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O'Connor EC, Kambara K, Bertrand D. Advancements in the use of xenopus oocytes for modelling neurological disease for novel drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:173-187. [PMID: 37850233 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2270902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Introduced about 50 years ago, the model of Xenopus oocytes for the expression of recombinant proteins has gained a broad spectrum of applications. The authors herein review the benefits brought from using this model system, with a focus on modeling neurological disease mechanisms and application to drug discovery. AREAS COVERED Using multiple examples spanning from ligand gated ion channels to transporters, this review presents, in the light of the latest publications, the benefits offered from using Xenopus oocytes. Studies range from the characterization of gene mutations to the discovery of novel treatments for disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). EXPERT OPINION Development of new drugs targeting CNS disorders has been marked by failures in the translation from preclinical to clinical studies. As progress in genetics and molecular biology highlights large functional differences arising from a single to a few amino acid exchanges, the need for drug screening and functional testing against human proteins is increasing. The use of Xenopus oocytes to enable precise modeling and characterization of clinically relevant genetic variants constitutes a powerful model system that can be used to inform various aspects of CNS drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoin C O'Connor
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience & Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Pandey Y, Dondapati SK, Kubick S. Enriched cell-free and cell-based native membrane derived vesicles (nMV) enabling rapid in-vitro electrophysiological analysis of the voltage-gated sodium channel 1.5. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2023; 1865:184144. [PMID: 36889502 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2023.184144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Here, we demonstrate the utility of native membrane derived vesicles (nMVs) as tools for expeditious electrophysiological analysis of membrane proteins. We used a cell-free (CF) and a cell-based (CB) approach for preparing protein-enriched nMVs. We utilized the Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) lysate-based cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) system to enrich ER-derived microsomes in the lysate with the primary human cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel 1.5 (hNaV1.5; SCN5A) in 3 h. Subsequently, CB-nMVs were isolated from fractions of nitrogen-cavitated CHO cells overexpressing the hNaV1.5. In an integrative approach, nMVs were micro-transplanted into Xenopus laevis oocytes. CB-nMVs expressed native lidocaine-sensitive hNaV1.5 currents within 24 h; CF-nMVs did not elicit any response. Both the CB- and CF-nMV preparations evoked single-channel activity on the planar lipid bilayer while retaining sensitivity to lidocaine application. Our findings suggest a high usability of the quick-synthesis CF-nMVs and maintenance-free CB-nMVs as ready-to-use tools for in-vitro analysis of electrogenic membrane proteins and large, voltage-gated ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh Pandey
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476 Potsdam, Germany; Institut für Biochemie und Biologie, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam OT Golm, Germany
| | - Srujan Kumar Dondapati
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Stefan Kubick
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476 Potsdam, Germany; Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Biotechnology, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Faculty of Health Science, Joint Faculty of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane and the University of Potsdam, Germany
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Mazzo F, Butnaru I, Grubisha O, Ficulle E, Sanger H, Fitzgerald G, Pan F, Pasqui F, Murray T, Monn J, Li X, Hutton M, Bose S, Schiavo G, Sher E. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Modulate Exocytotic Tau Release and Propagation. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2022; 383:117-128. [PMID: 36116796 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.122.001307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Using synaptosomes purified from the brains of two transgenic mouse models overexpressing mutated human tau (TgP301S and Tg4510) and brains of patients with sporadic Alzheimer's disease, we showed that aggregated and hyperphosphorylated tau was both present in purified synaptosomes and released in a calcium- and synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP25)-dependent manner. In all mouse and human synaptosomal preparations, tau release was inhibited by the selective metabotropic glutamate receptor 2/3 (mGluR2/3) agonist LY379268, an effect prevented by the selective mGlu2/3 antagonist LY341495. LY379268 was also able to block pathologic tau propagation between primary neurons in an in vitro microfluidic cellular model. These novel results are transformational for our understanding of the molecular mechanisms mediating tau release and propagation at synaptic terminals in Alzheimer's disease and suggest that these processes could be inhibited therapeutically by the selective activation of presynaptic G protein-coupled receptors. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Pathological tau release and propagation are key neuropathological events underlying cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease patients. This paper describes the role of regulated exocytosis, and the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor (SNARE) protein SNAP25, in mediating tau release from rodent and human synaptosomes. This paper also shows that a selective mGluR2/3 agonist is highly effective in blocking tau release from synaptosomes and tau propagation between neurons, opening the way to the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches to this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mazzo
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Ioana Butnaru
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Olivera Grubisha
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Elena Ficulle
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Helen Sanger
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Griffin Fitzgerald
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Feng Pan
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Francesca Pasqui
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Tracey Murray
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - James Monn
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Xia Li
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Michael Hutton
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Suchira Bose
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
| | - Emanuele Sher
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Neuroscience, Bracknell, United Kingdom (F.M., O.G., E.F., H.S., Fr.P., T.M., S.B., E.S.); UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, University College London, London, United Kingdom (I.B., G.S.); Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (G.F., Fe.P., J.M., X.L., M.H.); and Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom (G.S.)
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Zeppillo T, Schulmann A, Macciardi F, Hjelm BE, Föcking M, Sequeira PA, Guella I, Cotter D, Bunney WE, Limon A, Vawter MP. Functional impairment of cortical AMPA receptors in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2022; 249:25-37. [PMID: 32513544 PMCID: PMC7718399 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Clinical and preclinical studies suggest that some of the behavioral alterations observed in schizophrenia (SZ) may be mechanistically linked to synaptic dysfunction of glutamatergic signaling. Recent genetic and proteomic studies suggest alterations of cortical glutamate receptors of the AMPA-type (AMPARs), which are the predominant ligand-gated ionic channels of fast transmission at excitatory synapses. The impact of gene and protein alterations on the electrophysiological activity of AMPARs is not known in SZ. In this proof of principle work, using human postmortem brain synaptic membranes isolated from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), we combined electrophysiological analysis from microtransplanted synaptic membranes (MSM) with transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) and label-free proteomics data in 10 control and 10 subjects diagnosed with SZ. We observed in SZ a reduction in the amplitude of AMPARs currents elicited by kainate, an agonist of AMPARs that blocks the desensitization of the receptor. This reduction was not associated with protein abundance but with a reduction in kainate's potency to activate AMPARs. Electrophysiologically-anchored dataset analysis (EDA) was used to identify synaptosomal proteins that linearly correlate with the amplitude of the AMPARs responses, gene ontology functional annotations were then used to determine protein-protein interactions. Protein modules associated with positive AMPARs current increases were downregulated in SZ, while protein modules that were upregulated in SZ were associated with decreased AMPARs currents. Our results indicate that transcriptomic and proteomic alterations, frequently observed in the DLPFC in SZ, converge at the synaptic level producing a functional electrophysiological impairment of AMPARs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Zeppillo
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, USA; Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, B.R.A.I.N., Centre for Neuroscience, Trieste, Italy
| | - Anton Schulmann
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA; Current address: National Institute of Mental Health, Human Genetics Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fabio Macciardi
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Brooke E Hjelm
- Department of Translational Genomics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - P Adolfo Sequeira
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ilaria Guella
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - David Cotter
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - William E Bunney
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Agenor Limon
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, USA.
| | - Marquis P Vawter
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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Ivorra I, Alberola-Die A, Cobo R, González-Ros JM, Morales A. Xenopus Oocytes as a Powerful Cellular Model to Study Foreign Fully-Processed Membrane Proteins. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:986. [PMID: 36295745 PMCID: PMC9610954 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12100986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The use of Xenopus oocytes in electrophysiological and biophysical research constitutes a long and successful story, providing major advances to the knowledge of the function and modulation of membrane proteins, mostly receptors, ion channels, and transporters. Earlier reports showed that these cells are capable of correctly expressing heterologous proteins after injecting the corresponding mRNA or cDNA. More recently, the Xenopus oocyte has become an outstanding host-cell model to carry out detailed studies on the function of fully-processed foreign membrane proteins after their microtransplantation to the oocyte. This review focused on the latter overall process of transplanting foreign membrane proteins to the oocyte after injecting plasma membranes or purified and reconstituted proteins. This experimental approach allows for the study of both the function of mature proteins, with their native stoichiometry and post-translational modifications, and their putative modulation by surrounding lipids, mostly when the protein is purified and reconstituted in lipid matrices of defined composition. Remarkably, this methodology enables functional microtransplantation to the oocyte of membrane receptors, ion channels, and transporters from different sources including human post-mortem tissue banks. Despite the large progress achieved over the last decades on the structure, function, and modulation of neuroreceptors and ion channels in healthy and pathological tissues, many unanswered questions remain and, most likely, Xenopus oocytes will continue to help provide valuable responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Ivorra
- Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante, Apdo 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
| | - Armando Alberola-Die
- Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante, Apdo 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
| | - Raúl Cobo
- Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante, Apdo 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
| | - José Manuel González-Ros
- Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación en Biotecnología Sanitaria de Elche (IDiBE), Universidad Miguel Hernández, E-03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Andrés Morales
- Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante, Apdo 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
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Miller B, Moreno N, Gutierrez BA, Limon A. Microtransplantation of Postmortem Native Synaptic mGluRs Receptors into Xenopus Oocytes for Their Functional Analysis. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:931. [PMID: 36295690 PMCID: PMC9609105 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12100931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are membrane receptors that play a central role in the modulation of synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability and whose dysregulation is implicated in diverse neurological disorders. Most current understanding about the electrophysiological properties of such receptors has been determined using recombinant proteins. However, recombinant receptors do not necessarily recapitulate the properties of native receptors due to the lack of obligated accessory proteins, some of which are differentially expressed as function of developmental stage and brain region. To overcome this limitation, we sought to microtransplant entire synaptosome membranes from frozen rat cortex into Xenopus oocytes, and directly analyze the responses elicited by native mGluRs. We recorded ion currents elicited by 1 mM glutamate using two electrodes voltage clamp. Glutamate produced a fast ionotropic response (6 ± 0.3 nA) in all microtransplanted oocytes (n = 218 oocytes) and a delayed oscillatory response (52 ± 7 nA) in 73% of them. The participation of Group 1 mGluRs was confirmed by the presence of metabotropic oscillations during the administration of (±)-1-Aminocyclopentane-trans-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (ACPD; Group 1 mGluR agonist), and the absence of oscillations during co-administration of N-(1-adamantyl)quinoxaline-2-carboxamide (NPS 2390; Group 1 mGluR antagonist). Since both mGluR1 and mGluR5 belong to Group 1 mGluRs, further investigation revealed that mGluR1 antagonism with LY 456236 has little effect on metabotropic oscillations, while mGluR5 antagonism with 100 µM AZD 9272 has significant reduction of metabotropic currents elicited by ACPD and glutamate. We confirmed the expression of mGluR1 and mGluR5 in native synaptosomes by immunoblots, both of which are enhanced when compared to their counterpart proteins in rat cortex tissue lysates. Finally, these results demonstrate the merit of using microtransplantation of native synaptosomes for the study of mGluRs and the contribution of mGluR5 to the metabotropic glutamate signaling, providing a better tool for the understanding of the role of these receptors in neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Agenor Limon
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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Bhatt M, Di Iacovo A, Romanazzi T, Roseti C, Cinquetti R, Bossi E. The "www" of Xenopus laevis Oocytes: The Why, When, What of Xenopus laevis Oocytes in Membrane Transporters Research. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12100927. [PMID: 36295686 PMCID: PMC9610376 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12100927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
After 50 years, the heterologous expression of proteins in Xenopus laevis oocytes is still essential in many research fields. New approaches and revised protocols, but also classical methods, such as the two-electrode voltage clamp, are applied in studying membrane transporters. New and old methods for investigating the activity and the expression of Solute Carriers (SLC) are reviewed, and the kinds of experiment that are still useful to perform with this kind of cell are reported. Xenopus laevis oocytes at the full-grown stage have a highly efficient biosynthetic apparatus that correctly targets functional proteins at the defined compartment. This small protein factory can produce, fold, and localize almost any kind of wild-type or recombinant protein; some tricks are required to obtain high expression and to verify the functionality. The methodologies examined here are mainly related to research in the field of membrane transporters. This work is certainly not exhaustive; it has been carried out to be helpful to researchers who want to quickly find suggestions and detailed indications when investigating the functionality and expression of the different members of the solute carrier families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manan Bhatt
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Experimental and Translational Medicine, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi 9, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Angela Di Iacovo
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Experimental and Translational Medicine, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi 9, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Tiziana Romanazzi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Experimental and Translational Medicine, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi 9, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Cristina Roseti
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Centre for Neuroscience—Via Manara 7, University of Insubria, 21052 Busto Arsizio, Italy
| | - Raffaella Cinquetti
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Elena Bossi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Centre for Neuroscience—Via Manara 7, University of Insubria, 21052 Busto Arsizio, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Miller B, Powell A, Gutierrez BA, Limon A. Microtransplantation of Synaptic Membranes to Reactivate Human Synaptic Receptors for Functional Studies. J Vis Exp 2022:10.3791/64024. [PMID: 35938847 PMCID: PMC10729793 DOI: 10.3791/64024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Excitatory and inhibitory ionotropic receptors are the major gates of ion fluxes that determine the activity of synapses during physiological neuronal communication. Therefore, alterations in their abundance, function, and relationships with other synaptic elements have been observed as a major correlate of alterations in brain function and cognitive impairment in neurodegenerative diseases and mental disorders. Understanding how the function of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic receptors is altered by disease is of critical importance for the development of effective therapies. To gain disease-relevant information, it is important to record the electrical activity of neurotransmitter receptors that remain functional in the diseased human brain. So far this is the closest approach to assess pathological alterations in receptors' function. In this work, a methodology is presented to perform microtransplantation of synaptic membranes, which consists of reactivating synaptic membranes from snap frozen human brain tissue containing human receptors, by its injection and posterior fusion into the membrane of Xenopus laevis oocytes. The protocol also provides the methodological strategy to obtain consistent and reliable responses of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, as well as novel detailed methods that are used for normalization and rigorous data analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice Miller
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch
| | - Ashli Powell
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch
| | - Berenice A Gutierrez
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch
| | - Agenor Limon
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch;
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Lauterborn JC, Scaduto P, Cox CD, Schulmann A, Lynch G, Gall CM, Keene CD, Limon A. Increased excitatory to inhibitory synaptic ratio in parietal cortex samples from individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2603. [PMID: 33972518 PMCID: PMC8110554 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22742-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic disturbances in excitatory to inhibitory (E/I) balance in forebrain circuits are thought to contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia, although direct evidence for such imbalance in humans is lacking. We assessed anatomical and electrophysiological synaptic E/I ratios in post-mortem parietal cortex samples from middle-aged individuals with AD (early-onset) or Down syndrome (DS) by fluorescence deconvolution tomography and microtransplantation of synaptic membranes. Both approaches revealed significantly elevated E/I ratios for AD, but not DS, versus controls. Gene expression studies in an independent AD cohort also demonstrated elevated E/I ratios in individuals with AD as compared to controls. These findings provide evidence of a marked pro-excitatory perturbation of synaptic E/I balance in AD parietal cortex, a region within the default mode network that is overly active in the disorder, and support the hypothesis that E/I imbalances disrupt cognition-related shifts in cortical activity which contribute to the intellectual decline in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie C Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Pietro Scaduto
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, USA
| | - Conor D Cox
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Anton Schulmann
- National Institute of Mental Health, Human Genetics Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gary Lynch
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Christine M Gall
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Agenor Limon
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, USA.
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10
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Ibrahim O, Sutherland HG, Maksemous N, Smith R, Haupt LM, Griffiths LR. Exploring Neuronal Vulnerability to Head Trauma Using a Whole Exome Approach. J Neurotrauma 2020; 37:1870-1879. [PMID: 32233732 PMCID: PMC7462038 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2019.6962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain injuries are associated with oxidative stress and a need to restore neuronal homeostasis. Mutations in ion channel genes, in particular CACNA1A, have been implicated in familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) and in the development of concussion-related symptoms in response to trivial head trauma. The aim of this study was to explore the potential role of variants in other ion channel genes in the development of such responses. We conducted whole exome sequencing (WES) on16 individuals who developed a range of neurological and concussion-related symptoms following minor or trivial head injuries. All individuals were initially tested and shown to be negative for mutations in known FHM genes. Variants identified from the WES results were filtered to identify rare variants (minor allele frequency [MAF] <0.01) in genes related to neural processes as well as genes highly expressed in the brain using a combination of in silico prediction tools (SIFT, PolyPhen, PredictSNP, Mutation Taster, and Mutation Assessor). Rare (MAF <0.001) or novel heterozygous variants in 7 ion channel genes were identified in 37.5% (6/16) of the cases (CACNA1I, CACNA1C, ATP10A, ATP7B, KCNAB1, KCNJ10, and SLC26A4), rare variants in neurotransmitter genes were found in 2 cases (GABRG1 and GRIK1), and rare variants in 3 ubiquitin-related genes identified in 4 cases (SQSTM1, TRIM2, and HECTD1). In this study, the largest proportion of potentially pathogenic variants in individuals with severe responses to minor head trauma were identified in genes previously implicated in migraine and seizure-related autosomal recessive neurological disorders. Together with results implicating variants in the hemiplegic migraine genes, CACNA1A and ATP1A2, in severe head trauma response, our results support a role for heterozygous deleterious mutations in genes implicated in neurological dysfunction and potentially increasing the risk of poor response to trivial head trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Ibrahim
- Genomics Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia
| | - Heidi G Sutherland
- Genomics Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia
| | - Neven Maksemous
- Genomics Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia
| | - Robert Smith
- Genomics Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia
| | - Larisa M Haupt
- Genomics Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lyn R Griffiths
- Genomics Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia
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11
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Scaduto P, Sequeira A, Vawter MP, Bunney W, Limon A. Preservation of global synaptic excitatory to inhibitory ratio during long postmortem intervals. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8626. [PMID: 32451470 PMCID: PMC7248056 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65377-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of postsynaptic excitation to inhibition (E/I ratio) imbalances in human brain diseases, is a highly relevant functional measurement poorly investigated due to postmortem degradation of synaptic receptors. We show that near-simultaneous recording of microtransplanted synaptic receptors after simulated morgue conditions allows the determination of the postsynaptic E/I ratio for at least 120 h after death, expanding the availability and use of human diseased tissue stored in brain banks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Scaduto
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. School of Medicine. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, USA
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, Division of Human Physiology, University of Palermo, 90134, Palermo, Italy
| | - Adolfo Sequeira
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Marquis P Vawter
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - William Bunney
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Agenor Limon
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. School of Medicine. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, USA.
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12
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Zeng SL, Sudlow LC, Berezin MY. Using Xenopus oocytes in neurological disease drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 15:39-52. [PMID: 31674217 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1682993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Neurological diseases present a difficult challenge in drug discovery. Many of the current treatments have limited efficiency or result in a variety of debilitating side effects. The search of new therapies is of a paramount importance, since the number of patients that require a better treatment is growing rapidly. As an in vitro model, Xenopus oocytes provide the drug developer with many distinct advantages, including size, durability, and efficiency in exogenous protein expression. However, there is an increasing need to refine the recent breakthroughs.Areas covered: This review covers the usage and recent advancements of Xenopus oocytes for drug discovery in neurological diseases from expression and functional measurement techniques to current applications in Alzheimer's disease, painful neuropathies, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The existing limitations of Xenopus oocytes in drug discovery are also discussed.Expert opinion: With the rise of aging population and neurological disorders, Xenopus oocytes, will continue to play an important role in understanding the mechanism of the disease, identification and validation of novel molecular targets, and drug screening, providing high-quality data despite the technical limitations. With further advances in oocytes-related techniques toward an accurate modeling of the disease, the diagnostics and treatment of neuropathologies will be becoming increasing personalized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven L Zeng
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Leland C Sudlow
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mikhail Y Berezin
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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13
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Limon A, Delbruck E, Yassine A, Pandya D, Myers RM, Barchas JD, Lee F, Schatzberg, Watson SJ, Akil H, Bunney WE, Vawter MP, Sequeira A. Electrophysiological evaluation of extracellular spermine and alkaline pH on synaptic human GABA A receptors. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:218. [PMID: 31488811 PMCID: PMC6728327 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0551-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyamines have fundamental roles in brain homeostasis as key modulators of cellular excitability. Several studies have suggested alterations in polyamine metabolism in stress related disorders, suicide, depression, and neurodegeneration, making the pharmacological modulation of polyamines a highly appealing therapeutic strategy. Polyamines are small aliphatic molecules that can modulate cationic channels involved in neuronal excitability. Previous indirect evidence has suggested that polyamines can modulate anionic GABAA receptors (GABAARs), which mediate inhibitory signaling and provide a direct route to reduce hyperexcitability. Here, we attempted to characterize the effect that spermine, the polyamine with the strongest reported effect on GABAARs, has on human postmortem native GABAARs. We microtransplanted human synaptic membranes from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of four cases with no history of mental or neurological disorders, and directly recorded spermine effects on ionic GABAARs responses on microtransplanted oocytes. We show that in human synapses, inhibition of GABAARs by spermine was better explained by alkalization of the extracellular solution. Additionally, spermine had no effect on the potentiation of GABA-currents by diazepam, indicating that even if diazepam binding is enhanced by spermine, it does not translate to changes in functional activity. Our results clearly demonstrate that while extracellular spermine does not have direct effects on human native synaptic GABAARs, spermine-mediated shifts of pH inhibit GABAARs. Potential spermine-mediated increase of pH in synapses in vivo may therefore participate in increased neuronal activity observed during physiological and pathological states, and during metabolic alterations that increase the release of spermine to the extracellular milieu.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Limon
- 0000 0001 0668 7243grid.266093.8Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, USA ,0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Department of Neurology, Mitchel Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, USA
| | - E. Delbruck
- 0000 0001 0668 7243grid.266093.8Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, USA
| | - A. Yassine
- 0000 0001 0668 7243grid.266093.8Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, USA
| | - D. Pandya
- 0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Department of Neurology, Mitchel Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, USA
| | - R. M. Myers
- 0000 0004 0408 3720grid.417691.cHudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL USA
| | - J. D. Barchas
- 000000041936877Xgrid.5386.8Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA
| | - F. Lee
- 000000041936877Xgrid.5386.8Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA
| | - Schatzberg
- 0000000419368956grid.168010.eDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA USA
| | - S. J. Watson
- 0000000086837370grid.214458.eMolecular and Behavioral Neurosciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - H. Akil
- 0000000086837370grid.214458.eMolecular and Behavioral Neurosciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - W. E. Bunney
- 0000 0001 0668 7243grid.266093.8Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, USA
| | - M. P. Vawter
- 0000 0001 0668 7243grid.266093.8Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, USA
| | - A. Sequeira
- 0000 0001 0668 7243grid.266093.8Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, USA
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14
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Zwart R, Mazzo F, Sher E. Microtransplantation of human brain receptors into oocytes to tackle key questions in drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2018; 24:533-543. [PMID: 30395928 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
It is important in drug discovery to demonstrate that activity of novel drugs found by screening on recombinant receptors translates to activity on native human receptors in brain areas affected by disease. In this review, we summarise the development and use of the microtransplantation technique. Native receptors are reconstituted from human brain tissues into oocytes from the frog Xenopus laevis where they can be functionally assessed. Oocytes microtransplanted with hippocampal tissue from an epileptic patient were used to demonstrate that new antiepileptic agents act on receptors in diseased tissue. Furthermore, frozen post-mortem human tissues were used to show that drugs are active on receptors in brain areas associated with a disease; but not in areas associated with side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruud Zwart
- Eli Lilly, Lilly Research Centre, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham, GU20 6PH, UK.
| | - Francesca Mazzo
- Eli Lilly, Lilly Research Centre, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Emanuele Sher
- Eli Lilly, Lilly Research Centre, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham, GU20 6PH, UK
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16
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Roy M, Sorokina O, Skene N, Simonnet C, Mazzo F, Zwart R, Sher E, Smith C, Armstrong JD, Grant SGN. Proteomic analysis of postsynaptic proteins in regions of the human neocortex. Nat Neurosci 2017; 21:130-138. [DOI: 10.1038/s41593-017-0025-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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