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Nittari G, Roy P, Martinelli I, Bellitto V, Tomassoni D, Traini E, Tayebati SK, Amenta F. Rodent Models of Huntington's Disease: An Overview. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3331. [PMID: 38137552 PMCID: PMC10741199 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11123331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant inherited neurological disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the IT15 gene. This neurodegenerative disorder is caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion mutation in the widely expressed huntingtin (HTT) protein. HD is characterized by the degeneration of basal ganglia neurons and progressive cell death in intrinsic neurons of the striatum, accompanied by dementia and involuntary abnormal choreiform movements. Animal models have been extensively studied and have proven to be extremely valuable for therapeutic target evaluations. They reveal the hallmark of the age-dependent formation of aggregates or inclusions consisting of misfolded proteins. Animal models of HD have provided a therapeutic strategy to treat HD by suppressing mutant HTT (mHTT). Transgenic animal models have significantly increased our understanding of the molecular processes and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the HD behavioral phenotype. Since effective therapies to cure or interrupt the course of the disease are not yet available, clinical research will have to make use of reliable animal models. This paper reviews the main studies of rodents as HD animal models, highlighting the neurological and behavioral differences between them. The choice of an animal model depends on the specific aspect of the disease to be investigated. Toxin-based models can still be useful, but most experimental hypotheses depend on success in a genetic model, whose choice is determined by the experimental question. There are many animal models showing similar HD symptoms or pathologies. They include chemical-induced HDs and genetic HDs, where cell-free and cell culture, lower organisms (such as yeast, Drosophila, C. elegans, zebrafish), rodents (mice, rats), and non-human primates are involved. These models provide accessible systems to study molecular pathogenesis and test potential treatments. For developing more effective pharmacological treatments, better animal models must be available and used to evaluate the efficacy of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Nittari
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Proshanta Roy
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Ilenia Martinelli
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Vincenzo Bellitto
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Daniele Tomassoni
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino, Italy;
| | - Enea Traini
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Seyed Khosrow Tayebati
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Francesco Amenta
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
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Jiang A, Handley RR, Lehnert K, Snell RG. From Pathogenesis to Therapeutics: A Review of 150 Years of Huntington's Disease Research. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13021. [PMID: 37629202 PMCID: PMC10455900 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241613021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative genetic disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine-coding (CAG) trinucleotide repeat in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. HD behaves as a highly penetrant dominant disorder likely acting through a toxic gain of function by the mutant huntingtin protein. Widespread cellular degeneration of the medium spiny neurons of the caudate nucleus and putamen are responsible for the onset of symptomology that encompasses motor, cognitive, and behavioural abnormalities. Over the past 150 years of HD research since George Huntington published his description, a plethora of pathogenic mechanisms have been proposed with key themes including excitotoxicity, dopaminergic imbalance, mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic defects, disruption of proteostasis, transcriptional dysregulation, and neuroinflammation. Despite the identification and characterisation of the causative gene and mutation and significant advances in our understanding of the cellular pathology in recent years, a disease-modifying intervention has not yet been clinically approved. This review includes an overview of Huntington's disease, from its genetic aetiology to clinical presentation and its pathogenic manifestation. An updated view of molecular mechanisms and the latest therapeutic developments will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Jiang
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand; (R.R.H.); (K.L.); (R.G.S.)
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Environmental stimulation in Huntington disease patients and animal models. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 171:105725. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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C57BL/6 Background Attenuates mHTT Toxicity in the Striatum of YAC128 Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312664. [PMID: 34884469 PMCID: PMC8657915 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse models are frequently used to study Huntington’s disease (HD). The onset and severity of neuronal and behavioral pathologies vary greatly between HD mouse models, which results from different huntingtin expression levels and different CAG repeat length. HD pathology appears to depend also on the strain background of mouse models. Thus, behavioral deficits of HD mice are more severe in the FVB than in the C57BL/6 background. Alterations in medium spiny neuron (MSN) morphology and function have been well documented in young YAC128 mice in the FVB background. Here, we tested the relevance of strain background for mutant huntingtin (mHTT) toxicity on the cellular level by investigating HD pathologies in YAC128 mice in the C57BL/6 background (YAC128/BL6). Morphology, spine density, synapse function and membrane properties were not or only subtly altered in MSNs of 12-month-old YAC128/BL6 mice. Despite the mild cellular phenotype, YAC128/BL6 mice showed deficits in motor performance. More pronounced alterations in MSN function were found in the HdhQ150 mouse model in the C57BL/6 background (HdhQ150/BL6). Consistent with the differences in HD pathology, the number of inclusion bodies was considerably lower in YAC128/BL6 mice than HdhQ150/BL6 mice. This study highlights the relevance of strain background for mHTT toxicity in HD mouse models.
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Liu CW, Liao KH, Wu CM, Chen HY, Wang EY, Lai TW. Stroke injury induced by distal middle cerebral artery occlusion is resistant to N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonism in FVB/NJ mice. Neuroreport 2021; 32:1122-1127. [PMID: 34284452 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Although N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonism has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect in many preclinical stroke models, the efficacy of this antiexcitotoxicity strategy in clinical trials in stroke patients has been disappointing. Interestingly, it has been reported that NMDAR antagonism is not neuroprotective in C57BL/6 mice subjected to distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO), supporting the notion that whether these treatments are neuroprotective depends on the type of cerebral ischemia. However, because C57BL/6 mice are inherently resistant to excitotoxicity, the reported lack of neuroprotection could also be explained by the difference in the mouse strain studied rather than the stroke model used. Here we examined the neuroprotective efficacy of NMDAR antagonism in FVB/NJ mice, an excitotoxicity-prone mouse strain, subjected to dMCAO. Although C57BL/6 mice are known to have an excitotoxicity-resistant genetic background and FVB/NJ mice are known to have an excitotoxicity-prone genetic background, the infarct volume and density of neurodegenerating neurons were similar in the two mouse strains following dMCAO. In addition, none of the antiexcitotoxicity agents studied, including the canonical NMDAR antagonist MK801 and the therapeutic peptides Tat-NR2B9c and L-JNKI-1, protected the FVB/NJ mouse brain against ischemic damage induced by dMCAO. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that FVB/NJ mice are no more susceptible to cerebral ischemia than C57BL/6 mice and that NMDAR antagonism is ineffective in mice, even in an excitotoxicity-prone strain, subjected to dMCAO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Wei Liu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei
| | - Kate Hsiurong Liao
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University
- Department of Anesthesiology, China Medical University Hospital
| | | | - Hsiao-Yun Chen
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University
| | | | - Ted Weita Lai
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University
- Drug Development Center, China Medical University
- Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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Troncoso-Escudero P, Sepulveda D, Pérez-Arancibia R, Parra AV, Arcos J, Grunenwald F, Vidal RL. On the Right Track to Treat Movement Disorders: Promising Therapeutic Approaches for Parkinson's and Huntington's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:571185. [PMID: 33101007 PMCID: PMC7497570 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.571185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Movement disorders are neurological conditions in which patients manifest a diverse range of movement impairments. Distinct structures within the basal ganglia of the brain, an area involved in movement regulation, are differentially affected for every disease. Among the most studied movement disorder conditions are Parkinson's (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD), in which the deregulation of the movement circuitry due to the loss of specific neuronal populations in basal ganglia is the underlying cause of motor symptoms. These symptoms are due to the loss principally of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra (SN) par compacta and the GABAergic neurons of the striatum in PD and HD, respectively. Although these diseases were described in the 19th century, no effective treatment can slow down, reverse, or stop disease progression. Available pharmacological therapies have been focused on preventing or alleviating motor symptoms to improve the quality of life of patients, but these drugs are not able to mitigate the progressive neurodegeneration. Currently, considerable therapeutic advances have been achieved seeking a more efficacious and durable therapeutic effect. Here, we will focus on the new advances of several therapeutic approaches for PD and HD, starting with the available pharmacological treatments to alleviate the motor symptoms in both diseases. Then, we describe therapeutic strategies that aim to restore specific neuronal populations or their activity. Among the discussed strategies, the use of Neurotrophic factors (NTFs) and genetic approaches to prevent the neuronal loss in these diseases will be described. We will highlight strategies that have been evaluated in both Parkinson's and Huntington's patients, and also the ones with strong preclinical evidence. These current therapeutic techniques represent the most promising tools for the safe treatment of both diseases, specifically those aimed to avoid neuronal loss during disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Troncoso-Escudero
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health, and Metabolism, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Denisse Sepulveda
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health, and Metabolism, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Pérez-Arancibia
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health, and Metabolism, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alejandra V. Parra
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health, and Metabolism, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera Arcos
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health, and Metabolism, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Grunenwald
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health, and Metabolism, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rene L. Vidal
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health, and Metabolism, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Braidy N, Berg J, Clement J, Khorshidi F, Poljak A, Jayasena T, Grant R, Sachdev P. Role of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and Related Precursors as Therapeutic Targets for Age-Related Degenerative Diseases: Rationale, Biochemistry, Pharmacokinetics, and Outcomes. Antioxid Redox Signal 2019; 30:251-294. [PMID: 29634344 PMCID: PMC6277084 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2017.7269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Significance: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is an essential pyridine nucleotide that serves as an essential cofactor and substrate for a number of critical cellular processes involved in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP production, DNA repair, epigenetically modulated gene expression, intracellular calcium signaling, and immunological functions. NAD+ depletion may occur in response to either excessive DNA damage due to free radical or ultraviolet attack, resulting in significant poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation and a high turnover and subsequent depletion of NAD+, and/or chronic immune activation and inflammatory cytokine production resulting in accelerated CD38 activity and decline in NAD+ levels. Recent studies have shown that enhancing NAD+ levels can profoundly reduce oxidative cell damage in catabolic tissue, including the brain. Therefore, promotion of intracellular NAD+ anabolism represents a promising therapeutic strategy for age-associated degenerative diseases in general, and is essential to the effective realization of multiple benefits of healthy sirtuin activity. The kynurenine pathway represents the de novo NAD+ synthesis pathway in mammalian cells. NAD+ can also be produced by the NAD+ salvage pathway. Recent Advances: In this review, we describe and discuss recent insights regarding the efficacy and benefits of the NAD+ precursors, nicotinamide (NAM), nicotinic acid (NA), nicotinamide riboside (NR), and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), in attenuating NAD+ decline in degenerative disease states and physiological aging. Critical Issues: Results obtained in recent years have shown that NAD+ precursors can play important protective roles in several diseases. However, in some cases, these precursors may vary in their ability to enhance NAD+ synthesis via their location in the NAD+ anabolic pathway. Increased synthesis of NAD+ promotes protective cell responses, further demonstrating that NAD+ is a regulatory molecule associated with several biochemical pathways. Future Directions: In the next few years, the refinement of personalized therapy for the use of NAD+ precursors and improved detection methodologies allowing the administration of specific NAD+ precursors in the context of patients' NAD+ levels will lead to a better understanding of the therapeutic role of NAD+ precursors in human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nady Braidy
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jade Berg
- Australasian Research Institute, Sydney Adventist Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Fatemeh Khorshidi
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anne Poljak
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tharusha Jayasena
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ross Grant
- Australasian Research Institute, Sydney Adventist Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Perminder Sachdev
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Neuropsychiatric Institute, Euroa Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia
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Rutin as a Potent Antioxidant: Implications for Neurodegenerative Disorders. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2018; 2018:6241017. [PMID: 30050657 PMCID: PMC6040293 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6241017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
A wide range of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and prion diseases, share common mechanisms such as neuronal loss, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Intervention strategies using plant-derived bioactive compounds have been offered as a form of treatment for these debilitating conditions, as there are currently no remedies to prevent, reverse, or halt the progression of neuronal loss. Rutin, a glycoside of the flavonoid quercetin, is found in many plants and fruits, especially buckwheat, apricots, cherries, grapes, grapefruit, plums, and oranges. Pharmacological studies have reported the beneficial effects of rutin in many disease conditions, and its therapeutic potential in several models of NDs has created considerable excitement. Here, we have summarized the current knowledge on the neuroprotective mechanisms of rutin in various experimental models of NDs. The mechanisms of action reviewed in this article include reduction of proinflammatory cytokines, improved antioxidant enzyme activities, activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, downregulation of mRNA expression of PD-linked and proapoptotic genes, upregulation of the ion transport and antiapoptotic genes, and restoration of the activities of mitochondrial complex enzymes. Taken together, these findings suggest that rutin may be a promising neuroprotective compound for the treatment of NDs.
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Strong MK, Southwell AL, Yonan JM, Hayden MR, Macgregor GR, Thompson LM, Steward O. Age-Dependent Resistance to Excitotoxicity in Htt CAG140 Mice and the Effect of Strain Background. J Huntingtons Dis 2016; 1:221-41. [PMID: 23833693 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-129005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Mouse strain background can influence vulnerability to excitotoxic neuronal cell death and potentially modulate phenotypes in transgenic mouse models of human disease. Evidence supports a contribution of excitotoxicity to the selective death of medium spiny neurons in Huntington's disease (HD). Here, we assess whether strain differences in excitotoxic vulnerability influence striatal cell death in a knock-in mouse model of HD. Previous studies that evaluated resistance to excitotoxic lesions in several mouse models of HD had variable outcomes. In the present study, we directly compare one model on two different background strains to test the contribution of strain to excitotoxicity-mediated neurodegeneration. Mice of the FVB/N strain, which are highly vulnerable to excitotoxicity, become extremely resistant to quinolinic acid-induced striatal neurodegeneration with age, when carrying a huntingtin (Htt) allele expressing a HD transgene (CAG140). The resistance is much greater than the age-dependent resistance that has been previously reported in YAC128 mice. By 12 months of age, both heterozygous and homozygous FVB.CAG140 mice displayed virtually complete resistance to quinolinic acid-induced striatal neurodegeneration. A similar resistance develops in CAG140 mice on a C57BL/6N background although the effect size is smaller because C57BL/6N mice are already resistant due to genetic background. In a direct comparison with the YAC128 mice, FVB.CAG140 mice have greater resistance. FVB.CAG140 mice are also resistant to neurodegeneration following kainic acid-induced status epilepticus suggesting the existence of a common cellular mechanism that provides protection against multiple types of excitotoxic insult. These findings establish FVB.CAG140 mice as a useful model to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that confer neuroprotection against excitotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa K Strong
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Weng YH, Chen CY, Lin KJ, Chen YL, Yeh TH, Hsiao IT, Chen IJ, Lu CS, Wang HL. (R1441C) LRRK2 induces the degeneration of SN dopaminergic neurons and alters the expression of genes regulating neuronal survival in a transgenic mouse model. Exp Neurol 2015; 275 Pt 1:104-15. [PMID: 26363496 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Mutation of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is the most common genetic cause of both familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) cases. Several mutations in LRRK2 gene were reported in PD patients. R1441 is the second most frequent site of LRRK2 mutation. We generated (R1441C) LRRK2 transgenic mice that displayed motor deficits at the age of 16 months. Compared with wild-type mice, 16-month-old (R1441C) LRRK2 mice exhibited a significant reduction in the number of substantia nigra (SN) dopaminergic neurons. To elucidate molecular pathogenic pathways involved in (R1441C) LRRK2-induced death of SN dopaminergic neurons, we performed microarray analysis to visualize altered mRNA expressions in the SN of (R1441C) LRRK2 mouse. In the SN of (R1441C) LRRK2 transgenic mouse, the mRNA expression of three genes that promote cell death was upregulated, while the mRNA expression of seven genes that contribute to neurogenesis/neuroprotection was significantly downregulated. Our results suggest that altered expression of these genes involved in regulating neuronal survival may contribute to the pathogenesis of (R1441C) LRRK2-induced PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hsin Weng
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chu-Yu Chen
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Kun-Jun Lin
- Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ying-Ling Chen
- Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tu-Hsueh Yeh
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ing-Tsung Hsiao
- Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ing-Jou Chen
- Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chin-Song Lu
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hung-Li Wang
- Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.
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Immediate Epileptogenesis after Kainate-Induced Status Epilepticus in C57BL/6J Mice: Evidence from Long Term Continuous Video-EEG Telemetry. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131705. [PMID: 26161754 PMCID: PMC4498886 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The C57BL/6J mouse as a model of seizure/epilepsy is challenging due to high mortality and huge variability in response to kainate. We have recently demonstrated that repeated administration of a low dose of kainate by intraperitoneal route can induce severe status epilepticus (SE) with 94% survival rate. In the present study, based on continuous video-EEG recording for 4-18 weeks from epidurally implanted electrodes on the cortex, we demonstrate that this method also induces immediate epileptogenesis (<1-5 days post-SE). This finding was based on identification of two types of spontaneous recurrent seizures; behavioral convulsive seizures (CS) and electrographic nonconvulsive seizures (NCS). The identification of the spontaneous CS, stage 3-5 types, was based on the behaviors (video) that were associated with the EEG characteristics (stage 3-5 epileptiform spikes), the power spectrum, and the activity counts. The electrographic NCS identification was based on the stage 1-2 epileptiform spike clusters on the EEG and their associated power spectrum. Severe SE induced immediate epileptogenesis in all the mice. The maximum numbers of spontaneous CS were observed during the first 4-6 weeks of the SE and they decreased thereafter. Mild SE also induced immediate epileptogenesis in some mice but the CS were less frequent. In both the severe and the mild SE groups, the spontaneous electrographic NCS persisted throughout the 18 weeks observation period, and therefore this could serve as a chronic model for complex seizures. However, unlike rat kainate models, the C57BL/6J mouse kainate model is a unique regressive CS model of epilepsy. Further studies are required to understand the mechanism of recovery from spontaneous CS in this model, which could reveal novel therapeutic targets for epilepsy.
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Mitochondrial ATP-Mg/Pi carrier SCaMC-3/Slc25a23 counteracts PARP-1-dependent fall in mitochondrial ATP caused by excitotoxic insults in neurons. J Neurosci 2015; 35:3566-81. [PMID: 25716855 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2702-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate excitotoxicity is caused by sustained activation of neuronal NMDA receptors causing a large Ca(2+) and Na(+) influx, activation of poly(ADP ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), and delayed Ca(2+) deregulation. Mitochondria undergo early changes in membrane potential during excitotoxicity, but their precise role in these events is still controversial. Using primary cortical neurons derived from mice, we show that NMDA exposure results in a rapid fall in mitochondrial ATP in neurons deficient in SCaMC-3/Slc25a23, a Ca(2+)-regulated mitochondrial ATP-Mg/Pi carrier. This fall is associated with blunted increases in respiration and a delayed decrease in cytosolic ATP levels, which are prevented by PARP-1 inhibitors or by SCaMC-3 activity promoting adenine nucleotide uptake into mitochondria. SCaMC-3 KO neurons show an earlier delayed Ca(2+) deregulation, and SCaMC-3-deficient mitochondria incubated with ADP or ATP-Mg had reduced Ca(2+) retention capacity, suggesting a failure to maintain matrix adenine nucleotides as a cause for premature delayed Ca(2+) deregulation. SCaMC-3 KO neurons have higher vulnerability to in vitro excitotoxicity, and SCaMC-3 KO mice are more susceptible to kainate-induced seizures, showing that early PARP-1-dependent fall in mitochondrial ATP levels, counteracted by SCaMC-3, is an early step in the excitotoxic cascade.
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Schauwecker PE. Susceptibility to seizure-induced excitotoxic cell death is regulated by an epistatic interaction between Chr 18 (Sicd1) and Chr 15 (Sicd2) loci in mice. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110515. [PMID: 25333963 PMCID: PMC4198259 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Seizure-induced cell death is believed to be regulated by multiple genetic components in addition to numerous external factors. We previously defined quantitative trait loci that control susceptibility to seizure-induced cell death in FVB/NJ (susceptible) and C57BL/6J (resistant) mice. Two of these quantitative trait loci assigned to chromosomes 18 (Sicd1) and 15 (Sicd2), control seizure-induced cell death resistance. In this study, through the use of a series of novel congenic strains containing the Sicd1 and Sicd2 congenic strains and different combinations of the Sicd1 or Sicd2 sub region(s), respectively, we defined these genetic interactions. We generated a double congenic strain, which contains the two C57BL/6J differential segments from chromosome 18 and 15, to determine how these two segments interact with one another. Phenotypic comparison between FVB-like littermates and the double congenic FVB.B6-Sicd1/Sicd2 strain identified an additive effect with respect to resistance to seizure-induced excitotoxic cell death. It thus appears that C57BL/6J alleles located on chromosomes 18 and 15 interact epistatically in an additive manner to control the extent of seizure-induced excitotoxic cell death. Three interval-specific congenic lines were developed, in which either segments of C57BL/6J Chr 18 or C57BL/6J Chr 15 were introduced in the FVB/NJ genetic background, and progeny were treated with kainate and examined for the extent of seizure-induced cell death. All of the interval-specific congenic lines exhibited reduced cell death in both area CA3 and the dentate hilus, associated with the C57BL/6J phenotype. These experiments demonstrate functional interactions between Sicd1 and Sicd2 that improve resistance to seizure-induced excitotoxic cell death, validating the critical role played by gene-gene interactions in excitotoxic cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Elyse Schauwecker
- Department of Cell and Neurobiology, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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Vito ST, Austin AT, Banks CN, Inceoglu B, Bruun DA, Zolkowska D, Tancredi DJ, Rogawski MA, Hammock BD, Lein PJ. Post-exposure administration of diazepam combined with soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibition stops seizures and modulates neuroinflammation in a murine model of acute TETS intoxication. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2014; 281:185-94. [PMID: 25448683 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2014.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Revised: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS) is a potent convulsant poison for which there is currently no approved antidote. The convulsant action of TETS is thought to be mediated by inhibition of type A gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAAR) function. We, therefore, investigated the effects of post-exposure administration of diazepam, a GABAAR positive allosteric modulator, on seizure activity, death and neuroinflammation in adult male Swiss mice injected with a lethal dose of TETS (0.15mg/kg, ip). Administration of a high dose of diazepam (5mg/kg, ip) immediately following the second clonic seizure (approximately 20min post-TETS injection) effectively prevented progression to tonic seizures and death. However, this treatment did not prevent persistent reactive astrogliosis and microglial activation, as determined by GFAP and Iba-1 immunoreactivity and microglial cell morphology. Inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) has been shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory effects and to increase survival in mice intoxicated with other GABAAR antagonists. The sEH inhibitor TUPS (1mg/kg, ip) administered immediately after the second clonic seizure did not protect TETS-intoxicated animals from tonic seizures or death. Combined administration of diazepam (5mg/kg, ip) and TUPS (1mg/kg, ip, starting 1h after diazepam and repeated every 24h) prevented TETS-induced lethality and influenced signs of neuroinflammation in some brain regions. Significantly decreased microglial activation and enhanced reactive astrogliosis were observed in the hippocampus, with no changes in the cortex. Combining an agent that targets specific anti-inflammatory mechanisms with a traditional antiseizure drug may enhance treatment outcome in TETS intoxication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Vito
- Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Adam T Austin
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States.
| | - Christopher N Banks
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Bora Inceoglu
- Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Donald A Bruun
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Dorota Zolkowska
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States.
| | - Daniel J Tancredi
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States.
| | - Michael A Rogawski
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States.
| | - Bruce D Hammock
- Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
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Pierozan P, Ferreira F, de Lima BO, Pessoa-Pureur R. Quinolinic acid induces disrupts cytoskeletal homeostasis in striatal neurons. Protective role of astrocyte-neuron interaction. J Neurosci Res 2014; 93:268-84. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Revised: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Pierozan
- Departamento de Bioquímica; Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Fernanda Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica; Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Bárbara Ortiz de Lima
- Departamento de Bioquímica; Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Regina Pessoa-Pureur
- Departamento de Bioquímica; Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
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Advantages of repeated low dose against single high dose of kainate in C57BL/6J mouse model of status epilepticus: behavioral and electroencephalographic studies. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96622. [PMID: 24802808 PMCID: PMC4011859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A refined kainate (KA) C57BL/6J mouse model of status epilepticus (SE) using a repeated low dose (RLD) of KA (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal; at 30 min intervals) was compared with the established single high dose (SHD) of KA (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) model. In the RLD group, increased duration of convulsive motor seizures (CMS, Racine scale stage ≥3) with a significant reduction in mortality from 21% to 6% and decreased variability in seizure severity between animals/batches were observed when compared to the SHD group. There was a significant increase in the percentage of animals that reached stage-5 seizures (65% versus 96%) in the RLD group. Integrated real-time video-EEG analysis of both groups, using NeuroScore software, revealed stage-specific spikes and power spectral density characteristics. When the seizures progressed from non-convulsive seizures (NCS, stage 1-2) to CMS (stage 3-5), the delta power decreased which was followed by an increase in gamma and beta power. A transient increase in alpha and sigma power marked the transition from NCS to CMS with characteristic 'high frequency trigger' spikes on the EEG, which had no behavioral expression. During SE the spike rate was higher in the RLD group than in the SHD group. Overall these results confirm that RLD of KA is a more robust and consistent mouse model of SE than the SHD of KA mouse model.
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Circadian dysfunction in response to in vivo treatment with the mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid. ASN Neuro 2014; 6:e00133. [PMID: 24328694 PMCID: PMC3891360 DOI: 10.1042/an20130042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep disorders are common in neurodegenerative diseases including Huntington's disease (HD) and develop early in the disease process. Mitochondrial alterations are believed to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the circadian system of mice after inhibiting mitochondrial complex II of the respiratory chain with the toxin 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP). We found that a subset of mice treated with low doses of 3-NP exhibited severe circadian deficit in behavior. The temporal patterning of sleep behavior is also disrupted in some mice with evidence of difficulty in the initiation of sleep behavior. Using the open field test during the normal sleep phase, we found that the 3-NP-treated mice were hyperactive. The molecular clockwork responsible for the generation of circadian rhythms as measured by PER2::LUCIFERASE was disrupted in a subset of mice. Within the SCN, the 3-NP treatment resulted in a reduction in daytime firing rate in the subset of mice which had a behavioral deficit. Anatomically, we confirmed that all of the treated mice showed evidence for cell loss within the striatum but we did not see evidence for gross SCN pathology. Together, the data demonstrates that chronic treatment with low doses of the mitochondrial toxin 3-NP produced circadian deficits in a subset of treated mice. This work does raise the possibility that the neural damage produced by mitochondrial dysfunction can contribute to the sleep/circadian dysfunction seen so commonly in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Serrano Sánchez T, Alberti Amador E, Lorigados Pedre L, Blanco Lezcano L, Diaz Armesto I, Bergado JA. BDNF in quinolinic acid lesioned rats after bone marrow cells transplant. Neurosci Lett 2013; 559:147-51. [PMID: 24321407 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.11.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2013] [Revised: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 11/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration was measured in the striatum and cortex after quinolinic acid intrastriatal lesion and transplantation of bone marrow cells (BMSC). The results showed a significant increase of the BDNF levels in the striatum and cortex of the lesioned animals and the ability of the transplanted cells to increase the levels of BDNF in both sites. This recovery of BDNF production and distribution might have beneficial effects and ameliorate the negative consequences of the striatal lesion, a mechanism of potential interest for the treatment of Huntington's disease (HD).
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Affiliation(s)
- T Serrano Sánchez
- International Center for Neurological Restauration (CIREN), Ave 25 # 15805 entre 158 y 160, Cubanacán, Playa, La Habana, Cuba
| | - E Alberti Amador
- International Center for Neurological Restauration (CIREN), Ave 25 # 15805 entre 158 y 160, Cubanacán, Playa, La Habana, Cuba
| | - L Lorigados Pedre
- International Center for Neurological Restauration (CIREN), Ave 25 # 15805 entre 158 y 160, Cubanacán, Playa, La Habana, Cuba
| | - L Blanco Lezcano
- International Center for Neurological Restauration (CIREN), Ave 25 # 15805 entre 158 y 160, Cubanacán, Playa, La Habana, Cuba
| | - I Diaz Armesto
- International Center for Neurological Restauration (CIREN), Ave 25 # 15805 entre 158 y 160, Cubanacán, Playa, La Habana, Cuba
| | - J A Bergado
- International Center for Neurological Restauration (CIREN), Ave 25 # 15805 entre 158 y 160, Cubanacán, Playa, La Habana, Cuba.
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Phosphodiesterases: Regulators of cyclic nucleotide signals and novel molecular target for movement disorders. Eur J Pharmacol 2013; 714:486-97. [PMID: 23850946 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2013.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2012] [Revised: 06/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Movement disorders rank among the most common neurological disorders. During the last two decades substantial progress has been made in understanding of the pathological basis of these disorders. Although, several mechanisms have been proposed, downregulation of cyclic nucleotide mediated signaling cascade has consistently been shown to contribute to the striatal dysfunctioning as seen in movement disorders. Thus, counteracting dysregulated cyclic nucleotide signaling has been considered to be beneficial in movement disorders. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of cyclic nucleotides and upregulation in PDE activity has been reported in various movement disorders. Thus, PDE inhibition is considered to be a novel strategy to restore cerebral cyclic nucleotide levels and their downstream signalling cascade. Indeed, various PDE inhibitors have been tested pre-clinically and were reported to be neuroprotective in various neurodegenerative disorders associated with movement disabilities. In this review, we have discussed a putative role of PDE inhibitors in movement disorders and associated abnormalities.
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Ignarro RS, Vieira AS, Sartori CR, Langone F, Rogério F, Parada CA. JAK2 inhibition is neuroprotective and reduces astrogliosis after quinolinic acid striatal lesion in adult mice. J Chem Neuroanat 2013; 48-49:14-22. [PMID: 23403094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2013.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2012] [Revised: 02/02/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Quinolinic acid (QA) striatal lesion in rodents induces neuronal death, astrogliosis and migration of neuroblasts from subventricular zone to damaged striatum. These phenomena occur in some human neurodegenerative illnesses, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We investigated the effect of AG490, a Janus-kinase 2 (JAK2) inhibitor, on astrogliosis, neuronal loss and neurogenesis in the striatum of adult mice after unilateral infusion of QA (30 nmol). Animals were given subcutaneous injections of AG490 (10 mg/kg) or vehicle immediately after lesion and then once daily for six days. Brain sections were used for neuronal stereological quantification, immunohistochemical and Western Blotting analyses for GFAP and doublecortin, markers of astrocytes and neuroblasts, respectively. The total area of doublecortin-positive cells (ADPC) and the number of neurons (NN) in the lesioned (L) and contralateral (CL) sides were evaluated. Neurogenesis index (NI=ADPC(L)/ADPC(CL)) and neuronal ratio (NR=NN(L)/NN(CL)) were calculated. After QA administration, blotting for GFAP showed an ipsilateral decrease of 19% in AG490- vs vehicle-treated animals. NR was 25% higher in mice given AG490 vs controls given vehicle. NI showed a decrease of 21% in AG490- vs vehicle-treated mice. Our results indicate that JAK2 inhibition reduces QA lesion and suggest that astrogliosis may impair neuronal survival in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaela Silvestre Ignarro
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Carmona-Ramírez I, Santamaría A, Tobón-Velasco JC, Orozco-Ibarra M, González-Herrera IG, Pedraza-Chaverrí J, Maldonado PD. RETRACTED: Curcumin restores Nrf2 levels and prevents quinolinic acid-induced neurotoxicity. J Nutr Biochem 2012; 24:14-24. [PMID: 22704781 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2011.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2011] [Revised: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Neurological diseases comprise a group of heterogeneous disorders characterized by progressive brain dysfunction and cell death. In the next years, these diseases are expected to constitute a world-wide health problem. Because excitotoxicity and oxidative stress are involved in neurodegenerative diseases, it becomes relevant to describe pharmacological therapies designed to activate endogenous cytoprotective systems. Activation of transcription factor Nrf2 stimulates cytoprotective vitagenes involved in antioxidant defense. In this work, we investigated the ability of the antioxidant curcumin to induce transcription factor Nrf2 in a neurodegenerative model induced by quinolinic acid in rats. Animals were administered with curcumin (400 mg/kg, p.o.) for 10 days, and then intrastriatally infused with quinolinic acid (240 nmol) on day 10 of treatment. Curcumin prevented rotation behavior (6 days post-lesion), striatal morphological alterations (7 days post-lesion) and neurodegeneration (1 and 3 days post-lesion) induced by quinolinic acid. Curcumin also reduced quinolinic acid-induced oxidative stress (measured as protein carbonyl content) at 6 h post-lesion. The protective effects of curcumin were associated to its ability to prevent the quinolinic acid-induced decrease of striatal intra-nuclear Nrf2 levels (30 and 120 min post-lesion), and total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities (1 day post-lesion). Therefore, results of this study support the concept that neuroprotection induced by curcumin is associated with its ability to activate the Nrf2 cytoprotective pathway and to increase the total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Carmona-Ramírez
- Patología Vascular Cerebral, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, México D.F., 14269, México
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Brooks S, Higgs G, Janghra N, Jones L, Dunnett SB. Longitudinal analysis of the behavioural phenotype in YAC128 (C57BL/6J) Huntington's disease transgenic mice. Brain Res Bull 2012; 88:113-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2010.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2010] [Revised: 04/27/2010] [Accepted: 05/02/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Pérez-De La Cruz V, Carrillo-Mora P, Santamaría A. Quinolinic Acid, an endogenous molecule combining excitotoxicity, oxidative stress and other toxic mechanisms. Int J Tryptophan Res 2012; 5:1-8. [PMID: 22408367 PMCID: PMC3296489 DOI: 10.4137/ijtr.s8158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Quinolinic acid (QUIN), an endogenous metabolite of the kynurenine pathway, is involved in several neurological disorders, including Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, HIV associated dementia (HAD) etc. QUIN toxicity involves several mechanisms which trigger various metabolic pathways and transcription factors. The primary mechanism exerted by this excitotoxin in the central nervous system (CNS) has been largely related with the overactivation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations, followed by mitochondrial dysfunction, cytochrome c release, ATP exhaustion, free radical formation and oxidative damage. As a result, this toxic pattern is responsible for selective loss of middle size striatal spiny GABAergic neurons and motor alterations in lesioned animals. This toxin has recently gained attention in biomedical research as, in addition to its proven excitotoxic profile, a considerable amount of evidence suggests that oxidative stress and energetic disturbances are major constituents of its toxic pattern in the CNS. Hence, this profile has changed our perception of how QUIN-related disorders combine different toxic mechanisms resulting in brain damage. This review will focus on the description and integration of recent evidence supporting old and suggesting new mechanisms to explain QUIN toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Pérez-De La Cruz
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico 14269
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Schauwecker PE. Strain differences in seizure-induced cell death following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. Neurobiol Dis 2011; 45:297-304. [PMID: 21878392 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2011.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Revised: 07/08/2011] [Accepted: 08/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse strains differ from one another in their susceptibility to seizure-induced excitotoxic cell death. Previously, we have demonstrated that mature inbred strains of mice show remarkable genetic differences in susceptibility to the neuropathological consequences of seizures in the kainate model of status epilepticus. At present, while the cellular mechanisms underlying strain-dependent differences in susceptibility remain unclear, some of this variation is assumed to have a genetic basis. However, it remains unclear whether strain differences in susceptibility to seizure-induced cell death observed following kainate administration are observed following systemic administration of other chemoconvulsants. In rodents, the cholinomimetic convulsant pilocarpine is widely used to induce status epilepticus (SE), followed by hippocampal damage and spontaneous recurrent seizures, resembling temporal lobe epilepsy. This model has initially been described in rats, but is increasingly used in mice. We characterized neuronal pathologies after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) in eight inbred strains of mice focusing on the hippocampus. A ramping-up dose protocol for pilocarpine was used and behavior was monitored for 4-5 h. While we did not observe any significant differences in seizure latency or duration to pilocarpine among the inbred strains, we did observe a significant difference in susceptibility to the neuropathological consequences of pilocarpine-induced SE. Of the eight genetically diverse mouse strains screened for pilocarpine-induced status, BALB/cJ and BALB/cByJ were the only two strains that were resistant to the neuropathological consequences of seizure-induced cell death. Additional studies of these murine strains may be useful for investigating genetic influences on pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Elyse Schauwecker
- Department of Cell and Neurobiology, USC Keck School of Medicine, 1333 San Pablo Street, BMT 403, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9112, USA.
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Forebrain striatal-specific expression of mutant huntingtin protein in vivo induces cell-autonomous age-dependent alterations in sensitivity to excitotoxicity and mitochondrial function. ASN Neuro 2011; 3:e00060. [PMID: 21542802 PMCID: PMC3155197 DOI: 10.1042/an20110009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
HD (Huntington's disease) is characterized by dysfunction and death of striatal MSNs (medium-sized spiny neurons). Excitotoxicity, transcriptional dysregulation and mitochondrial abnormalities are among the mechanisms that are proposed to play roles in HD pathogenesis. To determine the extent of cell-autonomous effects of mhtt (mutant huntingtin) protein on vulnerability to excitotoxic insult in MSNs in vivo, we measured the number of degenerating neurons in response to intrastriatal injection of QA (quinolinic acid) in presymptomatic and symptomatic transgenic (D9-N171-98Q, also known as DE5) mice that express mhtt in MSNs but not in cortex. After QA, the number of degenerating neurons in presymptomatic DE5 mice was not significantly different from the number in WT (wild-type) controls, suggesting the early, increased vulnerability to excitotoxicity demonstrated in other HD mouse models has a largely non-cell-autonomous component. Conversely, symptomatic DE5 mice showed significantly fewer degenerating neurons relative to WT, implying the resistance to excitotoxicity observed at later ages has a primarily cell-autonomous origin. Interestingly, mitochondrial complex II respiration was enhanced in striatum of symptomatic mice, whereas it was reduced in presymptomatic mice, both relative to their age-matched controls. Consistent with the QA data, MSNs from symptomatic mice showed decreased NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartate) currents compared with age-matched controls, suggesting that in addition to aging, cell-autonomous mechanisms mitigate susceptibility to excitotoxicity in the symptomatic stage. Also, symptomatic DE5 mice did not display some of the electrophysiological alterations present in other HD models, suggesting that blocking the expression of mhtt in cortical neurons may restore corticostriatal function in HD.
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Experimental Models of HD and Reflection on Therapeutic Strategies. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2011; 98:419-81. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-381328-2.00016-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Hemsley KM, Hopwood JJ. Lessons learnt from animal models: pathophysiology of neuropathic lysosomal storage disorders. J Inherit Metab Dis 2010; 33:363-71. [PMID: 20449662 DOI: 10.1007/s10545-010-9078-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2009] [Revised: 03/09/2010] [Accepted: 03/16/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Approximately 50 inborn errors of metabolism known as lysosomal storage disorders have been discovered to date, most of which are due to a single mutation in a gene encoding a soluble lysosomal enzyme. Consequently, inadequate enzyme activity results in the accumulation of substrates for that enzyme, invariably accompanied by a wide variety of secondary pathological changes. Many of these conditions remain untreatable, and therefore, research into pathogenic processes and potential treatment strategies is intense. A key tool for researchers in this area is the availability of clinically relevant animal models in which to study disease manifestation and evaluate therapeutic outcomes. Large numbers of both naturally occurring and genetically modified animal models of neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders are in existence, with spontaneous models occurring in both large domestic (e.g., cat, dog, sheep) and small (e.g., mouse) animal species. Many have undergone rigorous phenotypic characterization and are now providing us with insights into neurological disease processes. The purpose of this review is to highlight some of the major lessons learnt from these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim M Hemsley
- Lysosomal Diseases Research Unit, 4th Floor Rogerson Building, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Road, North Adelaide, SA, 5006, Australia.
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Han I, You Y, Kordower JH, Brady ST, Morfini GA. Differential vulnerability of neurons in Huntington's disease: the role of cell type-specific features. J Neurochem 2010; 113:1073-91. [PMID: 20236390 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06672.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal expansion of a polyglutamine tract in huntingtin (Htt) protein results in Huntington's disease (HD), an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder involving progressive loss of motor and cognitive function. Contrasting with the ubiquitous tissue expression of polyglutamine-expanded Htt, HD pathology is characterized by the increased vulnerability of specific neuronal populations within the striatum and the cerebral cortex. Morphological, biochemical, and functional characteristics of neurons affected in HD that might render these cells more vulnerable to the toxic effects of polyglutamine-Htt are covered in this review. The differential vulnerability of neurons observed in HD is discussed in the context of various major pathogenic mechanisms proposed to date, and in line with evidence showing a 'dying-back' pattern of degeneration in affected neuronal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina Han
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology. University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
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29
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Ferrante RJ. Mouse models of Huntington's disease and methodological considerations for therapeutic trials. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2009; 1792:506-20. [PMID: 19362590 PMCID: PMC2693467 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2009.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2009] [Revised: 04/02/2009] [Accepted: 04/02/2009] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant, progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine cytosine-adenine-guanine repeat in the gene coding for the protein huntingtin. Despite great progress, a direct causative pathway from the HD gene mutation to neuronal dysfunction and death has not yet been established. One important advance in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of this disease has been the development of multiple murine models that replicate many of the clinical, neuropathological, and molecular events in HD patients. These models have played an important role in providing accurate and experimentally accessible systems to study multiple aspects of disease pathogenesis and to test potential therapeutic treatment strategies. Understanding how disease processes interrelate has become important in identifying a pharmacotherapy in HD and in the design of clinical trials. A review of the current state of HD mouse models and their successes in elucidating disease pathogenesis are discussed. There is no clinically proven treatment for HD that can halt or ameliorate the inexorable disease progression. As such, a guide to assessing studies in mouse models and salient issues related to translation from mice to humans are included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Ferrante
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730, USA.
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Mathieu A, Nagy N, Decaestecker C, Ferdinande L, Vandenbroucke K, Rottiers P, Cuvelier CA, Salmon I, Demetter P. Expression of galectins-1, -3 and -4 varies with strain and type of experimental colitis in mice. Int J Exp Pathol 2009; 89:438-46. [PMID: 19134053 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2613.2008.00598.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Galectins are increasingly the focus of biomedical research. Although they are involved at different stages in inflammation, data on galectins in colitis remain scarce. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the expression of galectins in acute and chronic experimental colitis in mice. Immunohistochemistry for galectins-1, -3 and -4 was performed on colon tissue from C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice with acute dextran sodium sulphate colitis and from 129 Sv/Ev IL-10 knock-out (IL-10(-/-)) mice. From these three mouse strains, we first detected major differences in galectin expression related to the genetic background in the control animals. With regard to inflammation, chronic colitis in IL-10(-/-) mice was associated with increased galectin-4 expression; in contrast with the two other models, no galectin-1 and -3 alterations were observed in IL-10(-/-) mice. Acute colitis in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice showed increased galectin-3 expression in the lamina propria and the crypt epithelium, together with a decreased nuclear expression. These results suggest an involvement of galectins in the development and perpetuation of colonic inflammation and illustrate that the choice of the mouse strain for studying galectins might influence the outcome of the experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Mathieu
- Department of Pathology, Erasme University Hospital, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
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Nadon NL, Strong R, Miller RA, Nelson J, Javors M, Sharp ZD, Peralba JM, Harrison DE. Design of aging intervention studies: the NIA interventions testing program. AGE (DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS) 2008; 30:187-99. [PMID: 19424842 PMCID: PMC2585647 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-008-9048-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2007] [Accepted: 02/07/2008] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The field of biogerontology has made great strides towards understanding the biological processes underlying aging, and the time is ripe to look towards applying this knowledge to the pursuit of aging interventions. Identification of safe, inexpensive, and non-invasive interventions that slow the aging process and promote healthy aging could have a significant impact on quality of life and health care expenditures for the aged. While there is a plethora of supplements and interventions on the market that purport to slow aging, the evidence to validate such claims is generally lacking. Here we describe the development of an aging interventions testing program funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to test candidate interventions in a model system. The development of this program highlights the challenges of long-term intervention studies and provides approaches to cope with the stringent requirements of a multi-site testing program.
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Affiliation(s)
- N L Nadon
- Biology of Aging Program, National Institute on Aging, 7201 Wisconsin Ave GW 2C231, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Akopian G, Crawford C, Beal MF, Cappelletti M, Jakowec MW, Petzinger GM, Zheng L, Gheorghe SL, Reichel CM, Chow R, Walsh JP. Decreased striatal dopamine release underlies increased expression of long-term synaptic potentiation at corticostriatal synapses 24 h after 3-nitropropionic-acid-induced chemical hypoxia. J Neurosci 2008; 28:9585-97. [PMID: 18799690 PMCID: PMC2724653 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5698-07.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2007] [Revised: 08/15/2008] [Accepted: 08/19/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The striatum is particularly sensitive to the irreversible inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP). In the present study, we examined early changes in behavior and dopamine and glutamate synaptic physiology created by a single systemic injection of 3-NP in Fischer 344 rats. Hindlimb dystonia was seen 2 h after 3-NP injections, and rats performed poorly on balance beam and rotarod motor tests 24 h later. Systemic 3-NP increased NMDA receptor-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) at corticostriatal synapses over the same time period. The 3-NP-induced corticostriatal LTP was not attributable to increased NMDA receptor number or function, because 3-NP did not change MK-801 [(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine] binding or NMDA/AMPA receptor current ratios. The LTP seen 24 h after 3-NP was D(1) receptor dependent and reversed by exogenous addition of dopamine or a D(2) receptor agonist to brain slices. HPLC and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry revealed a decrease in dopamine content and release in rats injected 24 h earlier with 3-NP, and much like the enhanced LTP, dopamine changes were reversed by 48 h. Tyrosine hydroxylase expression was not changed, and there was no evidence of striatal cell loss at 24-48 h after 3-NP exposure. Sprague Dawley rats showed similar physiological responses to systemic 3-NP, albeit with reduced sensitivity. Thus, 3-NP causes significant changes in motor behavior marked by parallel changes in striatal dopamine release and corticostriatal synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cynthia Crawford
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, California 92407, and
| | - M. Flint Beal
- Department of Neurology, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021
| | | | | | | | | | - Stacey L. Gheorghe
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, California 92407, and
| | - Carmela M. Reichel
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, California 92407, and
| | - Robert Chow
- Zilkha Neurogenetics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089
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McLin JP, Thompson LM, Lusis AJ, Davis RC, Steward O. Genes on distal chromosome 18 determine vulnerability to excitotoxic neurodegeneration following status epilepticus, but not striatal neurodegeneration induced by quinolinic acid. Neurobiol Dis 2008; 29:391-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2007.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2007] [Revised: 09/24/2007] [Accepted: 10/03/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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Chesselet MF. In vivo alpha-synuclein overexpression in rodents: a useful model of Parkinson's disease? Exp Neurol 2008; 209:22-7. [PMID: 17949715 PMCID: PMC2262051 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2007.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2007] [Revised: 08/03/2007] [Accepted: 08/13/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in alpha-synuclein were the first genetic defect linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). The relevance of alpha-synuclein to sporadic PD is strongly supported by the presence of alpha-synuclein aggregates in neurons of patients. This has prompted the development of numerous animal models based on alpha-synuclein overexpression, primarily through genetic methods in mice and viral transduction in rats. In mice, different promoters and transgenes lead to a wide variety of phenotypes accompanied by non-existent, late onset, or non-specific neurodegeneration. Rapid neurodegeneration, in contrast, is observed after viral transduction but is limited to the targeted region and does not mimic the broad pathology observed in the disease. Overall, each model reproduces a subset of features of PD and can be used to identify therapeutic targets and test disease-modifying therapies. The predictive value of all models of the disease, however, remains speculative in the absence of effective neuroprotective treatments for PD in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Francoise Chesselet
- Department of Neurology and Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Esposito E, Capasso M, di Tomasso N, Corona C, Pellegrini F, Uncini A, Vitaglione P, Fogliano V, Piantelli M, Sensi SL. Antioxidant strategies based on tomato-enriched food or pyruvate do not affect disease onset and survival in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Res 2007; 1168:90-6. [PMID: 17706944 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.06.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2007] [Revised: 06/13/2007] [Accepted: 06/15/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder which is mostly sporadic, although about 5-10% of the cases are inherited. About 15-20% of patients with familial ALS (FALS) carry mutations in the gene encoding the free radical scavenging enzyme Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1). In this study, we explored the potential neuroprotective effects of antioxidant strategies based on either a tomato-enriched diet, or pyruvate administration, in an animal model of ALS. To that aim, transgenic mice expressing a mutant form of SOD1 [the gly(93) --> ala (G93A) substitution; G93A SOD1] were fed on either tomato-enriched food pellets or the Altromin diet in which milk serum and proteins substitute for soy and fish flours. In both cases, treatments were started at the 29th day of age. In a second set of experiments, G93A SOD1 mice were treated with pyruvate intraperitoneally (500 mg/kg, i.p; starting at the 70th day of age) and compared with control mice receiving i.p. saline injections. Our results indicate that neither the tomato-enriched diet nor pyruvate administration caused any significant effect on the overall survival time and disease onset in G93A SOD1 mice. Thus, despite the wealth of data indicating the relevant role of oxidative stress and defective energy homeostasis both in patients and animal models of ALS, antioxidant strategies based on tomato-enriched food or pyruvate seem to be not sufficient to promote a disease modifying effect in an animal model of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ennio Esposito
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, Santa Maria Imbaro (Chieti), Italy
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Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurological disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the IT15 gene. Progressive cell death in the striatum and cortex, and accompanying declines in cognitive, motor, and psychiatric functions, are characteristic of the disease. Animal models of HD have provided insight into disease pathology and the outcomes of therapeutic strategies. Earlier studies of HD most often used toxin-induced models to study mitochondrial impairment and excitotoxicity-induced cell death, which are both mechanisms of degeneration seen in the HD brain. These models, based on 3-nitropropionic acid and quinolinic acid, respectively, are still often used in HD studies. The discovery in 1993 of the huntingtin mutation led to the creation of newer models that incorporate a similar genetic defect. These models, which include transgenic and knock-in rodents, are more representative of the HD progression and pathology. An even more recent model that uses a viral vector to encode the gene mutation in specific areas of the brain may be useful in nonhuman primates, as it is difficult to produce genetic models in these species. This article examines the aforementioned models and describes their use in HD research, including aspects of the creation, delivery, pathology, and tested therapies for each model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Ramaswamy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rush University Medical Center, 1735 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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