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Carniglia L, Turati J, Saba J, López Couselo F, Romero AC, Caruso C, Durand D, Lasaga M. Melanocortin-receptor 4 activation modulates proliferation and differentiation of rat postnatal hippocampal neural precursor cells. Neuropharmacology 2024; 257:110058. [PMID: 38960135 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Postnatal hippocampal neurogenesis is essential for learning and memory. Hippocampal neural precursor cells (NPCs) can be induced to proliferate and differentiate into either glial cells or dentate granule cells. Notably, hippocampal neurogenesis decreases dramatically with age, partly due to a reduction in the NPC pool and a decrease in their proliferative activity. Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) improves learning, memory, neuronal survival and plasticity. Here, we used postnatally-isolated hippocampal NPCs from Wistar rat pups (male and female combined) to determine the role of the melanocortin analog [Nle4, D-Phe7]-α-MSH (NDP-MSH) in proliferation and fate acquisition of NPCs. Incubation of growth-factor deprived NPCs with 10 nM NDP-MSH for 6 days increased the proportion of Ki-67- and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells, compared to the control group, and these effects were blocked by the MC4R antagonist JKC-363. NDP-MSH also increased the proportion of glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP)/Ki-67, GFAP/sex-determining region Y-box2 (SOX2) and neuroepithelial stem cell protein (NESTIN)/Ki-67-double positive cells (type-1 and type-2 precursors). Finally, NDP-MSH induced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ protein expression, and co-incubation with the PPAR-γ inhibitor GW9662 prevented the effect of NDP-MSH on NPC proliferation and differentiation. Our results indicate that in vitro activation of MC4R in growth-factor-deprived postnatal hippocampal NPCs induces proliferation and promotes the relative expansion of the type-1 and type-2 NPC pool through a PPAR-γ-dependent mechanism. These results shed new light on the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of melanocortins in hippocampal plasticity and provide evidence linking the MC4R and PPAR-γ pathways in modulation of hippocampal NPC proliferation and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lila Carniglia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 10, CP 1121, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Juan Turati
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 10, CP 1121, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julieta Saba
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 10, CP 1121, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico López Couselo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 10, CP 1121, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Clara Romero
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 10, CP 1121, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carla Caruso
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 10, CP 1121, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Durand
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 10, CP 1121, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mercedes Lasaga
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 10, CP 1121, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Lei SY, Qu Y, Yang YQ, Liu JC, Zhang YF, Zhou SY, He QY, Jin H, Yang Y, Guo ZN. Cellular senescence: A novel therapeutic target for central nervous system diseases. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 179:117311. [PMID: 39182322 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The underlying mechanisms of diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS) remain unclear, limiting the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Remarkably, cellular senescence, a biological phenomenon observed in cultured fibroblasts in vitro, is a crucial intrinsic mechanism that influences homeostasis of the brain microenvironment and contributes to the onset and progression of CNS diseases. Cellular senescence has been observed in disease models established in vitro and in vivo and in bodily fluids or tissue components from patients with CNS diseases. These findings highlight cellular senescence as a promising target for preventing and treating CNS diseases. Consequently, emerging novel therapies targeting senescent cells have exhibited promising therapeutic effects in preclinical and clinical studies on aging-related diseases. These innovative therapies can potentially delay brain cell loss and functional changes, improve the prognosis of CNS diseases, and provide alternative treatments for patients. In this study, we examined the relevant advancements in this field, particularly focusing on the targeting of senescent cells in the brain for the treatment of chronic neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis) and acute neurotraumatic insults (e.g., ischemic stroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang-Yin Lei
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yang Qu
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yu-Qian Yang
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Jia-Cheng Liu
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yi-Fei Zhang
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Sheng-Yu Zhou
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Qian-Yan He
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Hang Jin
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
| | - Yi Yang
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
| | - Zhen-Ni Guo
- Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
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3
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Gong H, Zhu C, Han D, Liu S. Secreted Glycoproteins That Regulate Synaptic Function: the Dispatchers in the Central Nervous System. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:2719-2727. [PMID: 37924485 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03731-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Glycoproteins are proteins that contain oligosaccharide chains. As widely distributed functional proteins in the body, glycoproteins are essential for cellular development, cellular function maintenance, and intercellular communication. Glycoproteins not only play a role in the cell and the membrane, but they are also secreted in the intercell. These secreted glycoproteins are critical to the central nervous system for neurodevelopment and synaptic transmission. More specifically, secreted glycoproteins play indispensable roles in neurite growth mediation, axon guiding, synaptogenesis, neuronal differentiation, the release of synaptic vesicles, subunit composition of neurotransmitter receptors, and neurotransmitter receptor trafficking among other things. Abnormal expressions of secreted glycoproteins in the central nervous system are associated with abnormal neuron development, impaired synaptic organization/transmission, and neuropsychiatric disorders. This article reviews the secreted glycoproteins that regulate neuronal development and synaptic function in the central nervous system, and the molecular mechanism of these regulations, providing reference for research about synaptic function regulation and related central nervous system diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiying Gong
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Conglei Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Fuyang People's Hospital, Fuyang, Anhui, China
| | - Di Han
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Sen Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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Lee Y, Ju Y, Gee MS, Jeon SH, Kim N, Koo T, Lee JK. Survivin enhances hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease mouse model. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14509. [PMID: 37904343 PMCID: PMC11017468 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Cognitive impairment is associated with reduced hippocampal neurogenesis; however, the causes of decreased hippocampal neurogenesis remain highly controversial. Here, we investigated the role of survivin in the modulation of hippocampal neurogenesis in AD. METHODS To investigate the effect of survivin on neurogenesis in neural stem cells (NSCs), we treated mouse embryonic NSCs with a survivin inhibitor (YM155) and adeno-associated viral survivin (AAV-Survivin). To explore the potential role of survivin expression in AD, AAV9-Survivin or AAV9-GFP were injected into the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus of 7-month-old wild-type and 5XFAD mice. Cognitive function was measured by the Y maze and Morris water maze. Neurogenesis was investigated by BrdU staining, immature, and mature neuron markers. RESULTS Our results indicate that suppression of survivin expression resulted in decreased neurogenesis. Conversely, overexpression of survivin using AAV-Survivin restored neurogenesis in NSCs that had been suppressed by YM155 treatment. Furthermore, the expression level of survivin decreased in the 9-month-old 5XFAD compared with that in wild-type mice. AAV-Survivin-mediated overexpression of survivin in the DG in 5XFAD mice enhanced neurogenesis and cognitive function. CONCLUSION Hippocampal neurogenesis can be enhanced by survivin overexpression, suggesting that survivin could serve as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeongae Lee
- College of PharmacyKyung Hee UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Yeon‐Joo Ju
- College of PharmacyKyung Hee UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Min Sung Gee
- College of PharmacyKyung Hee UniversitySeoulKorea
| | | | - Namkwon Kim
- College of PharmacyKyung Hee UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Taeyoung Koo
- College of PharmacyKyung Hee UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Jong Kil Lee
- College of PharmacyKyung Hee UniversitySeoulKorea
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Wang X, Deng Y, Xiao Y, Wang F, Tang Z, Qi X. A double inducible cell ablation system for eliminating senescent astrocytes via apoptosis. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:363. [PMID: 38403730 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09297-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cell senescence stands as a principal risk factor for various neurodegenerative diseases, with astrocytic senescence emerging as a potentially pivotal player in the pathogenesis of aging and neurodegenerative disorders. Clearing senescent astrocytes holds promise as a potential therapeutic approach for senescence-related diseases. METHODS In this study, we designed and constructed two plasmids aimed at inducing apoptosis in senescent astrocytes. This was achieved through the ligation of FKBP (FK506-binding protein) and FRB (FKBP and FKBP rapamycin binding domain) and the formation of caspase8 dimers, thereby achieving the purpose of eliminating senescent astrocytes. RESULTS The developed vector system demonstrates a specifically capability to induce apoptosis in aging astrocytes, offering a targeted approach to eliminate these cells. CONCLUSION The utilization of the double -inducible suicide gene system provides a versatile tool forstimulating cell apoptosis and inhibiting cellular senescence. This system proves valuable in exploring the intrinsic roles and molecular mechanisms of senescent cells in the occurrence and development of aging-related diseases. Ultimately, it offers a potential avenue for developing an efficient treatment system for such conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yuxin Deng
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Minority Disease, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology/Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yan Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Minority Disease, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology/Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Affiliated Baiyun Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhi Tang
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Minority Disease, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology/Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiaolan Qi
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Minority Disease, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology/Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co-Constructed By the Province and Ministry, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
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Li M, Guo H, Carey M, Huang C. Transcriptional and epigenetic dysregulation impairs generation of proliferative neural stem and progenitor cells during brain aging. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:62-79. [PMID: 38177329 PMCID: PMC10947366 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00549-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The decline in stem cell function during aging may affect the regenerative capacity of mammalian organisms; however, the gene regulatory mechanism underlying this decline remains unclear. Here we show that the aging of neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) in the male mouse brain is characterized by a decrease in the generation efficacy of proliferative NSPCs rather than the changes in lineage specificity of NSPCs. We reveal that the downregulation of age-dependent genes in NSPCs drives cell aging by decreasing the population of actively proliferating NSPCs while increasing the expression of quiescence markers. We found that epigenetic deregulation of the MLL complex at promoters leads to transcriptional inactivation of age-dependent genes, highlighting the importance of the dynamic interaction between histone modifiers and gene regulatory elements in regulating transcriptional program of aging cells. Our study sheds light on the key intrinsic mechanisms driving stem cell aging through epigenetic regulators and identifies potential rejuvenation targets that could restore the function of aging stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiyang Li
- Center for Neurobiology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Hongzhi Guo
- Center for Neurobiology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Michael Carey
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Chengyang Huang
- Center for Neurobiology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Scopa C, Barnada SM, Cicardi ME, Singer M, Trotti D, Trizzino M. JUN upregulation drives aberrant transposable element mobilization, associated innate immune response, and impaired neurogenesis in Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8021. [PMID: 38049398 PMCID: PMC10696058 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43728-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenic decline, inflammation, and neurodegeneration are phenotypic hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mobilization of transposable elements (TEs) in heterochromatic regions was recently reported in AD, but the underlying mechanisms are still underappreciated. Combining functional genomics with the differentiation of familial and sporadic AD patient derived-iPSCs into hippocampal progenitors, CA3 neurons, and cerebral organoids, we found that the upregulation of the AP-1 subunit, c-Jun, triggers decondensation of genomic regions containing TEs. This leads to the cytoplasmic accumulation of HERVK-derived RNA-DNA hybrids, the activation of the cGAS-STING cascade, and increased levels of cleaved caspase-3, suggesting the initiation of programmed cell death in AD progenitors and neurons. Notably, inhibiting c-Jun effectively blocks all these downstream molecular processes and rescues neuronal death and the impaired neurogenesis phenotype in AD progenitors. Our findings open new avenues for identifying therapeutic strategies and biomarkers to counteract disease progression and diagnose AD in the early, pre-symptomatic stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Scopa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Samantha M Barnada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maria E Cicardi
- Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mo Singer
- Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Davide Trotti
- Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Marco Trizzino
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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Verkhratsky A, Butt A, Li B, Illes P, Zorec R, Semyanov A, Tang Y, Sofroniew MV. Astrocytes in human central nervous system diseases: a frontier for new therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:396. [PMID: 37828019 PMCID: PMC10570367 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01628-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Astroglia are a broad class of neural parenchymal cells primarily dedicated to homoeostasis and defence of the central nervous system (CNS). Astroglia contribute to the pathophysiology of all neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders in ways that can be either beneficial or detrimental to disorder outcome. Pathophysiological changes in astroglia can be primary or secondary and can result in gain or loss of functions. Astroglia respond to external, non-cell autonomous signals associated with any form of CNS pathology by undergoing complex and variable changes in their structure, molecular expression, and function. In addition, internally driven, cell autonomous changes of astroglial innate properties can lead to CNS pathologies. Astroglial pathophysiology is complex, with different pathophysiological cell states and cell phenotypes that are context-specific and vary with disorder, disorder-stage, comorbidities, age, and sex. Here, we classify astroglial pathophysiology into (i) reactive astrogliosis, (ii) astroglial atrophy with loss of function, (iii) astroglial degeneration and death, and (iv) astrocytopathies characterised by aberrant forms that drive disease. We review astroglial pathophysiology across the spectrum of human CNS diseases and disorders, including neurotrauma, stroke, neuroinfection, autoimmune attack and epilepsy, as well as neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders. Characterising cellular and molecular mechanisms of astroglial pathophysiology represents a new frontier to identify novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Achucarro Centre for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, LT-01102, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Arthur Butt
- Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Baoman Li
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Peter Illes
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Rudolf Boehm Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, 04109, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert Zorec
- Celica Biomedical, Lab Cell Engineering, Technology Park, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology-Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Department of Physiology, Jiaxing University College of Medicine, 314033, Jiaxing, China
| | - Yong Tang
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of TCM), Ministry of Education/Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
| | - Michael V Sofroniew
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Jermakow N, Skarżyńska W, Lewandowska K, Kiernozek E, Goździk K, Mietelska-Porowska A, Drela N, Wojda U, Doligalska M. Modulation of LPS-Induced Neurodegeneration by Intestinal Helminth Infection in Ageing Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13994. [PMID: 37762297 PMCID: PMC10530578 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813994] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic helminths induce a transient, short-term inflammation at the beginning of infection, but in persistent infection may suppress the systemic immune response by enhancing the activity of regulatory M2 macrophages. The aim of the study was to determine how nematode infection affects age-related neuroinflammation, especially macrophages in the nervous tissue. Here, intraperitoneal LPS-induced systemic inflammation resulting in brain neurodegeneration was enhanced by prolonged Heligmosomoides polygyrus infection in C57BL/6 mice. The changes in the brain coincided with the increase in M1 macrophages, reduced survivin level, enhanced APP and GFAP expression, chitin-like chains deposition in the brain and deterioration behaviour manifestations. These changes were also observed in transgenic C57BL/6 mice predisposed to develop neurodegeneration typical for Alzheimer's disease in response to pathogenic stimuli. Interestingly, in mice infected with the nematode only, the greater M2 macrophage population resulted in better results in the forced swim test. Given the growing burden of neurodegenerative diseases, understanding such interactive associations can have significant implications for ageing health strategies and disease monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Jermakow
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Weronika Skarżyńska
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Katarzyna Lewandowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń, Gagarina 7, 87-100 Toruń, Poland;
| | - Ewelina Kiernozek
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Katarzyna Goździk
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Anna Mietelska-Porowska
- Laboratory of Preclinical Testing of Higher Standard, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Ludwika Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warszawa, Poland; (A.M.-P.); (U.W.)
| | - Nadzieja Drela
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Urszula Wojda
- Laboratory of Preclinical Testing of Higher Standard, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Ludwika Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warszawa, Poland; (A.M.-P.); (U.W.)
| | - Maria Doligalska
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
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Jiménez Peinado P, Urbach A. From Youthful Vigor to Aging Decline: Unravelling the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Determinants of Hippocampal Neural Stem Cell Aging. Cells 2023; 12:2086. [PMID: 37626896 PMCID: PMC10453598 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Since Joseph Altman published his pioneering work demonstrating neurogenesis in the hippocampus of adult rats, the number of publications in this field increased exponentially. Today, we know that the adult hippocampus harbors a pool of adult neural stem cells (NSCs) that are the source of life-long neurogenesis and plasticity. The functions of these NSCs are regulated by extrinsic cues arising from neighboring cells and the systemic environment. However, this tight regulation is subject to imbalance with age, resulting in a decline in adult NSCs and neurogenesis, which contributes to the progressive deterioration of hippocampus-related cognitive functions. Despite extensive investigation, the mechanisms underlying this age-related decline in neurogenesis are only incompletely understood, but appear to include an increase in NSC quiescence, changes in differentiation patterns, and NSC exhaustion. In this review, we summarize recent work that has improved our knowledge of hippocampal NSC aging, focusing on NSC-intrinsic mechanisms as well as cellular and molecular changes in the niche and systemic environment that might be involved in the age-related decline in NSC functions. Additionally, we identify future directions that may advance our understanding of NSC aging and the concomitant loss of hippocampal neurogenesis and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anja Urbach
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Healthy Aging, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany
- Aging Research Center Jena, Leibniz Institute on Aging, 07745 Jena, Germany
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11
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Ramakrishna K, Nalla LV, Naresh D, Venkateswarlu K, Viswanadh MK, Nalluri BN, Chakravarthy G, Duguluri S, Singh P, Rai SN, Kumar A, Singh V, Singh SK. WNT-β Catenin Signaling as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Status and Future Perspective. Diseases 2023; 11:89. [PMID: 37489441 PMCID: PMC10366863 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11030089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin (WβC) signaling pathway is an important signaling pathway for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis from the embryonic developmental stages to adulthood. The canonical pathway of WβC signaling is essential for neurogenesis, cell proliferation, and neurogenesis, whereas the noncanonical pathway (WNT/Ca2+ and WNT/PCP) is responsible for cell polarity, calcium maintenance, and cell migration. Abnormal regulation of WβC signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Hence, the alteration of WβC signaling is considered a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. In the present review, we have used the bibliographical information from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus to address the current prospects of WβC signaling role in the abovementioned neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kakarla Ramakrishna
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Lakshmi Vineela Nalla
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Dumala Naresh
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Kojja Venkateswarlu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, IIT BHU, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Matte Kasi Viswanadh
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Buchi N Nalluri
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Guntupalli Chakravarthy
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Sajusha Duguluri
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharathi Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600073, India
| | - Payal Singh
- Department of Zoology, Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Sachchida Nand Rai
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Ashish Kumar
- ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Veer Singh
- ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Singh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
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12
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Kostes WW, Brafman DA. The Multifaceted Role of WNT Signaling in Alzheimer's Disease Onset and Age-Related Progression. Cells 2023; 12:1204. [PMID: 37190113 PMCID: PMC10136584 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081204] [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: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary conserved WNT signaling pathway orchestrates numerous complex biological processes during development and is critical to the maintenance of tissue integrity and homeostasis in the adult. As it relates to the central nervous system, WNT signaling plays several roles as it relates to neurogenesis, synaptic formation, memory, and learning. Thus, dysfunction of this pathway is associated with multiple diseases and disorders, including several neurodegenerative disorders. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by several pathologies, synaptic dysfunction, and cognitive decline. In this review, we will discuss the various epidemiological, clinical, and animal studies that demonstrate a precise link between aberrant WNT signaling and AD-associated pathologies. In turn, we will discuss the manner in which WNT signaling influences multiple molecular, biochemical, and cellular pathways upstream of these end-point pathologies. Finally, we will discuss how merging tools and technologies can be used to generate next generation cellular models to dissect the relationship between WNT signaling and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David A. Brafman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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13
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Shi YS, Chen JC, Lin BH, Wang RN, Zhao J, Li S, Zhang Y, Zhang XF. Pteris laeta Wall. and Its New Phytochemical, Pterosinsade A, Promote Hippocampal Neurogenesis via Activating the Wnt Signaling Pathway. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:4586-4598. [PMID: 36892329 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c08493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pteris laeta Wall., as a traditional tea, is popular in Southwest China, but its role in preventing cognitive impairment is unclear. In this study, Pteris laeta Wall. extracts (PW) and its active compounds were evaluated for preventive effects on Alzheimer's disease (AD) in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that PW diminished oxidative stress damage and apoptosis of Aβ-induced HT22 cells and also rescued cognitive deficits, and ameliorated pathological injury and inflammatory response in APP/PS1 mice. Besides, a new pterosin sesquiterpene, named pterosinsade A (PA), and nine known compounds were discovered from the EtOAc extract that possessed the best neuroprotective activity. PA reduced apoptosis of APP-overexpressing neural stem cells and promoted their proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Meanwhile, PW and PA promoted hippocampal neurogenesis, which proved to be associated with activating the Wnt signaling pathway. These findings suggest that PW and PA are candidates for AD prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Sheng Shi
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug-Research and Development (R&D) of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Ji-Cong Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Bi-Hui Lin
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510920, China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ruo-Nan Wang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug-Research and Development (R&D) of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug-Research and Development (R&D) of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Sheng Li
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug-Research and Development (R&D) of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510920, China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Chiba University, Matsudo 2718501, Japan
| | - Xu-Fu Zhang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510920, China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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14
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Plakkot B, Di Agostino A, Subramanian M. Implications of Hypothalamic Neural Stem Cells on Aging and Obesity-Associated Cardiovascular Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050769. [PMID: 36899905 PMCID: PMC10000584 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus, one of the major regulatory centers in the brain, controls various homeostatic processes, and hypothalamic neural stem cells (htNSCs) have been observed to interfere with hypothalamic mechanisms regulating aging. NSCs play a pivotal role in the repair and regeneration of brain cells during neurodegenerative diseases and rejuvenate the brain tissue microenvironment. The hypothalamus was recently observed to be involved in neuroinflammation mediated by cellular senescence. Cellular senescence, or systemic aging, is characterized by a progressive irreversible state of cell cycle arrest that causes physiological dysregulation in the body and it is evident in many neuroinflammatory conditions, including obesity. Upregulation of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress due to senescence has the potential to alter the functioning of NSCs. Various studies have substantiated the chances of obesity inducing accelerated aging. Therefore, it is essential to explore the potential effects of htNSC dysregulation in obesity and underlying pathways to develop strategies to address obesity-induced comorbidities associated with brain aging. This review will summarize hypothalamic neurogenesis associated with obesity and prospective NSC-based regenerative therapy for the treatment of obesity-induced cardiovascular conditions.
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15
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Davinelli S, Medoro A, Ali S, Passarella D, Intrieri M, Scapagnini G. Dietary Flavonoids and Adult Neurogenesis: Potential Implications for Brain Aging. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:651-668. [PMID: 36321225 PMCID: PMC10207917 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666221031103909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis deficiency has been proposed to be a common hallmark in different age-related neurodegenerative diseases. The administration of flavonoids is currently reported as a potentially beneficial strategy for preventing brain aging alterations, including adult neurogenesis decline. Flavonoids are a class of plant-derived dietary polyphenols that have drawn attention for their neuroprotective and pro-cognitive effects. Although they undergo extensive metabolism and localize in the brain at low concentrations, flavonoids are now believed to improve cerebral vasculature and interact with signal transduction cascades involved in the regulation of adult neurogenesis. Furthermore, many dietary flavonoids have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, improving the neuronal microenvironment where adult neurogenesis occurs. The overall goal of this review is to summarize the evidence supporting the role of flavonoids in modulating adult neurogenesis as well as to highlight how these dietary agents may be promising candidates in restoring healthy brain function during physiological and pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Davinelli
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
| | - Alessandro Medoro
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
| | - Sawan Ali
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
| | - Daniela Passarella
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
| | - Mariano Intrieri
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
| | - Giovanni Scapagnini
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, Campobasso 86100, Italy
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16
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Asano N, Takeuchi A, Imatani A, Saito M, Jin X, Hatta W, Uno K, Koike T, Masamune A. Wnt Signaling and Aging of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12210. [PMID: 36293064 PMCID: PMC9603545 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is considered a risk factor for various diseases including cancers. In this aging society, there is an urgent need to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved in aging. Wnt signaling has been shown to play a crucial role in the maintenance and differentiation of tissue stem cells, and intensive studies have elucidated its pivotal role in the aging of neural and muscle stem cells. However, until recently, such studies on the gastrointestinal tract have been limited. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the study of the role of Wnt signaling in the aging of the gastrointestinal tract and aging-related carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Asano
- Division of Gastroenterology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
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17
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Wise Jr JP. The intersection between toxicology and aging research: A toxic aging coin perspective. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2022; 3:1014675. [PMID: 36213344 PMCID: PMC9532842 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2022.1014675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
We are imminently faced with the challenges of an increasingly aging population and longer lifespans due to improved health care. Concomitantly, we are faced with ubiquitous environmental pollution linked with various health effects and age-related diseases which contribute to increased morbidity with age. Geriatric populations are rarely considered in the development of environmental regulations or in toxicology research. Today, life expectancy is often into one's 80s or beyond, which means multiple decades living as a geriatric individual. Hence, adverse health effects and late-onset diseases might be due to environmental exposures as a geriatric, and we currently have no way of knowing. Considering aging from a different perspective, the term "gerontogen" was coined in 1987 to describe chemicals that accelerate biological aging but has largely been left out of toxicology research. Thus, we are challenged with a two-faced problem that we can describe as a "toxic aging coin"; on one side we consider how age affects the toxic outcome of chemicals, whereas on the other side we consider how chemicals accelerate aging (i.e. how chemicals act as gerontogens). Conveniently, both sides of this coin can be tackled with a single animal study that considers multiple age groups and assesses basic toxicology of the chemical(s) tested and aging-focused endpoints. Here, I introduce the concept of this toxic aging coin and some key considerations for how it applies to toxicology research. My discussion of this concept will focus on the brain, my area of expertise, but could be translated to any organ system.
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18
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Thrush KL, Bennett DA, Gaiteri C, Horvath S, van Dyck CH, Higgins-Chen AT, Levine ME. Aging the brain: multi-region methylation principal component based clock in the context of Alzheimer's disease. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:5641-5668. [PMID: 35907208 PMCID: PMC9365556 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk increases exponentially with age and is associated with multiple molecular hallmarks of aging, one of which is epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic age predictors based on 5' cytosine methylation (DNAm), or epigenetic clocks, have previously suggested that epigenetic age acceleration may occur in AD brain tissue. Epigenetic clocks are promising tools for the quantification of biological aging, yet we hypothesize that investigation of brain aging in AD will be assisted by the development of brain-specific epigenetic clocks. Therefore, we generated a novel age predictor termed PCBrainAge that was trained solely in cortical samples. This predictor utilizes a combination of principal components analysis and regularized regression, which reduces technical noise and greatly improves test-retest reliability. To characterize the scope of PCBrainAge's utility, we generated DNAm data from multiple brain regions in a sample from the Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project. PCBrainAge captures meaningful heterogeneity of aging: Its acceleration demonstrates stronger associations with clinical AD dementia, pathologic AD, and APOE ε4 carrier status compared to extant epigenetic age predictors. It further does so across multiple cortical and subcortical regions. Overall, PCBrainAge's increased reliability and specificity makes it a particularly promising tool for investigating heterogeneity in brain aging, as well as epigenetic alterations underlying AD risk and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyra L. Thrush
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - David A. Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Christopher Gaiteri
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Christopher H. van Dyck
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Albert T. Higgins-Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Morgan E. Levine
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- Altos Labs, San Diego Institute of Science, San Diego, CA 92114, USA
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19
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Hu Z, Ma J, Yue H, Luo Y, Li X, Wang C, Wang L, Sun B, Chen Z, Wang L, Gu Y. Involvement of LIN28A in Wnt-dependent regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis in the aging brain. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:1666-1682. [PMID: 35750042 PMCID: PMC9287676 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.05.016] [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: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Hippocampal neurogenesis declines with aging. Wnt ligands and antagonists within the hippocampal neurogenic niche regulate the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and the development of new neurons, and the changes of their levels in the niche mediate aging-associated decline of neurogenesis. We found that RNA-binding protein LIN28A remained existent in neural progenitor cells and granule neurons in the adult hippocampus and that it decreased with aging. Lin28a knockout inhibited the responsiveness of neural progenitor cells to niche Wnt agonists and reduced neurogenesis, thus impairing pattern separation. Overexpression of Lin28a increased the proliferation of neural progenitor cells, promoted the functional integration of newborn neurons, restored neurogenesis in Wnt-deficient dentate gyrus, and rescued the impaired pattern separation in aging mice. Our data suggest that LIN28A regulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis as an intracellular mechanism by responding to niche Wnt signals, and its decrease is involved in aging-associated decline of hippocampal neurogenesis and related cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhechun Hu
- Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiao Ma
- Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Huimin Yue
- Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yujian Luo
- Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Xiaofang Li
- Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Mental Health Center, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Binggui Sun
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Lang Wang
- Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310029, China.
| | - Yan Gu
- Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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20
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Arredondo SB, Valenzuela-Bezanilla D, Santibanez SH, Varela-Nallar L. Wnt signaling in the adult hippocampal neurogenic niche. Stem Cells 2022; 40:630-640. [PMID: 35446432 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is a neurogenic niche of the adult brain that contains neural stem cells (NSCs) able to generate excitatory glutamatergic granule neurons, which integrate into the DG circuit and contribute to hippocampal plasticity, learning, and memory. Thus, endogenous NSCs could be harnessed for therapeutic purposes. In this context, it is critical to characterize the molecular mechanisms controlling the generation and functional integration of adult-born neurons. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is tightly controlled by both cell-autonomous mechanisms and the interaction with the complex niche microenvironment, which harbors the NSCs and provides the signals to support their maintenance, activation, and differentiation. Among niche-derived factors, Wnt ligands play diverse roles. Wnts are secreted glycoproteins that bind to Frizzled receptors and co-receptors to trigger the Wnt signaling pathway. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about the roles of Wnts in the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. We discuss the possible contribution of the different niche cells to the regulation of local Wnt signaling activity, and how Wnts derived from different cell types could induce differential effects. Finally, we discuss how the effects of Wnt signaling on hippocampal network activity might contribute to neurogenesis regulation. Although the evidence supports relevant roles for Wnt signaling in adult hippocampal neurogenesis, defining the cellular source and the mechanisms controlling secretion and diffusion of Wnts will be crucial to further understand Wnt signaling regulation of adult NSCs, and eventually, to propose this pathway as a therapeutic target to promote neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian B Arredondo
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Echaurren 183, 8370071, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Valenzuela-Bezanilla
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Echaurren 183, 8370071, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastian H Santibanez
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Echaurren 183, 8370071, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lorena Varela-Nallar
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Echaurren 183, 8370071, Santiago, Chile
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21
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Wang C, Chen JC, Xiao HH, Kong L, Zhao YM, Tian Y, Li H, Tian JM, Cui L, Wen CM, Shi YJ, Yang JX, Shang DJ. Jujuboside A promotes proliferation and neuronal differentiation of APPswe-overexpressing neural stem cells by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Neurosci Lett 2022; 772:136473. [PMID: 35077846 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Mobilization of hippocampal neurogenesis has been considered as a potential strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In present study, we evaluated both the neuroprotective effects and the effects on the proliferation and differentiation of APP-overexpressing neural stem cells (APP-NSCs) by Jujuboside A (JuA) in vitro. Our results demonstrated that JuA (50 μM) decreased apoptosis and suppressed oxidative stress damage of APP-NSCs. JuA (50 μM) upregulated the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and promoted the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of APP-NSCs. Moreover, JuA (50 μM) upregulated Wnt-3a and β-catenin protein expression, and enhanced the expression of downstream genes Ccnd1, Neurod1 and Prox1. However, XAV-939, an inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, inhibited these positive effects of JuA. Taken together, these findings suggest that JuA promote proliferation and neuronal differentiation of APP-NSCs partly by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We hope that this study will provide a viable strategy for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China; Department of Neurology, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital affiliated with Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Ji-Cong Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Hong-He Xiao
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Liang Kong
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Yu-Meng Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Yu Tian
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - He Li
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Jin-Ming Tian
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Lin Cui
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Cai-Ming Wen
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Yi-Jun Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Jing-Xian Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China.
| | - De-Jing Shang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
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22
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Austin SHL, Gabarró-Solanas R, Rigo P, Paun O, Harris L, Guillemot F, Urbán N. Wnt/β-catenin signalling is dispensable for adult neural stem cell homeostasis and activation. Development 2021; 148:272521. [PMID: 34557919 PMCID: PMC8572000 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Adult mouse hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) generate new neurons that integrate into existing hippocampal networks and modulate mood and memory. These NSCs are largely quiescent and are stimulated by niche signals to activate and produce neurons. Wnt/β-catenin signalling acts at different steps along the hippocampal neurogenic lineage, but whether it has a direct role in the regulation of NSCs remains unclear. Here, we used Wnt/β-catenin reporters and transcriptomic data from in vivo and in vitro models to show that adult NSCs respond to Wnt/β-catenin signalling. Wnt/β-catenin stimulation instructed the neuronal differentiation of proliferating NSCs and promoted the activation or differentiation of quiescent NSCs in a dose-dependent manner. However, deletion of β-catenin in NSCs did not affect either their activation or maintenance of their stem cell characteristics. Together, these results indicate that, although NSCs do respond to Wnt/β-catenin stimulation in a dose-dependent and state-specific manner, Wnt/β-catenin signalling is not cell-autonomously required to maintain NSC homeostasis, which reconciles some of the contradictions in the literature as to the role of Wnt/β-catenin signalling in adult hippocampal NSCs. Summary: Wnt/β-catenin signalling stimulation promotes the exit from quiescence and differentiation of adult hippocampal neural stem cells but is dispensable for homeostatic neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of young mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rut Gabarró-Solanas
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria.,Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna A-1030, Austria
| | - Piero Rigo
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Oana Paun
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | | | - Noelia Urbán
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK.,Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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23
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Propson NE, Roy ER, Litvinchuk A, Köhl J, Zheng H. Endothelial C3a receptor mediates vascular inflammation and blood-brain barrier permeability during aging. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:140966. [PMID: 32990682 DOI: 10.1172/jci140966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of immune and vascular systems has been implicated in aging and Alzheimer disease; however, their interrelatedness remains poorly understood. The complement pathway is a well-established regulator of innate immunity in the brain. Here, we report robust age-dependent increases in vascular inflammation, peripheral lymphocyte infiltration, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. These phenotypes were subdued by global inactivation and by endothelial cell-specific ablation of C3ar1. Using an in vitro model of the BBB, we identified intracellular Ca2+ as a downstream effector of C3a/C3aR signaling and a functional mediator of vascular endothelial cadherin junction and barrier integrity. Endothelial C3ar1 inactivation also dampened microglia reactivity and improved hippocampal and cortical volumes in the aging brain, demonstrating a crosstalk between brain vasculature dysfunction and immune cell activation and neurodegeneration. Further, prominent C3aR-dependent vascular inflammation was also observed in a tau-transgenic mouse model. Our studies suggest that heightened C3a/C3aR signaling through endothelial cells promotes vascular inflammation and BBB dysfunction and contributes to overall neuroinflammation in aging and neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E Propson
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and.,Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ethan R Roy
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Jörg Köhl
- Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research, Center for Infectiology and Inflammation Research Lübeck, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hui Zheng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and.,Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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24
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Cross DJ, Huber BR, Silverman MA, Cline MM, Gill TB, Cross CG, Cook DG, Minoshima S. Intranasal Paclitaxel Alters Alzheimer's Disease Phenotypic Features in 3xTg-AD Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 83:379-394. [PMID: 34308901 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microtubule stabilizing drugs, commonly used as anti-cancer therapeutics, have been proposed for treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, many do not cross the blood-brain barrier. OBJECTIVE This research investigated if paclitaxel (PTX) delivered via the intranasal (IN) route could alter the phenotypic progression of AD in 3xTg-AD mice. METHODS We administered intranasal PTX in 3XTg-AD mice (3xTg-AD n = 15, 10 weeks and n = 10, 44 weeks, PTX: 0.6 mg/kg or 0.9%saline (SAL)) at 2-week intervals. After treatment, 3XTg-AD mice underwent manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging to measure in vivo axonal transport. In a separate 3XTg-AD cohort, PTX-treated mice were tested in a radial water tread maze at 52 weeks of age after four treatments, and at 72 weeks of age, anxiety was assessed by an elevated-plus maze after 14 total treatments. RESULTS PTX increased axonal transport rates in treated 3XTg-AD compared to controls (p≤0.003). Further investigation using an in vitro neuron model of Aβ-induced axonal transport disruption confirmed PTX prevented axonal transport deficits. Confocal microscopy after treatment found fewer phospho-tau containing neurons (5.25±3.8 versus 8.33±2.5, p < 0.04) in the CA1, altered microglia, and reduced reactive astrocytes. PTX improved performance of 3xTg-AD on the water tread maze compared to controls and not significantly different from WT (Day 5, 143.8±43 versus 91.5±77s and Day 12, 138.3±52 versus 107.7±75s for SAL versus PTX). Elevated plus maze revealed that PTX-treated 3xTg-AD mice spent more time exploring open arms (Open arm 129.1±80 versus 20.9±31s for PTX versus SAL, p≤0.05). CONCLUSION Taken collectively, these findings indicate that intranasal-administered microtubule-stabilizing drugs may offer a potential therapeutic option for treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna J Cross
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences>, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Bertrand R Huber
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael A Silverman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.,Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Marcella M Cline
- The Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA.,Departments of Medicine, Pharmacology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Trevor B Gill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Chloe G Cross
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences>, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - David G Cook
- The Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA.,Departments of Medicine, Pharmacology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Satoshi Minoshima
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences>, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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25
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Bondi H, Bortolotto V, Canonico PL, Grilli M. Complex and regional-specific changes in the morphological complexity of GFAP + astrocytes in middle-aged mice. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 100:59-71. [PMID: 33493951 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
During aging, alterations in astrocyte phenotype occur in areas associated with age-related cognitive decline, including hippocampus. Previous work reported subregion-specific changes in surface, volume, and soma size of hippocampal astrocytes during physiological aging. Herein we extensively analyzed, by morphometric analysis, fine morphological features of GFAP+ astrocytes in young (6-month-old) and middle-aged (14-month-old) male mice. We observed remarkable heterogeneity in the astrocytic response to aging in distinct subfields and along the dorsoventral axis of hippocampus and in entorhinal cortex. In middle-aged mice dorsal granule cell and molecular layers, but not hilus, astrocytes underwent remarkable increase in their morphological complexity. These changes were absent in ventral Dentate Gyrus (DG). In addition, in entorhinal cortex, the major input to dorsal DG, astrocytes underwent remarkable atrophic changes in middle-aged mice. Since dorsal DG, and not ventral DG, is involved in cognitive functions, these findings appear worth of further evaluation. Our findings also suggest an additional level of complexity in the structural changes associated with brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Bondi
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Valeria Bortolotto
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Pier Luigi Canonico
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Grilli
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.
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26
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Bang M, Gonzales EL, Shin CY, Kwon KJ. Late Passage Cultivation Induces Aged Astrocyte Phenotypes in Rat Primary Cultured Cells. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2021; 29:144-153. [PMID: 33262320 PMCID: PMC7921865 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2020.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play various important roles such as maintaining brain homeostasis, supporting neurons, and secreting inflammatory mediators to protect the brain cells. In aged subjects, astrocytes show diversely changed phenotypes and dysfunctions. But, the study of aged astrocytes or astrocytes from aged subjects is not yet sufficient to provide a comprehensive understanding of their important processes in the regulation of brain function. In this study, we induced an in vitro aged astrocyte model through late passage cultivation of rat primary cultured astrocytes. Astrocytes were cultured until passage 7 (P7) as late passage astrocytes and compared with passage 1 (P1) astrocytes as early passage astrocytes to confirm the differences in phenotypes and the effects of serial passage. In this study, we confirmed the morphological, molecular, and functional changes of late passage astrocytes showing aging phenotypes through SA-β-gal staining and measurement of nuclear size. We also observed a reduced expression of inflammatory mediators including IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, iNOS, and COX2, as well as dysregulation of wound-healing, phagocytosis, and mitochondrial functions such as mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate. Culture-conditioned media obtained from P1 astrocytes promoted neurite outgrowth in immature primary cultures of rat cortices, which is significantly reduced when we treated the immature neurons with the culture media obtained from P7 astrocytes. These results suggest that late passage astrocytes show senescent astrocyte phenotypes with functional defects, which makes it a suitable model for the study of the role of astrocyte senescence on the modulation of normal and pathological brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minji Bang
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Edson Luck Gonzales
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Young Shin
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Ja Kwon
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
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27
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Rosenbloom AB, Tarczyński M, Lam N, Kane RS, Bugaj LJ, Schaffer DV. β-Catenin signaling dynamics regulate cell fate in differentiating neural stem cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:28828-28837. [PMID: 33139571 PMCID: PMC7682555 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2008509117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells undergo differentiation in complex and dynamic environments wherein instructive signals fluctuate on various timescales. Thus, cells must be equipped to properly respond to the timing of signals, for example, to distinguish sustained signaling from transient noise. However, how stem cells respond to dynamic variations in differentiation cues is not well characterized. Here, we use optogenetic activation of β-catenin signaling to probe the dynamic responses of differentiating adult neural stem cells (NSCs). We discover that, while elevated, sustained β-catenin activation sequentially promotes proliferation and differentiation, transient β-catenin induces apoptosis. Genetic perturbations revealed that the neurogenic/apoptotic fate switch was mediated through cell-cycle regulation by Growth Arrest and DNA Damage 45 gamma (Gadd45γ). Our results thus reveal a role for β-catenin dynamics in NSC fate decisions and may suggest a role for signal timing to minimize cell-fate errors, analogous to kinetic proofreading of stem-cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcin Tarczyński
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Nora Lam
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Ravi S Kane
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332;
| | - Lukasz J Bugaj
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - David V Schaffer
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
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28
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GSK3β Impairs KIF1A Transport in a Cellular Model of Alzheimer's Disease but Does Not Regulate Motor Motility at S402. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0176-20.2020. [PMID: 33067366 PMCID: PMC7768277 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0176-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Impairment of axonal transport is an early pathologic event that precedes neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Soluble amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs), a causative agent of AD, activate intracellular signaling cascades that trigger phosphorylation of many target proteins, including tau, resulting in microtubule destabilization and transport impairment. Here, we investigated how KIF1A, a kinesin-3 family motor protein required for the transport of neurotrophic factors, is impaired in mouse hippocampal neurons treated with AβOs. By live cell imaging, we observed that AβOs inhibit transport of KIF1A-GFP similarly in wild-type and tau knock-out neurons, indicating that tau is not required for this effect. Pharmacological inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), a kinase overactivated in AD, prevented the transport defects. By mass spectrometry on KIF1A immunoprecipitated from transgenic AD mouse brain, we detected phosphorylation at S402, which conforms to a highly conserved GSK3β consensus site. We confirmed that this site is phosphorylated by GSK3β in vitro. Finally, we tested whether a phosphomimic of S402 could modulate KIF1A motility in control and AβO-treated mouse neurons and in a Golgi dispersion assay devoid of endogenous KIF1A. In both systems, transport driven by mutant motors was similar to that of WT motors. In conclusion, GSK3β impairs KIF1A transport but does not regulate motor motility at S402. Further studies are required to determine the specific phosphorylation sites on KIF1A that regulate its cargo binding and/or motility in physiological and disease states.
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29
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Verkhratsky A, Augusto-Oliveira M, Pivoriūnas A, Popov A, Brazhe A, Semyanov A. Astroglial asthenia and loss of function, rather than reactivity, contribute to the ageing of the brain. Pflugers Arch 2020; 473:753-774. [PMID: 32979108 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-020-02465-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Astroglia represent a class of heterogeneous, in form and function, cells known as astrocytes, which provide for homoeostasis and defence of the central nervous system (CNS). Ageing is associated with morphological and functional remodelling of astrocytes with a prevalence of morphological atrophy and loss of function. In particular, ageing is associated with (i) decrease in astroglial synaptic coverage, (ii) deficits in glutamate and potassium clearance, (iii) reduced astroglial synthesis of synaptogenic factors such as cholesterol, (iv) decrease in aquaporin 4 channels in astroglial endfeet with subsequent decline in the glymphatic clearance, (v) decrease in astroglial metabolic support through the lactate shuttle, (vi) dwindling adult neurogenesis resulting from diminished proliferative capacity of radial stem astrocytes, (vii) decline in the astroglial-vascular coupling and deficient blood-brain barrier and (viii) decrease in astroglial ability to mount reactive astrogliosis. Decrease in reactive capabilities of astroglia are associated with rise of age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases. Astroglial morphology and function can be influenced and improved by lifestyle interventions such as intellectual engagement, social interactions, physical exercise, caloric restriction and healthy diet. These modifications of lifestyle are paramount for cognitive longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. .,Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011, Bilbao, Spain. .,Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU and CIBERNED, Leioa, Spain.
| | - Marcus Augusto-Oliveira
- Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Augustas Pivoriūnas
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, LT-01102, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Alexander Popov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, Russia, 117997
| | - Alexey Brazhe
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, Russia, 117997.,Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234, Russia
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, Russia, 117997. .,Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
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30
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Arredondo SB, Valenzuela-Bezanilla D, Mardones MD, Varela-Nallar L. Role of Wnt Signaling in Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Health and Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:860. [PMID: 33042988 PMCID: PMC7525004 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis persists during adulthood in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Signals provided by the local hippocampal microenvironment support neural stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and maturation of newborn neurons into functional dentate granule cells, that integrate into the neural circuit and contribute to hippocampal function. Increasing evidence indicates that Wnt signaling regulates multiple aspects of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Wnt ligands bind to Frizzled receptors and co-receptors to activate the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, or the non-canonical β-catenin-independent signaling cascades Wnt/Ca2+ and Wnt/planar cell polarity. Here, we summarize current knowledge on the roles of Wnt signaling components including ligands, receptors/co-receptors and soluble modulators in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Also, we review the data suggesting distinctive roles for canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling cascades in regulating different stages of neurogenesis. Finally, we discuss the evidence linking the dysfunction of Wnt signaling to the decline of neurogenesis observed in aging and Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lorena Varela-Nallar
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
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31
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Heppt J, Wittmann MT, Schäffner I, Billmann C, Zhang J, Vogt-Weisenhorn D, Prakash N, Wurst W, Taketo MM, Lie DC. β-catenin signaling modulates the tempo of dendritic growth of adult-born hippocampal neurons. EMBO J 2020; 39:e104472. [PMID: 32929771 PMCID: PMC7604596 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020104472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In adult hippocampal neurogenesis, stem/progenitor cells generate dentate granule neurons that contribute to hippocampal plasticity. The establishment of a morphologically defined dendritic arbor is central to the functional integration of adult‐born neurons. We investigated the role of canonical Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in dendritogenesis of adult‐born neurons. We show that canonical Wnt signaling follows a biphasic pattern, with high activity in stem/progenitor cells, attenuation in immature neurons, and reactivation during maturation, and demonstrate that this activity pattern is required for proper dendrite development. Increasing β‐catenin signaling in maturing neurons of young adult mice transiently accelerated dendritic growth, but eventually produced dendritic defects and excessive spine numbers. In middle‐aged mice, in which protracted dendrite and spine development were paralleled by lower canonical Wnt signaling activity, enhancement of β‐catenin signaling restored dendritic growth and spine formation to levels observed in young adult animals. Our data indicate that precise timing and strength of β‐catenin signaling are essential for the correct functional integration of adult‐born neurons and suggest Wnt/β‐catenin signaling as a pathway to ameliorate deficits in adult neurogenesis during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Heppt
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marie-Theres Wittmann
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Iris Schäffner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Charlotte Billmann
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jingzhong Zhang
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (SIBET), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China
| | - Daniela Vogt-Weisenhorn
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Nilima Prakash
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Hamm, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wurst
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Makoto Mark Taketo
- Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Dieter Chichung Lie
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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32
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Wissler Gerdes EO, Zhu Y, Weigand BM, Tripathi U, Burns TC, Tchkonia T, Kirkland JL. Cellular senescence in aging and age-related diseases: Implications for neurodegenerative diseases. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 155:203-234. [PMID: 32854855 PMCID: PMC7656525 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aging is the major predictor for developing multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) other dementias, and Parkinson's disease (PD). Senescent cells, which can drive aging phenotypes, accumulate at etiological sites of many age-related chronic diseases. These cells are resistant to apoptosis and can cause local and systemic dysfunction. Decreasing senescent cell abundance using senolytic drugs, agents that selectively target these cells, alleviates neurodegenerative diseases in preclinical models. In this review, we consider roles of senescent cells in neurodegenerative diseases and potential implications of senolytic agents as an innovative treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yi Zhu
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - B Melanie Weigand
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Utkarsh Tripathi
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Terence C Burns
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Tamar Tchkonia
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - James L Kirkland
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.
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33
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Audesse AJ, Webb AE. Mechanisms of enhanced quiescence in neural stem cell aging. Mech Ageing Dev 2020; 191:111323. [PMID: 32781077 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2020.111323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The maintenance of neural stem cell function is vital to ensure neurogenesis throughout adulthood. During aging, there is a significant reduction in adult neurogenesis that correlates with a decline in cognitive function. Although recent studies have revealed novel extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms that regulate the adult neural stem cell (NSC) pool and lineage progression, the precise molecular mechanisms that drive dysregulation of adult neurogenesis in the context of aging are only beginning to emerge. Recent studies have shed light on mechanisms that regulate the earliest step of adult neurogenesis, the activation of quiescent NSCs. Interestingly, the ability of NSCs to enter the cell cycle in the aged brain significantly declines suggesting a deepend state of quiescence. Given the likely contribution of adult neurogenesis to supporting cognitive function in humans, enhancing neurogenesis may be a strategy to combat age-related cognitive decline. This review highlights the mechanisms that regulate the NSC pool throughout adulthood and discusses how dysregulation of these processes may contribute to the decline in neurogenesis and cognitive function throughout aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Audesse
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Brown University, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Ashley E Webb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
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Gómez-Oliva R, Geribaldi-Doldán N, Domínguez-García S, Carrascal L, Verástegui C, Nunez-Abades P, Castro C. Vitamin D deficiency as a potential risk factor for accelerated aging, impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive decline: a role for Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:13824-13844. [PMID: 32554862 PMCID: PMC7377904 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that participates in several homeostatic functions in mammalian organisms. Lower levels of vitamin D are produced in the older population, vitamin D deficiency being an accelerating factor for the progression of the aging process. In this review, we focus on the effect that vitamin D exerts in the aged brain paying special attention to the neurogenic process. Neurogenesis occurs in the adult brain in neurogenic regions, such as the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (DG). This region generates new neurons that participate in cognitive tasks. The neurogenic rate in the DG is reduced in the aged brain because of a reduction in the number of neural stem cells (NSC). Homeostatic mechanisms controlled by the Wnt signaling pathway protect this pool of NSC from being depleted. We discuss in here the crosstalk between Wnt signaling and vitamin D, and hypothesize that hypovitaminosis might cause failure in the control of the neurogenic homeostatic mechanisms in the old brain leading to cognitive impairment. Understanding the relationship between vitamin D, neurogenesis and cognitive performance in the aged brain may facilitate prevention of cognitive decline and it can open a door into new therapeutic fields by perspectives in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gómez-Oliva
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Noelia Geribaldi-Doldán
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humanas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Samuel Domínguez-García
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Livia Carrascal
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Cristina Verástegui
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humanas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Pedro Nunez-Abades
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Carmen Castro
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
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Serafino A, Giovannini D, Rossi S, Cozzolino M. Targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in neurodegenerative diseases: recent approaches and current challenges. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 15:803-822. [PMID: 32281421 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1746266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway having a crucial role in embryonic and adult life. Specifically, the Wnt/β-catenin axis is pivotal to the development and homeostasis of the nervous system, and its dysregulation has been associated with various neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, this signaling pathway has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target against neurodegeneration. AREAS COVERED This review focuses on the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's Diseases and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The evidence showing that defects in the signaling might be involved in the development of these diseases, and the pharmacological approaches tested so far, are discussed. The possibilities that this pathway offers in terms of new therapeutic opportunities are also considered. EXPERT OPINION The increasing interest paid to the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases demonstrates how targeting this signaling for therapeutic purposes could be a great opportunity for both neuroprotection and neurorepair. Without overlooking some licit concerns about drug safety and delivery to the brain, there is growing and more convincing evidence that restoring this signaling in neurodegenerative diseases may strongly increase the chance to develop disease-modifying treatments for these brain pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalucia Serafino
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council (CNR) , Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Giovannini
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council (CNR) , Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Rossi
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council (CNR) , Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Cozzolino
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council (CNR) , Rome, Italy
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Marchetti B, Tirolo C, L'Episcopo F, Caniglia S, Testa N, Smith JA, Pluchino S, Serapide MF. Parkinson's disease, aging and adult neurogenesis: Wnt/β-catenin signalling as the key to unlock the mystery of endogenous brain repair. Aging Cell 2020; 19:e13101. [PMID: 32050297 PMCID: PMC7059166 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A common hallmark of age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases is an impairment of adult neurogenesis. Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site (Wnt)/β-catenin (WβC) signalling is a vital pathway for dopaminergic (DAergic) neurogenesis and an essential signalling system during embryonic development and aging, the most critical risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). To date, there is no known cause or cure for PD. Here we focus on the potential to reawaken the impaired neurogenic niches to rejuvenate and repair the aged PD brain. Specifically, we highlight WβC-signalling in the plasticity of the subventricular zone (SVZ), the largest germinal region in the mature brain innervated by nigrostriatal DAergic terminals, and the mesencephalic aqueduct-periventricular region (Aq-PVR) Wnt-sensitive niche, which is in proximity to the SNpc and harbors neural stem progenitor cells (NSCs) with DAergic potential. The hallmark of the WβC pathway is the cytosolic accumulation of β-catenin, which enters the nucleus and associates with T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer binding factor (TCF/LEF) transcription factors, leading to the transcription of Wnt target genes. Here, we underscore the dynamic interplay between DAergic innervation and astroglial-derived factors regulating WβC-dependent transcription of key genes orchestrating NSC proliferation, survival, migration and differentiation. Aging, inflammation and oxidative stress synergize with neurotoxin exposure in "turning off" the WβC neurogenic switch via down-regulation of the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2/Wnt-regulated signalosome, a key player in the maintenance of antioxidant self-defense mechanisms and NSC homeostasis. Harnessing WβC-signalling in the aged PD brain can thus restore neurogenesis, rejuvenate the microenvironment, and promote neurorescue and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Marchetti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC)Pharmacology and Physiology SectionsMedical SchoolUniversity of CataniaCataniaItaly
- Neuropharmacology SectionOASI Research Institute‐IRCCSTroinaItaly
| | - Cataldo Tirolo
- Neuropharmacology SectionOASI Research Institute‐IRCCSTroinaItaly
| | | | | | - Nunzio Testa
- Neuropharmacology SectionOASI Research Institute‐IRCCSTroinaItaly
| | - Jayden A. Smith
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and NIHR Biomedical Research CentreUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Stefano Pluchino
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and NIHR Biomedical Research CentreUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Maria F. Serapide
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC)Pharmacology and Physiology SectionsMedical SchoolUniversity of CataniaCataniaItaly
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Jia L, Piña-Crespo J, Li Y. Restoring Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a promising therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease. Mol Brain 2019; 12:104. [PMID: 31801553 PMCID: PMC6894260 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-019-0525-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an aging-related neurological disorder characterized by synaptic loss and dementia. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an essential signal transduction pathway that regulates numerous cellular processes including cell survival. In brain, Wnt/β-catenin signaling is not only crucial for neuronal survival and neurogenesis, but it plays important roles in regulating synaptic plasticity and blood-brain barrier integrity and function. Moreover, activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibits amyloid-β production and tau protein hyperphosphorylation in the brain. Critically, Wnt/β-catenin signaling is greatly suppressed in AD brain via multiple pathogenic mechanisms. As such, restoring Wnt/β-catenin signaling represents a unique opportunity for the rational design of novel AD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Jia
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Juan Piña-Crespo
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Yonghe Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
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Quiescence of Adult Mammalian Neural Stem Cells: A Highly Regulated Rest. Neuron 2019; 104:834-848. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Azman KF, Zakaria R. Honey as an antioxidant therapy to reduce cognitive ageing. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES 2019; 22:1368-1377. [PMID: 32133053 PMCID: PMC7043876 DOI: 10.22038/ijbms.2019.14027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This paper reviews the potential role of honey as a therapeutic antioxidant to reduce oxidative stress and improve cognitive ageing. All articles indexed to PubMed Central (PMC) were searched using the following key words: honey, antioxidant, memory and ageing. Honey is a natural insect-derived product with therapeutic, medicinal and nutritional values. Antioxidant properties of honey quench biologically-circulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and counter oxidative stress while restoring the cellular antioxidant defense system. Antioxidant properties of honey may complement its nootropic effects to reduce cognitive ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khairunnuur Fairuz Azman
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Rahimah Zakaria
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia ,Corresponding author: Rahimah Zakaria. Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. Tel: +609-7676156;
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40
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Kozareva DA, Cryan JF, Nolan YM. Born this way: Hippocampal neurogenesis across the lifespan. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e13007. [PMID: 31298475 PMCID: PMC6718573 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The capability of the mammalian brain to generate new neurons through the lifespan has gained much attention for the promise of new therapeutic possibilities especially for the aging brain. One of the brain regions that maintains a neurogenesis-permissive environment is the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Here, new neurons are generated from a pool of multipotent neural progenitor cells to become fully functional neurons that are integrated into the brain circuitry. A growing body of evidence points to the fact that neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus is necessary for certain memory processes, and in mood regulation, while alterations in hippocampal neurogenesis have been associated with a myriad of neurological and psychiatric disorders. More recently, evidence has come to light that new neurons may differ in their vulnerability to environmental and disease-related influences depending on the time during the life course at which they are exposed. Thus, it has been the topic of intense research in recent years. In this review, we will discuss the complex process and associated functional relevance of hippocampal neurogenesis during the embryonic/postnatal period and in adulthood. We consider the implications of hippocampal neurogenesis during the developmentally critical periods of adolescence and older age. We will further consider the literature surrounding hippocampal neurogenesis and its functional role during these critical periods with a view to providing insight into the potential of harnessing neurogenesis for health and therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danka A. Kozareva
- Department of Anatomy & NeuroscienceUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - John F. Cryan
- Department of Anatomy & NeuroscienceUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- APC Microbiome IrelandUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Yvonne M. Nolan
- Department of Anatomy & NeuroscienceUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
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Cohen J, Torres C. Astrocyte senescence: Evidence and significance. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e12937. [PMID: 30815970 PMCID: PMC6516680 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes participate in numerous aspects of central nervous system (CNS) physiology ranging from ion balance to metabolism, and disruption of their physiological roles can therefore be a contributor to CNS dysfunction and pathology. Cellular senescence, one of the mechanisms of aging, has been proposed as a central component of the age dependency of neurodegenerative disorders. Cumulative evidence supports an integral role of astrocytes in the initiation and progression of neurodegenerative disease and cognitive decline with aging. The loss of astrocyte function or the gain of neuroinflammatory function as a result of cellular senescence could have profound implications for the aging brain and neurodegenerative disorders, and we propose the term “astrosenescence” to describe this phenotype. This review summarizes the current evidence pertaining to astrocyte senescence from early evidence, in vitro characterization and relationship to age‐related neurodegenerative disease. We discuss the significance of targeting senescent astrocytes as a novel approach toward therapies for age‐associated neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Cohen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Drexel University College of Medicine Philadelphia Pennsylvania
| | - Claudio Torres
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Drexel University College of Medicine Philadelphia Pennsylvania
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Zhan L, Liu D, Wen H, Hu J, Pang T, Sun W, Xu E. Hypoxic postconditioning activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and protects against transient global cerebral ischemia through Dkk1 Inhibition and GSK-3β inactivation. FASEB J 2019; 33:9291-9307. [PMID: 31120770 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201802633r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The Wingless/Int (Wnt)/β-catenin pathway plays an essential role in cell survival. Although postconditioning with 8% oxygen can alleviate transient global cerebral ischemia (tGCI)-induced neuronal damage in hippocampal CA1 subregion in adult rats as demonstrated by our previous studies, little is understood about the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in hypoxic postconditioning (HPC)-induced neuroprotection. This study tried to investigate the involvement of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HPC-induced neuroprotection against tGCI and explore the underlying molecular mechanism thereof. We observed that HPC elevated nuclear β-catenin level as well as increased Wnt3a and decreased Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) expression in CA1 after tGCI. Accordingly, HPC enhanced the expression of survivin and reduced the ratio of B-cell lymphoma/lewkmia-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (Bax) to Bcl-2 following reperfusion. Moreover, our study has shown that these effects of HPC were abolished by lentivirus-mediated overexpression of Dkk1, and that the overexpression of Dkk1 completely reversed HPC-induced neuroprotection. Furthermore, HPC suppressed the activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) in CA1 after tGCI, and the inhibition of GSK-3β activity with SB216763 increased the nuclear accumulation of β-catenin, up-regulated the expression of survivin, and reduced the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2, thus preventing the delayed neuronal death after tGCI. Finally, the administration of LY294002, an inhibitor of PI3K, increased GSK-3β activity and blocked nuclear β-catenin accumulation, thereby decreasing survivin expression and elevating the Bax-to-Bcl-2 ratio after HPC. These results suggest that activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway through Dkk1 inhibition and PI3K/protein kinase B pathway-mediated GSK-3β inactivation contributes to the neuroprotection of HPC against tGCI.-Zhan, L., Liu, D., Wen, H., Hu, J., Pang, T., Sun, W., Xu, E. Hypoxic postconditioning activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and protects against transient global cerebral ischemia through Dkk1 inhibition and GSK-3β inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixuan Zhan
- Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxia Conditioning Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Liu
- Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haixia Wen
- Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaoyue Hu
- Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Taoyan Pang
- Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiwen Sun
- Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - En Xu
- Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
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Bioinformatics Analysis Makes Revelation to Potential Properties on Regulation and Functions of Human Sox2. Pathol Oncol Res 2019; 26:693-706. [PMID: 30712195 DOI: 10.1007/s12253-019-00581-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Sex determining region Y-box 2 (Sox2) is a transcription factor that is essential for maintaining self-renewal or pluripotency of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. The expression and distribution of Sox2 in tumor tissues have been extensively recorded, which are related to the progression and metastasis of tumor. However, a complete mechanistic understanding of Sox2 regulation and function remains to be studied. Herein, we show new potential properties of Sox2 regulation and functions from bioinformatics analysis. We use numerous algorithms to characterize the Sox2 gene promoter elements and the Sox2 protein structure, physio-chemical, localization properties and its evolutionary relationships. The expression of Sox2 is regulated by a diverse set of transcription factors and associated with the levels of methylation of CpG Islands in promoters. The structural properties of Sox2 indicate that Sox2 expresses as a stem cell marker in a variety of stem cells. Sox2 together with other transcription factors or proteins regulate the expression of downstream target genes, which makes a great difference to the biological function of stem cells. Not only stem cells, Sox2 also play an important role in tumor cells. In conclusion, this information from bioinformatics analysis will help to understand Sox2 regulation and functions better in future attempts.
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Julien C, Tomberlin C, Roberts CM, Akram A, Stein GH, Silverman MA, Link CD. In vivo induction of membrane damage by β-amyloid peptide oligomers. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018; 6:131. [PMID: 30497524 PMCID: PMC6263551 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-018-0634-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) is toxic to neurons and other cell types, but the mechanism(s) involved are still unresolved. Synthetic Aβ oligomers can induce ion-permeable pores in synthetic membranes, but whether this ability to damage membranes plays a role in the ability of Aβ oligomers to induce tau hyperphosphorylation, or other disease-relevant pathological changes, is unclear. To examine the cellular responses to Aβ exposure independent of possible receptor interactions, we have developed an in vivo C. elegans model that allows us to visualize these cellular responses in living animals. We find that feeding C. elegans E. coli expressing human Aβ induces a membrane repair response similar to that induced by exposure to the CRY5B, a known pore-forming toxin produced by B. thuringensis. This repair response does not occur when C. elegans is exposed to an Aβ Gly37Leu variant, which we have previously shown to be incapable of inducing tau phosphorylation in hippocampal neurons. The repair response is also blocked by loss of calpain function, and is altered by loss-of-function mutations in the C. elegans orthologs of BIN1 and PICALM, well-established risk genes for late onset Alzheimer's disease. To investigate the role of membrane repair on tau phosphorylation directly, we exposed hippocampal neurons to streptolysin O (SLO), a pore-forming toxin that induces a well-characterized membrane repair response. We find that SLO induces tau hyperphosphorylation, which is blocked by calpain inhibition. Finally, we use a novel biarsenical dye-tagging approach to show that the Gly37Leu substitution interferes with Aβ multimerization and thus the formation of potentially pore-forming oligomers. We propose that Aβ-induced tau hyperphosphorylation may be a downstream consequence of induction of a membrane repair process.
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Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway Governs a Full Program for Dopaminergic Neuron Survival, Neurorescue and Regeneration in the MPTP Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123743. [PMID: 30477246 PMCID: PMC6321180 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) integration site (Wnt) signaling is one of the most critical pathways in developing and adult tissues. In the brain, Wnt signaling contributes to different neurodevelopmental aspects ranging from differentiation to axonal extension, synapse formation, neurogenesis, and neuroprotection. Canonical Wnt signaling is mediated mainly by the multifunctional β-catenin protein which is a potent co-activator of transcription factors such as lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF) and T-cell factor (TCF). Accumulating evidence points to dysregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in major neurodegenerative disorders. This review highlights a Wnt/β-catenin/glial connection in Parkinson's disease (PD), the most common movement disorder characterized by the selective death of midbrain dopaminergic (mDAergic) neuronal cell bodies in the subtantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and gliosis. Major findings of the last decade document that Wnt/β-catenin signaling in partnership with glial cells is critically involved in each step and at every level in the regulation of nigrostriatal DAergic neuronal health, protection, and regeneration in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of PD, focusing on Wnt/β-catenin signaling to boost a full neurorestorative program in PD.
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Fang C, Wu B, Le NTT, Imberdis T, Mercer RCC, Harris DA. Prions activate a p38 MAPK synaptotoxic signaling pathway. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007283. [PMID: 30235355 PMCID: PMC6147624 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic degeneration is one of the earliest pathological correlates of prion disease, and it is a major determinant of the progression of clinical symptoms. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying prion synaptotoxicity are poorly understood. Previously, we described an experimental system in which treatment of cultured hippocampal neurons with purified PrPSc, the infectious form of the prion protein, induces rapid retraction of dendritic spines, an effect that is entirely dependent on expression of endogenous PrPC by the target neurons. Here, we use this system to dissect pharmacologically the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. We show that PrPSc initiates a stepwise synaptotoxic signaling cascade that includes activation of NMDA receptors, calcium influx, stimulation of p38 MAPK and several downstream kinases, and collapse of the actin cytoskeleton within dendritic spines. Synaptic degeneration is restricted to excitatory synapses, spares presynaptic structures, and results in decrements in functional synaptic transmission. Pharmacological inhibition of any one of the steps in the signaling cascade, as well as expression of a dominant-negative form of p38 MAPK, block PrPSc-induced spine degeneration. Moreover, p38 MAPK inhibitors actually reverse the degenerative process after it has already begun. We also show that, while PrPC mediates the synaptotoxic effects of both PrPSc and the Alzheimer’s Aβ peptide in this system, the two species activate distinct signaling pathways. Taken together, our results provide powerful insights into the biology of prion neurotoxicity, they identify new, druggable therapeutic targets, and they allow comparison of prion synaptotoxic pathways with those involved in other neurodegenerative diseases. Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders that includes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and kuru in humans, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle. The infectious agent, or prion, that transmits these diseases is a naked protein molecule, the prion protein (PrP), which is an altered form of a normal, cellular protein. Although a great deal is known about how prions propagate themselves and transmit infection, the process by which they actually cause neurons to degenerate has remained mysterious. Here, we have used a specialized neuronal culture system to dissect the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which prions damage synapses, the structures that connect nerve cells and that play a crucial role in learning, memory, and neurological disease. Our results define a stepwise molecular pathway underlying prion synaptic toxicity, which involves activation of glutamate neurotransmitter receptors, influx of calcium ions into the neuron, and stimulation of specific mitogen-activated protein kinases, which attach phosphate groups to proteins to regulate their activity. We demonstrate that specific drugs, as well as a dominant-negative kinase mutant, block these steps and thereby prevent the synaptic degeneration produced by prions. Our results provide new insights into the pathogenesis of prion diseases, they uncover new drug targets for treating these diseases, and they allow us to compare prion diseases to other, more common neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Fang
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Bei Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Nhat T. T. Le
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Thibaut Imberdis
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Robert C. C. Mercer
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - David A. Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Zhu Y, Shan X, Safarpour F, Erro Go N, Li N, Shan A, Huang MC, Deen M, Holicek V, Ashmus R, Madden Z, Gorski S, Silverman MA, Vocadlo DJ. Pharmacological Inhibition of O-GlcNAcase Enhances Autophagy in Brain through an mTOR-Independent Pathway. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:1366-1379. [PMID: 29460617 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The glycosylation of nucleocytoplasmic proteins with O-linked N-acetylglucosamine residues (O-GlcNAc) is conserved among metazoans and is particularly abundant within brain. O-GlcNAc is involved in diverse cellular processes ranging from the regulation of gene expression to stress response. Moreover, O-GlcNAc is implicated in various diseases including cancers, diabetes, cardiac dysfunction, and neurodegenerative diseases. Pharmacological inhibition of O-GlcNAcase (OGA), the sole enzyme that removes O-GlcNAc, reproducibly slows neurodegeneration in various Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse models manifesting either tau or amyloid pathology. These data have stimulated interest in the possibility of using OGA-selective inhibitors as pharmaceuticals to alter the progression of AD. The mechanisms mediating the neuroprotective effects of OGA inhibitors, however, remain poorly understood. Here we show, using a range of methods in neuroblastoma N2a cells, in primary rat neurons, and in mouse brain, that selective OGA inhibitors stimulate autophagy through an mTOR-independent pathway without obvious toxicity. Additionally, OGA inhibition significantly decreased the levels of toxic protein species associated with AD pathogenesis in the JNPL3 tauopathy mouse model as well as the 3×Tg-AD mouse model. These results strongly suggest that OGA inhibitors act within brain through a mechanism involving enhancement of autophagy, which aids the brain in combatting the accumulation of toxic protein species. Our study supports OGA inhibition being a feasible therapeutic strategy for hindering the progression of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, these data suggest more targeted strategies to stimulate autophagy in an mTOR-independent manner may be found within the O-GlcNAc pathway. These findings should aid the advancement of OGA inhibitors within the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Xiaoyang Shan
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Farzaneh Safarpour
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Nancy Erro Go
- The Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Nancy Li
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Alice Shan
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Mina C. Huang
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Matthew Deen
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Viktor Holicek
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Roger Ashmus
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Zarina Madden
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Sharon Gorski
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- The Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Michael A. Silverman
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - David J. Vocadlo
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
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48
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L'Episcopo F, Tirolo C, Peruzzotti-Jametti L, Serapide MF, Testa N, Caniglia S, Balzarotti B, Pluchino S, Marchetti B. Neural Stem Cell Grafts Promote Astroglia-Driven Neurorestoration in the Aged Parkinsonian Brain via Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling. Stem Cells 2018; 36:1179-1197. [PMID: 29575325 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
neuronal phenotype. Wnt/β-catenin signaling antagonism abolished mDA neurorestoration and immune modulatory effects of NSC grafts. Our work implicates an unprecedented therapeutic potential for somatic NSC grafts in the restoration of mDA neuronal function in the aged Parkinsonian brain. Stem Cells 2018;36:1179-1197.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luca Peruzzotti-Jametti
- Dept of Clinical Neurosciences, Clifford Allbutt Building - Cambridge Biosciences Campus and NIHR Biomedical Research,Centre, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, CB2 0HA Cambridge, UK
| | - Maria F Serapide
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Pharmacology and Physiology Sections, University of Catania Medical School, Catania, Italy
| | | | | | - Beatrice Balzarotti
- Dept of Clinical Neurosciences, Clifford Allbutt Building - Cambridge Biosciences Campus and NIHR Biomedical Research,Centre, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, CB2 0HA Cambridge, UK
| | - Stefano Pluchino
- Dept of Clinical Neurosciences, Clifford Allbutt Building - Cambridge Biosciences Campus and NIHR Biomedical Research,Centre, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, CB2 0HA Cambridge, UK
| | - Bianca Marchetti
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Pharmacology and Physiology Sections, University of Catania Medical School, Catania, Italy
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49
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Su W, Matsumoto S, Sorg B, Sherman LS. Distinct roles for hyaluronan in neural stem cell niches and perineuronal nets. Matrix Biol 2018; 78-79:272-283. [PMID: 29408010 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2018.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis in mammals is a tightly regulated process where neural stem cells (NSCs), especially in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus, proliferate and differentiate into new neurons that form new circuits or integrate into old circuits involved in episodic memory, pattern discrimination, and emotional responses. Recent evidence suggests that changes in the hyaluronan (HA)-based extracellular matrix of the SGZ may regulate neurogenesis by controlling NSC proliferation and early steps in neuronal differentiation. These studies raise the intriguing possibility that perturbations in this matrix, including HA accumulation with aging, could impact adult neurogenesis and cognitive functions, and that alterations to this matrix could be beneficial following insults to the central nervous system that impact hippocampal functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Su
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Steven Matsumoto
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Integrative Biosciences Department, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Barbara Sorg
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA 98686, USA
| | - Larry S Sherman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Department of Cell, Developmental, and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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50
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Mehdipour M, Liu Y, Liu C, Kumar B, Kim D, Gathwala R, Conboy IM. Key Age-Imposed Signaling Changes That Are Responsible for the Decline of Stem Cell Function. Subcell Biochem 2018; 90:119-143. [PMID: 30779008 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-2835-0_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This chapter analyzes recent developments in the field of signal transduction of ageing with the focus on the age-imposed changes in TGF-beta/pSmad, Notch, Wnt/beta-catenin, and Jak/Stat networks. Specifically, this chapter delineates how the above-mentioned evolutionary-conserved morphogenic signaling pathways operate in young versus aged mammalian tissues, with insights into how the age-specific broad decline of stem cell function is precipitated by the deregulation of these key cell signaling networks. This chapter also provides perspectives onto the development of defined therapeutic approaches that aim to calibrate intensity of the determinant signal transduction to health-youth, thereby rejuvenating multiple tissues in older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melod Mehdipour
- Bioengineering, Univercity of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yutong Liu
- Bioengineering, Univercity of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Chao Liu
- Bioengineering, Univercity of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Binod Kumar
- Bioengineering, Univercity of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Daehwan Kim
- Bioengineering, Univercity of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ranveer Gathwala
- Bioengineering, Univercity of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Irina M Conboy
- Bioengineering, Univercity of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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