protein has important physiological functions at both presynaptic and postsynaptic terminals. Pathological tau species are also associated with synaptic dysfunctions in several neurodegenerative disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease. To understand tau distribution inside synaptic compartments, super-resolution imaging is required. Here, we describe a facile protocol to immobilize and image brain synaptosomes without aggregation artefacts, by substituting the standard fixative paraformaldehyde with ethylene glycol bis(succinimidyl succinate) (EGS). Super-resolution imaging of tau proteins is achieved through three-color direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). Tau protein is found to colocalize with synaptic vesicles as well as postsynaptic densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixu Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China
| | - Hwan-Ching Tai
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China.
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6
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Yu F, Iacono D, Perl DP, Lai C, Gill J, Le TQ, Lee P, Sukumar G, Armstrong RC. Neuronal tau pathology worsens late-phase white matter degeneration after traumatic brain injury in transgenic mice. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:585-610. [PMID: 37578550 PMCID: PMC10499978 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02622-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes diffuse axonal injury which can produce chronic white matter pathology and subsequent post-traumatic neurodegeneration with poor patient outcomes. Tau modulates axon cytoskeletal functions and undergoes phosphorylation and mis-localization in neurodegenerative disorders. The effects of tau pathology on neurodegeneration after TBI are unclear. We used mice with neuronal expression of human mutant tau to examine effects of pathological tau on white matter pathology after TBI. Adult male and female hTau.P301S (Tg2541) transgenic and wild-type (Wt) mice received either moderate single TBI (s-TBI) or repetitive mild TBI (r-mTBI; once daily × 5), or sham procedures. Acutely, s-TBI produced more extensive axon damage in the corpus callosum (CC) as compared to r-mTBI. After s-TBI, significant CC thinning was present at 6 weeks and 4 months post-injury in Wt and transgenic mice, with homozygous tau expression producing additional pathology of late demyelination. In contrast, r-mTBI did not produce significant CC thinning except at the chronic time point of 4 months in homozygous mice, which exhibited significant CC atrophy (- 29.7%) with increased microgliosis. Serum neurofilament light quantification detected traumatic axonal injury at 1 day post-TBI in Wt and homozygous mice. At 4 months, high tau and neurofilament in homozygous mice implicated tau in chronic axon pathology. These findings did not have sex differences detected. Conclusions: Neuronal tau pathology differentially exacerbated CC pathology based on injury severity and chronicity. Ongoing CC atrophy from s-TBI became accompanied by late demyelination. Pathological tau significantly worsened CC atrophy during the chronic phase after r-mTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengshan Yu
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Diego Iacono
- Neurology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Defense-Uniformed Services University Brain Tissue Repository, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel P Perl
- Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Defense-Uniformed Services University Brain Tissue Repository, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chen Lai
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Tuan Q Le
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Patricia Lee
- Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Defense-Uniformed Services University Brain Tissue Repository, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gauthaman Sukumar
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Regina C Armstrong
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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7
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Schneider SE, Scott AK, Seelbinder B, Elzen CVD, Wilson RL, Miller EY, Beato QI, Ghosh S, Barthold JE, Bilyeu J, Emery NC, Pierce DM, Neu CP. Dynamic biophysical responses of neuronal cell nuclei and cytoskeletal structure following high impulse loading. Acta Biomater 2023; 163:339-350. [PMID: 35811070 PMCID: PMC10019187 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.07.002] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cells are continuously exposed to dynamic environmental cues that influence their behavior. Mechanical cues can influence cellular and genomic architecture, gene expression, and intranuclear mechanics, providing evidence of mechanosensing by the nucleus, and a mechanoreciprocity between the nucleus and environment. Force disruption at the tissue level through aging, disease, or trauma, propagates to the nucleus and can have lasting consequences on proper functioning of the cell and nucleus. While the influence of mechanical cues leading to axonal damage has been well studied in neuronal cells, the mechanics of the nucleus following high impulse loading is still largely unexplored. Using an in vitro model of traumatic neural injury, we show a dynamic nuclear behavioral response to impulse stretch (up to 170% strain per second) through quantitative measures of nuclear movement, including tracking of rotation and internal motion. Differences in nuclear movement were observed between low and high strain magnitudes. Increased exposure to impulse stretch exaggerated the decrease in internal motion, assessed by particle tracking microrheology, and intranuclear displacements, assessed through high-resolution deformable image registration. An increase in F-actin puncta surrounding nuclei exposed to impulse stretch additionally demonstrated a corresponding disruption of the cytoskeletal network. Our results show direct biophysical nuclear responsiveness in neuronal cells through force propagation from the substrate to the nucleus. Understanding how mechanical forces perturb the morphological and behavioral response can lead to a greater understanding of how mechanical strain drives changes within the cell and nucleus, and may inform fundamental nuclear behavior after traumatic axonal injury. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The nucleus of the cell has been implicated as a mechano-sensitive organelle, courting molecular sensors and transmitting physical cues in order to maintain cellular and tissue homeostasis. Disruption of this network due to disease or high velocity forces (e.g., trauma) can not only result in orchestrated biochemical cascades, but also biophysical perturbations. Using an in vitro model of traumatic neural injury, we aimed to provide insight into the neuronal nuclear mechanics and biophysical responses at a continuum of strain magnitudes and after repetitive loads. Our image-based methods demonstrate mechanically-induced changes in cellular and nuclear behavior after high intensity loading and have the potential to further define mechanical thresholds of neuronal cell injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E Schneider
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Adrienne K Scott
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Benjamin Seelbinder
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Courtney Van Den Elzen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Robert L Wilson
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Emily Y Miller
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Quinn I Beato
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Soham Ghosh
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jeanne E Barthold
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Jason Bilyeu
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Nancy C Emery
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - David M Pierce
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Corey P Neu
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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8
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Chai Z, Gu S, Lykotrafitis G. Dynamics of the axon plasma membrane skeleton. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:2514-2528. [PMID: 36939651 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01602h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
It was recently revealed via super-resolution microscopy experiments that the axon plasma membrane skeleton (APMS) comprises a series of periodically arranged azimuthal actin rings connected via longitudinal spectrin filaments forming an orthotropic network. The common perception is that APMS enhances structural stability of the axon but its impact on axon deformation is unknown. To investigate the response of the APMS to extension, we introduce a coarse-grain molecular dynamics model consisting of actin particles forming rings and chains of particles representing spectrin tetramers with repeats than can unfold. We observe that the shape of force-extension curve is initially linear and the force level depends on the extension rate. Even during the initial deformation stage, unfolding of spectrin repeats occurs, but the saw-tooth shape of the corresponding force-extension curve observed in the case of one spectrin tetramer does not appear in the case of the entire APMS. The reason is that spectrin unfolding is not synchronized across filaments during extension. If actin-spectrin associations remain intact, the force-extension response reaches a perfectly plastic region because of increased spectrin unfolding frequency. However, when actin-spectrin links dissociate, which can happen at moderate and high extension rates, APMS softens and the resistance force decreases linearly as the axon elongates until it reaches a point where the APMS is completely severed. Furthermore, when the ring-to-ring distance is maintained fixed under stretch, the resistance force relaxes exponentially as a function of time due to additional unfolding of spectrin tetramers following the Kelvin-Voigt representation of the Zener model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaojie Chai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
| | - Shiju Gu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - George Lykotrafitis
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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9
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McKee AC, Stein TD, Huber BR, Crary JF, Bieniek K, Dickson D, Alvarez VE, Cherry JD, Farrell K, Butler M, Uretsky M, Abdolmohammadi B, Alosco ML, Tripodis Y, Mez J, Daneshvar DH. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE): criteria for neuropathological diagnosis and relationship to repetitive head impacts. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 145:371-394. [PMID: 36759368 PMCID: PMC10020327 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02540-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 17 years, there has been a remarkable increase in scientific research concerning chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Since the publication of NINDS-NIBIB criteria for the neuropathological diagnosis of CTE in 2016, and diagnostic refinements in 2021, hundreds of contact sport athletes and others have been diagnosed at postmortem examination with CTE. CTE has been reported in amateur and professional athletes, including a bull rider, boxers, wrestlers, and American, Canadian, and Australian rules football, rugby union, rugby league, soccer, and ice hockey players. The pathology of CTE is unique, characterized by a pathognomonic lesion consisting of a perivascular accumulation of neuronal phosphorylated tau (p-tau) variably alongside astrocytic aggregates at the depths of the cortical sulci, and a distinctive molecular structural configuration of p-tau fibrils that is unlike the changes observed with aging, Alzheimer's disease, or any other tauopathy. Computational 3-D and finite element models predict the perivascular and sulcal location of p-tau pathology as these brain regions undergo the greatest mechanical deformation during head impact injury. Presently, CTE can be definitively diagnosed only by postmortem neuropathological examination; the corresponding clinical condition is known as traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES). Over 97% of CTE cases published have been reported in individuals with known exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI), including concussions and nonconcussive impacts, most often experienced through participation in contact sports. While some suggest there is uncertainty whether a causal relationship exists between RHI and CTE, the preponderance of the evidence suggests a high likelihood of a causal relationship, a conclusion that is strengthened by the absence of any evidence for plausible alternative hypotheses. There is a robust dose-response relationship between CTE and years of American football play, a relationship that remains consistent even when rigorously accounting for selection bias. Furthermore, a recent study suggests that selection bias underestimates the observed risk. Here, we present the advances in the neuropathological diagnosis of CTE culminating with the development of the NINDS-NIBIB criteria, the multiple international studies that have used these criteria to report CTE in hundreds of contact sports players and others, and the evidence for a robust dose-response relationship between RHI and CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann C McKee
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA.
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA.
| | - Thor D Stein
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Bertrand R Huber
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John F Crary
- Departments of Pathology, Neuroscience, and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research Core, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin Bieniek
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Dennis Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Victor E Alvarez
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan D Cherry
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kurt Farrell
- Departments of Pathology, Neuroscience, and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research Core, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Morgane Butler
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Madeline Uretsky
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Bobak Abdolmohammadi
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Michael L Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel H Daneshvar
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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10
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Knutsen AK, Vidhate S, McIlvain G, Luster J, Galindo EJ, Johnson CL, Pham DL, Butman JA, Mejia-Alvarez R, Tartis M, Willis AM. Characterization of material properties and deformation in the ANGUS phantom during mild head impacts using MRI. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2023; 138:105586. [PMID: 36516544 PMCID: PMC10169236 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health concern affecting both military and civilian populations. Despite notable advances in TBI research in recent years, there remains a significant gap in linking the impulsive loadings from a blast or a blunt impact to the clinical injury patterns observed in TBI. Synthetic head models or phantoms can be used to establish this link as they can be constructed with geometry, anatomy, and material properties that match the human brain, and can be used as an alternative to animal models. This study presents one such phantom called the Anthropomorphic Neurologic Gyrencephalic Unified Standard (ANGUS) phantom, which is an idealized gyrencephalic brain phantom composed of polyacrylamide gel. Here we mechanically characterized the ANGUS phantom using tagged magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), and then compared the outcomes to data obtained in healthy volunteers. The direct comparison between the phantom's response and the data from a cohort of in vivo human subjects demonstrate that the ANGUS phantom may be an appropriate model for bulk tissue response and gyral dynamics of the human brain under small amplitude linear impulses. However, the phantom's response differs from that of the in vivo human brain under rotational impacts, suggesting avenues for future improvements to the phantom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Knutsen
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, The Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Suhas Vidhate
- Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Grace McIlvain
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Josh Luster
- Department of Neurology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, 78234, USA
| | - Eric J Galindo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, 87801, USA
| | - Curtis L Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Dzung L Pham
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, The Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - John A Butman
- Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Ricardo Mejia-Alvarez
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Michaelann Tartis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, 87801, USA
| | - Adam M Willis
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; 59th Medical Wing, Office of the Chief Scientist, Lackland AFB, TX, 78236, USA
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11
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Carmo GP, Grigioni J, Fernandes FAO, Alves de Sousa RJ. Biomechanics of Traumatic Head and Neck Injuries on Women: A State-of-the-Art Review and Future Directions. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12010083. [PMID: 36671775 PMCID: PMC9855362 DOI: 10.3390/biology12010083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The biomechanics of traumatic injuries of the human body as a consequence of road crashes, falling, contact sports, and military environments have been studied for decades. In particular, traumatic brain injury (TBI), the so-called "silent epidemic", is the traumatic insult responsible for the greatest percentage of death and disability, justifying the relevance of this research topic. Despite its great importance, only recently have research groups started to seriously consider the sex differences regarding the morphology and physiology of women, which differs from men and may result in a specific outcome for a given traumatic event. This work aims to provide a summary of the contributions given in this field so far, from clinical reports to numerical models, covering not only the direct injuries from inertial loading scenarios but also the role sex plays in the conditions that precede an accident, and post-traumatic events, with an emphasis on neuroendocrine dysfunctions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. A review on finite element head models and finite element neck models for the study of specific traumatic events is also performed, discussing whether sex was a factor in validating them. Based on the information collected, improvement perspectives and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo P. Carmo
- Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Jeroen Grigioni
- Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Fábio A. O. Fernandes
- Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
- LASI—Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J. Alves de Sousa
- Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
- LASI—Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-234-370-200
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12
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Wu YH, Park TIH, Kwon E, Feng S, Schweder P, Dragunow M, Shim V, Rosset S. Analyzing pericytes under mild traumatic brain injury using 3D cultures and dielectric elastomer actuators. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:994251. [DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.994251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as brain damage due to an external force that negatively impacts brain function. Up to 90% of all TBI are considered in the mild severity range (mTBI) but there is still no therapeutic solution available. Therefore, further understanding of the mTBI pathology is required. To assist with this understanding, we developed a cell injury device (CID) based on a dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA), which is capable of modeling mTBI via injuring cultured cells with mechanical stretching. Our injury model is the first to use patient-derived brain pericyte cells, which are ubiquitous cells in the brain involved in injury response. Pericytes were cultured in our CIDs and mechanically strained up to 40%, and by at least 20%, prior to gene expression analysis. Our injury model is a platform capable of culturing and stretching primary human brain pericytes. The heterogeneous response in gene expression changes in our result may suggest that the genes implicated in pathological changes after mTBI could be a patient-dependent response, but requires further validation. The results of this study demonstrate that our CID is a suitable tool for simulating mTBI as an in vitro stretch injury model, that is sensitive enough to induce responses from primary human brain pericytes due to mechanical impacts.
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13
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Shao X, Liu Z, Mao S, Han L. Unraveling the Mechanobiology Underlying Traumatic Brain Injury with Advanced Technologies and Biomaterials. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2200760. [PMID: 35841392 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a worldwide health and socioeconomic problem, associated with prolonged and complex neurological aftermaths, including a variety of functional deficits and neurodegenerative disorders. Research on the long-term effects has highlighted that TBI shall be regarded as a chronic health condition. The initiation and exacerbation of TBI involve a series of mechanical stimulations and perturbations, accompanied by mechanotransduction events within the brain tissues. Mechanobiology thus offers a unique perspective and likely promising approach to unravel the underlying molecular and biochemical mechanisms leading to neural cells dysfunction after TBI, which may contribute to the discovery of novel targets for future clinical treatment. This article investigates TBI and the subsequent brain dysfunction from a lens of neuromechanobiology. Following an introduction, the mechanobiological insights are examined into the molecular pathology of TBI, and then an overview is given of the latest research technologies to explore neuromechanobiology, with particular focus on microfluidics and biomaterials. Challenges and prospects in the current field are also discussed. Through this article, it is hoped that extensive technical innovation in biomedical devices and materials can be encouraged to advance the field of neuromechanobiology, paving potential ways for the research and rehabilitation of neurotrauma and neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Shao
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China.,Suzhou Research Institute, Shandong University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Zhongqian Liu
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Shijie Mao
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Lin Han
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
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14
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Vela-Alcantara AM, Rios-Ramirez A, Santiago-Garcia J, Rodriguez-Alba JC, Tamariz Domínguez E. Modulation of DRG neurons response to semaphorin 3A via substrate stiffness. Cells Dev 2022; 171:203800. [PMID: 35717026 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2022.203800] [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: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Semaphorin 3A (Sema3a) is a chemotropic protein that acts as a neuronal guidance cue and plays a major role in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons projection during embryo development. The present study evaluated the impact of stiffness in the repulsive response of DRG neurons to Sema3a when cultured over substrates of variable stiffness. Stiffness modified DRG neurons morphology and regulated their response to Sema3a, reducing the collapse of growth cones when they were cultured on softer substrates. Sema3a receptors expression was also regulated by stiffness, neuropilin-1 was overexpressed and plexin A4 mRNA was downregulated in stiffer substrates. Cytoskeleton distribution was also modified by stiffness. In softer substrates, βIII-tubulin and actin co-localized up to the leading edge of the growth cones, and as the substrate became stiffer, βIII-tubulin was confined to the transition and peripheral domains of the growth cone. Moreover, a decrease in the α-actinin adaptor protein was also observed in softer substrates. Our results show that substrate stiffness plays an important role in regulating the collapse response to Sema3a and that the modulation of cytoskeleton distribution and Sema3a receptors expression are related to the differential collapse responses of the growth cones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Monserrat Vela-Alcantara
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Luis Castelazo Ayala s/n, 91190 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico; Maestría y Doctorado en Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico.
| | - Ariadna Rios-Ramirez
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla #3001, 76230 Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico.
| | - Juan Santiago-Garcia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Luis Castelazo Ayala s/n, 91190 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
| | - Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Alba
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Luis Castelazo Ayala s/n, 91190 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
| | - Elisa Tamariz Domínguez
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Luis Castelazo Ayala s/n, 91190 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
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15
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Zhang Y, Yang Y, Hu Z, Zhu M, Qin S, Yu P, Li B, Xu J, Ondrejcak T, Klyubin I, Rowan MJ, Hu NW. Long-Term Depression-Inducing Low Frequency Stimulation Enhances p-Tau181 and p-Tau217 in an Age-Dependent Manner in Live Rats. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 89:335-350. [PMID: 35871344 PMCID: PMC9484260 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) correlates with the extent of tau pathology, in particular tau hyperphosphorylation, which is strongly age-associated. Although elevation of cerebrospinal fluid or blood levels of phosphorylated tau (p-Tau) at residues Thr181 (p-Tau181), Thr217 (p-Tau217), and Thr231 (p-Tau231) are proposed to be particularly sensitive markers of preclinical AD, the generation of p-Tau during brain activity is poorly understood. Objective: To study whether the expression levels of p-Tau181, p-Tau217, and p-Tau231 can be enhanced by physiological synaptic long-term depression (LTD) which has been linked to the enhancement of p-Tau in hippocampus. Methods: In vivo electrophysiology was performed in urethane anesthetized young adult and aged male rats. Low frequency electrical stimulation (LFS) was used to induce LTD at CA3 to CA1 synapses. The expression level of p-Tau and total tau was measured in dorsal hippocampus using immunofluorescent staining and/or western blotting. Results: We found that LFS enhanced p-Tau181 and p-Tau217 in an age-dependent manner in the hippocampus of live rats. In contrast, phosphorylation at residues Thr231, Ser202/Thr205, and Ser396 appeared less sensitive to LFS. Pharmacological antagonism of either N-methyl-D-aspartate or metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors inhibited the elevation of both p-Tau181 and p-Tau217. Targeting the integrated stress response, which increases with aging, using a small molecule inhibitor ISRIB, prevented the enhancement of p-Tau by LFS in aged rats. Conclusion: Together, our data provide a novel in vivo means to uncover brain plasticity-related cellular and molecular processes of tau phosphorylation at key sites in health and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yin Yang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhengtao Hu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Gerontology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Manyi Zhu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shuangying Qin
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Pengpeng Yu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jitian Xu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tomas Ondrejcak
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Igor Klyubin
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael J. Rowan
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Neng-Wei Hu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
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16
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NMDA and AMPA Receptors at Synapses: Novel Targets for Tau and α-Synuclein Proteinopathies. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071550. [PMID: 35884851 PMCID: PMC9313101 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A prominent feature of neurodegenerative diseases is synaptic dysfunction and spine loss as early signs of neurodegeneration. In this context, accumulation of misfolded proteins has been identified as one of the most common causes driving synaptic toxicity at excitatory glutamatergic synapses. In particular, a great effort has been placed on dissecting the interplay between the toxic deposition of misfolded proteins and synaptic defects, looking for a possible causal relationship between them. Several studies have demonstrated that misfolded proteins could directly exert negative effects on synaptic compartments, altering either the function or the composition of pre- and post-synaptic receptors. In this review, we focused on the physiopathological role of tau and α-synuclein at the level of postsynaptic glutamate receptors. Tau is a microtubule-associated protein mainly expressed by central nervous system neurons where it exerts several physiological functions. In some cases, it undergoes aberrant post-translational modifications, including hyperphosphorylation, leading to loss of function and toxic aggregate formation. Similarly, aggregated species of the presynaptic protein α-synuclein play a key role in synucleinopathies, a group of neurological conditions that includes Parkinson’s disease. Here, we discussed how tau and α-synuclein target the postsynaptic compartment of excitatory synapses and, specifically, AMPA- and NMDA-type glutamate receptors. Notably, recent studies have reported their direct functional interactions with these receptors, which in turn could contribute to the impaired glutamatergic transmission observed in many neurodegenerative diseases.
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17
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Singh G, Liu P, Yao KR, Strasser JM, Hlynialuk C, Leinonen-Wright K, Teravskis PJ, Choquette JM, Ikramuddin J, Bresinsky M, Nelson KM, Liao D, Ashe KH, Walters MA, Pockes S. Caspase-2 Inhibitor Blocks Tau Truncation and Restores Excitatory Neurotransmission in Neurons Modeling FTDP-17 Tauopathy. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:1549-1557. [PMID: 35522720 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic and cognitive deficits mediated by a severe reduction in excitatory neurotransmission caused by a disproportionate accumulation of the neuronal protein tau in dendritic spines is a fundamental mechanism that has been found repeatedly in models of tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and traumatic brain injury. Synapses thus damaged may contribute to dementia, among the most feared cause of debilitation in the elderly, and currently there are no treatments to repair them. Caspase-2 (Casp2) is an essential component of this pathological cascade. Although it is believed that Casp2 exerts its effects by hydrolyzing tau at aspartate-314, forming Δtau314, it is also possible that a noncatalytic mechanism is involved because catalytically dead Casp2 is biologically active in at least one relevant cellular pathway, that is, autophagy. To decipher whether the pathological effects of Casp2 on synaptic function are due to its catalytic or noncatalytic properties, we discovered and characterized a new Casp2 inhibitor, compound 1 [pKi (Casp2) = 8.12], which is 123-fold selective versus Casp3 and >2000-fold selective versus Casp1, Casp6, Casp7, and Casp9. In an in vitro assay based on Casp2-mediated cleavage of tau, compound 1 blocked the production of Δtau314. Importantly, compound 1 prevented tau from accumulating excessively in dendritic spines and rescued excitatory neurotransmission in cultured primary rat hippocampal neurons expressing the P301S tau variant linked to FTDP-17, a familial tauopathy. These results support the further development of small-molecule Casp2 inhibitors to treat synaptic deficits in tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurpreet Singh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Neurology, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Katherine R. Yao
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Jessica M. Strasser
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Chris Hlynialuk
- Department of Neurology, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Kailee Leinonen-Wright
- Department of Neurology, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Peter J. Teravskis
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Jessica M. Choquette
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Junaid Ikramuddin
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Merlin Bresinsky
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kathryn M. Nelson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Dezhi Liao
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Karen H. Ashe
- Department of Neurology, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Veterans Administration Medical Center, GRECC, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417, United States
| | - Michael A. Walters
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Steffen Pockes
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Neurology, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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18
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Gao L, Xue Q, Gong S, Li G, Tong W, Fan M, Chen X, Yin J, Song Y, Chen S, Huang J, Wang C, Dong Y. Structural and Functional Alterations of Substantia Nigra and Associations With Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms Following Traumatic Brain Injury. Front Neurol 2022; 13:719778. [PMID: 35449518 PMCID: PMC9017679 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.719778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Backgrounds Although there are a certain number of studies dedicated to the disturbances of the dopaminergic system induced by traumatic brain injury (TBI), the associations of abnormal dopaminergic systems with post-traumatic anxiety and depressive disorders and their underlying mechanisms have not been clarified yet. In the midbrain, dopaminergic neurons are mainly situated in the substantia nigra (SN) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Thus, we selected SN and VTA as regions of interest and performed a seed-based global correlation to evaluate the altered functional connectivity throughout the dopaminergic system post-TBI. Methods Thirty-three individuals with TBI and 21 healthy controls were recruited in the study. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were examined by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. All MRI data were collected using a Siemens Prisma 3.0 Tesla MRI system. The volume of SN and the global functional connectivity of the SN and VTA were analyzed. Results In the present study, patients with TBI reported more anxiety and depressive symptoms. More importantly, some structural and functional alterations, such as smaller SN and reduced functional connectivity in the left SN, were seen in individuals with TBI. Patients with TBI had smaller substantia nigra on both right and left sides, and the left substantia nigra was relatively small in contrast with the right one. Among these findings, functional connectivity between left SN and left angular gyrus was positively associated with post-traumatic anxiety symptoms and negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions The TBI causes leftward lateralization of structural and functional alterations in the substantia nigra. An impaired mesocortical functional connectivity might be implicated in post-traumatic anxiety and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Xue
- Department of Neurosurgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shun Gong
- Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Gaoyi Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, People's Hospital of Putuo District, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wusong Tong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingxia Fan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianzhen Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Yin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Songyu Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingrong Huang
- Psychology Honors Program, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Chengbin Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Dong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Clinical Medicine Scientific and Technical Innovation Park, Shanghai, China
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19
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Luciano M, Versaevel M, Vercruysse E, Procès A, Kalukula Y, Remson A, Deridoux A, Gabriele S. Appreciating the role of cell shape changes in the mechanobiology of epithelial tissues. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2022; 3:011305. [PMID: 38505223 PMCID: PMC10903419 DOI: 10.1063/5.0074317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The wide range of epithelial cell shapes reveals the complexity and diversity of the intracellular mechanisms that serve to construct their morphology and regulate their functions. Using mechanosensitive steps, epithelial cells can sense a variety of different mechanochemical stimuli and adapt their behavior by reshaping their morphology. These changes of cell shape rely on a structural reorganization in space and time that generates modifications of the tensional state and activates biochemical cascades. Recent studies have started to unveil how the cell shape maintenance is involved in mechanical homeostatic tasks to sustain epithelial tissue folding, identity, and self-renewal. Here, we review relevant works that integrated mechanobiology to elucidate some of the core principles of how cell shape may be conveyed into spatial information to guide collective processes such as epithelial morphogenesis. Among many other parameters, we show that the regulation of the cell shape can be understood as the result of the interplay between two counteracting mechanisms: actomyosin contractility and intercellular adhesions, and that both do not act independently but are functionally integrated to operate on molecular, cellular, and tissue scales. We highlight the role of cadherin-based adhesions in force-sensing and mechanotransduction, and we report recent developments that exploit physics of liquid crystals to connect cell shape changes to orientational order in cell aggregates. Finally, we emphasize that the further intermingling of different disciplines to develop new mechanobiology assays will lead the way toward a unified picture of the contribution of cell shape to the pathophysiological behavior of epithelial tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Luciano
- University of Mons, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Group, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, 20 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Marie Versaevel
- University of Mons, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Group, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, 20 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Eléonore Vercruysse
- University of Mons, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Group, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, 20 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Anthony Procès
- University of Mons, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Group, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, 20 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Yohalie Kalukula
- University of Mons, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Group, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, 20 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Alexandre Remson
- University of Mons, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Group, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, 20 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Amandine Deridoux
- University of Mons, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Group, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, 20 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Sylvain Gabriele
- University of Mons, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Group, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, 20 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
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20
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Kerwin J, Yücesoy A, Vidhate S, Dávila-Montero BM, Van Orman JL, Pence TJ, Tartis M, Mejía-Alvarez R, Willis AM. Sulcal Cavitation in Linear Head Acceleration: Possible Correlation With Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Front Neurol 2022; 13:832370. [PMID: 35295830 PMCID: PMC8918564 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.832370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a significant public health and financial concern that is affecting tens of thousands of people in the United States annually. There were over a million hospital visits related to TBI in 2017. Along with immediate and short-term morbidity from TBI, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can have life-altering, chronic morbidity, yet the direct linkage of how head impacts lead to this pathology remains unknown. A possible clue is that chronic traumatic encephalopathy appears to initiate in the depths of the sulci. The purpose of this study was to isolate the injury mechanism/s associated with blunt force impact events. To this end, drop tower experiments were performed on a human head phantom. Our phantom was fabricated into a three-dimensional extruded ellipsoid geometry made out of Polyacrylamide gelatin that incorporated gyri-sulci interaction. The phantom was assembled into a polylactic acid 3D-printed skull, surrounded with deionized water, and enclosed between two optical windows. The phantom received repetitive low-force impacts on the order of magnitude of an average boxing punch. Intracranial pressure profiles were recorded in conjunction with high-speed imaging, 25 k frames-per-second. Cavitation was observed in all trials. Cavitation is the spontaneous formation of vapor bubbles in the liquid phase resulting from a pressure drop that reaches the vapor pressure of the liquid. The observed cavitation was predominately located in the contrecoup during negative pressure phases of local intracranial pressure. To further investigate the cavitation interaction with the brain tissue phantom, a 2D plane strain computational model was built to simulate the deformation of gyrated tissue as a result from the initiation of cavitation bubbles seen in the phantom experiments. These computational experiments demonstrated a focusing of strain at the depths of the sulci from bubble expansion. Our results add further evidence that mechanical interactions could contribute to the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and also that fluid cavitation may play a role in this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Kerwin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Atacan Yücesoy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Suhas Vidhate
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Bianca M. Dávila-Montero
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Jacob L. Van Orman
- Department of Neurology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, United States
| | - Thomas J. Pence
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Michaelann Tartis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, United States
| | - Ricardo Mejía-Alvarez
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Ricardo Mejía-Alvarez
| | - Adam M. Willis
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Neurology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, United States
- Adam M. Willis
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21
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Srinivasan G, Brafman DA. The Emergence of Model Systems to Investigate the Link Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:813544. [PMID: 35211003 PMCID: PMC8862182 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.813544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated that individuals who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have an elevated risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s-related dementias (AD/ADRD). Despite these connections, the underlying mechanisms by which TBI induces AD-related pathology, neuronal dysfunction, and cognitive decline have yet to be elucidated. In this review, we will discuss the various in vivo and in vitro models that are being employed to provide more definite mechanistic relationships between TBI-induced mechanical injury and AD-related phenotypes. In particular, we will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each of these model systems as it relates to advancing the understanding of the mechanisms that lead to TBI-induced AD onset and progression as well as providing platforms to evaluate potential therapies. Finally, we will discuss how emerging methods including the use of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cultures and genome engineering technologies can be employed to generate better models of TBI-induced AD.
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22
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Lantoine J, Procès A, Villers A, Halliez S, Buée L, Ris L, Gabriele S. Inflammatory Molecules Released by Mechanically Injured Astrocytes Trigger Presynaptic Loss in Cortical Neuronal Networks. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3885-3897. [PMID: 34614352 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Deformation, compression, or stretching of brain tissues cause diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and induce structural and functional alterations of astrocytes, the most abundant cell type in the brain. To gain further insight into the role of mechanically activated astrocytes on neuronal networks, this study was designed to investigate whether cytokines released by mechanically activated astrocytes can affect the growth and synaptic connections of cortical neuronal networks. Astrocytes were cultivated on elastic membranes and subjected to repetitive mechanical insults, whereas well-defined protein micropatterns were used to form standardized neuronal networks. GFAP staining showed that astrocytes were mechanically activated after two cycles of stretch and mesoscale discovery assays indicated that injured astrocytes released four major cytokines. To understand the role of these cytokines, neuronal networks were cultured with the supernatant of healthy or mechanically activated astrocytes, and the individual contribution of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was studied. We found that the supernatant of two-cycle stretched astrocytes decreased presynaptic terminals and indicated that TNF-α must be considered a key player of the synaptic loss. Furthermore, our results indicate that cytokines released by injured astrocytes significantly modulate the balance between TNFR1 and TNFR2 receptors by enhancing R2 receptors. We demonstrated that TNF-α is not involved in this process, suggesting a predominant role of other secreted cytokines. Together, these results contribute to a better understanding of the consequences of repetitive astrocyte deformations and highlight the role of inflammatory signaling pathways in synaptic plasticity and modulation of TNFR1 and TNFR2 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joséphine Lantoine
- Mechanobiology & Soft Matter Group, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Anthony Procès
- Mechanobiology & Soft Matter Group, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Agnès Villers
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Sophie Halliez
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, LabEx DISTALZ, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Luc Buée
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, LabEx DISTALZ, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Laurence Ris
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Sylvain Gabriele
- Mechanobiology & Soft Matter Group, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
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23
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Ackermans NL, Varghese M, Wicinski B, Torres J, De Gasperi R, Pryor D, Elder GA, Gama Sosa MA, Reidenberg JS, Williams TM, Hof PR. Unconventional animal models for traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2463-2477. [PMID: 34255876 PMCID: PMC8596618 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the main causes of death worldwide. It is a complex injury that influences cellular physiology, causes neuronal cell death, and affects molecular pathways in the brain. This in turn can result in sensory, motor, and behavioral alterations that deeply impact the quality of life. Repetitive mild TBI can progress into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative condition linked to severe behavioral changes. While current animal models of TBI and CTE such as rodents, are useful to explore affected pathways, clinical findings therein have rarely translated into clinical applications, possibly because of the many morphofunctional differences between the model animals and humans. It is therefore important to complement these studies with alternative animal models that may better replicate the individuality of human TBI. Comparative studies in animals with naturally evolved brain protection such as bighorn sheep, woodpeckers, and whales, may provide preventive applications in humans. The advantages of an in-depth study of these unconventional animals are threefold. First, to increase knowledge of the often-understudied species in question; second, to improve common animal models based on the study of their extreme counterparts; and finally, to tap into a source of biological inspiration for comparative studies and translational applications in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Ackermans
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Merina Varghese
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bridget Wicinski
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua Torres
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rita De Gasperi
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- General Medical Research Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Dylan Pryor
- General Medical Research Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Gregory A Elder
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Neurology Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Miguel A Gama Sosa
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- General Medical Research Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Joy S Reidenberg
- Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Terrie M Williams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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24
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Wu YH, Rosset S, Lee TR, Dragunow M, Park T, Shim V. In Vitro Models of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review. J Neurotrauma 2021; 38:2336-2372. [PMID: 33563092 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2020.7402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health challenge that is also the third leading cause of death worldwide. It is also the leading cause of long-term disability in children and young adults worldwide. Despite a large body of research using predominantly in vivo and in vitro rodent models of brain injury, there is no medication that can reduce brain damage or promote brain repair mainly due to our lack of understanding in the mechanisms and pathophysiology of the TBI. The aim of this review is to examine in vitro TBI studies conducted from 2008-2018 to better understand the TBI in vitro model available in the literature. Specifically, our focus was to perform a detailed analysis of the in vitro experimental protocols used and their subsequent biological findings. Our review showed that the uniaxial stretch is the most frequently used way of load application, accounting for more than two-thirds of the studies reviewed. The rate and magnitude of the loading were varied significantly from study to study but can generally be categorized into mild, moderate, and severe injuries. The in vitro studies reviewed here examined key processes in TBI pathophysiology such as membrane disruptions leading to ionic dysregulation, inflammation, and the subsequent damages to the microtubules and axons, as well as cell death. Overall, the studies examined in this review contributed to the betterment of our understanding of TBI as a disease process. Yet, our review also revealed the areas where more work needs to be done such as: 1) diversification of load application methods that will include complex loading that mimics in vivo head impacts; 2) more widespread use of human brain cells, especially patient-matched human cells in the experimental set-up; and 3) need for building a more high-throughput system to be able to discover effective therapeutic targets for TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Han Wu
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Center for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Samuel Rosset
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tae-Rin Lee
- Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mike Dragunow
- Center for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Thomas Park
- Center for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Vickie Shim
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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25
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Braun NJ, Liao D, Alford PW. Orientation of neurites influences severity of mechanically induced tau pathology. Biophys J 2021; 120:3272-3282. [PMID: 34293301 PMCID: PMC8392125 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative disease associated with repeated traumatic brain injury (TBI). Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a tauopathy, in which cognitive decline is accompanied by the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles of the protein tau in patients' brains. We recently found that mechanical force alone can induce tau mislocalization to dendritic spines and loss of synaptic function in in vitro neuronal cultures with random cell organization. However, in the brain, neurons are highly aligned, so here we aimed to determine how neuronal organization influences early-stage tauopathy caused by mechanical injury. Using microfabricated cell culture constructs to control the growth of neurites and an in vitro simulated TBI device to apply controlled mechanical deformation, we found that neuronal orientation with respect to the direction of a uniaxial high-strain-rate stretch injury influences the degree of tau pathology in injured neurons. We found that a mechanical stretch applied parallel to the neurite alignment induces greater mislocalization of tau proteins to dendritic spines than does a stretch with the same strain applied perpendicular to the neurites. Synaptic function, characterized by the amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents, was similarly decreased in neurons with neurites aligned parallel to stretch, whereas in neurons aligned perpendicular to stretch, it had little to no functional loss. Experimental injury parameters (strain, strain rate, direction of stretch) were combined with a standard viscoelastic solid model to show that in our in vitro model, neurite work density during stretch correlates with tau mislocalization. These findings suggest that in a TBI, the magnitude of brain deformation is not wholly predictive of neurodegenerative consequences of TBI but that deformation relative to local neuronal architecture and the neurite mechanical energy during injury are better metrics for predicting trauma-induced tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dezhi Liao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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26
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Cai R, Wang Y, Huang Z, Zou Q, Pu Y, Yu C, Cai Z. Role of RhoA/ROCK signaling in Alzheimer's disease. Behav Brain Res 2021; 414:113481. [PMID: 34302876 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK), a serine/threonine kinase regulated by the small GTPase RhoA, is involved in regulating cell migration, proliferation, and survival. Numerous studies have shown that the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway can promote Alzheimer's disease (AD) occurrence. ROCK activation increases β-secretase activity and promotes amyloid-beta (Aβ) production; moreover, Aβ further activates ROCK. This is suggestive of a possible positive feedback role for Aβ and ROCK. Moreover, ROCK activation promotes the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and abnormal synaptic contraction. Additionally, ROCK activation can promote the neuroinflammatory response by activating microglia and astrocytes to release inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, ROCK is a promising drug target in AD; further, there is a need to elucidate the specific mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- RuoLan Cai
- Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563003, China; Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Chongqing, 400013, China; Department of Neurology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400013, China
| | - YangYang Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Chongqing, 400013, China; Department of Neurology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400013, China
| | - ZhenTing Huang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Chongqing, 400013, China; Department of Neurology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400013, China
| | - Qian Zou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Chongqing, 400013, China; Department of Neurology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400013, China
| | - YinShuang Pu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Chongqing, 400013, China; Department of Neurology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400013, China
| | - Changyin Yu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, China.
| | - Zhiyou Cai
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Chongqing, 400013, China; Department of Neurology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400013, China.
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27
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Madry H, Grässel S, Nöth U, Relja B, Bernstein A, Docheva D, Kauther MD, Katthagen JC, Bader R, van Griensven M, Wirtz DC, Raschke MJ, Huber-Lang M. The future of basic science in orthopaedics and traumatology: Cassandra or Prometheus? Eur J Med Res 2021; 26:56. [PMID: 34127057 PMCID: PMC8200553 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-021-00521-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Orthopaedic and trauma research is a gateway to better health and mobility, reflecting the ever-increasing and complex burden of musculoskeletal diseases and injuries in Germany, Europe and worldwide. Basic science in orthopaedics and traumatology addresses the complete organism down to the molecule among an entire life of musculoskeletal mobility. Reflecting the complex and intertwined underlying mechanisms, cooperative research in this field has discovered important mechanisms on the molecular, cellular and organ levels, which subsequently led to innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that reduced individual suffering as well as the burden on the society. However, research efforts are considerably threatened by economical pressures on clinicians and scientists, growing obstacles for urgently needed translational animal research, and insufficient funding. Although sophisticated science is feasible and realized in ever more individual research groups, a main goal of the multidisciplinary members of the Basic Science Section of the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery is to generate overarching structures and networks to answer to the growing clinical needs. The future of basic science in orthopaedics and traumatology can only be managed by an even more intensified exchange between basic scientists and clinicians while fuelling enthusiasm of talented junior scientists and clinicians. Prioritized future projects will master a broad range of opportunities from artificial intelligence, gene- and nano-technologies to large-scale, multi-centre clinical studies. Like Prometheus in the ancient Greek myth, transferring the elucidating knowledge from basic science to the real (clinical) world will reduce the individual suffering from orthopaedic diseases and trauma as well as their socio-economic impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henning Madry
- Institute of Experimental Orthopaedics and Osteoarthritis Research, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Grässel
- Experimental Orthopedics, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Nöth
- Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Evangelisches Waldkrankenhaus Berlin Spandau, Berlin, Germany
| | - Borna Relja
- Experimental Radiology, University Clinic for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Otto-Von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anke Bernstein
- G.E.R.N. Research Center for Tissue Replacement, Regeneration & Neogenesis, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical Center - Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Breisgau, Germany
| | - Denitsa Docheva
- Experimental Trauma Surgery, Department of Trauma Surgery, University Regensburg Medical Centre, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Max Daniel Kauther
- Department of Trauma-, Hand- and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jan Christoph Katthagen
- Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Rainer Bader
- Department of Orthopaedics, Research Lab for Biomechanics and Implant Technology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Martijn van Griensven
- Department of Cell Biology-Inspired Tissue Engineering, MERLN-Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Dieter C Wirtz
- Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hopsital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael J Raschke
- Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology (ITI), University Hospital Ulm, Helmholzstr. 8/1, Ulm, Germany.
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28
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Sayas CL, Ávila J. GSK-3 and Tau: A Key Duet in Alzheimer's Disease. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040721. [PMID: 33804962 PMCID: PMC8063930 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine kinase with a plethora of substrates. As a modulator of several cellular processes, GSK-3 has a central position in cell metabolism and signaling, with important roles both in physiological and pathological conditions. GSK-3 has been associated with a number of human disorders, such as neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). GSK-3 contributes to the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, the main component of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), one of the hallmarks of AD. GSK-3 is further involved in the regulation of different neuronal processes that are dysregulated during AD pathogenesis, such as the generation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide or Aβ-induced cell death, axonal transport, cholinergic function, and adult neurogenesis or synaptic function. In this review, we will summarize recent data about GSK-3 involvement in these processes contributing to AD pathology, mostly focusing on the crucial interplay between GSK-3 and tau protein. We further discuss the current development of potential AD therapies targeting GSK-3 or GSK-3-phosphorylated tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Laura Sayas
- Instituto de Tecnologías Biomédicas (ITB), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), 38200 Tenerife, Spain
- Correspondence: (C.L.S.); (J.A.)
| | - Jesús Ávila
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) y la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Valderrebollo 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (C.L.S.); (J.A.)
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