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Schmitt I, Evert BO, Sharma A, Khazneh H, Murgatroyd C, Wüllner U. The Alpha-Synuclein Gene (SNCA) is a Genomic Target of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2)-Implications for Parkinson's Disease and Rett Syndrome. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:7830-7844. [PMID: 38429622 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-03974-3] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests a prominent role for alpha-synuclein (a-syn) in neuronal cell function. Alterations in the levels of cellular a-syn have been hypothesized to play a critical role in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD); however, mechanisms that control expression of the gene for a-syn (SNCA) in cis and trans as well as turnover of a-syn are not well understood. We analyzed whether methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), a protein that specifically binds methylated DNA, thus regulating transcription, binds at predicted binding sites in intron 1 of the SNCA gene and regulates a-syn protein expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and electrophoretic mobility-shift assays (EMSA) were used to confirm binding of MeCP2 to regulatory regions of SNCA. Site-specific methylation and introduction of localized mutations by CRISPR/Cas9 were used to investigate the binding properties of MeCP2 in human SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells. The significance of MeCP2 for SNCA regulation was further investigated by overexpressing MeCP2 and mutated variants of MeCP2 in MeCP2 knockout cells. We found that methylation-dependent binding of MeCP2 at a restricted region of intron 1 of SNCA had a significant impact on the production of a-syn. A single nucleotide substitution near to CpG1 strongly increased the binding of MeCP2 to intron 1 of SNCA and decreased a-syn protein expression by 60%. In contrast, deletion of a single nucleotide closed to CpG2 led to reduced binding of MeCP2 and significantly increased a-syn levels. In accordance, knockout of MeCP2 in SK-N-SH cells resulted in a significant increase in a-syn production, demonstrating that SNCA is a genomic target for MeCP2 regulation. In addition, the expression of two mutated MeCP2 variants found in Rett syndrome (RTT) showed a loss of their ability to reduce a-syn expression. This study demonstrates that methylation of CpGs and binding of MeCP2 to intron 1 of the SNCA gene plays an important role in the control of a-syn expression. In addition, the changes in SNCA regulation found by expression of MeCP2 variants carrying mutations found in RTT patients may be of importance for the elucidation of a new molecular pathway in RTT, a rare neurological disorder caused by mutations in MECP2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina Schmitt
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Disease (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Bernd O Evert
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Amit Sharma
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Hassan Khazneh
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Chris Murgatroyd
- Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Ullrich Wüllner
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Disease (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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Rose EP, Osterberg VR, Gorbunova V, Unni VK. Alpha-synuclein modulates the repair of genomic DNA double-strand breaks in a DNA-PK cs-regulated manner. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 201:106675. [PMID: 39306014 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106675] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (αSyn) is a presynaptic and nuclear protein that aggregates in important neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), Parkinson's Disease Dementia (PDD) and Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Our past work suggests that nuclear αSyn may regulate forms of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in HAP1 cells after DNA damage induction with the chemotherapeutic agent bleomycin1. Here, we report that genetic deletion of αSyn specifically impairs the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway of DSB repair using an extrachromosomal plasmid-based repair assay in HAP1 cells. Notably, induction of a single DSB at a precise genomic location using a CRISPR/Cas9 lentiviral approach also showed the importance of αSyn in regulating NHEJ in HAP1 cells and primary mouse cortical neuron cultures. This modulation of DSB repair is regulated by the activity of the DNA damage response signaling kinase DNA-PKcs, since the effect of αSyn loss-of-function is reversed by DNA-PKcs inhibition. Together, these findings suggest that αSyn plays an important physiologic role in regulating DSB repair in both a transformed cell line and in primary cortical neurons. Loss of this nuclear function may contribute to the neuronal genomic instability detected in PD, PDD and LBD and points to DNA-PKcs as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth P Rose
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States of America; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States of America
| | - Valerie R Osterberg
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States of America
| | - Vera Gorbunova
- Departments of Biology and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14620, United States of America
| | - Vivek K Unni
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States of America; OHSU Parkinson Center, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States of America.
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Niu XY, Xie XX, Tuo HZ, Lv CP, Huang YR, Zhu J, Liang SY, Du XY, Yang CG, Hou SJ, Sun XY, Li LJ, Cui F, Huang QX, Jia YB, Wang YJ, Liu RT. Thrombomodulin reduces α-synuclein generation and ameliorates neuropathology in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:167. [PMID: 38589400 PMCID: PMC11002034 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01939-y] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The neurotoxic α-synuclein (α-syn) oligomers play an important role in the occurrence and development of Parkinson's disease (PD), but the factors affecting α-syn generation and neurotoxicity remain unclear. We here first found that thrombomodulin (TM) significantly decreased in the plasma of PD patients and brains of A53T α-syn mice, and the increased TM in primary neurons reduced α-syn generation by inhibiting transcription factor p-c-jun production through Erk1/2 signaling pathway. Moreover, TM decreased α-syn neurotoxicity by reducing the levels of oxidative stress and inhibiting PAR1-p53-Bax signaling pathway. In contrast, TM downregulation increased the expression and neurotoxicity of α-syn in primary neurons. When TM plasmids were specifically delivered to neurons in the brains of A53T α-syn mice by adeno-associated virus (AAV), TM significantly reduced α-syn expression and deposition, and ameliorated the neuronal apoptosis, oxidative stress, gliosis and motor deficits in the mouse models, whereas TM knockdown exacerbated these neuropathology and motor dysfunction. Our present findings demonstrate that TM plays a neuroprotective role in PD pathology and symptoms, and it could be a novel therapeutic target in efforts to combat PD. Schematic representation of signaling pathways of TM involved in the expression and neurotoxicity of α-syn. A TM decreased RAGE, and resulting in the lowered production of p-Erk1/2 and p-c-Jun, and finally reduce α-syn generation. α-syn oligomers which formed from monomers increase the expression of p-p38, p53, C-caspase9, C-caspase3 and Bax, decrease the level of Bcl-2, cause mitochondrial damage and lead to oxidative stress, thus inducing neuronal apoptosis. TM can reduce intracellular oxidative stress and inhibit p53-Bax signaling by activating APC and PAR-1. B The binding of α-syn oligomers to TLR4 may induce the expression of IL-1β, which is subsequently secreted into the extracellular space. This secreted IL-1β then binds to its receptor, prompting p65 to translocate from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. This translocation downregulates the expression of KLF2, ultimately leading to the suppression of TM expression. By Figdraw.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yun Niu
- College of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xi-Xiu Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hou-Zhen Tuo
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Cui-Ping Lv
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Ru Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shi-Yu Liang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Du
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng-Gang Yang
- Department of BigData, Beijing Medintell Bioinformatic Technology Co., LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng-Jie Hou
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Ying Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ling-Jie Li
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Cui
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qi-Xin Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying-Bo Jia
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Jiong Wang
- College of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
| | - Rui-Tian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Rose EP, Osterberg VR, Banga JS, Gorbunova V, Unni VK. Alpha-synuclein regulates the repair of genomic DNA double-strand breaks in a DNA-PK cs-dependent manner. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.29.582819. [PMID: 38496612 PMCID: PMC10942394 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.29.582819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
α-synuclein (αSyn) is a presynaptic and nuclear protein that aggregates in important neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), Parkinson's Disease Dementia (PDD) and Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Our past work suggests that nuclear αSyn may regulate forms of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in HAP1 cells after DNA damage induction with the chemotherapeutic agent bleomycin1. Here, we report that genetic deletion of αSyn specifically impairs the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway of DSB repair using an extrachromosomal plasmid-based repair assay in HAP1 cells. Importantly, induction of a single DSB at a precise genomic location using a CRISPR/Cas9 lentiviral approach also showed the importance of αSyn in regulating NHEJ in HAP1 cells and primary mouse cortical neuron cultures. This modulation of DSB repair is dependent on the activity of the DNA damage response signaling kinase DNA-PKcs, since the effect of αSyn loss-of-function is reversed by DNA-PKcs inhibition. Using in vivo multiphoton imaging in mouse cortex after induction of αSyn pathology, we find an increase in longitudinal cell survival of inclusion-bearing neurons after Polo-like kinase (PLK) inhibition, which is associated with an increase in the amount of aggregated αSyn within inclusions. Together, these findings suggest that αSyn plays an important physiologic role in regulating DSB repair in both a transformed cell line and in primary cortical neurons. Loss of this nuclear function may contribute to the neuronal genomic instability detected in PD, PDD and DLB and points to DNA-PKcs and PLK as potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth P. Rose
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Valerie R. Osterberg
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Jovin S. Banga
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Vera Gorbunova
- Departments of Biology and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14620
| | - Vivek K. Unni
- Jungers Center for Neurosciences Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
- OHSU Parkinson Center, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
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5
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Zanotti LC, Malizia F, Cesatti Laluce N, Avila A, Mamberto M, Anselmino LE, Menacho-Márquez M. Synuclein Proteins in Cancer Development and Progression. Biomolecules 2023; 13:980. [PMID: 37371560 PMCID: PMC10296229 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060980] [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: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Synucleins are a family of small, soluble proteins mainly expressed in neural tissue and in certain tumors. Since their discovery, tens of thousands of scientific reports have been published about this family of proteins as they are associated with severe human diseases. Although the physiological function of these proteins is still elusive, their relationship with neurodegeneration and cancer has been clearly described over the years. In this review, we summarize data connecting synucleins and cancer, going from the structural description of these molecules to their involvement in tumor-related processes, and discuss the putative use of these proteins as cancer molecular biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía C. Zanotti
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER, CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental, CONICET, Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación y Producción de Reactivos Biológicos (CIPReB), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Suipacha 660, Rosario 2000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario, Red de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario (RICaR), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Florencia Malizia
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER, CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental, CONICET, Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación y Producción de Reactivos Biológicos (CIPReB), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Suipacha 660, Rosario 2000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario, Red de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario (RICaR), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Nahuel Cesatti Laluce
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER, CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental, CONICET, Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación y Producción de Reactivos Biológicos (CIPReB), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Suipacha 660, Rosario 2000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario, Red de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario (RICaR), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Aylén Avila
- Centro de Investigación y Producción de Reactivos Biológicos (CIPReB), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Suipacha 660, Rosario 2000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario, Red de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario (RICaR), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Macarena Mamberto
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER, CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental, CONICET, Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación y Producción de Reactivos Biológicos (CIPReB), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Suipacha 660, Rosario 2000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario, Red de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario (RICaR), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Luciano E. Anselmino
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER, CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental, CONICET, Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación y Producción de Reactivos Biológicos (CIPReB), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Suipacha 660, Rosario 2000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario, Red de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario (RICaR), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Mauricio Menacho-Márquez
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER, CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental, CONICET, Rosario 3100, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación y Producción de Reactivos Biológicos (CIPReB), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNR), Suipacha 660, Rosario 2000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario, Red de Investigación del Cáncer de Rosario (RICaR), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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Fouka M, Mavroeidi P, Tsaka G, Xilouri M. In Search of Effective Treatments Targeting α-Synuclein Toxicity in Synucleinopathies: Pros and Cons. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:559791. [PMID: 33015057 PMCID: PMC7500083 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.559791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) represent pathologically similar, progressive neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the pathological aggregation of the neuronal protein α-synuclein. PD and DLB are characterized by the abnormal accumulation and aggregation of α-synuclein in proteinaceous inclusions within neurons named Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs), whereas in MSA α-synuclein inclusions are mainly detected within oligodendrocytes named glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs). The presence of pathologically aggregated α-synuclein along with components of the protein degradation machinery, such as ubiquitin and p62, in LBs and GCIs is considered to underlie the pathogenic cascade that eventually leads to the severe neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation that characterizes these diseases. Importantly, α-synuclein is proposed to undergo pathogenic misfolding and oligomerization into higher-order structures, revealing self-templating conformations, and to exert the ability of "prion-like" spreading between cells. Therefore, the manner in which the protein is produced, is modified within neural cells and is degraded, represents a major focus of current research efforts in the field. Given that α-synuclein protein load is critical to disease pathogenesis, the identification of means to limit intracellular protein burden and halt α-synuclein propagation represents an obvious therapeutic approach in synucleinopathies. However, up to date the development of effective therapeutic strategies to prevent degeneration in synucleinopathies is limited, due to the lack of knowledge regarding the precise mechanisms underlying the observed pathology. This review critically summarizes the recent developed strategies to counteract α-synuclein toxicity, including those aimed to increase protein degradation, to prevent protein aggregation and cell-to-cell propagation, or to engage antibodies against α-synuclein and discuss open questions and unknowns for future therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Maria Xilouri
- Center of Clinical Research, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Bozic M, Caus M, Rodrigues-Diez RR, Pedraza N, Ruiz-Ortega M, Garí E, Gallel P, Panadés MJ, Martinez A, Fernández E, Valdivielso JM. Protective role of renal proximal tubular alpha-synuclein in the pathogenesis of kidney fibrosis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1943. [PMID: 32327648 PMCID: PMC7181766 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15732-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Kidney fibrosis is a highly deleterious process and a final manifestation of chronic kidney disease. Alpha-(α)-synuclein (SNCA) is an actin-binding neuronal protein with various functions within the brain; however, its role in other tissues is unknown. Here, we describe the expression of SNCA in renal epithelial cells and demonstrate its decrease in renal tubules of murine and human fibrotic kidneys, as well as its downregulation in renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTECs) after TGF-β1 treatment. shRNA-mediated knockdown of SNCA in RPTECs results in de novo expression of vimentin and α-SMA, while SNCA overexpression represses TGF-β1-induced mesenchymal markers. Conditional gene silencing of SNCA in RPTECs leads to an exacerbated tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) in two unrelated in vivo fibrotic models, which is associated with an increased activation of MAPK-p38 and PI3K-Akt pathways. Our study provides an evidence that disruption of SNCA signaling in RPTECs contributes to the pathogenesis of renal TIF by facilitating partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and extracellular matrix accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Bozic
- Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group, Institute for Biomedical Research in Lleida (IRBLleida) and RedInRen Retic, ISCIII, Spain.
| | - Maite Caus
- Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group, Institute for Biomedical Research in Lleida (IRBLleida) and RedInRen Retic, ISCIII, Spain
| | - Raul R Rodrigues-Diez
- Cellular and Molecular Biology in Renal and Vascular Pathology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz-Universidad Autónoma Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Neus Pedraza
- Cell Cycle, Department of Basic Medical Science, IRBLleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Marta Ruiz-Ortega
- Cellular and Molecular Biology in Renal and Vascular Pathology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz-Universidad Autónoma Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eloi Garí
- Cell Cycle, Department of Basic Medical Science, IRBLleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Pilar Gallel
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Genetics, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and University of Lleida, IRBLleida, Spain
| | - Maria José Panadés
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Genetics, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and University of Lleida, IRBLleida, Spain
| | - Ana Martinez
- Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group, Institute for Biomedical Research in Lleida (IRBLleida) and RedInRen Retic, ISCIII, Spain
| | - Elvira Fernández
- Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group, Institute for Biomedical Research in Lleida (IRBLleida) and RedInRen Retic, ISCIII, Spain
| | - José Manuel Valdivielso
- Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group, Institute for Biomedical Research in Lleida (IRBLleida) and RedInRen Retic, ISCIII, Spain.
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Chen W, Sadatsafavi M, Tavakoli H, Samii A, Etminan M. Effects of β2-Adrenergic Agonists on Risk of Parkinson's Disease in COPD: A Population-Based Study. Pharmacotherapy 2020; 40:408-415. [PMID: 32145705 DOI: 10.1002/phar.2383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Multiple studies have investigated the role of β2 -adrenoreceptor agonists on the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, whether β2 -agonist use is associated with the risk of PD in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been examined to date. OBJECTIVES To examine the association between use of β2 -agonist and the risk of PD in patients with COPD. METHODS A case-control study nested within a cohort of patients with COPD using the British Columbia health administrative databases from 1997 to 2015 was performed. Among a cohort of patients with COPD, all cases of PD were identified, and matched each case to up to five controls by age and calendar time. The use of β2 -agonists was assessed between the third and fourth year preceding the date of PD diagnosis, followed by additional two years of grace period (between the first and second year preceding PD incidence) to control for PD latency. The use of β2 -agonists was categorized into three levels: regular use (≥ 1 dispensation for every 6 months), irregular use (dispensation in one to three 6-month periods), and no use. A conditional logistic regression model was used to estimate the rate ratio of PD according to β2-agonist use, rigorously controlling for confounding variables. RESULTS Among 242,218 COPD patients, 732 PD cases and 3660 controls were identified. Use of β2 -agonists did not significantly affect the subsequent risk of PD (vs no use, adjusted rate ratios: regular use, 1.14 [95% CI: 0.93, 1.40, p=0.21], irregular use, 1.15 [95% CI: 0.92, 1.45, p=0.22]). Results remained consistent with competing risk sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSION Use of β2 -agonists does not appear to affect the risk of PD in a real-world COPD population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjia Chen
- Respiratory Evaluation Sciences Program, Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mohsen Sadatsafavi
- Respiratory Evaluation Sciences Program, Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hamid Tavakoli
- Respiratory Evaluation Sciences Program, Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ali Samii
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Mahyar Etminan
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Medicine and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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9
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Lassot I, Mora S, Lesage S, Zieba BA, Coque E, Condroyer C, Bossowski JP, Mojsa B, Marelli C, Soulet C, Tesson C, Carballo-Carbajal I, Laguna A, Mangone G, Vila M, Brice A, Desagher S. The E3 Ubiquitin Ligases TRIM17 and TRIM41 Modulate α-Synuclein Expression by Regulating ZSCAN21. Cell Rep 2019; 25:2484-2496.e9. [PMID: 30485814 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.11.002] [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: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although accumulating data indicate that increased α-synuclein expression is crucial for Parkinson disease (PD), mechanisms regulating the transcription of its gene, SNCA, are largely unknown. Here, we describe a pathway regulating α-synuclein expression. Our data show that ZSCAN21 stimulates SNCA transcription in neuronal cells and that TRIM41 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase for ZSCAN21. In contrast, TRIM17 decreases the TRIM41-mediated degradation of ZSCAN21. Silencing of ZSCAN21 and TRIM17 consistently reduces SNCA expression, whereas TRIM41 knockdown increases it. The mRNA levels of TRIM17, ZSCAN21, and SNCA are simultaneously increased in the midbrains of mice following MPTP treatment. In addition, rare genetic variants in ZSCAN21, TRIM17, and TRIM41 genes occur in patients with familial forms of PD. Expression of variants in ZSCAN21 and TRIM41 genes results in the stabilization of the ZSCAN21 protein. Our data thus suggest that deregulation of the TRIM17/TRIM41/ZSCAN21 pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iréna Lassot
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - Stéphan Mora
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Suzanne Lesage
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Barbara A Zieba
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuelle Coque
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Christel Condroyer
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Jozef Piotr Bossowski
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Barbara Mojsa
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Cecilia Marelli
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Soulet
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Christelle Tesson
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Iria Carballo-Carbajal
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)-Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ariadna Laguna
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)-Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Graziella Mangone
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Miquel Vila
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)-Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08035 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexis Brice
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Solange Desagher
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
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10
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Prigent A, Gonzales J, Durand T, Le Berre-Scoul C, Rolli-Derkinderen M, Neunlist M, Derkinderen P. Acute inflammation down-regulates alpha-synuclein expression in enteric neurons. J Neurochem 2019; 148:746-760. [PMID: 30589944 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The protein alpha-synuclein whose expression is strongly implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD) is not only expressed in the CNS but also in the enteric nervous system (ENS). The growing body of evidence suggesting that gastrointestinal inflammation is involved in the development of PD led us to investigate the effects of inflammation on alpha-synuclein expression in primary culture of rat ENS and in mice with dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Using western blot and qPCR, we found that both lipopolysaccharide and a combination of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 1-β decreased the expression levels of alpha-synuclein in primary culture of rat ENS, an effect that was prevented in the presence of the p38 inhibitors SB203580 and BIRB 796. Lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor-α/interleukin 1-β had no effect on alpha-synuclein expression in primary culture of rat CNS and in human erythroid leukemia cells. In mice, acute but not chronic dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis was associated with a decreased expression of colonic alpha-synuclein. As a whole, our findings indicate that acute inflammatory insults down-regulate alpha-synuclein expression in the ENS via a p38 pathway. They provide new insights into the widely discussed concepts of alpha-synuclein expression and aggregation in the ENS in PD and raise issues about the possible role of gastrointestinal inflammation in the development of PD. OPEN SCIENCE BADGES: This article has received a badge for *Open Materials* because it provided all relevant information to reproduce the study in the manuscript. The complete Open Science Disclosure form for this article can be found at the end of the article. More information about the Open Practices badges can be found at https://cos.io/our-services/open-science-badges/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Prigent
- Inserm, U1235, Nantes, France.,University Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Jacques Gonzales
- Inserm, U1235, Nantes, France.,University Nantes, Nantes, France
| | | | | | | | - Michel Neunlist
- Inserm, U1235, Nantes, France.,University Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Pascal Derkinderen
- Inserm, U1235, Nantes, France.,University Nantes, Nantes, France.,Department of Neurology, CHU Nantes, Nantes, France
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11
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Abstract
α-Synuclein is an abundant neuronal protein that is highly enriched in presynaptic nerve terminals. Genetics and neuropathology studies link α-synuclein to Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. Accumulation of misfolded oligomers and larger aggregates of α-synuclein defines multiple neurodegenerative diseases called synucleinopathies, but the mechanisms by which α-synuclein acts in neurodegeneration are unknown. Moreover, the normal cellular function of α-synuclein remains debated. In this perspective, we review the structural characteristics of α-synuclein, its developmental expression pattern, its cellular and subcellular localization, and its function in neurons. We also discuss recent progress on secretion of α-synuclein, which may contribute to its interneuronal spread in a prion-like fashion, and describe the neurotoxic effects of α-synuclein that are thought to be responsible for its role in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Burré
- Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
| | - Manu Sharma
- Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
| | - Thomas C Südhof
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, California 94305
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, California 94305
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12
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Mittal S, Bjørnevik K, Im DS, Flierl A, Dong X, Locascio JJ, Abo KM, Long E, Jin M, Xu B, Xiang YK, Rochet JC, Engeland A, Rizzu P, Heutink P, Bartels T, Selkoe DJ, Caldarone BJ, Glicksman MA, Khurana V, Schüle B, Park DS, Riise T, Scherzer CR. β2-Adrenoreceptor is a regulator of the α-synuclein gene driving risk of Parkinson's disease. Science 2018; 357:891-898. [PMID: 28860381 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf3934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 294] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Revised: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Copy number mutations implicate excess production of α-synuclein as a possibly causative factor in Parkinson's disease (PD). Using an unbiased screen targeting endogenous gene expression, we discovered that the β2-adrenoreceptor (β2AR) is a regulator of the α-synuclein gene (SNCA). β2AR ligands modulate SNCA transcription through histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation of its promoter and enhancers. Over 11 years of follow-up in 4 million Norwegians, the β2AR agonist salbutamol, a brain-penetrant asthma medication, was associated with reduced risk of developing PD (rate ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.58 to 0.76). Conversely, a β2AR antagonist correlated with increased risk. β2AR activation protected model mice and patient-derived cells. Thus, β2AR is linked to transcription of α-synuclein and risk of PD in a ligand-specific fashion and constitutes a potential target for therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuchi Mittal
- Neurogenomics Laboratory and Parkinson Personalized Medicine Program, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kjetil Bjørnevik
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,The Norwegian Multiple Sclerosis Competence Center, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway
| | - Doo Soon Im
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Adrian Flierl
- The Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
| | - Xianjun Dong
- Neurogenomics Laboratory and Parkinson Personalized Medicine Program, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joseph J Locascio
- Neurogenomics Laboratory and Parkinson Personalized Medicine Program, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kristine M Abo
- Neurogenomics Laboratory and Parkinson Personalized Medicine Program, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Elizabeth Long
- Neurogenomics Laboratory and Parkinson Personalized Medicine Program, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ming Jin
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Yang K Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Rochet
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Anders Engeland
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Patrizia Rizzu
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Peter Heutink
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Tim Bartels
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dennis J Selkoe
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Barbara J Caldarone
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Marcie A Glicksman
- Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vikram Khurana
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Birgitt Schüle
- The Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
| | - David S Park
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Trond Riise
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,The Norwegian Multiple Sclerosis Competence Center, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway
| | - Clemens R Scherzer
- Neurogenomics Laboratory and Parkinson Personalized Medicine Program, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. .,Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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13
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A novel tool for monitoring endogenous alpha-synuclein transcription by NanoLuciferase tag insertion at the 3'end using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technique. Sci Rep 2017; 8:45883. [PMID: 28374838 PMCID: PMC5379209 DOI: 10.1038/srep45883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (α-SYN) is a major pathologic contributor to Parkinson's disease (PD). Multiplication of α-SYN encoding gene (SNCA) is correlated with early onset of the disease underlining the significance of its transcriptional regulation. Thus, monitoring endogenous transcription of SNCA is of utmost importance to understand PD pathology. We developed a stable cell line expressing α-SYN endogenously tagged with NanoLuc luciferase reporter using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. This allows efficient measurement of transcriptional activity of α-SYN in its native epigenetic landscape which is not achievable using exogenous transfection-based luciferase reporter assays. The NanoLuc activity faithfully monitored the transcriptional regulation of SNCA following treatment with different drugs known to regulate α-SYN expression; while exogenous promoter-reporter assays failed to reproduce the similar outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing endogenous monitoring of α-SYN transcription, thus making it an efficient drug screening tool that can be used for therapeutic intervention in PD.
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14
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Wang YC, Feng GY, Xia QJ, Hu Y, Xu Y, Xiong LL, Chen ZW, Wang HP, Wang TH, Zhou X. Knockdown of α-synuclein in cerebral cortex improves neural behavior associated with apoptotic inhibition and neurotrophin expression in spinal cord transected rats. Apoptosis 2016; 21:404-20. [PMID: 26822976 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-016-1218-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) often causes severe functional impairment with poor recovery. The treatment, however, is far from satisfaction, and the mechanisms remain unclear. By using proteomics and western blot, we found spinal cord transection (SCT) resulted in a significant down-regulation of α-synuclein (SNCA) in the motor cortex of SCT rats at 3 days post-operation. In order to detect the role of SNCA, we used SNCA-ORF/shRNA lentivirus to upregulate or knockdown SNCA expression. In vivo, SNCA-shRNA lentivirus injection into the cerebral cortex motor area not only inhibited SNCA expression, but also significantly enhanced neurons' survival, and attenuated neuronal apoptosis, as well as promoted motor and sensory function recovery in hind limbs. While, overexpression SNCA exhibited the opposite effects. In vitro, cortical neurons transfected with SNCA-shRNA lentivirus gave rise to an optimal neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth, while it was accompanied by reverse efficiency in SNCA-ORF group. In molecular level, SNCA silence induced the upregulation of Bcl-2 and the downregulation of Bax, and the expression of NGF, BDNF and NT3 was substantially upregulated in cortical neurons. Together, endogenous SNCA play a crucial role in motor and sensory function regulation, in which, the underlying mechanism may be linked to the regulation of apoptosis associated with apoptotic gene (Bax, Bcl2) and neurotrophic factors expression (NGF, BDNF and NT3). These finds provide novel insights to understand the role of SNCA in cerebral cortex after SCT, and it may be as a novel treatment target for SCI repair in future clinic trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Cui Wang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, State Key Lab of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guo-Ying Feng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, State Key Lab of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Qing-Jie Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology and Institute of Neurological Disease, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Institute of Neurological Disease, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Institute of Neurological Disease, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Liu-Lin Xiong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Institute of Neurological Disease, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhi-Wei Chen
- Institute of Physical Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Hang-Ping Wang
- Institute of Physical Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Ting-Hua Wang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, State Key Lab of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China. .,Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650031, China. .,Department of Anesthesiology and Institute of Neurological Disease, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Xue Zhou
- Department of Histology and Embryology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, State Key Lab of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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15
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Tagliafierro L, Chiba-Falek O. Up-regulation of SNCA gene expression: implications to synucleinopathies. Neurogenetics 2016; 17:145-57. [PMID: 26948950 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-016-0478-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Synucleinopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases that share a common pathological lesion of intracellular protein inclusions largely composed by aggregates of alpha-synuclein protein. Accumulating evidence, including genome wide association studies, has implicated alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene in the etiology of synucleinopathies. However, the precise variants within SNCA gene that contribute to the sporadic forms of Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and other synucleinopathies and their molecular mechanisms of action remain elusive. It has been suggested that SNCA expression levels are critical for the development of these diseases. Here, we review several model systems that have been developed to advance the understanding of the role of SNCA expression levels in the etiology of synucleinopathies. We also describe different molecular mechanisms that regulate SNCA gene expression and discuss possible strategies for SNCA down-regulation as means for therapeutic approaches. Finally, we highlight some examples that underscore the relationships between the genetic association findings and the regulatory mechanisms of SNCA expression, which suggest that genetic variability in SNCA locus is directly responsible, at least in part, to the changes in gene expression and explain the reported associations of SNCA with synucleinopathies. Future studies utilizing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived neuronal lines and genome editing by CRISPR/Cas9, will allow us to validate, characterize, and manipulate the effects of particular cis-genetic variants on SNCA expression. Moreover, this model system will enable us to compare different neuronal and glial lineages involved in synucleinopathies representing an attractive strategy to elucidate-common and specific-SNCA-genetic variants, regulatory mechanisms, and vulnerable expression levels underlying synucleinopathy spectrum disorders. This forthcoming knowledge will support the development of precision medicine for synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Tagliafierro
- Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - O Chiba-Falek
- Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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16
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Dermentzaki G, Paschalidis N, Politis PK, Stefanis L. Complex Effects of the ZSCAN21 Transcription Factor on Transcriptional Regulation of α-Synuclein in Primary Neuronal Cultures and in Vivo. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:8756-72. [PMID: 26907683 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.704973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein, a presynaptic neuronal protein encoded by the SNCA gene, is strongly implicated in Parkinson disease (PD). PD pathogenesis is linked to increased SNCA levels; however, the transcriptional elements that control SNCA expression are still elusive. Previous experiments in PC12 cells demonstrated that the transcription factor zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 21 (ZSCAN21) plays an important regulatory role in SNCA transcription. Currently, we characterized the role of ZSCAN21 in SNCA transcription in primary neuronal cultures and in vivo We found that ZSCAN21 is developmentally expressed in neurons in different rat brain regions. We confirmed its binding in the intron 1 region of SNCA in rat cortical cultures. Lentivirus-mediated silencing of ZSCAN21 increased significantly SNCA promoter activity, mRNA, and protein levels in such cultures. In contrast, ZSCAN21 silencing reduced SNCA in neurosphere cultures. Interestingly, ZSCAN21 overexpression in cortical neurons led to robust mRNA but negligible protein expression, suggesting that ZSCAN21 protein levels are tightly regulated post-transcriptionally and/or post-translationally in primary neurons. Efficient adeno-associated virus-mediated knockdown of ZSCAN21 in the postnatal and adult hippocampus, an area linked with non-motor PD symptoms, revealed no significant alterations in SNCA levels. Overall, our study demonstrates that ZSCAN21 is involved in the transcriptional regulation of SNCA in primary neuronal cultures, but the direction of the effect is variable, likely depending on neuronal maturation. However, the unaltered SNCA levels observed following ZSCAN21 down-regulation in the rat brain, possibly due to compensatory mechanisms, imply that ZSCAN21 is not a master regulator of SNCA in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Dermentzaki
- From the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 and
| | - Nikolaos Paschalidis
- From the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 and
| | - Panagiotis K Politis
- From the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 and
| | - Leonidas Stefanis
- From the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 and the Second Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Hospital Attikon, Athens 12462, Greece,
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17
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Cai P, Ye J, Zhu J, Liu D, Chen D, Wei X, Johnson NR, Wang Z, Zhang H, Cao G, Xiao J, Ye J, Lin L. Inhibition of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress is Involved in the Neuroprotective Effect of bFGF in the 6-OHDA-Induced Parkinson's Disease Model. Aging Dis 2016; 7:336-449. [PMID: 27493838 PMCID: PMC4963188 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2016.0117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with complicated pathophysiologic mechanisms. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress appears to play a critical role in the progression of PD. We demonstrated that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), as a neurotropic factor, inhibited ER stress-induced neuronal cell apoptosis and that 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced ER stress was involved in the progression of PD in rats. bFGF administration improved motor function recovery, increased tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neuron survival, and upregulated the levels of neurotransmitters in PD rats. The 6-OHDA-induced ER stress response proteins were inhibited by bFGF treatment. Meanwhile, bFGF also increased expression of TH. The administration of bFGF activated the downstream signals PI3K/Akt and Erk1/2 in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt and Erk1/2 pathways by specific inhibitors partially reduced the protective effect of bFGF. This study provides new insight towards bFGF translational drug development for PD involving the regulation of ER stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingtao Cai
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Jingjing Ye
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Jingjing Zhu
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Dan Liu
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Daqing Chen
- 2Emergency Department, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Xiaojie Wei
- 3Department of Neurosurgery, Cixi People's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315300, China
| | - Noah R Johnson
- 4Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Zhouguang Wang
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Guodong Cao
- 4Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Jian Xiao
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Junming Ye
- 5Department of Anesthesia, the First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical College, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Li Lin
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
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18
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Antagonizing Neuronal Toll-like Receptor 2 Prevents Synucleinopathy by Activating Autophagy. Cell Rep 2015; 13:771-782. [PMID: 26489461 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.09.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired autophagy has been implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), and might be responsible for deposition of aggregated proteins in neurons. However, little is known about how neuronal autophagy and clearance of aggregated proteins are regulated. Here, we show a role for Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), a pathogen-recognizing receptor in innate immunity, in regulation of neuronal autophagy and clearance of α-synuclein, a protein aggregated in synucleinopathies, including in PD. Activation of TLR2 resulted in the accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates in neurons as a result of inhibition of autophagic activity through regulation of the AKT/mTOR pathway. In contrast, inactivation of TLR2 resulted in autophagy activation and increased clearance of neuronal α-synuclein, and hence reduced neurodegeneration, in transgenic mice and in in vitro models. These results uncover roles of TLR2 in regulating neuronal autophagy and suggest that the TLR2 pathway may be targeted for autophagy activation strategies in treating neurodegenerative disorders.
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19
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Bobela W, Aebischer P, Schneider BL. Αlpha-Synuclein as a Mediator in the Interplay between Aging and Parkinson's Disease. Biomolecules 2015; 5:2675-700. [PMID: 26501339 PMCID: PMC4693253 DOI: 10.3390/biom5042675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Revised: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation and misfolding of the alpha-synuclein protein are core mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. While the normal function of alpha-synuclein is mainly related to the control of vesicular neurotransmission, its pathogenic effects are linked to various cellular functions, which include mitochondrial activity, as well as proteasome and autophagic degradation of proteins. Remarkably, these functions are also affected when the renewal of macromolecules and organelles becomes impaired during the normal aging process. As aging is considered a major risk factor for Parkinson's disease, it is critical to explore its molecular and cellular implications in the context of the alpha-synuclein pathology. Here, we discuss similarities and differences between normal brain aging and Parkinson's disease, with a particular emphasis on the nigral dopaminergic neurons, which appear to be selectively vulnerable to the combined effects of alpha-synuclein and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Bobela
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.
| | - Patrick Aebischer
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.
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Pihlstrøm L, Berge V, Rengmark A, Toft M. Parkinson's disease correlates with promoter methylation in the α-synuclein gene. Mov Disord 2014; 30:577-80. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.26073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Pihlstrøm
- Department of Neurology; Oslo University Hospital; Oslo Norway
| | - Victoria Berge
- Department of Neurology; Oslo University Hospital; Oslo Norway
| | - Aina Rengmark
- Department of Neurology; Oslo University Hospital; Oslo Norway
| | - Mathias Toft
- Department of Neurology; Oslo University Hospital; Oslo Norway
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Sterling L, Walter M, Ting D, Schüle B. Discovery of functional non-coding conserved regions in the α-synuclein gene locus. F1000Res 2014; 3:259. [PMID: 25566351 PMCID: PMC4275022 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.3281.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the Rep-1 microsatellite marker of the α-synuclein (
SNCA) gene have consistently been shown to be associated with Parkinson’s disease, but the functional relevance is unclear. Based on these findings we hypothesized that conserved cis-regulatory elements in the
SNCA genomic region regulate expression of
SNCA, and that SNPs in these regions could be functionally modulating the expression of
SNCA, thus contributing to neuronal demise and predisposing to Parkinson’s disease. In a pair-wise comparison of a 206kb genomic region encompassing the
SNCA gene, we revealed 34 evolutionary conserved DNA sequences between human and mouse. All elements were cloned into reporter vectors and assessed for expression modulation in dual luciferase reporter assays. We found that 12 out of 34 elements exhibited either an enhancement or reduction of the expression of the reporter gene. Three elements upstream of the
SNCA gene displayed an approximately 1.5 fold (p<0.009) increase in expression. Of the intronic regions, three showed a 1.5 fold increase and two others indicated a 2 and 2.5 fold increase in expression (p<0.002). Three elements downstream of the
SNCA gene showed 1.5 fold and 2.5 fold increase (p<0.0009). One element downstream of
SNCA had a reduced expression of the reporter gene of 0.35 fold (p<0.0009) of normal activity. Our results demonstrate that the
SNCA gene contains cis-regulatory regions that might regulate the transcription and expression of
SNCA. Further studies in disease-relevant tissue types will be important to understand the functional impact of regulatory regions and specific Parkinson’s disease-associated SNPs and its function in the disease process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Sterling
- Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
| | - Michael Walter
- Institute of Human Genetics, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Dennis Ting
- Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
| | - Birgitt Schüle
- Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
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Lee KW, Woo JM, Im JY, Park ES, He L, Ichijo H, Junn E, Mouradian MM. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 modulates the phenotype of α-synuclein transgenic mice. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 36:519-26. [PMID: 25219466 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Revised: 07/12/2014] [Accepted: 07/26/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a key pathogenic protein in α-synucleinopathies including Parkinson's disease, and its overexpression and aggregation in model systems are associated with a neuroinflammatory response and increased oxidative stress. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is activated upon stress signaling events such as oxidative stress and is a central player linking oxidative stress with neuroinflammation. Here, we demonstrate that overexpression of human α-synuclein activates ASK1 in both PC12 cells and in the brains of α-synuclein transgenic mice. Deleting ASK1 in mice mitigates the neuronal damage and neuroinflammation induced by α-synuclein and improves performance of the animals on the rotarod. ASK1 deletion does not impact the aggregation profile or phosphorylation state of α-synuclein in the mouse brain. These results collectively implicate ASK1 in the cascade of events triggered by α-synuclein overexpression, likely because of the inflammatory response and oxidative stress that lead to ASK1 activation. These conclusions raise the possibility that potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents may ameliorate the phenotype of α-synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Woo Lee
- Center for Neurodegenerative and Neuroimmunologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jong-Min Woo
- Center for Neurodegenerative and Neuroimmunologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Joo-Young Im
- Center for Neurodegenerative and Neuroimmunologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Eun S Park
- Center for Neurodegenerative and Neuroimmunologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Liqiang He
- Center for Neurodegenerative and Neuroimmunologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Hidenori Ichijo
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eunsung Junn
- Center for Neurodegenerative and Neuroimmunologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - M Maral Mouradian
- Center for Neurodegenerative and Neuroimmunologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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23
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Smith GA, Snyder EY. Two cells are better than one: optimizing stem cell survival by co-grafting "helper" cells that offer regulated trophic support. Exp Neurol 2013; 247:751-4. [PMID: 23856435 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gaynor A Smith
- Neuroregeneration Laboratories, Neuroregeneration Laboratories, Mailman Research Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
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Abstract
α-Synuclein is a presynaptic neuronal protein that is linked genetically and neuropathologically to Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Synuclein may contribute to PD pathogenesis in a number of ways, but it is generally thought that its aberrant soluble oligomeric conformations, termed protofibrils, are the toxic species that mediate disruption of cellular homeostasis and neuronal death, through effects on various intracellular targets, including synaptic function. Furthermore, secreted α-synuclein may exert deleterious effects on neighboring cells, including seeding of aggregation, thus possibly contributing to disease propagation. Although the extent to which α-synuclein is involved in all cases of PD is not clear, targeting the toxic functions conferred by this protein when it is dysregulated may lead to novel therapeutic strategies not only in PD, but also in other neurodegenerative conditions, termed synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonidas Stefanis
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, and Second Department of Neurology, University of Athens Medical School, Athens 11527, Greece.
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Brown DR. Gene regulation as a potential avenue for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2013; 4:515-24. [PMID: 23485084 DOI: 10.1517/17460440902849237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As more people live to an older age, the frequency of diseases associated with longer life begins to increase. Neurodegenerative disorders are the worst of these in that there is now no treatment that offers any real improvement. For this reason, any new avenue of research that could lead to a treatment needs to be rigorously pursued. In many cases, neurodegenerative diseases are associated with the expression of a protein with an altered conformation or that generates a breakdown product associated with the cause. Clearly, the prevention of this process is a key therapeutic target. OBJECTIVE In this review, the potential for regulating gene expression to prevent or reverse neurodegenerative disease is explored. CONCLUSIONS Whereas much research has been directed at the proteins associated with neurodegeneration, understanding what controls their expression presents a new way this issue could be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Brown
- University of Bath, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK +44 1225 383133 ; +44 1225 386779 ;
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Abstract
Accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanism contributing to α-synuclein aggregation and its further toxicity to dopaminergic neurons. Since oxidative stress can increase the expression and aggregation levels of α-synuclein, NADPH oxidases (Noxs), which are responsible for reactive oxygen species generation, could be major players in α-synucleinopathy. Previously, we demonstrated that Nox1 is expressed in dopaminergic neurons of the PD animal models as well as postmortem brain tissue of PD patients, and is responsible for oxidative stress and subsequent neuronal degeneration. Here, using paraquat (PQ)-based in vitro and in vivo PD models, we show that Nox1 has a crucial role in modulating the behavior of α-synuclein expression and aggregation in dopaminergic neurons. We observed in differentiated human dopaminergic cells that Nox1 and α-synuclein expressions are increased under PQ exposure. Nox1 knockdown significantly reduced both α-synuclein expression and aggregation, supporting the role of Nox1 in this process. Furthermore, in rats exposed to PQ, the selective knockdown of Nox1 in the substantia nigra, using adeno-associated virus encoding Nox1-specific shRNA, largely attenuated the PQ-mediated increase of α-synuclein and ubiquitin expression levels as well as α-synuclein aggregates (proteinase K resistant) and A11 oligomers. Significant reductions in oxidative stress level and dopaminergic neuronal loss were also observed. Our data reveal a new mechanism by which α-synuclein becomes a neuropathologic protein through Nox1-mediated oxidative stress. This finding may be used to generate new therapeutic interventions that slower the rate of α-synuclein aggregation and the progression of PD pathogenesis.
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Vekrellis K, Stefanis L. Targeting intracellular and extracellular alpha-synuclein as a therapeutic strategy in Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2012; 16:421-32. [DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2012.674111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Vekrellis K, Xilouri M, Emmanouilidou E, Rideout HJ, Stefanis L. Pathological roles of α-synuclein in neurological disorders. Lancet Neurol 2011; 10:1015-25. [PMID: 22014436 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(11)70213-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 277] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Substantial genetic, neuropathological, and biochemical evidence implicates the presynaptic neuronal protein α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and related Lewy body disorders. How dysregulation of α-synuclein leads to neurodegeneration is, however, unclear. Soluble oligomeric, but not fully fibrillar, α-synuclein is thought to be toxic. The major neuronal target of aberrant α-synuclein might be the synapse. The effects of aberrant α-synuclein might include alteration of calcium homoeostasis or mitochondrial fragmentation and, in turn, mitochondrial dysfunction, which could link α-synuclein dysfunction to recessive and toxin-induced parkinsonism. α-Synuclein also seems to be linked to other genetic forms of Parkinson's disease, such as those linked to mutations in GBA or LRRK2, possibly through common effects on autophagy and lysosomal function. Finally, α-synuclein is physiologically secreted, and this extracellular form could lead to the spread of pathological accumulations and disease progression. Consequently, factors that regulate the levels, post-translational modifications, specific aberrant cellular effects, or secretion of α-synuclein might be targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostas Vekrellis
- Biomedical Research Foundation of Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
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29
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Elcoroaristizabal Martín X, Gómez Busto F, González Fernández MC, de Pancorbo MM. [Role of genetics in the etiology of synucleinopathies]. Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol 2011; 46 Suppl 1:3-11. [PMID: 22152908 DOI: 10.1016/j.regg.2011.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The protein family known as synucleins is composed of α-, β- and γ-synuclein. The most widely studied is the α-synuclein protein due to its participation in essential processes of the central nervous system. Neurotoxicity of this protein is related to the presence of multiplications (duplications and triplications) and point mutations in the gene sequence of the α-synuclein gene (SNCA), differential expression of its isoforms and variations in post-transductional modifications. Neurotoxicity is also related to cytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs), which are also present in α-synucleinopathies. In general, the β-synuclein protein, codified by the SNCB gene, acts as a regulator of processes triggered by α-synuclein and its function is altered by variations in the gene sequence, while γ-synuclein, codified by the SNCG gene, seems to play a major role in certain tumoral processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Elcoroaristizabal Martín
- Grupo de Investigación BIOMICS, Departamento de Biología Celular A, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados Lucio Lascaray, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, España
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Clough RL, Dermentzaki G, Haritou M, Petsakou A, Stefanis L. Regulation of α-synuclein expression in cultured cortical neurons. J Neurochem 2011; 117:275-85. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2011.07199.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Matsumoto L, Takuma H, Tamaoka A, Kurisaki H, Date H, Tsuji S, Iwata A. CpG demethylation enhances alpha-synuclein expression and affects the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15522. [PMID: 21124796 PMCID: PMC2991358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2010] [Accepted: 10/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene expression is an important factor in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Gene multiplication can cause inherited PD, and promoter polymorphisms that increase SNCA expression are associated with sporadic PD. CpG methylation in the promoter region may also influence SNCA expression. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS By using cultured cells, we identified a region of the SNCA CpG island in which the methylation status altered along with increased SNCA expression. Postmortem brain analysis revealed regional non-specific methylation differences in this CpG region in the anterior cingulate and putamen among controls and PD; however, in the substantia nigra of PD, methylation was significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This CpG region may function as an intronic regulatory element for SNCA gene. Our findings suggest that a novel epigenetic regulatory mechanism controlling SNCA expression influences PD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumine Matsumoto
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Paillusson S, Tasselli M, Lebouvier T, Mahé MM, Chevalier J, Biraud M, Cario-Toumaniantz C, Neunlist M, Derkinderen P. α-Synuclein expression is induced by depolarization and cyclic AMP in enteric neurons. J Neurochem 2010; 115:694-706. [PMID: 20731759 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06962.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Accumulated evidence emphasizes the importance of α-synuclein expression levels in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. PD is a multicentric disorder that affects the enteric nervous system (ENS), whose involvement may herald the degenerative process in the CNS. We therefore undertook the present study to investigate the mechanisms involved in the regulation of expression of α-synuclein in the ENS. The regulation of α-synuclein expression was assessed by qPCR and western blot analysis in rat primary culture of ENS treated with KCl and forskolin. A pharmacological approach was used to decipher the signaling pathways involved. Intraperitoneal injections of Bay K-8644 and forskolin were performed in mice, whose proximal colons were further analyzed for α-synuclein expression. Depolarization and forskolin increased α-synuclein mRNA and protein expression in primary cultures of ENS, although L-type calcium channel and protein kinase A, respectively. Both stimuli increased α-synuclein expression through a Ras/extracellular signal-regulated kinases pathway. An increase in α-synuclein expression was also observed in vivo in the ENS of mice injected with Bay K-8644 or forskolin. In conclusion, we have identified stimuli leading to α-synuclein over-expression in the ENS, which could be critical in the initiation of the pathological process in PD.
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Cai T, Yao T, Zheng G, Chen Y, Du K, Cao Y, Shen X, Chen J, Luo W. Manganese induces the overexpression of α-synuclein in PC12 cells via ERK activation. Brain Res 2010; 1359:201-7. [PMID: 20735995 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.08.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2010] [Revised: 08/16/2010] [Accepted: 08/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Manganese has been known to induce neurological disorders. In the present study, we determined the effect of manganese on the expression of α-synuclein in PC12 cells and its role in manganese-induced cytotoxicity. We also investigated the relationship between α-synuclein expression and the change of ERK1/2 MAPK activity. In our research, manganese exposure induced the overexpression of α-synuclein, while siRNA knockdown of α-synuclein reversed manganese-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, manganese induced the activation of ERK1/2 MAPK. The MEK1 inhibitor PD98059, which inhibits the activation of ERK MAPK, attenuated the overexpression of α-synuclein and the cytotoxicity induced by manganese. In conclusion, our studies show that manganese may induce the overexpression of α-synuclein via ERK1/2 activation, which may play a role in manganese-induced cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongjian Cai
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
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Methylation regulates alpha-synuclein expression and is decreased in Parkinson's disease patients' brains. J Neurosci 2010; 30:6355-9. [PMID: 20445061 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.6119-09.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (SNCA) is a major risk gene for Parkinson's disease (PD), and increased SNCA gene dosage results in a parkinsonian syndrome in affected families. We found that methylation of human SNCA intron 1 decreased gene expression, while inhibition of DNA methylation activated SNCA expression. Methylation of SNCA intron 1 was reduced in DNA from sporadic PD patients' substantia nigra, putamen, and cortex, pointing toward a yet unappreciated epigenetic regulation of SNCA expression in PD.
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Carballo-Carbajal I, Weber-Endress S, Rovelli G, Chan D, Wolozin B, Klein CL, Patenge N, Gasser T, Kahle PJ. Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 induces alpha-synuclein expression via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway. Cell Signal 2010; 22:821-7. [PMID: 20074637 PMCID: PMC3163153 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2010.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2009] [Accepted: 01/05/2010] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most frequent cause of autosomal-dominant Parkinson's disease (PD). The second known autosomal-dominant PD gene (SNCA) encodes alpha-synuclein, which is deposited in Lewy bodies, the neuropathological hallmark of PD. LRRK2 contains a kinase domain with homology to mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases (MAPKKKs) and its activity has been suggested to be a key factor in LRRK2-associated PD. Here we investigated the role of LRRK2 in signal transduction pathways to identify putative PD-relevant downstream targets. Over-expression of wild-type [wt]LRRK2 in human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells selectively activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) module. PD-associated mutants G2019S and R1441C, but not kinase-dead LRRK2, induced ERK phosphorylation to the same extent as [wt]LRRK2, indicating that this effect is kinase-dependent. However, ERK activation by mutant R1441C and G2019S was significantly slower than that for [wt]LRRK2, despite similar levels of expression. Furthermore, induction of the ERK module by LRRK2 was associated to a small but significant induction of SNCA, which was suppressed by treatment with the selective MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitor U0126. This pathway linking the two dominant PD genes LRRK2 and SNCA may offer an interesting target for drug therapy in both familial and sporadic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iria Carballo-Carbajal
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University Clinics Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Weber-Endress
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University Clinics Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Giorgio Rovelli
- Nervous System Research, Novartis Pharma Ltd, Klybeckstrasse 141, 4057 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Diane Chan
- Department of Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, 80 E Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Benjamin Wolozin
- Department of Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, 80 E Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Christian L. Klein
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University Clinics Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nadja Patenge
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University Clinics Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Gasser
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University Clinics Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philipp J. Kahle
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University Clinics Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Schneider L, Zhang J. Lysosomal function in macromolecular homeostasis and bioenergetics in Parkinson's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2010; 5:14. [PMID: 20388210 PMCID: PMC2867960 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-5-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2010] [Accepted: 04/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathological changes occurring in Parkinson's and several other neurodegenerative diseases are complex and poorly understood, but all clearly involve protein aggregation. Also frequently appearing in neurodegeneration is mitochondrial dysfunction which may precede, coincide or follow protein aggregation. These observations led to the concept that protein aggregation and mitochondrial dysfunction either arise from the same etiological factors or are interactive. Understanding the mechanisms and regulation of processes that lead to protein aggregation or mitochondrial dysfunction may therefore contribute to the design of better therapeutics. Clearance of protein aggregates and dysfunctional organelles is dependent on macroautophagy which is the process through which aged or damaged proteins and organelles are first degraded by the lysosome and then recycled. The macroautophagy-lysosomal pathway is essential for maintaining protein and energy homeostasis. Not surprisingly, failure of the lysosomal system has been implicated in diseases that have features of protein aggregation and mitochondrial dysfunction. This review summarizes 3 major topics: 1) the current understanding of Parkinson's disease pathogenesis in terms of accumulation of damaged proteins and reduction of cellular bioenergetics; 2) evolving insights into lysosomal function and biogenesis and the accumulating evidence that lysosomal dysfunction may cause or exacerbate Parkinsonian pathology and finally 3) the possibility that enhancing lysosomal function may provide a disease modifying therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lonnie Schneider
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL35294, USA.
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Voutsinas GE, Stavrou EF, Karousos G, Dasoula A, Papachatzopoulou A, Syrrou M, Verkerk AJ, van der Spek P, Patrinos GP, Stöger R, Athanassiadou A. Allelic imbalance of expression and epigenetic regulation within the alpha-synuclein wild-type and p.Ala53Thr alleles in Parkinson disease. Hum Mutat 2010; 31:685-91. [DOI: 10.1002/humu.21248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Obeid R, Schadt A, Dillmann U, Kostopoulos P, Fassbender K, Herrmann W. Methylation Status and Neurodegenerative Markers in Parkinson Disease. Clin Chem 2009; 55:1852-60. [DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2009.125021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Increased concentrations of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) have been associated with age-related diseases, including dementia, stroke, and Parkinson disease (PD). Methylation status might link Hcy metabolism to neurodegenerative proteins in patients with PD.
Methods: We tested blood samples from 87 patients with PD (median age 68 years; 35 men) for tHcy, methylmalonic acid (MMA), vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folate, S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), S-adenosyl homocysteine (SAH), and amyloid-β(1–42). We collected citrate blood from a subset of 45 patients to prepare platelet-rich plasma, and we used washed platelets to prepare cell extracts for amyloid precursor protein (APP) and α-synuclein assays. We used brain parenchyma sonography to estimate the substantia nigra echogenic area in a subset of 59 patients.
Results: Serum concentrations of tHcy were increased in PD patients (median 14.8 μmol/L). tHcy (β coefficient = −0.276) and serum creatinine (β = −0.422) were significant predictors of the ratio of SAM/SAH in plasma (P < 0.01). The plasma SAM/SAH ratio was a significant determinant for DemTect scores (β = 0.612, P = 0.004). Significant negative correlations were found between concentrations of SAH in plasma and platelet APP and between SAM and platelet α-synuclein. A larger echogenic area of the substantia nigra was related to higher serum concentrations of MMA (P = 0.016).
Conclusions: Markers of neurodegeneration (APP, α-synuclein) are related to markers of methylation (SAM, SAH) in patients with PD. Better cognitive function was related to higher methylation potential (SAM/SAH ratio).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rima Obeid
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
| | - Achim Schadt
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
| | - Ulrich Dillmann
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Saarland, Homburg, Germany
| | | | - Klaus Fassbender
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Saarland, Homburg, Germany
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Sen S, West AB. The therapeutic potential of LRRK2 and alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease. Antioxid Redox Signal 2009; 11:2167-87. [PMID: 19271991 PMCID: PMC2787962 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2009.2430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Current treatments for Parkinson's disease fail to modify disease progression, and the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain elusive. The identification of specific targets responsible for disease will aid in the development of relevant model systems and the discovery of neuroprotective and neurorestorative therapies. Two promising protein candidates, alpha-synuclein and LRRK2, offer unique insight into the molecular basis of disease and the potential to intervene in pathogenesis. Although multiple lines of evidence support alpha-synuclein and LRRK2 as robust targets for therapy, the connection between protein function and neurodegeneration is unclear. Technology capable of mitigating alpha-synuclein and LRRK2 disease-associated function will ultimately be required before the true value of these proteins as therapeutic targets can be discerned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Sen
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA
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Clough RL, Dermentzaki G, Stefanis L. Functional dissection of the alpha-synuclein promoter: transcriptional regulation by ZSCAN21 and ZNF219. J Neurochem 2009; 110:1479-90. [PMID: 19549071 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06250.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (SNCA) is an abundant neuronal protein involved in synaptic neurotransmission. SNCA expression levels have been strongly implicated in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. We have previously demonstrated that in the PC12 cell line elements in intron 1 may mediate SNCA transcriptional regulation in response to neurotrophins. We have now identified transcription factor (TF) binding sites in intron 1 and the 5'-promoter of SNCA. A binding site for the TF zinc finger and SCAN domain containing (ZSCAN)21 in the 5'-region of intron 1 is required for intron 1 transcriptional activity. Small interfering RNA against ZSCAN21 inhibits activation in the luciferase assay and diminishes SNCA protein levels in naïve and neurotrophin-treated PC12 cells and in primary cultured cortical neurons, demonstrating that ZSCAN21 is a novel transcriptional regulator of SNCA in neuronal cells. The 5'-promoter of SNCA has a complex architecture, including multiple binding sites for the TF zinc finger protein (ZNF)219, which functions as both an activator and a repressor. Targeting ZSCAN21 or other TFs controlling SNCA transcriptional activity may provide novel therapeutic avenues not only for Parkinson's disease but also for other synucleopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lee Clough
- Division of Basic Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece.
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41
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Chen YC, Cheng CH, Chen GD, Hung CC, Yang CH, Hwang SPL, Kawakami K, Wu BK, Huang CJ. Recapitulation of zebrafishsncgaexpression pattern and labeling the habenular complex in transgenic zebrafish using green fluorescent protein reporter gene. Dev Dyn 2009; 238:746-54. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease with unknown etiology. Growing evidence from genetic, pathologic, animal modeling, and biochemical studies strongly support the theory that abnormal aggregation of alpha-synuclein plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of PD. Protein aggregation is an alternative folding process that competes with the native folding pathway. Whether or not a protein is subject to the aggregation process is determined by the concentration of the protein as well as thermodynamic properties inherent to each polypeptide. An increase in cellular concentration of alpha-synuclein has been associated with the disease in both familial and sporadic forms of PD. Thus, maintenance of the intraneuronal steady state levels of alpha-synuclein below the critical concentration is a key challenge neuronal cells are facing. Expression of the alpha-synuclein gene is under the control of environmental factors and aging, the two best-established risk factors for PD. Studies also suggest that the degradation of this protein is mediated by proteasomal and autophagic pathways, which are two mechanisms that are related to the pathogenesis of PD. Recently, vesicle-mediated exocytosis has been suggested as a novel mechanism for disposal of neuronal alpha-synuclein. Relocalization of the protein to specific compartments may be another method for increasing its local concentration. Regulation of the neuronal steady state levels of alpha-synuclein has significant implications in the development of PD, and understanding the mechanism may disclose potential therapeutic targets for PD and other related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyoun Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
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43
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Vogiatzi T, Xilouri M, Vekrellis K, Stefanis L. Wild type alpha-synuclein is degraded by chaperone-mediated autophagy and macroautophagy in neuronal cells. J Biol Chem 2008; 283:23542-56. [PMID: 18566453 PMCID: PMC2527094 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m801992200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 504] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2008] [Revised: 06/19/2008] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (ASYN) is crucial in Parkinson disease (PD) pathogenesis. Increased levels of wild type (WT) ASYN expression are sufficient to cause PD in humans. The manner of post-transcriptional regulation of ASYN levels is controversial. Previously, we had shown that WT ASYN can be degraded by chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) in isolated liver lysosomes. Whether this occurs in a cellular and, in particular, in a neuronal cell context is unclear. Using a mutant ASYN form that lacks the CMA recognition motif and RNA interference against the rate-limiting step in the CMA pathway, Lamp2a, we show here that CMA is indeed involved in WT ASYN degradation in PC12 and SH-SY5Y cells, and in primary cortical and midbrain neurons. However, the extent of involvement varies between cell types, potentially because of differences in compensatory mechanisms. CMA inhibition leads to an accumulation of soluble high molecular weight and detergent-insoluble species of ASYN, suggesting that CMA dysfunction may play a role in the generation of such aberrant species in PD. ASYN and Lamp2a are developmentally regulated in parallel in cortical neuron cultures and in vivo in the central nervous system, and they physically interact as indicated by co-immunoprecipitation. In contrast to previous reports, inhibition of macroautophagy, but not the proteasome, also leads to WT ASYN accumulation, suggesting that this lysosomal pathway is also involved in normal ASYN turnover. These results indicate that CMA and macroautophagy are important pathways for WT ASYN degradation in neurons and underline the importance of CMA as degradation machinery in the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Vogiatzi
- Division of Basic Neurosciences,
Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Soranou Efesiou 4,
11527 Athens and Second Department of Neurology,
Attikon Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, 124 62, Athens,
Greece
| | - Maria Xilouri
- Division of Basic Neurosciences,
Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Soranou Efesiou 4,
11527 Athens and Second Department of Neurology,
Attikon Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, 124 62, Athens,
Greece
| | - Kostas Vekrellis
- Division of Basic Neurosciences,
Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Soranou Efesiou 4,
11527 Athens and Second Department of Neurology,
Attikon Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, 124 62, Athens,
Greece
| | - Leonidas Stefanis
- Division of Basic Neurosciences,
Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Soranou Efesiou 4,
11527 Athens and Second Department of Neurology,
Attikon Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, 124 62, Athens,
Greece
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44
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Malagelada C, Greene LA. PC12 Cells as a model for parkinson's disease research. PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-374028-1.00029-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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45
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Chapter 6 Molecular and Cellular Biology of Synucleins. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2008; 270:225-317. [DOI: 10.1016/s1937-6448(08)01406-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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