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Vazquez-Sanchez S, Tilkin B, Gasset-Rosa F, Zhang S, Piol D, McAlonis-Downes M, Artates J, Govea-Perez N, Verresen Y, Guo L, Cleveland DW, Shorter J, Da Cruz S. Frontotemporal dementia-like disease progression elicited by seeded aggregation and spread of FUS. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:46. [PMID: 38862967 PMCID: PMC11165889 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00737-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA binding proteins have emerged as central players in the mechanisms of many neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, a proteinopathy of fused in sarcoma (FUS) is present in some instances of familial Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and about 10% of sporadic Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Here we establish that focal injection of sonicated human FUS fibrils into brains of mice in which ALS-linked mutant or wild-type human FUS replaces endogenous mouse FUS is sufficient to induce focal cytoplasmic mislocalization and aggregation of mutant and wild-type FUS which with time spreads to distal regions of the brain. Human FUS fibril-induced FUS aggregation in the mouse brain of humanized FUS mice is accelerated by an ALS-causing FUS mutant relative to wild-type human FUS. Injection of sonicated human FUS fibrils does not induce FUS aggregation and subsequent spreading after injection into naïve mouse brains containing only mouse FUS, indicating a species barrier to human FUS aggregation and its prion-like spread. Fibril-induced human FUS aggregates recapitulate pathological features of FTLD including increased detergent insolubility of FUS and TAF15 and amyloid-like, cytoplasmic deposits of FUS that accumulate ubiquitin and p62, but not TDP-43. Finally, injection of sonicated FUS fibrils is shown to exacerbate age-dependent cognitive and behavioral deficits from mutant human FUS expression. Thus, focal seeded aggregation of FUS and further propagation through prion-like spread elicits FUS-proteinopathy and FTLD-like disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Vazquez-Sanchez
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Britt Tilkin
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Fatima Gasset-Rosa
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Present Address: Vividion Therapeutics, 5820 Nancy Ridge Dr, San Diego, 92121, USA
| | - Sitao Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Diana Piol
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Melissa McAlonis-Downes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jonathan Artates
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Noe Govea-Perez
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yana Verresen
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Lin Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Don W Cleveland
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - James Shorter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6059, USA
| | - Sandrine Da Cruz
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
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Hahn L, Eickhoff SB, Mueller K, Schilbach L, Barthel H, Fassbender K, Fliessbach K, Kornhuber J, Prudlo J, Synofzik M, Wiltfang J, Diehl-Schmid J, Otto M, Dukart J, Schroeter ML. Resting-state alterations in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia are related to the distribution of monoamine and GABA neurotransmitter systems. eLife 2024; 13:e86085. [PMID: 38224473 PMCID: PMC10789488 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86085] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Aside to clinical changes, behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by progressive structural and functional alterations in frontal and temporal regions. We examined if there is a selective vulnerability of specific neurotransmitter systems in bvFTD by evaluating the link between disease-related functional alterations and the spatial distribution of specific neurotransmitter systems and their underlying gene expression levels. Methods Maps of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) were derived as a measure of local activity from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging for 52 bvFTD patients (mean age = 61.5 ± 10.0 years; 14 females) and 22 healthy controls (HC) (mean age = 63.6 ± 11.9 years; 13 females). We tested if alterations of fALFF in patients co-localize with the non-pathological distribution of specific neurotransmitter systems and their coding mRNA gene expression. Furthermore, we evaluated if the strength of co-localization is associated with the observed clinical symptoms. Results Patients displayed significantly reduced fALFF in frontotemporal and frontoparietal regions. These alterations co-localized with the distribution of serotonin (5-HT1b and 5-HT2a) and γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAa) receptors, the norepinephrine transporter (NET), and their encoding mRNA gene expression. The strength of co-localization with NET was associated with cognitive symptoms and disease severity of bvFTD. Conclusions Local brain functional activity reductions in bvFTD followed the distribution of specific neurotransmitter systems indicating a selective vulnerability. These findings provide novel insight into the disease mechanisms underlying functional alterations. Our data-driven method opens the road to generate new hypotheses for pharmacological interventions in neurodegenerative diseases even beyond bvFTD. Funding This study has been supported by the German Consortium for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF; grant no. FKZ01GI1007A).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hahn
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre JülichJülichGermany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre JülichJülichGermany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Karsten Mueller
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- LVR-Klinikum DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
- Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversitätMünchenGermany
| | - Henryk Barthel
- Department for Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Klaus Fassbender
- Department of Neurology, Saarland University HospitalHomburgGermany
| | - Klaus Fliessbach
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)BonnGermany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-NurembergErlangenGermany
| | - Johannes Prudlo
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)BonnGermany
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine RostockRostockGermany
| | - Matthis Synofzik
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)BonnGermany
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain ResearchTübingenGermany
| | - Jens Wiltfang
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)BonnGermany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Medical University GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Neurosciences and Signaling Group, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), Department of Medical Sciences, University of AveiroAveiroPortugal
| | - Janine Diehl-Schmid
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of MunichMunichGermany
- kbo-Inn-Salzach-Klinikum, Clinical Center for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatic Medicine, Geriatrics and NeurologyWasserburg/InnGermany
| | | | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, Ulm UniversityUlmGermany
- Department of Neurology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-WittenbergHalleGermany
| | - Juergen Dukart
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre JülichJülichGermany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Matthias L Schroeter
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital LeipzigLeipzigGermany
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Tsuboguchi S, Nakamura Y, Ishihara T, Kato T, Sato T, Koyama A, Mori H, Koike Y, Onodera O, Ueno M. TDP-43 differentially propagates to induce antero- and retrograde degeneration in the corticospinal circuits in mouse focal ALS models. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:611-629. [PMID: 37555859 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02615-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by TDP-43 inclusions in the cortical and spinal motor neurons. It remains unknown whether and how pathogenic TDP-43 spreads across neural connections to progress degenerative processes in the cortico-spinal motor circuitry. Here we established novel mouse ALS models that initially induced mutant TDP-43 inclusions in specific neuronal or cell types in the motor circuits, and investigated whether TDP-43 and relevant pathological processes spread across neuronal or cellular connections. We first developed ALS models that primarily induced TDP-43 inclusions in the corticospinal neurons, spinal motor neurons, or forelimb skeletal muscle, by using adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing mutant TDP-43. We found that TDP-43 induced in the corticospinal neurons was transported along the axons anterogradely and transferred to the oligodendrocytes along the corticospinal tract (CST), coinciding with mild axon degeneration. In contrast, TDP-43 introduced in the spinal motor neurons did not spread retrogradely to the cortical or spinal neurons; however, it induced an extreme loss of spinal motor neurons and subsequent degeneration of neighboring spinal neurons, suggesting a degenerative propagation in a retrograde manner in the spinal cord. The intraspinal degeneration further led to severe muscle atrophy. Finally, TDP-43 induced in the skeletal muscle did not propagate pathological events to spinal neurons retrogradely. Our data revealed that mutant TDP-43 spread across neuro-glial connections anterogradely in the corticospinal pathway, whereas it exhibited different retrograde degenerative properties in the spinal circuits. This suggests that pathogenic TDP-43 may induce distinct antero- and retrograde mechanisms of degeneration in the motor system in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shintaro Tsuboguchi
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan
| | - Yuka Nakamura
- Department of System Pathology for Neurological Disorders, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Ishihara
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan
| | - Taisuke Kato
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Tokiharu Sato
- Department of System Pathology for Neurological Disorders, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Akihide Koyama
- Division of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideki Mori
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan
| | - Yuka Koike
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan
| | - Osamu Onodera
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan.
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Masaki Ueno
- Department of System Pathology for Neurological Disorders, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
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Jakabek D, Power BD, Spotorno N, Macfarlane MD, Walterfang M, Velakoulis D, Nilsson C, Waldö ML, Lätt J, Nilsson M, van Westen D, Lindberg O, Looi JCL, Santillo AF. Structural and microstructural thalamocortical network disruption in sporadic behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103471. [PMID: 37473493 PMCID: PMC10371821 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103471] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Using multi-block methods we combined multimodal neuroimaging metrics of thalamic morphology, thalamic white matter tract diffusion metrics, and cortical thickness to examine changes in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. (bvFTD). METHOD Twenty-three patients with sporadic bvFTD and 24 healthy controls underwent structural and diffusion MRI scans. Clinical severity was assessed using the Clinical Dementia Rating scale and behavioural severity using the Frontal Behaviour Inventory by patient caregivers. Thalamic volumes were manually segmented. Anterior and posterior thalamic radiation fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were extracted using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics. Finally, cortical thickness was assessed using Freesurfer. We used shape analyses, diffusion measures, and cortical thickness as features in sparse multi-block partial least squares (PLS) discriminatory analyses to classify participants within bvFTD or healthy control groups. Sparsity was tuned with five-fold cross-validation repeated 10 times. Final model fit was assessed using permutation testing. Additionally, sparse multi-block PLS was used to examine associations between imaging features and measures of dementia severity. RESULTS Bilateral anterior-dorsal thalamic atrophy, reduction in mean diffusivity of thalamic projections, and frontotemporal cortical thinning, were the main features predicting bvFTD group membership. The model had a sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 68%, and was statistically significant using permutation testing (p = 0.012). For measures of dementia severity, we found similar involvement of regional thalamic and cortical areas as in discrimination analyses, although more extensive thalamo-cortical white matter metric changes. CONCLUSIONS Using multimodal neuroimaging, we demonstrate combined structural network dysfunction of anterior cortical regions, cortical-thalamic projections, and anterior thalamic regions in sporadic bvFTD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian D Power
- School of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Australia
| | - Nicola Spotorno
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund/Malmö, Sweden
| | | | - Mark Walterfang
- Neuropsychiatry Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Dennis Velakoulis
- Neuropsychiatry Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christer Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund/Malmö, Sweden
| | - Maria Landqvist Waldö
- Clinical Sciences Helsingborg, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jimmy Lätt
- Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Markus Nilsson
- Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Danielle van Westen
- Imaging and Function, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Diagnostic Radiology, Institution for Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Olof Lindberg
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund/Malmö, Sweden
| | - Jeffrey C L Looi
- Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, The Australian National University School of Medicine and Psychology, Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Alexander F Santillo
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund/Malmö, Sweden.
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5
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Recent Advances in Frontotemporal Dementia. Neurol Sci 2022:1-10. [DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2022.69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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6
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Song L, Oseid DE, Wells EA, Coaston T, Robinson AS. Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans (HSPGs) Serve as the Mediator Between Monomeric Tau and Its Subsequent Intracellular ERK1/2 Pathway Activation. J Mol Neurosci 2022; 72:772-791. [PMID: 35040015 PMCID: PMC8763444 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-021-01943-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The conversion of soluble tau protein to insoluble, hyperphosphorylated neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) is a major hallmark leading to neuronal death observed in neurodegenerative tauopathies. Unlike NFTs, the involvement of monomeric tau in the progression of tau pathology has been less investigated. Using live-cell confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, we demonstrate that soluble 0N4R monomers were rapidly endocytosed by SH-SY5Y and C6 glioma cells via actin-dependent macropinocytosis. Further, cellular endocytosis of monomeric tau has been demonstrated to be HSPG-dependent, as shown in C6 glial cells with genetic knockouts of xylosyltransferase-1-a key enzyme in HSPG synthesis-with a reduced level of tau uptake. Tau internalization subsequently triggers ERK1/2 activation and therefore, the upregulation of IL-6 and IL-1β. The role of ERK1/2 in regulating the levels of pro-inflammatory gene transcripts was confirmed by inhibiting the MEK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway, which led to the attenuated IL-6 and IL-1β expressions but not that of TNF-α. Moreover, as a key regulator of tau internalization, LRP1 (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1) levels were downregulated in response to monomeric tau added to C6 cells, while it was upregulated in HSPG-deficient cells, suggesting that the involvement of LRP1 in tau uptake depends on the presence of HSPGs on the cell surface. The subsequent LRP1 knockdown experiment we performed shows that LRP1 deficiency leads to an attenuated propensity for tau uptake and further elevated IL-6 gene expression. Collectively, our data suggest that tau has multiple extracellular binding partners that mediate its internalization through distinct mechanisms. Additionally, this study demonstrates the important role of both HSPGs and LRP1 in regulating cellular immune responses to tau protein monomers, providing a novel target for alleviating the neuroinflammatory environment before the formation of neurofibrillary tangles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqing Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Daniel E Oseid
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Evan A Wells
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Troy Coaston
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Anne S Robinson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.
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Johnson AG, Webster JA, Hales CM. Glial profiling of human tauopathy brain demonstrates enrichment of astrocytic transcripts in tau-related frontotemporal degeneration. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 112:55-73. [PMID: 35051675 PMCID: PMC8976718 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
To understand how glia may be altered in frontotemporal degeneration with tau pathology (FTD-tau), we used a NanoString glial profiling panel to measure 770 transcripts related to glial biology in human control (n = 8), Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 8), and FTD-tau (n = 8) dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Compared to control, 43 genes were upregulated and 86 genes were downregulated in the FTD-tau samples. Only 3 genes were upregulated and 2 were downregulated in AD. Pathway analysis revealed many astrocyte-, microglia-, and oligodendrocyte-related pathway scores increased in FTD-tau, while neuron-related pathway scores decreased. We compared these results to a previously published proteomic dataset containing many of the same samples and found that the targeted panel approach obtained measurements for genes whose proteins were not measured in the proteomics. Our results point to the utility of multiomic approaches and marked dysregulation of glia in FTD-tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlyn G Johnson
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - James A Webster
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chadwick M Hales
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Peet BT, Spina S, Mundada N, La Joie R. Neuroimaging in Frontotemporal Dementia: Heterogeneity and Relationships with Underlying Neuropathology. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:728-752. [PMID: 34389969 PMCID: PMC8423978 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01101-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia encompasses a group of clinical syndromes defined pathologically by degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes. Historically, these syndromes have been challenging to diagnose, with an average of about three years between the time of symptom onset and the initial evaluation and diagnosis. Research in the field of neuroimaging has revealed numerous biomarkers of the various frontotemporal dementia syndromes, which has provided clinicians with a method of narrowing the differential diagnosis and improving diagnostic accuracy. As such, neuroimaging is considered a core investigative tool in the evaluation of neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, patterns of neurodegeneration correlate with the underlying neuropathological substrates of the frontotemporal dementia syndromes, which can aid clinicians in determining the underlying etiology and improve prognostication. This review explores the advancements in neuroimaging and discusses the phenotypic and pathologic features of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, semantic variant primary progressive aphasia, and nonfluent variant primary progressive aphasia, as seen on structural magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley T Peet
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nidhi Mundada
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Renaud La Joie
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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9
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Geser F, Jellinger KA, Fellner L, Wenning GK, Yilmazer-Hanke D, Haybaeck J. Emergent creativity in frontotemporal dementia. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2021; 128:279-293. [PMID: 33709181 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-021-02325-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Numerous papers report on connections between creative work and dementing illness, particularly in frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which may combine with motor neuron disease (FTD-MND). However, the emergence of FTD(-MND) patients' de novo artistic activities is rarely reported and underappreciated. Therefore, the present review summarizes relevant case studies' outcomes, capturing creativity's multifaceted nature. Here, we systematically searched for case reports by paying particular attention to the chronological development of individual patients' clinical symptoms, signs, and life events. We synoptically compared the various art domains to the pattern of brain atrophy, the clinical and pathological FTD subtypes. 22 FTD(-MND) patients were identified with creativity occurring either at the same time (41%) or starting after the disease onset (59%); the median lag between the first manifestation of disease and the beginning of creativity was two years. In another five patients, novel artistic activity was developed by a median of 8 years before the start of dementia symptoms. Artistic activity usually evolved over time with a peak in performance, followed by a decline that was further hampered by physical impairment during disease progression. Early on, the themes and objects depicted were often concrete and realistic, but they could become more abstract or symbolic at later stages. Emergent artistic processes may occur early on in the disease process. They appear to be a communication of inner life and may also reflect an attempt of compensation or "self-healing". The relative preservation of primary neocortical areas such as the visual, auditory, or motor cortex may enable the development of artistic activity in the face of degeneration of association cortical areas and subcortical, deeper central nervous system structures. It is crucial to understand the differential loss of function and an individual's creative abilities to implement caregiver-guided, personalized therapeutic strategies such as art therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Geser
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Klinikum Christophsbad, Faurndauer Str. 6-28, 73035, Göppingen, Germany.
| | | | - Lisa Fellner
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gregor K Wenning
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Deniz Yilmazer-Hanke
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuroanatomy, University Hospital, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Haybaeck
- Department of Pathology, Neuropathology and Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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10
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Song L, Wells EA, Robinson AS. Critical Molecular and Cellular Contributors to Tau Pathology. Biomedicines 2021; 9:190. [PMID: 33672982 PMCID: PMC7918468 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9020190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies represent a group of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) that are characterized by the deposition of filamentous tau aggregates in the brain. The pathogenesis of tauopathies starts from the formation of toxic 'tau seeds' from hyperphosphorylated tau monomers. The presence of specific phosphorylation sites and heat shock protein 90 facilitates soluble tau protein aggregation. Transcellular propagation of pathogenic tau into synaptically connected neuronal cells or adjacent glial cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis facilitate disease spread through the brain. While neuroprotective effects of glial cells-including phagocytotic microglial and astroglial phenotypes-have been observed at the early stage of neurodegeneration, dysfunctional neuronal-glial cellular communication results in a series of further pathological consequences as the disease progresses, including abnormal axonal transport, synaptic degeneration, and neuronal loss, accompanied by a pro-inflammatory microenvironment. Additionally, the discovery of microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene mutations and the strongest genetic risk factor of tauopathies-an increase in the presence of the ε2 allele of apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-provide important clues to understanding tau pathology progression. In this review, we describe the crucial signaling pathways and diverse cellular contributors to the progression of tauopathies. A systematic understanding of disease pathogenesis provides novel insights into therapeutic targets within altered signaling pathways and is of great significance for discovering effective treatments for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anne Skaja Robinson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (L.S.); (E.A.W.)
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McAlary L, Chew YL, Lum JS, Geraghty NJ, Yerbury JJ, Cashman NR. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Proteins, Proteostasis, Prions, and Promises. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:581907. [PMID: 33328890 PMCID: PMC7671971 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.581907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of the motor neurons that innervate muscle, resulting in gradual paralysis and culminating in the inability to breathe or swallow. This neuronal degeneration occurs in a spatiotemporal manner from a point of onset in the central nervous system (CNS), suggesting that there is a molecule that spreads from cell-to-cell. There is strong evidence that the onset and progression of ALS pathology is a consequence of protein misfolding and aggregation. In line with this, a hallmark pathology of ALS is protein deposition and inclusion formation within motor neurons and surrounding glia of the proteins TAR DNA-binding protein 43, superoxide dismutase-1, or fused in sarcoma. Collectively, the observed protein aggregation, in conjunction with the spatiotemporal spread of symptoms, strongly suggests a prion-like propagation of protein aggregation occurs in ALS. In this review, we discuss the role of protein aggregation in ALS concerning protein homeostasis (proteostasis) mechanisms and prion-like propagation. Furthermore, we examine the experimental models used to investigate these processes, including in vitro assays, cultured cells, invertebrate models, and murine models. Finally, we evaluate the therapeutics that may best prevent the onset or spread of pathology in ALS and discuss what lies on the horizon for treating this currently incurable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke McAlary
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Yee Lian Chew
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Jeremy Stephen Lum
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas John Geraghty
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin John Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Neil R. Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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12
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Neumann M, Frick P, Paron F, Kosten J, Buratti E, Mackenzie IR. Antibody against TDP-43 phosphorylated at serine 375 suggests conformational differences of TDP-43 aggregates among FTLD-TDP subtypes. Acta Neuropathol 2020; 140:645-658. [PMID: 32778941 PMCID: PMC7547034 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-020-02207-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of hyperphosphorylated TDP-43 is the hallmark pathological feature of the most common molecular form of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-TDP) and in the vast majority of cases with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS-TDP). However, most of the specific phosphorylation sites remain to be determined, and their relevance regarding pathogenicity and clinical and pathological phenotypic diversity in FTLD-TDP and ALS-TDP remains to be identified. Here, we generated a novel antibody raised against TDP-43 phosphorylated at serine 375 (pTDP-43S375) located in the low-complexity domain, and used it to investigate the presence of S375 phosphorylation in a series (n = 44) of FTLD-TDP and ALS-TDP cases. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated phosphorylation of S375 to be a consistent feature of pathological TDP-43 species, including full-length and C-terminal fragments, in all FTLD-TDP subtypes examined (A-C) and in ALS-TDP. Of particular interest, however, detailed immunohistochemical analysis showed striking differences in the immunoreactivity profile of inclusions with the pTDP-43S375 antiserum among pathological subtypes. TDP-43 pathology of ALS-TDP, FTLD-TDP type B (including cases with the C9orf72 mutation), and FTLD-TDP type C all showed strong pTDP-43S375 immunoreactivity that was similar in amount and morphology to that seen with an antibody against TDP-43 phosphorylated at S409/410 used as the gold standard. In stark contrast, TDP-43 pathology in sporadic and genetic forms of FTLD-TDP type A (including cases with GRN and C9orf72 mutations) was found to be almost completely negative by pTDP-43S375 immunohistochemistry. These data suggest a subtype-specific, conformation-dependent binding of pTDP-43S375 antiserum to TDP-43 aggregates, consistent with the idea of distinct structural TDP-43 conformers (i.e., TDP-43 strains) as the molecular basis for the phenotypic diversity in TDP-43 proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Neumann
- Molecular Neuropathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Tübingen, Otfried-Müllerstr. 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany.
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Petra Frick
- Molecular Neuropathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Tübingen, Otfried-Müllerstr. 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Francesca Paron
- Department of Molecular Pathology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Jonas Kosten
- Molecular Neuropathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Tübingen, Otfried-Müllerstr. 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Emanuele Buratti
- Department of Molecular Pathology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Ian R Mackenzie
- Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, Canada
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13
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Venkataraman L, He P, Khan G, Harris BT, Sierks MR. Isolation and characterization of antibody fragments selective for human FTD brain derived TDP-43 variants. BMC Neurosci 2020; 21:36. [PMID: 32887544 PMCID: PMC7472585 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-020-00586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the second leading cause of early onset dementia following Alzheimer's disease. It involves atrophy of the frontal and temporal regions of the brain affecting language, memory, and behavior. Transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) pathology is found in most FTD and ALS cases. It plays a role in transcription, translation and serves as a shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Prior to its aggregation, TDP-43 exists as polyubiquitinated, hyperphosphorylated C-terminal fragments that correlate well with FTD disease progression. Because of the importance of TDP-43 in these diseases, reagents that can selectively recognize specific toxic TDP variants associated with onset and progression of FTD can be effective diagnostic and therapeutic tools. RESULTS We utilized a novel atomic force microscopy (AFM) based biopanning protocol to isolate single chain variable fragments (scFvs) from a phage display library that selectively bind TDP variants present in human FTD but not cognitively normal age matched brain tissue. We then used the scFvs (FTD-TDP1 through 5) to probe post-mortem brain tissue and sera samples for the presence of FTD related TDP variants. The scFvs readily selected the FTD tissue and sera samples over age matched controls. The scFvs were used in immunohistochemical analysis of FTD and control brain slices where the reagents showed strong staining with TDP in FTD brain tissue slice. FTD-TDP1, FTD-TDP2, FTD-TDP4 and FTD-TDP5 all protected neuronal cells against FTD TDP induced toxicity suggesting potential therapeutic value. CONCLUSIONS These results show existence of different disease specific TDP variants in FTD individuals. We have identified a panel of scFvs capable of recognizing these disease specific TDP variants in postmortem FTD tissue and sera samples over age matched controls and can thus serve as a biomarker tool.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ping He
- Chemical Engineering, School for Engineering, Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, ECG301-501 Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85281-6106, USA
| | - Galam Khan
- Departments of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Brent T Harris
- Departments of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.,Departments of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Michael R Sierks
- Chemical Engineering, School for Engineering, Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, ECG301-501 Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85281-6106, USA.
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14
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Neumann M, Mackenzie IRA. Review: Neuropathology of non-tau frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2020; 45:19-40. [PMID: 30357887 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) as a relatively consistent neuropathological hallmark feature. However, the discoveries in the past decade of many of the relevant pathological proteins aggregating in human FTD brains in addition to several new FTD causing gene mutations underlined that FTD is a diverse condition on the neuropathological and genetic basis. This resulted in a novel molecular classification of these conditions based on the predominant protein abnormality and allows most cases of FTD to be placed now into one of three broad molecular subgroups; FTLD with tau, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 or FET protein accumulation (FTLD-tau, FTLD-TDP and FTLD-FET respectively). This review will provide an overview of the molecular neuropathology of non-tau FTLD, insights into disease mechanisms gained from the study of human post mortem tissue as well as discussion of current controversies in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Neumann
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Molecular Neuropathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - I R A Mackenzie
- Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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15
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Hock EM, Maniecka Z, Hruska-Plochan M, Reber S, Laferrière F, Sahadevan M K S, Ederle H, Gittings L, Pelkmans L, Dupuis L, Lashley T, Ruepp MD, Dormann D, Polymenidou M. Hypertonic Stress Causes Cytoplasmic Translocation of Neuronal, but Not Astrocytic, FUS due to Impaired Transportin Function. Cell Rep 2020; 24:987-1000.e7. [PMID: 30044993 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.06.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The primarily nuclear RNA-binding protein FUS (fused in sarcoma) forms pathological cytoplasmic inclusions in a subset of early-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) patients. In response to cellular stress, FUS is recruited to cytoplasmic stress granules, which are hypothesized to act as precursors of pathological inclusions. We monitored the stress-induced nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of endogenous FUS in an ex vivo mouse CNS model and human neural networks. We found that hyperosmolar, but not oxidative, stress induced robust cytoplasmic translocation of neuronal FUS, with transient nuclear clearance and loss of function. Surprisingly, this reaction is independent of stress granule formation and the molecular pathways activated by hyperosmolarity. Instead, it represents a mechanism mediated by cytoplasmic redistribution of Transportin 1/2 and is potentiated by transcriptional inhibition. Importantly, astrocytes, which remain unaffected in ALS/FTD-FUS, are spared from this stress reaction that may signify the initial event in the development of FUS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Maria Hock
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Life Science Zurich Graduate School, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zuzanna Maniecka
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Life Science Zurich Graduate School, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marian Hruska-Plochan
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Reber
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Florent Laferrière
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sonu Sahadevan M K
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Life Science Zurich Graduate School, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Helena Ederle
- BioMedical Center (BMC), Ludwig-Maximiians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN), 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Lauren Gittings
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Diseases, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Lucas Pelkmans
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Faculty of Medicine, INSERM UMR-S1118 and Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Tammaryn Lashley
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Diseases, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Marc-David Ruepp
- UK Dementia Research Institute Centre at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, 125 Coldharbour Lane, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Dorothee Dormann
- BioMedical Center (BMC), Ludwig-Maximiians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN), 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Magdalini Polymenidou
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Life Science Zurich Graduate School, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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16
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Brown JA, Deng J, Neuhaus J, Sible IJ, Sias AC, Lee SE, Kornak J, Marx GA, Karydas AM, Spina S, Grinberg LT, Coppola G, Geschwind DH, Kramer JH, Gorno-Tempini ML, Miller BL, Rosen HJ, Seeley WW. Patient-Tailored, Connectivity-Based Forecasts of Spreading Brain Atrophy. Neuron 2019; 104:856-868.e5. [PMID: 31623919 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases appear to progress by spreading via brain connections. Here we evaluated this transneuronal degeneration hypothesis by attempting to predict future atrophy in a longitudinal cohort of patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA). We determined patient-specific "epicenters" at baseline, located each patient's epicenters in the healthy functional connectome, and derived two region-wise graph theoretical metrics to predict future atrophy: (1) shortest path length to the epicenter and (2) nodal hazard, the cumulative atrophy of a region's first-degree neighbors. Using these predictors and baseline atrophy, we could accurately predict longitudinal atrophy in most patients. The regions most vulnerable to subsequent atrophy were functionally connected to the epicenter and had intermediate levels of baseline atrophy. These findings provide novel, longitudinal evidence that neurodegeneration progresses along connectional pathways and, further developed, could lead to network-based clinical tools for prognostication and disease monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse A Brown
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jersey Deng
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John Neuhaus
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Isabel J Sible
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ana C Sias
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Suzee E Lee
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John Kornak
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gabe A Marx
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anna M Karydas
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Salvatore Spina
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lea T Grinberg
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Neurology and Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dan H Geschwind
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Neurology and Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joel H Kramer
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bruce L Miller
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Howard J Rosen
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William W Seeley
- University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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17
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Jiang J, Ravits J. Pathogenic Mechanisms and Therapy Development for C9orf72 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Frontotemporal Dementia. Neurotherapeutics 2019; 16:1115-1132. [PMID: 31667754 PMCID: PMC6985338 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00797-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2011, a hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the first intron of the C9orf72 gene was identified as the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The proposed disease mechanisms include loss of C9orf72 function and gain of toxicity from the bidirectionally transcribed repeat-containing RNAs. Over the last few years, substantial progress has been made to determine the contribution of loss and gain of function in disease pathogenesis. The extensive body of molecular, cellular, animal, and human neuropathological studies is conflicted, but the predominance of evidence favors gain of toxicity as the main pathogenic mechanism for C9orf72 repeat expansions. Alterations in several downstream cellular functions, such as nucleocytoplasmic transport and autophagy, are implicated. Exciting progress has also been made in therapy development targeting this mutation, such as by antisense oligonucleotide therapies targeting sense transcripts and small molecules targeting nucleocytoplasmic transport, and these are now in phase 1 clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Jiang
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - John Ravits
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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18
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Saul VV, Seibert M, Krüger M, Jeratsch S, Kracht M, Schmitz ML. ULK1/2 Restricts the Formation of Inducible SINT-Speckles, Membraneless Organelles Controlling the Threshold of TBK1 Activation. iScience 2019; 19:527-544. [PMID: 31442668 PMCID: PMC6710720 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Membraneless organelles (MLOs) are liquid-like subcellular compartments providing spatiotemporal control to biological processes. This study reveals that cellular stress leads to the incorporation of the adaptor protein SINTBAD (TBKBP1) into membraneless, cytosolic speckles. Determination of the interactome identified >100 proteins forming constitutive and stress-inducible members of an MLO that we termed SINT-speckles. SINT-speckles partially colocalize with activated TBK1, and deletion of SINTBAD and the SINT-speckle component AZI2 leads to impaired TBK1 phosphorylation. Dynamic formation of SINT-speckles is positively controlled by the acetyltransferase KAT2A (GCN5) and antagonized by heat shock protein-mediated chaperone activity. SINT-speckle formation is also inhibited by the autophagy-initiating kinases ULK1/2, and knockdown of these kinases prevented focal TBK1 phosphorylation in a pathway-specific manner. The phlebovirus-encoded non-structural protein S enhances ULK1-mediated TBK1 phosphorylation and shows a stress-induced translocation to SINT-speckles, raising the possibility that viruses can also target this signaling hub to manipulate host cell functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Vivian Saul
- Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Friedrichstrasse 24, Justus-Liebig-University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany, Member of the German Center for Lung Research
| | - Markus Seibert
- Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Friedrichstrasse 24, Justus-Liebig-University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany, Member of the German Center for Lung Research
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Institute for Genetics, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), 50931 Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Sylvia Jeratsch
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Michael Kracht
- Rudolf-Buchheim-Institute of Pharmacology, Justus-Liebig-University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany, Member of the German Center for Lung Research
| | - Michael Lienhard Schmitz
- Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Friedrichstrasse 24, Justus-Liebig-University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany, Member of the German Center for Lung Research.
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19
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Prasad A, Bharathi V, Sivalingam V, Girdhar A, Patel BK. Molecular Mechanisms of TDP-43 Misfolding and Pathology in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:25. [PMID: 30837838 PMCID: PMC6382748 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 424] [Impact Index Per Article: 84.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a versatile RNA/DNA binding protein involved in RNA-related metabolism. Hyper-phosphorylated and ubiquitinated TDP-43 deposits act as inclusion bodies in the brain and spinal cord of patients with the motor neuron diseases: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). While the majority of ALS cases (90-95%) are sporadic (sALS), among familial ALS cases 5-10% involve the inheritance of mutations in the TARDBP gene and the remaining (90-95%) are due to mutations in other genes such as: C9ORF72, SOD1, FUS, and NEK1 etc. Strikingly however, the majority of sporadic ALS patients (up to 97%) also contain the TDP-43 protein deposited in the neuronal inclusions, which suggests of its pivotal role in the ALS pathology. Thus, unraveling the molecular mechanisms of the TDP-43 pathology seems central to the ALS therapeutics, hence, we comprehensively review the current understanding of the TDP-43's pathology in ALS. We discuss the roles of TDP-43's mutations, its cytoplasmic mis-localization and aberrant post-translational modifications in ALS. Also, we evaluate TDP-43's amyloid-like in vitro aggregation, its physiological vs. pathological oligomerization in vivo, liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), and potential prion-like propagation propensity of the TDP-43 inclusions. Finally, we describe the various evolving TDP-43-induced toxicity mechanisms, such as the impairment of endocytosis and mitotoxicity etc. and also discuss the emerging strategies toward TDP-43 disaggregation and ALS therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Basant K. Patel
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy, India
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20
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Ulrich G, Salvadè A, Boersema P, Calì T, Foglieni C, Sola M, Picotti P, Papin S, Paganetti P. Phosphorylation of nuclear Tau is modulated by distinct cellular pathways. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17702. [PMID: 30531974 PMCID: PMC6286375 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36374-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-translational protein modification controls the function of Tau as a scaffold protein linking a variety of molecular partners. This is most studied in the context of microtubules, where Tau regulates their stability as well as the distribution of cellular components to defined compartments. However, Tau is also located in the cell nucleus; and is found to protect DNA. Quantitative assessment of Tau modification in the nucleus when compared to the cytosol may elucidate how subcellular distribution and function of Tau is regulated. We undertook an unbiased approach by combing bimolecular fluorescent complementation and mass spectrometry in order to show that Tau phosphorylation at specific residues is increased in the nucleus of proliferating pluripotent neuronal C17.2 and neuroblastoma SY5Y cells. These findings were validated with the use of nuclear targeted Tau and subcellular fractionation, in particular for the phosphorylation at T181, T212 and S404. We also report that the DNA damaging drug Etoposide increases the translocation of Tau to the nucleus whilst reducing its phosphorylation. We propose that overt phosphorylation of Tau, a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders defined as tauopathies, may negatively regulate the function of nuclear Tau in protecting against DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Ulrich
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Cantonale Ospedaliero, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Agnese Salvadè
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Cantonale Ospedaliero, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Paul Boersema
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tito Calì
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Foglieni
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Cantonale Ospedaliero, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Martina Sola
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Cantonale Ospedaliero, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Paola Picotti
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stéphanie Papin
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Cantonale Ospedaliero, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Paganetti
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Cantonale Ospedaliero, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland.
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21
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Sohrab SS, Suhail M, Ali A, Kamal MA, Husen A, Ahmad F, Azhar EI, Greig NH. Role of viruses, prions and miRNA in neurodegenerative disorders and dementia. Virusdisease 2018; 29:419-433. [PMID: 30539044 DOI: 10.1007/s13337-018-0492-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dementia is known as loss of cellular communications in the brain at a region caused by multi-factorial diseases and pathogenic infections. Approximately eighty percent reported cases of Alzheimer's disease are followed by vascular dementia. The common symptoms of dementia include memory loss, concentration problems, thinking, and language solving situations. Dementia is a multifactorial disease but based on latest research; various reports have been published describing the linkage and role of viruses, prions and miRNAs in neurodegeneration and neurodegenerative disorders resulting into dementia and due to this we selected to review and provide latest information related to dementia. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs carrying genetic regulatory information contributing to neurological disorders among human and animals. A prion is an infectious agent made of protein material. Recently, it has been reported that prions play a significant role in signaling processes, resulting in amyloidogenesis and neurological disorders. Viruses attack human immune system and central nervous system and affect classical pathways of neurodegenerative diseases. Comprehensive understandings of the expression profiles and activities of these miRNAs, Prions, Viruses will illuminate their roles as potential therapeutic targets in neurodegeneration and may lead to the discovery of breakthrough treatment strategies for neurodegenerative disorders and dementia. The provided information will further be significant not only in neuro-scientific research, but also in designing and development of management strategies for dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed Sartaj Sohrab
- 1Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Post Box No-80216, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohd Suhail
- 2King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box No 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ashraf Ali
- 2King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box No 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Amjad Kamal
- 2King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box No 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Enzymoics, 7 Peterlee Place, Hebersham, NSW 2770 Australia.,Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Sydney, Australia
| | - Azamal Husen
- 6Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Fahim Ahmad
- 7Drug Discovery Division, Southern Research Institute, 2000, Ninth Ave, South, Birmingham, AL 35205 USA
| | - Esam Ibraheem Azhar
- 1Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Post Box No-80216, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia.,5Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nigel H Greig
- Drug Design & Development Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National, Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Biomedical Research Center, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21224 USA
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22
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Douglas AGL. Non-coding RNA in C9orf72-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia: A perfect storm of dysfunction. Noncoding RNA Res 2018; 3:178-187. [PMID: 30533567 PMCID: PMC6260478 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the first intron/promoter region of C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Both sense and antisense transcripts exist at the C9orf72 locus but the function of the antisense lncRNA is unknown. RNA toxicity of the transcribed repeat expansion has been implicated in the pathogenesis of C9orf72-related ALS/FTD, not only through direct sequestration of important RNA binding proteins but also indirectly through non-ATG dependent translation into dipeptide repeats. Formation of RNA/DNA hybrid R-loops may also play a key role in the pathogenesis of this condition and this mechanism could provide a link between the repeat expansion, DNA damage, repeat instability and deficiency of RNA binding proteins. Non-coding C9orf72 antisense transcripts could also act to epigenetically regulate gene expression at the locus. The potential effects of such non-coding RNAs should be considered in the design of antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics for C9orf72-related ALS/FTD. Furthermore, the mechanisms of RNA dysregulation exemplified by C9orf72-related disease may help illustrate more broadly how a “perfect storm” of dysfunction occurs in ALS/FTD and how targeting these factors could lead to corrective or preventative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G L Douglas
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.,Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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23
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Sharma S, Young RJ, Chen J, Chen X, Oh EC, Schiller MR. Minimotifs dysfunction is pervasive in neurodegenerative disorders. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2018; 4:414-432. [PMID: 30225339 PMCID: PMC6139474 DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Minimotifs are modular contiguous peptide sequences in proteins that are important for posttranslational modifications, binding to other molecules, and trafficking to specific subcellular compartments. Some molecular functions of proteins in cellular pathways can be predicted from minimotif consensus sequences identified through experimentation. While a role for minimotifs in regulating signal transduction and gene regulation during disease pathogenesis (such as infectious diseases and cancer) is established, the therapeutic use of minimotif mimetic drugs is limited. In this review, we discuss a general theme identifying a pervasive role of minimotifs in the pathomechanism of neurodegenerative diseases. Beyond their longstanding history in the genetics of familial neurodegeneration, minimotifs are also major players in neurotoxic protein aggregation, aberrant protein trafficking, and epigenetic regulation. Generalizing the importance of minimotifs in neurodegenerative diseases offers a new perspective for the future study of neurodegenerative mechanisms and the investigation of new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surbhi Sharma
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Richard J. Young
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Jingchun Chen
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Xiangning Chen
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Department of Psychology, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Edwin C. Oh
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- School of Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Martin R. Schiller
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- School of Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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24
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Synaptic Paths to Neurodegeneration: The Emerging Role of TDP-43 and FUS in Synaptic Functions. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:8413496. [PMID: 29755516 PMCID: PMC5925147 DOI: 10.1155/2018/8413496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein-43 KDa (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS) as the defining pathological hallmarks for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), coupled with ALS-FTD-causing mutations in both genes, indicate that their dysfunctions damage the motor system and cognition. On the molecular level, TDP-43 and FUS participate in the biogenesis and metabolism of coding and noncoding RNAs as well as in the transport and translation of mRNAs as part of cytoplasmic mRNA-ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) granules. Intriguingly, many of the RNA targets of TDP-43 and FUS are involved in synaptic transmission and plasticity, indicating that synaptic dysfunction could be an early event contributing to motor and cognitive deficits in ALS and FTD. Furthermore, the ability of the low-complexity prion-like domains of TDP-43 and FUS to form liquid droplets suggests a potential mechanism for mRNP assembly and conversion. This review will discuss the role of TDP-43 and FUS in RNA metabolism, with an emphasis on the involvement of this process in synaptic function and neuroprotection. This will be followed by a discussion of the potential phase separation mechanism for forming RNP granules and pathological inclusions.
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25
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Unschuld PG. Novel Translational Research Methodology and the Prospect to a Better Understanding of Neurodegenerative Disease. NEURODEGENER DIS 2018; 18:1-4. [PMID: 29339665 DOI: 10.1159/000486565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Unschuld
- Hospital for Psychogeriatric Medicine, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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26
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Abstract
Senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are the principal histopathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer disease. The essential constituents of these lesions are structurally abnormal variants of normally generated proteins: Aβ protein in plaques and tau protein in tangles. At the molecular level, both proteins in a pathogenic state share key properties with classic prions, i.e., they consist of alternatively folded, β-sheet-rich forms of the proteins that autopropagate by the seeded corruption and self-assembly of like proteins. Other similarities with prions include the ability to manifest as polymorphic and polyfunctional strains, resistance to chemical and enzymatic destruction, and the ability to spread within the brain and from the periphery to the brain. In Alzheimer disease, current evidence indicates that the pathogenic cascade follows from the endogenous, sequential corruption of Aβ and then tau. Therapeutic options include reducing the production or multimerization of the proteins, uncoupling the Aβ-tauopathy connection, or promoting the inactivation or removal of anomalous assemblies from the brain. Although aberrant Aβ appears to be the prime mover of Alzheimer disease pathogenesis, once set in motion by Aβ, the prion-like propagation of tauopathy may proceed independently of Aβ; if so, Aβ might be solely targeted as an early preventive measure, but optimal treatment of Alzheimer disease at later stages of the cascade could require intervention in both pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lary C Walker
- Department of Neurology and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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27
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Young JJ, Lavakumar M, Tampi D, Balachandran S, Tampi RR. Frontotemporal dementia: latest evidence and clinical implications. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2018; 8:33-48. [PMID: 29344342 PMCID: PMC5761910 DOI: 10.1177/2045125317739818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) describes a cluster of neurocognitive syndromes that present with impairment of executive functioning, changes in behavior, and a decrease in language proficiency. FTD is the second most common form of dementia in those younger than 65 years and is expected to increase in prevalence as the population ages. This goal in our review is to describe advances in the understanding of neurobiological pathology, classification, assessment, and treatment of FTD syndromes. METHODS PubMed was searched to obtain reviews and studies that pertain to advancements in genetics, neurobiology, neuroimaging, classification, and treatment of FTD syndromes. Articles were chosen with a predilection to more recent preclinical/clinical trials and systematic reviews. RESULTS Recent reviews and trials indicate a significant advancement in the understanding of molecular and neurobiological clinical correlates to variants of FTD. Genetic and histopathologic markers have only recently been discovered in the past decade. Current therapeutic modalities are limited, with most studies reporting improvement in symptoms with nonpharmacological interventions. However, a small number of studies have reported improvement of behavioral symptoms with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment. Stimulants may help with disinhibition, apathy, and risk-taking behavior. Memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors have not demonstrated efficacy in ameliorating FTD symptoms. Antipsychotics have been used to treat agitation and psychosis, but safety concerns and side effect profiles limit utilization in the general FTD population. Nevertheless, recent breakthroughs in the understanding of FTD pathology have led to developments in pharmacological interventions that focus on producing treatments with autoimmune, genetic, and molecular targets. CONCLUSION FTD is an underdiagnosed group of neurological syndromes comprising multiple variants with distinct neurobiological profiles and presentations. Recent advances suggest there is an array of potential novel therapeutic targets, although data concerning their effectiveness are still preliminary or preclinical. Further studies are required to develop pharmacological interventions, as there are currently no US Food and Drug administration approved treatments to manage FTD syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Joseph Young
- Department of Psychiatry, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mallika Lavakumar
- Department of Psychiatry, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Deena Tampi
- Mercy Regional Medical Center, 3700 Kolbe Rd, Lorain, OH 44053, USA
| | - Silpa Balachandran
- Department of Psychiatry, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rajesh R Tampi
- MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA
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28
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Foglieni C, Papin S, Salvadè A, Afroz T, Pinton S, Pedrioli G, Ulrich G, Polymenidou M, Paganetti P. Split GFP technologies to structurally characterize and quantify functional biomolecular interactions of FTD-related proteins. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14013. [PMID: 29070802 PMCID: PMC5656600 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14459-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein multimerization in physiological and pathological conditions constitutes an intrinsic trait of proteins related to neurodegeneration. Recent evidence shows that TDP-43, a RNA-binding protein associated with frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, exists in a physiological and functional nuclear oligomeric form, whose destabilization may represent a prerequisite for misfolding, toxicity and subsequent pathological deposition. Here we show the parallel implementation of two split GFP technologies, the GFP bimolecular and trimolecular fluorescence complementation (biFC and triFC) in the context of TDP-43 self-assembly. These techniques coupled to a variety of assays based on orthogonal readouts allowed us to define the structural determinants of TDP-43 oligomerization in a qualitative and quantitative manner. We highlight the versatility of the GFP biFC and triFC technologies for studying the localization and mechanisms of protein multimerization in the context of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Foglieni
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Stéphanie Papin
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Agnese Salvadè
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Tariq Afroz
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Pinton
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Giona Pedrioli
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Ulrich
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland
| | | | - Paolo Paganetti
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Torricella-Taverne, Switzerland.
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29
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Let's make microglia great again in neurodegenerative disorders. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2017; 125:751-770. [PMID: 29027011 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-017-1792-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
All of the common neurodegenerative disorders-Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and prion diseases-are characterized by accumulation of misfolded proteins that trigger activation of microglia; brain-resident mononuclear phagocytes. This chronic form of neuroinflammation is earmarked by increased release of myriad cytokines and chemokines in patient brains and biofluids. Microglial phagocytosis is compromised early in the disease process, obfuscating clearance of abnormal proteins. This review identifies immune pathologies shared by the major neurodegenerative disorders. The overarching concept is that aberrant innate immune pathways can be targeted for return to homeostasis in hopes of coaxing microglia into clearing neurotoxic misfolded proteins.
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30
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Veronelli L, Makaretz SJ, Quimby M, Dickerson BC, Collins JA. Geschwind Syndrome in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: Neuroanatomical and neuropsychological features over 9 years. Cortex 2017; 94:27-38. [PMID: 28711815 PMCID: PMC5565695 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Geschwind Syndrome, a characteristic behavioral syndrome frequently described in patients affected by temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), consists of the following features: hyper-religiosity, hypergraphia, hyposexuality, and irritability. Here we report the 9-year-clinical course of a case of Geschwind Syndrome that developed as a first and salient clinical expression of right temporal lobe variant of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Only one patient affected by frontotemporal dementia has previously been shown to present with Geschwind Syndrome. MS presented at age 73 with 3 years of personality and behavioral symptoms. Her early symptoms primarily included hyper-religiosity, hypergraphia, and poor emotional regulation (irritability, impulsivity, disinhibition, egocentric behavior). Over nine years, other cognitive functions (word retrieval, memory coding and recall, set-shifting, famous face and building recognition) became affected; however, hyper-religiosity, hypergraphia, and scarce emotional control remained her most prominent deficits. Longitudinal cortical thickness and volumetric analyses revealed early atrophy in the right temporal pole, right amygdala, and right hippocampus, which progressively affected homologous regions in the left hemisphere. The present case describes an unusual clinical picture associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), in which the most salient symptoms originated and remained consistent with Geschwind Syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Veronelli
- Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa di Cura Del Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara J Makaretz
- Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Megan Quimby
- Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bradford C Dickerson
- Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica A Collins
- Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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31
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Afroz T, Hock EM, Ernst P, Foglieni C, Jambeau M, Gilhespy LAB, Laferriere F, Maniecka Z, Plückthun A, Mittl P, Paganetti P, Allain FHT, Polymenidou M. Functional and dynamic polymerization of the ALS-linked protein TDP-43 antagonizes its pathologic aggregation. Nat Commun 2017; 8:45. [PMID: 28663553 PMCID: PMC5491494 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00062-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
TDP-43 is a primarily nuclear RNA-binding protein, whose abnormal phosphorylation and cytoplasmic aggregation characterizes affected neurons in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Here, we report that physiological nuclear TDP-43 in mouse and human brain forms homo-oligomers that are resistant to cellular stress. Physiological TDP-43 oligomerization is mediated by its N-terminal domain, which can adopt dynamic, solenoid-like structures, as revealed by a 2.1 Å crystal structure in combination with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electron microscopy. These head-to-tail TDP-43 oligomers are unique among known RNA-binding proteins and represent the functional form of the protein in vivo, since their destabilization results in loss of alternative splicing regulation of known neuronal RNA targets. Our findings indicate that N-terminal domain-driven oligomerization spatially separates the adjoining highly aggregation-prone, C-terminal low-complexity domains of consecutive TDP-43 monomers, thereby preventing low-complexity domain inter-molecular interactions and antagonizing the formation of pathologic aggregates.TDP-43 aggregation is observed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here the authors combine X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance and electron microscopy studies and show that physiological oligomerization of TDP-43 is mediated through its N-terminal domain, which forms functional and dynamic oligomers antagonizing pathologic aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tariq Afroz
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eva-Maria Hock
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Ernst
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Foglieni
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Via Tesserete 46, CH-6900, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Jambeau
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Larissa A B Gilhespy
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Florent Laferriere
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zuzanna Maniecka
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Plückthun
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peer Mittl
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Paganetti
- Laboratory for Biomedical Neurosciences, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Via Tesserete 46, CH-6900, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric H T Allain
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Magdalini Polymenidou
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
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