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Thiankhaw K, Chattipakorn N, Chattipakorn SC. How calcineurin inhibitors affect cognition. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024; 240:e14161. [PMID: 38747643 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
AIMS With a focus on the discrepancy between preclinical and clinical findings, this review will gather comprehensive information about the effects of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) on cognitive function and related brain pathology from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. We also summarize the potential mechanisms that underlie the pathways related to CNI-induced cognitive impairment. METHODS We systematically searched articles in PubMed using keywords 'calcineurin inhibitor*' and 'cognition' to identify related articles, which the final list pertaining to underlying mechanisms of CNI on cognition. RESULTS Several studies have reported an association between calcineurin and the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is the most common neurocognitive disorder associated with amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, leading to cognitive impairment. CNI, including tacrolimus and cyclosporin A, are commonly prescribed for patients with transplantation of solid organs such as kidney, liver, or heart, those drugs are currently being used as long-term immunosuppressive therapy. Although preclinical models emphasize the favorable effects of CNI on the restoration of brain pathology due to the impacts of calcineurin on the alleviation of amyloid-beta deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation, or rescuing synaptic and mitochondrial functions, treatment-related neurotoxicity, resulting in cognitive dysfunctions has been observed in clinical settings of patients who received CNI. CONCLUSION Inconsistent results of CNI on cognition from clinical studies have been observed due to impairment of the blood-brain barrier, neuroinflammation mediated by reactive oxygen species, and alteration in mitochondrial fission, and extended research is required to confirm its promising use in cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitti Thiankhaw
- Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nipon Chattipakorn
- Neurophysiology Unit, Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Siripron C Chattipakorn
- Neurophysiology Unit, Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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2
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Li J, Ye J. Chronic intermittent hypoxia induces cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease mouse model via postsynaptic mechanisms. Sleep Breath 2024; 28:1197-1205. [PMID: 38267641 DOI: 10.1007/s11325-023-02970-6] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly comorbid with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may represent a risk factor for inducing or accelerating cognitive impairment in AD. Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) has been considered to be a predictor of developing cognitive decline and AD. However, the precise underlying mechanisms by which CIH contributes to cognitive impairment remain unknown. In the present study, we examined the effects of CIH on cognition and hippocampal function in APP/PS1 mice, an animal model of AD. METHODS Wild-type (WT) and APP/PS1 mice were subjected to one of the following conditions for 2 weeks: (1) sham condition (continuous room air) or (2) CIH condition. The oxygen concentration of the CIH condition transitioned from 5 to 21%. Behavioral tests, electrophysiological recording, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot were used to assess the effect of CIH on cognitive performance and synaptic plasticity. RESULTS CIH exposure did not affect motor coordination, general locomotor activity, anxiety, or willingness to explore. However, behavioral test results indicated that APP/PS1-CIH mice showed more spatial learning and memory deficits. CIH induced long-term potentiation (LTP) dysfunction of the hippocampus in WT mice. These effects were aggravated in APP/PS1 mice. The N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) NR1 subunit and postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95) in the hippocampus of WT and APP/PS1 mice were downregulated. CONCLUSIONS These findings showed that a postsynaptic mechanism was involved in the effect of CIH on cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102218, China
| | - Jingying Ye
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102218, China.
- Institute for Precision Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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3
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Noche JA, Radhakrishnan H, Ubele MF, Boaz K, Mefford JL, Jones ED, van Rooyen HY, Perpich JA, McCarty K, Meacham B, Smiley J, Bembenek Bailey SA, Puskás LG, Powell DK, Sordo L, Phelan MJ, Norris CM, Head E, Stark CEL. Age-Related Brain Atrophy and the Positive Effects of Behavioral Enrichment in Middle-Aged Beagles. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2366232024. [PMID: 38561226 PMCID: PMC11097262 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2366-23.2024] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging dogs serve as a valuable preclinical model for Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to their natural age-related development of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, human-like metabolism, and large brains that are ideal for studying structural brain aging trajectories from serial neuroimaging. Here we examined the effects of chronic treatment with the calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) tacrolimus or the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-inhibiting compound Q134R on age-related canine brain atrophy from a longitudinal study in middle-aged beagles (36 females, 7 males) undergoing behavioral enrichment. Annual MRI was analyzed using modern, automated techniques for region-of-interest-based and voxel-based volumetric assessments. We found that the frontal lobe showed accelerated atrophy with age, while the caudate nucleus remained relatively stable. Remarkably, the hippocampus increased in volume in all dogs. None of these changes were influenced by tacrolimus or Q134R treatment. Our results suggest that behavioral enrichment can prevent atrophy and increase the volume of the hippocampus but does not prevent aging-associated prefrontal cortex atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hamsanandini Radhakrishnan
- University of California, Irvine, California 92697
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | | | - Kathy Boaz
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | | | - Erin D Jones
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lorena Sordo
- University of California, Irvine, California 92697
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Kraner SD, Sompol P, Prateeptrang S, Promkan M, Hongthong S, Thongsopha N, Nelson PT, Norris CM. Development of a monoclonal antibody specific for a calpain-generated ∆48 kDa calcineurin fragment, a marker of distressed astrocytes. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 402:110012. [PMID: 37984591 PMCID: PMC10841921 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.110012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Calcineurin (CN) is a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase. In healthy tissue, CN exists mainly as a full-length (∼60 kDa) highly-regulated protein phosphatase involved in essential cellular functions. However, in diseased or injured tissue, CN is proteolytically converted to a constitutively active fragment that has been causatively-linked to numerous pathophysiologic processes. These calpain-cleaved CN fragments (∆CN) appear at high levels in human brain at early stages of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). NEW METHOD We developed a monoclonal antibody to ∆CN, using an immunizing peptide corresponding to the C-terminal end of the ∆CN fragment. RESULTS We obtained a mouse monoclonal antibody, designated 26A6, that selectively detects ∆CN in Western analysis of calpain-cleaved recombinant human CN. Using this antibody, we screened both pathological and normal human brain sections provided by the University of Kentucky's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. 26A6 showed low reactivity towards normal brain tissue, but detected astrocytes both surrounding AD amyloid plaques and throughout AD brain tissue. In brain tissue with infarcts, there was considerable concentration of 26A6-positive astrocytes within/around infarcts, suggesting a link with anoxic/ischemia pathways. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD The results obtained with the new monoclonal are similar to those obtained with a polyclonal we had previously developed. However, the monoclonal is an abundant tool available to the dementia research community. CONCLUSIONS The new monoclonal 26A6 antibody is highly selective for the ∆CN proteolytic fragment and labels a subset of astrocytes, and could be a useful tool for marking insidious brain pathology and identifying novel astrocyte phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pradoldej Sompol
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Siriyagon Prateeptrang
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, USA; School of Allied Health Science, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | - Moltira Promkan
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, USA; Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Suthida Hongthong
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, USA; School of Allied Health Science, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | - Napasorn Thongsopha
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, USA; School of Allied Health Science, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Christopher M Norris
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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Mackiewicz J, Lisek M, Boczek T. Targeting CaN/NFAT in Alzheimer's brain degeneration. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1281882. [PMID: 38077352 PMCID: PMC10701682 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1281882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of cognitive functions. While the exact causes of this debilitating disorder remain elusive, numerous investigations have characterized its two core pathologies: the presence of β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Additionally, multiple studies of postmortem brain tissue, as well as results from AD preclinical models, have consistently demonstrated the presence of a sustained inflammatory response. As the persistent immune response is associated with neurodegeneration, it became clear that it may also exacerbate other AD pathologies, providing a link between the initial deposition of β-amyloid plaques and the later development of neurofibrillary tangles. Initially discovered in T cells, the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) is one of the main transcription factors driving the expression of inflammatory genes and thus regulating immune responses. NFAT-dependent production of inflammatory mediators is controlled by Ca2+-dependent protein phosphatase calcineurin (CaN), which dephosphorylates NFAT and promotes its transcriptional activity. A substantial body of evidence has demonstrated that aberrant CaN/NFAT signaling is linked to several pathologies observed in AD, including neuronal apoptosis, synaptic deficits, and glia activation. In view of this, the role of NFAT isoforms in AD has been linked to disease progression at different stages, some of which are paralleled to diminished cognitive status. The use of classical inhibitors of CaN/NFAT signaling, such as tacrolimus or cyclosporine, or adeno-associated viruses to specifically inhibit astrocytic NFAT activation, has alleviated some symptoms of AD by diminishing β-amyloid neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation. In this article, we discuss the recent findings related to the contribution of CaN/NFAT signaling to the progression of AD and highlight the possible benefits of targeting this pathway in AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tomasz Boczek
- Department of Molecular Neurochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
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Sompol P, Gollihue JL, Weiss BE, Lin RL, Case SL, Kraner SD, Weekman EM, Gant JC, Rogers CB, Niedowicz DM, Sudduth TL, Powell DK, Lin AL, Nelson PT, Thibault O, Wilcock DM, Norris CM. Targeting Astrocyte Signaling Alleviates Cerebrovascular and Synaptic Function Deficits in a Diet-Based Mouse Model of Small Cerebral Vessel Disease. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1797-1813. [PMID: 36746627 PMCID: PMC10010459 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1333-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the indispensable role that astrocytes play in the neurovascular unit, few studies have investigated the functional impact of astrocyte signaling in cognitive decline and dementia related to vascular pathology. Diet-mediated induction of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) recapitulates numerous features of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). Here, we used astrocyte targeting approaches to evaluate astrocyte Ca2+ dysregulation and the impact of aberrant astrocyte signaling on cerebrovascular dysfunction and synapse impairment in male and female HHcy diet mice. Two-photon imaging conducted in fully awake mice revealed activity-dependent Ca2+ dysregulation in barrel cortex astrocytes under HHcy. Stimulation of contralateral whiskers elicited larger Ca2+ transients in individual astrocytes of HHcy diet mice compared with control diet mice. However, evoked Ca2+ signaling across astrocyte networks was impaired in HHcy mice. HHcy also was associated with increased activation of the Ca2+/calcineurin-dependent transcription factor NFAT4, which has been linked previously to the reactive astrocyte phenotype and synapse dysfunction in amyloid and brain injury models. Targeting the NFAT inhibitor VIVIT to astrocytes, using adeno-associated virus vectors, led to reduced GFAP promoter activity in HHcy diet mice and improved functional hyperemia in arterioles and capillaries. VIVIT expression in astrocytes also preserved CA1 synaptic function and improved spontaneous alternation performance on the Y maze. Together, the results demonstrate that aberrant astrocyte signaling can impair the major functional properties of the neurovascular unit (i.e., cerebral vessel regulation and synaptic regulation) and may therefore represent a promising drug target for treating VCID and possibly Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The impact of reactive astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is poorly understood. Here, we evaluated Ca2+ responses and signaling in barrel cortex astrocytes of mice fed with a B-vitamin deficient diet that induces hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), cerebral vessel disease, and cognitive decline. Multiphoton imaging in awake mice with HHcy revealed augmented Ca2+ responses in individual astrocytes, but impaired signaling across astrocyte networks. Stimulation-evoked arteriole dilation and elevated red blood cell velocity in capillaries were also impaired in cortex of awake HHcy mice. Astrocyte-specific inhibition of the Ca2+-dependent transcription factor, NFAT, normalized cerebrovascular function in HHcy mice, improved synaptic properties in brain slices, and stabilized cognition. Results suggest that astrocytes are a mechanism and possible therapeutic target for vascular-related dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradoldej Sompol
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | | | - Blaine E Weiss
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | - Ruei-Lung Lin
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | - Sami L Case
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | | | | | - John C Gant
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | | | | | | | | | - Ai-Ling Lin
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Pathology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Olivier Thibault
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | | | - Christopher M Norris
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
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Norris CM. Is It Time to Repurpose Calcineurin Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia? J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 95:599-602. [PMID: 37661889 PMCID: PMC10947791 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230780] [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] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Numerous preclinical and human tissue studies implicate the protein phosphatase calcineurin (CN) as a pathophysiologic mechanism in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative conditions. Using public electronic records of tens of thousands of individuals across the United States, Silva et al. (2023) show that use of the FDA-approved CN inhibitor, tacrolimus (for purposes of immunosuppression) is also associated with reduced prevalence of dementia-related symptoms. Notably, the study controls for age, sex, and race as well as multiple risk factors for AD. The results suggest that tacrolimus, and possibly other immunosuppressants could be repurposed for the treatment of AD-related dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Norris
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
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8
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Xing ZK, Du LS, Fang X, Liang H, Zhang SN, Shi L, Kuang CX, Han TX, Yang Q. The relationship among amyloid-β deposition, sphingomyelin level, and the expression and function of P-glycoprotein in Alzheimer's disease pathological process. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1300-1307. [PMID: 36453415 PMCID: PMC9838140 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.358607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, the transporter P-glycoprotein is responsible for the clearance of amyloid-β in the brain. Amyloid-β correlates with the sphingomyelin metabolism, and sphingomyelin participates in the regulation of P-glycoprotein. The amyloid cascade hypothesis describes amyloid-β as the central cause of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. Better understanding of the change of P-glycoprotein and sphingomyelin along with amyloid-β and their potential association in the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease is critical. Herein, we found that the expression of P-glycoprotein in APP/PS1 mice tended to increase with age and was significantly higher at 9 and 12 months of age than that in wild-type mice at comparable age. The functionality of P-glycoprotein of APP/PS1 mice did not change with age but was significantly lower than that of wild-type mice at 12 months of age. Decreased sphingomyelin levels, increased ceramide levels, and the increased expression and activity of neutral sphingomyelinase 1 were observed in APP/PS1 mice at 9 and 12 months of age compared with the levels in wild-type mice. Similar results were observed in the Alzheimer's disease mouse model induced by intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid-β1-42 and human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells treated with amyloid-β1-42. In human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, neutral sphingomyelinase 1 inhibitor interfered with the changes of sphingomyelin metabolism and P-glycoprotein expression and functionality caused by amyloid-β1-42 treatment. Neutral sphingomyelinase 1 regulated the expression and functionality of P-glycoprotein and the levels of sphingomyelin and ceramide. Together, these findings indicate that neutral sphingomyelinase 1 regulates the expression and function of P-glycoprotein via the sphingomyelin/ceramide pathway. These studies may serve as new pursuits for the development of anti-Alzheimer's disease drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Kang Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Sha Du
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Heng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng-Nan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chun-Xiang Kuang
- Shanghai Key Lab of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian-Xiong Han
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Correspondence to: Qing Yang, .
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9
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Sompol P, Gollihue JL, Kraner SD, Artiushin IA, Cloyd RA, Chishti EA, Koren SA, Nation GK, Abisambra JF, Huzian O, Nagy LI, Santha M, Hackler L, Puskas LG, Norris CM. Q134R: Small chemical compound with NFAT inhibitory properties improves behavioral performance and synapse function in mouse models of amyloid pathology. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13416. [PMID: 34117818 PMCID: PMC8282246 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of the protein phosphatase calcineurin (CN) ameliorates pathophysiologic and cognitive changes in aging rodents and mice with aging-related Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like pathology. However, concerns over adverse effects have slowed the transition of common CN-inhibiting drugs to the clinic for the treatment of AD and AD-related disorders. Targeting substrates of CN, like the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFATs), has been suggested as an alternative, safer approach to CN inhibitors. However, small chemical inhibitors of NFATs have only rarely been described. Here, we investigate a newly developed neuroprotective hydroxyquinoline derivative (Q134R) that suppresses NFAT signaling, without inhibiting CN activity. Q134R partially inhibited NFAT activity in primary rat astrocytes, but did not prevent CN-mediated dephosphorylation of a non-NFAT target, either in vivo, or in vitro. Acute (≤1 week) oral delivery of Q134R to APP/PS1 (12 months old) or wild-type mice (3-4 months old) infused with oligomeric Aβ peptides led to improved Y maze performance. Chronic (≥3 months) oral delivery of Q134R appeared to be safe, and, in fact, promoted survival in wild-type (WT) mice when given for many months beyond middle age. Finally, chronic delivery of Q134R to APP/PS1 mice during the early stages of amyloid pathology (i.e., between 6 and 9 months) tended to reduce signs of glial reactivity, prevented the upregulation of astrocytic NFAT4, and ameliorated deficits in synaptic strength and plasticity, without noticeably altering parenchymal Aβ plaque pathology. The results suggest that Q134R is a promising drug for treating AD and aging-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradoldej Sompol
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Jenna L. Gollihue
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Susan D. Kraner
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Irina A. Artiushin
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Ryan A. Cloyd
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Emad A. Chishti
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Shon A. Koren
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Grant K. Nation
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Jose F. Abisambra
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher M. Norris
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
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