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Rubio T, Campos-Rodríguez Á, Sanz P. Beneficial Effect of Fingolimod in a Lafora Disease Mouse Model by Preventing Reactive Astrogliosis-Derived Neuroinflammation and Brain Infiltration of T-lymphocytes. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:3105-3120. [PMID: 37971656 PMCID: PMC11087365 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03766-1] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD; OMIM#254780) is a rare, devastating, and fatal form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy that affects young adolescents and has no treatment yet. One of the hallmarks of the disease is the accumulation of aberrant poorly branched forms of glycogen (polyglucosans, PGs) in the brain and peripheral tissues. The current hypothesis is that this accumulation is causative of the pathophysiology of the disease. Another hallmark of LD is the presence of neuroinflammation. We have recently reported the presence of reactive glia-derived neuroinflammation in LD mouse models and defined the main inflammatory pathways that operate in these mice, mainly TNF and IL-6 signaling pathways. In addition, we described the presence of infiltration of peripheral immune cells in the brain parenchyma, which could cooperate and aggravate the neuroinflammatory landscape of LD. In this work, we have checked the beneficial effect of two compounds with the capacity to ameliorate neuroinflammation and reduce leukocyte infiltration into the brain, namely fingolimod and dimethyl fumarate. Our results indicate a beneficial effect of fingolimod in reducing reactive astrogliosis-derived neuroinflammation and T-lymphocyte infiltration, which correlated with the improved behavioral performance of the treated Epm2b-/- mice. On the contrary, dimethyl fumarate, although it was able to reduce reactive astrogliosis, was less effective in preventing neuroinflammation and T-lymphocyte infiltration and in modifying behavioral tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Rubio
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ángela Campos-Rodríguez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010, Valencia, Spain.
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Skurat AV, Segvich DM, Contreras CJ, Hu YC, Hurley TD, DePaoli-Roach AA, Roach PJ. Impaired malin expression and interaction with partner proteins in Lafora disease. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107271. [PMID: 38588813 PMCID: PMC11063907 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107271] [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: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is an autosomal recessive myoclonus epilepsy with onset in the teenage years leading to death within a decade of onset. LD is characterized by the overaccumulation of hyperphosphorylated, poorly branched, insoluble, glycogen-like polymers called Lafora bodies. The disease is caused by mutations in either EPM2A, encoding laforin, a dual specificity phosphatase that dephosphorylates glycogen, or EMP2B, encoding malin, an E3-ubiquitin ligase. While glycogen is a widely accepted laforin substrate, substrates for malin have been difficult to identify partly due to the lack of malin antibodies able to detect malin in vivo. Here we describe a mouse model in which the malin gene is modified at the C-terminus to contain the c-myc tag sequence, making an expression of malin-myc readily detectable. Mass spectrometry analyses of immunoprecipitates using c-myc tag antibodies demonstrate that malin interacts with laforin and several glycogen-metabolizing enzymes. To investigate the role of laforin in these interactions we analyzed two additional mouse models: malin-myc/laforin knockout and malin-myc/LaforinCS, where laforin was either absent or the catalytic Cys was genomically mutated to Ser, respectively. The interaction of malin with partner proteins requires laforin but is not dependent on its catalytic activity or the presence of glycogen. Overall, the results demonstrate that laforin and malin form a complex in vivo, which stabilizes malin and enhances interaction with partner proteins to facilitate normal glycogen metabolism. They also provide insights into the development of LD and the rescue of the disease by the catalytically inactive phosphatase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V Skurat
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Dyann M Segvich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Christopher J Contreras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yueh-Chiang Hu
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Thomas D Hurley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
| | - Anna A DePaoli-Roach
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
| | - Peter J Roach
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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Brewer MK, Torres P, Ayala V, Portero-Otin M, Pamplona R, Andrés-Benito P, Ferrer I, Guinovart JJ, Duran J. Glycogen accumulation modulates life span in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurochem 2024; 168:744-759. [PMID: 37401737 PMCID: PMC10764643 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15906] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord. Glial cells, including astrocytes and microglia, have been shown to contribute to neurodegeneration in ALS, and metabolic dysfunction plays an important role in the progression of the disease. Glycogen is a soluble polymer of glucose found at low levels in the central nervous system that plays an important role in memory formation, synaptic plasticity, and the prevention of seizures. However, its accumulation in astrocytes and/or neurons is associated with pathological conditions and aging. Importantly, glycogen accumulation has been reported in the spinal cord of human ALS patients and mouse models. In the present work, using the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS, we show that glycogen accumulates in the spinal cord and brainstem during symptomatic and end stages of the disease and that the accumulated glycogen is associated with reactive astrocytes. To study the contribution of glycogen to ALS progression, we generated SOD1G93A mice with reduced glycogen synthesis (SOD1G93A GShet mice). SOD1G93A GShet mice had a significantly longer life span than SOD1G93A mice and showed lower levels of the astrocytic pro-inflammatory cytokine Cxcl10, suggesting that the accumulation of glycogen is associated with an inflammatory response. Supporting this, inducing an increase in glycogen synthesis reduced life span in SOD1G93A mice. Altogether, these results suggest that glycogen in reactive astrocytes contributes to neurotoxicity and disease progression in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Kathryn Brewer
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine of Barcelona (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pascual Torres
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Victòria Ayala
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Manuel Portero-Otin
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Reinald Pamplona
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Pol Andrés-Benito
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Isidro Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute Carlos III, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Joan J. Guinovart
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine of Barcelona (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Duran
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine of Barcelona (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain
- Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
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Mitra S, Chen B, Shelton JM, Nitschke S, Wu J, Covington L, Dear M, Lynn T, Verma M, Nitschke F, Fuseya Y, Iwai K, Evers BM, Minassian BA. Myofiber-type-dependent 'boulder' or 'multitudinous pebble' formations across distinct amylopectinoses. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:46. [PMID: 38411740 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02698-x] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
At least five enzymes including three E3 ubiquitin ligases are dedicated to glycogen's spherical structure. Absence of any reverts glycogen to a structure resembling amylopectin of the plant kingdom. This amylopectinosis (polyglucosan body formation) causes fatal neurological diseases including adult polyglucosan body disease (APBD) due to glycogen branching enzyme deficiency, Lafora disease (LD) due to deficiencies of the laforin glycogen phosphatase or the malin E3 ubiquitin ligase and type 1 polyglucosan body myopathy (PGBM1) due to RBCK1 E3 ubiquitin ligase deficiency. Little is known about these enzymes' functions in glycogen structuring. Toward understanding these functions, we undertake a comparative murine study of the amylopectinoses of APBD, LD and PGBM1. We discover that in skeletal muscle, polyglucosan bodies form as two main types, small and multitudinous ('pebbles') or giant and single ('boulders'), and that this is primarily determined by the myofiber types in which they form, 'pebbles' in glycolytic and 'boulders' in oxidative fibers. This pattern recapitulates what is known in the brain in LD, innumerable dust-like in astrocytes and single giant sized in neurons. We also show that oxidative myofibers are relatively protected against amylopectinosis, in part through highly increased glycogen branching enzyme expression. We present evidence of polyglucosan body size-dependent cell necrosis. We show that sex influences amylopectinosis in genotype, brain region and myofiber-type-specific fashion. RBCK1 is a component of the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC), the only known cellular machinery for head-to-tail linear ubiquitination critical to numerous cellular pathways. We show that the amylopectinosis of RBCK1 deficiency is not due to loss of linear ubiquitination, and that another function of RBCK1 or LUBAC must exist and operate in the shaping of glycogen. This work opens multiple new avenues toward understanding the structural determinants of the mammalian carbohydrate reservoir critical to neurologic and neuromuscular function and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharmistha Mitra
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA.
| | - Baozhi Chen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA
| | - John M Shelton
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9148, USA
| | - Silvia Nitschke
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA
| | - Jun Wu
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA
| | - Lindsay Covington
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9148, USA
| | - Mathew Dear
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA
| | - Tori Lynn
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA
| | - Mayank Verma
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA
| | - Felix Nitschke
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA
| | - Yasuhiro Fuseya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Kyoto University School of Medicine, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Iwai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Kyoto University School of Medicine, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Bret M Evers
- Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75390-9073, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA.
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Moreno-Estellés M, Campos-Rodríguez Á, Rubio-Villena C, Kumarasinghe L, Garcia-Gimeno MA, Sanz P. Deciphering the Polyglucosan Accumulation Present in Lafora Disease Using an Astrocytic Cellular Model. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076020. [PMID: 37046993 PMCID: PMC10094345 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a neurological disorder characterized by progressive myoclonus epilepsy. The hallmark of the disease is the presence of insoluble forms of glycogen (polyglucosan bodies, or PGBs) in the brain. The accumulation of PGBs is causative of the pathophysiological features of LD. However, despite the efforts made by different groups, the question of why PGBs accumulate in the brain is still unanswered. We have recently demonstrated that, in vivo, astrocytes accumulate most of the PGBs present in the brain, and this could lead to astrocyte dysfunction. To develop a deeper understanding of the defects present in LD astrocytes that lead to LD pathophysiology, we obtained pure primary cultures of astrocytes from LD mice from the postnatal stage under conditions that accumulate PGBs, the hallmark of LD. These cells serve as novel in vitro models for studying PGBs accumulation and related LD dysfunctions. In this sense, the metabolomics of LD astrocytes indicate that they accumulate metabolic intermediates of the upper part of the glycolytic pathway, probably as a consequence of enhanced glucose uptake. In addition, we also demonstrate the feasibility of using the model in the identification of different compounds that may reduce the accumulation of polyglucosan inclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireia Moreno-Estellés
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC), 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)-ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángela Campos-Rodríguez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC), 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)-ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carla Rubio-Villena
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universitat de València (UV), Parc Científic, Cat. Agustín Escardino 9, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Lorena Kumarasinghe
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC), 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)-ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Adelaida Garcia-Gimeno
- Department of Biotechnology, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural (ETSIAMN), Universitat Politécnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC), 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)-ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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6
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Duran J. Role of Astrocytes in the Pathophysiology of Lafora Disease and Other Glycogen Storage Disorders. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050722. [PMID: 36899857 PMCID: PMC10000527 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease is a rare disorder caused by loss of function mutations in either the EPM2A or NHLRC1 gene. The initial symptoms of this condition are most commonly epileptic seizures, but the disease progresses rapidly with dementia, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive deterioration and has a fatal outcome within 5-10 years after onset. The hallmark of the disease is the accumulation of poorly branched glycogen in the form of aggregates known as Lafora bodies in the brain and other tissues. Several reports have demonstrated that the accumulation of this abnormal glycogen underlies all the pathologic traits of the disease. For decades, Lafora bodies were thought to accumulate exclusively in neurons. However, it was recently identified that most of these glycogen aggregates are present in astrocytes. Importantly, astrocytic Lafora bodies have been shown to contribute to pathology in Lafora disease. These results identify a primary role of astrocytes in the pathophysiology of Lafora disease and have important implications for other conditions in which glycogen abnormally accumulates in astrocytes, such as Adult Polyglucosan Body disease and the buildup of Corpora amylacea in aged brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Duran
- Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), 08017 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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7
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Kumarasinghe L, Garcia-Gimeno MA, Ramirez J, Mayor U, Zugaza JL, Sanz P. P-Rex1 is a novel substrate of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Malin associated with Lafora disease. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 177:105998. [PMID: 36638890 PMCID: PMC10682699 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.105998] [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: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Laforin and Malin are two proteins that are encoded by the genes EPM2A and EPM2B, respectively. Laforin is a glucan phosphatase and Malin is an E3-ubiquitin ligase, and these two proteins function as a complex. Mutations occurring at the level of one of the two genes lead to the accumulation of an aberrant form of glycogen meant to cluster in polyglucosans that go under the name of Lafora bodies. Individuals affected by the appearance of these polyglucosans, especially at the cerebral level, experience progressive neurodegeneration and several episodes of epilepsy leading to the manifestation of a fatal form of a rare disease called Lafora disease (LD), for which, to date, no treatment is available. Despite the different dysfunctions described for this disease, many molecular aspects still demand elucidation. An effective way to unknot some of the nodes that prevent the achievement of better knowledge of LD is to focus on the substrates that are ubiquitinated by the E3-ubiquitin ligase Malin. Some substrates have already been provided by previous studies based on protein-protein interaction techniques and have been associated with some alterations that mark the disease. In this work, we have used an unbiased alternative approach based on the activity of Malin as an E3-ubiquitin ligase. We report the discovery of novel bonafide substrates of Malin and have characterized one of them more deeply, namely PIP3-dependent Rac exchanger 1 (P-Rex1). The analysis conducted upon this substrate sets the genesis of the delineation of a molecular pathway that leads to altered glucose uptake, which could be one of the origin of the accumulation of the polyglucosans present in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Kumarasinghe
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, IBV-CSIC, 46010, Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)-ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - M A Garcia-Gimeno
- Department of Biotechnology, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural (ETSIAMN), Universitat Politécnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - J Ramirez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - U Mayor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - J L Zugaza
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi, 48009 Bilbao, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Scientific Park UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - P Sanz
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, IBV-CSIC, 46010, Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)-ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
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8
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Rubio T, Viana R, Moreno-Estellés M, Campos-Rodríguez Á, Sanz P. TNF and IL6/Jak2 signaling pathways are the main contributors of the glia-derived neuroinflammation present in Lafora disease, a fatal form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 176:105964. [PMID: 36526090 PMCID: PMC10682476 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD; OMIM#254780) is a rare form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy (prevalence <1:1,000,000) characterized by the accumulation of insoluble deposits of aberrant glycogen (polyglucosans), named Lafora bodies, in the brain but also in peripheral tissues. LD is the most severe form of the group of progressive myoclonus epilepsies, since patients present a rapid deterioration and dementia with amplification of seizures, leading to death after a decade from the onset of the first symptoms. We have recently described that reactive glia-derived neuroinflammation should be considered a novel hallmark of LD since we observed a florid upregulation of differentially expressed genes in both LD mouse lines, which were mainly related to mediators of inflammatory response. In this work, we define an upregulation of the expression of mediators of the TNF and IL6/JAK2 signaling pathways in LD. In addition, we describe the activation of the non-canonical form of the inflammasome. Furthermore, we describe the infiltration of peripheral immune cells in the brain parenchyma, which could aggravate glia-derived neuroinflammation. Finally, we describe CXCL10 and S100b as blood biomarkers of the disease, which will allow the study of the progression of the disease using serum blood samples. We consider that the identification of these initial inflammatory changes in LD will be very important to implement possible anti-inflammatory therapeutic strategies to prevent the development of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Rubio
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Rosa Viana
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Mireia Moreno-Estellés
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Pascual Sanz
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain..
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9
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Della Vecchia S, Marchese M, Santorelli FM. Glial Contributions to Lafora Disease: A Systematic Review. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123103. [PMID: 36551859 PMCID: PMC9776290 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lafora disease (LD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by the accumulation of polyglucosan bodies (PBs) throughout the brain. Alongside metabolic and molecular alterations, neuroinflammation has emerged as another key histopathological feature of LD. METHODS To investigate the role of astrocytes and microglia in LD, we performed a systematic review according to the PRISMA statement. PubMed, Scopus, and Web-of-Science database searches were performed independently by two reviewers. RESULTS Thirty-five studies analyzing the relationship of astrocytes and microglia with LD and/or the effects of anti-inflammatory treatments in LD animal models were identified and included in the review. Although LD has long been dominated by a neuronocentric view, a growing body of evidence suggests a role of glial cells in the disease, starting with the finding that these cells accumulate PBs. We discuss the potential meaning of glial PB accumulations, the likely factors activating glial cells, and the possible contribution of glial cells to LD neurodegeneration and epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS Given the evidence for the role of neuroinflammation in LD, future studies should consider glial cells as a potential therapeutic target for modifying/delaying LD progression; however, it should be kept in mind that these cells can potentially assume multiple reactive phenotypes, which could influence the therapeutic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Della Vecchia
- Molecular Medicine and Neurogenetics, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (S.D.V.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Maria Marchese
- Neurobiology, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Maria Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine and Neurogenetics, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy
- Neurobiology, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (S.D.V.); (F.M.S.)
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Mollá B, Heredia M, Campos Á, Sanz P. Pharmacological Modulation of Glutamatergic and Neuroinflammatory Pathways in a Lafora Disease Mouse Model. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:6018-6032. [PMID: 35835895 PMCID: PMC9463199 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02956-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal rare neurodegenerative disorder that affects young adolescents and has no treatment yet. The hallmark of LD is the presence of polyglucosan inclusions (PGs), called Lafora bodies (LBs), in the brain and peripheral tissues. LD is caused by mutations in either EPM2A or EPM2B genes, which, respectively, encode laforin, a glucan phosphatase, and malin, an E3-ubiquitin ligase, with identical clinical features. LD knockout mouse models (Epm2a - / - and Epm2b - / -) recapitulate PG body accumulation, as in the human pathology, and display alterations in glutamatergic transmission and neuroinflammatory pathways in the brain. In this work, we show the results of four pre-clinical trials based on the modulation of glutamatergic transmission (riluzole and memantine) and anti-neuroinflammatory interventions (resveratrol and minocycline) as therapeutical strategies in an Epm2b - / - mouse model. Drugs were administered in mice from 3 to 5 months of age, corresponding to early stage of the disease, and we evaluated the beneficial effect of the drugs by in vivo behavioral phenotyping and ex vivo histopathological brain analyses. The behavioral assessment was based on a battery of anxiety, cognitive, and neurodegenerative tests and the histopathological analyses included a panel of markers regarding PG accumulation, astrogliosis, and microgliosis. Overall, the outcome of ameliorating the excessive glutamatergic neurotransmission present in Epm2b - / - mice by memantine displayed therapeutic effectiveness at the behavioral levels. Modulation of neuroinflammation by resveratrol and minocycline also showed beneficial effects at the behavioral level. Therefore, our study suggests that both therapeutical strategies could be beneficial for the treatment of LD patients. A mouse model of Lafora disease (Epm2b-/-) was used to check the putative beneficial effect of different drugs aimed to ameliorate the alterations in glutamatergic transmission and/or neuroinflammation present in the model. Drugs in blue gave a more positive outcome than the rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Mollá
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel Heredia
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ángela Campos
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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11
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Nitschke S, Sullivan MA, Mitra S, Marchioni C, Lee JP Y, Smith BH, Ahonen S, Wu J, Chown E, Wang P, Petković S, Zhao X, DiGiovanni LF, Perri AM, Israelian L, Grossman TR, Kordasiewicz H, Vilaplana F, Iwai K, Nitschke F, Minassian BA. Glycogen synthase downregulation rescues the amylopectinosis of murine RBCK1 deficiency. Brain 2022; 145:2361-2377. [PMID: 35084461 PMCID: PMC9612801 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Longer glucan chains tend to precipitate. Glycogen, by far the largest mammalian glucan and the largest molecule in the cytosol with up to 55 000 glucoses, does not, due to a highly regularly branched spherical structure that allows it to be perfused with cytosol. Aberrant construction of glycogen leads it to precipitate, accumulate into polyglucosan bodies that resemble plant starch amylopectin and cause disease. This pathology, amylopectinosis, is caused by mutations in a series of single genes whose functions are under active study toward understanding the mechanisms of proper glycogen construction. Concurrently, we are characterizing the physicochemical particularities of glycogen and polyglucosans associated with each gene. These genes include GBE1, EPM2A and EPM2B, which respectively encode the glycogen branching enzyme, the glycogen phosphatase laforin and the laforin-interacting E3 ubiquitin ligase malin, for which an unequivocal function is not yet known. Mutations in GBE1 cause a motor neuron disease (adult polyglucosan body disease), and mutations in EPM2A or EPM2B a fatal progressive myoclonus epilepsy (Lafora disease). RBCK1 deficiency causes an amylopectinosis with fatal skeletal and cardiac myopathy (polyglucosan body myopathy 1, OMIM# 615895). RBCK1 is a component of the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex, with unique functions including generating linear ubiquitin chains and ubiquitinating hydroxyl (versus canonical amine) residues, including of glycogen. In a mouse model we now show (i) that the amylopectinosis of RBCK1 deficiency, like in adult polyglucosan body disease and Lafora disease, affects the brain; (ii) that RBCK1 deficiency glycogen, like in adult polyglucosan body disease and Lafora disease, has overlong branches; (iii) that unlike adult polyglucosan body disease but like Lafora disease, RBCK1 deficiency glycogen is hyperphosphorylated; and finally (iv) that unlike laforin-deficient Lafora disease but like malin-deficient Lafora disease, RBCK1 deficiency's glycogen hyperphosphorylation is limited to precipitated polyglucosans. In summary, the fundamental glycogen pathology of RBCK1 deficiency recapitulates that of malin-deficient Lafora disease. Additionally, we uncover sex and genetic background effects in RBCK1 deficiency on organ- and brain-region specific amylopectinoses, and in the brain on consequent neuroinflammation and behavioural deficits. Finally, we exploit the portion of the basic glycogen pathology that is common to adult polyglucosan body disease, both forms of Lafora disease and RBCK1 deficiency, namely overlong branches, to show that a unified approach based on downregulating glycogen synthase, the enzyme that elongates glycogen branches, can rescue all four diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Nitschke
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Mitchell A Sullivan
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Glycation and Diabetes Complications, Mater Research Institute–The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Sharmistha Mitra
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Charlotte R Marchioni
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jennifer P Y Lee
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Brandon H Smith
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Saija Ahonen
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jun Wu
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Erin E Chown
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Peixiang Wang
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Sara Petković
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Xiaochu Zhao
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Laura F DiGiovanni
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Ami M Perri
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Lori Israelian
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Tamar R Grossman
- Department of Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Holly Kordasiewicz
- Department of Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Francisco Vilaplana
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Centre, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Kazuhiro Iwai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Kyoto University School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Felix Nitschke
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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12
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Garcia-Llorens G, Lopez-Navarro S, Jaijo T, Castell JV, Bort R. Modeling a Novel Variant of Glycogenosis IXa Using a Clonal Inducible Reprogramming System to Generate "Diseased" Hepatocytes for Accurate Diagnosis. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12071111. [PMID: 35887608 PMCID: PMC9322025 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12071111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of inherited metabolic disorders is a long and tedious process. The matching of clinical data with a genomic variant in a specific metabolic pathway is an essential step, but the link between a genome and the clinical data is normally difficult, primarily for new missense variants or alterations in intron sequences. Notwithstanding, elucidation of the pathogenicity of a specific variant might be critical for an accurate diagnosis. In this study, we described a novel intronic variant c.2597 + 5G > T in the donor splice sequence of the PHKA2 gene. To investigate PHKA2 mRNA splicing, as well as the functional consequences on glycogen metabolism, we generated hepatocyte-like cells from a proband’s fibroblasts by direct reprogramming. We demonstrated an aberrant splicing of PHKA2, resulting in the incorporation of a 27 bp upstream of intron 23 into exon 23, which leads to an immediate premature STOP codon. The truncated protein was unable to phosphorylate the PYGL protein, causing a 4-fold increase in the accumulation of glycogen in hepatocyte-like cells. Collectively, the generation of personalized hepatocyte-like cells enabled an unequivocal molecular diagnosis and qualified the sister’s proband, a carrier of the same mutation, as a candidate for a preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Additionally, our direct reprogramming strategy allows for an unlimited source of “diseased” hepatocyte-like cells compatible with high-throughput platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Garcia-Llorens
- Unidad de Hepatología Experimental y Trasplante Hepático, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politecnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (G.G.-L.); (S.L.-N.); (J.V.C.)
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Universidad de Valencia, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergi Lopez-Navarro
- Unidad de Hepatología Experimental y Trasplante Hepático, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politecnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (G.G.-L.); (S.L.-N.); (J.V.C.)
| | - Teresa Jaijo
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomic Biomedicine, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politecnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Jose V. Castell
- Unidad de Hepatología Experimental y Trasplante Hepático, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politecnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (G.G.-L.); (S.L.-N.); (J.V.C.)
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Universidad de Valencia, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Roque Bort
- Unidad de Hepatología Experimental y Trasplante Hepático, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politecnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (G.G.-L.); (S.L.-N.); (J.V.C.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-961-246-621
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13
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Pellegrini P, Hervera A, Varea O, Brewer MK, López-Soldado I, Guitart A, Aguilera M, Prats N, del Río JA, Guinovart JJ, Duran J. Lack of p62 Impairs Glycogen Aggregation and Exacerbates Pathology in a Mouse Model of Myoclonic Epilepsy of Lafora. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 59:1214-1229. [PMID: 34962634 PMCID: PMC8857170 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02682-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal childhood-onset dementia characterized by the extensive accumulation of glycogen aggregates—the so-called Lafora Bodies (LBs)—in several organs. The accumulation of LBs in the brain underlies the neurological phenotype of the disease. LBs are composed of abnormal glycogen and various associated proteins, including p62, an autophagy adaptor that participates in the aggregation and clearance of misfolded proteins. To study the role of p62 in the formation of LBs and its participation in the pathology of LD, we generated a mouse model of the disease (malinKO) lacking p62. Deletion of p62 prevented LB accumulation in skeletal muscle and cardiac tissue. In the brain, the absence of p62 altered LB morphology and increased susceptibility to epilepsy. These results demonstrate that p62 participates in the formation of LBs and suggest that the sequestration of abnormal glycogen into LBs is a protective mechanism through which it reduces the deleterious consequences of its accumulation in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Pellegrini
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arnau Hervera
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Varea
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - M. Kathryn Brewer
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Iliana López-Soldado
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Anna Guitart
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mònica Aguilera
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Neus Prats
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Antonio del Río
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan J. Guinovart
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Duran
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Institut Químic de Sarrià, University Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Mitra S, Gumusgoz E, Minassian BA. Lafora disease: Current biology and therapeutic approaches. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2021; 178:315-325. [PMID: 34301405 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The ubiquitin system impacts most cellular processes and is altered in numerous neurodegenerative diseases. However, little is known about its role in neurodegenerative diseases due to disturbances of glycogen metabolism such as Lafora disease (LD). In LD, insufficiently branched and long-chained glycogen forms and precipitates into insoluble polyglucosan bodies (Lafora bodies), which drive neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration and epilepsy. LD is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the glycogen phosphatase laforin or the gene coding for the laforin interacting partner ubiquitin E3 ligase malin. The role of the malin-laforin complex in regulating glycogen structure remains with full of gaps. In this review we bring together the disparate body of data on these two proteins and propose a mechanistic hypothesis of the disease in which malin-laforin's role to monitor and prevent over-elongation of glycogen branch chains, which drive glycogen molecules to precipitate and accumulate into Lafora bodies. We also review proposed connections between Lafora bodies and the ensuing neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration and intractable epilepsy. Finally, we review the exciting activities in developing therapies for Lafora disease based on replacing the missing genes, slowing the enzyme - glycogen synthase - that over-elongates glycogen branches, and introducing enzymes that can digest Lafora bodies. Much more work is needed to fill the gaps in glycogen metabolism in which laforin and malin operate. However, knowledge appears already adequate to advance disease course altering therapies for this catastrophic fatal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mitra
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - E Gumusgoz
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - B A Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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15
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Canine Lafora Disease: An Unstable Repeat Expansion Disorder. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11070689. [PMID: 34357061 PMCID: PMC8304204 DOI: 10.3390/life11070689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine Lafora disease is a recessively inherited, rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease caused by the accumulation of abnormally constructed insoluble glycogen Lafora bodies in the brain and other tissues due to the loss of NHL repeat containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (NHLRC1). Dogs have a dodecamer repeat sequence within the NHLRC1 gene, which is prone to unstable (dynamic) expansion and loss of function. Progressive signs of Lafora disease include hypnic jerks, reflex and spontaneous myoclonus, seizures, vision loss, ataxia and decreased cognitive function. We studied five dogs (one Chihuahua, two French Bulldogs, one Griffon Bruxellois, one mixed breed) with clinical signs associated with canine Lafora disease. Identification of polyglucosan bodies (Lafora bodies) in myocytes supported diagnosis in the French Bulldogs; muscle areas close to the myotendinous junction and the myofascial union segment had the highest yield of inclusions. Postmortem examination of one of the French Bulldogs revealed brain Lafora bodies. Genetic testing for the known canine NHLRC1 mutation confirmed the presence of a homozygous mutation associated with canine Lafora disease. Our results show that Lafora disease extends beyond previous known breeds to the French Bulldog, Griffon Bruxellois and even mixed-breed dogs, emphasizing the likely species-wide nature of this genetic problem. It also establishes these breeds as animal models for the devastating human disease. Genetic testing should be used when designing breeding strategies to determine the frequency of the NHLRC1 mutation in affected breeds. Lafora diseases should be suspected in any older dog presenting with myoclonus, hypnic jerks or photoconvulsions.
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16
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Brain glycogen serves as a critical glucosamine cache required for protein glycosylation. Cell Metab 2021; 33:1404-1417.e9. [PMID: 34043942 PMCID: PMC8266748 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Glycosylation defects are a hallmark of many nervous system diseases. However, the molecular and metabolic basis for this pathology is not fully understood. In this study, we found that N-linked protein glycosylation in the brain is metabolically channeled to glucosamine metabolism through glycogenolysis. We discovered that glucosamine is an abundant constituent of brain glycogen, which functions as a glucosamine reservoir for multiple glycoconjugates. We demonstrated the enzymatic incorporation of glucosamine into glycogen by glycogen synthase, and the release by glycogen phosphorylase by biochemical and structural methodologies, in primary astrocytes, and in vivo by isotopic tracing and mass spectrometry. Using two mouse models of glycogen storage diseases, we showed that disruption of brain glycogen metabolism causes global decreases in free pools of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and N-linked protein glycosylation. These findings revealed fundamental biological roles of brain glycogen in protein glycosylation with direct relevance to multiple human diseases of the central nervous system.
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17
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Mollá B, Heredia M, Sanz P. Modulators of Neuroinflammation Have a Beneficial Effect in a Lafora Disease Mouse Model. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:2508-2522. [PMID: 33447969 PMCID: PMC8167455 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02285-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD; OMIM#274780) is a fatal rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by generalized epileptic seizures and the presence of polyglucosan inclusions (PGs), called Lafora bodies (LBs), typically in the brain. LD is caused by mutations in two genes EPM2A or EPM2B, which encode respectively laforin, a glucan phosphatase, and malin, an E3-ubiquitin ligase. Much remains unknown about the molecular bases of LD and, unfortunately, appropriate treatment is still missing; therefore patients die within 10 years from the onset of the disease. Recently, we have identified neuroinflammation as one of the initial determinants in LD. In this work, we have investigated anti-inflammatory treatments as potential therapies in LD. With this aim, we have performed a preclinical study in an Epm2b-/- mouse model with propranolol, a β-adrenergic antagonist, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant from green tea extract, both of which displaying additional anti-inflammatory properties. In vivo motor and cognitive behavioral tests and ex vivo histopathological brain analyses were used as parameters to assess the therapeutic potential of propranolol and EGCG. After 2 months of treatment, we observed an improvement not only in attention defects but also in neuronal disorganization, astrogliosis, and microgliosis present in the hippocampus of Epm2b-/- mice. In general, propranolol intervention was more effective than EGCG in preventing the appearance of astrocyte and microglia reactivity. In summary, our results confirm the potential therapeutic effectiveness of the modulators of inflammation as novel treatments in Lafora disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Mollá
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Miguel Heredia
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010, Valencia, Spain
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18
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Ahonen S, Nitschke S, Grossman TR, Kordasiewicz H, Wang P, Zhao X, Guisso DR, Kasiri S, Nitschke F, Minassian BA. Gys1 antisense therapy rescues neuropathological bases of murine Lafora disease. Brain 2021; 144:2985-2993. [PMID: 33993268 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease is a fatal progressive myoclonus epilepsy. At root, it is due to constant acquisition of branches that are too long in a subgroup of glycogen molecules, leading them to precipitate and accumulate into Lafora bodies, which drive a neuroinflammatory response and neurodegeneration. As a potential therapy, we aimed to downregulate glycogen synthase, the enzyme responsible for glycogen branch elongation, in the disease's mouse models. We synthesized an antisense oligonucleotide (Gys1-ASO) that targets the mRNA of the brain-expressed glycogen synthase 1 gene (Gys1). We administered Gys1-ASO by intracerebroventricular injection and analyzed the pathological hallmarks of Lafora disease, namely glycogen accumulation, Lafora body formation, and neuroinflammation. Gys1-ASO prevented Lafora body formation in young mice that had not yet formed them. In older mice that already exhibited Lafora bodies, Gys1-ASO inhibited further accumulation, markedly preventing large Lafora bodies characteristic of advanced disease. Inhibition of Lafora body formation was associated with prevention of astrogliosis and strong trends towards correction of dysregulated expression of disease immune and neuroinflammatory markers. Lafora disease manifests gradually in previously healthy teenagers. Our work provides proof of principle that an antisense oligonucleotide targeting the GYS1 mRNA could prevent, and halt progression of, this catastrophic epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saija Ahonen
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Silvia Nitschke
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Tamar R Grossman
- Department of Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Holly Kordasiewicz
- Department of Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Peixiang Wang
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Xiaochu Zhao
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Dikran R Guisso
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sahba Kasiri
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Felix Nitschke
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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19
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TRIM32 and Malin in Neurological and Neuromuscular Rare Diseases. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040820. [PMID: 33917450 PMCID: PMC8067510 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins are RING E3 ubiquitin ligases defined by a shared domain structure. Several of them are implicated in rare genetic diseases, and mutations in TRIM32 and TRIM-like malin are associated with Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R8 and Lafora disease, respectively. These two proteins are evolutionary related, share a common ancestor, and both display NHL repeats at their C-terminus. Here, we revmniew the function of these two related E3 ubiquitin ligases discussing their intrinsic and possible common pathophysiological pathways.
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20
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Duran J, Hervera A, Markussen KH, Varea O, López-Soldado I, Sun RC, Del Río JA, Gentry MS, Guinovart JJ. Astrocytic glycogen accumulation drives the pathophysiology of neurodegeneration in Lafora disease. Brain 2021; 144:2349-2360. [PMID: 33822008 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hallmark of Lafora disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, is the accumulation of intracellular glycogen aggregates, called Lafora bodies. Until recently, it was widely believed that brain Lafora bodies were present exclusively in neurons and thus that Lafora disease pathology derived from their accumulation in this cell population. However, recent evidence indicates that Lafora bodies are also present in astrocytes. To define the role of astrocytic Lafora bodies in Lafora disease pathology, we deleted glycogen synthase specifically from astrocytes in a mouse model of the disease (malinKO). Strikingly, blocking glycogen synthesis in astrocytes-thus impeding Lafora bodies accumulation in this cell type-prevented the increase in neurodegeneration markers, autophagy impairment, and metabolic changes characteristic of the malinKO model. Conversely, mice that overaccumulate glycogen in astrocytes showed an increase in these markers. These results unveil the deleterious consequences of the deregulation of glycogen metabolism in astrocytes and change the perspective that Lafora disease is caused solely by alterations in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Duran
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Arnau Hervera
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, 28031, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kia H Markussen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Olga Varea
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
| | - Iliana López-Soldado
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
| | - Ramon C Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Jose Antonio Del Río
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, 28031, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Joan J Guinovart
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, 28029, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
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21
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Riva A, Orsini A, Scala M, Taramasso V, Canafoglia L, d'Orsi G, Di Claudio MT, Avolio C, D'Aniello A, Elia M, Franceschetti S, Di Gennaro G, Bisulli F, Tinuper P, Tappatà M, Romeo A, Freri E, Marini C, Costa C, Sofia V, Ferlazzo E, Magaudda A, Veggiotti P, Gennaro E, Pistorio A, Minetti C, Bianchi A, Striano S, Michelucci R, Zara F, Minassian BA, Striano P. Italian cohort of Lafora disease: Clinical features, disease evolution, and genotype-phenotype correlations. J Neurol Sci 2021; 424:117409. [PMID: 33773408 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2021.117409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lafora disease (LD) is characterized by progressive myoclonus, refractory epilepsy, and cognitive deterioration. This complex neurodegenerative condition is caused by pathogenic variants in EPM2A/EPM2B genes, encoding two essential glycogen metabolism enzymes known as laforin and malin. Long-term follow-up data are lacking. We describe the clinical features and genetic findings of a cohort of 26 Italian patients with a long clinical follow-up. METHODS Patients with EPM2A/EPM2B pathogenic variants were identified by direct gene sequencing or gene panels with targeted re-sequencing. Disease progression, motor functions, and mental performance were assessed by a simplified disability scale. Spontaneous/action myoclonus severity was scored by the Magaudda Scale. RESULTS Age range was 12.2-46.2 years (mean:25.53 ± 9.14). Age at disease onset ranged from 10 to 22 years (mean:14.04 ± 2.62). The mean follow-up period was 11.48 ± 7.8 years. Twelve out of the 26 (46%) patients preserved walking ability and 13 (50%) maintained speech. A slower disease progression with preserved ambulation and speech after ≥4 years of follow-up was observed in 1 (11%) out of the 9 (35%) EPM2A patients and in 6 (35%) out of the 17 (65%) EPM2B patients. Follow-up was >10 years in 7 (41.2%) EPM2B individuals, including two harbouring the homozygous p.(D146N) pathogenic variant. CONCLUSIONS This study supports an overall worse disease outcome with severe deterioration of ambulation and speech in patients carrying EPM2A mutations. However, the delayed onset of disabling symptoms observed in the EPM2B subjects harbouring the p.(D146N) pathogenic variant suggests that the underlying causative variant may still influence LD severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Riva
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy; Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Orsini
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marcello Scala
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy; Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy
| | - Vittoria Taramasso
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe d'Orsi
- Epilepsy Centre-S.C. Neurologia Universitaria, Policlinico Riuniti, Foggia, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Avolio
- Epilepsy Centre-S.C. Neurologia Universitaria, Policlinico Riuniti, Foggia, Italy
| | | | - Maurizio Elia
- Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiopathology, Oasi Research Institute, IRCCS, Troina, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Bisulli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Epilepsy Center (Reference Center for Rare and Complex Epilepsies - EpiCARE), Bologna, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Tinuper
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Epilepsy Center (Reference Center for Rare and Complex Epilepsies - EpiCARE), Bologna, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Tappatà
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Epilepsy Center (Reference Center for Rare and Complex Epilepsies - EpiCARE), Bologna, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonino Romeo
- Pediatric Neurology Unit and Epilepsy Center, Department of Neuroscience, "Fatebenefratelli e Oftalmico" Hospital, Milano, Italy
| | - Elena Freri
- Department of Pediatric Neuroscience, IRCCS Foundation, Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Carla Marini
- Child Neurology and Psychiatric Unit, Salesi Pediatric Hospital, United Hospitals of Ancona, Ancona, Italy
| | - Cinzia Costa
- Neurology Clinic, S.M. Misericordia Hospital, Departement of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Vito Sofia
- Dipartimento "G.F Ingrassia", Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Edoardo Ferlazzo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, Germaneto, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Adriana Magaudda
- Epilepsy Center, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, AOU Policlinico "G. Martino", Messina, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Veggiotti
- Department of the Mother and Child Health, Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elena Gennaro
- UOC Laboratorio di Genetica Umana, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy
| | - Angela Pistorio
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy
| | - Carlo Minetti
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy; Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy
| | - Amedeo Bianchi
- Department of Neurology and Epilepsy Centre, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Striano
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Napoli, Italy
| | - Roberto Michelucci
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Epilepsy Center (Reference Center for Rare and Complex Epilepsies - EpiCARE), Bologna, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico Zara
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy; Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Berge Arakel Minassian
- Pediatric Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern and Dallas Children's Medical Centre, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy; Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy.
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22
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Ravi K, Paidas MJ, Saad A, Jayakumar AR. Astrocytes in rare neurological conditions: Morphological and functional considerations. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:2676-2705. [PMID: 33496339 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25118] [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: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are a population of central nervous system (CNS) cells with distinctive morphological and functional characteristics that differ within specific areas of the brain and are widely distributed throughout the CNS. There are mainly two types of astrocytes, protoplasmic and fibrous, which differ in morphologic appearance and location. Astrocytes are important cells of the CNS that not only provide structural support, but also modulate synaptic activity, regulate neuroinflammatory responses, maintain the blood-brain barrier, and supply energy to neurons. As a result, astrocytic disruption can lead to widespread detrimental effects and can contribute to the pathophysiology of several neurological conditions. The characteristics of astrocytes in more common neuropathologies such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease have significantly been described and continue to be widely studied. However, there still exist numerous rare neurological conditions in which astrocytic involvement is unknown and needs to be explored. Accordingly, this review will summarize functional and morphological changes of astrocytes in various rare neurological conditions based on current knowledge thus far and highlight remaining neuropathologies where astrocytic involvement has yet to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik Ravi
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Michael J Paidas
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Ali Saad
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Arumugam R Jayakumar
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education Inc, Miami, Florida, USA.,General Medical Research Neuropathology Section, R&D Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Centre, Miami, Florida, USA
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23
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Perez-Jimenez E, Viana R, Muñoz-Ballester C, Vendrell-Tornero C, Moll-Diaz R, Garcia-Gimeno MA, Sanz P. Endocytosis of the glutamate transporter 1 is regulated by laforin and malin: Implications in Lafora disease. Glia 2020; 69:1170-1183. [PMID: 33368637 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal rare type of progressive myoclonus epilepsy that appears during early adolescence. The disease is caused by mutations in EPM2A or EPM2B genes, which encode laforin, a glucan phosphatase, and malin, an E3-ubiquitin ligase, respectively. Although the exact roles of laforin and malin are still not well understood, it is known that they work as a complex in which laforin recruits targets that will be ubiquitinated by malin. Recently, we suggested that the type of epilepsy that accompanies LD could be due to deficiencies in the function of the astrocytic glutamate transporter GLT-1. We described that astrocytes from LD mouse models presented decreased levels of GLT-1 at the plasma membrane, leading to increased levels of glutamate in the brain parenchyma. In this work, we present evidence indicating that in the absence of a functional laforin/malin complex (as in LD cellular models) there is an alteration in the ubiquitination of GLT-1, which could be the cause of the reduction in the levels of GLT-1 at the plasma membrane. On the contrary, overexpression of the laforin/malin complex promotes the retention of GLT-1 at the plasma membrane. This retention may be due to the direct ubiquitination of GLT-1 and/or to an opposite effect of this complex on the dynamics of the Nedd4.2-mediated endocytosis of the transporter. This work, therefore, presents new pieces of evidence on the regulation of GLT-1 by the laforin/malin complex, highlighting its value as a therapeutic target for the amelioration of the type of epilepsy that accompanies LD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Perez-Jimenez
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rosa Viana
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carmen Muñoz-Ballester
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Vendrell-Tornero
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Raquel Moll-Diaz
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Pascual Sanz
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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24
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Nitschke S, Chown EE, Zhao X, Gabrielian S, Petković S, Guisso DR, Perri AM, Wang P, Ahonen S, Nitschke F, Minassian BA. An inducible glycogen synthase-1 knockout halts but does not reverse Lafora disease progression in mice. J Biol Chem 2020; 296:100150. [PMID: 33277363 PMCID: PMC7857511 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.015773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malstructured glycogen accumulates over time in Lafora disease (LD) and precipitates into Lafora bodies (LBs), leading to neurodegeneration and intractable fatal epilepsy. Constitutive reduction of glycogen synthase-1 (GYS1) activity prevents murine LD, but the effect of GYS1 reduction later in disease course is unknown. Our goal was to knock out Gys1 in laforin (Epm2a)-deficient LD mice after disease onset to determine whether LD can be halted in midcourse, or even reversed. We generated Epm2a-deficient LD mice with tamoxifen-inducible Cre-mediated Gys1 knockout. Tamoxifen was administered at 4 months and disease progression assessed at 12 months. We verified successful knockout at mRNA and protein levels using droplet digital PCR and Western blots. Glycogen determination and periodic acid-Schiff-diastase staining were used to analyze glycogen and LB accumulation. Immunohistochemistry using astrocytic (glial fibrillary acidic protein) and microglial (ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1) markers was performed to investigate neuroinflammation. In the disease-relevant organ, the brain, Gys1 mRNA levels were reduced by 85% and GYS1 protein depleted. Glycogen accumulation was halted at the 4-month level, while LB formation and neuroinflammation were significantly, though incompletely, prevented. Skeletal muscle analysis confirmed that Gys1 knockout inhibits glycogen and LB accumulation. However, tamoxifen-independent Cre recombination precluded determination of disease halting or reversal in this tissue. Our study shows that Gys1 knockdown is a powerful means to prevent LD progression, but this approach did not reduce brain glycogen or LBs to levels below those at the time of intervention. These data suggest that endogenous mechanisms to clear brain LBs are absent or, possibly, compromised in laforin-deficient murine LD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Nitschke
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin E Chown
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiaochu Zhao
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shoghig Gabrielian
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Petković
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dikran R Guisso
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ami M Perri
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peixiang Wang
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Saija Ahonen
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Felix Nitschke
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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25
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Suppression of glycogen synthesis as a treatment for Lafora disease: Establishing the window of opportunity. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 147:105173. [PMID: 33171226 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal adolescence-onset neurodegenerative condition. The hallmark of LD is the accumulation of aberrant glycogen aggregates called Lafora bodies (LBs) in the brain and other tissues. Impeding glycogen synthesis from early embryonic stages by genetic suppression of glycogen synthase (MGS) in an animal model of LD prevents LB formation and ultimately the pathological manifestations of LD thereby indicating that LBs are responsible for the pathophysiology of the disease. However, it is not clear whether eliminating glycogen synthesis in an adult animal after LBs have already formed would halt or reverse the progression of LD. Herein we generated a mouse model of LD with inducible MGS suppression. We evaluated the effect of MGS suppression at different time points on LB accumulation as well as on the appearance of neuroinflammation, a pathologic trait of LD models. In the skeletal muscle, MGS suppression in adult LD mice blocked the formation of new LBs and reduced the number of glycogen aggregates. In the brain, early but not late MGS suppression halted the accumulation of LBs. However, the neuroinflammatory response was still present, as shown by the levels of reactive astrocytes, microglia and inflammatory cytokines. Our results confirm that MGS as a promising therapeutic target for LD and highlight the importance of an early diagnosis for effective treatment of the disease.
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26
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Duran J, Brewer MK, Hervera A, Gruart A, Del Rio JA, Delgado-García JM, Guinovart JJ. Lack of Astrocytic Glycogen Alters Synaptic Plasticity but Not Seizure Susceptibility. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4657-4666. [PMID: 32770452 PMCID: PMC7530046 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02055-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Brain glycogen is mainly stored in astrocytes. However, recent studies both in vitro and in vivo indicate that glycogen also plays important roles in neurons. By conditional deletion of glycogen synthase (GYS1), we previously developed a mouse model entirely devoid of glycogen in the central nervous system (GYS1Nestin-KO). These mice displayed altered electrophysiological properties in the hippocampus and increased susceptibility to kainate-induced seizures. To understand which of these functions are related to astrocytic glycogen, in the present study, we generated a mouse model in which glycogen synthesis is eliminated specifically in astrocytes (GYS1Gfap-KO). Electrophysiological recordings of awake behaving mice revealed alterations in input/output curves and impaired long-term potentiation, similar, but to a lesser extent, to those obtained with GYS1Nestin-KO mice. Surprisingly, GYS1Gfap-KO mice displayed no change in susceptibility to kainate-induced seizures as determined by fEPSP recordings and video monitoring. These results confirm the importance of astrocytic glycogen in synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Duran
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - M Kathryn Brewer
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arnau Hervera
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Agnès Gruart
- Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
| | - Jose Antonio Del Rio
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Joan J Guinovart
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
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27
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Israelian L, Nitschke S, Wang P, Zhao X, Perri AM, Lee JPY, Verhalen B, Nitschke F, Minassian BA. Ppp1r3d deficiency preferentially inhibits neuronal and cardiac Lafora body formation in a mouse model of the fatal epilepsy Lafora disease. J Neurochem 2020; 157:1897-1910. [PMID: 32892347 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian glycogen chain lengths are subject to complex regulation, including by seven proteins (protein phosphatase-1 regulatory subunit 3, PPP1R3A through PPP1R3G) that target protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) to glycogen to activate the glycogen chain-elongating enzyme glycogen synthase and inactivate the chain-shortening glycogen phosphorylase. Lafora disease is a fatal neurodegenerative epilepsy caused by aggregates of long-chained, and as a result insoluble, glycogen, termed Lafora bodies (LBs). We previously eliminated PPP1R3C from a Lafora disease mouse model and studied the effect on LB formation. In the present work, we eliminate and study the effect of absent PPP1R3D. In the interim, brain cell type levels of all PPP1R3 genes have been published, and brain cell type localization of LBs clarified. Integrating these data we find that PPP1R3C is the major isoform in most tissues including brain. In the brain, PPP1R3C is expressed at 15-fold higher levels than PPP1R3D in astrocytes, the cell type where most LBs form. PPP1R3C deficiency eliminates ~90% of brain LBs. PPP1R3D is quantitatively a minor isoform, but possesses unique MAPK, CaMK2 and 14-3-3 binding domains and appears to have an important functional niche in murine neurons and cardiomyocytes. In neurons, it is expressed equally to PPP1R3C, and its deficiency eliminates ~50% of neuronal LBs. In heart, it is expressed at 25% of PPP1R3C where its deficiency eliminates ~90% of LBs. This work studies the role of a second (PPP1R3D) of seven PP1 subunits that regulate the structure of glycogen, toward better understanding of brain glycogen metabolism generally, and in Lafora disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Israelian
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Silvia Nitschke
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Peixiang Wang
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Xiaochu Zhao
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ami M Perri
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer P Y Lee
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brandy Verhalen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Felix Nitschke
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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28
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Kim YS, Choi J, Yoon BE. Neuron-Glia Interactions in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102176. [PMID: 32992620 PMCID: PMC7601502 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed synaptic dysfunction to be a hallmark of various psychiatric diseases, and that glial cells participate in synapse formation, development, and plasticity. Glial cells contribute to neuroinflammation and synaptic homeostasis, the latter being essential for maintaining the physiological function of the central nervous system (CNS). In particular, glial cells undergo gliotransmission and regulate neuronal activity in tripartite synapses via ion channels (gap junction hemichannel, volume regulated anion channel, and bestrophin-1), receptors (for neurotransmitters and cytokines), or transporters (GLT-1, GLAST, and GATs) that are expressed on glial cell membranes. In this review, we propose that dysfunction in neuron-glia interactions may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. Understanding the mechanisms of neuron-glia interaction for synapse formation and maturation will contribute to the development of novel therapeutic targets of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoo Sung Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea; (Y.S.K.); (J.C.)
| | - Juwon Choi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea; (Y.S.K.); (J.C.)
| | - Bo-Eun Yoon
- Department of Molecular Biology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea; (Y.S.K.); (J.C.)
- Department of Nanobiomedical science, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-41-529-6085
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29
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Stevenson R, Samokhina E, Rossetti I, Morley JW, Buskila Y. Neuromodulation of Glial Function During Neurodegeneration. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:278. [PMID: 32973460 PMCID: PMC7473408 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glia, a non-excitable cell type once considered merely as the connective tissue between neurons, is nowadays acknowledged for its essential contribution to multiple physiological processes including learning, memory formation, excitability, synaptic plasticity, ion homeostasis, and energy metabolism. Moreover, as glia are key players in the brain immune system and provide structural and nutritional support for neurons, they are intimately involved in multiple neurological disorders. Recent advances have demonstrated that glial cells, specifically microglia and astroglia, are involved in several neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Epilepsy, Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). While there is compelling evidence for glial modulation of synaptic formation and regulation that affect neuronal signal processing and activity, in this manuscript we will review recent findings on neuronal activity that affect glial function, specifically during neurodegenerative disorders. We will discuss the nature of each glial malfunction, its specificity to each disorder, overall contribution to the disease progression and assess its potential as a future therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Stevenson
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Evgeniia Samokhina
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Ilaria Rossetti
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - John W. Morley
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Yossi Buskila
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
- International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems, The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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30
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Aso E, Andrés-Benito P, Grau-Escolano J, Caltana L, Brusco A, Sanz P, Ferrer I. Cannabidiol-Enriched Extract Reduced the Cognitive Impairment but Not the Epileptic Seizures in a Lafora Disease Animal Model. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2020; 5:150-163. [PMID: 32656347 DOI: 10.1089/can.2019.0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Lafora disease (LD) is a rare form of progressive infantile epilepsy in which rapid neurological deterioration occurs as the disease advances, leading the patients to a vegetative state and then death, usually within the first decade of disease onset. Based on the capacity of the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) to modulate several cellular processes commonly altered in many neurodegenerative processes, as well as the antiepileptic properties of certain natural cannabinoids, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the ECS in LD progression. Materials and Methods: We tested whether a natural cannabis extract highly enriched in cannabidiol (CBD) might be effective in curbing the pathological phenotype of malin knockout (KO) mice as an animal model of LD. Results: Our results reveal for the first time that alterations in the ECS occur during the evolution of LD, mainly at the level of CB1, CB2, and G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) receptor expression, and that a CBD-enriched extract (CBDext) is able to reduce the cognitive impairment exhibited by malin KO mice. However, in contrast to what has previously been reported for other kinds of refractory epilepsy in childhood, the CBD-enriched extract does not reduce the severity of the epileptic seizures induced in this animal model of LD. Conclusions: In summary, this study reveals that the ECS might play a role in LD and that a CBD-enriched extract partially reduces the dementia-like phenotype, but not the increased vulnerability to epileptic seizures, exhibited by an animal model of such a life-threatening disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Aso
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament de Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IDIBELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pol Andrés-Benito
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBERNED, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de En.fermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Unitat de Anatomia Patològica, Departament de Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Jordi Grau-Escolano
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament de Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IDIBELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Caltana
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia Prof. E. de Robertis (IBCN, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alicia Brusco
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia Prof. E. de Robertis (IBCN, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IBV-CSIC), Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Group U742, Valencia, Spain
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBERNED, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de En.fermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Unitat de Anatomia Patològica, Departament de Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
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31
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Brewer MK, Putaux JL, Rondon A, Uittenbogaard A, Sullivan MA, Gentry MS. Polyglucosan body structure in Lafora disease. Carbohydr Polym 2020; 240:116260. [PMID: 32475552 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal carbohydrate structures known as polyglucosan bodies (PGBs) are associated with neurological disorders, glycogen storage diseases (GSDs), and aging. A hallmark of the GSD Lafora disease (LD), a fatal childhood epilepsy caused by recessive mutations in the EPM2A or EPM2B genes, are cytoplasmic PGBs known as Lafora bodies (LBs). LBs result from aberrant glycogen metabolism and drive disease progression. They are abundant in brain, muscle and heart of LD patients and Epm2a-/- and Epm2b-/- mice. LBs and PGBs are histologically reminiscent of starch, semicrystalline carbohydrates synthesized for glucose storage in plants. In this study, we define LB architecture, tissue-specific differences, and dynamics. We propose a model for how small polyglucosans aggregate to form LBs. LBs are very similar to PGBs of aging and other neurological disorders, and so these studies have direct relevance to the general understanding of PGB structure and formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kathryn Brewer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, Epilepsy and Brain Metabolism Center, and Center for Structural Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jean-Luc Putaux
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Alberto Rondon
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Annette Uittenbogaard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Mitchell A Sullivan
- Glycation and Diabetes Group, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, Epilepsy and Brain Metabolism Center, and Center for Structural Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
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32
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Gentry MS, Afawi Z, Armstrong DD, Delgado-Escueta A, Goldberg YP, Grossman TR, Guinovart JJ, Harris F, Hurley TD, Michelucci R, Minassian BA, Sanz P, Worby CA, Serratosa JM. The 5th International Lafora Epilepsy Workshop: Basic science elucidating therapeutic options and preparing for therapies in the clinic. Epilepsy Behav 2020; 103:106839. [PMID: 31932179 PMCID: PMC7024738 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is both a fatal childhood epilepsy and a glycogen storage disease caused by recessive mutations in either the Epilepsy progressive myoclonus 2A (EPM2A) or EPM2B genes. Hallmarks of LD are aberrant, cytoplasmic carbohydrate aggregates called Lafora bodies (LBs) that are a disease driver. The 5th International Lafora Epilepsy Workshop was recently held in Alcala de Henares, Spain. The workshop brought together nearly 100 clinicians, academic and industry scientists, trainees, National Institutes of Health (NIH) representation, and friends and family members of patients with LD. The workshop covered aspects of LD ranging from defining basic scientific mechanisms to elucidating a LD therapy or cure and a recently launched LD natural history study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Epilepsy and Brain Metabolism Alliance, and Epilepsy Research Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA,Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Corresponding author at: 741 S. Limestone, BBSRB, Room 177, Lexington, KY 40536, USA., (M.S. Gentry)
| | - Zaid Afawi
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel,Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Antonio Delgado-Escueta
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
| | | | | | - Joan J. Guinovart
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Frank Harris
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Chelsea’s Hope, PO Box 348626, Sacramento, CA 95834, USA
| | - Thomas D. Hurley
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Roberto Michelucci
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,IRCCS-Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Unit of Neurology, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Berge A. Minassian
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carolyn A. Worby
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jose M. Serratosa
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative (LECI), USA,Laboratory of Neurology, IIS-Jimenez Diaz Foundation, UAM, 28045 Madrid, Spain,Biomedical Research Networking Center on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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33
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Duran J, Gruart A, López-Ramos JC, Delgado-García JM, Guinovart JJ. Glycogen in Astrocytes and Neurons: Physiological and Pathological Aspects. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2019; 23:311-329. [PMID: 31667813 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-27480-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Brain glycogen is stored mainly in astrocytes, although neurons also have an active glycogen metabolism. Glycogen has gained relevance as a key player in brain function. In this regard, genetically modified animals have allowed researchers to unravel new roles of this polysaccharide in the brain. Remarkably, mice in which glycogen synthase is abolished in the brain, and thus devoid of brain glycogen, are viable, thereby indicating that the polysaccharide in this organ is not a requirement for survival. While there was growing evidence supporting a role of glycogen in learning and memory, these animals have now confirmed that glycogen participates in these two processes.The association of epilepsy with brain glycogen has also attracted attention. Analysis of genetically modified mice indicates that the relation between brain glycogen and epilepsy is complex. While the formation of glycogen aggregates clearly underlies epilepsy, as in Lafora Disease (LD), the absence of glycogen also favors the occurrence of seizures.LD is a rare genetic condition that affects children. It is characterized by epileptic seizures and neurodegeneration, and it develops rapidly until finally causing death. Research into this disease has unveiled new aspects of glycogen metabolism. Animal models of LD accumulate polyglucosan bodies formed by aberrant glycogen aggregates, called Lafora bodies (LBs). The abolition of glycogen synthase (GS) prevents the formation of LBs and the development of LD, thereby indicating that glycogen accumulation underlies this disease and the associated symptoms, and thus establishing a clear relation between the accumulation of glycogen aggregates and the incidence of seizures.Although it was initially accepted that LBs were essentially neuronal, it is now evident that astrocytes also accumulate polyglucosan aggregates in LD. However, the appearance and composition of these deposits differs from that observed in neurons. Of note, the astrocytic aggregates in LD models show remarkable similarities with corpora amylacea (CA), a type of polyglucosan aggregate observed in the brains of aged mice and humans. The abolition of GS in mice also impedes the formation of CA with age and at the same time prevents the formation of a number of protein aggregates associated with aging. Therefore CA may play a role in age-related neurological decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Duran
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Agnès Gruart
- Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
| | | | | | - Joan J Guinovart
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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34
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Lahuerta M, Gonzalez D, Aguado C, Fathinajafabadi A, García-Giménez JL, Moreno-Estellés M, Romá-Mateo C, Knecht E, Pallardó FV, Sanz P. Reactive Glia-Derived Neuroinflammation: a Novel Hallmark in Lafora Progressive Myoclonus Epilepsy That Progresses with Age. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 57:1607-1621. [PMID: 31808062 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01842-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a rare, fatal form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. The molecular basis of this devastating disease is still poorly understood, and no treatment is available yet, which leads to the death of the patients around 10 years from the onset of the first symptoms. The hallmark of LD is the accumulation of insoluble glycogen-like inclusions in the brain and peripheral tissues, as a consequence of altered glycogen homeostasis. In addition, other determinants in the pathophysiology of LD have been suggested, such as proteostasis impairment, with reduction in autophagy, and oxidative stress, among others. In order to gain a general view of the genes involved in the pathophysiology of LD, in this work, we have performed RNA-Seq transcriptome analyses of whole-brain tissue from two independent mouse models of the disease, namely Epm2a-/- and Epm2b-/- mice, at different times of age. Our results provide strong evidence for three major facts: first, in both models of LD, we found a common set of upregulated genes, most of them encoding mediators of inflammatory response; second, there was a progression with the age in the appearance of these inflammatory markers, starting at 3 months of age; and third, reactive glia was responsible for the expression of these inflammatory genes. These results clearly indicate that neuroinflammation is one of the most important traits to be considered in order to fully understand the pathophysiology of LD, and define reactive glia as novel therapeutic targets in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Lahuerta
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Daymé Gonzalez
- EpiDisease S.L. (Spin-Off from the CIBER-ISCIII), Parc Científic de la Universitat de València, Paterna, Spain
| | - Carmen Aguado
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alihamze Fathinajafabadi
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Luis García-Giménez
- EpiDisease S.L. (Spin-Off from the CIBER-ISCIII), Parc Científic de la Universitat de València, Paterna, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Dept. Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mireia Moreno-Estellés
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Romá-Mateo
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Dept. Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Erwin Knecht
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Federico V Pallardó
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Dept. Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.
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35
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Zhou Z, Austin GL, Shaffer R, Armstrong DD, Gentry MS. Antibody-Mediated Enzyme Therapeutics and Applications in Glycogen Storage Diseases. Trends Mol Med 2019; 25:1094-1109. [PMID: 31522955 PMCID: PMC6889062 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2019.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The use of antibodies as targeting molecules or cell-penetrating tools has emerged at the forefront of pharmaceutical research. Antibody-directed therapies in the form of antibody-drug conjugates, immune modulators, and antibody-directed enzyme prodrugs have been most extensively utilized as hematological, rheumatological, and oncological therapies, but recent developments are identifying additional applications of antibody-mediated delivery systems. A novel application of this technology is for the treatment of glycogen storage disorders (GSDs) via an antibody-enzyme fusion (AEF) platform to penetrate cells and deliver an enzyme to the cytoplasm, nucleus, and/or other organelles. Exciting developments are currently underway for AEFs in the treatment of the GSDs Pompe disease and Lafora disease (LD). Antibody-based therapies are quickly becoming an integral part of modern disease therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengqiu Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Grant L Austin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | | | | | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Epilepsy and Brain Metabolism Alliance, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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36
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Brewer MK, Uittenbogaard A, Austin GL, Segvich DM, DePaoli-Roach A, Roach PJ, McCarthy JJ, Simmons ZR, Brandon JA, Zhou Z, Zeller J, Young LEA, Sun RC, Pauly JR, Aziz NM, Hodges BL, McKnight TR, Armstrong DD, Gentry MS. Targeting Pathogenic Lafora Bodies in Lafora Disease Using an Antibody-Enzyme Fusion. Cell Metab 2019; 30:689-705.e6. [PMID: 31353261 PMCID: PMC6774808 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal childhood epilepsy caused by recessive mutations in either the EPM2A or EPM2B gene. A hallmark of LD is the intracellular accumulation of insoluble polysaccharide deposits known as Lafora bodies (LBs) in the brain and other tissues. In LD mouse models, genetic reduction of glycogen synthesis eliminates LB formation and rescues the neurological phenotype. Therefore, LBs have become a therapeutic target for ameliorating LD. Herein, we demonstrate that human pancreatic α-amylase degrades LBs. We fused this amylase to a cell-penetrating antibody fragment, and this antibody-enzyme fusion (VAL-0417) degrades LBs in vitro and dramatically reduces LB loads in vivo in Epm2a-/- mice. Using metabolomics and multivariate analysis, we demonstrate that VAL-0417 treatment of Epm2a-/- mice reverses the metabolic phenotype to a wild-type profile. VAL-0417 is a promising drug for the treatment of LD and a putative precision therapy platform for intractable epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kathryn Brewer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Annette Uittenbogaard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Grant L Austin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Dyann M Segvich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Anna DePaoli-Roach
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Peter J Roach
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - John J McCarthy
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Zoe R Simmons
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jason A Brandon
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Zhengqiu Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jill Zeller
- Northern Biomedical Research, Spring Lake, MI 49456, USA
| | - Lyndsay E A Young
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Ramon C Sun
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - James R Pauly
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; University of Kentucky Epilepsy & Brain Metabolism Alliance, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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Austin GL, Simmons ZR, Klier JE, Rondon A, Hodges BL, Shaffer R, Aziz NM, McKnight TR, Pauly JR, Armstrong DD, Vander Kooi CW, Gentry MS. Central Nervous System Delivery and Biodistribution Analysis of an Antibody-Enzyme Fusion for the Treatment of Lafora Disease. Mol Pharm 2019; 16:3791-3801. [PMID: 31329461 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal juvenile epilepsy characterized by the accumulation of aberrant glucan aggregates called Lafora bodies (LBs). Delivery of protein-based therapeutics to the central nervous system (CNS) for the clearance of LBs remains a unique challenge in the field. Recently, a humanized antigen-binding fragment (hFab) derived from a murine systemic lupus erythematosus DNA autoantibody (3E10) has been shown to mediate cell penetration and proposed as a broadly applicable carrier to mediate cellular targeting and uptake. We report studies on the efficacy and CNS delivery of VAL-0417, an antibody-enzyme fusion composed of the 3E10 hFab and human pancreatic α-amylase, in a mouse model of LD. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed to detect VAL-0417 post-treatment as a measure of delivery efficacy. We demonstrate the robust and sensitive detection of the fusion protein in multiple tissue types. Using this method, we measured biodistribution in different methods of delivery. We found that intracerebroventricular administration provided robust CNS delivery when compared to intrathecal administration. These data define critical steps in the translational pipeline of VAL-0417 for the treatment of LD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Brad L Hodges
- Valerion Therapeutics , Concord , Massachusetts 01742 , United States
| | - Robert Shaffer
- Valerion Therapeutics , Concord , Massachusetts 01742 , United States
| | - Nadine M Aziz
- Valerion Therapeutics , Concord , Massachusetts 01742 , United States
| | - Tracy R McKnight
- Valerion Therapeutics , Concord , Massachusetts 01742 , United States
| | - James R Pauly
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy , Lexington , Kentucky 40536 , United States
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Muñoz-Ballester C, Santana N, Perez-Jimenez E, Viana R, Artigas F, Sanz P. In vivo glutamate clearance defects in a mouse model of Lafora disease. Exp Neurol 2019; 320:112959. [PMID: 31108086 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.112959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by epilepsy, neurodegeneration and insoluble polyglucosan accumulation in brain and other peripheral tissues. Although in the last two decades we have increased our knowledge on the molecular basis underlying the pathophysiology of LD, only a small part of the research in LD has paid attention to the mechanisms triggering one of the most lethal features of the disease: epilepsy. Recent studies in our laboratory suggested that a dysfunction in the activity of the mouse astrocytic glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) could contribute to epilepsy in LD. In this work, we present new in vivo evidence of a GLT-1 dysfunction, contributing to increased levels of extracellular glutamate in the hippocampus of a mouse model of Lafora disease (Epm2b-/-, lacking the E3-ubiquitin ligase malin). According to our results, Epm2b-/- mice showed an increased neuronal activity, as assessed by c-fos expression, in the hippocampus, an area directly correlated to epileptogenesis. This brain area presented lesser ability to remove synaptic glutamate after local GLT-1 blockade with dihydrokainate (DHK), in comparison to Epm2b+/+ animals, suggesting that these animals have a compromised glutamate clearance when a challenging condition was presented. These results correlate with a hippocampal upregulation of the minor isoform of the Glt-1 gene, named Glt-1b, which has been associated with compensatory mechanisms activated in response to neuronal stress. In conclusion, the hippocampus of Epm2b-/- mice presents an in vivo impairment in glutamate uptake which could contribute to epileptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Muñoz-Ballester
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - N Santana
- Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques de Barcelona, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Perez-Jimenez
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - R Viana
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - F Artigas
- Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques de Barcelona, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Sanz
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain; CIBERER. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, group U742, Valencia, Spain.
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DiNuzzo M, Walls AB, Öz G, Seaquist ER, Waagepetersen HS, Bak LK, Nedergaard M, Schousboe A. State-Dependent Changes in Brain Glycogen Metabolism. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2019; 23:269-309. [PMID: 31667812 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-27480-1_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental understanding of glycogen structure, concentration, polydispersity and turnover is critical to qualify the role of glycogen in the brain. These molecular and metabolic features are under the control of neuronal activity through the interdependent action of neuromodulatory tone, ionic homeostasis and availability of metabolic substrates, all variables that concur to define the state of the system. In this chapter, we briefly describe how glycogen responds to selected behavioral, nutritional, environmental, hormonal, developmental and pathological conditions. We argue that interpreting glycogen metabolism through the lens of brain state is an effective approach to establish the relevance of energetics in connecting molecular and cellular neurophysiology to behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro DiNuzzo
- Center for Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Anne B Walls
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gülin Öz
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Helle S Waagepetersen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lasse K Bak
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maiken Nedergaard
- Center for Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Arne Schousboe
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Brewer MK, Gentry MS. Brain Glycogen Structure and Its Associated Proteins: Past, Present and Future. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2019; 23:17-81. [PMID: 31667805 PMCID: PMC7239500 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-27480-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This chapter reviews the history of glycogen-related research and discusses in detail the structure, regulation, chemical properties and subcellular distribution of glycogen and its associated proteins, with particular focus on these aspects in brain tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kathryn Brewer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Epilepsy and Brain Metabolism Center, Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, and Center for Structural Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Epilepsy and Brain Metabolism Center, Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, and Center for Structural Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
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Abstract
Lafora's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by recessive loss-of-function mutations in the EPM2A (laforin glycogen phosphatase) or EPM2B (malin E3 ubiquitin ligase) genes. Neuropathology is characterized by malformed precipitated glycogen aggregates termed Lafora bodies. Asymptomatic until adolescence, patients undergo first insidious then rapid progressive myoclonus epilepsy toward a vegetative state and death within a decade. Laforin and malin interact to regulate glycogen phosphorylation and chain length pattern, the latter critical to glycogen's solubility. Significant gaps remain in precise mechanistic understanding. However, demonstration that partial reduction in brain glycogen synthesis near-completely prevents the disease in its genetic animal models opens a direct present path to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandy Verhalen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Susan Arnold
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Berge A. Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States,Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
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Lafora Disease: A Ubiquitination-Related Pathology. Cells 2018; 7:cells7080087. [PMID: 30050012 PMCID: PMC6116066 DOI: 10.3390/cells7080087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD, OMIM254780) is a rare and fatal form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME). Among PMEs, LD is unique because of the rapid neurological deterioration of the patients and the appearance in brain and peripheral tissues of insoluble glycogen-like (polyglucosan) inclusions, named Lafora bodies (LBs). LD is caused by mutations in the EPM2A gene, encoding the dual phosphatase laforin, or the EPM2B gene, encoding the E3-ubiquitin ligase malin. Laforin and malin form a functional complex that is involved in the regulation of glycogen synthesis. Thus, in the absence of a functional complex glycogen accumulates in LBs. In addition, it has been suggested that the laforin-malin complex participates in alternative physiological pathways, such as intracellular protein degradation, oxidative stress, and the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response. In this work we review the possible cellular functions of laforin and malin with a special focus on their role in the ubiquitination of specific substrates. We also discuss here the pathological consequences of defects in laforin or malin functions, as well as the therapeutic strategies that are being explored for LD.
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Parihar R, Rai A, Ganesh S. Lafora disease: from genotype to phenotype. J Genet 2018; 97:611-624. [PMID: 30027899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The progressive myoclonic epilepsy of Lafora or Lafora disease (LD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by recurrent seizures and cognitive deficits. With typical onset in the late childhood or early adolescence, the patients show progressive worsening of the disease symptoms, leading to death in about 10 years. It is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by the loss-of-function mutations in the EPM2A gene, coding for a protein phosphatase (laforin) or the NHLRC1 gene coding for an E3 ubiquitin ligase (malin). LD is characterized by the presence of abnormally branched water insoluble glycogen inclusions known as Lafora bodies in the neurons and other tissues, suggesting a role for laforin and malin in glycogen metabolic pathways. Mouse models of LD, developed by targeted disruption of the Epm2a or Nhlrc1 gene, recapitulated most of the symptoms and pathological features as seen in humans, and have offered insight into the pathomechanisms. Besides the formation of Lafora bodies in the neurons in the presymptomatic stage, the animal models have also demonstrated perturbations in the proteolytic pathways, such as ubiquitin proteasome system and autophagy, and inflammatory response. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive coverage on the genetic defects leading to the LD in humans, on the functional properties of the laforin and malin proteins, and on how defects in any one of these two proteins result in a clinically similar phenotype. We also discuss the disease pathologies as revealed by the studies on the animal models and, finally, on the progress with therapeutic attempts albeit in the animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Parihar
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208 016, India.
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