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Yu SP, Choi E, Jiang MQ, Wei L. Acute and chronic excitotoxicity in ischemic stroke and late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:1981-1988. [PMID: 39101641 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Stroke and Alzheimer's disease are common neurological disorders and often occur in the same individuals. The comorbidity of the two neurological disorders represents a grave health threat to older populations. This review presents a brief background of the development of novel concepts and their clinical potentials. The activity of glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated Ca 2+ influx is critical for neuronal function. An ischemic insult induces prompt and excessive glutamate release and drastic increases of intracellular Ca 2+ mainly via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, particularly of those at the extrasynaptic site. This Ca 2+ -evoked neuronal cell death in the ischemic core is dominated by necrosis within a few hours and days known as acute excitotoxicity. Furthermore, mild but sustained Ca 2+ increases under neurodegenerative conditions such as in the distant penumbra of the ischemic brain and early stages of Alzheimer's disease are not immediately toxic, but gradually set off deteriorating Ca 2+ -dependent signals and neuronal cell loss mostly because of activation of programmed cell death pathways. Based on the Ca 2+ hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease and recent advances, this Ca 2+ -activated "silent" degenerative excitotoxicity evolves from years to decades and is recognized as a unique slow and chronic neuropathogenesis. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit GluN3A, primarily at the extrasynaptic site, serves as a gatekeeper for the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity and is neuroprotective against both acute and chronic excitotoxicity. Ischemic stroke and Alzheimer's disease, therefore, share an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor- and Ca 2+ -mediated mechanism, although with much different time courses. It is thus proposed that early interventions to control Ca 2+ homeostasis at the preclinical stage are pivotal for individuals who are susceptible to sporadic late-onset Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementia. This early treatment simultaneously serves as a preconditioning therapy against ischemic stroke that often attacks the same individuals during abnormal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Ping Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Emily Choi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michael Q Jiang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Ling Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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2
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de Carvalho MB, Teixeira-Silva B, Marques SA, Silva AA, Cossenza M, da Cunha Faria-Melibeu A, Serfaty CA, Campello-Costa P. NMDA receptor remodeling and nNOS activation in mice after unilateral striatal injury with 6-OHDA. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34120. [PMID: 39130441 PMCID: PMC11315104 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective dopaminergic loss. Non dopaminergic neurotransmitters such as glutamate are also involved in PD progression. NMDA receptor/postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95)/neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activation is involved in neuronal excitability in PD. Here, we are focusing on the evaluating these post-synaptic protein levels in the 6-OHDA model of PD. Adult male C57BL/6 mice subjected to unilateral striatal injury with 6-OHDA were assessed at 1-, 2-, or 4-weeks post-lesion. Animals were subjected to an apomorphine-induced rotation test followed by the analysis of protein content, synaptic structure, and NOx production. All biochemical analysis was performed comparing the control versus lesioned sides of the same animal. 6-OHDA mice exhibited contralateral rotation activity, difficulties in coordinating movements, and changes in Iba-1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression during the whole period. At one week of survival, the mice showed a shift in NMDA composition, favoring the GluN2A subunit and increased PSD95 and nNOS expression and NOx formation. After two-weeks, a decrease in the total number of synapses was observed in the lesioned side. However, the number of excitatory synapses was increased with a higher content of GluN1 subunit and PSD95. After four weeks, NMDA receptor subunits restored to control levels. Interestingly, NOx formation in the serum increased. This study reveals, for the first time, the temporal course of behavioral deficits and glutamatergic synaptic plasticity through NMDAr subunit shift. Together, these data demonstrate that dopamine depletion leads to a fine adaptive response over time, which can be used for further studies of therapeutic management adjustments with the progression of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Barboza de Carvalho
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity, Postgraduate Program in Neurosciences, Biology Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
| | - Bruna Teixeira-Silva
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity, Postgraduate Program in Neurosciences, Biology Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
| | - Suelen Adriani Marques
- Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Function, Department of Neurobiology, Federal Fluminense University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
- Postgraduate School in Pathological Anatomy, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Andrea Alice Silva
- Multiuser Laboratory for Research Support in Nephrology and Medical Sciences (LAMAP), Graduate Program in Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, 24033-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Cossenza
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Institute, Postgraduate Program in Neurosciences, Biology Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
| | - Adriana da Cunha Faria-Melibeu
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Development, Postgraduate Program in Neurosciences, Biology Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
| | - Claudio Alberto Serfaty
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Postgraduate Program in Neurosciences, Biology Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paula Campello-Costa
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity, Postgraduate Program in Neurosciences, Biology Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
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Chmiel J, Kurpas D, Rybakowski F, Leszek J. The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in HIV Patients-A Review. J Clin Med 2024; 13:3288. [PMID: 38892999 PMCID: PMC11173062 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13113288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: HIV is a severe and incurable disease that has a devastating impact worldwide. It affects the immune system and negatively affects the nervous system, leading to various cognitive and behavioral problems. Scientists are actively exploring different therapeutic approaches to combat these issues. One promising method is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive technique that stimulates the brain. Methods: This review aims to examine how tDCS can help HIV patients. Searches were conducted in the Pubmed/Medline, Research Gate, and Cochrane databases. Results: The literature search resulted in six articles focusing on the effects of tDCS on cognitive and behavioral measures in people with HIV. In some cases, tDCS showed positive improvements in the measures assessed, improving executive functions, depression, attention, reaction time, psychomotor speed, speed of processing, verbal learning and memory, and cognitive functioning. Furthermore, the stimulation was safe with no severe side effects. However, the included studies were of low quality, had small sample sizes, and did not use any relevant biomarkers that would help to understand the mechanisms of action of tDCS in HIV. Conclusions: tDCS may help patients with HIV; however, due to the limited number of studies and the diversity of protocols used, caution should be exercised when recommending this treatment option in clinical settings. More high-quality research, preferably involving neurophysiological and neuroimaging measurements, is necessary to better understand how tDCS works in individuals with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Chmiel
- Institute of Neurofeedback and tDCS Poland, 70-393 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Donata Kurpas
- Department of Family and Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wrocław Medical University, 51-618 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Filip Rybakowski
- Department and Clinic of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland
| | - Jerzy Leszek
- Department and Clinic of Psychiatry, Wrocław Medical University, 54-235 Wrocław, Poland
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Huo A, Wang J, Li Q, Li M, Qi Y, Yin Q, Luo W, Shi J, Cong Q. Molecular mechanisms underlying microglial sensing and phagocytosis in synaptic pruning. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1284-1290. [PMID: 37905877 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.385854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Microglia are the main non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system that have important roles in brain development and functional connectivity of neural circuits. In brain physiology, highly dynamic microglial processes are facilitated to sense the surrounding environment and stimuli. Once the brain switches its functional states, microglia are recruited to specific sites to exert their immune functions, including the release of cytokines and phagocytosis of cellular debris. The crosstalk of microglia between neurons, neural stem cells, endothelial cells, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes contributes to their functions in synapse pruning, neurogenesis, vascularization, myelination, and blood-brain barrier permeability. In this review, we highlight the neuron-derived "find-me," "eat-me," and "don't eat-me" molecular signals that drive microglia in response to changes in neuronal activity for synapse refinement during brain development. This review reveals the molecular mechanism of neuron-microglia interaction in synaptic pruning and presents novel ideas for the synaptic pruning of microglia in disease, thereby providing important clues for discovery of target drugs and development of nervous system disease treatment methods targeting synaptic dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anran Huo
- Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University; Institute of Neuroscience and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jiali Wang
- Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University; Institute of Neuroscience and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qi Li
- Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University; Institute of Neuroscience and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Mengqi Li
- Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University; Institute of Neuroscience and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yuwan Qi
- Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University; Institute of Neuroscience and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qiao Yin
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Weifeng Luo
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jijun Shi
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qifei Cong
- Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University; Institute of Neuroscience and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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Smith SM, Ranjan K, Hoover BM, Drayson OGG, Acharya MM, Kramár EA, Baulch JE, Limoli CL. Extracellular vesicles from GABAergic but not glutamatergic neurons protect against neurological dysfunction following cranial irradiation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12274. [PMID: 38806540 PMCID: PMC11133350 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62691-y] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Cranial irradiation used to control brain malignancies invariably leads to progressive and debilitating declines in cognition. Clinical efforts implementing hippocampal avoidance and NMDAR antagonism, have sought to minimize dose to radiosensitive neurogenic regions while normalizing excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) tone. Results of these trials have yielded only marginal benefits to cognition, prompting current studies to evaluate the potential of systemic extracellular vesicle (EV) therapy to restore neurocognitive functionality in the irradiated brain. Here we tested the hypothesis that EVs derived from inhibitory but not excitatory neuronal cultures would prove beneficial to cognition and associated pathology. Rats subjected to a clinically relevant, fractionated cranial irradiation paradigm were given multiple injections of either GABAergic- or glutamatergic-derived EV and subjected to behavioral testing. Rats treated with GABAergic but not glutamatergic EVs showed significant improvements on hippocampal- and cortical-dependent behavioral tasks. While each treatment enhanced levels of the neurotrophic factors BDNF and GDNF, only GABAergic EVs preserved granule cell neuron dendritic spine density. Additional studies conducted with GABAergic EVs, confirmed significant benefits on amygdala-dependent behavior and modest changes in synaptic plasticity as measured by long-term potentiation. These data point to a potentially more efficacious approach for resolving radiation-induced neurological deficits, possibly through a mechanism able to restore homeostatic E/I balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Smith
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Medical Sciences I, Room B-146B, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Kashvi Ranjan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Medical Sciences I, Room B-146B, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Brianna M Hoover
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Medical Sciences I, Room B-146B, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Olivia G G Drayson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Medical Sciences I, Room B-146B, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Munjal M Acharya
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Eniko A Kramár
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Janet E Baulch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Medical Sciences I, Room B-146B, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA
| | - Charles L Limoli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Medical Sciences I, Room B-146B, Irvine, CA, 92697-2695, USA.
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Theyel BB, Stevenson RJ, Connors BW. Activity-Dependent Ectopic Spiking in Parvalbumin-Expressing Interneurons of the Neocortex. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0314-23.2024. [PMID: 38637152 PMCID: PMC11069434 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0314-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Canonically, action potentials of most mammalian neurons initiate at the axon initial segment (AIS) and propagate bidirectionally: orthodromically along the distal axon and retrogradely into the soma and dendrites. Under some circumstances, action potentials may initiate ectopically, at sites distal to the AIS, and propagate antidromically along the axon. These "ectopic action potentials" (EAPs) have been observed in experimental models of seizures and chronic pain, and more rarely in nonpathological forebrain neurons. Here we report that a large majority of parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) interneurons in the upper layers of mouse neocortex, from both orbitofrontal and primary somatosensory areas, fire EAPs after sufficient activation of their somata. Somatostatin-expressing interneurons also fire EAPs, though less robustly. Ectopic firing in PV+ cells occurs in varying temporal patterns and can persist for several seconds. PV+ cells evoke strong synaptic inhibition in pyramidal neurons and interneurons and play critical roles in cortical function. Our results suggest that ectopic spiking of PV+ interneurons is common and may contribute to both normal and pathological network functions of the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian B Theyel
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
- Care New England Medical Group, Providence, Rhode Island 02906
| | - Rachel J Stevenson
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
| | - Barry W Connors
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
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Hell JW. How autoimmune antibodies kindle a firestorm in the brain. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:948-950. [PMID: 38418692 PMCID: PMC10933302 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00094-w] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Patient-derived autoantibodies against NMDARs and GABAaRs show a crossover effect on the opposite receptor’s localization and function dependent on neuronal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes W Hell
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616-8636, USA.
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8
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Zhang W, Zhang L, Liang W, Wang H, Hu F. Neurodevelopment effects of early life bisphenol-A exposure on visual memory: Insights into recovery dynamics. Toxicology 2024; 502:153718. [PMID: 38160929 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153718] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous endocrine disruptor, is implicated in the cognitive deficits observed in both children and animals. Especially, BPA-induced spatial memory deterioration during the whole development phase of rodents has been well delineated. However, whether BPA exposure on the different development phases exerts similar effects on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) dependent visual memory is still elusive. Here, we chose two exposure windows, the whole gestation and lactation phases (E0∼P21) and the whole juvenile and adolescent phases (P22∼P60), for exposing rats to BPA. The visual memory of those rats was accessed by object recognition testing in the open field after BPA exposure and a constant recovery interval. The results revealed a substantial decline of visual memory under both exposure conditions, accompanied by an increase in anxiety-like behavior in BPA-exposed rats. Notably, after a 20-day recovery period, those behavioral changes induced by BPA exposure during P22∼60, not E0∼P21, were reversed compared to the control rats. According to morphological analysis of those rats after recovery, we found that the spine density of pyramidal neurons in the PFC were significant decreased in rats with BPA exposure during E0∼P21 and there was no difference between rats with or without BPA exposure during P22∼P60. Additionally, a similar change trend in excitatory receptors expression was observed under both exposure conditions. After an additional 20 days of recovery, the behavioral changes in rats with perinatal BPA exposure reverted to the normal status. Our present findings illuminate the dynamic effects of BPA on PFC-dependent functions across two crucial early developmental stages of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentai Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Linke Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Weifeng Liang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Huan Wang
- School of Life Science, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Hu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009, People's Republic of China.
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Arzua T, Yan Y, Liu X, Dash RK, Liu QS, Bai X. Synaptic and mitochondrial mechanisms behind alcohol-induced imbalance of excitatory/inhibitory synaptic activity and associated cognitive and behavioral abnormalities. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:51. [PMID: 38253552 PMCID: PMC10803756 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02748-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can significantly impact the brain development of the fetus, leading to long-term cognitive and behavioral problems. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the acute and chronic effects of binge-like alcohol exposure during the third trimester equivalent in postnatal day 7 (P7) mice on brain cell viability, synapse activity, cognitive and behavioral performance, and gene expression profiles at P60. Our results showed that alcohol exposure caused neuroapoptosis in P7 mouse brains immediately after a 6-hour exposure. In addition, P60 mice exposed to alcohol during P7 displayed impaired learning and memory abilities and anxiety-like behaviors. Electrophysiological analysis of hippocampal neurons revealed an excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in alcohol-treated P60 mice compared to controls, with decreased excitation and increased inhibition. Furthermore, our bioinformatic analysis of 376 dysregulated genes in P60 mouse brains following alcohol exposure identified 50 synapse-related and 23 mitochondria-related genes. These genes encoded proteins located in various parts of the synapse, synaptic cleft, extra-synaptic space, synaptic membranes, or mitochondria, and were associated with different biological processes and functions, including the regulation of synaptic transmission, transport, synaptic vesicle cycle, metabolism, synaptogenesis, mitochondrial activity, cognition, and behavior. The dysregulated synapse and mitochondrial genes were predicted to interact in overlapping networks. Our findings suggest that altered synaptic activities and signaling networks may contribute to alcohol-induced long-term cognitive and behavioral impairments in mice, providing new insights into the underlying synaptic and mitochondrial molecular mechanisms and potential neuroprotective strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Arzua
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Yasheng Yan
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Xiaojie Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 53226, WI, USA
| | - Ranjan K Dash
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 53226, WI, USA
| | - Qing-Song Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 53226, WI, USA
| | - Xiaowen Bai
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
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Dembeck M, Dieterich DC, Fendt M. The GluN2C/D-specific positive allosteric modulator CIQ rescues delay-induced working memory deficits in mice. Behav Brain Res 2024; 456:114716. [PMID: 37839756 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114716] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Working memory is of short duration and is, therefore, particularly sensitive to time delays. Moreover, NMDA receptors are significantly involved in working memory. In the present study, we tested whether a commonly used measure of working memory, spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze, is sensitive to time delays and, if so, whether impairments due to time-delay can be rescued by treatment with CIQ, a positive allosteric modulator of the GluN2C/D subunits of NMDA receptor. Our results indicate that the effects of time delay do depend on the performance of the individual mice under basal condition. Those mice that performed well under basal conditions showed impaired spontaneous alternations when tested with a 45-s delay. Treatment with CIQ resulted in an improvement of spontaneous alternations, regardless of delay, sex, or basal performance. On the one hand, our study shows that repeated measures of individual behavior can better control the effects of confounding factors such as time delays. On the other hand, our study also highlights the potential of GluN2C/D-specific positive allosteric modulators in the treatment of human disorders associated with working memory deficits, such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Dembeck
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg Germany
| | - Daniela C Dieterich
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg Germany; Center of Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Fendt
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg Germany; Center of Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
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Tse WS, Pochwat B, Szewczyk B, Misztak P, Bobula B, Tokarski K, Worch R, Czarnota-Bojarska M, Lipton SA, Zaręba-Kozioł M, Bijata M, Wlodarczyk J. Restorative effect of NitroSynapsin on synaptic plasticity in an animal model of depression. Neuropharmacology 2023; 241:109729. [PMID: 37797736 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109729] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
In the search for new options for the pharmacological treatment of major depressive disorder, compounds with a rapid onset of action and high efficacy but lacking a psychotomimetic effect are of particular interest. In the present study, we evaluated the antidepressant potential of NitroSynapsin (NS) at behavioural, structural, and functional levels. NS is a memantine derivative and a dual allosteric N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) antagonist using targeted delivery by the aminoadamantane of a warhead nitro group to inhibitory redox sites on the NMDAR. In a chronic restraint stress (CRS) mouse model of depression, five doses of NS administered on three consecutive days evoked antidepressant-like activity in the chronically stressed male C57BL/6J mice, reversing CRS-induced behavioural disturbances in sucrose preference and tail suspension tests. CRS-induced changes in morphology and density of dendritic spines in cerebrocortical neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were also reversed by NS. Moreover, CRS-induced reduction in long-term potentiation (LTP) in the mPFC was found to be prevented by NS based on the electrophysiological recordings. Our study showed that NS restores structural and functional synaptic plasticity and reduces depressive behaviour to the level found in naïve animals. These results preliminarily revealed an antidepressant-like potency of NS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wing Sze Tse
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur Str. 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartłomiej Pochwat
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur Str. 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - Bernadeta Szewczyk
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - Paulina Misztak
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Krakow, Poland; Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20-900, Monza, Italy
| | - Bartosz Bobula
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Tokarski
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - Remigiusz Worch
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur Str. 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Czarnota-Bojarska
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur Str. 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Stuart A Lipton
- Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center and Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of California, School of Medicine, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, United States
| | - Monika Zaręba-Kozioł
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur Str. 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Monika Bijata
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur Str. 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Jakub Wlodarczyk
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur Str. 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland.
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12
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Das M, Mao W, Voskobiynyk Y, Necula D, Lew I, Petersen C, Zahn A, Yu GQ, Yu X, Smith N, Sayed FA, Gan L, Paz JT, Mucke L. Alzheimer risk-increasing TREM2 variant causes aberrant cortical synapse density and promotes network hyperexcitability in mouse models. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 186:106263. [PMID: 37591465 PMCID: PMC10681293 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The R47H variant of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). To investigate potential mechanisms, we analyzed knockin mice expressing human TREM2-R47H from one mutant mouse Trem2 allele. TREM2-R47H mice showed increased seizure activity in response to an acute excitotoxin challenge, compared to wildtype controls or knockin mice expressing the common variant of human TREM2. TREM2-R47H also increased spontaneous thalamocortical epileptiform activity in App knockin mice expressing amyloid precursor proteins bearing autosomal dominant AD mutations and a humanized amyloid-β sequence. In mice with or without such App modifications, TREM2-R47H increased the density of putative synapses in cortical regions without amyloid plaques. TREM2-R47H did not affect synaptic density in hippocampal regions with or without plaques. We conclude that TREM2-R47H increases AD-related network hyperexcitability and that it may do so, at least in part, by causing an imbalance in synaptic densities across brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Das
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Wenjie Mao
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yuliya Voskobiynyk
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Deanna Necula
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Irene Lew
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Cathrine Petersen
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Allie Zahn
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Gui-Qiu Yu
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xinxing Yu
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nicholas Smith
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Faten A Sayed
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Li Gan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jeanne T Paz
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Lennart Mucke
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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13
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Choudhury N, Chen L, Al-Harthi L, Hu XT. Hyperactivity of medial prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons occurs in a mouse model of early-stage Alzheimer's disease without β-amyloid accumulation. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1194869. [PMID: 37465526 PMCID: PMC10350500 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1194869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The normal function of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is essential for regulating neurocognition, but it is disrupted in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) before the accumulation of Aβ and the appearance of symptoms. Despite this, little is known about how the functional activity of medial prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons changes as Alzheimer's disease progresses during aging. We used electrophysiological techniques (patch-clamping) to assess the functional activity of medial prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons in the brain of 3xTg-Alzheimer's disease mice modeling early-stage Alzheimer's disease without Aβ accumulation. Our results indicate that firing rate and the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) were significantly increased in medial prefrontal cortex neurons from young Alzheimer's disease mice (4-5-month, equivalent of <30-year-old humans) compared to age-matched control mice. Blocking ionotropic glutamatergic NMDA receptors, which regulate neuronal excitability and Ca2+ homeostasis, abolished this neuronal hyperactivity. There were no changes in Ca2+ influx through the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) or inhibitory postsynaptic activity in medial prefrontal cortex neurons from young Alzheimer's disease mice compared to controls. Additionally, acute exposure to Aβ42 potentiated medial prefrontal cortex neuronal hyperactivity in young Alzheimer's disease mice but had no effects on controls. These findings indicate that the hyperactivity of medial prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons at early-stage Alzheimer's disease is induced by an abnormal increase in presynaptic glutamate release and postsynaptic NMDA receptor activity, which initiates neuronal Ca2+ dyshomeostasis. Additionally, because accumulated Aβ forms unconventional but functional Ca2+ channels in medial prefrontal cortex neurons in the late stage of Alzheimer's disease, our study also suggests an exacerbated Ca2+ dyshomeostasis in medial prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons following overactivation of such VGCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiu-Ti Hu
- Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity, Rush University Medical Centre, Chicago, IL, United States
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14
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Yu SP, Jiang MQ, Shim SS, Pourkhodadad S, Wei L. Extrasynaptic NMDA receptors in acute and chronic excitotoxicity: implications for preventive treatments of ischemic stroke and late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:43. [PMID: 37400870 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00636-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke and late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) are risk factors for each other; the comorbidity of these brain disorders in aging individuals represents a significant challenge in basic research and clinical practice. The similarities and differences between stroke and AD in terms of pathogenesis and pathophysiology, however, have rarely been comparably reviewed. Here, we discuss the research background and recent progresses that are important and informative for the comorbidity of stroke and late-onset AD and related dementia (ADRD). Glutamatergic NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activity and NMDAR-mediated Ca2+ influx are essential for neuronal function and cell survival. An ischemic insult, however, can cause rapid increases in glutamate concentration and excessive activation of NMDARs, leading to swift Ca2+ overload in neuronal cells and acute excitotoxicity within hours and days. On the other hand, mild upregulation of NMDAR activity, commonly seen in AD animal models and patients, is not immediately cytotoxic. Sustained NMDAR hyperactivity and Ca2+ dysregulation lasting from months to years, nevertheless, can be pathogenic for slowly evolving events, i.e. degenerative excitotoxicity, in the development of AD/ADRD. Specifically, Ca2+ influx mediated by extrasynaptic NMDARs (eNMDARs) and a downstream pathway mediated by transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member (TRPM) are primarily responsible for excitotoxicity. On the other hand, the NMDAR subunit GluN3A plays a "gatekeeper" role in NMDAR activity and a neuroprotective role against both acute and chronic excitotoxicity. Thus, ischemic stroke and AD share an NMDAR- and Ca2+-mediated pathogenic mechanism that provides a common receptor target for preventive and possibly disease-modifying therapies. Memantine (MEM) preferentially blocks eNMDARs and was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for symptomatic treatment of moderate-to-severe AD with variable efficacy. According to the pathogenic role of eNMDARs, it is conceivable that MEM and other eNMDAR antagonists should be administered much earlier, preferably during the presymptomatic phases of AD/ADRD. This anti-AD treatment could simultaneously serve as a preconditioning strategy against stroke that attacks ≥ 50% of AD patients. Future research on the regulation of NMDARs, enduring control of eNMDARs, Ca2+ homeostasis, and downstream events will provide a promising opportunity to understand and treat the comorbidity of AD/ADRD and stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan P Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Center for Visual & Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, 30033, USA.
| | - Michael Q Jiang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Center for Visual & Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, 30033, USA
| | - Seong S Shim
- Center for Visual & Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, 30033, USA
| | - Soheila Pourkhodadad
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Center for Visual & Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, 30033, USA
| | - Ling Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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15
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Molloy CJ, Cooke J, Gatford NJF, Rivera-Olvera A, Avazzadeh S, Homberg JR, Grandjean J, Fernandes C, Shen S, Loth E, Srivastava DP, Gallagher L. Bridging the translational gap: what can synaptopathies tell us about autism? Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1191323. [PMID: 37441676 PMCID: PMC10333541 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1191323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple molecular pathways and cellular processes have been implicated in the neurobiology of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. There is a current focus on synaptic gene conditions, or synaptopathies, which refer to clinical conditions associated with rare genetic variants disrupting genes involved in synaptic biology. Synaptopathies are commonly associated with autism and developmental delay and may be associated with a range of other neuropsychiatric outcomes. Altered synaptic biology is suggested by both preclinical and clinical studies in autism based on evidence of differences in early brain structural development and altered glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission potentially perturbing excitatory and inhibitory balance. This review focusses on the NRXN-NLGN-SHANK pathway, which is implicated in the synaptic assembly, trans-synaptic signalling, and synaptic functioning. We provide an overview of the insights from preclinical molecular studies of the pathway. Concentrating on NRXN1 deletion and SHANK3 mutations, we discuss emerging understanding of cellular processes and electrophysiology from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) models derived from individuals with synaptopathies, neuroimaging and behavioural findings in animal models of Nrxn1 and Shank3 synaptic gene conditions, and key findings regarding autism features, brain and behavioural phenotypes from human clinical studies of synaptopathies. The identification of molecular-based biomarkers from preclinical models aims to advance the development of targeted therapeutic treatments. However, it remains challenging to translate preclinical animal models and iPSC studies to interpret human brain development and autism features. We discuss the existing challenges in preclinical and clinical synaptopathy research, and potential solutions to align methodologies across preclinical and clinical research. Bridging the translational gap between preclinical and clinical studies will be necessary to understand biological mechanisms, to identify targeted therapies, and ultimately to progress towards personalised approaches for complex neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara J. Molloy
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jennifer Cooke
- Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. F. Gatford
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Medical Sciences Division, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alejandro Rivera-Olvera
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sahar Avazzadeh
- Physiology and Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory, CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, Human Biology Building, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Joanes Grandjean
- Physiology and Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory, CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, Human Biology Building, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sanbing Shen
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- FutureNeuro, The SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eva Loth
- Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Deepak P. Srivastava
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- The Hospital for SickKids, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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16
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Ueberbach T, Simacek CA, Tegeder I, Kirischuk S, Mittmann T. Tonic activation of GABA B receptors via GAT-3 mediated GABA release reduces network activity in the developing somatosensory cortex in GAD67-GFP mice. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1198159. [PMID: 37325697 PMCID: PMC10267986 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1198159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficiency of neocortical information processing critically depends on the balance between the glutamatergic (excitatory, E) and GABAergic (inhibitory, I) synaptic transmission. A transient imbalance of the E/I-ratio during early development might lead to neuropsychiatric disorders later in life. The transgenic glutamic acid decarboxylase 67-green fluorescent protein (GAD67-GFP) mouse line (KI) was developed to selectively visualize GABAergic interneurons in the CNS. However, haplodeficiency of the GAD67 enzyme, the main GABA synthetizing enzyme in the brain, temporarily leads to a low GABA level in the developing brain of these animals. However, KI mice did not demonstrate any epileptic activity and only few and mild behavioral deficits. In the present study we investigated how the developing somatosensory cortex of KI-mice compensates the reduced GABA level to prevent brain hyperexcitability. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings from layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons at P14 and at P21 revealed a reduced frequency of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in KI mice without any change in amplitude or kinetics. Interestingly, mEPSC frequencies were also decreased, while the E/I-ratio was nevertheless shifted toward excitation. Surprisingly, multi-electrode-recordings (MEA) from acute slices revealed a decreased spontaneous neuronal network activity in KI mice compared to wild-type (WT) littermates, pointing to a compensatory mechanism that prevents hyperexcitability. Blockade of GABAB receptors (GABABRs) with CGP55845 strongly increased the frequency of mEPSCs in KI, but failed to affect mIPSCs in any genotype or age. It also induced a membrane depolarization in P14 KI, but not in P21 KI or WT mice. MEA recordings in presence of CGP55845 revealed comparable levels of network activity in both genotypes, indicating that tonically activated GABABRs balance neuronal activity in P14 KI cortex despite the reduced GABA levels. Blockade of GABA transporter 3 (GAT-3) reproduced the CGP55845 effects suggesting that tonic activation of GABABRs is mediated by ambient GABA released via GAT-3 operating in reverse mode. We conclude that GAT-3-mediated GABA release leads to tonic activation of both pre- and postsynaptic GABABRs and restricts neuronal excitability in the developing cortex to compensate for reduced neuronal GABA synthesis. Since GAT-3 is predominantly located in astrocytes, GAD67 haplodeficiency may potentially stimulate astrocytic GABA synthesis through GAD67-independent pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Ueberbach
- Institute for Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Clara A. Simacek
- Institute for Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Irmgard Tegeder
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sergei Kirischuk
- Institute for Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Mittmann
- Institute for Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
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17
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Liu Y, Wu Z, Armstrong DW, Wolosker H, Zheng Y. Detection and analysis of chiral molecules as disease biomarkers. Nat Rev Chem 2023; 7:355-373. [PMID: 37117811 PMCID: PMC10175202 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-023-00476-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The chirality of small metabolic molecules is important in controlling physiological processes and indicating the health status of humans. Abnormal enantiomeric ratios of chiral molecules in biofluids and tissues occur in many diseases, including cancers and kidney and brain diseases. Thus, chiral small molecules are promising biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prognosis, adverse drug-effect monitoring, pharmacodynamic studies and personalized medicine. However, it remains difficult to achieve cost-effective and reliable analysis of small chiral molecules in clinical procedures, in part owing to their large variety and low concentration. In this Review, we describe current and emerging techniques that detect and quantify small-molecule enantiomers and their biological importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoran Liu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Zilong Wu
- Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Daniel W Armstrong
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.
| | - Herman Wolosker
- Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Yuebing Zheng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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18
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Ghatak S, Nakamura T, Lipton SA. Aberrant protein S-nitrosylation contributes to hyperexcitability-induced synaptic damage in Alzheimer's disease: Mechanistic insights and potential therapies. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1099467. [PMID: 36817649 PMCID: PMC9932935 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1099467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is arguably the most common cause of dementia in the elderly and is marked by progressive synaptic degeneration, which in turn leads to cognitive decline. Studies in patients and in various AD models have shown that one of the early signatures of AD is neuronal hyperactivity. This excessive electrical activity contributes to dysregulated neural network function and synaptic damage. Mechanistically, evidence suggests that hyperexcitability accelerates production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) that contribute to neural network impairment and synapse loss. This review focuses on the pathways and molecular changes that cause hyperexcitability and how RNS-dependent posttranslational modifications, represented predominantly by protein S-nitrosylation, mediate, at least in part, the deleterious effects of hyperexcitability on single neurons and the neural network, resulting in synaptic loss in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swagata Ghatak
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Tomohiro Nakamura
- Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center and Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Tomohiro Nakamura,
| | - Stuart A. Lipton
- Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center and Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States,Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States,Stuart A. Lipton,
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19
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Lipton SA. Towards development of disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer's disease using redox chemical biology pathways. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2022; 66:102267. [PMID: 35870288 PMCID: PMC9509422 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Redox modifications are described that can be harnessed for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). The approach has shown potential therapeutic efficacy in AD in both transgenic mouse and hiPSC cerebral organoids models. In this review, two such redox targets are highlighted. First, protein S-nitrosylation of the NMDA-type of glutamate receptor is described as a potential therapeutic target. Second, an S-alkylation reaction of critical, redox-active cysteine thiol(s) on the protein KEAP1 to activate the anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory transcription factor NRF2 is proposed. In both approaches, we utilize compounds described as pathologically activated therapeutics (or "PAT" drugs), which can only be activated by the disease process that they then combat. Thus, PAT drugs remain relatively innocuous and therefore clinically-tolerated in normal tissue in the absence of disease, thereby avoiding severe side effects both systemically and in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart A Lipton
- Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center and Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA; Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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20
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Bauer CS, Cohen RN, Sironi F, Livesey MR, Gillingwater TH, Highley JR, Fillingham DJ, Coldicott I, Smith EF, Gibson YB, Webster CP, Grierson AJ, Bendotti C, De Vos KJ. An interaction between synapsin and C9orf72 regulates excitatory synapses and is impaired in ALS/FTD. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 144:437-464. [PMID: 35876881 PMCID: PMC9381633 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02470-z] [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: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dysfunction and degeneration of synapses is a common feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). A GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9ORF72 gene is the main genetic cause of ALS/FTD (C9ALS/FTD). The repeat expansion leads to reduced expression of the C9orf72 protein. How C9orf72 haploinsufficiency contributes to disease has not been resolved. Here we identify the synapsin family of synaptic vesicle proteins, the most abundant group of synaptic phosphoproteins, as novel interactors of C9orf72 at synapses and show that C9orf72 plays a cell-autonomous role in the regulation of excitatory synapses. We mapped the interaction of C9orf72 and synapsin to the N-terminal longin domain of C9orf72 and the conserved C domain of synapsin, and show interaction of the endogenous proteins in synapses. Functionally, C9orf72 deficiency reduced the number of excitatory synapses and decreased synapsin levels at remaining synapses in vitro in hippocampal neuron cultures and in vivo in the hippocampal mossy fibre system of C9orf72 knockout mice. Consistent with synaptic dysfunction, electrophysiological recordings identified impaired excitatory neurotransmission and network function in hippocampal neuron cultures with reduced C9orf72 expression, which correlated with a severe depletion of synaptic vesicles from excitatory synapses in the hippocampus of C9orf72 knockout mice. Finally, neuropathological analysis of post-mortem sections of C9ALS/FTD patient hippocampus with C9orf72 haploinsufficiency revealed a marked reduction in synapsin, indicating that disruption of the interaction between C9orf72 and synapsin may contribute to ALS/FTD pathobiology. Thus, our data show that C9orf72 plays a cell-autonomous role in the regulation of neurotransmission at excitatory synapses by interaction with synapsin and modulation of synaptic vesicle pools, and identify a novel role for C9orf72 haploinsufficiency in synaptic dysfunction in C9ALS/FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia S Bauer
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Rebecca N Cohen
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Francesca Sironi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Matthew R Livesey
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Thomas H Gillingwater
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Chancellor's Building, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - J Robin Highley
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Daniel J Fillingham
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Ian Coldicott
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Emma F Smith
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Yolanda B Gibson
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Christopher P Webster
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Andrew J Grierson
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Caterina Bendotti
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Kurt J De Vos
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, 385a Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
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21
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Integrated Excitatory/Inhibitory Imbalance and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Association between Dysregulated Synaptic Genes and Anesthetic-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction. Cells 2022; 11:cells11162497. [PMID: 36010580 PMCID: PMC9406780 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence from human epidemiologic and animal studies has demonstrated that developmental anesthesia neurotoxicity could cause long-term cognitive deficits and behavioral problems. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. We conducted an electrophysiological analysis of synapse activity and a transcriptomic assay of 24,881 mRNA expression on hippocampal tissues from postnatal day 60 (P60) mice receiving propofol exposure at postnatal day 7 (P7). We found that developmentally propofol-exposed P60 mouse hippocampal neurons displayed an E/I imbalance, compared with control mice as evidenced by the decreased excitation and increased inhibition. We found that propofol exposure at P7 led to the abnormal expression of 317 mRNAs in the hippocampus of P60 mice, including 23 synapse-related genes. Various bioinformatic analyses revealed that these abnormally expressed synaptic genes were associated with the function and development of synapse activity and plasticity, E/I balance, behavior, and cognitive impairment. Our findings suggest that the altered E/I balance may constitute a mechanism for propofol-induced long-term impaired learning and memory in mice. The transcriptomic and bioinformatic analysis of these dysregulated genes related to synaptic function paves the way for development of therapeutic strategies against anesthetic neurodegeneration through the restoration of E/I balance and the modification of synaptic gene expression.
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22
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Keeping Excitation-Inhibition Ratio in Balance. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105746. [PMID: 35628556 PMCID: PMC9145842 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Unrelated genetic mutations can lead to convergent manifestations of neurological disorders with similar behavioral phenotypes. Experimental data frequently show a lack of dramatic changes in neuroanatomy, indicating that the key cause of symptoms might arise from impairment in the communication between neurons. A transient imbalance between excitatory (glutamatergic) and inhibitory (GABAergic) synaptic transmission (the E/I balance) during early development is generally considered to underlie the development of several neurological disorders in adults. However, the E/I ratio is a multidimensional variable. Synaptic contacts are highly dynamic and the actual strength of synaptic projections is determined from the balance between synaptogenesis and synaptic elimination. During development, relatively slow postsynaptic receptors are replaced by fast ones that allow for fast stimulus-locked excitation/inhibition. Using the binomial model of synaptic transmission allows for the reassessing of experimental data from different mouse models, showing that a transient E/I shift is frequently counterbalanced by additional pre- and/or postsynaptic changes. Such changes—for instance, the slowing down of postsynaptic currents by means of immature postsynaptic receptors—stabilize the average synaptic strength, but impair the timing of information flow. Compensatory processes and/or astrocytic signaling may represent possible targets for medical treatments of different disorders directed to rescue the proper information processing.
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23
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Houtman SJ, Lammertse HCA, van Berkel AA, Balagura G, Gardella E, Ramautar JR, Reale C, Møller RS, Zara F, Striano P, Misra-Isrie M, van Haelst MM, Engelen M, van Zuijen TL, Mansvelder HD, Verhage M, Bruining H, Linkenkaer-Hansen K. STXBP1 Syndrome Is Characterized by Inhibition-Dominated Dynamics of Resting-State EEG. Front Physiol 2022; 12:775172. [PMID: 35002760 PMCID: PMC8733612 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.775172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
STXBP1 syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by heterozygous variants in the STXBP1 gene and is characterized by psychomotor delay, early-onset developmental delay, and epileptic encephalopathy. Pathogenic STXBP1 variants are thought to alter excitation-inhibition (E/I) balance at the synaptic level, which could impact neuronal network dynamics; however, this has not been investigated yet. Here, we present the first EEG study of patients with STXBP1 syndrome to quantify the impact of the synaptic E/I dysregulation on ongoing brain activity. We used high-frequency-resolution analyses of classical and recently developed methods known to be sensitive to E/I balance. EEG was recorded during eyes-open rest in children with STXBP1 syndrome (n = 14) and age-matched typically developing children (n = 50). Brain-wide abnormalities were observed in each of the four resting-state measures assessed here: (i) slowing of activity and increased low-frequency power in the range 1.75–4.63 Hz, (ii) increased long-range temporal correlations in the 11–18 Hz range, (iii) a decrease of our recently introduced measure of functional E/I ratio in a similar frequency range (12–24 Hz), and (iv) a larger exponent of the 1/f-like aperiodic component of the power spectrum. Overall, these findings indicate that large-scale brain activity in STXBP1 syndrome exhibits inhibition-dominated dynamics, which may be compensatory to counteract local circuitry imbalances expected to shift E/I balance toward excitation, as observed in preclinical models. We argue that quantitative EEG investigations in STXBP1 and other neurodevelopmental disorders are a crucial step to understand large-scale functional consequences of synaptic E/I perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J Houtman
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hanna C A Lammertse
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Annemiek A van Berkel
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ganna Balagura
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Elena Gardella
- Department of Epilepsy Genetics and Personalized Treatment, Danish Epilepsy Centre, Dianalund, Denmark.,Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Member of the ERN EpiCARE
| | - Jennifer R Ramautar
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Chiara Reale
- Department of Epilepsy Genetics and Personalized Treatment, Danish Epilepsy Centre, Dianalund, Denmark.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Epilepsy Center, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Rikke S Møller
- Department of Epilepsy Genetics and Personalized Treatment, Danish Epilepsy Centre, Dianalund, Denmark.,Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Member of the ERN EpiCARE
| | - Federico Zara
- IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Mala Misra-Isrie
- Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Marc Engelen
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Titia L van Zuijen
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hilgo Bruining
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,N=You Neurodevelopmental Precision Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Levvel, Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Klaus Linkenkaer-Hansen
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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24
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Cherubini E, Di Cristo G, Avoli M. Dysregulation of GABAergic Signaling in Neurodevelomental Disorders: Targeting Cation-Chloride Co-transporters to Re-establish a Proper E/I Balance. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:813441. [PMID: 35069119 PMCID: PMC8766311 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.813441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The construction of the brain relies on a series of well-defined genetically and experience- or activity -dependent mechanisms which allow to adapt to the external environment. Disruption of these processes leads to neurological and psychiatric disorders, which in many cases are manifest already early in postnatal life. GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain is one of the major players in the early assembly and formation of neuronal circuits. In the prenatal and immediate postnatal period GABA, acting on GABAA receptors, depolarizes and excites targeted cells via an outwardly directed flux of chloride. In this way it activates NMDA receptors and voltage-dependent calcium channels contributing, through intracellular calcium rise, to shape neuronal activity and to establish, through the formation of new synapses and elimination of others, adult neuronal circuits. The direction of GABAA-mediated neurotransmission (depolarizing or hyperpolarizing) depends on the intracellular levels of chloride [Cl−]i, which in turn are maintained by the activity of the cation-chloride importer and exporter KCC2 and NKCC1, respectively. Thus, the premature hyperpolarizing action of GABA or its persistent depolarizing effect beyond the postnatal period, leads to behavioral deficits associated with morphological alterations and an excitatory (E)/inhibitory (I) imbalance in selective brain areas. The aim of this review is to summarize recent data concerning the functional role of GABAergic transmission in building up and refining neuronal circuits early in development and its dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), schizophrenia and epilepsy. In particular, we focus on novel information concerning the mechanisms by which alterations in cation-chloride co-transporters (CCC) generate behavioral and cognitive impairment in these diseases. We discuss also the possibility to re-establish a proper GABAA-mediated neurotransmission and excitatory (E)/inhibitory (I) balance within selective brain areas acting on CCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Cherubini
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI)-Rita Levi-Montalcini, Roma, Italy
- *Correspondence: Enrico Cherubini
| | - Graziella Di Cristo
- Neurosciences Department, Université de Montréal and CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Massimo Avoli
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital and Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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25
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Canitano R, Palumbi R. Excitation/Inhibition Modulators in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Current Clinical Research. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:753274. [PMID: 34916897 PMCID: PMC8669810 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.753274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social and communication abnormalities. Heterogeneity in the expression and severity of the core and associated symptoms poses difficulties in classification and the overall clinical approach. Synaptic abnormalities have been observed in preclinical ASD models. They are thought to play a major role in clinical functional abnormalities and might be modified by targeted interventions. An imbalance in excitatory to inhibitory neurotransmission (E/I imbalance), through altered glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission, respectively, is thought to be implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD. Glutamatergic and GABAergic agents have been tested in clinical trials with encouraging results as to efficacy and tolerability. Further studies are needed to confirm the role of E/I modulators in the treatment of ASD and on the safety and efficacy of the current agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Canitano
- Division of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Roberto Palumbi
- Division of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs Department, University Hospital of Bari, Bari, Italy
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26
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Dou Y, Xie J, Tan Y, Zhang M, Zhao Y, Liu X. Neurotransmitter-stimulated neuron-derived sEVs have opposite effects on amyloid β-induced neuronal damage. J Nanobiotechnology 2021; 19:324. [PMID: 34654438 PMCID: PMC8518222 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-01070-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurotransmitters is essential for maintaining the firing patterns of neural networks, and is strictly regulated within individual neurons and brain regions. Excitatory to inhibitory (E/I) imbalance has been shown to participate in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Glutamate excitotoxicity and GABAergic neuron dysfunction appear to be key components of the neuronal cell death that takes place in AD. Since extracellular vesicles (EVs) are now explored as an important vehicle in transmitting signals between cells, we hypothesized that the function of neuron-derived small EVs (sEVs) might be regulated by the status of neurotransmitter balance and that sEVs might affect amyloid β (Aβ) toxicity on neurons. This study aimed to reveal the effects of sEVs from unbalanced neurotransmitter-stimulated neurons on Aβ-induced toxicity. We demonstrated the opposite effects of the two groups of sEVs isolated from neurons stimulated by glutamate or GABA on Aβ toxicity in vivo and in vitro. The sEVs released from GABA-treated neurons alleviated Aβ-induced damage, while those released from glutamate-treated neurons aggravated Aβ toxicity. Furthermore, we compared the microRNA (miRNA) composition of sEVs isolated from glutamate/GABA/PBS-treated neurons. Our results showed that glutamate and GABA oppositely regulated miR-132 levels in sEVs, resulting in the opposite destiny of recipient cells challenged with Aβ. Our results indicated that manipulating the function of sEVs by different neurotransmitters may reveal the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of AD and provide a promising strategy for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxiao Dou
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Junchao Xie
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Yan Tan
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Yanxin Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Xueyuan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, 200072 China
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27
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Nomura T. Interneuron Dysfunction and Inhibitory Deficits in Autism and Fragile X Syndrome. Cells 2021; 10:cells10102610. [PMID: 34685590 PMCID: PMC8534049 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The alteration of excitatory–inhibitory (E–I) balance has been implicated in various neurological and psychiatric diseases, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a single-gene disorder that is the most common known cause of ASD. Understanding the molecular and physiological features of FXS is thought to enhance our knowledge of the pathophysiology of ASD. Accumulated evidence implicates deficits in the inhibitory circuits in FXS that tips E–I balance toward excitation. Deficits in interneurons, the main source of an inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), have been reported in FXS, including a reduced number of cells, reduction in intrinsic cellular excitability, or weaker synaptic connectivity. Manipulating the interneuron activity ameliorated the symptoms in the FXS mouse model, which makes it reasonable to conceptualize FXS as an interneuronopathy. While it is still poorly understood how the developmental profiles of the inhibitory circuit go awry in FXS, recent works have uncovered several developmental alterations in the functional properties of interneurons. Correcting disrupted E–I balance by potentiating the inhibitory circuit by targeting interneurons may have a therapeutic potential in FXS. I will review the recent evidence about the inhibitory alterations and interneuron dysfunction in ASD and FXS and will discuss the future directions of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihiro Nomura
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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28
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Simone M, Margari L, Pompamea F, De Giacomo A, Gabellone A, Marzulli L, Palumbi R. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Clinical Case on the Potential Role of the Dystrophin in Autism Neurobiology. J Clin Med 2021; 10:4370. [PMID: 34640386 PMCID: PMC8509154 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10194370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is reported in up to 19% of dystrophinopathies. However, over the last ten years, only a few papers have been published on this topic. Therefore, further studies are required to analyze this association in depth and ultimately to understand the role of the brain dystrophin isoform in the pathogenesis of ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. In this paper, we report a clinical case of a patient affected by ASD and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, who carries a large deletion of the dystrophin gene. Then we present a brief overview of the literature about similar cases and about the potential role of the dystrophin protein in the neurobiology of autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Simone
- Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology Department, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (A.G.); (L.M.)
| | - Lucia Margari
- Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology Department, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (A.G.); (L.M.)
| | - Francesco Pompamea
- Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology Department, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (A.G.); (L.M.)
| | - Andrea De Giacomo
- Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Sensory Organs Department, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.G.); (R.P.)
| | - Alessandra Gabellone
- Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology Department, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (A.G.); (L.M.)
| | - Lucia Marzulli
- Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology Department, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (A.G.); (L.M.)
| | - Roberto Palumbi
- Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Sensory Organs Department, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.G.); (R.P.)
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