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Jing Y, Dogan I, Reetz K, Romanzetti S. Neurochemical changes in the progression of Huntington's disease: A meta-analysis of in vivo 1H-MRS studies. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 199:106574. [PMID: 38914172 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106574] [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: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) allows measuring specific brain metabolic alterations in Huntington's disease (HD), and these metabolite profiles may serve as non-invasive biomarkers associated with disease progression. Despite this potential, previous findings are inconsistent. Accordingly, we performed a meta-analysis on available in vivo1H-MRS studies in premanifest (Pre-HD) and symptomatic HD stages (Symp-HD), and quantified neurometabolic changes relative to controls in 9 Pre-HD studies (227 controls and 188 mutation carriers) and 14 Symp-HD studies (326 controls and 306 patients). Our results indicated decreased N-acetylaspartate and creatine in the basal ganglia in both Pre-HD and Symp-HD. The overall level of myo-inositol was decreased in Pre-HD while increased in Symp-HD. Besides, Symp-HD patients showed more severe metabolism disruption than Pre-HD patients. Taken together, 1H-MRS is important for elucidating progressive metabolite changes from Pre-HD to clinical conversion; N-acetylaspartate and creatine in the basal ganglia are already sensitive at the preclinical stage and are promising biomarkers for tracking disease progression; overall myo-inositol is a possible characteristic metabolite for distinguishing HD stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghua Jing
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; JARA-Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Imis Dogan
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; JARA-Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; JARA-Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sandro Romanzetti
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; JARA-Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
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Hanrahan J, Locke DP, Cahill LS. Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Detect Structural Brain Changes in Huntington's Disease: A Review of Data from Mouse Models. J Huntingtons Dis 2024:JHD240045. [PMID: 39213087 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-240045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool to visualize 3D neuroanatomy and assess pathology and disease progression in neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD). The development of mouse models of HD that reproduce many of the psychiatric, motor and cognitive impairments observed in human HD has improved our understanding of the disease and provided opportunities for testing novel therapies. Similar to the clinical scenario, MRI of mouse models of HD demonstrates onset and progression of brain pathology. Here, we provided an overview of the articles that used structural MRI in mouse models of HD to date, highlighting the differences between studies and models and describing gaps in the current state of knowledge and recommendations for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Hanrahan
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Drew P Locke
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Lindsay S Cahill
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- Discipline of Radiology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
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Sun H, Li M, Li Y, Zheng N, Li J, Li X, Liu Y, Ji Q, Zhou L, Su J, Huang W, Liu Z, Liu P, Zou L. Gastrodin Improves the Activity of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and the Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway to Degrade Mutant Huntingtin. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7709. [PMID: 39062952 PMCID: PMC11277377 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147709] [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: 06/05/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastrodin (GAS) is the main chemical component of the traditional Chinese herb Gastrodia elata (called "Tianma" in Chinese), which has been used to treat neurological conditions, including headaches, epilepsy, stroke, and memory loss. To our knowledge, it is unclear whether GAS has a therapeutic effect on Huntington's disease (HD). In the present study, we evaluated the effect of GAS on the degradation of mutant huntingtin protein (mHtt) by using PC12 cells transfected with N-terminal mHtt Q74. We found that 0.1-100 μM GAS had no effect on the survival rate of Q23 and Q74 PC12 cells after 24-48 h of incubation. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is the main system that clears misfolded proteins in eukaryotic cells. Mutated Htt significantly upregulated total ubiquitinated protein (Ub) expression, decreased chymotrypsin-like, trypsin-like and caspase-like peptidase activity, and reduced the colocalization of the 20S proteasome with mHtt. GAS (25 μM) attenuated all of the abovementioned pathological changes, and the regulatory effect of GAS on mHtt was found to be abolished by MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. The autophagy-lysosome pathway (ALP) is another system for misfolded protein degradation. Although GAS downregulated the expression of autophagy markers (LC3II and P62), it increased the colocalization of LC3II with lysosomal associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1), which indicates that ALP was activated. Moreover, GAS prevented mHtt-induced neuronal damage in PC12 cells. GAS has a selective effect on mHtt in Q74 PC12 cells and has no effect on Q23 and proteins encoded by other genes containing long CAGs, such as Rbm33 (10 CAG repeats) and Hcn1 (>30 CAG repeats). Furthermore, oral administration of 100 mg/kg GAS increased grip strength and attenuated mHtt aggregates in B6-hHTT130-N transgenic mice. This is a high dose (100 mg/kg GAS) when compared with experiments on HD mice with other small molecules. We will design more doses to evaluate the dose-response relationship of the inhibition effect of GAS on mHtt in our next study. In summary, GAS can promote the degradation of mHtt by activating the UPS and ALP, making it a potential therapeutic agent for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (H.S.); (M.L.); (N.Z.); (Y.L.); (Q.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Miao Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (H.S.); (M.L.); (N.Z.); (Y.L.); (Q.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Yunling Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (Y.L.); (W.H.)
| | - Na Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (H.S.); (M.L.); (N.Z.); (Y.L.); (Q.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Jiaxin Li
- Department of Bioengineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China;
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China;
| | - Yingying Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (H.S.); (M.L.); (N.Z.); (Y.L.); (Q.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Qianyun Ji
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (H.S.); (M.L.); (N.Z.); (Y.L.); (Q.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Liping Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (H.S.); (M.L.); (N.Z.); (Y.L.); (Q.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Jingwen Su
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China;
| | - Wanxu Huang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (Y.L.); (W.H.)
| | - Zhongbo Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China;
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (H.S.); (M.L.); (N.Z.); (Y.L.); (Q.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Libo Zou
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; (H.S.); (M.L.); (N.Z.); (Y.L.); (Q.J.); (L.Z.)
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Shirguppe S, Gapinske M, Swami D, Gosstola N, Acharya P, Miskalis A, Joulani D, Szkwarek MG, Bhattacharjee A, Elias G, Stilger M, Winter J, Woods WS, Anand D, Lim CKW, Gaj T, Perez-Pinera P. In vivo CRISPR base editing for treatment of Huntington's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.05.602282. [PMID: 39005280 PMCID: PMC11245100 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.05.602282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine-encoding CAG repeat within exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which produces a mutant protein that destroys striatal and cortical neurons. Importantly, a critical event in the pathogenesis of HD is the proteolytic cleavage of the mutant HTT protein by caspase-6, which generates fragments of the N-terminal domain of the protein that form highly toxic aggregates. Given the role that proteolysis of the mutant HTT protein plays in HD, strategies for preventing this process hold potential for treating the disorder. By screening 141 CRISPR base editor variants targeting splice elements in the HTT gene, we identified platforms capable of producing HTT protein isoforms resistant to caspase-6-mediated proteolysis via editing of the splice acceptor sequence for exon 13. When delivered to the striatum of a rodent HD model, these base editors induced efficient exon skipping and decreased the formation of the N-terminal fragments, which in turn reduced HTT protein aggregation and attenuated striatal and cortical atrophy. Collectively, these results illustrate the potential for CRISPR base editing to decrease the toxicity of the mutant HTT protein for HD.
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Pérot JB, Brouillet E, Flament J. The contribution of preclinical magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy to Huntington's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1306312. [PMID: 38414634 PMCID: PMC10896846 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1306312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an inherited disorder characterized by psychiatric, cognitive, and motor symptoms due to degeneration of medium spiny neurons in the striatum. A prodromal phase precedes the onset, lasting decades. Current biomarkers include clinical score and striatal atrophy using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). These markers lack sensitivity for subtle cellular changes during the prodromal phase. MRI and MR spectroscopy offer different contrasts for assessing metabolic, microstructural, functional, or vascular alterations in the disease. They have been used in patients and mouse models. Mouse models can be of great interest to study a specific mechanism of the degenerative process, allow better understanding of the pathogenesis from the prodromal to the symptomatic phase, and to evaluate therapeutic efficacy. Mouse models can be divided into three different constructions: transgenic mice expressing exon-1 of human huntingtin (HTT), mice with an artificial chromosome expressing full-length human HTT, and knock-in mouse models with CAG expansion inserted in the murine htt gene. Several studies have used MRI/S to characterized these models. However, the multiplicity of modalities and mouse models available complicates the understanding of this rich corpus. The present review aims at giving an overview of results obtained using MRI/S for each mouse model of HD, to provide a useful resource for the conception of neuroimaging studies using mouse models of HD. Finally, despite difficulties in translating preclinical protocols to clinical applications, many biomarkers identified in preclinical models have already been evaluated in patients. This review also aims to cover this aspect to demonstrate the importance of MRI/S for studying HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Pérot
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Institut du Cerveau – Paris Brain Institute – ICM, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Julien Flament
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
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Nassrallah WB, Ramandi D, Cheng J, Oh J, Mackay J, Sepers MD, Lau D, Bading H, Raymond LA. Activin A targets extrasynaptic NMDA receptors to ameliorate neuronal and behavioral deficits in a mouse model of Huntington disease. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 189:106360. [PMID: 37992785 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106360] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical-striatal synaptic dysfunction, including enhanced toxic signaling by extrasynaptic N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (eNMDARs), precedes neurodegeneration in Huntington disease (HD). A previous study showed Activin A, whose transcription is upregulated by calcium influx via synaptic NMDARs, suppresses eNMDAR signaling. Therefore, we examined the role of Activin A in the YAC128 HD mouse model, comparing it to wild-type controls. We found decreased Activin A secretion in YAC128 cortical-striatal co-cultures, while Activin A overexpression in this model rescued altered eNMDAR expression. Striatal overexpression of Activin A in vivo improved motor learning on the rotarod task, and normalized striatal neuronal eNMDAR-mediated currents, membrane capacitance and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current frequency in the YAC128 mice. These results support the therapeutic potential of Activin A signaling and targeting eNMDARs to restore striatal neuronal health and ameliorate behavioral deficits in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wissam B Nassrallah
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada; University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniel Ramandi
- Graduate Program in Cell and Developmental Biology, University of British Columbia, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Judy Cheng
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jean Oh
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - James Mackay
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marja D Sepers
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - David Lau
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hilmar Bading
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lynn A Raymond
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada; Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Canada.
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Van de Roovaart HJ, Nguyen N, Veenstra TD. Huntington's Disease Drug Development: A Phase 3 Pipeline Analysis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1513. [PMID: 38004378 PMCID: PMC10674993 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a severely debilitating neurodegenerative disorder in which sufferers exhibit different combinations of movement disorders, dementia, and behavioral or psychiatric abnormalities. The disorder is a result of a trinucleotide repeat expansion mutation that is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. While there is currently no treatment to alter the course of HD, there are medications that lessen abnormal movement and psychiatric symptoms. ClinicalTrials.gov was searched to identify drugs that are currently in or have completed phase III drug trials for the treatment of HD. The described phase III trials were further limited to interventional studies that were recruiting, active not recruiting, or completed. In addition, all studies must have posted an update within the past year. PubMed was used to gather further information on these interventional studies. Of the nine clinical trials that met these criteria, eight involved the following drugs: metformin, dextromethorphan/quinidine, deutetrabenazine, valbenazine, Cellavita HD, pridopidine, SAGE-718, and RO7234292 (RG6042). Of these drug treatments, four are already FDA approved. This systematic review provides a resource that summarizes the present therapies for treating this devastating condition that are currently in phase III clinical trials in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Timothy D. Veenstra
- School of Pharmacy, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH 45314, USA; (H.J.V.d.R.); (N.N.)
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Manivannan A, Foley LM, Hitchens TK, Rattray I, Bates GP, Modo M. Ex vivo 100 μm isotropic diffusion MRI-based tractography of connectivity changes in the end-stage R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease. NEUROPROTECTION 2023; 1:66-83. [PMID: 37745674 PMCID: PMC10516267 DOI: 10.1002/nep3.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Background Huntington's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Brain atrophy, as measured by volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is a downstream consequence of neurodegeneration, but microstructural changes within brain tissue are expected to precede this volumetric decline. The tissue microstructure can be assayed non-invasively using diffusion MRI, which also allows a tractographic analysis of brain connectivity. Methods We here used ex vivo diffusion MRI (11.7 T) to measure microstructural changes in different brain regions of end-stage (14 weeks of age) wild type and R6/2 mice (male and female) modeling Huntington's disease. To probe the microstructure of different brain regions, reduce partial volume effects and measure connectivity between different regions, a 100 μm isotropic voxel resolution was acquired. Results Although fractional anisotropy did not reveal any difference between wild-type controls and R6/2 mice, mean, axial, and radial diffusivity were increased in female R6/2 mice and decreased in male R6/2 mice. Whole brain streamlines were only reduced in male R6/2 mice, but streamline density was increased. Region-to-region tractography indicated reductions in connectivity between the cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus with the striatum, as well as within the basal ganglia (striatum-globus pallidus-subthalamic nucleus-substantia nigra-thalamus). Conclusions Biological sex and left/right hemisphere affected tractographic results, potentially reflecting different stages of disease progression. This proof-of-principle study indicates that diffusion MRI and tractography potentially provide novel biomarkers that connect volumetric changes across different brain regions. In a translation setting, these measurements constitute a novel tool to assess the therapeutic impact of interventions such as neuroprotective agents in transgenic models, as well as patients with Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwinee Manivannan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lesley M. Foley
- Animal Imaging Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - T. Kevin Hitchens
- Animal Imaging Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ivan Rattray
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Huntington’s Disease Centre and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gillian P. Bates
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Huntington’s Disease Centre and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, UK
| | - Michel Modo
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Speidell A, Bin Abid N, Yano H. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Dysregulation as an Essential Pathological Feature in Huntington's Disease: Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutics. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2275. [PMID: 37626771 PMCID: PMC10452871 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a major neurotrophin whose loss or interruption is well established to have numerous intersections with the pathogenesis of progressive neurological disorders. There is perhaps no greater example of disease pathogenesis resulting from the dysregulation of BDNF signaling than Huntington's disease (HD)-an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive impairments associated with basal ganglia dysfunction and the ultimate death of striatal projection neurons. Investigation of the collection of mechanisms leading to BDNF loss in HD highlights this neurotrophin's importance to neuronal viability and calls attention to opportunities for therapeutic interventions. Using electronic database searches of existing and forthcoming research, we constructed a literature review with the overarching goal of exploring the diverse set of molecular events that trigger BDNF dysregulation within HD. We highlighted research that investigated these major mechanisms in preclinical models of HD and connected these studies to those evaluating similar endpoints in human HD subjects. We also included a special focus on the growing body of literature detailing key transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations that affect BDNF abundance in HD. Finally, we offer critical evaluation of proposed neurotrophin-directed therapies and assessed clinical trials seeking to correct BDNF expression in HD individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Speidell
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Noman Bin Abid
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Hiroko Yano
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Weiss AR, Liguore WA, Brandon K, Wang X, Liu Z, Kroenke CD, McBride JL. Alterations of fractional anisotropy throughout cortico-basal ganglia gray matter in a macaque model of Huntington's Disease. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 4:100090. [PMID: 37397804 PMCID: PMC10313883 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2023.100090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently generated a nonhuman primate (NHP) model of the neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD) using adeno-associated viral vectors to express a fragment of mutant HTT protein (mHTT) throughout the cortico-basal ganglia circuit. Previous work by our group established that mHTT-treated NHPs exhibit progressive motor and cognitive phenotypes which are accompanied by mild volumetric reductions of cortical-basal ganglia structures and reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the white matter fiber pathways interconnecting these regions, mirroring findings observed in early-stage HD patients. Given the mild structural atrophy observed in cortical and sub-cortical gray matter regions characterized in this model using tensor-based morphometry, the current study sought to query potential microstructural alterations in the same gray matter regions using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to define early biomarkers of neurodegenerative processes in this model. Here, we report that mHTT-treated NHPs exhibit significant microstructural changes in several cortical and subcortical brain regions that comprise the cortico-basal ganglia circuit; with increased FA in the putamen and globus pallidus and decreased FA in the caudate nucleus and several cortical regions. DTI measures also correlated with motor and cognitive deficits such that animals with increased basal ganglia FA, and decreased cortical FA, had more severe motor and cognitive impairment. These data highlight the functional implications of microstructural changes in the cortico-basal ganglia circuit in early-stage HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison R. Weiss
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA, 97006
| | - William A. Liguore
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA, 97006
| | - Kristin Brandon
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA, 97006
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA, 97006
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA, 97239
| | - Zheng Liu
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA, 97006
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA, 97239
| | - Christopher D. Kroenke
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA, 97006
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA, 97239
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA, 97239
| | - Jodi L. McBride
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA, 97006
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA, 97239
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11
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Pérot JB, Célestine M, Palombo M, Dhenain M, Humbert S, Brouillet E, Flament J. Longitudinal multimodal MRI characterization of a knock-in mouse model of Huntington's disease reveals early gray and white matter alterations. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:3581-3596. [PMID: 35147158 PMCID: PMC9616570 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenesis of the inherited neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD) is progressive with a long presymptomatic phase in which subtle changes occur up to 15 years before the onset of symptoms. Thus, there is a need for early, functional biomarker to better understand disease progression and to evaluate treatment efficacy far from onset. Recent studies have shown that white matter may be affected early in mutant HTT gene carriers. A previous study performed on 12 months old Ki140CAG mice showed reduced glutamate level measured by Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer of glutamate (gluCEST), especially in the corpus callosum. In this study, we scanned longitudinally Ki140CAG mice with structural MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, gluCEST and magnetization transfer imaging, in order to assess white matter integrity over the life of this mouse model characterized by slow progression of symptoms. Our results show early defects of diffusion properties in the anterior part of the corpus callosum at 5 months of age, preceding gluCEST defects in the same region at 8 and 12 months that spread to adjacent regions. At 12 months, frontal and piriform cortices showed reduced gluCEST, as well as the pallidum. MT imaging showed reduced signal in the septum at 12 months. Cortical and striatal atrophy then appear at 18 months. Vulnerability of the striatum and motor cortex, combined with alterations of anterior corpus callosum, seems to point out the potential role of white matter in the brain dysfunction that characterizes HD and the pertinence of gluCEST and DTI as biomarkers in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Pérot
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Marina Célestine
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Marco Palombo
- Department of Computer Science, Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Marc Dhenain
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Sandrine Humbert
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, Grenoble 38000 , France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Julien Flament
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fontenay -aux-Roses 92260, France
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12
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Lopes C, Ferreira IL, Maranga C, Beatriz M, Mota SI, Sereno J, Castelhano J, Abrunhosa A, Oliveira F, De Rosa M, Hayden M, Laço MN, Januário C, Castelo Branco M, Rego AC. Mitochondrial and redox modifications in early stages of Huntington's disease. Redox Biol 2022; 56:102424. [PMID: 35988447 PMCID: PMC9420526 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Deficits in mitochondrial function and redox deregulation have been attributed to Huntington's disease (HD), a genetic neurodegenerative disorder largely affecting the striatum. However, whether these changes occur in early stages of the disease and can be detected in vivo is still unclear. In the present study, we analysed changes in mitochondrial function and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at early stages and with disease progression. Studies were performed in vivo in human brain by PET using [64Cu]-ATSM and ex vivo in human skin fibroblasts of premanifest and prodromal (Pre-M) and manifest HD carriers. In vivo brain [64Cu]-ATSM PET in YAC128 transgenic mouse and striatal and cortical isolated mitochondria were assessed at presymptomatic (3 month-old, mo) and symptomatic (6–12 mo) stages. Pre-M HD carriers exhibited enhanced whole-brain (with exception of caudate) [64Cu]-ATSM labelling, correlating with CAG repeat number. Fibroblasts from Pre-M showed enhanced basal and maximal respiration, proton leak and increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, later progressing in manifest HD. Mitochondria from fibroblasts of Pre-M HD carriers also showed reduced circularity, while higher number of mitochondrial DNA copies correlated with maximal respiratory capacity. In vivo animal PET analysis showed increased accumulation of [64Cu]-ATSM in YAC128 mouse striatum. YAC128 mouse (at 3 months) striatal isolated mitochondria exhibited a rise in basal and maximal mitochondrial respiration and in ATP production, and increased complex II and III activities. YAC128 mouse striatal mitochondria also showed enhanced mitochondrial H2O2 levels and circularity, revealed by brain ultrastructure analysis, and defects in Ca2+ handling, supporting increased striatal susceptibility. Data demonstrate both human and mouse mitochondrial overactivity and altered morphology at early HD stages, facilitating redox unbalance, the latter progressing with manifest disease. Pre-manifest HD carriers and presymptomatic YAC128 mice show increased brain [64Cu]-ATSM labelling. Increased [64Cu]-ATSM brain retention correlates with raised ROS levels in human and mouse samples. Increased [64Cu]-ATSM correlates with enhanced mitochondrial activity and mtDNA copy number. Presymptomatic YAC128 mouse striatal mitochondria show altered morphology and Ca2+ handling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Lopes
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; IIIUC-Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - I Luísa Ferreira
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; IIIUC-Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Carina Maranga
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Margarida Beatriz
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Sandra I Mota
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; IIIUC-Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - José Sereno
- ICNAS-Institute of Nuclear Science Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - João Castelhano
- ICNAS-Institute of Nuclear Science Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Antero Abrunhosa
- ICNAS-Institute of Nuclear Science Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Francisco Oliveira
- ICNAS-Institute of Nuclear Science Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Maura De Rosa
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Michael Hayden
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Mário N Laço
- FMUC-Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Medical Genetics Unit, Pediatric Hospital of Coimbra, Coimbra University Hospital (CHUC), Coimbra, Portugal.
| | | | - Miguel Castelo Branco
- ICNAS-Institute of Nuclear Science Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Coimbra, Portugal; FMUC-Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - A Cristina Rego
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; FMUC-Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
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13
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Temporal Characterization of Behavioral and Hippocampal Dysfunction in the YAC128 Mouse Model of Huntington’s Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10061433. [PMID: 35740454 PMCID: PMC9219853 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms. Emerging evidence suggests that emotional and cognitive deficits seen in HD may be related to hippocampal dysfunction. We used the YAC128 HD mouse model to perform a temporal characterization of the behavioral and hippocampal dysfunctions. Early and late symptomatic YAC128 mice exhibited depressive-like behavior, as demonstrated by increased immobility times in the Tail Suspension Test. In addition, YAC128 mice exhibited cognitive deficits in the Swimming T-maze Test during the late symptomatic stage. Except for a reduction in basal mitochondrial respiration, no significant deficits in the mitochondrial respiratory rates were observed in the hippocampus of late symptomatic YAC128 mice. In agreement, YAC128 animals did not present robust alterations in mitochondrial ultrastructural morphology. However, light and electron microscopy analysis revealed the presence of dark neurons characterized by the intense staining of granule cell bodies and shrunken nuclei and cytoplasm in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of late symptomatic YAC128 mice. Furthermore, structural alterations in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus were detected in the hippocampal DG of YAC128 mice by electron microscopy. These results clearly show a degenerative process in the hippocampal DG in late symptomatic YAC128 animals.
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14
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Miranda CO, Nobre RJ, Paiva VH, Duarte JV, Castelhano J, Petrella LI, Sereno J, Santana M, Afonso S, Januário C, Castelo-Branco M, de Almeida LP. Cerebellar morphometric and spectroscopic biomarkers for Machado-Joseph Disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:37. [PMID: 35305685 PMCID: PMC8933766 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01329-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) or Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is the most common form of dominant SCA worldwide. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-MRS) provide promising non-invasive diagnostic and follow-up tools, also serving to evaluate therapies efficacy. However, pre-clinical studies showing relationship between MRI-MRS based biomarkers and functional performance are missing, which hampers an efficient clinical translation of therapeutics. This study assessed motor behaviour, neurochemical profiles, and morphometry of the cerebellum of MJD transgenic mice and patients aiming at establishing magnetic-resonance-based biomarkers. 1H-MRS and structural MRI measurements of MJD transgenic mice were performed with a 9.4 Tesla scanner, correlated with motor performance on rotarod and compared with data collected from human patients. We found decreased cerebellar white and grey matter and enlargement of the fourth ventricle in both MJD mice and human patients as compared to controls. N-acetylaspartate (NAA), NAA + N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAA + NAAG), Glutamate, and Taurine, were significantly decreased in MJD mouse cerebellum regardless of age, whereas myo-Inositol (Ins) was increased at early time-points. Lower neurochemical ratios levels (NAA/Ins and NAA/total Choline), previously correlated with worse clinical status in SCAs, were also observed in MJD mice cerebella. NAA, NAA + NAAG, Glutamate, and Taurine were also positively correlated with MJD mice motor performance. Importantly, these 1H-MRS results were largely analogous to those found for MJD in human studies and in our pilot data in human patients. We have established a magnetic resonance-based biomarker approach to monitor novel therapies in preclinical studies and human clinical trials.
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15
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C57BL/6 Background Attenuates mHTT Toxicity in the Striatum of YAC128 Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312664. [PMID: 34884469 PMCID: PMC8657915 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312664] [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: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse models are frequently used to study Huntington’s disease (HD). The onset and severity of neuronal and behavioral pathologies vary greatly between HD mouse models, which results from different huntingtin expression levels and different CAG repeat length. HD pathology appears to depend also on the strain background of mouse models. Thus, behavioral deficits of HD mice are more severe in the FVB than in the C57BL/6 background. Alterations in medium spiny neuron (MSN) morphology and function have been well documented in young YAC128 mice in the FVB background. Here, we tested the relevance of strain background for mutant huntingtin (mHTT) toxicity on the cellular level by investigating HD pathologies in YAC128 mice in the C57BL/6 background (YAC128/BL6). Morphology, spine density, synapse function and membrane properties were not or only subtly altered in MSNs of 12-month-old YAC128/BL6 mice. Despite the mild cellular phenotype, YAC128/BL6 mice showed deficits in motor performance. More pronounced alterations in MSN function were found in the HdhQ150 mouse model in the C57BL/6 background (HdhQ150/BL6). Consistent with the differences in HD pathology, the number of inclusion bodies was considerably lower in YAC128/BL6 mice than HdhQ150/BL6 mice. This study highlights the relevance of strain background for mHTT toxicity in HD mouse models.
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16
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Glikmann-Johnston Y, Mercieca EC, Carmichael AM, Alexander B, Harding IH, Stout JC. Hippocampal and striatal volumes correlate with spatial memory impairment in Huntington's disease. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2948-2963. [PMID: 34516012 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24966] [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: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Spatial memory impairments are observed in people with Huntington's disease (HD), however, the domain of spatial memory has received little focus when characterizing the cognitive phenotype of HD. Spatial memory is traditionally thought to be a hippocampal-dependent function, while the neuropathology of HD centers on the striatum. Alongside spatial memory deficits in HD, recent neurocognitive theories suggest that a larger brain network is involved, including the striatum. We examined the relationship between hippocampal and striatal volumes and spatial memory in 36 HD gene expansion carriers, including premanifest (n = 24) and early manifest HD (n = 12), and 32 matched healthy controls. We assessed spatial memory with Paired Associates Learning, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, and the Virtual House task, which assesses three components of spatial memory: navigation, object location, and plan drawing. Caudate nucleus, putamen, and hippocampal volumes were manually segmented on T1-weighted MR images. As expected, caudate nucleus and putamen volumes were significantly smaller in the HD group compared to controls, with manifest HD having more severe atrophy than the premanifest HD group. Hippocampal volumes did not differ significantly between HD and control groups. Nonetheless, on average, the HD group performed significantly worse than controls across all spatial memory tasks. The spatial memory components of object location and recall of figural and topographical drawings were associated with striatal and hippocampal volumes in the HD cohort. We provide a case to include spatial memory impairments in the cognitive phenotype of HD, and extend the neurocognitive picture of HD beyond its primary pathology within the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifat Glikmann-Johnston
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Emily-Clare Mercieca
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna M Carmichael
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Bonnie Alexander
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian H Harding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Julie C Stout
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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17
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Rallapalle V, King AC, Gray M. BACHD Mice Recapitulate the Striatal Parvalbuminergic Interneuron Loss Found in Huntington's Disease. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:673177. [PMID: 34108866 PMCID: PMC8180558 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.673177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited, adult-onset neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive abnormalities. Neurodegeneration is prominently observed in the striatum where GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSN) are the most affected neuronal population. Interestingly, recent reports of pathological changes in HD patient striatal tissue have identified a significant reduction in the number of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons which becomes more robust in tissues of higher disease grade. Analysis of other interneuron populations, including somatostatin, calretinin, and cholinergic, did not reveal significant neurodegeneration. Electrophysiological experiments in BACHD mice have identified significant changes in the properties of parvalbumin and somatostatin expressing interneurons in the striatum. Furthermore, their interactions with MSNs are altered as the mHTT expressing mouse models age with increased input onto MSNs from striatal somatostatin and parvalbumin-expressing neurons. In order to determine whether BACHD mice recapitulate the alterations in striatal interneuron number as observed in HD patients, we analyzed the number of striatal parvalbumin, somatostatin, calretinin, and choline acetyltransferase positive cells in symptomatic 12–14 month-old mice by immunofluorescent labeling. We observed a significant decrease in the number of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons as well as a decrease in the area and perimeter of these cells. No significant changes were observed for somatostatin, calretinin, or cholinergic interneuron numbers while a significant decrease was observed for the area of cholinergic interneurons. Thus, the BACHD mice recapitulate the degenerative phenotype observed in the parvalbumin interneurons in HD patient striata without affecting the number of other interneuron populations in the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vyshnavi Rallapalle
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics (CNET), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.,Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, Undergraduate Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Annesha C King
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics (CNET), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.,Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Theme, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Michelle Gray
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics (CNET), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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18
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Simmons DA, Mills BD, Butler Iii RR, Kuan J, McHugh TLM, Akers C, Zhou J, Syriani W, Grouban M, Zeineh M, Longo FM. Neuroimaging, Urinary, and Plasma Biomarkers of Treatment Response in Huntington's Disease: Preclinical Evidence with the p75 NTR Ligand LM11A-31. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:1039-1063. [PMID: 33786806 PMCID: PMC8423954 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01023-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an expansion of the CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene leading to preferential neurodegeneration of the striatum. Disease-modifying treatments are not yet available to HD patients and their development would be facilitated by translatable pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and plasma cytokines have been suggested as disease onset/progression biomarkers, but their ability to detect treatment efficacy is understudied. This study used the R6/2 mouse model of HD to assess if structural neuroimaging and biofluid assays can detect treatment response using as a prototype the small molecule p75NTR ligand LM11A-31, shown previously to reduce HD phenotypes in these mice. LM11A-31 alleviated volume reductions in multiple brain regions, including striatum, of vehicle-treated R6/2 mice relative to wild-types (WTs), as assessed with in vivo MRI. LM11A-31 also normalized changes in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics and diminished increases in certain plasma cytokine levels, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, in R6/2 mice. Finally, R6/2-vehicle mice had increased urinary levels of the p75NTR extracellular domain (ecd), a cleavage product released with pro-apoptotic ligand binding that detects the progression of other neurodegenerative diseases; LM11A-31 reduced this increase. These results are the first to show that urinary p75NTR-ecd levels are elevated in an HD mouse model and can be used to detect therapeutic effects. These data also indicate that multi-modal MRI and plasma cytokine levels may be effective pharmacodynamic biomarkers and that using combinations of these markers would be a viable and powerful option for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A Simmons
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Brian D Mills
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Robert R Butler Iii
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jason Kuan
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Tyne L M McHugh
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Carolyn Akers
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - James Zhou
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Wassim Syriani
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Maged Grouban
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Michael Zeineh
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Frank M Longo
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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19
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Gatto RG, Weissmann C. Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Preclinical and Human Studies of Huntington's Disease: What Have we Learned so Far? Curr Med Imaging 2020; 15:521-542. [PMID: 32008561 DOI: 10.2174/1573405614666181115113400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's Disease is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive deterioration of specific brain nerve cells. The current evaluation of cellular and physiological events in patients with HD relies on the development of transgenic animal models. To explore such events in vivo, diffusion tensor imaging has been developed to examine the early macro and microstructural changes in brain tissue. However, the gap in diffusion tensor imaging findings between animal models and clinical studies and the lack of microstructural confirmation by histological methods has questioned the validity of this method. OBJECTIVE This review explores white and grey matter ultrastructural changes associated to diffusion tensor imaging, as well as similarities and differences between preclinical and clinical Huntington's Disease studies. METHODS A comprehensive review of the literature using online-resources was performed (Pub- Med search). RESULTS Similar changes in fractional anisotropy as well as axial, radial and mean diffusivities were observed in white matter tracts across clinical and animal studies. However, comparative diffusion alterations in different grey matter structures were inconsistent between clinical and animal studies. CONCLUSION Diffusion tensor imaging can be related to specific structural anomalies in specific cellular populations. However, some differences between animal and clinical studies could derive from the contrasting neuroanatomy or connectivity across species. Such differences should be considered before generalizing preclinical results into the clinical practice. Moreover, current limitations of this technique to accurately represent complex multicellular events at the single micro scale are real. Future work applying complex diffusion models should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Gabriel Gatto
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, United States
| | - Carina Weissmann
- Insituto de Fisiología Biologia Molecular y Neurociencias-IFIBYNE-CONICET, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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20
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Müller HP, Roselli F, Rasche V, Kassubek J. Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Based Studies at the Group-Level Applied to Animal Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:734. [PMID: 32982659 PMCID: PMC7487414 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The understanding of human and non-human microstructural brain alterations in the course of neurodegenerative diseases has substantially improved by the non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Animal models (including disease or knockout models) allow for a variety of experimental manipulations, which are not applicable to humans. Thus, the DTI approach provides a promising tool for cross-species cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations of the neurobiological targets and mechanisms of neurodegeneration. This overview with a systematic review focuses on the principles of DTI analysis as used in studies at the group level in living preclinical models of neurodegeneration. The translational aspect from in-vivo animal models toward (clinical) applications in humans is covered as well as the DTI-based research of the non-human brains' microstructure, the methodological aspects in data processing and analysis, and data interpretation at different abstraction levels. The aim of integrating DTI in multiparametric or multimodal imaging protocols will allow the interrogation of DTI data in terms of directional flow of information and may identify the microstructural underpinnings of neurodegeneration-related patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesco Roselli
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Volker Rasche
- Core Facility Small Animal MRI, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Kassubek
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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21
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Pini L, Youssov K, Sambataro F, Bachoud‐Levi A, Vallesi A, Jacquemot C. Striatal connectivity in pre‐manifest Huntington’s disease is differentially affected by disease burden. Eur J Neurol 2020; 27:2147-2157. [DOI: 10.1111/ene.14423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Pini
- Department of Neuroscience & Padova Neuroscience Center University of Padova Padova Italy
| | - K. Youssov
- Département d'Études Cognitives École Normale Supérieure PSL University ParisFrance
- Faculté de Santé Université Paris‐Est Créteil CréteilFrance
- Inserm U955 Equipe E01 NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale CréteilFrance
- Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington Service de Neurologie Hôpital Henri Mondor, AP‐HP Créteil France
| | - F. Sambataro
- Department of Neuroscience & Padova Neuroscience Center University of Padova Padova Italy
| | - A.‐C. Bachoud‐Levi
- Département d'Études Cognitives École Normale Supérieure PSL University ParisFrance
- Faculté de Santé Université Paris‐Est Créteil CréteilFrance
- Inserm U955 Equipe E01 NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale CréteilFrance
- Centre de référence Maladie de Huntington Service de Neurologie Hôpital Henri Mondor, AP‐HP Créteil France
| | - A. Vallesi
- Department of Neuroscience & Padova Neuroscience Center University of Padova Padova Italy
- Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group IRCCS San Camillo Hospital Venice Italy
| | - C. Jacquemot
- Département d'Études Cognitives École Normale Supérieure PSL University ParisFrance
- Faculté de Santé Université Paris‐Est Créteil CréteilFrance
- Inserm U955 Equipe E01 NeuroPsychologie Interventionnelle Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale CréteilFrance
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Müller HP, Brenner D, Roselli F, Wiesner D, Abaei A, Gorges M, Danzer KM, Ludolph AC, Tsao W, Wong PC, Rasche V, Weishaupt JH, Kassubek J. Longitudinal diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging analysis at the cohort level reveals disturbed cortical and callosal microstructure with spared corticospinal tract in the TDP-43 G298S ALS mouse model. Transl Neurodegener 2019; 8:27. [PMID: 31485326 PMCID: PMC6716821 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-019-0163-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the mouse brain was used to identify TDP-43 associated alterations in a mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods Ten mice with TDP-43 G298S overexpression under control of the Thy1.2 promoter and 10 wild type (wt) underwent longitudinal DTI scans at 11.7 T, including one baseline and one follow-up scan with an interval of about 5 months. Whole brain-based spatial statistics (WBSS) of DTI-based parameter maps was used to identify longitudinal alterations of TDP-43 G298S mice compared to wt at the cohort level. Results were supplemented by tractwise fractional anisotropy statistics (TFAS) and histological evaluation of motor cortex for signs of neuronal loss. Results Alterations at the cohort level in TDP-43 G298S mice were observed cross-sectionally and longitudinally in motor areas M1/M2 and in transcallosal fibers but not in the corticospinal tract. Neuronal loss in layer V of motor cortex was detected in TDP-43 G298S at the later (but not at the earlier) timepoint compared to wt. Conclusion DTI mapping of TDP-43 G298S mice demonstrated progression in motor areas M1/M2. WBSS and TFAS are useful techniques to localize TDP-43 G298S associated alterations over time in this ALS mouse model, as a biological marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Peter Müller
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - David Brenner
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Francesco Roselli
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany.,2German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Diana Wiesner
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Alireza Abaei
- 3Core Facility Small Animal MRI, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Martin Gorges
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Karin M Danzer
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Albert C Ludolph
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - William Tsao
- 4Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Philip C Wong
- 4Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Volker Rasche
- 3Core Facility Small Animal MRI, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jochen H Weishaupt
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Kassubek
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, RKU, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
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23
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Roles of taurine in cognitive function of physiology, pathologies and toxication. Life Sci 2019; 231:116584. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.116584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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24
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Chiquita S, Ribeiro M, Castelhano J, Oliveira F, Sereno J, Batista M, Abrunhosa A, Rodrigues-Neves AC, Carecho R, Baptista F, Gomes C, Moreira PI, Ambrósio AF, Castelo-Branco M. A longitudinal multimodal in vivo molecular imaging study of the 3xTg-AD mouse model shows progressive early hippocampal and taurine loss. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:2174-2188. [PMID: 30816415 PMCID: PMC6586150 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The understanding of the natural history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and temporal trajectories of in vivo molecular mechanisms requires longitudinal approaches. A behavioral and multimodal imaging study was performed at 4/8/12 and 16 months of age in a triple transgenic mouse model of AD (3xTg-AD). Behavioral assessment included the open field and novel object recognition tests. Molecular characterization evaluated hippocampal levels of amyloid β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) included assessment of hippocampal structural integrity, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and neurospectroscopy to determine levels of the endogenous neuroprotector taurine. Longitudinal brain amyloid accumulation was assessed using 11C Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography (PET), and neuroinflammation/microglia activation was investigated using 11C-PK1195. We found altered locomotor activity at months 4/8 and 16 months and recognition memory impairment at all time points. Substantial early reduction of hippocampal volume started at month 4 and progressed over 8/12 and 16 months. Hippocampal taurine levels were significantly decreased in the hippocampus at months 4/8 and 16. No differences were found for amyloid and neuroinflammation with PET, and BBB was disrupted only at month 16. In summary, 3xTg-AD mice showed exploratory and recognition memory impairments, early hippocampal structural loss, increased Aβ and hyperphosphorylated tau and decreased levels of taurine. In sum, the 3xTg-AD animal model mimics pathological and neurobehavioral features of AD, with early-onset recognition memory loss and MRI-documented hippocampal damage. The early-onset profile suggests temporal windows and opportunities for therapeutic intervention, targeting endogenous neuroprotectors such as taurine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Chiquita
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mário Ribeiro
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Castelhano
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Oliveira
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - José Sereno
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marta Batista
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Antero Abrunhosa
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana C Rodrigues-Neves
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rafael Carecho
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Filipa Baptista
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Catarina Gomes
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paula I Moreira
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - António F Ambrósio
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miguel Castelo-Branco
- CNC.IBILI Consortium, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Antidepressant Effects of Probucol on Early-Symptomatic YAC128 Transgenic Mice for Huntington's Disease. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:4056383. [PMID: 30186318 PMCID: PMC6112232 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4056383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a trinucleotide expansion in the HD gene, resulting in an extended polyglutamine tract in the protein huntingtin. HD is traditionally viewed as a movement disorder, but cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms also contribute to the clinical presentation. Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disturbances in HD, present even before manifestation of motor symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment of depression in HD-affected individuals are essential aspects of clinical management in this population, especially owing to the high risk of suicide. This study investigated whether chronic administration of the antioxidant probucol improved motor and affective symptoms as well as hippocampal neurogenic function in the YAC128 transgenic mouse model of HD during the early- to mild-symptomatic stages of disease progression. The motor performance and affective symptoms were monitored using well-validated behavioral tests in YAC128 mice and age-matched wild-type littermates at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, after 1, 3, or 5 months of treatment with probucol (30 mg/kg/day via water supplementation, starting on postnatal day 30). Endogenous markers were used to assess the effect of probucol on cell proliferation (Ki-67 and proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)) and neuronal differentiation (doublecortin (DCX)) in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). Chronic treatment with probucol reduced the occurrence of depressive-like behaviors in early- and mild-symptomatic YAC128 mice. Functional improvements were not accompanied by increased progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Our findings provide evidence that administration of probucol may be of clinical benefit in the management of early- to mild-symptomatic HD.
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