1
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Wang Q, Antone J, Alsop E, Reiman R, Funk C, Bendl J, Dudley JT, Liang WS, Karr TL, Roussos P, Bennett DA, De Jager PL, Serrano GE, Beach TG, Van Keuren-Jensen K, Mastroeni D, Reiman EM, Readhead BP. Single cell transcriptomes and multiscale networks from persons with and without Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5815. [PMID: 38987616 PMCID: PMC11237088 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49790-0] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) offers to revolutionize the study of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Integration with complementary multiomics data such as genetics, proteomics and clinical data provides powerful opportunities to link cell subpopulations and molecular networks with a broader disease-relevant context. We report snRNA-seq profiles from superior frontal gyrus samples from 101 well characterized subjects from the Banner Brain and Body Donation Program in combination with whole genome sequences. We report findings that link common AD risk variants with CR1 expression in oligodendrocytes as well as alterations in hematological parameters. We observed an AD-associated CD83(+) microglial subtype with unique molecular networks and which is associated with immunoglobulin IgG4 production in the transverse colon. Our major observations were replicated in two additional, independent snRNA-seq data sets. These findings illustrate the power of multi-tissue molecular profiling to contextualize snRNA-seq brain transcriptomics and reveal disease biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - Jerry Antone
- Division of Neurogenomics, The Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Eric Alsop
- Division of Neurogenomics, The Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Rebecca Reiman
- Division of Neurogenomics, The Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Cory Funk
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Jaroslav Bendl
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Joel T Dudley
- ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - Winnie S Liang
- Division of Neurogenomics, The Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Timothy L Karr
- ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Philip L De Jager
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Geidy E Serrano
- Civin Laboratory for Neuropathology, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, 85351, USA
| | - Thomas G Beach
- Civin Laboratory for Neuropathology, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, 85351, USA
| | | | - Diego Mastroeni
- ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - Eric M Reiman
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ, 85006, USA
| | - Benjamin P Readhead
- ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA.
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2
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Sai M, Hank EC, Tai HM, Kasch T, Lewandowski M, Vincendeau M, Marschner JA, Merk D. Development of Nurr1 agonists from amodiaquine by scaffold hopping and fragment growing. Commun Chem 2024; 7:149. [PMID: 38951694 PMCID: PMC11217349 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01224-0] [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: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The neuroprotective transcription factor nuclear receptor-related 1 (Nurr1) has shown great promise as a therapeutic target in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease as well as multiple sclerosis but high-quality chemical tools for pharmacological target validation of Nurr1 are rare. We have employed the weak Nurr1 modulator amodiaquine (AQ) and AQ-derived fragments as templates to design a new Nurr1 agonist chemotype by scaffold hopping and fragment growing strategies. Systematic structural optimization of this scaffold yielded Nurr1 agonists with nanomolar potency and binding affinity. Comprehensive in vitro profiling revealed efficient cellular target engagement and compliance with the highest probe criteria. In human midbrain organoids bearing a Parkinson-driving LRRK2 mutation, a novel Nurr1 agonist rescued tyrosine hydroxylase expression highlighting the potential of the new Nurr1 modulator chemotype as lead and as a chemical tool for biological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh Sai
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Pharmacy, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Emily C Hank
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Pharmacy, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Hin-Man Tai
- Helmholtz Munich, Institute of Virology, 85764, Munich, Germany
| | - Till Kasch
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Pharmacy, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Max Lewandowski
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Pharmacy, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Michelle Vincendeau
- Helmholtz Munich, Institute of Virology, 85764, Munich, Germany
- Technical University of Munich, Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Julian A Marschner
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Pharmacy, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Pharmacy, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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Bánáti D, Hellman-Regen J, Mack I, Young HA, Benton D, Eggersdorfer M, Rohn S, Dulińska-Litewka J, Krężel W, Rühl R. Defining a vitamin A5/X specific deficiency - vitamin A5/X as a critical dietary factor for mental health. INT J VITAM NUTR RES 2024; 94:443-475. [PMID: 38904956 DOI: 10.1024/0300-9831/a000808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
A healthy and balanced diet is an important factor to assure a good functioning of the central and peripheral nervous system. Retinoid X receptor (RXR)-mediated signaling was identified as an important mechanism of transmitting major diet-dependent physiological and nutritional signaling such as the control of myelination and dopamine signalling. Recently, vitamin A5/X, mainly present in vegetables as provitamin A5/X, was identified as a new concept of a vitamin which functions as the nutritional precursor for enabling RXR-mediated signaling. The active form of vitamin A5/X, 9-cis-13,14-dehydroretinoic acid (9CDHRA), induces RXR-activation, thereby acting as the central switch for enabling various heterodimer-RXR-signaling cascades involving various partner heterodimers like the fatty acid and eicosanoid receptors/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), the cholesterol receptors/liver X receptors (LXRs), the vitamin D receptor (VDR), and the vitamin A(1) receptors/retinoic acid receptors (RARs). Thus, nutritional supply of vitamin A5/X might be a general nutritional-dependent switch for enabling this large cascade of hormonal signaling pathways and thus appears important to guarantee an overall organism homeostasis. RXR-mediated signaling was shown to be dependent on vitamin A5/X with direct effects for beneficial physiological and neuro-protective functions mediated systemically or directly in the brain. In summary, through control of dopamine signaling, amyloid β-clearance, neuro-protection and neuro-inflammation, the vitamin A5/X - RXR - RAR - vitamin A(1)-signaling might be "one of" or even "the" critical factor(s) necessary for good mental health, healthy brain aging, as well as for preventing drug addiction and prevention of a large array of nervous system diseases. Likewise, vitamin A5/X - RXR - non-RAR-dependent signaling relevant for myelination/re-myelination and phagocytosis/brain cleanup will contribute to such regulations too. In this review we discuss the basic scientific background, logical connections and nutritional/pharmacological expert recommendations for the nervous system especially considering the ageing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diána Bánáti
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Szeged, Hungary
| | - Julian Hellman-Regen
- Department of Psychiatry, Charité-Campus Benjamin Franklin, Section Neurobiology, University Medicine Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabelle Mack
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hayley A Young
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, Swansea University, UK
| | - David Benton
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, Swansea University, UK
| | - Manfred Eggersdorfer
- Department of Healthy Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), The Netherlands
| | - Sascha Rohn
- Department of Food Chemistry and Analysis, Institute of Food Technology and Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Wojciech Krężel
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Inserm U1258, CNRS UMR 7104, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
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Gabaldon-Albero A, Mayo S, Martinez F. NR4A2 as a Novel Target Gene for Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy: A Systematic Review of Related Disorders and Therapeutic Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5198. [PMID: 38791237 PMCID: PMC11120677 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The NR4A2 gene encodes an orphan transcription factor of the steroid-thyroid hormone-retinoid receptor superfamily. This review focuses on the clinical findings associated with the pathogenic variants so far reported, including three unreported cases. Also, its role in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, is examined, as well as a brief exploration on recent proposals to develop novel therapies for these neurological diseases based on small molecules that could modulate NR4A2 transcriptional activity. The main characteristic shared by all patients is mild to severe developmental delay/intellectual disability. Moderate to severe disorder of the expressive and receptive language is present in at least 42%, while neuro-psychiatric issues were reported in 53% of patients. Movement disorders, including dystonia, chorea or ataxia, are described in 37% patients, although probably underestimated because of its frequent onset in late adolescence-young adulthood. Finally, epilepsy was surprisingly present in 42% of patients, being drug-resistant in three of them. The age at onset varied widely, from five months to twenty-six years, as did the classification of epilepsy, which ranged from focal epilepsy to infantile spasms or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Accordingly, we propose that NR4A2 should be considered as a first-tier target gene for the genetic diagnosis of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Gabaldon-Albero
- Translational Research Group in Genetics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Sonia Mayo
- Genetics and Inheritance Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Martinez
- Translational Research Group in Genetics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain;
- Genetics Unit, Hospital Universitario y Politecnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
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Nam YR, Kang M, Kim M, Seok MJ, Yang Y, Han YE, Oh SJ, Kim DG, Son H, Chang MY, Lee SH. Preparation of human astrocytes with potent therapeutic functions from human pluripotent stem cells using ventral midbrain patterning. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00112-7. [PMID: 38521186 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.03.012] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Astrocytes are glial-type cells that protect neurons from toxic insults and support neuronal functions and metabolism in a healthy brain. Leveraging these physiological functions, transplantation of astrocytes or their derivatives has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative disorders. METHODS To substantiate the clinical application of astrocyte-based therapy, we aimed to prepare human astrocytes with potent therapeutic capacities from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). To that end, we used ventral midbrain patterning during the differentiation of hPSCs into astrocytes, based on the roles of midbrain-specific factors in potentiating glial neurotrophic/anti-inflammatory activity. To assess the therapeutic effects of human midbrain-type astrocytes, we transplanted them into mouse models of Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). RESULTS Through a comprehensive series of in-vitro and in-vivo experiments, we were able to establish that the midbrain-type astrocytes exhibited the abilities to effectively combat oxidative stress, counter excitotoxic glutamate, and manage pathological protein aggregates. Our strategy for preparing midbrain-type astrocytes yielded promising results, demonstrating the strong therapeutic potential of these cells in various neurotoxic contexts. Particularly noteworthy is their efficacy in PD and AD-specific proteopathic conditions, in which the midbrain-type astrocytes outperformed forebrain-type astrocytes derived by the same organoid-based method. CONCLUSION The enhanced functions of the midbrain-type astrocytes extended to their ability to release signaling molecules that inhibited neuronal deterioration and senescence while steering microglial cells away from a pro-inflammatory state. This success was evident in both in-vitro studies using human cells and in-vivo experiments conducted in mouse models of PD and AD. In the end, our human midbrain-type astrocytes demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in alleviating neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, and the pathologies associated with the accumulation of α-synuclein and Amyloid β proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Rim Nam
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Minji Kang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Minji Kim
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Min Jong Seok
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yunseon Yang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Eun Han
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Soo-Jin Oh
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Do Gyeong Kim
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyeon Son
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Korea
| | - Mi-Yoon Chang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Department of Premedicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Korea; Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea.
| | - Sang-Hun Lee
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Korea.
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Català-Solsona J, Lutzu S, Lituma PJ, Fábregas-Ordoñez C, Siedlecki D, Giménez-Llort L, Miñano-Molina AJ, Saura CA, Castillo PE, Rodriguez-Álvarez J. Nr4a2 blocks oAβ-mediated synaptic plasticity dysfunction and ameliorates spatial memory deficits in the APP Sw,Ind mouse. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.24.577010. [PMID: 38328087 PMCID: PMC10849715 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.24.577010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease AD is associated with disruptions in neuronal communication, especially in brain regions crucial for learning and memory, such as the hippocampus. The amyloid hypothesis suggests that the accumulation of amyloid-beta oligomers (oAβ) contributes to synaptic dysfunction by internalisation of synaptic AMPA receptors. Recently, it has been reported that Nr4a2, a member of the Nr4a family of orphan nuclear receptors, plays a role in hippocampal synaptic plasticity by regulating BDNF and synaptic AMPA receptors. Here, we demonstrate that oAβ inhibits activity-dependent Nr4a2 activation in hippocampal neurons, indicating a potential link between oAβ and Nr4a2 down-regulation. Furthermore, we have observed a reduction in Nr4a2 protein levels in postmortem hippocampal tissue samples from early AD stages. Pharmacological activation of Nr4a2 proves effective in preventing oAβ-mediated synaptic depression in the hippocampus. Notably, Nr4a2 overexpression in the hippocampus of AD mouse models ameliorates spatial learning and memory deficits. In conclusion, the findings suggest that oAβ may contribute to early cognitive impairment in AD by blocking Nr4a2 activation, leading to synaptic dysfunction. Thus, our results further support that Nr4a2 activation is a potential therapeutic target to mitigate oAβ-induced synaptic and cognitive impairments in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
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7
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Yang Y, Seok MJ, Kim YE, Choi Y, Song JJ, Sulistio YA, Kim SH, Chang MY, Oh SJ, Nam MH, Kim YK, Kim TG, Im HI, Koh SH, Lee SH. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) 9-mediated gene delivery of Nurr1 and Foxa2 ameliorates symptoms and pathologies of Alzheimer disease model mice by suppressing neuro-inflammation and glial pathology. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5359-5374. [PMID: 35902630 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01693-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
There is a compelling need to develop disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neuro-degenerative disorder. Together with recent progress in vector development for efficiently targeting the central nervous system, gene therapy has been suggested as a potential therapeutic modality to overcome the limited delivery of conventional types of drugs to and within the damaged brain. In addition, given increasing evidence of the strong link between glia and AD pathophysiology, therapeutic targets have been moving toward those addressing glial cell pathology. Nurr1 and Foxa2 are transcription/epigenetic regulators that have been reported to cooperatively regulate inflammatory and neurotrophic response in glial cells. In this study, we tested the therapeutic potential of Nurr1 and Foxa2 gene delivery to treat AD symptoms and pathologies. A series of functional, histologic, and transcriptome analyses revealed that the combined expression of Nurr1 and Foxa2 substantially ameliorated AD-associated amyloid β and Tau proteinopathy, cell senescence, synaptic loss, and neuro-inflammation in multiple in vitro and in vivo AD models. Intra-cranial delivery of Nurr1 and Foxa2 genes using adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 9 improved the memory and cognitive function of AD model mice. The therapeutic benefits of gene delivery were attained mainly by correcting pathologic glial function. These findings collectively indicate that AAV9-mediated Nurr1 and Foxa2 gene transfer could be an effective disease-modifying therapy for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunseon Yang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Jong Seok
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Eun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hangyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunjung Choi
- Convergence Research Center for Brain Science, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Jin Song
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yanuar Alan Sulistio
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Hoon Kim
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Yoon Chang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Jin Oh
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Ho Nam
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Kyung Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Brain Science, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Med, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Gyun Kim
- Innopeutics Corporation, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heh-In Im
- Convergence Research Center for Brain Science, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
- Division of Bio-Med, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seong-Ho Koh
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hangyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sang-Hun Lee
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Hanyang Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Wang Q, Antone J, Alsop E, Reiman R, Funk C, Bendl J, Dudley JT, Liang WS, Karr TL, Roussos P, Bennett DA, De Jager PL, Serrano GE, Beach TG, Keuren-Jensen KV, Mastroeni D, Reiman EM, Readhead BP. A public resource of single cell transcriptomes and multiscale networks from persons with and without Alzheimer's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.20.563319. [PMID: 37961404 PMCID: PMC10634692 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.20.563319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of technologies that can support high-throughput profiling of single cell transcriptomes offers to revolutionize the study of brain tissue from persons with and without Alzheimer's disease (AD). Integration of these data with additional complementary multiomics data such as genetics, proteomics and clinical data provides powerful opportunities to link observed cell subpopulations and molecular network features within a broader disease-relevant context. We report here single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) profiles generated from superior frontal gyrus cortical tissue samples from 101 exceptionally well characterized, aged subjects from the Banner Brain and Body Donation Program in combination with whole genome sequences. We report findings that link common AD risk variants with CR1 expression in oligodendrocytes as well as alterations in peripheral hematological lab parameters, with these observations replicated in an independent, prospective cohort study of ageing and dementia. We also observed an AD-associated CD83(+) microglial subtype with unique molecular networks that encompass many known regulators of AD-relevant microglial biology, and which are associated with immunoglobulin IgG4 production in the transverse colon. These findings illustrate the power of multi-tissue molecular profiling to contextualize snRNA-seq brain transcriptomics and reveal novel disease biology. The transcriptomic, genetic, phenotypic, and network data resources described within this study are available for access and utilization by the scientific community.
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9
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Sai M, Vietor J, Kornmayer M, Egner M, López-García Ú, Höfner G, Pabel J, Marschner JA, Wein T, Merk D. Structure-Guided Design of Nurr1 Agonists Derived from the Natural Ligand Dihydroxyindole. J Med Chem 2023; 66:13556-13567. [PMID: 37751901 PMCID: PMC10578347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00852] [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: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
The neuroprotective transcription factor Nurr1 was recently found to bind the dopamine metabolite 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) providing access to Nurr1 ligand design from a natural template. We screened a custom set of 14 k extended DHI analogues in silico for optimized descendants to select 24 candidates for microscale synthesis and in vitro testing. Three out of six primary hits were validated as novel Nurr1 agonists with up to sub-micromolar binding affinity, highlighting the druggability of the Nurr1 surface region lining helix 12. In vitro profiling confirmed cellular target engagement of DHI descendants and demonstrated remarkable additive effects of combined Nurr1 agonist treatment, indicating diverse binding sites mediating Nurr1 activation, which may open new avenues in Nurr1 modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Moritz Kornmayer
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Egner
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Úrsula López-García
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Georg Höfner
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Jörg Pabel
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Julian A. Marschner
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Wein
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
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10
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Vanrobaeys Y, Mukherjee U, Langmack L, Beyer SE, Bahl E, Lin LC, Michaelson JJ, Abel T, Chatterjee S. Mapping the spatial transcriptomic signature of the hippocampus during memory consolidation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6100. [PMID: 37773230 PMCID: PMC10541893 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41715-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Memory consolidation involves discrete patterns of transcriptional events in the hippocampus. Despite the emergence of single-cell transcriptomic profiling techniques, mapping the transcriptomic signature across subregions of the hippocampus has remained challenging. Here, we utilized unbiased spatial sequencing to delineate transcriptome-wide gene expression changes across subregions of the dorsal hippocampus of male mice following learning. We find that each subregion of the hippocampus exhibits distinct yet overlapping transcriptomic signatures. The CA1 region exhibited increased expression of genes related to transcriptional regulation, while the DG showed upregulation of genes associated with protein folding. Importantly, our approach enabled us to define the transcriptomic signature of learning within two less-defined hippocampal subregions, CA1 stratum radiatum, and oriens. We demonstrated that CA1 subregion-specific expression of a transcription factor subfamily has a critical functional role in the consolidation of long-term memory. This work demonstrates the power of spatial molecular approaches to reveal simultaneous transcriptional events across the hippocampus during memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Vanrobaeys
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Utsav Mukherjee
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Lucy Langmack
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Stacy E Beyer
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ethan Bahl
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Li-Chun Lin
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jacob J Michaelson
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| | - Snehajyoti Chatterjee
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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11
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Moghimi-Khorasgani A, Homayouni Moghadam F, Nasr-Esfahani MH. Ferulic Acid reduces amyloid beta mediated neuroinflammation through modulation of Nurr1 expression in microglial cells. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290249. [PMID: 37590236 PMCID: PMC10434858 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglial cells (MGCs) serve as the resident macrophages in the brain and spinal cord, acting as the first line of immune defense against pathological changes. With various phenotypes, they can shift from a homeostatic state to a reactive state or transit from a reactive to a non-inflammatory reactive state (alternative homeostatic). A well-timed transit is crucial in limiting excessive microglial reaction and promoting the healing process. Studies indicate that increased Nurr1 expression promotes anti-neuroinflammatory responses in the brain. In this study, we investigated the possible role of ferulic acid (FA) in facilitating microglia transition due to its anti-inflammatory and Nurr1-inducing effects. MGCs were extracted from the brains of male NMRI mice at postnatal day 2 (P2) and cultured with or without FA and beta-amyloid (Aβ). Real-time qRT-PCR was conducted to measure the expressions of Nurr1, IL-1β, and IL-10 genes. Immunostaining was performed to determine the number of NURR1-positive cells, and the ramification index (RI) of MGCs was calculated using Image J software. Treating MGCs with FA (50 μg/ml) induced Nurr1 and IL-10 expressions, while reducing the level of IL-1β in the absence of Aβ-stress. Further assessments on cells under Aβ-stress showed that FA treatment restored the IL-10 and Nurr1 levels, increased the RI of cells, and the number of NURR1-positive cells. Morphological assessments and measurements of the RI revealed that FA treatment reversed amoeboid and rod-like cells to a ramified state, which is specific morphology for non-inflammatory reactive microglia. To conclude, FA can provide potential alternative homeostatic transition in Aβ-reactive microglia by recruiting the NURR1 dependent anti-inflammatory responses. This makes it a promising therapeutic candidate for suppressing Aβ-induced neuroinflammatory responses in MGCs. Furthermore, given that FA has the ability to increase NURR1 levels in homeostatic microglia, it could be utilized as a preventative medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Moghimi-Khorasgani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, ACECR Institute of Higher Education (Isfahan Branch), Isfahan, Iran
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Farshad Homayouni Moghadam
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Nasr-Esfahani
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
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12
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García-Yagüe ÁJ, Cuadrado A. Mechanisms of NURR1 Regulation: Consequences for Its Biological Activity and Involvement in Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12280. [PMID: 37569656 PMCID: PMC10419244 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
NURR1 (Nuclear receptor-related 1 protein or NR4A2) is a nuclear protein receptor transcription factor with an essential role in the development, regulation, and maintenance of dopaminergic neurons and mediates the response to stressful stimuli during the perinatal period in mammalian brain development. The dysregulation of NURR1 activity may play a role in various diseases, including the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and several other pathologies. NURR1 is regulated by multiple mechanisms, among which phosphorylation by kinases or SUMOylation are the best characterized. Both post-translational modifications can regulate the activity of NURR1, affecting its stability and transcriptional activity. Other non-post-translational regulatory mechanisms include changes in its subcellular distribution or interaction with other protein partners by heterodimerization, also affecting its transcription activity. Here, we summarize the currently known regulatory mechanisms of NURR1 and provide a brief overview of its participation in pathological alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Juan García-Yagüe
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College, Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (CSIC-UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Paz (IdiPaz), 28027 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBER-CIBERNED), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, Planta, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Cuadrado
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College, Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (CSIC-UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Paz (IdiPaz), 28027 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBER-CIBERNED), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, Planta, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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13
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Sánchez JD, Alcántara AR, González JF, Sánchez-Montero JM. Advances in the discovery of heterocyclic-based drugs against Alzheimer's disease. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2023; 18:1413-1428. [PMID: 37800875 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2264766] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder characterized by beta-amyloid accumulation and tau protein hyperphosphorylation. The disease involves interconnected mechanisms, which can be clustered into two target-packs based on the affected proteins. Pack-1 focuses on beta-amyloid accumulation, oxidative stress, and metal homeostasis dysfunction, and Pack-2 involves tau protein, calcium homeostasis, and neuroinflammation. Against this background heterocyclic system, there is a powerful source of pharmacophores to develop effective small drugs to treat multifactorial diseases like Alzheimer's. AREAS COVERED This review highlights the most promising heterocyclic systems as potential hit candidates with multi-target capacity for the development of new drugs targeting Alzheimer's disease. The selection of these heterocyclic systems was based on two crucial factors: their synthetic versatility and their well-documented biological properties of therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative diseases. EXPERT OPINION The synthesis of small drugs against Alzheimer's disease requires a multifactorial approach that targets the key pathological proteins. In this context, the utilization of heterocyclic systems, with well-established synthetic processes and facile functionalization, becomes a crucial element in the design phases. Furthermore, the selection of hit heterocyclic should be guided by a full understanding of their biological activities. Thus, the identification of promising heterocyclic scaffolds with known biological effects increases the potential to develop effective molecules against Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan D Sánchez
- Departamento de Química en Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés R Alcántara
- Departamento de Química en Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan F González
- Departamento de Química en Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José María Sánchez-Montero
- Departamento de Química en Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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14
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Wu C, Feng Y. Exploring the potential of mindfulness-based therapy in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases based on molecular mechanism studies. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1097067. [PMID: 37383106 PMCID: PMC10293639 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1097067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (ND) have received increasing attention due to their irreversibility, but there is still no means to completely cure ND in clinical practice. Mindfulness therapy (MT), including Qigong, Tai Chi, meditation, and yoga, etc., has become an effective complementary treatment modality in solving clinical and subclinical problems due to its advantages of low side effects, less pain, and easy acceptance by patients. MT is primarily used to treat mental and emotional disorders. In recent years, evidence has shown that MT has a certain therapeutic effect on ND with a potential molecular basis. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis and risk factors of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), relating to telomerase activity, epigenetics, stress, and the pro-inflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) mediated inflammatory response, and analyze the molecular mechanism basis of MT to prevent and treat ND, to provide possible explanations for the potential of MT treatments for ND.
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15
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Vietor J, Gege C, Stiller T, Busch R, Schallmayer E, Kohlhof H, Höfner G, Pabel J, Marschner JA, Merk D. Development of a Potent Nurr1 Agonist Tool for In Vivo Applications. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6391-6402. [PMID: 37127285 PMCID: PMC10184128 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor related 1 (Nurr1) is a neuroprotective transcription factor and an emerging target in neurodegenerative diseases. Despite strong evidence for a role in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, pharmacological control and validation of Nurr1 are hindered by a lack of suitable ligands. We have discovered considerable Nurr1 activation by the clinically studied dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitor vidofludimus calcium and systematically optimized this scaffold to a Nurr1 agonist with nanomolar potency, strong activation efficacy, and pronounced preference over the highly related receptors Nur77 and NOR1. The optimized compound induced Nurr1-regulated gene expression in astrocytes and exhibited favorable pharmacokinetics in rats, thus emerging as a superior chemical tool to study Nurr1 activation in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Vietor
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | | | - Tanja Stiller
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Romy Busch
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Espen Schallmayer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Georg Höfner
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Jörg Pabel
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Julian A Marschner
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
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16
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He Y, Wang Y, Yu H, Tian Y, Chen X, Chen C, Ren Y, Chen Z, Ren Y, Gong X, Cheng K, Liu X, Zhong L, Guo Y, Xie P. Protective effect of Nr4a2 (Nurr1) against LPS-induced depressive-like behaviors via regulating activity of microglia and CamkII neurons in anterior cingulate cortex. Pharmacol Res 2023; 191:106717. [PMID: 36948326 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is tightly associated with onset of depression. The nuclear receptor related 1 protein (Nurr1, also called Nr4a2), its roles in dopaminergic neurons is well understood, which can alleviate inflammation. Nevertheless, potential effects of Nr4a2 on neuroinflammation associated with depression still remains unclear. Chronic lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stress induced depressive-behaviors were confirmed via behavioral tests. Differentially expressed genes were detected by using RNA-sequencing. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) tissues were collected for biochemical experiments. The Golgi-Cox staining and virus labeling were used to evaluate the dendritic spines. We applied fluoxetine (FLX) and amodiaquine dihydrochloride (AQ, a highly selective agonist of Nr4a2) in mice. Overexpression experiments were performed by injecting with AAV-Nr4a2-EGFP into ACC. Chemogenetic activation of CamkII neurons via injecting the hM3Dq virus. Mice treated with LPS displayed depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. The reduction of Nr4a2 and FosB induced by LPS were rescued by pretreatment with FLX or AQ. More importantly, LPS-induced behavior deficits in mice were also alleviated via fluoxetine treatment and pharmacological activation the expression of Nr4a2. Meanwhile, enhancing the level of Nr4a2 could improve dendritic spines loss of neuron and morphological changes in microglia. Overexpression of Nr4a2 in ACC reversed the depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors caused by LPS administration. Activation of CamkII neurons in ACC could robustly increase the expression of Nr4a2 and improve LPS-induced behavior deficits. Our findings demonstrate that the Nr4a2 may regulate depressive-like behaviors via alleviating the impairment of morphology and function on microglia and CamkII neurons induced by chronic neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yue Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Heming Yu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yu Tian
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xiangyu Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Chong Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yikun Ren
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zhi Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yi Ren
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xue Gong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Ke Cheng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xiaolei Liu
- Neurology Department of the First affiliated hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Lianmei Zhong
- Neurology Department of the First affiliated hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
| | - Yi Guo
- Department of Neurology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China.
| | - Peng Xie
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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17
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Villalonga E, Mosrin C, Normand T, Girardin C, Serrano A, Žunar B, Doudeau M, Godin F, Bénédetti H, Vallée B. LIM Kinases, LIMK1 and LIMK2, Are Crucial Node Actors of the Cell Fate: Molecular to Pathological Features. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050805. [PMID: 36899941 PMCID: PMC10000741 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050805] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) and LIM kinase 2 (LIMK2) are serine/threonine and tyrosine kinases and the only two members of the LIM kinase family. They play a crucial role in the regulation of cytoskeleton dynamics by controlling actin filaments and microtubule turnover, especially through the phosphorylation of cofilin, an actin depolymerising factor. Thus, they are involved in many biological processes, such as cell cycle, cell migration, and neuronal differentiation. Consequently, they are also part of numerous pathological mechanisms, especially in cancer, where their involvement has been reported for a few years and has led to the development of a wide range of inhibitors. LIMK1 and LIMK2 are known to be part of the Rho family GTPase signal transduction pathways, but many more partners have been discovered over the decades, and both LIMKs are suspected to be part of an extended and various range of regulation pathways. In this review, we propose to consider the different molecular mechanisms involving LIM kinases and their associated signalling pathways, and to offer a better understanding of their variety of actions within the physiology and physiopathology of the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Villalonga
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
| | - Christine Mosrin
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
| | - Thierry Normand
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
| | - Caroline Girardin
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
| | - Amandine Serrano
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
| | - Bojan Žunar
- Laboratory for Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Michel Doudeau
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
| | - Fabienne Godin
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
| | - Hélène Bénédetti
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
| | - Béatrice Vallée
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; UPR4301, CNRS, University of Orleans and INSERM, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orleans, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-(0)2-38-25-76-11
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18
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Common Genetic Factors and Pathways in Alzheimer's Disease and Ischemic Stroke: Evidences from GWAS. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14020353. [PMID: 36833280 PMCID: PMC9957001 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and ischemic stroke (IS) are common neurological disorders, and the comorbidity of these two brain diseases is often seen. Although AD and IS were regarded as two distinct disease entities, in terms of different etiologies and clinical presentation, recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) revealed that there were common risk genes between AD and IS, indicating common molecular pathways and their common pathophysiology. In this review, we summarize AD and IS risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their representative genes from the GWAS Catalog database, and find thirteen common risk genes, but no common risk SNPs. Furthermore, the common molecular pathways associated with these risk gene products are summarized from the GeneCards database and clustered into inflammation and immunity, G protein-coupled receptor, and signal transduction. At least seven of these thirteen genes can be regulated by 23 microRNAs identified from the TargetScan database. Taken together, the imbalance of these molecular pathways may give rise to these two common brain disorders. This review sheds light on the pathogenesis of comorbidity of AD and IS, and provides molecular targets for disease prevention, manipulation, and brain health maintenance.
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Vanrobeys Y, Mukherjee U, Langmack L, Bahl E, Lin LC, Michaelson JJ, Abel T, Chatterjee S. Mapping the spatial transcriptomic signature of the hippocampus during memory consolidation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.18.524576. [PMID: 36711475 PMCID: PMC9882356 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.18.524576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Memory consolidation involves discrete patterns of transcriptional events in the hippocampus. Despite the emergence of single-cell transcriptomic profiling techniques, defining learning-responsive gene expression across subregions of the hippocampus has remained challenging. Here, we utilized unbiased spatial sequencing to elucidate transcriptome-wide changes in gene expression in the hippocampus following learning, enabling us to define molecular signatures unique to each hippocampal subregion. We find that each subregion of the hippocampus exhibits distinct yet overlapping transcriptomic signatures. Although the CA1 region exhibited increased expression of genes related to transcriptional regulation, the DG showed upregulation of genes associated with protein folding. We demonstrate the functional relevance of subregion-specific gene expression by genetic manipulation of a transcription factor selectively in the CA1 hippocampal subregion, leading to long-term memory deficits. This work demonstrates the power of using spatial molecular approaches to reveal transcriptional events during memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Vanrobeys
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Utsav Mukherjee
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Lucy Langmack
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ethan Bahl
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Li-Chun Lin
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jacob J Michaelson
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Snehajyoti Chatterjee
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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20
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Zhao J, Huai J. Role of primary aging hallmarks in Alzheimer´s disease. Theranostics 2023; 13:197-230. [PMID: 36593969 PMCID: PMC9800733 DOI: 10.7150/thno.79535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, which severely threatens the health of the elderly and causes significant economic and social burdens. The causes of AD are complex and include heritable but mostly aging-related factors. The primary aging hallmarks include genomic instability, telomere wear, epigenetic changes, and loss of protein stability, which play a dominant role in the aging process. Although AD is closely associated with the aging process, the underlying mechanisms involved in AD pathogenesis have not been well characterized. This review summarizes the available literature about primary aging hallmarks and their roles in AD pathogenesis. By analyzing published literature, we attempted to uncover the possible mechanisms of aberrant epigenetic markers with related enzymes, transcription factors, and loss of proteostasis in AD. In particular, the importance of oxidative stress-induced DNA methylation and DNA methylation-directed histone modifications and proteostasis are highlighted. A molecular network of gene regulatory elements that undergoes a dynamic change with age may underlie age-dependent AD pathogenesis, and can be used as a new drug target to treat AD.
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Bok J, Ha J, Ahn BJ, Jang Y. Disease-Modifying Effects of Non-Invasive Electroceuticals on β-Amyloid Plaques and Tau Tangles for Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010679. [PMID: 36614120 PMCID: PMC9821138 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Electroceuticals refer to various forms of electronic neurostimulators used for therapy. Interdisciplinary advances in medical engineering and science have led to the development of the electroceutical approach, which involves therapeutic agents that specifically target neural circuits, to realize precision therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD). To date, extensive studies have attempted to elucidate the disease-modifying effects of electroceuticals on areas in the brain of a patient with AD by the use of various physical stimuli, including electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic waves as well as ultrasound. Herein, we review non-invasive stimulatory systems and their effects on β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which are pathological molecular markers of AD. Therefore, this review will aid in better understanding the recent technological developments, applicable methods, and therapeutic effects of electronic stimulatory systems, including transcranial direct current stimulation, 40-Hz gamma oscillations, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electromagnetic field stimulation, infrared light stimulation and ionizing radiation therapy, and focused ultrasound for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junsoo Bok
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04736, Republic of Korea
| | - Juchan Ha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04736, Republic of Korea
| | - Bum Ju Ahn
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04736, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongwoo Jang
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04736, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04736, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-2220-0655
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Leung HW, Foo G, VanDongen A. Arc Regulates Transcription of Genes for Plasticity, Excitability and Alzheimer’s Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081946. [PMID: 36009494 PMCID: PMC9405677 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The immediate early gene Arc is a master regulator of synaptic function and a critical determinant of memory consolidation. Here, we show that Arc interacts with dynamic chromatin and closely associates with histone markers for active enhancers and transcription in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Both these histone modifications, H3K27Ac and H3K9Ac, have recently been shown to be upregulated in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). When Arc induction by pharmacological network activation was prevented using a short hairpin RNA, the expression profile was altered for over 1900 genes, which included genes associated with synaptic function, neuronal plasticity, intrinsic excitability, and signalling pathways. Interestingly, about 100 Arc-dependent genes are associated with the pathophysiology of AD. When endogenous Arc expression was induced in HEK293T cells, the transcription of many neuronal genes was increased, suggesting that Arc can control expression in the absence of activated signalling pathways. Taken together, these data establish Arc as a master regulator of neuronal activity-dependent gene expression and suggest that it plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel Foo
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Antonius VanDongen
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Correspondence:
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Transcriptomic analysis in the striatum reveals the involvement of Nurr1 in the social behavior of prenatally valproic acid-exposed male mice. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:324. [PMID: 35945212 PMCID: PMC9363495 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02056-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that exhibits neurobehavioral deficits characterized by abnormalities in social interactions, deficits in communication as well as restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. The basal ganglia is one of the brain regions implicated as dysfunctional in ASD. In particular, the defects in corticostriatal function have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of ASD. Surface deformation of the striatum in the brains of patients with ASD and their correlation with behavioral symptoms was reported in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. We demonstrated that prenatal valproic acid (VPA) exposure induced synaptic and molecular changes and decreased neuronal activity in the striatum. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), we analyzed transcriptome alterations in striatal tissues from 10-week-old prenatally VPA-exposed BALB/c male mice. Among the upregulated genes, Nurr1 was significantly upregulated in striatal tissues from prenatally VPA-exposed mice. Viral knockdown of Nurr1 by shRNA significantly rescued the reduction in dendritic spine density and the number of mature dendritic spines in the striatum and markedly improved social deficits in prenatally VPA-exposed mice. In addition, treatment with amodiaquine, which is a known ligand for Nurr1, mimicked the social deficits and synaptic abnormalities in saline-exposed mice as observed in prenatally VPA-exposed mice. Furthermore, PatDp+/- mice, a commonly used ASD genetic mouse model, also showed increased levels of Nurr1 in the striatum. Taken together, these results suggest that the increase in Nurr1 expression in the striatum is a mechanism related to the changes in synaptic deficits and behavioral phenotypes of the VPA-induced ASD mouse model.
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NURR1 expression regulates retinal pigment epithelial-mesenchymal transition and age-related macular degeneration phenotypes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2202256119. [PMID: 35867766 PMCID: PMC9282432 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202256119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic variations in the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) layer are often a predecessor and driver of ocular degenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. We previously identified the orphan nuclear receptor-related 1 (NURR1), from a nuclear receptor atlas of human RPE cells, as a candidate transcription factor potentially involved in AMD development and progression. In the present study we characterized the expression of NURR1 as a function of age in RPE cells harvested from human donor eyes and in donor tissue from AMD patients. Mechanistically, we found an age-dependent shift in NURR1 dimerization from NURR1-RXRα heterodimers toward NURR1-NURR1 homodimers in primary human RPE cells. Additionally, overexpression and activation of NURR1 attenuated TNF-α-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration, and modulated EMT-associated gene and protein expression in human RPE cells independent of age. In vivo, oral administration of IP7e, a potent NURR1 activator, ameliorated EMT in an experimental model of wet AMD and improved retinal function in a mouse model that presents with dry AMD features, impacting AMD phenotype, structure, and function of RPE cells, inhibiting accumulation of immune cells, and diminishing lipid accumulation. These results provide insight into the mechanisms of action of NURR1 in the aging eye, and demonstrate that the relative expression levels and activity of NURR1 is critical for both physiological and pathological functions of human RPE cells through RXRα-dependent regulation, and that targeting NURR1 may have therapeutic potential for AMD by modulating EMT, inflammation, and lipid homeostasis.
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Willems S, Merk D. Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology of Nurr1 Modulators: An Emerging Strategy in Neurodegeneration. J Med Chem 2022; 65:9548-9563. [PMID: 35797147 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor related 1 (Nurr1) is a transcription factor with neuroprotective and antineuroinflammatory properties. Observations from genetic studies and human patients support potential of Nurr1 as a therapeutic target in neurodegeneration, but due to a lack of high-quality chemical tools for pharmacological control of Nurr1, its target validation is pending. Nevertheless, considerable progress has recently been made in elucidating structural and functional characteristics of Nurr1, and several ligand scaffolds have been discovered. Here, we analyze Nurr1's structure and mechanisms compared to other nuclear receptors, summarize the known small molecule Nurr1 ligands, and discuss the available evidence for the therapeutic potential of Nurr1 in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Willems
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
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Ye F, Alvarez-Carbonell D, Nguyen K, Leskov K, Garcia-Mesa Y, Sreeram S, Valadkhan S, Karn J. Recruitment of the CoREST transcription repressor complexes by Nerve Growth factor IB-like receptor (Nurr1/NR4A2) mediates silencing of HIV in microglial cells. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010110. [PMID: 35797416 PMCID: PMC9295971 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection in the brain leads to chronic neuroinflammation due to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which in turn promotes HIV transcription in infected microglial cells. However, powerful counteracting silencing mechanisms in microglial cells result in the rapid shutdown of HIV expression after viral reactivation to limit neuronal damage. Here we investigated whether the Nerve Growth Factor IB-like nuclear receptor Nurr1 (NR4A2), which is a repressor of inflammation in the brain, acts directly to restrict HIV expression. HIV silencing following activation by TNF-α, or a variety of toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, in both immortalized human microglial cells (hμglia) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived human microglial cells (iMG) was enhanced by Nurr1 agonists. Similarly, overexpression of Nurr1 led to viral suppression, while conversely, knock down (KD) of endogenous Nurr1 blocked HIV silencing. The effect of Nurr1 on HIV silencing is direct: Nurr1 binds directly to the specific consensus binding sites in the U3 region of the HIV LTR and mutation of the Nurr1 DNA binding domain blocked its ability to suppress HIV-1 transcription. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays also showed that after Nurr1 binding to the LTR, the CoREST/HDAC1/G9a/EZH2 transcription repressor complex is recruited to the HIV provirus. Finally, transcriptomic studies demonstrated that in addition to repressing HIV transcription, Nurr1 also downregulated numerous cellular genes involved in inflammation, cell cycle, and metabolism, further promoting HIV latency and microglial homoeostasis. Nurr1 therefore plays a pivotal role in modulating the cycles of proviral reactivation by potentiating the subsequent proviral transcriptional shutdown. These data highlight the therapeutic potential of Nurr1 agonists for inducing HIV silencing and microglial homeostasis and ultimately for the amelioration of the neuroinflammation associated with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengchun Ye
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - David Alvarez-Carbonell
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Kien Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Konstantin Leskov
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Yoelvis Garcia-Mesa
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Sheetal Sreeram
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Saba Valadkhan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Karn
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
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A Nurr1 ligand C-DIM12 attenuates brain inflammation and improves functional recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage in mice. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11009. [PMID: 35773404 PMCID: PMC9246855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15178-7] [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: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously reported that amodiaquine, a compound that binds to the ligand-binding domain of a nuclear receptor Nurr1, attenuates inflammatory responses and neurological deficits after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in mice. 1,1-Bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(p-chlorophenyl)methane (C-DIM12) is another Nurr1 ligand that recognizes a domain of Nurr1 different from the ligand-binding domain. In the present study, mice were treated daily with C-DIM12 (50 or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) or amodiaquine (40 mg/kg, i.p.), or twice daily with 1400 W (20 mg/kg, i.p.), an inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor, from 3 h after ICH induction by microinjection of collagenase into the striatum. C-DIM12 improved the recovery of neurological function and prevented neuron loss in the hematoma, while suppressed activation of microglia/macrophages and expression of inflammatory mediators interleukin-6 and CC chemokine ligand 2. In addition, C-DIM12 as well as amodiaquine preserved axonal structures in the internal capsule and axonal transport function. We also found that C-DIM12 and amodiaquine suppressed the increases of iNOS mRNA expression after ICH. Moreover, 1400 W improved neurological function and prevented neuron loss, activation of microglia/macrophages and axonal transport dysfunction. These results suggest that suppression of iNOS induction contributes to several features of the therapeutic effects of Nurr1 ligands.
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Nurr1 Is Not an Essential Regulator of BDNF in Mouse Cortical Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126853. [PMID: 35743300 PMCID: PMC9224520 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nurr1 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) play major roles in cognition. Nurr1 regulates BDNF in midbrain dopaminergic neurons and cerebellar granule cells. Nurr1 and BDNF are also highly expressed in the cerebral cortex, a brain area important in cognition. Due to Nurr1 and BDNF tissue specificity, the regulatory effect of Nurr1 on BDNF in different brain areas cannot be generalized. The relationship between Nurr1 and BDNF in the cortex has not been investigated previously. Therefore, we examined Nurr1-mediated BDNF regulation in cortical neurons in activity-dependent and activity-independent states. Mouse primary cortical neurons were treated with the Nurr1 agonist, amodiaquine (AQ). Membrane depolarization was induced by KCl or veratridine and reversed by nimodipine. AQ and membrane depolarization significantly increased Nurr1 (p < 0.001) and BDNF (pAQ < 0.001, pKCl < 0.01) as assessed by real-time qRT-PCR. However, Nurr1 knockdown did not affect BDNF gene expression in resting or depolarized neurons. Accordingly, the positive correlation between Nurr1 and BDNF expression in AQ and membrane depolarization experiments does not imply co-regulation because Nurr1 knockdown did not affect BDNF gene expression in resting or depolarized cortical neurons. Therefore, in contrast to midbrain dopaminergic neurons and cerebellar granule cells, Nurr1 does not regulate BDNF in cortical neurons.
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Bi A, Wang Y, Chen L, Yin Z, Luo L. γ-Glutamylcysteine attenuates amyloid-β oligomers-induced neuroinflammation in microglia via blocking NF-κB signaling pathway. Chem Biol Interact 2022; 363:110019. [PMID: 35714925 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110019] [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: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurogenerative disease, characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive deficits. Intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and amyloid-β (Aβ)-formed neuritic plaques are major pathological features of AD. Aβ evokes activation of microglia to release inflammatory mediators and ROS to induce neurotoxicity, leading to neurodegeneration. γ-Glutamylcysteine (γ-GC), an intermediate dipeptide of the GSH-synthesis pathway and possessing anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, represents a relatively unexplored option for AD treatment. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of γ-GC on Aβ oligomer (AβO)-induced neuroinflammation and the associated molecular mechanism in microglia. The results showed that γ-GC reduced AβO-induced release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and nitric oxide (NO), and the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2). γ-GC decreased ROS and MDA production and increased the GSH level, GSH/GSSG ratio, and SOD activity in AβO-treated microglia. Mechanistically, γ-GC inhibited activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and upregulated the nuclear receptor-related 1 (Nurr1) protein expression to suppress the transcriptional effect of NF-κB on the inflammatory genes. Besides, γ-GC suppressed the AβO-induced neuroinflammation in mice. These findings suggested that γ-GC might represent a potential therapeutic agent for anti-neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aijing Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Luyao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhimin Yin
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medicine Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Lan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
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Repurposing Histaminergic Drugs in Multiple Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116347. [PMID: 35683024 PMCID: PMC9181091 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116347] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease with a strong neuroinflammatory component that contributes to severe demyelination, neurodegeneration and lesions formation in white and grey matter of the spinal cord and brain. Increasing attention is being paid to the signaling of the biogenic amine histamine in the context of several pathological conditions. In multiple sclerosis, histamine regulates the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursors, reduces demyelination, and improves the remyelination process. However, the concomitant activation of histamine H1–H4 receptors can sustain either damaging or favorable effects, depending on the specifically activated receptor subtype/s, the timing of receptor engagement, and the central versus peripheral target district. Conventional drug development has failed so far to identify curative drugs for multiple sclerosis, thus causing a severe delay in therapeutic options available to patients. In this perspective, drug repurposing offers an exciting and complementary alternative for rapidly approving some medicines already approved for other indications. In the present work, we have adopted a new network-medicine-based algorithm for drug repurposing called SAveRUNNER, for quantifying the interplay between multiple sclerosis-associated genes and drug targets in the human interactome. We have identified new histamine drug-disease associations and predicted off-label novel use of the histaminergic drugs amodiaquine, rupatadine, and diphenhydramine among others, for multiple sclerosis. Our work suggests that selected histamine-related molecules might get to the root causes of multiple sclerosis and emerge as new potential therapeutic strategies for the disease.
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Willems S, Marschner JA, Kilu W, Faudone G, Busch R, Duensing‐Kropp S, Heering J, Merk D. Nurr1 Modulation Mediates Neuroprotective Effects of Statins. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2104640. [PMID: 35488520 PMCID: PMC9218776 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202104640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The ligand-sensing transcription factor Nurr1 emerges as a promising therapeutic target for neurodegenerative pathologies but Nurr1 ligands for functional studies and therapeutic validation are lacking. Here pronounced Nurr1 modulation by statins for which clinically relevant neuroprotective effects are demonstrated, is reported. Several statins directly affect Nurr1 activity in cellular and cell-free settings with low micromolar to sub-micromolar potencies. Simvastatin as example exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in astrocytes, which are abrogated by Nurr1 knockdown. Differential gene expression analysis in native and Nurr1-silenced cells reveals strong proinflammatory effects of Nurr1 knockdown while simvastatin treatment induces several neuroprotective mechanisms via Nurr1 involving changes in inflammatory, metabolic and cell cycle gene expression. Further in vitro evaluation confirms reduced inflammatory response, improved glucose metabolism, and cell cycle inhibition of simvastatin-treated neuronal cells. These findings suggest Nurr1 involvement in the well-documented but mechanistically elusive neuroprotection by statins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Willems
- Institute of Pharmaceutical ChemistryGoethe University FrankfurtMax‐von‐Laue‐Str. 9Frankfurt60438Germany
| | - Julian A. Marschner
- Department of PharmacyLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenButenandtstr. 5‐13Munich81377Germany
| | - Whitney Kilu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical ChemistryGoethe University FrankfurtMax‐von‐Laue‐Str. 9Frankfurt60438Germany
| | - Giuseppe Faudone
- Institute of Pharmaceutical ChemistryGoethe University FrankfurtMax‐von‐Laue‐Str. 9Frankfurt60438Germany
| | - Romy Busch
- Department of PharmacyLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenButenandtstr. 5‐13Munich81377Germany
| | - Silke Duensing‐Kropp
- Department of PharmacyLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenButenandtstr. 5‐13Munich81377Germany
| | - Jan Heering
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMPTheodor‐Stern‐Kai 7Frankfurt60596Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical ChemistryGoethe University FrankfurtMax‐von‐Laue‐Str. 9Frankfurt60438Germany
- Department of PharmacyLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenButenandtstr. 5‐13Munich81377Germany
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32
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Song B, Feldmann JW, Cao S, Feitosa M, Kong Y, Kim W, Schweitzer A, Leblanc P, Schweitzer JS, Kim KS. A Pitx3-deficient developmental mouse model for fine motor, olfactory, and gastrointestinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 170:105777. [PMID: 35636646 PMCID: PMC9425627 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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Chatterjee S, Bahl E, Mukherjee U, Walsh EN, Shetty MS, Yan AL, Vanrobaeys Y, Lederman JD, Giese KP, Michaelson J, Abel T. Endoplasmic reticulum chaperone genes encode effectors of long-term memory. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm6063. [PMID: 35319980 PMCID: PMC8942353 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm6063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) remain unclear, and no effective treatments exist. Fundamental studies have shown that a set of transcriptional regulatory proteins of the nuclear receptor 4a (Nr4a) family serve as molecular switches for long-term memory. Here, we show that Nr4a proteins regulate the transcription of genes encoding chaperones that localize to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These chaperones fold and traffic plasticity-related proteins to the cell surface during long-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity and memory. Dysregulation of Nr4a transcription factors and ER chaperones is linked to ADRD, and overexpressing Nr4a1 or the chaperone Hspa5 ameliorates long-term memory deficits in a tau-based mouse model of ADRD, pointing toward innovative therapeutic approaches for treating memory loss. Our findings establish a unique molecular concept underlying long-term memory and provide insights into the mechanistic basis of cognitive deficits in dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snehajyoti Chatterjee
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Ethan Bahl
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Utsav Mukherjee
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Emily N. Walsh
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Mahesh Shivarama Shetty
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Amy L. Yan
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Yann Vanrobaeys
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Joseph D. Lederman
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - K. Peter Giese
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Jacob Michaelson
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Institute of Human Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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Li T, Li X, Huang X, Yu H, Li S, Zhang Z, Xie Y, Song X, Liu J, Yang X, Liu G. Mitochondriomics reveals the underlying neuroprotective mechanism of TrkB receptor agonist R13 in the 5×FAD mice. Neuropharmacology 2022; 204:108899. [PMID: 34838815 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Decreased energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis defects are implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In present study, mitochondriomics analysis revealed significant effects of R13, a prodrug of 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, on mitochondrial protein expression profile, including the proteins related to the biological processes: fatty acid beta-oxidation, fatty acid metabolic process, mitochondrial electron transport, and mitochondrial respiratory chain. Cluster analysis demonstrated that R13 promoted mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The functional analysis showed that R13 increased ATP levels and enhanced OXPHOS including complex Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ. R13 treatment increased mitochondrial biogenesis by regulating the levels of p-AMPKα, p-CREB, PGC-1α, NRF1 and TFAM as a consequence of activation of TrkB receptor in the 5 × FAD mice. Finally, R13 significantly reduced the levels of tau phosphorylation and Aβ plaque. Our data suggest that R13 may be used for treating AD via enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of China and Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020-2024), Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, 518055, China; Department of Pathology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Xi Huang
- Department of Neurology,The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, 518020, China; The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Shupeng Li
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zaijun Zhang
- Institute of New Drug Research and Guangzhou, Key Laboratory of Innovative Chemical Drug Research in Cardio-Cerebrovascular Diseases, Jinan University College of Pharmacy, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yongmei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiangrong Song
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020-2024), Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xifei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020-2024), Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Gongping Liu
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Wuhan, 430022, China; Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, JS, China.
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Willems S, Müller M, Ohrndorf J, Heering J, Proschak E, Merk D. Scaffold hopping from amodiaquine to novel Nurr1 agonist chemotypes via microscale analogue libraries. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200026. [PMID: 35132775 PMCID: PMC9305750 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Several lines of evidence suggest the ligand‐sensing transcription factor Nurr1 as a promising target to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Nurr1 modulators to validate and exploit this therapeutic potential are rare, however. To identify novel Nurr1 agonist chemotypes, we have employed the Nurr1 activator amodiaquine as template for microscale analogue library synthesis. The first set of analogues was based on the 7‐chloroquiolin‐4‐amine core fragment of amodiaquine and revealed superior N‐substituents compared to diethylaminomethylphenol contained in the template. A second library of analogues was subsequently prepared to replace the chloroquinolineamine scaffold. The two sets of analogues enabled a full scaffold hop from amodiaquine to a novel Nurr1 agonist sharing no structural features with the lead but comprising superior potency on Nurr1. Additionally, pharmacophore modeling based on the entire set of active and inactive analogues suggested key features for Nurr1 agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Willems
- Goethe University Frankfurt: Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, GERMANY
| | - Marcel Müller
- Goethe University Frankfurt: Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, GERMANY
| | - Julia Ohrndorf
- Goethe University Frankfurt: Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, GERMANY
| | - Jan Heering
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME Division Translational Medicine Branch Lab ScreeningPort: Fraunhofer-Institut fur Translationale Medizin und Pharmakologie ITMP Drug Discovery Research ScreeningPort, ITMP, GERMANY
| | - Ewgenij Proschak
- Goethe University Frankfurt: Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, GERMANY
| | - Daniel Merk
- Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, GERMANY
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Yoshimizu A, Kinoshita K, Ichihara Y, Kurauchi Y, Seki T, Katsuki H. Hydroxychloroquine improves motor function and affords neuroprotection without inhibition of inflammation and autophagy in mice after intracerebral hemorrhage. J Neuroimmunol 2022; 362:577786. [PMID: 34920280 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2021.577786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
We examined the effect of an immunomodulator hydroxychloroquine, also known as a Nurr1 ligand and an autophagy inhibitor, on a mouse model of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Daily administration of hydroxychloroquine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) from 3 h after induction of ICH alleviated neurological deficits of mice, increased the number of surviving neurons in the hematoma and prevented fragmentation of axon structures in the internal capsule. Unexpectedly, hydroxychloroquine did not inhibit either upregulation of pro-inflammatory mediators or autophagic responses in the brain. Hence, hydroxychloroquine may produce therapeutic effects on ICH primarily via neuroprotection including preservation of the axon tract integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayaka Yoshimizu
- Department of Chemico-Pharmacological Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Keita Kinoshita
- Department of Chemico-Pharmacological Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Yusei Ichihara
- Department of Chemico-Pharmacological Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Yuki Kurauchi
- Department of Chemico-Pharmacological Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Takahiro Seki
- Department of Chemico-Pharmacological Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Katsuki
- Department of Chemico-Pharmacological Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan.
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37
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Català-Solsona J, Miñano-Molina AJ, Rodríguez-Álvarez J. Nr4a2 Transcription Factor in Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity, Memory and Cognitive Dysfunction: A Perspective Review. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:786226. [PMID: 34880728 PMCID: PMC8645690 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.786226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lasting changes of synaptic efficacy are largely mediated by activity-induced gene transcription and are essential for neuronal plasticity and memory. In this scenario, transcription factors have emerged as pivotal players underlying synaptic plasticity and the modification of neural networks required for memory formation and consolidation. Hippocampal synaptic dysfunction is widely accepted to underlie the cognitive decline observed in some neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, understanding the molecular pathways regulating gene expression profiles may help to identify new synaptic therapeutic targets. The nuclear receptor 4A subfamily (Nr4a) of transcription factors has been involved in a variety of physiological processes within the hippocampus, ranging from inflammation to neuroprotection. Recent studies have also pointed out a role for the activity-dependent nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 2 (Nr4a2/Nurr1) in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive functions, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. In this review, we highlight the specific effects of Nr4a2 in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory formation and we discuss whether the dysregulation of this transcription factor could contribute to hippocampal synaptic dysfunction, altogether suggesting the possibility that Nr4a2 may emerge as a novel synaptic therapeutic target in brain pathologies associated to cognitive dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Català-Solsona
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo J Miñano-Molina
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - José Rodríguez-Álvarez
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Fang C, Wang H, Naumann RK. Developmental Patterning and Neurogenetic Gradients of Nurr1 Positive Neurons in the Rat Claustrum and Lateral Cortex. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:786329. [PMID: 34924965 PMCID: PMC8675902 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.786329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The claustrum is an enigmatic brain structure thought to be important for conscious sensations. Recent studies have focused on gene expression patterns, connectivity, and function of the claustrum, but relatively little is known about its development. Interestingly, claustrum-enriched genes, including the previously identified marker Nurr1, are not only expressed in the classical claustrum complex, but also embedded within lateral neocortical regions in rodents. Recent studies suggest that Nurr1 positive neurons in the lateral cortex share a highly conserved genetic expression pattern with claustrum neurons. Thus, we focus on the developmental progression and birth dating pattern of the claustrum and Nurr1 positive neurons in the lateral cortex. We comprehensively investigate the expression of Nurr1 at various stages of development in the rat and find that Nurr1 expression first appears as an elongated line along the anterior-posterior axis on embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) and then gradually differentiates into multiple sub-regions during prenatal development. Previous birth dating studies of the claustrum have led to conflicting results, therefore, we combine 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) labeling with in situ hybridization for Nurr1 to study birth dating patterns. We find that most dorsal endopiriform (DEn) neurons are born on E13.5 to E14.5. Ventral claustrum (vCL) and dorsal claustrum (dCL) are mainly born on E14.5 to E15.5. Nurr1 positive cortical deep layer neurons (dLn) and superficial layer neurons (sLn) are mainly born on E14.5 to E15.5 and E15.5 to E17.5, respectively. Finally, we identify ventral to dorsal and posterior to anterior neurogenetic gradients within vCL and DEn. Thus, our findings suggest that claustrum and Nurr1 positive neurons in the lateral cortex are born sequentially over several days of embryonic development and contribute toward charting the complex developmental pattern of the claustrum in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert Konrad Naumann
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
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39
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Jiang L, Wei ZC, Xu LL, Yu SY, Li C. Inhibition of miR-145-5p Reduces Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Responses via Affecting Nurr1-TNF-α Signaling Axis. Cell Biochem Biophys 2021; 79:791-799. [PMID: 34133012 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-021-00992-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation and oxidative stress feature prominently in the secondary spinal cord injury (SCI). The present work is targeted at deciphering miR-145-5p's role and underlying mechanism in SCI. We randomly divided Sprague-Dawley rats into SCI group and control group. Microglial BV2 cells were separated into control group and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was carried out for determining the concentrations of interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The expressions of malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and reactive oxygen species were also detected. TNF-α, miR-145-5p, and Nurr1 expressions were examined by western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Western blotting and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay were conducted to examine the regulating impact that miR-145-5p had on Nurr1 and TNF-α. MiR-145-5p was remarkably upregulated in the SCI rat model's spinal cord tissues and BV2 cells treated with LPS, and Nurr1 expression was dramatically lowered. Furthermore, miR-145-5p inhibition markedly repressed inflammatory and oxidative stress responses. Moreover, it was proved that Nurr1 was a direct miR-145-5p target. The inhibition of miR-145-5p helped promote Nurr1 expression to block TNF-α signaling. MiR-145-5p inhibition mitigates inflammation and oxidative stress via targeting Nurr1 to regulate TNF-α signaling, which ameliorates SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rizhao Central Hospital, Rizhao, 276800, Shandong, China.
| | - Zeng-Chun Wei
- Department of Orthopedics, Rizhao Central Hospital, Rizhao, 276800, Shandong, China
| | - Li-Li Xu
- Department of ICU, Rizhao Central Hospital, Rizhao, 276800, Shandong, China
| | - Shan-Ying Yu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rizhao Central Hospital, Rizhao, 276800, Shandong, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
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40
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Yan Y, Gao Y, Fang Q, Zhang N, Kumar G, Yan H, Song L, Li J, Zhang Y, Sun J, Wang J, Zhao L, Skaggs K, Zhang HT, Ma CG. Inhibition of Rho Kinase by Fasudil Ameliorates Cognition Impairment in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice via Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Metabolites. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:755164. [PMID: 34721000 PMCID: PMC8551711 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.755164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Fasudil, a Rho kinase inhibitor, exerts therapeutic effects in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a chronic neurodegenerative disease with progressive loss of memory. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. In addition, the gut microbiota and its metabolites have been implicated in AD. Methods: We examined the effect of fasudil on learning and memory using the Morris water-maze (MWM) test in APPswe/PSEN1dE9 transgenic (APP/PS1) mice (8 months old) treated (i.p.) with fasudil (25 mg/kg/day; ADF) or saline (ADNS) and in age- and gender-matched wild-type (WT) mice. Fecal metagenomics and metabolites were performed to identify novel biomarkers of AD and elucidate the mechanisms of fasudil induced beneficial effects in AD mice. Results: The MWM test showed significant improvement of spatial memory in APP/PS1 mice treated with fasudil as compared to ADNS. The metagenomic analysis revealed the abundance of the dominant phyla in all the three groups, including Bacteroidetes (23.7–44%) and Firmicutes (6.4–26.6%), and the increased relative abundance ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in ADNS (59.1%) compared to WT (31.7%). In contrast, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was decreased to the WT level in ADF (32.8%). Lefse analysis of metagenomics identified s_Prevotella_sp_CAG873 as an ADF potential biomarker, while s_Helicobacter_typhlonius and s_Helicobacter_sp_MIT_03-1616 as ADNS potential biomarkers. Metabolite analysis revealed the increment of various metabolites, including glutamate, hypoxanthine, thymine, hexanoyl-CoA, and leukotriene, which were relative to ADNS or ADF microbiota potential biomarkers and mainly involved in the metabolism of nucleotide, lipids and sugars, and the inflammatory pathway. Conclusions: Memory deficit in APP/PS1 mice was correlated with the gut microbiome and metabolite status. Fasudil reversed the abnormal gut microbiota and subsequently regulated the related metabolisms to normal in the AD mice. It is believed that fasudil can be a novel strategy for the treatment of AD via remodeling of the gut microbiota and metabolites. The novel results also provide valuable references for the use of gut microbiota and metabolites as diagnostic biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets in clinical studies of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Yan
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China.,The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ye Gao
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Qingli Fang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Nianping Zhang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Gajendra Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Hailong Yan
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Lijuan Song
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jiehui Li
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Yuna Zhang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Jingxian Sun
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Jiawei Wang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Linhu Zhao
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Keith Skaggs
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Han-Ting Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao, China
| | - Cun-Gen Ma
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School of Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China.,The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
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41
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Exercise mimetics: harnessing the therapeutic effects of physical activity. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2021; 20:862-879. [PMID: 34103713 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-021-00217-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Exercise mimetics are a proposed class of therapeutics that specifically mimic or enhance the therapeutic effects of exercise. Increased physical activity has demonstrated positive effects in preventing and ameliorating a wide range of diseases, including brain disorders such as Alzheimer disease and dementia, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This article discusses the molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways associated with the beneficial effects of physical activity, focusing on effects on brain function and cognitive enhancement. Emerging therapeutic targets and strategies for the development of exercise mimetics, particularly in the field of central nervous system disorders, as well as the associated opportunities and challenges, are discussed.
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42
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Zaienne D, Willems S, Schierle S, Heering J, Merk D. Development and Profiling of Inverse Agonist Tools for the Neuroprotective Transcription Factor Nurr1. J Med Chem 2021; 64:15126-15140. [PMID: 34633810 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The ligand-sensing transcription factor nuclear receptor related 1 (Nurr1) evolves as an appealing target to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Despite its therapeutic potential observed in various rodent models, potent modulators for Nurr1 are lacking as pharmacological tools. Here, we report the structure-activity relationship and systematic optimization of indole-based inverse Nurr1 agonists. Optimized analogues decreased the receptor's intrinsic transcriptional activity by up to more than 90% and revealed preference for inhibiting Nurr1 monomer activity. In orthogonal cell-free settings, we detected displacement of NCoRs and disruption of the Nurr1 homodimer as molecular modes of action. The inverse Nurr1 agonists reduced the expression of Nurr1-regulated genes in T98G cells, and treatment with an inverse Nurr1 agonist mimicked the effect of Nurr1 silencing on interleukin-6 release from LPS-stimulated human astrocytes. The indole-based inverse Nurr1 agonists valuably extend the toolbox of Nurr1 modulators to further probe the role of Nurr1 in neuroinflammation, cancer, and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zaienne
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Willems
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Simone Schierle
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jan Heering
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-81377 Munich, Germany
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43
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Wang Y, Li C, Zhang Y, Zha X, Zhang H, Hu Z, Wu C. Aberrant mTOR/autophagy/Nurr1 signaling is critical for TSC-associated tumor development. Biochem Cell Biol 2021; 99:570-577. [PMID: 34463540 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2021-0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), an inherited neurocutaneous disease, is caused by mutations in either the TSC1 or TSC2 gene. This genetic disorder is characterized by the growth of benign tumors in the brain, kidneys, and other organs. As a member of the orphan nuclear receptor family, nuclear receptor related 1 (Nurr1) plays a vital role in some neuropathological diseases and several types of benign or malignant tumors. Here, we explored the potential regulatory role of TSC1/2 signaling in Nurr1 and the effect of Nurr1 in TSC-related tumors. We found that Nurr1 expression was drastically decreased by the disruption of the TSC1/2 complex in Tsc2-null cells, genetically modified mouse models of TSC, cortical tubers of TSC patients, and kidney tumor tissue obtained from a TSC patient. Deficient TSC1/2 complex downregulated Nurr1 expression in an mTOR-dependent manner. Moreover, hyperactivation of mTOR reduced Nurr1 expression via suppression of autophagy. In addition, Nurr1 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation and suppressed cell cycle progression. Therefore, TSC/mTOR/autophagy/Nurr1 signaling is partially responsible for the tumorigenesis of TSC. Taken together, Nurr1 may be a novel therapeutic target for TSC-associated tumors, and Nurr1 agonists or reagents that induce Nurr1 expression may be used for the treatment of TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Department of Molecular Orthopaedics, Beijing Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Chunjia Li
- Department of Rheumatology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yanzhuo Zhang
- Department of Molecular Orthopaedics, Beijing Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Xiaojun Zha
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China
| | - Hongbing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Zhongdong Hu
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Chengai Wu
- Department of Molecular Orthopaedics, Beijing Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing 100035, China
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44
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Willems S, Zaienne D, Merk D. Targeting Nuclear Receptors in Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation. J Med Chem 2021; 64:9592-9638. [PMID: 34251209 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptors, also known as ligand-activated transcription factors, regulate gene expression upon ligand signals and present as attractive therapeutic targets especially in chronic diseases. Despite the therapeutic relevance of some nuclear receptors in various pathologies, their potential in neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation is insufficiently established. This perspective gathers preclinical and clinical data for a potential role of individual nuclear receptors as future targets in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis, and concomitantly evaluates the level of medicinal chemistry targeting these proteins. Considerable evidence suggests the high promise of ligand-activated transcription factors to counteract neurodegenerative diseases with a particularly high potential of several orphan nuclear receptors. However, potent tools are lacking for orphan receptors, and limited central nervous system exposure or insufficient selectivity also compromises the suitability of well-studied nuclear receptor ligands for functional studies. Medicinal chemistry efforts are needed to develop dedicated high-quality tool compounds for the therapeutic validation of nuclear receptors in neurodegenerative pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Willems
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniel Zaienne
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
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Biegler MT, Cantin LJ, Scarano DL, Jarvis ED. Controlling for activity-dependent genes and behavioral states is critical for determining brain relationships within and across species. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:3206-3221. [PMID: 33855704 PMCID: PMC8205984 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The genetic profile of vertebrate pallia has long driven debate on homology across distantly related clades. Based on an expression profile of the orphan nuclear receptor NR4A2 in mouse and chicken brains, Puelles et al. (The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2016, 524, 665–703) concluded that the avian lateral mesopallium is homologous to the mammalian claustrum, and the medial mesopallium homologous to the insula cortex. They argued that their findings contradict conclusions by Jarvis et al. (The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2013, 521, 3614–3665) and Chen et al. (The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2013, 521, 3666–3701) that the hyperpallium densocellare is instead a mesopallium cell population, and by Suzuki and Hirata (Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, 2014, 8, 783) that the avian mesopallium is homologous to mammalian cortical layers 2/3. Here, we find that NR4A2 is an activity‐dependent gene and cannot be used to determine brain organization or species relationships without considering behavioral state. Activity‐dependent NR4A2 expression has been previously demonstrated in the rodent brain, with the highest induction occurring within the claustrum, amygdala, deep and superficial cortical layers, and hippocampus. In the zebra finch, we find that NR4A2 is constitutively expressed in the arcopallium, but induced in parts of the mesopallium, and in sparse cells within the hyperpallium, depending on animal stimulus or behavioral state. Basal and induced NR4A2 expression patterns do not discount the previously named avian hyperpallium densocellare as dorsal mesopallium and conflict with proposed homology between the avian mesopallium and mammalian claustrum/insula at the exclusion of other brain regions. Broadly, these findings highlight the importance of controlling for behavioral state and neural activity to genetically define brain cell population relationships within and across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Biegler
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lindsey J Cantin
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Danielle L Scarano
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Erich D Jarvis
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
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Kummari E, Guo-Ross SX, Partington HS, Nutter JM, Eells JB. Quantitative Immunohistochemistry to Measure Regional Expression of Nurr1 in the Brain and the Effect of the Nurr1 Heterozygous Genotype. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:563854. [PMID: 33994958 PMCID: PMC8119777 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.563854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor Nurr1 is a member of the steroid hormone nuclear receptor superfamily. Ablation of Nurr1 expression arrests mesencephalic dopamine neuron differentiation while attenuation of Nurr1 in the subiculum and hippocampus impairs learning and memory. Additionally, reduced Nurr1 expression has been reported in patients with Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. In order to better understand the overall function of Nurr1 in the brain, quantitative immunohistochemistry was used to measure cellular Nurr1 protein expression, across Nurr1 immunoreactive neuronal populations. Additionally, neuronal Nurr1 expression levels were compared between different brain regions in wild-type mice (+/+) and Nurr1 heterozygous mice (+/-). Regional Nurr1 protein was also investigated at various time points after a seizure induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). Nurr1 protein is expressed in various regions throughout the brain, however, a wide range of Nurr1 expression levels were observed among various neuronal populations. Neurons in the parietal and temporal cortex (secondary somatosensory, insular, auditory, and temporal association cortex) had the highest relative Nurr1 expression (100%) followed closely by the claustrum/dorsal endopiriform cortex (85%) and then subiculum (76%). Lower Nurr1 protein levels were found in neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area (39%) followed by CA1 (25%) and CA3 (19%) of the hippocampus. Additionally, in the parietal and temporal cortex, two distinct populations of high and medium Nurr1 expressing neurons were observed. Comparisons between +/- and +/+ mice revealed Nurr1 protein was reduced in +/- mice by 27% in the parietal/temporal cortex, 49% in the claustrum/dorsal endopiriform cortex, 25% in the subiculum, 33% in substantia nigra pars compacta, 22% in ventral tegmental area, and 21% in CA1 region of the hippocampus. Based on these data, regional mechanisms appear to exist which can compensate for a loss of a Nurr1 allele. Following a single PTZ-induced seizure, Nurr1 protein in the dentate gyrus peaked around 2 h and returned to baseline by 8 h. Since altered Nurr1 expression has been implicated in neurologic disorders and Nurr1 agonists have showed protective effects, understanding regional protein expression of Nurr1, therefore, is necessary to understand how changes in Nurr1 expression can alter brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangel Kummari
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Shirley X. Guo-Ross
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, United States
| | - Heath S. Partington
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Jennifer Makenzie Nutter
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Jeffrey B. Eells
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
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Ruiz-Sánchez E, Jiménez-Genchi J, Alcántara-Flores YM, Castañeda-González CJ, Aviña-Cervantes CL, Yescas P, del Socorro González-Valadez M, Martínez-Rodríguez N, Ríos-Ortiz A, González-González M, López-Navarro ME, Rojas P. Working memory deficits in schizophrenia are associated with the rs34884856 variant and expression levels of the NR4A2 gene in a sample Mexican population: a case control study. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:86. [PMID: 33563249 PMCID: PMC7871565 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03081-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive functions represent useful endophenotypes to identify the association between genetic variants and schizophrenia. In this sense, the NR4A2 gene has been implicated in schizophrenia and cognition in different animal models and clinical trials. We hypothesized that the NR4A2 gene is associated with working memory performance in schizophrenia. This study aimed to analyze two variants and the expression levels of the NR4A2 gene with susceptibility to schizophrenia, as well as to evaluate whether possession of NR4A2 variants influence the possible correlation between gene expression and working memory performance in schizophrenia. METHODS The current study included 187 schizophrenia patients and 227 controls genotyped for two of the most studied NR4A2 genetic variants in neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. Genotyping was performed using High Resolution Melt and sequencing techniques. In addition, mRNA expression of NR4A2 was performed in peripheral mononuclear cells of 112 patients and 118 controls. A group of these participants, 54 patients and 87 controls, performed the working memory index of the WAIS III test. RESULTS Both genotypic frequencies of the two variants and expression levels of the NR4A2 gene showed no significant difference when in patients versus controls. However, patients homozygous for the rs34884856 promoter variant showed a positive correlation between expression levels and auditory working memory. CONCLUSIONS Our finding suggested that changes in expression levels of the NR4A2 gene could be associated with working memory in schizophrenia depending on patients' genotype in a sample from a Mexican population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Ruiz-Sánchez
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Janet Jiménez-Genchi
- Research Unit, Hospital Psiquiátrico Fray Bernardino Álvarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Yessica M. Alcántara-Flores
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Carlos L. Aviña-Cervantes
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Department of Psychiatry, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Petra Yescas
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Department of Genetics, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Nancy Martínez-Rodríguez
- grid.414757.40000 0004 0633 3412Epidemiology, Endocrinology & Nutrition Research Unit, Hospital Infantil de México “Federico Gómez”, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Antonio Ríos-Ortiz
- Research Unit, Hospital Psiquiátrico Fray Bernardino Álvarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Martha González-González
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Unit of Cognition and Behavior, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - María E. López-Navarro
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Patricia Rojas
- Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, "Manuel Velasco Suárez", SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Activation of Nurr1 with Amodiaquine Protected Neuron and Alleviated Neuroinflammation after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rats. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1155/2021/6669787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background. Nurr1, a member of the nuclear receptor 4A family (NR4A), played a role in neuron protection, anti-inflammation, and antioxidative stress in multidiseases. We explored the role of Nurr1 on subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) progression and investigated the feasibility of its agonist (amodiaquine, AQ) as a treatment for SAH. Methods. SAH rat models were constructed by the endovascular perforation technique. AQ was administered intraperitoneally at 2 hours after SAH induction. SAH grade, mortality, weight loss, neurological performance tests, brain water content, western blot, immunofluorescence, Nissl staining, and qPCR were assessed post-SAH. In vitro, hemin was introduced into HT22 cells to develop a model of SAH. Results. Stimulation of Nurr1 with AQ improved the outcomes and attenuated brain edema. Nurr1 was mainly expressed in neuron, and administration of AQ alleviated neuron injury in vivo and enhanced the neuron viability and inhibited neuron apoptosis and necrosis in vitro. Besides, AQ reduced the amount of IL-1β+Iba-1+ cells and inhibited the mRNA level of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and the M1-like phenotype markers (CD68 and CD86). AQ inhibited the expression of MMP9 in HT22 cells. Furthermore, AQ reduced the expression of nuclear NF-κB and Nurr1 while increased cytoplasmic Nurr1 in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion. Pharmacological activation of Nurr1 with AQ alleviated the neuron injury and neuroinflammation. The mechanism of antineuroinflammation may be associated with the Nurr1/NF-κB/MMP9 pathway in the neuron. The data supported that AQ might be a promising treatment strategy for SAH.
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Potent synthetic and endogenous ligands for the adopted orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1. Exp Mol Med 2021; 53:19-29. [PMID: 33479411 PMCID: PMC8080818 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-021-00555-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Until recently, Nurr1 (NR4A2) was known as an orphan nuclear receptor without a canonical ligand-binding domain, featuring instead a narrow and tight cavity for small molecular ligands to bind. In-depth characterization of its ligand-binding pocket revealed that it is highly dynamic, with its structural conformation changing more than twice on the microsecond-to-millisecond timescale. This observation suggests the possibility that certain ligands are able to squeeze into this narrow space, inducing a conformational change to create an accessible cavity. The cocrystallographic structure of Nurr1 bound to endogenous ligands such as prostaglandin E1/A1 and 5,6-dihydroxyindole contributed to clarifying the crucial roles of Nurr1 and opening new avenues for therapeutic interventions for neurodegenerative and/or inflammatory diseases related to Nurr1. This review introduces novel endogenous and synthetic Nurr1 agonists and discusses their potential effects in Nurr1-related diseases.
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Munoz-Tello P, Lin H, Khan P, de Vera IMS, Kamenecka TM, Kojetin DJ. Assessment of NR4A Ligands That Directly Bind and Modulate the Orphan Nuclear Receptor Nurr1. J Med Chem 2020; 63:15639-15654. [PMID: 33289551 PMCID: PMC8006468 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Nurr1/NR4A2 is an orphan nuclear receptor transcription factor implicated as a drug target for neurological disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Previous studies identified small-molecule NR4A nuclear receptor modulators, but it remains unclear if these ligands affect transcription via direct binding to Nurr1. We assessed 12 ligands reported to affect NR4A activity for Nurr1-dependent and Nurr1-independent transcriptional effects and the ability to bind the Nurr1 ligand-binding domain (LBD). Protein NMR structural footprinting data show that amodiaquine, chloroquine, and cytosporone B bind the Nurr1 LBD; ligands that do not bind include C-DIM12, celastrol, camptothecin, IP7e, isoalantolactone, ethyl 2-[2,3,4-trimethoxy-6-(1-octanoyl)phenyl]acetate (TMPA), and three high-throughput screening hit derivatives. Importantly, ligands that modulate Nurr1 transcription also show Nurr1-independent effects on transcription in a cell type-specific manner, indicating that care should be taken when interpreting the functional response of these ligands in transcriptional assays. These findings should help focus medicinal chemistry efforts that desire to optimize Nurr1-binding ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Munoz-Tello
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Hua Lin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA
| | - Pasha Khan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA
| | - Ian Mitchelle S. de Vera
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Theodore M. Kamenecka
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA
| | - Douglas J. Kojetin
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA
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