1
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Nguyen DLB, Okolicsanyi RK, Haupt LM. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans: Mediators of cellular and molecular Alzheimer's disease pathogenic factors via tunnelling nanotubes? Mol Cell Neurosci 2024; 129:103936. [PMID: 38750678 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2024.103936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurological disorders impact around one billion individuals globally (15 % approx.), with significant implications for disability and mortality with their impact in Australia currently amounts to 6.8 million deaths annually. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are complex extracellular molecules implicated in promoting Tau fibril formation resulting in Tau tangles, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). HSPG-Tau protein interactions contribute to various AD stages via aggregation, toxicity, and clearance, largely via interactions with the glypican 1 and syndecan 3 core proteins. The tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs) pathway is emerging as a facilitator of intercellular molecule transport, including Tau and Amyloid β proteins, across extensive distances. While current TNT-associated evidence primarily stems from cancer models, their role in Tau propagation and its effects on recipient cells remain unclear. This review explores the interplay of TNTs, HSPGs, and AD-related factors and proposes that HSPGs influence TNT formation in neurodegenerative conditions such as AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duy L B Nguyen
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Group, Genomics Research Centre, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 60 Musk Ave., Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Rachel K Okolicsanyi
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Group, Genomics Research Centre, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 60 Musk Ave., Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; ARC Training Centre for Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia
| | - Larisa M Haupt
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Group, Genomics Research Centre, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 60 Musk Ave., Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 60 Musk Ave., Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia; ARC Training Centre for Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia; Max Planck Queensland Centre for the Materials Sciences of Extracellular Matrices, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia.
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2
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Ferrer I. Historical review: The golden age of the Golgi method in human neuropathology. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024; 83:375-395. [PMID: 38622902 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae031] [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: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Golgi methods were used to study human neuropathology in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s of the last century. Although a relatively small number of laboratories applied these methods, their impact was crucial by increasing knowledge about: (1) the morphology, orientation, and localization of neurons in human cerebral and cerebellar malformations and ganglionic tumors, and (2) the presence of abnormal structures including large and thin spines (spine dysgenesis) in several disorders linked to mental retardation, focal enlargements of the axon hillock and dendrites (meganeurites) in neuronal storage diseases, growth cone-like appendages in Alzheimer disease, as well as abnormal structures in other dementias. Although there were initial concerns about their reliability, reduced dendritic branches and dendritic spines were identified as common alterations in mental retardation, dementia, and other pathological conditions. Similar observations in appropriate experimental models have supported many abnormalities that were first identified using Golgi methods in human material. Moreover, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, fluorescent tracers, and combined methods have proven the accuracy of pioneering observations uniquely visualized as 3D images of fully stained individual neurons. Although Golgi methods had their golden age many years ago, these methods may still be useful complementary tools in human neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isidro Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de LLobregat, Spain
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3
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Merino‐Serrais P, Plaza‐Alonso S, Hellal F, Valero‐Freitag S, Kastanauskaite A, Plesnila N, DeFelipe J. Structural changes of CA1 pyramidal neurons after stroke in the contralesional hippocampus. Brain Pathol 2024; 34:e13222. [PMID: 38012061 PMCID: PMC11007010 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13222] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Significant progress has been made with regard to understanding how the adult brain responds after a stroke. However, a large number of patients continue to suffer lifelong disabilities without adequate treatment. In the present study, we have analyzed possible microanatomical alterations in the contralesional hippocampus from the ischemic stroke mouse model tMCAo 12-14 weeks after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. After individually injecting Lucifer yellow into pyramidal neurons from the CA1 field of the hippocampus, we performed a detailed three-dimensional analysis of the neuronal complexity, dendritic spine density, and morphology. We found that, in both apical (stratum radiatum) and basal (stratum oriens) arbors, CA1 pyramidal neurons in the contralesional hippocampus of tMCAo mice have a significantly higher neuronal complexity, as well as reduced spine density and alterations in spine volume and spine length. Our results show that when the ipsilateral hippocampus is dramatically damaged, the contralesional hippocampus exhibits several statistically significant selective alterations. However, these alterations are not as significant as expected, which may help to explain the recovery of hippocampal function after stroke. Further anatomical and physiological studies are necessary to better understand the modifications in the "intact" contralesional lesioned brain regions, which are probably fundamental to recover functions after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Merino‐Serrais
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología BiomédicaUniversidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de SistemasInstituto Cajal, CSICMadridSpain
| | - Sergio Plaza‐Alonso
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología BiomédicaUniversidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de SistemasInstituto Cajal, CSICMadridSpain
| | - Farida Hellal
- Laboratory of Experimental Stroke Research, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich (LMU)MunichGermany
- iTERM, Helmholtz CenterMunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (Synergy)MunichGermany
| | - Susana Valero‐Freitag
- Laboratory of Experimental Stroke Research, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich (LMU)MunichGermany
| | - Asta Kastanauskaite
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología BiomédicaUniversidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de SistemasInstituto Cajal, CSICMadridSpain
| | - Nikolaus Plesnila
- Laboratory of Experimental Stroke Research, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich (LMU)MunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (Synergy)MunichGermany
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología BiomédicaUniversidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de SistemasInstituto Cajal, CSICMadridSpain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
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Meftah S, Cavallini A, Murray TK, Jankowski L, Bose S, Ashby MC, Brown JT, Witton J. Synaptic alterations associated with disrupted sensory encoding in a mouse model of tauopathy. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae134. [PMID: 38712321 PMCID: PMC11073755 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Synapse loss is currently the best biological correlate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Synapses seem to be highly vulnerable to tau-mediated disruption in neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, it is unclear how and when this leads to alterations in function related to the progression of tauopathy and neurodegeneration. We used the well-characterized rTg4510 mouse model of tauopathy at 5-6 months and 7-8 months of age, respectively, to study the functional impact of cortical synapse loss. The earlier age was used as a model of prodromal tauopathy, with the later age corresponding to more advanced tau pathology and presumed progression of neurodegeneration. Analysis of synaptic protein expression in the somatosensory cortex showed significant reductions in synaptic proteins and NMDA and AMPA receptor subunit expression in rTg4510 mice. Surprisingly, in vitro whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology from putative pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 of the somatosensory cortex suggested no functional alterations in layer 4 to layer 2/3 synaptic transmission at 5-6 months. From these same neurons, however, there were alterations in dendritic structure, with increased branching proximal to the soma in rTg4510 neurons. Therefore, in vivo whole-cell patch clamp recordings were utilized to investigate synaptic function and integration in putative pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 of the somatosensory cortex. These recordings revealed a significant increase in the peak response to synaptically driven sensory stimulation-evoked activity and a loss of temporal fidelity of the evoked signal to the input stimulus in rTg4510 neurons. Together, these data suggest that loss of synapses, changes in receptor expression and dendritic restructuring may lead to alterations in synaptic integration at a network level. Understanding these compensatory processes could identify targets to help delay symptomatic onset of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraya Meftah
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Annalisa Cavallini
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Tracey K Murray
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Lukasz Jankowski
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Suchira Bose
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Michael C Ashby
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Jonathan T Brown
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Jonathan Witton
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
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Cabrera-Álvarez J, Stefanovski L, Martin L, Susi G, Maestú F, Ritter P. A Multiscale Closed-Loop Neurotoxicity Model of Alzheimer's Disease Progression Explains Functional Connectivity Alterations. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0345-23.2023. [PMID: 38565295 PMCID: PMC11026343 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0345-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated-tau (hp-tau) are two classical histopathological biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, their detailed interactions with the electrophysiological changes at the meso- and macroscale are not yet fully understood. We developed a mechanistic multiscale model of AD progression, linking proteinopathy to its effects on neural activity and vice-versa. We integrated a heterodimer model of prion-like protein propagation and a brain network model of Jansen-Rit neural masses derived from human neuroimaging data whose parameters varied due to neurotoxicity. Results showed that changes in inhibition guided the electrophysiological alterations found in AD, and these changes were mainly attributed to Aβ effects. Additionally, we found a causal disconnection between cellular hyperactivity and interregional hypersynchrony contrary to previous beliefs. Finally, we demonstrated that early Aβ and hp-tau depositions' location determine the spatiotemporal profile of the proteinopathy. The presented model combines the molecular effects of both Aβ and hp-tau together with a mechanistic protein propagation model and network effects within a closed-loop model. This holds the potential to enlighten the interplay between AD mechanisms on various scales, aiming to develop and test novel hypotheses on the contribution of different AD-related variables to the disease evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Cabrera-Álvarez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón 28223, Spain
- Centre for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Leon Stefanovski
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Brain Simulation Section, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Leon Martin
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Brain Simulation Section, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Gianluca Susi
- Centre for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
- Department of Structure of Matter, Thermal Physics and Electronics, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Fernando Maestú
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón 28223, Spain
- Centre for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Petra Ritter
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Brain Simulation Section, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Berlin 10115, Germany
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6
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Jin M, Wang S, Gao X, Zou Z, Hirotsune S, Sun L. Pathological and physiological functional cross-talks of α-synuclein and tau in the central nervous system. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:855-862. [PMID: 37843221 PMCID: PMC10664117 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.382231] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein and tau are abundant multifunctional brain proteins that are mainly expressed in the presynaptic and axonal compartments of neurons, respectively. Previous works have revealed that intracellular deposition of α-synuclein and/or tau causes many neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Despite intense investigation, the normal physiological functions and roles of α-synuclein and tau are still unclear, owing to the fact that mice with knockout of either of these proteins do not present apparent phenotypes. Interestingly, the co-occurrence of α-synuclein and tau aggregates was found in post-mortem brains with synucleinopathies and tauopathies, some of which share similarities in clinical manifestations. Furthermore, the direct interaction of α-synuclein with tau is considered to promote the fibrillization of each of the proteins in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand, our recent findings have revealed that α-synuclein and tau are cooperatively involved in brain development in a stage-dependent manner. These findings indicate strong cross-talk between the two proteins in physiology and pathology. In this review, we provide a summary of the recent findings on the functional roles of α-synuclein and tau in the physiological conditions and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. A deep understanding of the interplay between α-synuclein and tau in physiological and pathological conditions might provide novel targets for clinical diagnosis and therapeutic strategies to treat neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Jin
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shengming Wang
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Xiaodie Gao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zhenyou Zou
- Department of Scientific Research, Brain Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Shinji Hirotsune
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Liyuan Sun
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
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7
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Wang Z, Liu A, Yu J, Wang P, Bi Y, Xue S, Zhang J, Guo H, Zhang W. The effect of aperiodic components in distinguishing Alzheimer's disease from frontotemporal dementia. GeroScience 2024; 46:751-768. [PMID: 38110590 PMCID: PMC10828513 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-01041-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Distinguishing between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) presents a clinical challenge. Inexpensive and accessible techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) are increasingly being used to address this challenge. In particular, the potential relevance between aperiodic components of EEG activity and these disorders has gained interest as our understanding evolves. This study aims to determine the differences in aperiodic activity between AD and FTD and evaluate its potential for distinguishing between the two disorders. A total of 88 participants, including 36 patients with AD, 23 patients with FTD, and 29 healthy controls (CN) underwent cognitive assessment and scalp EEG acquisition. Neuronal power spectra were parameterized to decompose the EEG spectrum, enabling comparison of group differences in different components. A support vector machine was employed to assess the impact of aperiodic parameters on the differential diagnosis. Compared with the CN group, both the AD and FTD groups showed varying degrees of increased alpha power (both periodic and raw power) and theta alpha power ratio. At the channel level, theta power (both periodic and raw power) in the frontal regions was higher in the AD group compared to the FTD group, and aperiodic parameters (both exponents and offsets) in the frontal, temporal, central, and parietal regions were higher in the AD group than in the FTD group. Importantly, the inclusion of aperiodic parameters led to improved performance in distinguishing between the two disorders. These findings highlight the significance of aperiodic components in discriminating dementia-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuyong Wang
- Neurosurgery Center, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China On Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Middle Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, People's Republic of China
| | - Anyang Liu
- Neurosurgery Center, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China On Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Middle Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianshen Yu
- Neurosurgery Center, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China On Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Middle Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, People's Republic of China
| | - Pengfei Wang
- Neurosurgery Center, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China On Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Middle Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuewei Bi
- Neurosurgery Center, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China On Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Middle Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, People's Republic of China
| | - Sha Xue
- Neurosurgery Center, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China On Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Middle Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiajun Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Computational Science, School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hongbo Guo
- Neurosurgery Center, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China On Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Middle Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wangming Zhang
- Neurosurgery Center, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China On Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Middle Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Alexander C, Parsaee A, Vasefi M. Polyherbal and Multimodal Treatments: Kaempferol- and Quercetin-Rich Herbs Alleviate Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1453. [PMID: 37998052 PMCID: PMC10669725 DOI: 10.3390/biology12111453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder impairing cognition and memory in the elderly. This disorder has a complex etiology, including senile plaque and neurofibrillary tangle formation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and damaged neuroplasticity. Current treatment options are limited, so alternative treatments such as herbal medicine could suppress symptoms while slowing cognitive decline. We followed PRISMA guidelines to identify potential herbal treatments, their associated medicinal phytochemicals, and the potential mechanisms of these treatments. Common herbs, including Ginkgo biloba, Camellia sinensis, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Cyperus rotundus, and Buplerum falcatum, produced promising pre-clinical results. These herbs are rich in kaempferol and quercetin, flavonoids with a polyphenolic structure that facilitate multiple mechanisms of action. These mechanisms include the inhibition of Aβ plaque formation, a reduction in tau hyperphosphorylation, the suppression of oxidative stress, and the modulation of BDNF and PI3K/AKT pathways. Using pre-clinical findings from quercetin research and the comparatively limited data on kaempferol, we proposed that kaempferol ameliorates the neuroinflammatory state, maintains proper cellular function, and restores pro-neuroplastic signaling. In this review, we discuss the anti-AD mechanisms of quercetin and kaempferol and their limitations, and we suggest a potential alternative treatment for AD. Our findings lead us to conclude that a polyherbal kaempferol- and quercetin-rich cocktail could treat AD-related brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Alexander
- Department of Biology, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX 77705, USA
| | - Ali Parsaee
- Biological Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Maryam Vasefi
- Department of Biology, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX 77705, USA
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Emmerson JT, Malcolm JC, Do Carmo S, Nguyen P, Breuillaud L, Martinez-Trujillo JC, Cuello AC. Neuronal loss and inflammation preceding fibrillary tau pathology in a rat model with early human-like tauopathy. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 187:106317. [PMID: 37802153 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the microtubule associated protein tau undergoes conformational and posttranslational modifications in a gradual, staged pathological process. While brain atrophy and cognitive decline are well-established in the advanced stages of tauopathy, it is unclear how the early pathological processes manifest prior to extensive neurodegeneration. For these studies we have applied a transgenic rat model of human-like tauopathy in its heterozygous form, named McGill-R955-hTau. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether lifelong accumulation of mutated human tau could reveal the earliest tau pathological processes in a context of advanced aging, and, at stages before the overt aggregated or fibrillary tau deposition. We characterized the phenotype of heterozygous R955-hTau rats at three endpoints, 10, 18 and 24-26 months of age, focusing on markers of cognitive capabilities, progressive tau pathology, neuronal health, neuroinflammation and brain ultrastructural integrity, using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Heterozygous R955-hTau transgenic rats feature a modest, life-long accumulation of mutated human tau that led to tau hyperphosphorylation and produced deficits in learning and memory tasks after 24 months of age. Such impairments coincided with more extensive tau hyperphosphorylation in the brain at residues pThr231 and with evidence of oligomerization. Importantly, aged R955-hTau rats presented evidence of neuroinflammation, detriments to myelin morphology and detectable hippocampal neuronal loss in the absence of overt neurofibrillary lesions and brain atrophy. The slow-progressing tauopathy of R955-hTau rats should allow to better delineate the temporal progression of tau pathological events and therefore to distinguish early indicators of tauopathy as having the capability to induce degenerative events in the aged CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Emmerson
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Janice C Malcolm
- Department of Cell Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Sonia Do Carmo
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Phuoc Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Lionel Breuillaud
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Julio C Martinez-Trujillo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute and Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, ON N6A 5B7, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada; Department of Cell Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C7, Canada; Visiting Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK, OX1 3QT.
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10
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Stein-O’Brien GL, Palaganas R, Meyer EM, Redding-Ochoa J, Pletnikova O, Guo H, Bell WR, Troncoso JC, Huganir RL, Morris M. Transcriptional Signatures of Hippocampal Tau Pathology in Primary Age-Related Tauopathy and Alzheimer's Disease. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.12.23295440. [PMID: 37745408 PMCID: PMC10516095 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.12.23295440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Background Tau pathology is common in age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Tau pathology in primary age-related tauopathy (PART) and in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a similar biochemical structure and anatomic distribution, which is distinct from tau pathology in other diseases. However, the molecular changes associated with intraneuronal tau pathology in PART and AD, and whether these changes are similar in the two diseases, is largely unexplored. Methods Using GeoMx spatial transcriptomics, mRNA was quantified in CA1 pyramidal neurons with tau pathology and adjacent neurons without tau pathology in 6 cases of PART and 6 cases of AD, and compared to 4 control cases without pathology. Transcriptional changes were analyzed for differential gene expression and for coordinated patterns of gene expression associated with both disease state and intraneuronal tau pathology. Results Synaptic gene changes and two novel gene expression signatures associated with intraneuronal tau were identified in PART and AD. Overall, gene expression changes associated with intraneuronal tau pathology were similar in PART and AD. Synaptic gene expression was decreased overall in neurons in AD and PART compared to control cases. However, this decrease was largely driven by neurons lacking tau pathology. Synaptic gene expression was increased in tau-positive neurons compared to tau-negative neurons in disease. Two novel gene expression signatures associated with intraneuronal tau were identified by examining coordinated patterns of gene expression. Genes in the up-regulated expression pattern were enriched in calcium regulation and synaptic function pathways, specifically in synaptic exocytosis. These synaptic gene changes and intraneuronal tau expression signatures were confirmed in a published transcriptional dataset of cortical neurons with tau pathology in AD. Conclusions PART and AD show similar transcriptional changes associated with intraneuronal tau pathology in CA1 pyramidal neurons, raising the possibility of a mechanistic relationship between the tau pathology in the two diseases. Intraneuronal tau pathology was also associated with increased expression of genes associated with synaptic function and calcium regulation compared to tau-negative disease neurons. The findings highlight the power of molecular analysis stratified by pathology in neurodegenerative disease and provide novel insight into common molecular pathways associated with intraneuronal tau in PART and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve L Stein-O’Brien
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Single Cell Training and Analysis Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ryan Palaganas
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ernest M. Meyer
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Cytometry Facility, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Javier Redding-Ochoa
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Olga Pletnikova
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Haidan Guo
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - William R Bell
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Juan C Troncoso
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Richard L Huganir
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Baltimore, MD
| | - Meaghan Morris
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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11
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Colom-Cadena M, Davies C, Sirisi S, Lee JE, Simzer EM, Tzioras M, Querol-Vilaseca M, Sánchez-Aced É, Chang YY, Holt K, McGeachan RI, Rose J, Tulloch J, Wilkins L, Smith C, Andrian T, Belbin O, Pujals S, Horrocks MH, Lleó A, Spires-Jones TL. Synaptic oligomeric tau in Alzheimer's disease - A potential culprit in the spread of tau pathology through the brain. Neuron 2023; 111:2170-2183.e6. [PMID: 37192625 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, fibrillar tau pathology accumulates and spreads through the brain and synapses are lost. Evidence from mouse models indicates that tau spreads trans-synaptically from pre- to postsynapses and that oligomeric tau is synaptotoxic, but data on synaptic tau in human brain are scarce. Here we used sub-diffraction-limit microscopy to study synaptic tau accumulation in postmortem temporal and occipital cortices of human Alzheimer's and control donors. Oligomeric tau is present in pre- and postsynaptic terminals, even in areas without abundant fibrillar tau deposition. Furthermore, there is a higher proportion of oligomeric tau compared with phosphorylated or misfolded tau found at synaptic terminals. These data suggest that accumulation of oligomeric tau in synapses is an early event in pathogenesis and that tau pathology may progress through the brain via trans-synaptic spread in human disease. Thus, specifically reducing oligomeric tau at synapses may be a promising therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martí Colom-Cadena
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caitlin Davies
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sònia Sirisi
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ji-Eun Lee
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4 UU Edinburgh, UK
| | - Elizabeth M Simzer
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Makis Tzioras
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marta Querol-Vilaseca
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Érika Sánchez-Aced
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ya Yin Chang
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kristjan Holt
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Robert I McGeachan
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jamie Rose
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lewis Wilkins
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Sudden Death Brain Bank, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Teodora Andrian
- Nanoscopy for Nanomedicine Lab, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olivia Belbin
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sílvia Pujals
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mathew H Horrocks
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4 UU Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alberto Lleó
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
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12
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Telser J, Grossmann K, Wohlwend N, Risch L, Saely CH, Werner P. Phosphorylated tau in Alzheimer's disease. Adv Clin Chem 2023; 116:31-111. [PMID: 37852722 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2023.05.001] [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: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
There is a need for blood biomarkers to detect individuals at different Alzheimer's disease (AD) stages because obtaining cerebrospinal fluid-based biomarkers is invasive and costly. Plasma phosphorylated tau proteins (p-tau) have shown potential as such biomarkers. This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and aimed to determine whether quantification of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (p-tau181), threonine 217 (p-tau217) and threonine 231 (p-tau231) is informative in the diagnosis of AD. All p-tau isoforms increase as a function of Aβ-accumulation and discriminate healthy individuals from those at preclinical AD stages with high accuracy. P-tau231 increases earliest, followed by p-tau181 and p-tau217. In advanced stages, all p-tau isoforms are associated with the clinical classification of AD and increase with disease severity, with the greatest increase seen for p-tau217. This is also reflected by a better correlation of p-tau217 with Aβ scans, whereas both, p-tau217 and p-tau181 correlated equally with tau scans. However, at the very advanced stages, p-tau181 begins to plateau, which may mirror the trajectory of the Aβ pathology and indicate an association with a more intermediate risk of AD. Across the AD continuum, the incremental increase in all biomarkers is associated with structural changes in widespread brain regions and underlying cognitive decline. Furthermore, all isoforms differentiate AD from non-AD neurodegenerative disorders, making them specific for AD. Incorporating p-tau181, p-tau217 and p-tau231 in clinical use requires further studies to examine ideal cut-points and harmonize assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Telser
- Faculty of Medical Science, Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein, Triesen, Liechtenstein; Laboratory Dr. Risch, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
| | - Kirsten Grossmann
- Faculty of Medical Science, Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein, Triesen, Liechtenstein; Laboratory Dr. Risch, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
| | - Niklas Wohlwend
- Laboratory Dr. Risch, Vaduz, Liechtenstein; Department of Internal Medicine Spital Grabs, Spitalregion Rheintal Werdenberg Sarganserland, Grabs, Switzerland
| | - Lorenz Risch
- Faculty of Medical Science, Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein, Triesen, Liechtenstein; Laboratory Dr. Risch, Vaduz, Liechtenstein; University Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital and University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christoph H Saely
- Faculty of Medical Science, Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein, Triesen, Liechtenstein; Vorarlberg Institute for Vascular Investigation and Treatment (VIVIT), Feldkirch, Austria
| | - Philipp Werner
- Department of Neurology, State Hospital of Rankweil, Academic Teaching Hospital, Rankweil, Austria.
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13
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Weston PSJ, Coath W, Harris MJ, Malone IB, Dickson J, Aigbirhio FI, Cash DM, Zhang H, Schott JM. Cortical tau is associated with microstructural imaging biomarkers of neurite density and dendritic complexity in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:2750-2754. [PMID: 36932979 PMCID: PMC10614698 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In Alzheimer's disease (AD), hyperphosphorylated tau is closely associated with focal neurodegeneration, but the mechanism remains uncertain. METHODS We quantified cortical microstructure using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging in 14 individuals with young onset AD. Diffusion tensor imaging measured mean diffusivity (MD). Amyloid beta and tau positron emission tomography were acquired and associations with microstructural measures were assessed. RESULTS When regional volume was adjusted for, in the medial temporal lobe there was a significant negative association between neurite density and tau (partial R2 = 0.56, p = 0.008) and between orientation dispersion and tau (partial R2 = 0.66, p = 0.002), but not between MD and tau. In a wider cortical composite, there was an association between orientation dispersion and tau (partial R2 = 0.43, p = 0.030), but not between other measures and tau. DISCUSSION Our findings are consistent with tau causing first dendritic pruning (reducing dispersion/complexity) followed by neuronal loss. Advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) microstructural measures have the potential to provide information relating to underlying tau deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip S. J. Weston
- The Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCLUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - William Coath
- The Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
| | - Matthew J. Harris
- The Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
| | - Ian B. Malone
- The Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
| | - John Dickson
- Institute of Nuclear MedicineUniversity College London HospitalsLondonUK
| | - Franklin I. Aigbirhio
- Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Wolfson Brain Imaging CentreUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - David M. Cash
- The Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Computer Science and Centre for Medical Image ComputingUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jonathan M. Schott
- The Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
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14
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Özdemir Ç, Arslan M, Küçük A, Yığman Z, Dursun AD. Therapeutic Efficacy of Boric Acid Treatment on Brain Tissue and Cognitive Functions in Rats with Experimental Alzheimer's Disease. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:1453-1462. [PMID: 37220543 PMCID: PMC10200114 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s405963] [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: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Oxidative stress has an important role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common type of dementia. Boric acid (BA) contributes significantly to the protection of the brain by reducing lipid peroxidation and supporting antioxidant defense. We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of BA treatment in AD rats. Materials and Methods Four groups were formed as Control (C), Alzheimer's (A), Alzheimer's + Boric acid (ABA), Boric acid (BA). Intracerebroventricular injection of Streptozotocin (STZ) was preferred to create an AD. After 4 weeks, BA was applied 3 times every other day. The Radial Arm Maze Test (RAMT) was used to evaluate memory and learning abilities. Biochemical and histopathological evaluations were made in the hippocampus. Results Initial RAMT inlet/outlet (I/O) numbers were similar. Two weeks after STZ injection, I/O numbers decreased in group A and ABA compared to group C and BA (p<0.05). After the second BA application, I/O numbers increased in the ABA group compared to the A group (p<0.05). In group A, PON-1, TOS and OSI levels were higher and TAS levels were lower than in groups BA and C. After BA treatment, PON-1 and OSI levels were lower in the ABA group than in the A group (p<0.05). Although there was an increase in TAS value and a decrease in TOS, this did not make a statistical difference. The thickness of the pyramidal cell in CA1 and the granular cell layers in the dentate gyrus, and the number of intact and degenerated neurons in the pyramidal cell layer were similar between the groups. Discussion Significant improvement in learning and memory abilities after BA application is promising for AD. Conclusion These results show that BA application positively affects learning and memory abilities, and reduces oxidative stress. More extensive studies are required to evaluate histopathological efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Çağrı Özdemir
- Mamak State Hospital Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Arslan
- Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Ankara, Turkey
- Gazi University, Life Sciences Application and Research Center, Ankara, Turkey
- Gazi University, Laboratory Animal Breeding and Experimental Research Center (GÜDAM), Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ayşegül Küçük
- Kutahya Health Sciences University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Kutahya, Turkey
| | - Zeynep Yığman
- Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Ankara, Turkey
- Gazi University Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Center of Excellence (NÖROM), Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ali Doğan Dursun
- Atılım University Faculty of Medicine Department of Physiology, Ankara, Turkey
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15
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Tapia-Monsalves C, Olesen MA, Villavicencio-Tejo F, Quintanilla RA. Cyclosporine A (CsA) prevents synaptic impairment caused by truncated tau by caspase-3. Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 125:103861. [PMID: 37182572 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
During Alzheimer's (AD), tau protein suffers from abnormal post-translational modifications, including cleaving by caspase-3. These tau forms affect synaptic plasticity contributing to the cognitive decline observed in the early stages of AD. In addition, caspase-3 cleaved tau (TauC3) impairs mitochondrial dynamics and organelles transport, which are both relevant processes for synapse. We recently showed that the absence of tau expression reverts age-associated cognitive and mitochondrial failure by blocking the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). mPTP is a mitochondrial complex involved in calcium regulation and apoptosis. Therefore, we studied the effects of TauC3 against the dendritic spine and synaptic vesicle formation and the possible role of mPTP in these alterations. We used mature hippocampal mice neurons to express a reporter protein (GFP, mCherry), coupled to full-length human tau protein (GFP-T4, mCherry-T4), and coupled to human tau protein cleaved at D421 by caspase-3 (GFP-T4C3, mCherry-T4C3) and synaptic elements were evaluated. Treatment with cyclosporine A (CsA), an immunosuppressive drug with inhibitory activity on mPTP, prevented ROS increase and mitochondrial depolarization induced by TauC3 in hippocampal neurons. These results were corroborated with immortalized cortical neurons in which ROS increase and ATP loss induced by this tau form were prevented by CsA. Interestingly, TauC3 expression significantly reduced dendritic spine density (filopodia type) and synaptic vesicle number in hippocampal neurons. Also, neurons transfected with TauC3 showed a significant accumulation of synaptophysin protein in their soma. More importantly, all these synaptic alterations were prevented by CsA, suggesting an mPTP role in these negative changes derived from TauC3 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Tapia-Monsalves
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidad Autonoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Margrethe A Olesen
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidad Autonoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisca Villavicencio-Tejo
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidad Autonoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo A Quintanilla
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidad Autonoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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16
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Griffiths J, Grant SGN. Synapse pathology in Alzheimer's disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 139:13-23. [PMID: 35690535 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Synapse loss and damage are central features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and contribute to the onset and progression of its behavioural and physiological features. Here we review the literature describing synapse pathology in AD, from what we have learned from microscopy in terms of its impacts on synapse architecture, to the mechanistic role of Aβ, tau and glial cells, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the link with AD risk genes. We consider the emerging view that synapse pathology may operate at a further level, that of synapse diversity, and discuss the prospects for leveraging new synaptome mapping methods to comprehensively understand the molecular properties of vulnerable and resilient synapses. Uncovering AD impacts on brain synapse diversity should inform therapeutic approaches targeted at preserving or replenishing lost and damaged synapses and aid the interpretation of clinical imaging approaches that aim to measure synapse damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Griffiths
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Seth G N Grant
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.
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17
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Chakraborty P, Dey A, Gopalakrishnan AV, Swati K, Ojha S, Prakash A, Kumar D, Ambasta RK, Jha NK, Jha SK, Dewanjee S. Glutamatergic neurotransmission: A potential pharmacotherapeutic target for the treatment of cognitive disorders. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 85:101838. [PMID: 36610558 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In the mammalian brain, glutamate is regarded to be the primary excitatory neurotransmitter due to its widespread distribution and wide range of metabolic functions. Glutamate plays key roles in regulating neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, neurite outgrowth, and neuron survival in the brain. Ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, neurotransmitters, neurotensin, neurosteroids, and others co-ordinately formulate a complex glutamatergic network in the brain that maintains optimal excitatory neurotransmission. Cognitive activities are potentially synchronized by the glutamatergic activities in the brain via restoring synaptic plasticity. Dysfunctional glutamate receptors and other glutamatergic components are responsible for the aberrant glutamatergic activity in the brain that cause cognitive impairments, loss of synaptic plasticity, and neuronal damage. Thus, controlling the brain's glutamatergic transmission and modifying glutamate receptor function could be a potential therapeutic strategy for cognitive disorders. Certain drugs that regulate glutamate receptor activities have shown therapeutic promise in improving cognitive functions in preclinical and clinical studies. However, several issues regarding precise functional information of glutamatergic activity are yet to be comprehensively understood. The present article discusses the scope of developing glutamatergic systems as prospective pharmacotherapeutic targets to treat cognitive disorders. Special attention has been given to recent developments, challenges, and future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratik Chakraborty
- Advanced Pharmacognosy Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Abhijit Dey
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata 700073, West Bengal, India
| | - Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014, India
| | - Kumari Swati
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India
| | - Shreesh Ojha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anand Prakash
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India
| | - Dhruv Kumar
- School of Health Sciences & Technology, UPES University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India
| | - Rashmi K Ambasta
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University (Formerly DCE), Delhi 110042, India
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida 201310, UP, India; School of Bioengineering & Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India.
| | - Saurabh Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida 201310, UP, India; Department of Biotechnology Engineering and Food Technology, Chandigarh University, Mohali 140413, India; Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied & Life Sciences (SALS), Uttaranchal University, Dehradun 248007, India.
| | - Saikat Dewanjee
- Advanced Pharmacognosy Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India.
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18
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Chockanathan U, Padmanabhan K. From synapses to circuits and back: Bridging levels of understanding in animal models of Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:5564-5586. [PMID: 35244297 PMCID: PMC10926359 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by behavioural changes that include memory loss and cognitive decline and is associated with the appearance of amyloid-β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles throughout the brain. Although aspects of the disease percolate across multiple levels of neuronal organization, from the cellular to the behavioural, it is increasingly clear that circuits are a critical junction between the cellular pathology and the behavioural phenotypes that bookend these levels of analyses. In this review, we discuss critical aspects of neural circuit research, beginning with synapses and progressing to network activity and how they influence our understanding of disease processed in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udaysankar Chockanathan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Krishnan Padmanabhan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
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19
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Márquez-Valadez B, Rábano A, Llorens-Martín M. Progression of Alzheimer's disease parallels unusual structural plasticity of human dentate granule cells. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:125. [PMID: 36038918 PMCID: PMC9426249 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01431-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer´s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia in industrialized countries, severely targets the hippocampal formation in humans and mouse models of this condition. The adult hippocampus hosts the continuous addition of new dentate granule cells (DGCs) in numerous mammalian species, including humans. Although the morphology and positioning of DGCs within the granule cell layer (GCL) match their developmental origin in rodents, a similar correlation has not been reported in humans to date. Our data reveal that DGCs located in inner portions of the human GCL show shorter and less complex dendrites than those found in outer portions of this layer, which are presumably generated developmentally. Moreover, in AD patients, DGCs show early morphological alterations that are further aggravated as the disease progresses. An aberrantly increased number of DGCs with several primary apical dendrites is the first morphological change detected in patients at Braak-Tau I/II stages. This alteration persists throughout AD progression and leads to generalized dendritic atrophy at late stages of the disease. Our data reveal the distinct vulnerability of several morphological characteristics of DGCs located in the inner and outer portions of the GCL to AD and support the notion that the malfunction of the hippocampus is related to cognitive impairments in patients with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Márquez-Valadez
- Department of Molecular Neuropathology, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CBMSO), Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) (Campus de Cantoblanco), c/Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research On Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
| | - A Rábano
- Neuropathology Department, CIEN Foundation, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Llorens-Martín
- Department of Molecular Neuropathology, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CBMSO), Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) (Campus de Cantoblanco), c/Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research On Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
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20
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Walker CK, Greathouse KM, Liu E, Muhammad HM, Boros BD, Freeman CD, Seo JV, Herskowitz JH. Comparison of Golgi-Cox and Intracellular Loading of Lucifer Yellow for Dendritic Spine Density and Morphology Analysis in the Mouse Brain. Neuroscience 2022; 498:1-18. [PMID: 35752428 PMCID: PMC9420811 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small protrusions on dendrites that serve as the postsynaptic site of the majority of excitatory synapses. These structures are important for normal synaptic transmission, and alterations in their density and morphology have been documented in various disease states. Over 130 years ago, Ramón y Cajal used Golgi-stained tissue sections to study dendritic morphology. Despite the array of technological advances, including iontophoretic microinjection of Lucifer yellow (LY) fluorescent dye, Golgi staining continues to be one of the most popular approaches to visualize dendritic spines. Here, we compared dendritic spine density and morphology among pyramidal neurons in layers 2/3 of the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA1 using three-dimensional digital reconstructions of (1) brightfield microscopy z-stacks of Golgi-impregnated dendrites and (2) confocal microscopy z-stacks of LY-filled dendrites. Analysis of spine density revealed that the LY microinjection approach enabled detection of approximately three times as many spines as the Golgi staining approach in both brain regions. Spine volume measurements were larger using Golgi staining compared to LY microinjection in both mPFC and CA1. Spine length was mostly comparable between techniques in both regions. In the mPFC, head diameter was similar for Golgi staining and LY microinjection. However, in CA1, head diameter was approximately 50% smaller on LY-filled dendrites compared to Golgi staining. These results indicate that Golgi staining and LY microinjection yield different spine density and morphology measurements, with Golgi staining failing to detect dendritic spines and overestimating spine size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney K Walker
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Kelsey M Greathouse
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Evan Liu
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Hamad M Muhammad
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Benjamin D Boros
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Cameron D Freeman
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Jung Vin Seo
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Jeremy H Herskowitz
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
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21
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Pyramidal cell axon initial segment in Alzheimer´s disease. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8722. [PMID: 35610289 PMCID: PMC9130508 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12700-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS) is a region of the neuron that is critical for action potential generation as well as for the regulation of neural activity. This specialized structure-characterized by the expression of different types of ion channels as well as adhesion, scaffolding and cytoskeleton proteins-is subjected to morpho-functional plastic changes in length and position upon variations in neural activity or in pathological conditions. In the present study, using immunocytochemistry with the AT8 antibody (phospho-tau S202/T205) and 3D confocal microscopy reconstruction techniques in brain tissue from Alzheimer's disease patients, we found that around half of the cortical pyramidal neurons with hyperphosphorylated tau showed changes in AIS length and position in comparison with AT8-negative neurons from the same cortical layers. We observed a wide variety of AIS alterations in neurons with hyperphosphorylated tau, although the most common changes were a proximal shift or a lengthening of the AISs. Similar results were found in neocortical tissue from non-demented cases with neurons containing hyperphosphorylated tau. These findings support the notion that the accumulation of phospho-tau is associated with structural alterations of the AIS that are likely to have an impact on normal neuronal activity, which might contribute to neuronal dysfunction in AD.
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22
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Schmidt S, Holzer M, Arendt T, Sonntag M, Morawski M. Tau Protein Modulates Perineuronal Extracellular Matrix Expression in the TauP301L-acan Mouse Model. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12040505. [PMID: 35454094 PMCID: PMC9027016 DOI: 10.3390/biom12040505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau mutations promote the formation of tau oligomers and filaments, which are neuropathological signs of several tau-associated dementias. Types of neurons in the CNS are spared of tau pathology and are surrounded by a specialized form of extracellular matrix; called perineuronal nets (PNs). Aggrecan, the major PN proteoglycans, is suggested to mediate PNs neuroprotective function by forming an external shield preventing the internalization of misfolded tau. We recently demonstrated a correlation between aggrecan amount and the expression and phosphorylation of tau in a TauP310L-acan mouse model, generated by crossbreeding heterozygous aggrecan mice with a significant reduction of aggrecan and homozygous TauP301L mice. Neurodegenerative processes have been associated with changes of PN structure and protein signature. In this study, we hypothesized that the structure and protein expression of PNs in this TauP310L-acan mouse is regulated by tau. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses demonstrate that protein levels of PN components differ between TauP301LHET-acanWT and TauP301LHET-acanHET mice, accompanied by changes in the expression of protein phosphatase 2 A. In addition, tau can modulate PN components such as brevican. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed a physical connection between PN components and tau. These data demonstrate a complex, mutual interrelation of tau and the proteoglycans of the PN.
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23
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Vidaurre-Gallart I, Fernaud-Espinosa I, Cosmin-Toader N, Talavera-Martínez L, Martin-Abadal M, Benavides-Piccione R, Gonzalez-Cid Y, Pastor L, DeFelipe J, García-Lorenzo M. A Deep Learning-Based Workflow for Dendritic Spine Segmentation. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:817903. [PMID: 35370569 PMCID: PMC8967951 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.817903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The morphological analysis of dendritic spines is an important challenge for the neuroscientific community. Most state-of-the-art techniques rely on user-supervised algorithms to segment the spine surface, especially those designed for light microscopy images. Therefore, processing large dendritic branches is costly and time-consuming. Although deep learning (DL) models have become one of the most commonly used tools in image segmentation, they have not yet been successfully applied to this problem. In this article, we study the feasibility of using DL models to automatize spine segmentation from confocal microscopy images. Supervised learning is the most frequently used method for training DL models. This approach requires large data sets of high-quality segmented images (ground truth). As mentioned above, the segmentation of microscopy images is time-consuming and, therefore, in most cases, neuroanatomists only reconstruct relevant branches of the stack. Additionally, some parts of the dendritic shaft and spines are not segmented due to dyeing problems. In the context of this research, we tested the most successful architectures in the DL biomedical segmentation field. To build the ground truth, we used a large and high-quality data set, according to standards in the field. Nevertheless, this data set is not sufficient to train convolutional neural networks for accurate reconstructions. Therefore, we implemented an automatic preprocessing step and several training strategies to deal with the problems mentioned above. As shown by our results, our system produces a high-quality segmentation in most cases. Finally, we integrated several postprocessing user-supervised algorithms in a graphical user interface application to correct any possible artifacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabel Fernaud-Espinosa
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Miguel Martin-Abadal
- Departament de Matemàtiques i Informàtica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
| | - Ruth Benavides-Piccione
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ruth Benavides-Piccione
| | - Yolanda Gonzalez-Cid
- Departament de Matemàtiques i Informàtica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
- E-Health and Multidisciplinary Telemedicine Through Cyber-Physical Intelligent Systems, IdISBa, Palma, Spain
| | - Luis Pastor
- VG-LAB, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain
- Research Center for Computational Simulation (CCS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcos García-Lorenzo
- VG-LAB, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain
- Research Center for Computational Simulation (CCS), Madrid, Spain
- Marcos García-Lorenzo
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24
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Luján R, Merchán-Pérez A, Soriano J, Martín-Belmonte A, Aguado C, Alfaro-Ruiz R, Moreno-Martínez AE, DeFelipe J. Neuron Class and Target Variability in the Three-Dimensional Localization of SK2 Channels in Hippocampal Neurons as Detected by Immunogold FIB-SEM. Front Neuroanat 2022; 15:781314. [PMID: 34975419 PMCID: PMC8715088 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.781314] [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: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels are crucial for learning and memory. However, many aspects of their spatial organization in neurons are still unknown. In this study, we have taken a novel approach to answering these questions combining a pre-embedding immunogold labeling with an automated dual-beam electron microscope that integrates focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM) to gather 3D map ultrastructural and biomolecular information simultaneously. Using this new approach, we evaluated the number and variability in the density of extrasynaptic SK2 channels in 3D reconstructions from six dendritic segments of excitatory neurons and six inhibitory neurons present in the stratum radiatum of the CA1 region of the mouse. SK2 immunoparticles were observed throughout the surface of hippocampal neurons, either scattered or clustered, as well as at intracellular sites. Quantitative volumetric evaluations revealed that the extrasynaptic SK2 channel density in spines was seven times higher than in dendritic shafts and thirty-five times higher than in interneurons. Spines showed a heterogeneous population of SK2 expression, some spines having a high SK2 content, others having a low content and others lacking SK2 channels. SK2 immunonegative spines were significantly smaller than those immunopositive. These results show that SK2 channel density differs between excitatory and inhibitory neurons and demonstrates a large variability in the density of SK2 channels in spines. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SK2 expression was associated with excitatory synapses, but not with inhibitory synapses in CA1 pyramidal cells. Consequently, regulation of excitability and synaptic plasticity by SK2 channels is expected to be neuron class- and target-specific. These data show that immunogold FIB/SEM represent a new powerful EM tool to correlate structure and function of ion channels with nanoscale resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Luján
- Synaptic Structure Laboratory, Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades Neurológicas (IDINE), Departamento de Ciencias Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Angel Merchán-Pérez
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquim Soriano
- CRIB-Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Alejandro Martín-Belmonte
- Synaptic Structure Laboratory, Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades Neurológicas (IDINE), Departamento de Ciencias Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Carolina Aguado
- Synaptic Structure Laboratory, Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades Neurológicas (IDINE), Departamento de Ciencias Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Rocío Alfaro-Ruiz
- Synaptic Structure Laboratory, Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades Neurológicas (IDINE), Departamento de Ciencias Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Ana Esther Moreno-Martínez
- Synaptic Structure Laboratory, Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades Neurológicas (IDINE), Departamento de Ciencias Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Cajal (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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25
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Kong Y, Zhang S, Huang L, Zhang C, Xie F, Zhang Z, Huang Q, Jiang D, Li J, Zhou W, Hua T, Sun B, Wang J, Guan Y. Positron Emission Computed Tomography Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:731114. [PMID: 34795573 PMCID: PMC8593388 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.731114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder seen in age-dependent dementia. There is currently no effective treatment for AD, which may be attributed in part to lack of a clear underlying mechanism. Early diagnosis of AD is of great significance to control the development of the disease. Synaptic loss is an important pathology in the early stage of AD, therefore the measurement of synaptic density using molecular imaging technology may be an effective way to early diagnosis of AD. Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) is located in the presynaptic vesicle membrane of virtually all synapses. SV2A Positron Emission Computed Tomography (PET) could provide a way to measure synaptic density quantitatively in living humans and to track changes in synaptic density in AD. In view of the fact that synaptic loss is the pathology of both epilepsy and AD, this review summarizes the potential role of SV2A in the pathogenesis of AD, and suggests that SV2A should be used as an important target molecule of PET imaging agent for the early diagnosis of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Kong
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shibo Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Huang
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chencheng Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Xie
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengwei Zhang
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Huang
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Donglang Jiang
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junpeng Li
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiyan Zhou
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Hua
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bomin Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yihui Guan
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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26
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Trujillo-Estrada L, Vanderklish PW, Nguyen MMT, Kuang RR, Nguyen C, Huynh E, da Cunha C, Javonillo DI, Forner S, Martini AC, Sarraf ST, Simmon VF, Baglietto-Vargas D, LaFerla FM. SPG302 Reverses Synaptic and Cognitive Deficits Without Altering Amyloid or Tau Pathology in a Transgenic Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:2468-2483. [PMID: 34738197 PMCID: PMC8804111 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01143-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is conceptualized as a synaptic failure disorder in which loss of glutamatergic synapses is a major driver of cognitive decline. Thus, novel therapeutic strategies aimed at regenerating synapses may represent a promising approach to mitigate cognitive deficits in AD patients. At present, no disease-modifying drugs exist for AD, and approved therapies are palliative at best, lacking in the ability to reverse the synaptic failure. Here, we tested the efficacy of a novel synaptogenic small molecule, SPG302 - a 3rd-generation benzothiazole derivative that increases the density of axospinous glutamatergic synapses - in 3xTg-AD mice. Daily dosing of 3xTg-AD mice with SPG302 at 3 and 30 mg/kg (i.p.) for 4 weeks restored hippocampal synaptic density and improved cognitive function in hippocampal-dependent tasks. Mushroom and stubby spine profiles were increased by SPG302, and associated with enhanced expression of key postsynaptic proteins - including postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95), drebrin, and amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) - and increased colocalization of PSD95 with synaptophysin. Notably, SPG302 proved efficacious in this model without modifying Aβ and tau pathology. Thus, our study provides preclinical support for the idea that compounds capable of restoring synaptic density offer a viable strategy to reverse cognitive decline in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Trujillo-Estrada
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Departamento Biología Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Peter W Vanderklish
- Spinogenix Inc, 10210 Campus Point Drive, Suite 150, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA.
| | - Marie Minh Thu Nguyen
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Run Rong Kuang
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Caroline Nguyen
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Eric Huynh
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Celia da Cunha
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Dominic Ibarra Javonillo
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Stefania Forner
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Alessandra C Martini
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Stella T Sarraf
- Spinogenix Inc, 10210 Campus Point Drive, Suite 150, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Vincent F Simmon
- Spinogenix Inc, 10210 Campus Point Drive, Suite 150, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA.
| | - David Baglietto-Vargas
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-1450, USA.
- Departamento Biología Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Frank M LaFerla
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-1450, USA.
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27
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Maestú F, de Haan W, Busche MA, DeFelipe J. Neuronal excitation/inhibition imbalance: core element of a translational perspective on Alzheimer pathophysiology. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 69:101372. [PMID: 34029743 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Our incomplete understanding of the link between Alzheimer's Disease pathology and symptomatology is a crucial obstacle for therapeutic success. Recently, translational studies have begun to connect the dots between protein alterations and deposition, brain network dysfunction and cognitive deficits. Disturbance of neuronal activity, and in particular an imbalance in underlying excitation/inhibition (E/I), appears early in AD, and can be regarded as forming a central link between structural brain pathology and cognitive dysfunction. While there are emerging (non-)pharmacological options to influence this imbalance, the complexity of human brain dynamics has hindered identification of an optimal approach. We suggest that focusing on the integration of neurophysiological aspects of AD at the micro-, meso- and macroscale, with the support of computational network modeling, can unite fundamental and clinical knowledge, provide a general framework, and suggest rational therapeutic targets.
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28
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Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a deterioration of neuronal connectivity. The pathological accumulation of tau in neurons is one of the hallmarks of AD and has been connected to the loss of dendritic spines of pyramidal cells, which are the major targets of cortical excitatory synapses and key elements in memory storage. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying the loss of dendritic spines in individuals with AD are still unclear. Here, we used graph-theory approaches to compare the distribution of dendritic spines from neurons with and without tau pathology of AD individuals. We found that the presence of tau pathology determines the loss of dendritic spines in clusters, ruling out alternative models where spine loss occurs at random locations. Since memory storage has been associated with synaptic clusters, the present results provide a new insight into the mechanisms by which tau drives synaptic damage in AD, paving the way to memory deficits through alterations of spine organization.
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29
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Pereira JB, Janelidze S, Stomrud E, Palmqvist S, van Westen D, Dage JL, Mattsson-Carlgren N, Hansson O. Plasma markers predict changes in amyloid, tau, atrophy and cognition in non-demented subjects. Brain 2021; 144:2826-2836. [PMID: 34077494 PMCID: PMC8557344 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is currently unclear whether plasma biomarkers can be used as independent prognostic tools to predict changes associated with early Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study we sought to address this question by assessing whether plasma biomarkers can predict changes in amyloid load, tau accumulation, brain atrophy and cognition in non-demented individuals. To achieve this, plasma amyloid-β 42/40 (Aβ42/40), phosphorylated-tau181 (P-tau181), phosphorylated-tau217 (P-tau217) and neurofilament light (NfL) were determined in 159 non-demented individuals, 123 patients with AD dementia and 35 patients with a non-AD dementia from the Swedish BioFINDER-2 study, who underwent longitudinal amyloid (18 F-flutemetamol) and tau (18 F-RO948) positron emission tomography (PET), structural magnetic resonance imaging (T1-weighted) and cognitive testing. Our univariate linear mixed effect models showed there were several significant associations between the plasma biomarkers with imaging and cognitive measures. However, when all biomarkers were included in the same multivariate linear mixed effect models, we found that increased longitudinal amyloid-PET signals were independently predicted by low baseline plasma Aβ42/40 (p = 0.012), whereas increased tau-PET signals, brain atrophy and worse cognition were independently predicted by high plasma P-tau217 (p < 0.004). These biomarkers performed equally well or better than the corresponding biomarkers measured in the cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, they showed a similar performance to binary plasma biomarker values defined using the Youden index, which can be more easily implemented in the clinic. In addition, plasma Aβ42/40 and P-tau217 did not predict longitudinal changes in patients with a non-AD neurodegenerative disorder. In conclusion, our findings indicate that plasma Aβ42/40 and P-tau217 could be useful in clinical practice, research and drug development as prognostic markers of future AD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana B Pereira
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-20502 Malmö, Sweden.,Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Shorena Janelidze
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-20502 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Erik Stomrud
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-20502 Malmö, Sweden.,Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, 214 28 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Palmqvist
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-20502 Malmö, Sweden.,Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, 214 28 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Danielle van Westen
- Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.,Image and Function, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö 205 02, Sweden
| | | | - Niklas Mattsson-Carlgren
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-20502 Malmö, Sweden.,Department of Neurology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.,Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, SE-20502 Malmö, Sweden.,Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, 214 28 Malmö, Sweden
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30
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Park G, Lee JY, Han HM, An HS, Jin Z, Jeong EA, Kim KE, Shin HJ, Lee J, Kang D, Kim HJ, Bae YC, Roh GS. Ablation of dynamin-related protein 1 promotes diabetes-induced synaptic injury in the hippocampus. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:445. [PMID: 33953167 PMCID: PMC8099876 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03723-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with synaptic injury in the diabetic brain. However, the dysfunctional mitochondria by Drp1 deletion in the diabetic brain are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of neuron-specific Drp1 deletion on synaptic damage and mitophagy in the hippocampus of a high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. HFD/STZ-induced diabetic mice exhibited metabolic disturbances and synaptic damages. Floxed Drp1 mice were crossed with Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα (CaMKIIα)-Cre mice, to generate neuron-specific Drp1 knockout (Drp1cKO) mice, which showed marked mitochondrial swelling and dendritic spine loss in hippocampal neurons. In particular, diabetic Drp1cKO mice exhibited an increase in dendritic spine loss and higher levels of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation compared with diabetic wild-type (WT) mice. Diabetic WT mice generally displayed increased Drp1-induced small mitochondrial morphology in hippocampal neurons, but large mitochondria were prominently observed in diabetic Drp1cKO mice. The levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light-chain 3 and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 proteins were significantly increased in the hippocampus of diabetic Drp1cKO mice compared with diabetic WT mice. The inhibition of Drp1 adversely promotes synaptic injury and neurodegeneration in the diabetic brain. The findings suggest that the exploratory mechanisms behind Drp1-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction could provide a possible therapeutic target for diabetic brain complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyeongah Park
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.267301.10000 0004 0386 9246Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163 USA
| | - Jong Youl Lee
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Min Han
- grid.258803.40000 0001 0661 1556Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41944 South Korea
| | - Hyeong Seok An
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
| | - Zhen Jin
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.267301.10000 0004 0386 9246Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163 USA
| | - Eun Ae Jeong
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Eun Kim
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Joo Shin
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
| | - Jaewoong Lee
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
| | - Dawon Kang
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Joon Kim
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Chul Bae
- grid.258803.40000 0001 0661 1556Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41944 South Korea
| | - Gu Seob Roh
- grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Bio Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727 Republic of Korea
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31
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Vinuesa A, Pomilio C, Gregosa A, Bentivegna M, Presa J, Bellotto M, Saravia F, Beauquis J. Inflammation and Insulin Resistance as Risk Factors and Potential Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:653651. [PMID: 33967682 PMCID: PMC8102834 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.653651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Overnutrition and modern diets containing high proportions of saturated fat are among the major factors contributing to a low-grade state of inflammation, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. In the last decades, the global rise of type 2 diabetes and obesity prevalence has elicited a great interest in understanding how changes in metabolic function lead to an increased risk for premature brain aging and the development of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cognitive impairment and decreased neurogenic capacity could be a consequence of metabolic disturbances. In these scenarios, the interplay between inflammation and insulin resistance could represent a potential therapeutic target to prevent or ameliorate neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. The present review aims to provide an update on the impact of metabolic stress pathways on AD with a focus on inflammation and insulin resistance as risk factors and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeles Vinuesa
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Envejecimiento, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos Pomilio
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Envejecimiento, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Amal Gregosa
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Envejecimiento, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Melisa Bentivegna
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Envejecimiento, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jessica Presa
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Envejecimiento, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Melina Bellotto
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Envejecimiento, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Flavia Saravia
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Envejecimiento, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Beauquis
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Envejecimiento, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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32
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Montero-Crespo M, Domínguez-Álvaro M, Alonso-Nanclares L, DeFelipe J, Blazquez-Llorca L. Three-dimensional analysis of synaptic organization in the hippocampal CA1 field in Alzheimer's disease. Brain 2021; 144:553-573. [PMID: 33324984 PMCID: PMC8240746 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, characterized by a persistent and progressive impairment of cognitive functions. Alzheimer's disease is typically associated with extracellular deposits of amyloid-β peptide and accumulation of abnormally phosphorylated tau protein inside neurons (amyloid-β and neurofibrillary pathologies). It has been proposed that these pathologies cause neuronal degeneration and synaptic alterations, which are thought to constitute the major neurobiological basis of cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. The hippocampal formation is especially vulnerable in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. However, the vast majority of electron microscopy studies have been performed in animal models. In the present study, we performed an extensive 3D study of the neuropil to investigate the synaptic organization in the stratum pyramidale and radiatum in the CA1 field of Alzheimer's disease cases with different stages of the disease, using focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM). In cases with early stages of Alzheimer's disease, the synapse morphology looks normal and we observed no significant differences between control and Alzheimer's disease cases regarding the synaptic density, the ratio of excitatory and inhibitory synapses, or the spatial distribution of synapses. However, differences in the distribution of postsynaptic targets and synaptic shapes were found. Furthermore, a lower proportion of larger excitatory synapses in both strata were found in Alzheimer's disease cases. Individuals in late stages of the disease suffered the most severe synaptic alterations, including a decrease in synaptic density and morphological alterations of the remaining synapses. Since Alzheimer's disease cases show cortical atrophy, our data indicate a reduction in the total number (but not the density) of synapses at early stages of the disease, with this reduction being much more accentuated in subjects with late stages of Alzheimer's disease. The observed synaptic alterations may represent a structural basis for the progressive learning and memory dysfunctions seen in Alzheimer's disease cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Montero-Crespo
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Av. Doctor Arce, 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Domínguez-Álvaro
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lidia Alonso-Nanclares
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Av. Doctor Arce, 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, c/Valderrebollo, 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Av. Doctor Arce, 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, c/Valderrebollo, 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lidia Blazquez-Llorca
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, c/Valderrebollo, 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), c/Juan del Rosal, 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Sección Departamental de Anatomía y Embriología (Veterinaria), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Av. Puerta de Hierro, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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33
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The 'a, b, c's of pretangle tau and their relation to aging and the risk of Alzheimer's Disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 116:125-134. [PMID: 33674223 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Braak has described the beginnings of Alzheimer's Disease as occurring in the locus coeruleus. Here we review these pretangle stages and relate their expression to recently described normal features of tau biology. We suggest pretangle tau depends on characteristics of locus coeruleus operation that promote tau condensates. We examine the timeline of pretangle and tangle appearance in locus coeruleus. We find catastrophic loss of locus coeruleus neurons is a late event. The strong relationship between locus coeruleus neuron number and human cognition underscores the utility of a focus on locus coeruleus. Promoting locus coeruleus health will benefit normal aging as well as aid in the prevention of dementia. Two animal models offering experimental approaches to understanding the functional change initiated by pretangles in locus coeruleus neurons are discussed.
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34
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High levels of 27-hydroxycholesterol results in synaptic plasticity alterations in the hippocampus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3736. [PMID: 33580102 PMCID: PMC7881004 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83008-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in brain cholesterol homeostasis in midlife are correlated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, global cholesterol-lowering therapies have yielded mixed results when it comes to slowing down or preventing cognitive decline in AD. We used the transgenic mouse model Cyp27Tg, with systemically high levels of 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OH) to examine long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1 region, combined with dendritic spine reconstruction of CA1 pyramidal neurons to detect morphological and functional synaptic alterations induced by 27-OH high levels. Our results show that elevated 27-OH levels lead to enhanced LTP in the Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses. This increase is correlated with abnormally large dendritic spines in the stratum radiatum. Using immunohistochemistry for synaptopodin (actin-binding protein involved in the recruitment of the spine apparatus), we found a significantly higher density of synaptopodin-positive puncta in CA1 in Cyp27Tg mice. We hypothesize that high 27-OH levels alter synaptic potentiation and could lead to dysfunction of fine-tuned processing of information in hippocampal circuits resulting in cognitive impairment. We suggest that these alterations could be detrimental for synaptic function and cognition later in life, representing a potential mechanism by which hypercholesterolemia could lead to alterations in memory function in neurodegenerative diseases.
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35
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Alquezar C, Arya S, Kao AW. Tau Post-translational Modifications: Dynamic Transformers of Tau Function, Degradation, and Aggregation. Front Neurol 2021; 11:595532. [PMID: 33488497 PMCID: PMC7817643 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.595532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) on tau have long been recognized as affecting protein function and contributing to neurodegeneration. The explosion of information on potential and observed PTMs on tau provides an opportunity to better understand these modifications in the context of tau homeostasis, which becomes perturbed with aging and disease. Prevailing views regard tau as a protein that undergoes abnormal phosphorylation prior to its accumulation into the toxic aggregates implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. However, the phosphorylation of tau may, in fact, represent part of the normal but interrupted function and catabolism of the protein. In addition to phosphorylation, tau undergoes another forms of post-translational modification including (but not limited to), acetylation, ubiquitination, glycation, glycosylation, SUMOylation, methylation, oxidation, and nitration. A holistic appreciation of how these PTMs regulate tau during health and are potentially hijacked in disease remains elusive. Recent studies have reinforced the idea that PTMs play a critical role in tau localization, protein-protein interactions, maintenance of levels, and modifying aggregate structure. These studies also provide tantalizing clues into the possibility that neurons actively choose how tau is post-translationally modified, in potentially competitive and combinatorial ways, to achieve broad, cellular programs commensurate with the distinctive environmental conditions found during development, aging, stress, and disease. Here, we review tau PTMs and describe what is currently known about their functional impacts. In addition, we classify these PTMs from the perspectives of protein localization, electrostatics, and stability, which all contribute to normal tau function and homeostasis. Finally, we assess the potential impact of tau PTMs on tau solubility and aggregation. Tau occupies an undoubtedly important position in the biology of neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to provide an integrated perspective of how post-translational modifications actively, purposefully, and dynamically remodel tau function, clearance, and aggregation. In doing so, we hope to enable a more comprehensive understanding of tau PTMs that will positively impact future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aimee W. Kao
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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36
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Khan R, Kulasiri D, Samarasinghe S. Functional repertoire of protein kinases and phosphatases in synaptic plasticity and associated neurological disorders. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:1150-1157. [PMID: 33269764 PMCID: PMC8224123 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.300331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are two essential and vital cellular mechanisms that regulate many receptors and enzymes through kinases and phosphatases. Ca2+- dependent kinases and phosphatases are responsible for controlling neuronal processing; balance is achieved through opposition. During molecular mechanisms of learning and memory, kinases generally modulate positively while phosphatases modulate negatively. This review outlines some of the critical physiological and structural aspects of kinases and phosphatases involved in maintaining postsynaptic structural plasticity. It also explores the link between neuronal disorders and the deregulation of phosphatases and kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raheel Khan
- Centre for Advanced Computational Solutions (C-fACS), Lincoln University; Department of Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Don Kulasiri
- Centre for Advanced Computational Solutions (C-fACS), Lincoln University; Department of Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Sandhya Samarasinghe
- Centre for Advanced Computational Solutions (C-fACS), Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand
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37
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Li K, Jiang Y, Li G, Liu T, Yang Z. Novel Multitarget Directed Tacrine Hybrids as Anti-Alzheimer's Compounds Improved Synaptic Plasticity and Cognitive Impairment in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:4316-4328. [PMID: 33216529 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex pathological neurodegenerative disease that seriously threatens human health. Therefore, how to effectively improve and treat AD is an urgent problem. In this study, a novel multitarget derivative based on tacrine (named 9i), which could work simultaneously on more than one pathological target, was used to treat AD model APP/PS1 transgenic mice. After 4 weeks of intragastric administration, cognitive function and synaptic plasticity were significantly improved and β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques that are main pathological hallmarks of AD were decreased in the APP/PS1 mice. On the one hand, 9i inhibited the excessive activation of the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway to alleviate the loss of neurons, which provides a foundation for structural integrity. On the other hand, synaptic associated proteins and the density of synaptic spines were increased in APP/PS1 mice treated with 9i, which provides the basis for the improvement of synaptic plasticity and cognitive impairment. Interestingly, 9i also reduced Aβ plaques in the DG region, which is consistent with previous in vitro experiments showing that 9i inhibited the self-assembly of Aβ fibers, thus protecting neurons from Aβ plaque neurotoxicity. Our results suggest that 9i as a novel compound can effectively improve the cognitive function and the pathological changes of AD in APP/PS1 transgenic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Li
- College of Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- College of Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Guoliang Li
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Tianjun Liu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Zhuo Yang
- College of Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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38
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Masnata M, Salem S, de Rus Jacquet A, Anwer M, Cicchetti F. Targeting Tau to Treat Clinical Features of Huntington's Disease. Front Neurol 2020; 11:580732. [PMID: 33329322 PMCID: PMC7710872 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.580732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by severe motor, cognitive and psychiatric impairments. While motor deficits often confirm diagnosis, cognitive dysfunctions usually manifest early in the disease process and are consistently ranked among the leading factors that impact the patients' quality of life. The genetic component of HD, a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, is traditionally presented as the main contributor to disease pathology. However, accumulating evidence suggests the implication of the microtubule-associated tau protein to the pathogenesis and therefore, proposes an alternative conceptual framework where tau and mutant huntingtin (mHTT) act conjointly to drive neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction. This perspective on disease etiology offers new avenues to design therapeutic interventions and could leverage decades of research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies to rapidly advance drug discovery. In this mini review, we examine the breadth of tau-targeting treatments currently tested in the preclinical and clinical settings for AD and other tauopathies, and discuss the potential application of these strategies to HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Masnata
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Shireen Salem
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Aurelie de Rus Jacquet
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Mehwish Anwer
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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39
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Arnsten AFT, Datta D, Tredici KD, Braak H. Hypothesis: Tau pathology is an initiating factor in sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2020; 17:115-124. [PMID: 33075193 PMCID: PMC7983919 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The etiology of the common, sporadic form of Alzheimer's disease (sAD) is unknown. We hypothesize that tau pathology within select projection neurons with susceptible microenvironments can initiate sAD. This postulate rests on extensive data demonstrating that in human brains tau pathology appears about a decade before the formation of Aβ plaques (Aβps), especially targeting glutamate projection neurons in the association cortex. Data from aging rhesus monkeys show abnormal tau phosphorylation within vulnerable neurons, associated with calcium dysregulation. Abnormally phosphorylated tau (pTau) on microtubules traps APP‐containing endosomes, which can increase Aβ production. As Aβ oligomers increase abnormal phosphorylation of tau, this would drive vicious cycles leading to sAD pathology over a long lifespan, with genetic and environmental factors that may accelerate pathological events. This hypothesis could be testable in the aged monkey association cortex that naturally expresses characteristics capable of promoting and sustaining abnormal tau phosphorylation and Aβ production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kelly Del Tredici
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section, Department of Neurology, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Heiko Braak
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section, Department of Neurology, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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40
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Warling A, Uchida R, Shin H, Dodelson C, Garcia ME, Shea-Shumsky NB, Svirsky S, Pothast M, Kelley H, Schumann CM, Brzezinski C, Bauman MD, Alexander A, McKee AC, Stein TD, Schall M, Jacobs B. Putative dendritic correlates of chronic traumatic encephalopathy: A preliminary quantitative Golgi exploration. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:1308-1326. [PMID: 32869318 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is associated with repetitive head impacts. Neuropathologically, it is defined by the presence of perivascular hyperphosphorylated tau aggregates in cortical tissue (McKee et al., 2016, Acta Neuropathologica, 131, 75-86). Although many pathological and assumed clinical correlates of CTE have been well characterized, its effects on cortical dendritic arbors are still unknown. Here, we quantified dendrites and dendritic spines of supragranular pyramidal neurons in tissue from human frontal and occipital lobes, in 11 cases with (Mage = 79 ± 7 years) and 5 cases without (Mage = 76 ± 11 years) CTE. Tissue was stained with a modified rapid Golgi technique. Dendritic systems of 20 neurons per region in each brain (N = 640 neurons) were quantified using computer-assisted morphometry. One key finding was that CTE neurons exhibited increased variability and distributional changes across six of the eight dendritic system measures, presumably due to ongoing degeneration and compensatory reorganization of dendritic systems. However, despite heightened variation among CTE neurons, CTE cases exhibited lower mean values than Control cases in seven of the eight dendritic system measures. These dendritic alterations may represent a new pathological marker of CTE, and further examination of dendritic changes could contribute to both mechanistic and functional understandings of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allysa Warling
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Riri Uchida
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Hyunsoo Shin
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Coby Dodelson
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Madeleine E Garcia
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - N Beckett Shea-Shumsky
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Sarah Svirsky
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Morgan Pothast
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hunter Kelley
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Cynthia M Schumann
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Christine Brzezinski
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Melissa D Bauman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Allyson Alexander
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Ann C McKee
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thor D Stein
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew Schall
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Bob Jacobs
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
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41
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Bachmann C, Tetzlaff T, Duarte R, Morrison A. Firing rate homeostasis counteracts changes in stability of recurrent neural networks caused by synapse loss in Alzheimer's disease. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007790. [PMID: 32841234 PMCID: PMC7505475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The impairment of cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease is clearly correlated to synapse loss. However, the mechanisms underlying this correlation are only poorly understood. Here, we investigate how the loss of excitatory synapses in sparsely connected random networks of spiking excitatory and inhibitory neurons alters their dynamical characteristics. Beyond the effects on the activity statistics, we find that the loss of excitatory synapses on excitatory neurons reduces the network's sensitivity to small perturbations. This decrease in sensitivity can be considered as an indication of a reduction of computational capacity. A full recovery of the network's dynamical characteristics and sensitivity can be achieved by firing rate homeostasis, here implemented by an up-scaling of the remaining excitatory-excitatory synapses. Mean-field analysis reveals that the stability of the linearised network dynamics is, in good approximation, uniquely determined by the firing rate, and thereby explains why firing rate homeostasis preserves not only the firing rate but also the network's sensitivity to small perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Bachmann
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Tom Tetzlaff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Renato Duarte
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Abigail Morrison
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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42
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Braak H, Del Tredici K. From the Entorhinal Region via the Prosubiculum to the Dentate Fascia: Alzheimer Disease-Related Neurofibrillary Changes in the Temporal Allocortex. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2020; 79:163-175. [PMID: 31913466 PMCID: PMC6970449 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlz123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathological process underlying Alzheimer disease (AD) unfolds predominantly in the cerebral cortex with the gradual appearance and regional progression of abnormal tau. Intraneuronal tau pathology progresses from the temporal transentorhinal and entorhinal regions into neocortical fields/areas of the temporal allocortex. Here, based on 95 cases staged for AD-related neurofibrillary changes, we propose an ordered progression of abnormal tau in the temporal allocortex. Initially, abnormal tau was limited to distal dendritic segments followed by tau in cell bodies of projection neurons of the transentorhinal/entorhinal layer pre-α. Next, abnormal distal dendrites accumulated in the prosubiculum and extended into the CA1 stratum oriens and lacunosum. Subsequently, altered dendrites developed in the CA2/CA3 stratum oriens and stratum lacunosum-moleculare, combined with tau-positive thorny excrescences of CA3/CA4 mossy cells. Finally, granule cells of the dentate fascia became involved. Such a progression might recapitulate a sequence of transsynaptic spreading of abnormal tau from 1 projection neuron to the next: From pre-α cells to distal dendrites in the prosubiculum and CA1; then, from CA1 or prosubicular pyramids to CA2 principal cells and CA3/CA4 mossy cells; finally, from CA4 mossy cells to dentate granule cells. The lesions are additive: Those from the previous steps persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Braak
- From the Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuroanatomy, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kelly Del Tredici
- From the Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuroanatomy, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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43
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Bhat A, Ray B, Mahalakshmi AM, Tuladhar S, Nandakumar DN, Srinivasan M, Essa MM, Chidambaram SB, Guillemin GJ, Sakharkar MK. Phosphodiesterase-4 enzyme as a therapeutic target in neurological disorders. Pharmacol Res 2020; 160:105078. [PMID: 32673703 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Phosphodiesterases (PDE) are a diverse family of enzymes (11 isoforms so far identified) responsible for the degradation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) which are involved in several cellular and biochemical functions. Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) is the major isoform within this group and is highly expressed in the mammalian brain. An inverse association between PDE4 and cAMP levels is the key mechanism in various pathophysiological conditions like airway inflammatory diseases-chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and neurological disorders etc. In 2011, roflumilast, a PDE4 inhibitor (PDE4I) was approved for the treatment of COPD. Subsequently, other PDE4 inhibitors (PDE4Is) like apremilast and crisaborole were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for psoriasis, atopic dermatitis etc. Due to the adverse effects like unbearable nausea and vomiting, dose intolerance and diarrhoea, PDE4 inhibitors have very less clinical compliance. Efforts are being made to develop allosteric modulation with high specificity to PDE4 isoforms having better efficacy and lesser adverse effects. Interestingly, repositioning PDE4Is towards neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and sleep disorders, is gaining attention. This review is an attempt to summarize the data on the effects of PDE4 overexpression in neurological disorders and the use of PDE4Is and newer allosteric modulators as therapeutic options. We have also compiled a list of on-going clinical trials on PDE4 inhibitors in neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Bhat
- Dept. of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Bipul Ray
- Dept. of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | | | - Sunanda Tuladhar
- Dept. of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - D N Nandakumar
- Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, 560029, India
| | - Malathi Srinivasan
- Department of Lipid Science, CSIR - Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), CFTRI Campus, Mysuru, 570020, India
| | - Musthafa Mohamed Essa
- Ageing and Dementia Research Group, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman; Department of Food Science and Nutrition, CAMS, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
| | - Saravana Babu Chidambaram
- Dept. of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India; Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India.
| | - Gilles J Guillemin
- Neuroinflammation group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW, 2109, Australia.
| | - Meena Kishore Sakharkar
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, 107, Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5C9, Canada
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44
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Bertan F, Wischhof L, Sosulina L, Mittag M, Dalügge D, Fornarelli A, Gardoni F, Marcello E, Di Luca M, Fuhrmann M, Remy S, Bano D, Nicotera P. Loss of Ryanodine Receptor 2 impairs neuronal activity-dependent remodeling of dendritic spines and triggers compensatory neuronal hyperexcitability. Cell Death Differ 2020; 27:3354-3373. [PMID: 32641776 PMCID: PMC7853040 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-020-0584-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines are postsynaptic domains that shape structural and functional properties of neurons. Upon neuronal activity, Ca2+ transients trigger signaling cascades that determine the plastic remodeling of dendritic spines, which modulate learning and memory. Here, we study in mice the role of the intracellular Ca2+ channel Ryanodine Receptor 2 (RyR2) in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. We demonstrate that loss of RyR2 in pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus impairs maintenance and activity-evoked structural plasticity of dendritic spines during memory acquisition. Furthermore, post-developmental deletion of RyR2 causes loss of excitatory synapses, dendritic sparsification, overcompensatory excitability, network hyperactivity and disruption of spatially tuned place cells. Altogether, our data underpin RyR2 as a link between spine remodeling, circuitry dysfunction and memory acquisition, which closely resemble pathological mechanisms observed in neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Bertan
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Lena Wischhof
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Manuel Mittag
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Dennis Dalügge
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Fabrizio Gardoni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Marcello
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Di Luca
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Martin Fuhrmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefan Remy
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Department of Cellular Neuroscience, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Daniele Bano
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
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45
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Regalado-Reyes M, Benavides-Piccione R, Fernaud-Espinosa I, DeFelipe J, León-Espinosa G. Effect of Phosphorylated Tau on Cortical Pyramidal Neuron Morphology during Hibernation. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa018. [PMID: 34296096 PMCID: PMC8152943 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The dendritic spines of pyramidal cells are the main postsynaptic target of excitatory glutamatergic synapses. Morphological alterations have been described in hippocampal dendritic spines during hibernation-a state of inactivity and metabolic depression that occurs via a transient neuronal tau hyperphosphorylation. Here, we have used the hibernating Syrian hamster to investigate the effect of hyperphosphorylated tau regarding neocortical neuronal structure. In particular, we examined layer Va pyramidal neurons. Our results indicate that hibernation does not promote significant changes in dendritic spine density. However, tau hyperphosphorylated neurons show a decrease in complexity, an increase in the tortuosity of the apical dendrites, and an increase in the diameter of the basal dendrites. Tau protein hyperphosphorylation and aggregation have been associated with loss or alterations of dendritic spines in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our results may shed light on the correlation between tau hyperphosphorylation and the neuropathological processes in AD. Moreover, we observed changes in the length and area of the apical and basal dendritic spines during hibernation regardless of tau hyperphosphorylation. The morphological changes observed here also suggest region specificity, opening up debate about a possible relationship with the differential brain activity registered in these regions in previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamen Regalado-Reyes
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid 28002, Spain
| | - Ruth Benavides-Piccione
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid 28002, Spain
| | - Isabel Fernaud-Espinosa
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid 28002, Spain
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid 28002, Spain
| | - Gonzalo León-Espinosa
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid 28002, Spain
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46
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Vyas Y, Montgomery JM, Cheyne JE. Hippocampal Deficits in Amyloid-β-Related Rodent Models of Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:266. [PMID: 32317913 PMCID: PMC7154147 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is the most common cause of dementia. Symptoms of AD include memory loss, disorientation, mood and behavior changes, confusion, unfounded suspicions, and eventually, difficulty speaking, swallowing, and walking. These symptoms are caused by neuronal degeneration and cell loss that begins in the hippocampus, and later in disease progression spreading to the rest of the brain. While there are some medications that alleviate initial symptoms, there are currently no treatments that stop disease progression. Hippocampal deficits in amyloid-β-related rodent models of AD have revealed synaptic, behavioral and circuit-level defects. These changes in synaptic function, plasticity, neuronal excitability, brain connectivity, and excitation/inhibition imbalance all have profound effects on circuit function, which in turn could exacerbate disease progression. Despite, the wealth of studies on AD pathology we don't yet have a complete understanding of hippocampal deficits in AD. With the increasing development of in vivo recording techniques in awake and freely moving animals, future studies will extend our current knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning how hippocampal function is altered in AD, and aid in progression of treatment strategies that prevent and/or delay AD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johanna M. Montgomery
- Department of Physiology, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Juliette E. Cheyne
- Department of Physiology, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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47
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Density of GABA B Receptors Is Reduced in Granule Cells of the Hippocampus in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21072459. [PMID: 32252271 PMCID: PMC7177735 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21072459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAB) receptors contribute to the control of network activity and information processing in hippocampal circuits by regulating neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission. The dysfunction in the dentate gyrus (DG) has been implicated in Alzheimer´s disease (AD). Given the involvement of GABAB receptors in AD, to determine their subcellular localisation and possible alteration in granule cells of the DG in a mouse model of AD at 12 months of age, we used high-resolution immunoelectron microscopic analysis. Immunohistochemistry at the light microscopic level showed that the regional and cellular expression pattern of GABAB1 was similar in an AD model mouse expressing mutated human amyloid precursor protein and presenilin1 (APP/PS1) and in age-matched wild type mice. High-resolution immunoelectron microscopy revealed a distance-dependent gradient of immunolabelling for GABAB receptors, increasing from proximal to distal dendrites in both wild type and APP/PS1 mice. However, the overall density of GABAB receptors at the neuronal surface of these postsynaptic compartments of granule cells was significantly reduced in APP/PS1 mice. Parallel to this reduction in surface receptors, we found a significant increase in GABAB1 at cytoplasmic sites. GABAB receptors were also detected at presynaptic sites in the molecular layer of the DG. We also found a decrease in plasma membrane GABAB receptors in axon terminals contacting dendritic spines of granule cells, which was more pronounced in the outer than in the inner molecular layer. Altogether, our data showing post- and presynaptic reduction in surface GABAB receptors in the DG suggest the alteration of the GABAB-mediated modulation of excitability and synaptic transmission in granule cells, which may contribute to the cognitive dysfunctions in the APP/PS1 model of AD.
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48
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Merino-Serrais P, Loera-Valencia R, Rodriguez-Rodriguez P, Parrado-Fernandez C, Ismail MA, Maioli S, Matute E, Jimenez-Mateos EM, Björkhem I, DeFelipe J, Cedazo-Minguez A. 27-Hydroxycholesterol Induces Aberrant Morphology and Synaptic Dysfunction in Hippocampal Neurons. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:429-446. [PMID: 30395175 PMCID: PMC6294414 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, but how high blood cholesterol levels are linked to neurodegeneration is still unknown. Here, we show that an excess of the blood-brain barrier permeable cholesterol metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OH) impairs neuronal morphology and reduces hippocampal spine density and the levels of the postsynaptic protein PSD95. Dendritic spines are the main postsynaptic elements of excitatory synapses and are crucial structures for memory and cognition. Furthermore, PSD95 has an essential function for synaptic maintenance and plasticity. PSD95 synthesis is controlled by the REST-miR124a-PTBP1 axis. Here, we report that high levels of 27-OH induce REST-miR124a-PTBP1 axis dysregulation in a possible RxRγ-dependent manner, suggesting that 27-OH reduces PSD95 levels through this mechanism. Our results reveal a possible molecular link between hypercholesterolemia and neurodegeneration. We discuss the possibility that reduction of 27-OH levels could be a useful strategy for preventing memory and cognitive decline in neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Merino-Serrais
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Raul Loera-Valencia
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patricia Rodriguez-Rodriguez
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cristina Parrado-Fernandez
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Muhammad A Ismail
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Silvia Maioli
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eduardo Matute
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eva Maria Jimenez-Mateos
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics Royal, College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Ingemar Björkhem
- Division of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angel Cedazo-Minguez
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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49
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Cardozo PL, de Lima IBQ, Maciel EMA, Silva NC, Dobransky T, Ribeiro FM. Synaptic Elimination in Neurological Disorders. Curr Neuropharmacol 2020; 17:1071-1095. [PMID: 31161981 PMCID: PMC7052824 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x17666190603170511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are well known as the main structures responsible for transmitting information through the release and recognition of neurotransmitters by pre- and post-synaptic neurons. These structures are widely formed and eliminated throughout the whole lifespan via processes termed synaptogenesis and synaptic pruning, respectively. Whilst the first pro-cess is needed for ensuring proper connectivity between brain regions and also with the periphery, the second phenomenon is important for their refinement by eliminating weaker and unnecessary synapses and, at the same time, maintaining and fa-voring the stronger ones, thus ensuring proper synaptic transmission. It is well-known that synaptic elimination is modulated by neuronal activity. However, only recently the role of the classical complement cascade in promoting this phenomenon has been demonstrated. Specifically, microglial cells recognize activated complement component 3 (C3) bound to synapses tar-geted for elimination, triggering their engulfment. As this is a highly relevant process for adequate neuronal functioning, dis-ruptions or exacerbations in synaptic pruning could lead to severe circuitry alterations that could underlie neuropathological alterations typical of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we focus on discussing the possible in-volvement of excessive synaptic elimination in Alzheimer’s disease, as it has already been reported dendritic spine loss in post-synaptic neurons, increased association of complement proteins with its synapses and, hence, augmented microglia-mediated pruning in animal models of this disorder. In addition, we briefly discuss how this phenomenon could be related to other neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo L Cardozo
- Laboratório de Neurobioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Izabella B Q de Lima
- Laboratório de Neurobioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Esther M A Maciel
- Laboratório de Neurobioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Nathália C Silva
- Laboratório de Neurobioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Fabíola M Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Neurobioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Chen Y, Chen Y, Liang Y, Chen H, Ji X, Huang M. Berberine mitigates cognitive decline in an Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model by targeting both tau hyperphosphorylation and autophagic clearance. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 121:109670. [PMID: 31810131 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.109670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Berberine is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the Rhizoma coptidis. Recent advances in research throw more lights of its beneficial role towards Alzheimer's disease (AD), including promoting β-amyloid (Aβ) clearance, as well as inhibiting Aβ production in the triple-transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (3×Tg AD). However, it remains unclarified if berberine has an effect on tau pathology. According to our study, berberine did not only significantly improve 3×Tg AD mice's spatial learning capacity and memory retentions, but also attenuated the hyperphosphorylation of tau. via modulating the activity of Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3β and protein phosphatase 2A. Moreover, berberine reduced the level of tau through an autophagy-based route. It promoted autophagic clearance of tau by enhancing the activity of autophagy via the class III PI3K/beclin-1 pathway. Thus, our results suggest that berberine could mitigate cognitive decline by simultaneously targeting the hyperphosphorylation of tau and the autophagic clearance of tau in AD mice. These findings strongly support berberine as a potential drug candidate for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuling Chen
- School of Mechanics and Engineering Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yubin Liang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongda Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoying Ji
- Department of Respiration, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Min Huang
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
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