1
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Wang XX, Chen WZ, Li C, Xu RS. Current potential pathogenic mechanisms of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:549-563. [PMID: 38381656 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2024-0010] [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: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare neurodegenerative disease which damages upper and lower motor neurons (UMN and LMN) innervating the muscles of the trunk, extremities, head, neck and face in cerebrum, brain stem and spinal cord, which results in the progressive weakness, atrophy and fasciculation of muscle innervated by the related UMN and LMN, accompanying with the pathological signs leaded by the cortical spinal lateral tract lesion. The pathogenesis about ALS is not fully understood, and no specific drugs are available to cure and prevent the progression of this disease at present. In this review, we reviewed the structure and associated functions of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), discuss why SOD1 is crucial to the pathogenesis of ALS, and outline the pathogenic mechanisms of SOD1 in ALS that have been identified at recent years, including glutamate-related excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidative stress, axonal transport disruption, prion-like propagation, and the non-cytologic toxicity of glial cells. This review will help us to deeply understand the current progression in this field of SOD1 pathogenic mechanisms in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Xin Wang
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, The Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Jiangxi Hospital, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Wen-Zhi Chen
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, The Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Jiangxi Hospital, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Cheng Li
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, The Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Jiangxi Hospital, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Ren-Shi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, The Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Jiangxi Hospital, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
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2
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Wei Y, Zhong S, Yang H, Wang X, Lv B, Bian Y, Pei Y, Xu C, Zhao Q, Wu Y, Luo D, Wang F, Sun H, Chen Y. Current therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): A review on past and future therapeutic strategies. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 272:116496. [PMID: 38759454 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116496] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects the first and second motoneurons (MNs), associated with muscle weakness, paralysis and finally death. The exact etiology of the disease still remains unclear. Currently, efforts to develop novel ALS treatments which target specific pathomechanisms are being studied. The mechanisms of ALS pathogenesis involve multiple factors, such as protein aggregation, glutamate excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, inflammation etc. Unfortunately, to date, there are only two FDA-approved drugs for ALS, riluzole and edavarone, without curative treatment for ALS. Herein, we give an overview of the many pathways and review the recent discovery and preclinical characterization of neuroprotective compounds. Meanwhile, drug combination and other therapeutic approaches are also reviewed. In the last part, we analyze the reasons of clinical failure and propose perspective on the treatment of ALS in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Wei
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Sheng Zhong
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Huajing Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xueqing Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Bingbing Lv
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yaoyao Bian
- Jiangsu Provincial Engineering Center of TCM External Medication Researching and Industrializing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yuqiong Pei
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Chunlei Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Qun Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yulan Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Daying Luo
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Fan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Haopeng Sun
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
| | - Yao Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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3
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Xin J, Huang S, Wen J, Li Y, Li A, Satyanarayanan SK, Yao X, Su H. Drug Screening and Validation Targeting TDP-43 Proteinopathy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Aging Dis 2024:AD.2024.0440. [PMID: 38739934 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2024.0440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) stands as a rare, yet severely debilitating disorder marked by the deterioration of motor neurons (MNs) within the brain and spinal cord, which is accompanied by degenerated corticobulbar/corticospinal tracts and denervation in skeletal muscles. Despite ongoing research efforts, ALS remains incurable, attributed to its intricate pathogenic mechanisms. A notable feature in the pathology of ALS is the prevalence of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy, detected in approximately 97% of ALS cases, underscoring its significance in the disease's progression. As a result, strategies targeting the aberrant TDP-43 protein have garnered attention as a potential avenue for ALS therapy. This review delves into the existing drug screening systems aimed at TDP-43 proteinopathy and the models employed for drug efficacy validation. It also explores the hurdles encountered in the quest to develop potent medications against TDP-43 proteinopathy, offering insights into the intricacies of drug discovery and development for ALS. Through this comprehensive analysis, the review sheds light on the critical aspects of identifying and advancing therapeutic solutions for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Sen Huang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases; National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Yunhao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Ang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoli Yao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases; National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huanxing Su
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
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4
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Maragakis NJ, de Carvalho M, Weiss MD. Therapeutic targeting of ALS pathways: Refocusing an incomplete picture. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:1948-1971. [PMID: 37641443 PMCID: PMC10647018 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous potential amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-relevant pathways have been hypothesized and studied preclinically, with subsequent translation to clinical trial. However, few successes have been observed with only modest effects. Along with an improved but incomplete understanding of ALS as a neurodegenerative disease is the evolution of more sophisticated and diverse in vitro and in vivo preclinical modeling platforms, as well as clinical trial designs. We highlight proposed pathological pathways that have been major therapeutic targets for investigational compounds. It is likely that the failures of so many of these therapeutic compounds may not have occurred because of lack of efficacy but rather because of a lack of preclinical modeling that would help define an appropriate disease pathway, as well as a failure to establish target engagement. These challenges are compounded by shortcomings in clinical trial design, including lack of biomarkers that could predict clinical success and studies that are underpowered. Although research investments have provided abundant insights into new ALS-relevant pathways, most have not yet been developed more fully to result in clinical study. In this review, we detail some of the important, well-established pathways, the therapeutics targeting them, and the subsequent clinical design. With an understanding of some of the shortcomings in translational efforts over the last three decades of ALS investigation, we propose that scientists and clinicians may choose to revisit some of these therapeutic pathways reviewed here with an eye toward improving preclinical modeling, biomarker development, and the investment in more sophisticated clinical trial designs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mamede de Carvalho
- Faculdade de MedicinaInsqatituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Centro Académico de Medicina de Lisboa, Universidade de LisboaLisbonPortugal
| | - Michael D. Weiss
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
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Hou SJ, Zhang SX, Li Y, Xu SY. Rapamycin Responds to Alzheimer's Disease: A Potential Translational Therapy. Clin Interv Aging 2023; 18:1629-1639. [PMID: 37810956 PMCID: PMC10557994 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s429440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a sporadic or familial neurodegenerative disease of insidious onset with progressive cognitive decline. Although numerous studies have been conducted or are underway on AD, there are still no effective drugs to reverse the pathological features and clinical manifestations of AD. Rapamycin is a macrolide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus. As a classical mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, rapamycin has been shown to be beneficial in a variety of AD mouse and cells models, both before the onset of disease symptoms and the early stage of disease. Although many basic studies have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of rapamycin in AD, many questions and controversies remain. This may be due to the variability of experimental models, different modes of administration, dose, timing, frequency, and the availability of drug-targeting vehicles. Rapamycin may delay the development of AD by reducing β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, inhibiting tau protein hyperphosphorylation, maintaining brain function in APOE ε4 gene carriers, clearing chronic inflammation, and improving cognitive dysfunction. It is thus expected to be one of the candidates for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Jia Hou
- Department of Neurology, Headache Center, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sheng-Xiao Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030009, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Neurology, Headache Center, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sui-Yi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Headache Center, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, People’s Republic of China
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6
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Wang X, Hu W, Qu L, Wang J, Wu A, Lo HH, Ng JPL, Tang Y, Yun X, Wu J, Wong VKW, Chung SK, Wang L, Luo W, Ji X, Law BYK. Tricin promoted ATG-7 dependent autophagic degradation of α-synuclein and dopamine release for improving cognitive and motor deficits in Parkinson's disease. Pharmacol Res 2023; 196:106874. [PMID: 37586619 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Tricin, a natural nontoxic flavonoid distributed in grasses and euphorbia plants, has been reported to scavenge free radicals, possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects. However, its autophagic effect on Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been elucidated. By adopting cellular and C. elegans models of PD, the autophagic effect of tricin was identified based on the level of autophagy markers (LC3-II and p62). Besides, the pharmacological effects on neurotransmitters (dopamine), inflammatory cytokines (IFN γ, TNFα, MCP-1, IL-10, IL-6 and IL-17A), histology (hematoxylin & eosin and Nissl staining) and behavioural pathology (open-field test, hindlimb clasping, Y-maze, Morris water-maze and nest building test) were also confirmed in the A53T-α-synuclein transgenic PD mouse model. Further experiments demonstrated that tricin induced autophagic flux and lowered the level of α-synuclein through AMPK-p70s6K- and ATG7-dependent mechanism. Compared to the existing clinical PD drugs, tricin mitigated pathogenesis and symptoms of PD with no observable side effects. In summary, tricin is proposed as a potential adjuvant remedy or nutraceutical for the prevention and treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxia Wang
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China; Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Liqun Qu
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China; Marine Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Marine Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shandong Universities, Shandong Engineering and Technology Research Center on Omics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Anguo Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drug ability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Draggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Hang Hong Lo
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Jerome P L Ng
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Yong Tang
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China; Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drug ability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Draggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyun Yun
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Jianhui Wu
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Vincent Kam Wai Wong
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Sookja Kim Chung
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China; Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Linna Wang
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Weidan Luo
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Xiang Ji
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Betty Yuen Kwan Law
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Special Administrative Region of China.
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7
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Zheng C, Li W, Ali T, Peng Z, Liu J, Pan Z, Feng J, Li S. Ibrutinib Delays ALS Installation and Increases Survival of SOD1 G93A Mice by Modulating PI3K/mTOR/Akt Signaling. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2023; 18:383-396. [PMID: 37326908 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-023-10068-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal multisystem degenerative disorder with minimal available therapeutic. However, some recent studies showed promising results of immunological-based treatment. Here, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ibrutinib against ALS-associated abnormalities by targeting inflammation and muscular atrophy. Ibrutinib was administrated orally to SOD1 G93A mice from 6 to 19 weeks for prophylactic administration and 13 to 19 weeks for therapeutic administration. Our results demonstrated that ibrutinib treatment significantly delayed ALS-like symptom onset in the SOD1 G93A mice, as shown by improved survival time and reduced behavioral impairments. Ibrutinib treatment significantly reduced muscular atrophy by increasing muscle/body weight and decreasing muscular necrosis. The ibrutinib treatment also considerably reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production, IBA-1, and GFAP expression, possibly mediated by mTOR/Akt/Pi3k signaling in the medulla, motor cortex and spinal cord of the ALS mice. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that ibrutinib could delay ALS onset, increase survival time, and reduce ALS progression by targeting inflammation and muscular atrophy via mTOR/Akt/PI3K modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyou Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Weifen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen key laboratory for endogenous infections, the 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science, Center. No 89, Taoyuan Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518052, China
| | - Tahir Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ziting Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jieli Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhengying Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jinxing Feng
- Department of Neonatology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Shupeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- Campbell Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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8
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Guareschi S, Ravasi M, Baldessari D, Pozzi S, Zaffino T, Melazzini M, Ambrosini A. The positive impact on translational research of Fondazione italiana di ricerca per la Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica (AriSLA), a non-profit foundation focused on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Convergence of ex-ante evaluation and ex-post outcomes when goals are set upfront. Front Res Metr Anal 2023; 8:1067981. [PMID: 37601533 PMCID: PMC10436489 DOI: 10.3389/frma.2023.1067981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Charities investing on rare disease research greatly contribute to generate ground-breaking knowledge with the clear goal of finding a cure for their condition of interest. Although the amount of their investments may be relatively small compared to major funders, the advocacy groups' clear mission promotes innovative research and aggregates highly motivated and mission-oriented scientists. Here, we illustrate the case of Fondazione italiana di ricerca per la Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica (AriSLA), the main Italian funding agency entirely dedicated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research. An international benchmark analysis of publications derived from AriSLA-funded projects indicated that their mean relative citation ratio values (iCite dashboard, National Institutes of Health, U.S.) were very high, suggesting a strong influence on the referring international scientific community. An interesting trend of research toward translation based on the "triangle of biomedicine" and paper citations (iCite) was also observed. Qualitative analysis on researchers' accomplishments was convergent with the bibliometric data, indicating a high level of performance of several working groups, lines of research that speak of progression toward clinical translation, and one study that has progressed from the investigation of cellular mechanisms to a Phase 2 international clinical trial. The key elements of the success of the AriSLA investment lie in: (i) the clear definition of the objectives (research with potential impact on patients, no matter how far), (ii) a rigorous peer-review process entrusted to an international panel of experts, (iii) diversification of the portfolio with ad hoc selection criteria, which also contributed to bringing new experts and younger scientists to the field, and (iv) a close interaction of AriSLA stakeholders with scientists, who developed a strong sense of belonging. Periodic review of the portfolio of investments is a vital practice for funding agencies. Sharing information between funding agencies about their own policies and research assessment methods and outcomes help guide the international debate on funding strategies and research directions to be undertaken, particularly in the field of rare diseases, where synergy is a relevant enabling factor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Anna Ambrosini
- Fondazione AriSLA ETS, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione Telethon ETS, Milan, Italy
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9
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de la Fuente AG, Pelucchi S, Mertens J, Di Luca M, Mauceri D, Marcello E. Novel therapeutic approaches to target neurodegeneration. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:1651-1673. [PMID: 36965025 PMCID: PMC10952850 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ageing is the main risk factor common to most primary neurodegenerative disorders. Indeed, age-related brain alterations have been long considered to predispose to neurodegeneration. Although protein misfolding and the accumulation of toxic protein aggregates have been considered as causative events in neurodegeneration, several other biological pathways affected by brain ageing also contribute to pathogenesis. Here, we discuss the evidence showing the involvement of the mechanisms controlling neuronal structure, gene expression, autophagy, cell metabolism and neuroinflammation in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, we review the therapeutic strategies currently under development or as future approaches designed to normalize these pathways, which may then increase brain resilience to cope with toxic protein species. In addition to therapies targeting the insoluble protein aggregates specifically associated with each neurodegenerative disorder, these novel pharmacological approaches may be part of combined therapies designed to rescue brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alerie G. de la Fuente
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL)AlicanteSpain
- Instituto de Neurociencias CSIC‐UMHAlicanteSpain
- Wellcome‐Wolfson Institute for Experimental MedicineQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - Silvia Pelucchi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular SciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Institute of Molecular BiologyLeopold‐Franzens‐Universität InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Jerome Mertens
- Institute of Molecular BiologyLeopold‐Franzens‐Universität InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Monica Di Luca
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular SciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Daniela Mauceri
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell BiologyDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, University of MarburgMarburgGermany
- Department of NeurobiologyInterdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences (IZN), Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Elena Marcello
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular SciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
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10
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Corman A, Sirozh O, Lafarga V, Fernandez-Capetillo O. Targeting the nucleolus as a therapeutic strategy in human disease. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:274-287. [PMID: 36229381 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2022.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The nucleolus is the site of ribosome biogenesis, one of the most resource-intensive processes in eukaryotic cells. Accordingly, nucleolar morphology and activity are highly responsive to growth signaling and nucleolar insults which are collectively included in the actively evolving concept of nucleolar stress. Importantly, nucleolar alterations are a prominent feature of multiple human pathologies, including cancer and neurodegeneration, as well as being associated with aging. The past decades have seen numerous attempts to isolate compounds targeting different facets of nucleolar activity. We provide an overview of therapeutic opportunities for targeting nucleoli in different pathologies and currently available therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Corman
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oleksandra Sirozh
- Genomic Instability Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Vanesa Lafarga
- Genomic Instability Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain.
| | - Oscar Fernandez-Capetillo
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Genomic Instability Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain.
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11
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Proteomics Analysis of Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines from Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28052014. [PMID: 36903260 PMCID: PMC10004326 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052014] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) consists of the progressive degeneration of motor neurons, caused by poorly understood mechanisms for which there is no cure. Some of the cellular perturbations associated with ALS can be detected in peripheral cells, including lymphocytes from blood. A related cell system that is very suitable for research consists of human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), which are immortalized lymphocytes. LCLs that can be easily expanded in culture and can be maintained for long periods as stable cultures. We investigated, on a small set of LCLs, if a proteomics analysis using liquid chromatography followed by tandem mass spectrometry reveals proteins that are differentially present in ALS versus healthy controls. We found that individual proteins, the cellular and molecular pathways in which these proteins participate, are detected as differentially present in the ALS samples. Some of these proteins and pathways are already known to be perturbed in ALS, while others are new and present interest for further investigations. These observations suggest that a more detailed proteomics analysis of LCLs, using a larger number of samples, represents a promising approach for investigating ALS mechanisms and to search for therapeutic agents. Proteomics data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD040240.
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12
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Martinez-Gonzalez L, Martinez A. Emerging clinical investigational drugs for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2023; 32:141-160. [PMID: 36762798 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2023.2178416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by motoneuron death with a median survival time of 3-5 years since disease onset. There are no effective treatments to date. However, a variety of innovative investigational drugs and biological-based therapies are under clinical development. AREAS COVERED This review provides an overview of the clinical investigational small molecules as well as a brief summary of the biological-based therapies that are currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of ALS. All the data were obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov (registered through November 1). EXPERT OPINION Drug discovery for ALS is an active and evolving field, where many investigational clinical drugs are in different trials. There are several mechanisms of action supporting all these new therapies, although proteostasis is gaining stage. Probably, small orally bioavailable molecules able to recover functional TDP-43 homeostasis may have solid chances to modify ALS progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loreto Martinez-Gonzalez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas "Margarita Salas"-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Martinez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas "Margarita Salas"-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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13
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Włodarczyk P, Witczak M, Gajewska A, Chady T, Piotrowski I. The role of TDP-43 protein in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.20883/medical.e710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease where both upper and lower motoneurons are damaged. Even though the pathogenesis of ALS is unclear, the TDP-43 aggregations and non-nuclear localization may be crucial to understanding this process. Despite intensive research on ALS therapies, only two lifespan-prolonging medications have been approved: Riluzole and Edaravone. Unravelling the TDP-43 pathology could help develop new ALS therapies using mechanisms such as inhibition of nuclear export, autophagy, chaperones, or antisense oligonucleotides. Selective inhibitors of nuclear export (SINEs) are drugs that block Exportin 1 (XPO1) and cause the accumulation of not exported molecules inside the nucleus. SINEs that target XPO1 are shown to slightly extend the survival of neurons and soften motor symptoms. Dysfunctional proteins, including TDP-43, can be eliminated through autophagocytosis, which is regulated by the mTOR kinase. Stimulating the elimination of protein deposits may be an effective ALS therapy. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) are single-stranded, synthetic oligonucleotides that can bind and modulate specific RNA: via ribonuclease H, inducing their degradation or inducing alternative splicing via blocking primary RNA transcripts. Current ASOs therapies used in ALS focus on SOD1, C9ORF72, FUS, and ATXN2, and they may be used to slow the ALS progression. Reversing the aggregation is a promising therapeutic strategy. Chaperones control other proteins' quality and protect them against stress factors. Due to the irreversible character of ALS, it is essential to understand its complicated pathology better and to seek new therapies.
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14
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Subramanian A, Tamilanban T, Alsayari A, Ramachawolran G, Wong LS, Sekar M, Gan SH, Subramaniyan V, Chinni SV, Izzati Mat Rani NN, Suryadevara N, Wahab S. Trilateral association of autophagy, mTOR and Alzheimer's disease: Potential pathway in the development for Alzheimer's disease therapy. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1094351. [PMID: 36618946 PMCID: PMC9817151 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1094351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary and considerable weakening event affecting elderly individuals is age-dependent cognitive decline and dementia. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the chief cause of progressive dementia, and it is characterized by irreparable loss of cognitive abilities, forming senile plaques having Amyloid Beta (Aβ) aggregates and neurofibrillary tangles with considerable amounts of tau in affected hippocampus and cortex regions of human brains. AD affects millions of people worldwide, and the count is showing an increasing trend. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms at molecular levels to generate novel insights into the pathogenesis of AD and other cognitive deficits. A growing body of evidence elicits the regulatory relationship between the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway and AD. In addition, the role of autophagy, a systematic degradation, and recycling of cellular components like accumulated proteins and damaged organelles in AD, is also pivotal. The present review describes different mechanisms and signaling regulations highlighting the trilateral association of autophagy, the mTOR pathway, and AD with a description of inhibiting drugs/molecules of mTOR, a strategic target in AD. Downregulation of mTOR signaling triggers autophagy activation, degrading the misfolded proteins and preventing the further accumulation of misfolded proteins that inhibit the progression of AD. Other target mechanisms such as autophagosome maturation, and autophagy-lysosomal pathway, may initiate a faulty autophagy process resulting in senile plaques due to defective lysosomal acidification and alteration in lysosomal pH. Hence, the strong link between mTOR and autophagy can be explored further as a potential mechanism for AD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunkumar Subramanian
- Department of Pharmacology, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu, Tamilnadu, India
| | - T. Tamilanban
- Department of Pharmacology, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu, Tamilnadu, India,*Correspondence: T. Tamilanban, ; Gobinath Ramachawolran, ; Ling Shing Wong, ; Mahendran Sekar,
| | - Abdulrhman Alsayari
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia,Complementary and Alternative Medicine Unit, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gobinath Ramachawolran
- Department of Foundation, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia,*Correspondence: T. Tamilanban, ; Gobinath Ramachawolran, ; Ling Shing Wong, ; Mahendran Sekar,
| | - Ling Shing Wong
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia,*Correspondence: T. Tamilanban, ; Gobinath Ramachawolran, ; Ling Shing Wong, ; Mahendran Sekar,
| | - Mahendran Sekar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Royal College of Medicine Perak, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia,*Correspondence: T. Tamilanban, ; Gobinath Ramachawolran, ; Ling Shing Wong, ; Mahendran Sekar,
| | - Siew Hua Gan
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Vetriselvan Subramaniyan
- Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Bandar Saujana Putra, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Suresh V. Chinni
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience, and Nursing, MAHSA University, Bandar Saujana Putra, Selangor, Malaysia,Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, India
| | - Nur Najihah Izzati Mat Rani
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Royal College of Medicine Perak, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Nagaraja Suryadevara
- Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Bandar Saujana Putra, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Shadma Wahab
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia,Complementary and Alternative Medicine Unit, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
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15
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Role of Nrf2 in aging, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 82:101756. [PMID: 36243357 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear Factor-Erythroid Factor 2 (Nrf2) is an important transcription factor that regulates the expression of large number of genes in healthy and disease states. Nrf2 is made up of 605 amino acids and contains 7 conserved regions known as Nrf2-ECH homology domains. Nrf2 regulates the expression of several key components of oxidative stress, mitochondrial biogenesis, mitophagy, autophagy and mitochondrial function in all organs of the human body, in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Mounting evidence also suggests that altered expression of Nrf2 is largely involved in aging, neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's diseases, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Stroke, Multiple sclerosis and others. The purpose of this article is to detail the essential role of Nrf2 in oxidative stress, antioxidative defense, detoxification, inflammatory responses, transcription factors, proteasomal and autophagic/mitophagic degradation, and metabolism in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. This article also highlights the Nrf2 structural and functional activities in healthy and disease states, and also discusses the current status of Nrf2 research and therapeutic strategies to treat aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
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16
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Butler R, Bradford D, Rodgers KE. Analysis of shared underlying mechanism in neurodegenerative disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1006089. [PMID: 36523957 PMCID: PMC9745190 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1006089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, the relationship between bioenergetics, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation will be and how they contribute to neurodegeneration, specifically in Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS) will be reviewed. Long-term changes in mitochondrial function, autophagy dysfunction, and immune activation are commonalities shared across these age-related disorders. Genetic risk factors for these diseases support an autophagy-immune connection in the underlying pathophysiology. Critical areas of deeper evaluation in these bioenergetic processes may lead to potential therapeutics with efficacy across multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kathleen E. Rodgers
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, United States
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17
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Jiang J, Wang Y, Deng M. New developments and opportunities in drugs being trialed for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from 2020 to 2022. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1054006. [PMID: 36518658 PMCID: PMC9742490 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1054006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. In the recent past, there have been just two drugs approved for treatment, riluzole and edaravone, which only prolong survival by a few months. However, there are many novel experimental drugs in development. In this review, we summarize 53 new drugs that have been evaluated in clinical trials from 2020 to 2022, which we have classified into eight mechanistic groups (anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-excitotoxicity, regulated integrated stress response, neurotrophic factors and neuroprotection, anti-aggregation, gene therapy and other). Six were tested in phase 1 studies, 31 were in phase 2 studies, three failed in phase 3 studies and stopped further development, and the remaining 13 drugs were being tested in phase 3 studies, including methylcobalamin, masitinib, MN-166, verdiperstat, memantine, AMX0035, trazodone, CNM-Au8, pridopidine, SLS-005, IONN363, tofersen, and reldesemtiv. Among them, five drugs, including methylcobalamin, masitinib, AMX0035, CNM-Au8, and tofersen, have shown potent therapeutic effects in clinical trials. Recently, AMX0035 has been the third medicine approved by the FDA for the treatment of ALS after riluzole and edaravone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Min Deng
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
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18
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Tedesco B, Ferrari V, Cozzi M, Chierichetti M, Casarotto E, Pramaggiore P, Mina F, Piccolella M, Cristofani R, Crippa V, Rusmini P, Galbiati M, Poletti A. The role of autophagy-lysosomal pathway in motor neuron diseases. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1489-1503. [PMID: 36111809 PMCID: PMC9704526 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Motor neuron diseases (MNDs) include a broad group of diseases in which neurodegeneration mainly affects upper and/or lower motor neurons (MNs). Although the involvement of specific MNs, symptoms, age of onset, and progression differ in MNDs, the main pathogenic mechanism common to most MNDs is represented by proteostasis alteration and proteotoxicity. This pathomechanism may be directly related to mutations in genes encoding proteins involved in the protein quality control system, particularly the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP). Alternatively, proteostasis alteration can be caused by aberrant proteins that tend to misfold and to aggregate, two related processes that, over time, cannot be properly handled by the ALP. Here, we summarize the main ALP features, focusing on different routes utilized to deliver substrates to the lysosome and how the various ALP pathways intersect with the intracellular trafficking of membranes and vesicles. Next, we provide an overview of the mutated genes that have been found associated with MNDs, how these gene products are involved in different steps of ALP and related processes. Finally, we discuss how autophagy can be considered a valid therapeutic target for MNDs treatment focusing on traditional autophagy modulators and on emerging approaches to overcome their limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Tedesco
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Ferrari
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marta Cozzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marta Chierichetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Elena Casarotto
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Paola Pramaggiore
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Francesco Mina
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Margherita Piccolella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Riccardo Cristofani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Valeria Crippa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Paola Rusmini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Mariarita Galbiati
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Angelo Poletti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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19
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Levite M. Neuro faces of beneficial T cells: essential in brain, impaired in aging and neurological diseases, and activated functionally by neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1165-1178. [PMID: 36453390 PMCID: PMC9838142 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.357903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells are essential for a healthy life, performing continuously: immune surveillance, recognition, protection, activation, suppression, assistance, eradication, secretion, adhesion, migration, homing, communications, and additional tasks. This paper describes five aspects of normal beneficial T cells in the healthy or diseased brain. First, normal beneficial T cells are essential for normal healthy brain functions: cognition, spatial learning, memory, adult neurogenesis, and neuroprotection. T cells decrease secondary neuronal degeneration, increase neuronal survival after central nervous system (CNS) injury, and limit CNS inflammation and damage upon injury and infection. Second, while pathogenic T cells contribute to CNS disorders, recent studies, mostly in animal models, show that specific subpopulations of normal beneficial T cells have protective and regenerative effects in several neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. These include Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), stroke, CNS trauma, chronic pain, and others. Both T cell-secreted molecules and direct cell-cell contacts deliver T cell neuroprotective, neuroregenerative and immunomodulatory effects. Third, normal beneficial T cells are abnormal, impaired, and dysfunctional in aging and multiple neurological diseases. Different T cell impairments are evident in aging, brain tumors (mainly Glioblastoma), severe viral infections (including COVID-19), chronic stress, major depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ALS, MS, stroke, and other neuro-pathologies. The main detrimental mechanisms that impair T cell function are activation-induced cell death, exhaustion, senescence, and impaired T cell stemness. Fourth, several physiological neurotransmitters and neuropeptides induce by themselves multiple direct, potent, beneficial, and therapeutically-relevant effects on normal human T cells, via their receptors in T cells. This scientific field is called "Nerve-Driven Immunity". The main neurotransmitters and neuropeptides that induce directly activating and beneficial effects on naïve normal human T cells are: dopamine, glutamate, GnRH-II, neuropeptide Y, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and somatostatin. Fifth, "Personalized Adoptive Neuro-Immunotherapy". This is a novel unique cellular immunotherapy, based on the "Nerve-Driven Immunity" findings, which was recently designed and patented for safe and repeated rejuvenation, activation, and improvement of impaired and dysfunctional T cells of any person in need, by ex vivo exposure of the person's T cells to neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. Personalized adoptive neuro-immunotherapy includes an early ex vivo personalized diagnosis, and subsequent ex vivo → in vivo personalized adoptive therapy, tailored according to the diagnosis. The Personalized Adoptive Neuro-Immunotherapy has not yet been tested in humans, pending validation of safety and efficacy in clinical trials, especially in brain tumors, chronic infectious diseases, and aging, in which T cells are exhausted and/or senescent and dysfunctional.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Levite
- Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Campus Ein Karem, Jerusalem, Israel,Institute of Gene Therapy, The Hadassah University Hospital-Ein Karem, Jerusalem, Israel,Correspondence to: Mia Levite, or .
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20
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Sturmey E, Malaspina A. Blood biomarkers in ALS: challenges, applications and novel frontiers. Acta Neurol Scand 2022; 146:375-388. [PMID: 36156207 PMCID: PMC9828487 DOI: 10.1111/ane.13698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease among adults. With diagnosis reached relatively late into the disease process, extensive motor cell loss narrows the window for therapeutic opportunities. Clinical heterogeneity in ALS and the lack of disease-specific biomarkers have so far led to large-sized clinical trials with long follow-up needed to define clinical outcomes. In advanced ALS patients, there is presently limited scope to use imaging or invasive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection as a source of disease biomarkers. The development of more patient-friendly and accessible blood biomarker assays is hampered by analytical hurdles like the matrix effect of blood components. However, blood also provides the opportunity to identify disease-specific adaptive changes of the stoichiometry and conformation of target proteins and the endogenous immunological response to low-abundance brain peptides, such as neurofilaments (Nf). Among those biomarkers under investigation in ALS, the change in concentration before or after diagnosis of Nf has been shown to aid prognostication and to allow the a priori stratification of ALS patients into smaller sized and clinically more homogeneous cohorts, supporting more affordable clinical trials. Here, we discuss the technical hurdles affecting reproducible and sensitive biomarker measurement in blood. We also summarize the state of the art of non-CSF biomarkers in the study of prognosis, disease progression, and treatment response. We will then address the potential as disease-specific biomarkers of the newly discovered cryptic peptides which are formed down-stream of TDP-43 loss of function, the hallmark of ALS pathobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie Sturmey
- Centre of Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Andrea Malaspina
- Centre of Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.,Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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21
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Status of ALS Treatment, Insights into Therapeutic Challenges and Dilemmas. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12101601. [PMID: 36294741 PMCID: PMC9605458 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12101601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an extremely heterogeneous disease of motor neurons that eventually leads to death. Despite impressive advances in understanding the genetic, molecular, and pathological mechanisms of the disease, the only drug approved to date by both the FDA and EMA is riluzole, with a modest effect on survival. In this opinion view paper, we will discuss how to address some challenges for drug development in ALS at the conceptual, technological, and methodological levels. In addition, socioeconomic and ethical issues related to the legitimate need of patients to benefit quickly from new treatments will also be addressed. In conclusion, this brief review takes a more optimistic view, given the recent approval of two new drugs in some countries and the development of targeted gene therapies.
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22
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Thellung S, Corsaro A, Dellacasagrande I, Nizzari M, Zambito M, Florio T. Proteostasis unbalance in prion diseases: Mechanisms of neurodegeneration and therapeutic targets. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:966019. [PMID: 36148145 PMCID: PMC9485628 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.966019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are progressive neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system that affect humans and animals as sporadic, inherited, and infectious forms. Similarly to Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, any attempt to reduce TSEs' lethality or increase the life expectancy of affected individuals has been unsuccessful. Typically, the onset of symptoms anticipates the fatal outcome of less than 1 year, although it is believed to be the consequence of a decades-long process of neuronal death. The duration of the symptoms-free period represents by itself a major obstacle to carry out effective neuroprotective therapies. Prions, the infectious entities of TSEs, are composed of a protease-resistant protein named prion protein scrapie (PrPSc) from the prototypical TSE form that afflicts ovines. PrPSc misfolding from its physiological counterpart, cellular prion protein (PrPC), is the unifying pathogenic trait of all TSEs. PrPSc is resistant to intracellular turnover and undergoes amyloid-like fibrillation passing through the formation of soluble dimers and oligomers, which are likely the effective neurotoxic entities. The failure of PrPSc removal is a key pathogenic event that defines TSEs as proteopathies, likewise other neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease, characterized by alteration of proteostasis. Under physiological conditions, protein quality control, led by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and macroautophagy clears cytoplasm from improperly folded, redundant, or aggregation-prone proteins. There is evidence that both of these crucial homeostatic pathways are impaired during the development of TSEs, although it is still unclear whether proteostasis alteration facilitates prion protein misfolding or, rather, PrPSc protease resistance hampers cytoplasmic protein quality control. This review is aimed to critically analyze the most recent advancements in the cause-effect correlation between PrPC misfolding and proteostasis alterations and to discuss the possibility that pharmacological restoring of ubiquitin-proteasomal competence and stimulation of autophagy could reduce the intracellular burden of PrPSc and ameliorate the severity of prion-associated neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Thellung
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corsaro
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Irene Dellacasagrande
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Mario Nizzari
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Martina Zambito
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- *Correspondence: Tullio Florio
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23
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Pu M, Tai Y, Yuan L, Zhang Y, Guo H, Hao Z, Chen J, Qi X, Wang G, Tao Z, Ren J. The contribution of proteasomal impairment to autophagy activation by C9orf72 poly-GA aggregates. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:501. [PMID: 36036324 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04518-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poly-GA, a dipeptide repeat protein unconventionally translated from GGGGCC (G4C2) repeat expansions in C9orf72, is abundant in C9orf72-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) (C9orf72-ALS/FTD). Although the poly-GA aggregates have been identified in C9orf72-ALS/FTD neurons, the effects on UPS (ubiquitin-proteasome system) and autophagy and their exact molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. RESULTS Herein, our in vivo experiments indicate that the mice expressing ploy-GA with 150 repeats instead of 30 repeats exhibit significant aggregates in cells. Mice expressing 150 repeats ploy-GA shows behavioral deficits and activates autophagy in the brain. In vitro findings suggest that the poly-GA aggregates influence proteasomal by directly binding proteasome subunit PSMD2. Subsequently, the poly-GA aggregates activate phosphorylation and ubiquitination of p62 to recruit autophagosomes. Ultimately, the poly-GA aggregates lead to compensatory activation of autophagy. In vivo studies further reveal that rapamycin (autophagy activator) treatment significantly improves the degenerative symptoms and alleviates neuronal injury in mice expressing 150 repeats poly-GA. Meanwhile, rapamycin administration to mice expressing 150 repeats poly-GA reduces neuroinflammation and aggregates in the brain. CONCLUSION In summary, we elucidate the relationship between poly-GA in the proteasome and autophagy: when poly-GA forms complexes with the proteasome, it recruits autophagosomes and affects proteasome function. Our study provides support for further promoting the comprehension of the pathogenesis of C9orf72, which may bring a hint for the exploration of rapamycin for the treatment of ALS/FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Pu
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yusi Tai
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Luyang Yuan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Department of Neuropharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huijie Guo
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zongbing Hao
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinming Qi
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Guanghui Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Zhouteng Tao
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China.
| | - Jin Ren
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
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24
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Trist BG, Fifita JA, Hogan A, Grima N, Smith B, Troakes C, Vance C, Shaw C, Al-Sarraj S, Blair IP, Double KL. Co-deposition of SOD1, TDP-43 and p62 proteinopathies in ALS: evidence for multifaceted pathways underlying neurodegeneration. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:122. [PMID: 36008843 PMCID: PMC9404564 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01421-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple neurotoxic proteinopathies co-exist within vulnerable neuronal populations in all major neurodegenerative diseases. Interactions between these pathologies may modulate disease progression, suggesting they may constitute targets for disease-modifying treatments aiming to slow or halt neurodegeneration. Pairwise interactions between superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and ubiquitin-binding protein 62/sequestosome 1 (p62) proteinopathies have been reported in multiple transgenic cellular and animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), however corresponding examination of these relationships in patient tissues is lacking. Further, the coalescence of all three proteinopathies has not been studied in vitro or in vivo to date. These data are essential to guide therapeutic development and enhance the translation of relevant therapies into the clinic. Our group recently profiled SOD1 proteinopathy in post-mortem spinal cord tissues from familial and sporadic ALS cases, demonstrating an abundance of structurally-disordered (dis)SOD1 conformers which become mislocalized within these vulnerable neurons compared with those of aged controls. To explore any relationships between this, and other, ALS-linked proteinopathies, we profiled TDP-43 and p62 within spinal cord motor neurons of the same post-mortem tissue cohort using multiplexed immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. We identified distinct patterns of SOD1, TDP43 and p62 co-deposition and subcellular mislocalization between motor neurons of familial and sporadic ALS cases, which we primarily attribute to SOD1 gene status. Our data demonstrate co-deposition of p62 with mutant and wild-type disSOD1 and phosphorylated TDP-43 in familial and sporadic ALS spinal cord motor neurons, consistent with attempts by p62 to mitigate SOD1 and TDP-43 deposition. Wild-type SOD1 and TDP-43 co-deposition was also frequently observed in ALS cases lacking SOD1 mutations. Finally, alterations to the subcellular localization of the three proteins were tightly correlated, suggesting close relationships between the regulatory mechanisms governing the subcellular compartmentalization of these proteins. Our study is the first to profile spatial relationships between SOD1, TDP-43 and p62 pathologies in post-mortem spinal cord motor neurons of ALS patients, previously only studied in vitro. Our findings suggest interactions between these three key ALS-linked proteins are likely to modulate the formation of their respective proteinopathies, and perhaps the rate of motor neuron degeneration, in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin G Trist
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
| | - Jennifer A Fifita
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alison Hogan
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Natalie Grima
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bradley Smith
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Camberwell, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Claire Troakes
- London Neurodegenerative Diseases Brain Bank, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Caroline Vance
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Camberwell, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Christopher Shaw
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Camberwell, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Safa Al-Sarraj
- London Neurodegenerative Diseases Brain Bank, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Ian P Blair
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kay L Double
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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25
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Zhang Z, Zhang A, Liu Y, Hu X, Fang Y, Wang X, Luo Y, Lenahan C, Chen S. New Mechanisms and Targets of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Focus on Mitochondria. Curr Neuropharmacol 2022; 20:1278-1296. [PMID: 34720082 PMCID: PMC9881073 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x19666211101103646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) accounts for 5-10% of all strokes and is a subtype of hemorrhagic stroke that places a heavy burden on health care. Despite great progress in surgical clipping and endovascular treatment for ruptured aneurysms, cerebral vasospasm (CVS) and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) threaten the long-term outcomes of patients with SAH. Moreover, there are limited drugs available to reduce the risk of DCI and adverse outcomes in SAH patients. New insight suggests that early brain injury (EBI), which occurs within 72 h after the onset of SAH, may lay the foundation for further DCI development and poor outcomes. The mechanisms of EBI mainly include excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier (BBB) destruction, and cellular death. Mitochondria are a double-membrane organelle, and they play an important role in energy production, cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and survival. Mitochondrial dysfunction, which can lead to mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) collapse, overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), release of apoptogenic proteins, disorders of mitochondrial dynamics, and activation of mitochondria-related inflammation, is considered a novel mechanism of EBI related to DCI as well as post-SAH outcomes. In addition, mitophagy is activated after SAH. In this review, we discuss the latest perspectives on the role of mitochondria in EBI and DCI after SAH. We emphasize the potential of mitochondria as therapeutic targets and summarize the promising therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondria for SAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; ,These authors contributed equally to this work.
| | - Anke Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; ,These authors contributed equally to this work.
| | - Yibo Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; ,These authors contributed equally to this work.
| | - Xiaoming Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Taizhou Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China;
| | - Yuanjian Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China;
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China;
| | - Yujie Luo
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China;
| | - Cameron Lenahan
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Sheng Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; ,Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Tel: +86-571-87784815; Fax: +86-571-87784755; E-mail:
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26
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Chua JP, Bedi K, Paulsen MT, Ljungman M, Tank EMH, Kim ES, McBride JP, Colón-Mercado JM, Ward ME, Weisman LS, Barmada SJ. Myotubularin-related phosphatase 5 is a critical determinant of autophagy in neurons. Curr Biol 2022; 32:2581-2595.e6. [PMID: 35580604 PMCID: PMC9233098 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.04.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved, multi-step process of capturing proteolytic cargo in autophagosomes for lysosome degradation. The capacity to remove toxic proteins that accumulate in neurodegenerative disorders attests to the disease-modifying potential of the autophagy pathway. However, neurons respond only marginally to conventional methods for inducing autophagy, limiting efforts to develop therapeutic autophagy modulators for neurodegenerative diseases. The determinants underlying poor autophagy induction in neurons and the degree to which neurons and other cell types are differentially sensitive to autophagy stimuli are incompletely defined. Accordingly, we sampled nascent transcript synthesis and stabilities in fibroblasts, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and iPSC-derived neurons (iNeurons), thereby uncovering a neuron-specific stability of transcripts encoding myotubularin-related phosphatase 5 (MTMR5). MTMR5 is an autophagy suppressor that acts with its binding partner, MTMR2, to dephosphorylate phosphoinositides critical for autophagy initiation and autophagosome maturation. We found that MTMR5 is necessary and sufficient to suppress autophagy in iNeurons and undifferentiated iPSCs. Using optical pulse labeling to visualize the turnover of endogenously encoded proteins in live cells, we observed that knockdown of MTMR5 or MTMR2, but not the unrelated phosphatase MTMR9, significantly enhances neuronal degradation of TDP-43, an autophagy substrate implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases. Our findings thus establish a regulatory mechanism of autophagy intrinsic to neurons and targetable for clearing disease-related proteins in a cell-type-specific manner. In so doing, our results not only unravel novel aspects of neuronal biology and proteostasis but also elucidate a strategy for modulating neuronal autophagy that could be of high therapeutic potential for multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason P. Chua
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Lead contact
| | - Karan Bedi
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Michelle T. Paulsen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center and Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mats Ljungman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center and Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Erin S. Kim
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jonathon P. McBride
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Michael E. Ward
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lois S. Weisman
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sami J. Barmada
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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27
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Cozzi M, Ferrari V. Autophagy Dysfunction in ALS: from Transport to Protein Degradation. J Mol Neurosci 2022; 72:1456-1481. [PMID: 35708843 PMCID: PMC9293831 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02029-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). Since the identification of the first ALS mutation in 1993, more than 40 genes have been associated with the disorder. The most frequent genetic causes of ALS are represented by mutated genes whose products challenge proteostasis, becoming unable to properly fold and consequently aggregating into inclusions that impose proteotoxic stress on affected cells. In this context, increasing evidence supports the central role played by autophagy dysfunctions in the pathogenesis of ALS. Indeed, in early stages of disease, high levels of proteins involved in autophagy are present in ALS MNs; but at the same time, with neurodegeneration progression, autophagy-mediated degradation decreases, often as a result of the accumulation of toxic protein aggregates in affected cells. Autophagy is a complex multistep pathway that has a central role in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Several proteins are involved in its tight regulation, and importantly a relevant fraction of ALS-related genes encodes products that directly take part in autophagy, further underlining the relevance of this key protein degradation system in disease onset and progression. In this review, we report the most relevant findings concerning ALS genes whose products are involved in the several steps of the autophagic pathway, from phagophore formation to autophagosome maturation and transport and finally to substrate degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Cozzi
- Dipartimento Di Scienze Farmacologiche E Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Veronica Ferrari
- Dipartimento Di Scienze Farmacologiche E Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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28
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Rajesh Y, Kanneganti TD. Innate Immune Cell Death in Neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's Disease. Cells 2022; 11:1885. [PMID: 35741014 PMCID: PMC9221514 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder molecularly characterized by the formation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and type 2 microtubule-associated protein (Tau) abnormalities. Multiple studies have shown that many of the brain's immunological cells, specifically microglia and astrocytes, are involved in AD pathogenesis. Cells of the innate immune system play an essential role in eliminating pathogens but also regulate brain homeostasis and AD. When activated, innate immune cells can cause programmed cell death through multiple pathways, including pyroptosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, and PANoptosis. The cell death often results in the release of proinflammatory cytokines that propagate the innate immune response and can eliminate Aβ plaques and aggregated Tau proteins. However, chronic neuroinflammation, which can result from cell death, has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases and can worsen AD. Therefore, the innate immune response must be tightly balanced to appropriately clear these AD-related structural abnormalities without inducing chronic neuroinflammation. In this review, we discuss neuroinflammation, innate immune responses, inflammatory cell death pathways, and cytokine secretion as they relate to AD. Therapeutic strategies targeting these innate immune cell death mechanisms will be critical to consider for future preventive or palliative treatments for AD.
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29
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Boivin B, Roet KCD, Huang X, Karhohs KW, Rohban MH, Sandoe J, Wiskow O, Maeda R, Grantham A, Dornon MK, Shao J, Frost D, Baker D, Eggan K, Carpenter AE, Woolf CJ. A multiparametric activity profiling platform for neuron disease phenotyping and drug screening. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar54. [PMID: 34910584 PMCID: PMC9265164 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e21-10-0481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Patient stem cell-derived models enable imaging of complex disease phenotypes and the development of scalable drug discovery platforms. Current preclinical methods for assessing cellular activity do not, however, capture the full intricacies of disease-induced disturbances and instead typically focus on a single parameter, which impairs both the understanding of disease and the discovery of effective therapeutics. Here, we describe a cloud-based image processing and analysis platform that captures the intricate activity profile revealed by GCaMP fluorescence recordings of intracellular calcium changes and enables the discovery of molecules that correct 153 parameters that define the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis motor neuron disease phenotype. In a high-throughput screen, we identified compounds that revert the multiparametric disease profile to that found in healthy cells, a novel and robust measure of therapeutic potential quite distinct from unidimensional screening. This platform can guide the development of therapeutics that counteract the multifaceted pathological features of diseased cellular activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Boivin
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115.,Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Kasper C D Roet
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115.,Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Xuan Huang
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115.,Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Kyle W Karhohs
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Imaging Platform, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Mohammad H Rohban
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Imaging Platform, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Jack Sandoe
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Ole Wiskow
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Rie Maeda
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Alyssa Grantham
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Mary K Dornon
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jenny Shao
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Devlin Frost
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Dylan Baker
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Kevin Eggan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Anne E Carpenter
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Imaging Platform, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115.,Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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30
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Palma JA, Martinez J, Millar Vernetti P, Ma T, Perez MA, Zhong J, Qian Y, Dutta S, Maina KN, Siddique I, Bitan G, Ades-Aron B, Shepherd TM, Kang UJ, Kaufmann H. mTOR Inhibition with Sirolimus in Multiple System Atrophy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Futility Trial and 1-Year Biomarker Longitudinal Analysis. Mov Disord 2022; 37:778-789. [PMID: 35040506 PMCID: PMC9018525 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the aggregation of α-synuclein in glia and neurons. Sirolimus (rapamycin) is an mTOR inhibitor that promotes α-synuclein autophagy and reduces its associated neurotoxicity in preclinical models. OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and safety of sirolimus in patients with MSA using a futility design. We also analyzed 1-year biomarker trajectories in the trial participants. METHODS Randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled clinical trial at the New York University of patients with probable MSA randomly assigned (3:1) to sirolimus (2-6 mg daily) for 48 weeks or placebo. Primary endpoint was change in the Unified MSA Rating Scale (UMSARS) total score from baseline to 48 weeks. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03589976). RESULTS The trial was stopped after a pre-planned interim analysis met futility criteria. Between August 15, 2018 and November 15, 2020, 54 participants were screened, and 47 enrolled and randomly assigned (35 sirolimus, 12 placebo). Of those randomized, 34 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. There was no difference in change from baseline to week 48 between the sirolimus and placebo in UMSARS total score (mean difference, 2.66; 95% CI, -7.35-6.91; P = 0.648). There was no difference in UMSARS-1 and UMSARS-2 scores either. UMSARS scores changes were similar to those reported in natural history studies. Neuroimaging and blood biomarker results were similar in the sirolimus and placebo groups. Adverse events were more frequent with sirolimus. Analysis of 1-year biomarker trajectories in all participants showed that increases in blood neurofilament light chain (NfL) and reductions in whole brain volume correlated best with UMSARS progression. CONCLUSIONS Sirolimus for 48 weeks was futile to slow the progression of MSA and had no effect on biomarkers compared to placebo. One-year change in blood NfL and whole brain atrophy are promising biomarkers of disease progression for future clinical trials. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose-Alberto Palma
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jose Martinez
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Thong Ma
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Miguel A. Perez
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Judy Zhong
- Department of Population Health, Division of Biostatistics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yingzhi Qian
- Department of Population Health, Division of Biostatistics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Suman Dutta
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Katherine N. Maina
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ibrar Siddique
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gal Bitan
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin Ades-Aron
- Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Timothy M. Shepherd
- Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Un Jung Kang
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Horacio Kaufmann
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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31
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Targeting autophagy, oxidative stress, and ER stress for neurodegenerative diseases treatment. J Control Release 2022; 345:147-175. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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32
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Sever B, Ciftci H, DeMirci H, Sever H, Ocak F, Yulug B, Tateishi H, Tateishi T, Otsuka M, Fujita M, Başak AN. Comprehensive Research on Past and Future Therapeutic Strategies Devoted to Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052400. [PMID: 35269543 PMCID: PMC8910198 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly debilitating fatal neurodegenerative disorder, causing muscle atrophy and weakness, which leads to paralysis and eventual death. ALS has a multifaceted nature affected by many pathological mechanisms, including oxidative stress (also via protein aggregation), mitochondrial dysfunction, glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, apoptosis, neuroinflammation, axonal degeneration, skeletal muscle deterioration and viruses. This complexity is a major obstacle in defeating ALS. At present, riluzole and edaravone are the only drugs that have passed clinical trials for the treatment of ALS, notwithstanding that they showed modest benefits in a limited population of ALS. A dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate combination was also approved to treat pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in the course of ALS. Globally, there is a struggle to prevent or alleviate the symptoms of this neurodegenerative disease, including implementation of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), CRISPR-9/Cas technique, non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) or ALS-on-a-chip technology. Additionally, researchers have synthesized and screened new compounds to be effective in ALS beyond the drug repurposing strategy. Despite all these efforts, ALS treatment is largely limited to palliative care, and there is a strong need for new therapeutics to be developed. This review focuses on and discusses which therapeutic strategies have been followed so far and what can be done in the future for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belgin Sever
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskisehir 26470, Turkey;
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (H.C.); (H.T.); (M.O.)
| | - Halilibrahim Ciftci
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (H.C.); (H.T.); (M.O.)
- Department of Drug Discovery, Science Farm Ltd., Kumamoto 862-0976, Japan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey;
| | - Hasan DeMirci
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey;
| | - Hilal Sever
- Ministry of Health, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, Istanbul 34098, Turkey;
| | - Firdevs Ocak
- Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli 41001, Turkey;
| | - Burak Yulug
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya 07425, Turkey;
| | - Hiroshi Tateishi
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (H.C.); (H.T.); (M.O.)
| | - Takahisa Tateishi
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan;
| | - Masami Otsuka
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (H.C.); (H.T.); (M.O.)
- Department of Drug Discovery, Science Farm Ltd., Kumamoto 862-0976, Japan
| | - Mikako Fujita
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (H.C.); (H.T.); (M.O.)
- Correspondence: (M.F.); (A.N.B.); Tel.: +81-96-371-4622 (M.F.); +90-850-250-8250 (A.N.B.)
| | - Ayşe Nazlı Başak
- Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation, Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (KUTTAM-NDAL), Koc University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
- Correspondence: (M.F.); (A.N.B.); Tel.: +81-96-371-4622 (M.F.); +90-850-250-8250 (A.N.B.)
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Xie D, Zhao T, Zhang X, Kui L, Wang Q, Wu Y, Zheng T, Ma P, Zhang Y, Molteni H, Geng R, Yang Y, Li B, Zheng QY. Autophagy Contributes to the Rapamycin-Induced Improvement of Otitis Media. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:753369. [PMID: 35153674 PMCID: PMC8832103 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.753369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Otitis media (OM) is a pervasive disease that involves hearing loss and severe complications. In our previous study, we successfully established a mouse model of human OM using Tlr2tm1Kir (TLR2–/–) mice with middle ear (ME) inoculation of streptococcal peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PGPS). In this study, we found that hearing loss and OM infections in OM mice were significantly alleviated after treatment with rapamycin (RPM), a widely used mechanistic target of RPM complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor and autophagy inducer. First of all, we tested the activity of mTORC1 by evaluating p-S6, Raptor, and mTOR protein expression. The data suggested that the protein expression level of p-S6, Raptor and mTOR are decreased in TLR2–/– mice after the injection of PGPS. Furthermore, our data showed that both the autophagosome protein LC3-II, Beclin-1, ATG7, and autophagy substrate protein p62 accumulated at higher levels in mice with OM than in OM-negative mice. The expression of lysosomal-associated proteins LAMP1, Cathepsin B, and Cathepsin D increased in the OM mice compared with OM-negative mice. Rab7 and Syntaxin 17, which is necessary for the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes, are reduced in the OM mice. In addition, data also described that the protein expression level of p-S6, mTOR and Raptor are lower than PGPS group after RPM treatment. The accumulation of LC3-II, Beclin-1, and ATG7 are decreased, and the expression of Rab7 and Syntaxin 17 are increased significantly after RPM treatment. Our results suggest that autophagy impairment is involved in PGPS-induced OM and that RPM improves OM at least partly by relieving autophagy impairment. Modulating autophagic activity by RPM may be a possible effective treatment strategy for OM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daoli Xie
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Tong Zhao
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Lihong Kui
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Qin Wang
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Yuancheng Wu
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Tihua Zheng
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Peng Ma
- Department of Genetics, School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi’an, China
| | - Helen Molteni
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Ruishuang Geng
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
- Ying Yang,
| | - Bo Li
- Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation Institute, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
- *Correspondence: Bo Li,
| | - Qing Yin Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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Tarantino N, Canfora I, Camerino GM, Pierno S. Therapeutic Targets in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Focus on Ion Channels and Skeletal Muscle. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030415. [PMID: 35159225 PMCID: PMC8834084 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease caused by progressive loss of motor neurons, which severely compromises skeletal muscle function. Evidence shows that muscle may act as a molecular powerhouse, whose final signals generate in patients a progressive loss of voluntary muscle function and weakness leading to paralysis. This pathology is the result of a complex cascade of events that involves a crosstalk among motor neurons, glia, and muscles, and evolves through the action of converging toxic mechanisms. In fact, mitochondrial dysfunction, which leads to oxidative stress, is one of the mechanisms causing cell death. It is a common denominator for the two existing forms of the disease: sporadic and familial. Other factors include excitotoxicity, inflammation, and protein aggregation. Currently, there are limited cures. The only approved drug for therapy is riluzole, that modestly prolongs survival, with edaravone now waiting for new clinical trial aimed to clarify its efficacy. Thus, there is a need of effective treatments to reverse the damage in this devastating pathology. Many drugs have been already tested in clinical trials and are currently under investigation. This review summarizes the already tested drugs aimed at restoring muscle-nerve cross-talk and on new treatment options targeting this tissue.
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Emerging Connections between Nuclear Pore Complex Homeostasis and ALS. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031329. [PMID: 35163252 PMCID: PMC8835831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) requires understanding of the underlying pathomechanisms that contribute to the motor neuron loss that defines the disease. As it causes the largest fraction of familial ALS cases, considerable effort has focused on hexanucleotide repeat expansions in the C9ORF72 gene, which encode toxic repeat RNA and dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins. Both the repeat RNA and DPRs interact with and perturb multiple elements of the nuclear transport machinery, including shuttling nuclear transport receptors, the Ran GTPase and the nucleoporin proteins (nups) that build the nuclear pore complex (NPC). Here, we consider recent work that describes changes to the molecular composition of the NPC in C9ORF72 model and patient neurons in the context of quality control mechanisms that function at the nuclear envelope (NE). For example, changes to NPC structure may be caused by the dysregulation of a conserved NE surveillance pathway mediated by the endosomal sorting complexes required for the transport protein, CHMP7. Thus, these studies are introducing NE and NPC quality control pathways as key elements in a pathological cascade that leads to C9ORF72 ALS, opening entirely new experimental avenues and possibilities for targeted therapeutic intervention.
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TDP-43 pathology: from noxious assembly to therapeutic removal. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 211:102229. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Liu E, Karpf L, Bohl D. Neuroinflammation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia and the Interest of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Study Immune Cells Interactions With Neurons. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:767041. [PMID: 34970118 PMCID: PMC8712677 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.767041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is a shared hallmark between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). For long, studies were conducted on tissues of post-mortem patients and neuroinflammation was thought to be only bystander result of the disease with the immune system reacting to dying neurons. In the last two decades, thanks to improving technologies, the identification of causal genes and the development of new tools and models, the involvement of inflammation has emerged as a potential driver of the diseases and evolved as a new area of intense research. In this review, we present the current knowledge about neuroinflammation in ALS, ALS-FTD, and FTD patients and animal models and we discuss reasons of failures linked to therapeutic trials with immunomodulator drugs. Then we present the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology and its interest as a new tool to have a better immunopathological comprehension of both diseases in a human context. The iPSC technology giving the unique opportunity to study cells across differentiation and maturation times, brings the hope to shed light on the different mechanisms linking neurodegeneration and activation of the immune system. Protocols available to differentiate iPSC into different immune cell types are presented. Finally, we discuss the interest in studying monocultures of iPS-derived immune cells, co-cultures with neurons and 3D cultures with different cell types, as more integrated cellular approaches. The hope is that the future work with human iPS-derived cells helps not only to identify disease-specific defects in the different cell types but also to decipher the synergistic effects between neurons and immune cells. These new cellular tools could help to find new therapeutic approaches for all patients with ALS, ALS-FTD, and FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Liu
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Léa Karpf
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Bohl
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, INSERM, CNRS, AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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Wang M, Zeng L, Su P, Ma L, Zhang M, Zhang YZ. Autophagy: a multifaceted player in the fate of sperm. Hum Reprod Update 2021; 28:200-231. [PMID: 34967891 PMCID: PMC8889000 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmab043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic process of degrading and recycling proteins and organelles to modulate various physiological and pathological events, including cell differentiation and development. Emerging data indicate that autophagy is closely associated with male reproduction, especially the biosynthetic and catabolic processes of sperm. Throughout the fate of sperm, a series of highly specialized cellular events occur, involving pre-testicular, testicular and post-testicular events. Nonetheless, the most fundamental question of whether autophagy plays a protective or harmful role in male reproduction, especially in sperm, remains unclear. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE We summarize the functional roles of autophagy in the pre-testicular (hypothalamic–pituitary–testis (HPG) axis), testicular (spermatocytogenesis, spermatidogenesis, spermiogenesis, spermiation) and post-testicular (sperm maturation and fertilization) processes according to the timeline of sperm fate. Additionally, critical mechanisms of the action and clinical impacts of autophagy on sperm are identified, laying the foundation for the treatment of male infertility. SEARCH METHODS In this narrative review, the PubMed database was used to search peer-reviewed publications for summarizing the functional roles of autophagy in the fate of sperm using the following terms: ‘autophagy’, ‘sperm’, ‘hypothalamic–pituitary–testis axis’, ‘spermatogenesis’, ‘spermatocytogenesis’, ‘spermatidogenesis’, ‘spermiogenesis’, ‘spermiation’, ‘sperm maturation’, ‘fertilization’, ‘capacitation’ and ‘acrosome’ in combination with autophagy-related proteins. We also performed a bibliographic search for the clinical impact of the autophagy process using the keywords of autophagy inhibitors such as ‘bafilomycin A1’, ‘chloroquine’, ‘hydroxychloroquine’, ‘3-Methyl Adenine (3-MA)’, ‘lucanthone’, ‘wortmannin’ and autophagy activators such as ‘rapamycin’, ‘perifosine’, ‘metformin’ in combination with ‘disease’, ‘treatment’, ‘therapy’, ‘male infertility’ and equivalent terms. In addition, reference lists of primary and review articles were reviewed for additional relevant publications. All relevant publications until August 2021 were critically evaluated and discussed on the basis of relevance, quality and timelines. OUTCOMES (i) In pre-testicular processes, autophagy-related genes are involved in the regulation of the HPG axis; and (ii) in testicular processes, mTORC1, the main gate to autophagy, is crucial for spermatogonia stem cell (SCCs) proliferation, differentiation, meiotic progression, inactivation of sex chromosomes and spermiogenesis. During spermatidogenesis, autophagy maintains haploid round spermatid chromatoid body homeostasis for differentiation. During spermiogenesis, autophagy participates in acrosome biogenesis, flagella assembly, head shaping and the removal of cytoplasm from elongating spermatid. After spermatogenesis, through PDLIM1, autophagy orchestrates apical ectoplasmic specialization and basal ectoplasmic specialization to handle cytoskeleton assembly, governing spermatid movement and release during spermiation. In post-testicular processes, there is no direct evidence that autophagy participates in the process of capacitation. However, autophagy modulates the acrosome reaction, paternal mitochondria elimination and clearance of membranous organelles during fertilization. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Deciphering the roles of autophagy in the entire fate of sperm will provide valuable insights into therapies for diseases, especially male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.,Harvard Reproductive Endocrine Science Center and Reproductive Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Clinical Medicine Research Center of Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Ling Zeng
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Ping Su
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Ling Ma
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.,Clinical Medicine Research Center of Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.,Clinical Medicine Research Center of Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Zhen Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.,Clinical Medicine Research Center of Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
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Collier JJ, Suomi F, Oláhová M, McWilliams TG, Taylor RW. Emerging roles of ATG7 in human health and disease. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e14824. [PMID: 34725936 PMCID: PMC8649875 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202114824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The cardinal stages of macroautophagy are driven by core autophagy-related (ATG) proteins, whose ablation largely abolishes intracellular turnover. Disrupting ATG genes is paradigmatic of studying autophagy deficiency, yet emerging data suggest that ATG proteins have extensive biological importance beyond autophagic elimination. An important example is ATG7, an essential autophagy effector enzyme that in concert with other ATG proteins, also regulates immunity, cell death and protein secretion, and independently regulates the cell cycle and apoptosis. Recently, a direct association between ATG7 dysfunction and disease was established in patients with biallelic ATG7 variants and childhood-onset neuropathology. Moreover, a prodigious body of evidence supports a role for ATG7 in protecting against complex disease states in model organisms, although how dysfunctional ATG7 contributes to manifestation of these diseases, including cancer, neurodegeneration and infection, in humans remains unclear. Here, we systematically review the biological functions of ATG7, discussing the impact of its impairment on signalling pathways and human pathology. Future studies illuminating the molecular relationship between ATG7 dysfunction and disease will expedite therapies for disorders involving ATG7 deficiency and/or impaired autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack J Collier
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research InstituteNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
- Present address:
Department of Neurology and NeurosurgeryMontreal Neurological InstituteMcGill UniversityMontrealQCCanada
| | - Fumi Suomi
- Translational Stem Cell Biology & Metabolism Program, Research Programs UnitUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Monika Oláhová
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research InstituteNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Thomas G McWilliams
- Translational Stem Cell Biology & Metabolism Program, Research Programs UnitUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Department of AnatomyFaculty of MedicineUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Robert W Taylor
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research InstituteNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
- NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders of Adults and ChildrenNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
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Gonzales MM, Krishnamurthy S, Garbarino V, Daeihagh AS, Gillispie GJ, Deep G, Craft S, Orr ME. A geroscience motivated approach to treat Alzheimer's disease: Senolytics move to clinical trials. Mech Ageing Dev 2021; 200:111589. [PMID: 34687726 PMCID: PMC9059898 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenic processes driving Alzheimer's disease (AD) are complex. An incomplete understanding of underlying disease mechanisms has presented insurmountable obstacles for developing effective disease-modifying therapies. Advanced chronological age is the greatest risk factor for developing AD. Intervening on biological aging may alter disease progression and represents a novel, complementary approach to current strategies. Toward this end, cellular senescence has emerged as a promising target. This complex stress response harbors damaged cells in a cell cycle arrested, apoptosis-resistant cell state. Senescent cells accumulate with age where they notoriously secrete molecules that contribute to chronic tissue dysfunction and disease. Thus, benefits of cell survival in a senescent fate are countered by their toxic secretome. The removal of senescent cells improves brain structure and function in rodent models at risk of developing AD, and in those with advanced Aβ and tau pathology. The present review describes the path to translating this promising treatment strategy to AD clinical trials. We review evidence for senescent cell accumulation in the human brain, considerations and strategies for senescence-targeting trials specific to AD, approaches to detect senescent brain cells in biofluids, and summarize the goals of the first senolytic trials for the treatment of AD (NCT04063124 and NCT04685590). This article is part of the Special Issue - Senolytics - Edited by Joao Passos and Diana Jurk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitzi M Gonzales
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sudarshan Krishnamurthy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Valentina Garbarino
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ali S Daeihagh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Gregory J Gillispie
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Gagan Deep
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Suzanne Craft
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Miranda E Orr
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Salisbury VA Medical Center, Salisbury, NC, USA.
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41
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Gonzales MM, Krishnamurthy S, Garbarino V, Daeihagh AS, Gillispie GJ, Deep G, Craft S, Orr ME. A geroscience motivated approach to treat Alzheimer’s disease: Senolytics move to clinical trials. Mech Ageing Dev 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111589
expr 868687188 + 807217478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
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Bono S, Feligioni M, Corbo M. Impaired antioxidant KEAP1-NRF2 system in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: NRF2 activation as a potential therapeutic strategy. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:71. [PMID: 34663413 PMCID: PMC8521937 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00479-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxidative stress (OS) is an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant species and, together with other numerous pathological mechanisms, leads to the degeneration and death of motor neurons (MNs) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). MAIN BODY Two of the main players in the molecular and cellular response to OS are NRF2, the transcription nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, and its principal negative regulator, KEAP1, Kelch-like ECH (erythroid cell-derived protein with CNC homology)-associated protein 1. Here we first provide an overview of the structural organization, regulation, and critical role of the KEAP1-NRF2 system in counteracting OS, with a focus on its alteration in ALS. We then examine several compounds capable of promoting NRF2 activity thereby inducing cytoprotective effects, and which are currently in different stages of clinical development for many pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases. CONCLUSIONS Although challenges associated with some of these compounds remain, important advances have been made in the development of safer and more effective drugs that could actually represent a breakthrough for fatal degenerative diseases such as ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Bono
- Need Institute, Laboratory of Neurobiology for Translational Medicine, c/o Casa di Cura del Policlinico (CCP), Via Dezza 48, 20144 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Feligioni
- Need Institute, Laboratory of Neurobiology for Translational Medicine, c/o Casa di Cura del Policlinico (CCP), Via Dezza 48, 20144 Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuronal Cell Signaling, EBRI Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Corbo
- Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa di Cura del Policlinico (CCP), Via Dezza 48, 20144 Milan, Italy
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A microfluidic approach to rescue ALS motor neuron degeneration using rapamycin. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18168. [PMID: 34518579 PMCID: PMC8438029 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97405-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) is known to accumulate in ubiquitinated inclusions of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis affected motor neurons, resulting in motor neuron degeneration, loss of motor functions, and eventually death. Rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor and a commonly used immunosuppressive drug, has been shown to increase the survivability of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) affected motor neurons. Here we present a transgenic, TDP-43-A315T, mouse model expressing an ALS phenotype and demonstrate the presence of ubiquitinated cytoplasmic TDP-43 aggregates with > 80% cell death by 28 days post differentiation in vitro. Embryonic stem cells from this mouse model were used to study the onset, progression, and therapeutic remediation of TDP-43 aggregates using a novel microfluidic rapamycin concentration gradient generator. Results using a microfluidic device show that ALS affected motor neuron survival can be increased by 40.44% in a rapamycin dosage range between 0.4-1.0 µM.
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Bastien J, Menon S, Messa M, Nyfeler B. Molecular targets and approaches to restore autophagy and lysosomal capacity in neurodegenerative disorders. Mol Aspects Med 2021; 82:101018. [PMID: 34489092 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2021.101018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a catabolic process that promotes cellular fitness by clearing aggregated protein species, pathogens and damaged organelles through lysosomal degradation. The autophagic process is particularly important in the nervous system where post-mitotic neurons rely heavily on protein and organelle quality control in order to maintain cellular health throughout the lifetime of the organism. Alterations of autophagy and lysosomal function are hallmarks of various neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, we conceptualize some of the mechanistic and genetic evidence pointing towards autophagy and lysosomal dysfunction as a causal driver of neurodegeneration. Furthermore, we discuss rate-limiting pathway nodes and potential approaches to restore pathway activity, from autophagy initiation, cargo sequestration to lysosomal capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Bastien
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Suchithra Menon
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mirko Messa
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Beat Nyfeler
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
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Henderson J, O'Reilly S. The emerging role of metabolism in fibrosis. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2021; 32:639-653. [PMID: 34024695 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The metabolic shift that cancer cells undergo towards aerobic glycolysis was identified as a defining feature in tumours almost 100 years ago; however, it has only recently become apparent that similar metabolic reprogramming is a key feature in other diseases - with fibrosis now entering the fray. In this perspective, an overview of the recent evidence implicating increased glycolysis and glutaminolysis as mediators of fibrosis is presented, with a particular emphasis on the novel therapeutic possibilities this introduces. Furthermore, the impact that metabolic reprogramming has on redox homeostasis is discussed, providing an insight into how this often-overlooked mechanism may drive the pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Henderson
- Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Steven O'Reilly
- Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK. steven.o'
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Querfurth H, Lee HK. Mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) complexes in neurodegeneration. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:44. [PMID: 34215308 PMCID: PMC8252260 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00428-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel targets to arrest neurodegeneration in several dementing conditions involving misfolded protein accumulations may be found in the diverse signaling pathways of the Mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). As a nutrient sensor, mTOR has important homeostatic functions to regulate energy metabolism and support neuronal growth and plasticity. However, in Alzheimer's disease (AD), mTOR alternately plays important pathogenic roles by inhibiting both insulin signaling and autophagic removal of β-amyloid (Aβ) and phospho-tau (ptau) aggregates. It also plays a role in the cerebrovascular dysfunction of AD. mTOR is a serine/threonine kinase residing at the core in either of two multiprotein complexes termed mTORC1 and mTORC2. Recent data suggest that their balanced actions also have implications for Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD), Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Beyond rapamycin; an mTOR inhibitor, there are rapalogs having greater tolerability and micro delivery modes, that hold promise in arresting these age dependent conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Querfurth
- Department of Neurology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Han-Kyu Lee
- Department of Neurology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Moujalled D, Strasser A, Liddell JR. Molecular mechanisms of cell death in neurological diseases. Cell Death Differ 2021; 28:2029-2044. [PMID: 34099897 PMCID: PMC8257776 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-021-00814-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 89.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tightly orchestrated programmed cell death (PCD) signalling events occur during normal neuronal development in a spatially and temporally restricted manner to establish the neural architecture and shaping the CNS. Abnormalities in PCD signalling cascades, such as apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and cell death associated with autophagy as well as in unprogrammed necrosis can be observed in the pathogenesis of various neurological diseases. These cell deaths can be activated in response to various forms of cellular stress (exerted by intracellular or extracellular stimuli) and inflammatory processes. Aberrant activation of PCD pathways is a common feature in neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, resulting in unwanted loss of neuronal cells and function. Conversely, inactivation of PCD is thought to contribute to the development of brain cancers and to impact their response to therapy. For many neurodegenerative diseases and brain cancers current treatment strategies have only modest effect, engendering the need for investigations into the origins of these diseases. With many diseases of the brain displaying aberrations in PCD pathways, it appears that agents that can either inhibit or induce PCD may be critical components of future therapeutic strategies. The development of such therapies will have to be guided by preclinical studies in animal models that faithfully mimic the human disease. In this review, we briefly describe PCD and unprogrammed cell death processes and the roles they play in contributing to neurodegenerative diseases or tumorigenesis in the brain. We also discuss the interplay between distinct cell death signalling cascades and disease pathogenesis and describe pharmacological agents targeting key players in the cell death signalling pathways that have progressed through to clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Moujalled
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Andreas Strasser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Jeffrey R Liddell
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Chua JP, De Calbiac H, Kabashi E, Barmada SJ. Autophagy and ALS: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications. Autophagy 2021; 18:254-282. [PMID: 34057020 PMCID: PMC8942428 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2021.1926656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms of protein homeostasis are crucial for overseeing the clearance of misfolded and toxic proteins over the lifetime of an organism, thereby ensuring the health of neurons and other cells of the central nervous system. The highly conserved pathway of autophagy is particularly necessary for preventing and counteracting pathogenic insults that may lead to neurodegeneration. In line with this, mutations in genes that encode essential autophagy factors result in impaired autophagy and lead to neurodegenerative conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the mechanistic details underlying the neuroprotective role of autophagy, neuronal resistance to autophagy induction, and the neuron-specific effects of autophagy-impairing mutations remain incompletely defined. Further, the manner and extent to which non-cell autonomous effects of autophagy dysfunction contribute to ALS pathogenesis are not fully understood. Here, we review the current understanding of the interplay between autophagy and ALS pathogenesis by providing an overview of critical steps in the autophagy pathway, with special focus on pivotal factors impaired by ALS-causing mutations, their physiologic effects on autophagy in disease models, and the cell type-specific mechanisms regulating autophagy in non-neuronal cells which, when impaired, can contribute to neurodegeneration. This review thereby provides a framework not only to guide further investigations of neuronal autophagy but also to refine therapeutic strategies for ALS and related neurodegenerative diseases.Abbreviations: ALS: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Atg: autophagy-related; CHMP2B: charged multivesicular body protein 2B; DPR: dipeptide repeat; FTD: frontotemporal dementia; iPSC: induced pluripotent stem cell; LIR: LC3-interacting region; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; PINK1: PTEN induced kinase 1; RNP: ribonuclear protein; sALS: sporadic ALS; SPHK1: sphingosine kinase 1; TARDBP/TDP-43: TAR DNA binding protein; TBK1: TANK-binding kinase 1; TFEB: transcription factor EB; ULK: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase; UPR: unfolded protein response; UPS: ubiquitin-proteasome system; VCP: valosin containing protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason P Chua
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Hortense De Calbiac
- Recherche translationnelle sur les maladies neurologiques, Institut Imagine, UMR-1163 INSERM et Université Paris Descartes, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France
| | - Edor Kabashi
- Recherche translationnelle sur les maladies neurologiques, Institut Imagine, UMR-1163 INSERM et Université Paris Descartes, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France
| | - Sami J Barmada
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Molecular Basis of Neuronal Autophagy in Ageing: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030694. [PMID: 33800981 PMCID: PMC8004021 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved degradation process maintaining cell homeostasis. Induction of autophagy is triggered as a response to a broad range of cellular stress conditions, such as nutrient deprivation, protein aggregation, organelle damage and pathogen invasion. Macroautophagy involves the sequestration of cytoplasmic contents in a double-membrane organelle referred to as the autophagosome with subsequent degradation of its contents upon delivery to lysosomes. Autophagy plays critical roles in development, maintenance and survival of distinct cell populations including neurons. Consequently, age-dependent decline in autophagy predisposes animals for age-related diseases including neurodegeneration and compromises healthspan and longevity. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the role of neuronal autophagy in ageing, focusing on studies in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
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Molecular Alterations in Sporadic and SOD1-ALS Immortalized Lymphocytes: Towards a Personalized Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063007. [PMID: 33809456 PMCID: PMC8000750 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological condition where motor neurons (MNs) degenerate. Most of the ALS cases are sporadic (sALS), whereas 10% are hereditarily transmitted (fALS), among which mutations are found in the gene that codes for the enzyme superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). A central question in ALS field is whether causative mutations display selective alterations not found in sALS patients, or they converge on shared molecular pathways. To identify specific and common mechanisms for designing appropriate therapeutic interventions, we focused on the SOD1-mutated (SOD1-ALS) versus sALS patients. Since ALS pathology involves different cell types other than MNs, we generated lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from sALS and SOD1-ALS patients and healthy donors and investigated whether they show changes in oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic disturbances, the antioxidant NRF2 pathway, inflammatory profile, and autophagic flux. Both oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis appear to be upregulated in lymphoblasts from sALS and SOD1-ALS. Our results indicate significant differences in NRF2/ARE pathway between sALS and SOD1-ALS lymphoblasts. Furthermore, levels of inflammatory cytokines and autophagic flux discriminate between sALS and SOD1-ALS lymphoblasts. Overall, different molecular mechanisms are involved in sALS and SOD1-ALS patients and thus, personalized medicine should be developed for each case.
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