1
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Pan MT, Zhang H, Li XJ, Guo XY. Genetically modified non-human primate models for research on neurodegenerative diseases. Zool Res 2024; 45:263-274. [PMID: 38287907 PMCID: PMC11017080 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.197] [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: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are a group of debilitating neurological disorders that primarily affect elderly populations and include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently, there are no therapies available that can delay, stop, or reverse the pathological progression of NDs in clinical settings. As the population ages, NDs are imposing a huge burden on public health systems and affected families. Animal models are important tools for preclinical investigations to understand disease pathogenesis and test potential treatments. While numerous rodent models of NDs have been developed to enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms, the limited success of translating findings from animal models to clinical practice suggests that there is still a need to bridge this translation gap. Old World non-human primates (NHPs), such as rhesus, cynomolgus, and vervet monkeys, are phylogenetically, physiologically, biochemically, and behaviorally most relevant to humans. This is particularly evident in the similarity of the structure and function of their central nervous systems, rendering such species uniquely valuable for neuroscience research. Recently, the development of several genetically modified NHP models of NDs has successfully recapitulated key pathologies and revealed novel mechanisms. This review focuses on the efficacy of NHPs in modeling NDs and the novel pathological insights gained, as well as the challenges associated with the generation of such models and the complexities involved in their subsequent analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Tian Pan
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
| | - Xiang-Yu Guo
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China. E-mail:
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2
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Zhang R, Quan H, Wang Y, Luo F. Neurogenesis in primates versus rodents and the value of non-human primate models. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad248. [PMID: 38025664 PMCID: PMC10659238 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad248] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis, the process of generating neurons from neural stem cells, occurs during both embryonic and adult stages, with each stage possessing distinct characteristics. Dysfunction in either stage can disrupt normal neural development, impair cognitive functions, and lead to various neurological disorders. Recent technological advancements in single-cell multiomics and gene-editing have facilitated investigations into primate neurogenesis. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of neurogenesis across rodents, non-human primates, and humans, covering embryonic development to adulthood and focusing on the conservation and diversity among species. While non-human primates, especially monkeys, serve as valuable models with closer neural resemblance to humans, we highlight the potential impacts and limitations of non-human primate models on both physiological and pathological neurogenesis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runrui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Hongxin Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yinfeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Fucheng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
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3
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Weiss AR, Liguore WA, Brandon K, Wang X, Liu Z, Domire JS, Button D, Srinivasan S, Kroenke CD, McBride JL. A novel rhesus macaque model of Huntington's disease recapitulates key neuropathological changes along with motor and cognitive decline. eLife 2022; 11:e77568. [PMID: 36205397 PMCID: PMC9545527 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We created a new nonhuman primate model of the genetic neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD) by injecting a mixture of recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors, serotypes AAV2 and AAV2.retro, each expressing a fragment of human mutant HTT (mHTT) into the caudate and putamen of adult rhesus macaques. This modeling strategy results in expression of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) and aggregate formation in the injected brain regions, as well as dozens of other cortical and subcortical brain regions affected in human HD patients. We queried the disruption of cortico-basal ganglia circuitry for 30 months post-surgery using a variety of behavioral and imaging readouts. Compared to controls, mHTT-treated macaques developed working memory decline and progressive motor impairment. Multimodal imaging revealed circuit-wide white and gray matter degenerative processes in several key brain regions affected in HD. Taken together, we have developed a novel macaque model of HD that may be used to develop disease biomarkers and screen promising therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison R Weiss
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
| | - William A Liguore
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
| | - Kristin Brandon
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Zheng Liu
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Jacqueline S Domire
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
| | - Dana Button
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
| | - Sathya Srinivasan
- Imaging and Morphology Support Core, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
| | - Christopher D Kroenke
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Jodi L McBride
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research CenterBeavertonUnited States
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
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4
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Cho IK, Clever F, Hong G, Chan AWS. CAG Repeat Instability in the Peripheral and Central Nervous System of Transgenic Huntington’s Disease Monkeys. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081863. [PMID: 36009409 PMCID: PMC9405741 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s Disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disease that results in severe neurodegeneration with no cure. HD is caused by the expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat (TNR) on the Huntingtin gene (HTT). Although the somatic and germline expansion of the CAG repeats has been well-documented, the underlying mechanisms had not been fully delineated. Increased CAG repeat length is associated with a more severe phenotype, greater TNR instability, and earlier age of onset. The direct relationship between CAG repeat length and molecular pathogenesis makes TNR instability a useful measure of symptom severity and tissue susceptibility. Thus, we examined the tissue-specific TNR instability of transgenic nonhuman primate models of Huntington’s disease. Our data show a similar profile of CAG repeat expansion in both rHD1 and rHD7, where high instability was observed in testis, liver, caudate, and putamen. CAG repeat expansion was observed in all tissue samples, and tissue- and CAG repeat size-dependent expansion was observed. Correlation analysis of CAG repeat expansion and the gene expression profile of four genes in different tissues, clusterin (CLU), transferrin (TF), ribosomal protein lateral stalk subunit P1 (RPLP1), and ribosomal protein L13a (RPL13A), showed a strong correlation with CAG repeat instability. Overall, our data, along with previously published studies, can be used for studying the biology of CAG repeat instability and identifying new therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- In K. Cho
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (F.C.); (G.H.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Faye Clever
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (F.C.); (G.H.)
| | - Gordon Hong
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (F.C.); (G.H.)
| | - Anthony W. S. Chan
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (F.C.); (G.H.)
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5
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Karwacka M, Olejniczak M. Advances in Modeling Polyglutamine Diseases Using Genome Editing Tools. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030517. [PMID: 35159326 PMCID: PMC8834129 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, including Huntington’s disease, are a group of late-onset progressive neurological disorders caused by CAG repeat expansions. Although recently, many studies have investigated the pathological features and development of polyQ diseases, many questions remain unanswered. The advancement of new gene-editing technologies, especially the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, has undeniable value for the generation of relevant polyQ models, which substantially support the research process. Here, we review how these tools have been used to correct disease-causing mutations or create isogenic cell lines with different numbers of CAG repeats. We characterize various cellular models such as HEK 293 cells, patient-derived fibroblasts, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and animal models generated with the use of genome-editing technology.
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6
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Scott JT, Bourne JA. Modelling behaviors relevant to brain disorders in the nonhuman primate: Are we there yet? Prog Neurobiol 2021; 208:102183. [PMID: 34728308 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have seen a profound resurgence of activity with nonhuman primates (NHPs) to model human brain disorders. From marmosets to macaques, the study of NHP species offers a unique window into the function of primate-specific neural circuits that are impossible to examine in other models. Examining how these circuits manifest into the complex behaviors of primates, such as advanced cognitive and social functions, has provided enormous insights to date into the mechanisms underlying symptoms of numerous neurological and neuropsychiatric illnesses. With the recent optimization of modern techniques to manipulate and measure neural activity in vivo, such as optogenetics and calcium imaging, NHP research is more well-equipped than ever to probe the neural mechanisms underlying pathological behavior. However, methods for behavioral experimentation and analysis in NHPs have noticeably failed to keep pace with these advances. As behavior ultimately lies at the junction between preclinical findings and its translation to clinical outcomes for brain disorders, approaches to improve the integrity, reproducibility, and translatability of behavioral experiments in NHPs requires critical evaluation. In this review, we provide a unifying account of existing brain disorder models using NHPs, and provide insights into the present and emerging contributions of behavioral studies to the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack T Scott
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - James A Bourne
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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7
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Glikmann-Johnston Y, Mercieca EC, Carmichael AM, Alexander B, Harding IH, Stout JC. Hippocampal and striatal volumes correlate with spatial memory impairment in Huntington's disease. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2948-2963. [PMID: 34516012 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Spatial memory impairments are observed in people with Huntington's disease (HD), however, the domain of spatial memory has received little focus when characterizing the cognitive phenotype of HD. Spatial memory is traditionally thought to be a hippocampal-dependent function, while the neuropathology of HD centers on the striatum. Alongside spatial memory deficits in HD, recent neurocognitive theories suggest that a larger brain network is involved, including the striatum. We examined the relationship between hippocampal and striatal volumes and spatial memory in 36 HD gene expansion carriers, including premanifest (n = 24) and early manifest HD (n = 12), and 32 matched healthy controls. We assessed spatial memory with Paired Associates Learning, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, and the Virtual House task, which assesses three components of spatial memory: navigation, object location, and plan drawing. Caudate nucleus, putamen, and hippocampal volumes were manually segmented on T1-weighted MR images. As expected, caudate nucleus and putamen volumes were significantly smaller in the HD group compared to controls, with manifest HD having more severe atrophy than the premanifest HD group. Hippocampal volumes did not differ significantly between HD and control groups. Nonetheless, on average, the HD group performed significantly worse than controls across all spatial memory tasks. The spatial memory components of object location and recall of figural and topographical drawings were associated with striatal and hippocampal volumes in the HD cohort. We provide a case to include spatial memory impairments in the cognitive phenotype of HD, and extend the neurocognitive picture of HD beyond its primary pathology within the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifat Glikmann-Johnston
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Emily-Clare Mercieca
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna M Carmichael
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Bonnie Alexander
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian H Harding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Julie C Stout
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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8
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Howland D, Ellederova Z, Aronin N, Fernau D, Gallagher J, Taylor A, Hennebold J, Weiss AR, Gray-Edwards H, McBride J. Large Animal Models of Huntington's Disease: What We Have Learned and Where We Need to Go Next. J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 9:201-216. [PMID: 32925082 PMCID: PMC7597371 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-200425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Genetically modified rodent models of Huntington’s disease (HD) have been especially valuable to our understanding of HD pathology and the mechanisms by which the mutant HTT gene alters physiology. However, due to inherent differences in genetics, neuroanatomy, neurocircuitry and neurophysiology, animal models do not always faithfully or fully recapitulate human disease features or adequately predict a clinical response to treatment. Therefore, conducting translational studies of candidate HD therapeutics only in a single species (i.e. mouse disease models) may not be sufficient. Large animal models of HD have been shown to be valuable to the HD research community and the expectation is that the need for translational studies that span rodent and large animal models will grow. Here, we review the large animal models of HD that have been created to date, with specific commentary on differences between the models, the strengths and disadvantages of each, and how we can advance useful models to study disease pathophysiology, biomarker development and evaluation of promising therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zdenka Ellederova
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Neil Aronin
- Horae Gene Therapy Center and RNA Therapeutics Institute at The University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Deborah Fernau
- Horae Gene Therapy Center and RNA Therapeutics Institute at The University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jill Gallagher
- Horae Gene Therapy Center and RNA Therapeutics Institute at The University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Amanda Taylor
- Diplomate, MedVet, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine - Neurology, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jon Hennebold
- Oregon National Primate Research Center at The Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Alison R Weiss
- Oregon National Primate Research Center at The Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Heather Gray-Edwards
- Horae Gene Therapy Center and RNA Therapeutics Institute at The University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jodi McBride
- Oregon National Primate Research Center at The Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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9
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Martinez NW, Gómez FE, Matus S. The Potential Role of Protein Kinase R as a Regulator of Age-Related Neurodegeneration. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:638208. [PMID: 33994991 PMCID: PMC8113420 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.638208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a growing evidence describing a decline in adaptive homeostasis in aging-related diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS), many of which are characterized by the appearance of non-native protein aggregates. One signaling pathway that allows cell adaptation is the integrated stress response (ISR), which senses stress stimuli through four kinases. ISR activation promotes translational arrest through the phosphorylation of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α) and the induction of a gene expression program to restore cellular homeostasis. However, depending on the stimulus, ISR can also induce cell death. One of the ISR sensors is the double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase [protein kinase R (PKR)], initially described as a viral infection sensor, and now a growing evidence supports a role for PKR on CNS physiology. PKR has been largely involved in the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathological process. Here, we reviewed the antecedents supporting the role of PKR on the efficiency of synaptic transmission and cognition. Then, we review PKR’s contribution to AD and discuss the possible participation of PKR as a player in the neurodegenerative process involved in aging-related pathologies affecting the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás W Martinez
- Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile.,Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Soledad Matus
- Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile.,Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
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10
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Mitchell AS, Hartig R, Basso MA, Jarrett W, Kastner S, Poirier C. International primate neuroscience research regulation, public engagement and transparency opportunities. Neuroimage 2021; 229:117700. [PMID: 33418072 PMCID: PMC7994292 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Scientific excellence is a necessity for progress in biomedical research. As research becomes ever more international, establishing international collaborations will be key to advancing our scientific knowledge. Understanding the similarities in standards applied by different nations to animal research, and where the differences might lie, is crucial. Cultural differences and societal values will also contribute to these similarities and differences between countries and continents. Our overview is not comprehensive for all species, but rather focuses on non-human primate (NHP) research, involving New World marmosets and Old World macaques, conducted in countries where NHPs are involved in neuroimaging research. Here, an overview of the ethics and regulations is provided to help assess welfare standards amongst primate research institutions. A comparative examination of these standards was conducted to provide a basis for establishing a common set of standards for animal welfare. These criteria may serve to develop international guidelines, which can be managed by an International Animal Welfare and Use Committee (IAWUC). Internationally, scientists have a moral responsibility to ensure excellent care and welfare of their animals, which in turn, influences the quality of their research. When working with animal models, maintaining a high quality of care ("culture of care") and welfare is essential. The transparent promotion of this level of care and welfare, along with the results of the research and its impact, may reduce public concerns associated with animal experiments in neuroscience research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S Mitchell
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Renée Hartig
- Centre for Integrative Neurosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Michele A Basso
- Fuster Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences UCLA Los Angeles 90095, CA United States
| | - Wendy Jarrett
- Understanding Animal Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabine Kastner
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute & Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Colline Poirier
- Biosciences Institute & Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, United Kingdom
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11
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Khampang S, Parnpai R, Mahikul W, Easley CA, Cho IK, Chan AWS. CAG repeat instability in embryonic stem cells and derivative spermatogenic cells of transgenic Huntington's disease monkey. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:1215-1229. [PMID: 33611676 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02106-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The expansion of CAG (glutamine; Q) trinucleotide repeats (TNRs) predominantly occurs through male lineage in Huntington's disease (HD). As a result, offspring will have larger CAG repeats compared to their fathers, which causes an earlier onset of the disease called genetic anticipation. This study aims to develop a novel in vitro model to replicate CAG repeat instability in early spermatogenesis and demonstrate the biological process of genetic anticipation by using the HD stem cell model for the first time. METHODS HD rhesus monkey embryonic stem cells (rESCs) were cultured in vitro for an extended period. Male rESCs were used to derive spermatogenic cells in vitro with a 10-day differentiation. The assessment of CAG repeat instability was performed by GeneScan and curve fit analysis. RESULTS Spermatogenic cells derived from rESCs exhibit progressive expansion of CAG repeats with high daily expansion rates compared to the extended culture of rESCs. The expansion of CAG repeats is cell type-specific and size-dependent. CONCLUSIONS Here, we report a novel stem cell model that replicates genome instability and CAG repeat expansion in in vitro derived HD monkey spermatogenic cells. The in vitro spermatogenic cell model opens a new opportunity for studying TNR instability and the underlying mechanism of genetic anticipation, not only in HD but also in other TNR diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujittra Khampang
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Embryo Technology and Stem Cell Research Center, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Rangsun Parnpai
- Embryo Technology and Stem Cell Research Center, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Wiriya Mahikul
- Faculty of Medicine and Public Health, HRH Princess Chulabhorn College of Medical Science, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Charles A Easley
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - In Ki Cho
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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12
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Clever F, Cho IK, Yang J, Chan AWS. Progressive Polyglutamine Repeat Expansion in Peripheral Blood Cells and Sperm of Transgenic Huntington's Disease Monkeys. J Huntingtons Dis 2020; 8:443-448. [PMID: 31561381 PMCID: PMC6839466 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-190359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The expanded CAG repeat results in somatic mosaicism and genetic anticipation in Huntington’s disease (HD). Here we report a longitudinal study examining CAG repeat instability in lymphocytes and sperm of three HD monkeys throughout their whole life-span that encompass the prodromal to symptomatic stages of HD. We demonstrate a progressive increase in CAG repeat length in lymphocytes and sperm as the animals aged. We also examined the impact of CAG repeat length on expansion rate, which showed a clear linear correlation up to 62Q, and high instability after. Our findings stress the importance of further investigation in CAG instability in peripheral blood cells longitudinally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye Clever
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - In Ki Cho
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jingjing Yang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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13
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Zhang H, Bramham CR. Bidirectional Dysregulation of AMPA Receptor-Mediated Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity in Brain Disorders. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:26. [PMID: 32754026 PMCID: PMC7366028 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels that mediate the majority of fast excitatory synaptic transmission throughout the brain. Changes in the properties and postsynaptic abundance of AMPARs are pivotal mechanisms in synaptic plasticity, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission. A wide range of neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, despite their extremely diverse etiology, pathogenesis and symptoms, exhibit brain region-specific and AMPAR subunit-specific aberrations in synaptic transmission or plasticity. These include abnormally enhanced or reduced AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission or plasticity. Bidirectional reversal of these changes by targeting AMPAR subunits or trafficking ameliorates drug-seeking behavior, chronic pain, epileptic seizures, or cognitive deficits. This indicates that bidirectional dysregulation of AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission or plasticity may contribute to the expression of many brain disorders and therefore serve as a therapeutic target. Here, we provide a synopsis of bidirectional AMPAR dysregulation in animal models of brain disorders and review the preclinical evidence on the therapeutic targeting of AMPARs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Zhang
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Clive R Bramham
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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14
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Bezard E. Models of hyperkinetic disorders in primates. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 332:108551. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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15
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Arnsten AFT, Datta D, Leslie S, Yang ST, Wang M, Nairn AC. Alzheimer's-like pathology in aging rhesus macaques: Unique opportunity to study the etiology and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:26230-26238. [PMID: 31871209 PMCID: PMC6936707 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1903671116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have provided tremendous breakthroughs, the etiology of later onset AD remains unknown. In particular, tau pathology in the association cortex is poorly replicated in mouse models. Aging rhesus monkeys naturally develop cognitive deficits, amyloid plaques, and the same qualitative pattern and sequence of tau pathology as humans, with tangles in the oldest animals. Thus, aging rhesus monkeys can play a key role in AD research. For example, aging monkeys can help reveal how synapses in the prefrontal association cortex are uniquely regulated compared to the primary sensory cortex in ways that render them vulnerable to calcium dysregulation and tau phosphorylation, resulting in the selective localization of tau pathology observed in AD. The ability to assay early tau phosphorylation states and perform high-quality immunoelectron microscopy in monkeys is a great advantage, as one can capture early-stage degeneration as it naturally occurs in situ. Our immunoelectron microscopy studies show that phosphorylated tau can induce an "endosomal traffic jam" that drives amyloid precursor protein cleavage to amyloid-β in endosomes. As amyloid-β increases tau phosphorylation, this creates a vicious cycle where varied precipitating factors all lead to a similar phenotype. These data may help explain why circuits with aggressive tau pathology (e.g., entorhinal cortex) may degenerate prior to producing significant amyloid pathology. Aging monkeys therefore can play an important role in identifying and testing potential therapeutics to protect the association cortex, including preventive therapies that are challenging to test in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy F. T. Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Shannon Leslie
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Sheng-Tao Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Angus C. Nairn
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
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16
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Goodnight AV, Kremsky I, Khampang S, Jung YH, Billingsley JM, Bosinger SE, Corces VG, Chan AWS. Chromatin accessibility and transcription dynamics during in vitro astrocyte differentiation of Huntington's Disease Monkey pluripotent stem cells. Epigenetics Chromatin 2019; 12:67. [PMID: 31722751 PMCID: PMC6852955 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-019-0313-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's Disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion, resulting in a mutant huntingtin protein. While it is now clear that astrocytes are affected by HD and significantly contribute to neuronal dysfunction and pathogenesis, the alterations in the transcriptional and epigenetic profiles in HD astrocytes have yet to be characterized. Here, we examine global transcription and chromatin accessibility dynamics during in vitro astrocyte differentiation in a transgenic non-human primate model of HD. RESULTS We found global changes in accessibility and transcription across different stages of HD pluripotent stem cell differentiation, with distinct trends first observed in neural progenitor cells (NPCs), once cells have committed to a neural lineage. Transcription of p53 signaling and cell cycle pathway genes was highly impacted during differentiation, with depletion in HD NPCs and upregulation in HD astrocytes. E2F target genes also displayed this inverse expression pattern, and strong associations between E2F target gene expression and accessibility at nearby putative enhancers were observed. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that chromatin accessibility and transcription are altered throughout in vitro HD astrocyte differentiation and provide evidence that E2F dysregulation contributes to aberrant cell-cycle re-entry and apoptosis throughout the progression from NPCs to astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra V Goodnight
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 1462 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Isaac Kremsky
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sujittra Khampang
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Yoon Hee Jung
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - James M Billingsley
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Steven E Bosinger
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Victor G Corces
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 1462 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 1462 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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Tao M, Pandey NK, Barnes R, Han S, Langen R. Structure of Membrane-Bound Huntingtin Exon 1 Reveals Membrane Interaction and Aggregation Mechanisms. Structure 2019; 27:1570-1580.e4. [PMID: 31466833 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is caused by a polyQ expansion in the first exon of huntingtin (Httex1). Membrane interaction of huntingtin is of physiological and pathological relevance. Using electron paramagnetic resonance and Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization, we find that the N-terminal residues 3-13 of wild-type Httex1(Q25) form a membrane-bound, amphipathic α helix. This helix is positioned in the interfacial region, where it is sensitive to membrane curvature and electrostatic interactions with head-group charges. Residues 14-22, which contain the first five residues of the polyQ region, are in a transition region that remains in the interfacial region without taking up a stable, α-helical structure. The remaining C-terminal portion is solvent exposed. The phosphomimetic S13D/S16D mutations, which are known to protect from toxicity, inhibit membrane binding and attenuate membrane-mediated aggregation of mutant Httex1(Q46) due to electrostatic repulsion. Targeting the N-terminal membrane anchor using post-translational modifications or specific binders could be a potential means to reduce aggregation and toxicity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meixin Tao
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Nitin K Pandey
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Ryan Barnes
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Songi Han
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Ralf Langen
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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18
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Tu Z, Zhao H, Li B, Yan S, Wang L, Tang Y, Li Z, Bai D, Li C, Lin Y, Li Y, Liu J, Xu H, Guo X, Jiang YH, Zhang YQ, Li XJ. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated disruption of SHANK3 in monkey leads to drug-treatable autism-like symptoms. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:561-571. [PMID: 30329048 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Monogenic mutations in the SHANK3 gene, which encodes a postsynaptic scaffold protein, play a causative role in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although a number of mouse models with Shank3 mutations have been valuable for investigating the pathogenesis of ASD, species-dependent differences in behaviors and brain structures post considerable challenges to use small animals to model ASD and to translate experimental therapeutics to the clinic. We have used clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 to generate a cynomolgus monkey model by disrupting SHANK3 at exons 6 and 12. Analysis of the live mutant monkey revealed the core behavioral abnormalities of ASD, including impaired social interaction and repetitive behaviors, and reduced brain network activities detected by positron-emission computed tomography (PET). Importantly, these abnormal behaviors and brain activities were alleviated by the antidepressant fluoxetine treatment. Our findings provide the first demonstration that the genetically modified non-human primate can be used for translational research of therapeutics for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuchi Tu
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bang Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sen Yan
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University & Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou China
| | - Yongjin Tang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University & Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou China
| | - Zhujun Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dazhang Bai
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caijuan Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingqi Lin
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuefeng Li
- Guangdong Landau Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Hao Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University & Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou China
| | - Xiangyu Guo
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Hui Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yong Q Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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19
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Lavisse S, Williams S, Lecourtois S, van Camp N, Guillermier M, Gipchtein P, Jan C, Goutal S, Eymin L, Valette J, Delzescaux T, Perrier AL, Hantraye P, Aron Badin R. Longitudinal characterization of cognitive and motor deficits in an excitotoxic lesion model of striatal dysfunction in non-human primates. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 130:104484. [PMID: 31132407 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
As research progresses in the understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's disease (HD) and expands towards preclinical work for the development of new therapies, highly relevant animal models are increasingly needed to test new hypotheses and to validate new therapeutic approaches. In this light, we characterized an excitotoxic lesion model of striatal dysfunction in non-human primates (NHPs) using cognitive and motor behaviour assessment as well as functional imaging and post-mortem anatomical analyses. NHPs received intra-striatal stereotaxic injections of quinolinic acid bilaterally in the caudate nucleus and unilaterally in the left sensorimotor putamen. Post-operative MRI scans showed atrophy of the caudate nucleus and a large ventricular enlargement in all 6 NHPs that correlated with post-mortem measurements. Behavioral analysis showed deficits in 2 analogues of the Wisconsin card sorting test (perseverative behavior) and in an executive task, while no deficits were observed in a visual recognition or an episodic memory task at 6 months following surgery. Spontaneous locomotor activity was decreased after lesion and the incidence of apomorphine-induced dyskinesias was significantly increased at 3 and 6 months following lesion. Positron emission tomography scans obtained at end-point showed a major deficit in glucose metabolism and D2 receptor density limited to the lesioned striatum of all NHPs compared to controls. Post-mortem analyses revealed a significant loss of medium-sized spiny neurons in the striatum, a loss of neurons and fibers in the globus pallidus, a unilateral decrease in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra and a loss of neurons in the motor and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Overall, we show that this robust NHP model presents specific behavioral (learning, execution and retention of cognitive tests) and metabolic functional deficits that, to the best of our knowledge, are currently not mimicked in any available large animal model of striatal dysfunction. Moreover, we used non-invasive, translational techniques like behavior and imaging to quantify such deficits and found that they correlate to a significant cell loss in the striatum and its main input and output structures. This model can thus significantly contribute to the pre-clinical longitudinal evaluation of the ability of new therapeutic cell, gene or pharmacotherapy approaches in restoring the functionality of the striatal circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Lavisse
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Susannah Williams
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Sophie Lecourtois
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Nadja van Camp
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Martine Guillermier
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Pauline Gipchtein
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Caroline Jan
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Sébastien Goutal
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Leopold Eymin
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Julien Valette
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Thierry Delzescaux
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Anselme L Perrier
- Inserm U861, I-STEM, AFM, Corbeil-Essonnes 91100, cedex, France; UEVE U861, I-STEM, AFM, Corbeil-Essonnes 91100, cedex, France.
| | - Philippe Hantraye
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Romina Aron Badin
- MIRCen, CEA/IBFJ/DRF/LMN, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; UMR CEA CNRS 9199-Université Paris Saclay, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
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20
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Zhunina OA, Yabbarov NG, Orekhov AN, Deykin AV. Modern approaches for modelling dystonia and Huntington's disease in vitro and in vivo. Int J Exp Pathol 2019; 100:64-71. [PMID: 31090117 DOI: 10.1111/iep.12320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dystonia associated with Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease or other neurodegenerative diseases substantially affects patients' quality of life and is a major health problem worldwide. The above-mentioned diseases are characterized by neurodegeneration accompanied by motor and cognitive impairment and often have complex aetiology. A frequent feature of these conditions is the abnormal accumulation of protein aggregates within specific neuronal populations in the affected brain regions. Familial neurodegenerative diseases are associated with a number of genetic mutations. Identification of these mutations allowed creation of modern model systems for studying neurodegeneration, either in cultured cells or in model animals. Animal models, especially mouse models, have contributed considerably to improving our understanding of the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. These models have allowed study of the pathogenic mechanisms and development of new disease-modifying strategies and therapeutic approaches. However, due to the complex nature of these pathologies and the irreversible damage that they cause to the neural tissue, effective therapies against neurodegeneration remain to be elaborated. In this review, we provide an overview of cellular and animal models developed for studying neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease and dystonia of different origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A Zhunina
- JSC "Russian Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Therapy", Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikita G Yabbarov
- JSC "Russian Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Therapy", Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander N Orekhov
- Laboratory of Angiopathology, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia.,Institute for Atherosclerosis Research, Skolkovo Innovative Center, Moscow, Russia
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21
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Chen L, Hua J, Ross CA, Cai S, van Zijl PC, Li X. Altered brain iron content and deposition rate in Huntington's disease as indicated by quantitative susceptibility MRI. J Neurosci Res 2019; 97:467-479. [PMID: 30489648 PMCID: PMC6367012 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Altered brain iron content in the striatum of premanifest and manifest Huntington's disease (HD) has been reported. However, its natural history remains unclear. This study aims to investigate altered brain iron content in premanifest and early HD, and the iron deposition rate in these patients through a longitudinal one-year follow-up test, with quantitative magnetic susceptibility as an iron imaging marker. Twenty-four gene mutation carriers divided into three groups (further-from-onset, closer-to-onset and early HD) and 16 age-matched healthy controls were recruited at baseline, and of these, 14 carriers and 7 controls completed the one-year follow-up. Quantitative magnetic susceptibility and effective transverse relaxation rate ( R 2 ∗ ) were measured at 7.0 Tesla and correlated with atrophy and available clinical and cognitive measurements. Higher susceptibility values indicating higher iron content in the striatum and globus pallidus were only observed in closer-to-onset (N = 6, p < 0.05 in caudate and p < 0.01 in putamen) and early HD (N = 9, p < 0.05 in caudate and globus pallidus and p < 0.01 in putamen). Similar results were found by R 2 ∗ measurement. Such increases directly correlated with HD CAG-age product score and brain atrophy, but not with motor or cognitive scores. More importantly, a significantly higher iron deposition rate (11.9%/years in caudate and 6.1%/years in globus pallidus) was firstly observed in closer-to-onset premanifest HD and early HD as compared to the controls. These results suggest that monitoring brain iron may provide further insights into the pathophysiology of HD disease progression, and may provide a biomarker for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Jun Hua
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Christopher A. Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobiology, and Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Shuhui Cai
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Peter C.M. van Zijl
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Xu Li
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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22
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Cho IK, Hunter CE, Ye S, Pongos AL, Chan AWS. Combination of stem cell and gene therapy ameliorates symptoms in Huntington's disease mice. NPJ Regen Med 2019; 4:7. [PMID: 30937182 PMCID: PMC6435637 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-019-0066-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited monogenetic disorder characterized by motor and cognitive dysfunction due to neurodegeneration. The disease is caused by the polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion at the 5' terminal of the exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene, IT15, which results in the accumulation of mutant HTT (mHTT) aggregates in neurons and cell death. The monogenetic cause and the loss of specific neural cell population make HD a suitable candidate for stem cell and gene therapy. In this study, we demonstrate the efficacy of the combination of stem cell and gene therapy in a transgenic HD mouse model (N171-82Q; HD mice) using rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) neural progenitor cells (NPCs). We have established monkey NPC cell lines from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that can differentiate into GABAergic neurons in vitro as well as in mouse brains without tumor formation. Wild-type monkey NPCs (WT-NPCs), NPCs derived from a transgenic HD monkey (HD-NPCs), and genetically modified HD-NPCs with reduced mHTT levels by stable expression of small-hairpin RNA (HD-shHD-NPCs), were grafted into the striatum of WT and HD mice. Mice that received HD-shHD-NPC grafts showed a significant increase in lifespan compared to the sham injection group and HD mice. Both WT-NPC and HD-shHD-NPC grafts in HD mice showed significant improvement in motor functions assessed by rotarod and grip strength. Also, immunohistochemistry demonstrated the integration and differentiation. Our results suggest the combination of stem cell and gene therapy as a viable therapeutic option for HD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- In Ki Cho
- 1Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA.,2Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Carissa Emerson Hunter
- 2Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Sarah Ye
- 2Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Alvince Learnz Pongos
- 2Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Anthony Wing Sang Chan
- 1Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA.,2Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA USA
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Cho IK, Yang B, Forest C, Qian L, Chan AWS. Amelioration of Huntington's disease phenotype in astrocytes derived from iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells of Huntington's disease monkeys. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214156. [PMID: 30897183 PMCID: PMC6428250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating monogenic, dominant, hereditary, neurodegenerative disease. HD is caused by the expansion of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene, IT15, resulting in an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) residue in the N-terminus of the HTT protein. HD is characterized by the accumulation of mutant HTT (mHTT) in neural and somatic cells. Progressive brain atrophy occurs initially in the striatum and extends to different brain regions with progressive decline in cognitive, behavioral and motor functions. Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain and play an essential role in neural development and maintaining homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). There is increasing evidence supporting the involvement of astrocytes in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We have generated neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of transgenic HD monkeys as a model for studying HD pathogenesis. We have reported that NPCs can be differentiated in vitro into mature neural cells, such as neurons and glial cells, and are an excellent tool to study the pathogenesis of HD. To better understand the role of astrocytes in HD pathogenesis and discover new therapies to treat HD, we have developed an astrocyte differentiation protocol and evaluated the efficacy of RNAi to ameliorate HD phenotypes in astrocytes. The resultant astrocytes expressed canonical astrocyte-specific markers examined by immunostaining and real-time PCR. Flow cytometry (FACS) analysis showed that the majority of the differentiated NPCs (95.7%) were positive for an astrocyte specific marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Functionalities of astrocytes were evaluated by glutamate uptake assay and electrophysiology. Expression of mHTT in differentiated astrocytes induced cytosolic mHTT aggregates and nuclear inclusions, suppressed the expression of SOD2 and PGC1, reduced ability to uptake glutamate, decreased 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) response, and shifted I/V plot measured by electrophysiology, which are consistent with previous reports on HD astrocytes and patient brain samples. However, expression of small-hairpin RNA against HTT (shHD) ameliorated and reversed aforementioned HD phenotypes in astrocytes. This represents a demonstration of a novel non-human primate (NHP) astrocyte model for studying HD pathogenesis and a platform for discovering novel HD treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- In Ki Cho
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (IKC); (AWSC)
| | - Bo Yang
- Neuroscience Core, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Craig Forest
- Neuroscience Core, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Lu Qian
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Anthony W. S. Chan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (IKC); (AWSC)
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Striatal Interneurons in Transgenic Nonhuman Primate Model of Huntington's Disease. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3528. [PMID: 30837611 PMCID: PMC6401084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40165-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder associated with progressive motor and cognitive impairments, and the expansion of a cysteine-adenine-guanine trinucleotide (polyglutamine) repeats in exon one of the human huntingtin gene. The pathology of the disease is characterized by a profound degeneration of striatal GABAergic projection neurons with relative sparing of interneurons accompanied with astrogliosis. Here, we describe the striatal pathology in two genotypically different transgenic HD monkeys that exhibit degrees of disease progression that resembled those seen in juvenile- (rHD1) and adult-onset (rHD7) HD. The caudate nucleus and putamen underwent severe neuronal loss in both animals, while the striatal volume was reduced only in rHD1, the most severely affected monkey. The number of GABAergic (calretinin- and parvalbumin-positive) and cholinergic interneurons was also reduced in most striatal regions of these two monkeys, but to variable degrees. Overall, the density of interneurons was increased in rHD1, but not in rHD7, suggesting a relative sparing of interneurons over projection neurons in the striatum of the most affected HD monkey. The neuropil of both the caudate nucleus and putamen was invaded with reactive astrocytes in rHD1, while astrogliosis was much less severe in rHD7 and absent from control. Combined with behavioral data collected from these monkeys, our findings further demonstrate that transgenic HD monkeys share similar disease patterns with HD patients, making them a highly reliable preclinical HD animal model.
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Chansel‐Debordeaux L, Bezard E. Local transgene expression and whole-body transgenesis to model brain diseases in nonhuman primate. Animal Model Exp Med 2019; 2:9-17. [PMID: 31016282 PMCID: PMC6431118 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal model is an essential tool in the life sciences research, notably in understanding the pathogenesis of the diseases and for further therapeutic intervention success. Rodents have been the most frequently used animals to model human disease since the establishment of gene manipulation technique. However, they remain inadequate to fully mimic the pathophysiology of human brain disease, partially due to huge differences between rodents and humans in terms of anatomy, brain function, and social behaviors. Nonhuman primates are more suitable in translational perspective. Thus, genetically modified animals have been generated to investigate neurologic and psychiatric disorders. The classical transgenesis technique is not efficient in that model; so, viral vector-mediated transgene delivery and the new genome-editing technologies have been promoted. In this review, we summarize some of the technical progress in the generation of an ad hoc animal model of brain diseases by gene delivery and real transgenic nonhuman primate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Chansel‐Debordeaux
- Institut des Maladies NeurodégénérativesUniversity of BordeauxUMR 5293BordeauxFrance
- CNRSInstitut des Maladies NeurodégénérativesUMR 5293BordeauxFrance
- CHU BordeauxService de Biologie de la reproduction‐CECOSBordeauxFrance
| | - Erwan Bezard
- Institut des Maladies NeurodégénérativesUniversity of BordeauxUMR 5293BordeauxFrance
- CNRSInstitut des Maladies NeurodégénérativesUMR 5293BordeauxFrance
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Spatial memory in Huntington’s disease: A comparative review of human and animal data. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 98:194-207. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by a significant loss of striatal neurons that project to the globus pallidus and substantia nigra, together with loss of cortical projection neurons in varying regions. Mutant huntingtin is suggested to drive the pathogenesis partially by downregulating corticostriatal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and signaling. Neurotrophic factors are endogenous peptides that promote the survival and maintenance of neurons. BDNF and other neurotrophic factors have shown neuroprotective benefits in various animal models of neurodegeneration, and are interesting candidates to protect the cell populations that are destined to die in HD. In an attempt to enhance the delivery of neurotrophic factors, several methods have been established to deliver long-term neurotrophic factor gene therapy to human target tissues. This chapter discusses two alternative approaches that have been shown to have potential to deliver neurotrophic factors as a neuroprotective gene therapy for HD. The methods are (1) ex vivo approach where encapsulated cells engineered to express neurotrophic factor are inserted into brain parenchyma or ventricle, and (2) in vivo viral vector therapy, in which viral vector is injected into desired brain area to express gene of interest in the host cells.
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28
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Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease that results in motor, cognitive and psychiatric dysfunction. It is caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion mutation in the widely expressed HTT protein. The clinical manifestations of HD have been largely attributed to the neurodegeneration of specific neuronal cell types in the brain. However, it has become clear that other cell types, including astrocytes, play important roles in the pathogenesis of HD. The mutant HTT (mHTT) protein is present in neuronal and non-neuronal cell types throughout the nervous system. Studies designed to understand the contribution of mHTT expression in non-neuronal cell types to HD pathogenesis has lagged considerably behind those focused on neurons. However, the role of astrocytes in HD has received more attention over the last 5-10 years. In this chapter we present an overview of HD and our current understanding of astrocytic involvement in this disease. We describe the neuropathological features of HD and provide evidence of morphological and molecular changes in mHTT expressing astrocytes. We review data from animal models and HD patients that implicate mHTT expressing astrocytes to the progression of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Gray
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, CIRC 425B, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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Park JE, Silva AC. Generation of genetically engineered non-human primate models of brain function and neurological disorders. Am J Primatol 2018; 81:e22931. [PMID: 30585654 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Research with non-human primates (NHP) has been essential and effective in increasing our ability to find cures for a large number of diseases that cause human suffering and death. Extending the availability and use of genetic engineering techniques to NHP will allow the creation and study of NHP models of human disease, as well as broaden our understanding of neural circuits in the primate brain. With the recent development of efficient genetic engineering techniques that can be used for NHP, there's increased hope that NHP will significantly accelerate our understanding of the etiology of human neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this article, we review the present state of genetic engineering tools used in NHP, from the early efforts to induce exogeneous gene expression in macaques and marmosets, to the latest results in producing germline transmission of different transgenes and the establishment of knockout lines of specific genes. We conclude with future perspectives on the further development and employment of these tools to generate genetically engineered NHP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Eun Park
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Afonso C Silva
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Smatlikova P, Juhas S, Juhasova J, Suchy T, Hubalek Kalbacova M, Ellederova Z, Motlik J, Klima J. Adipogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Pig Transgenic Model Expressing Human Mutant Huntingtin. J Huntingtons Dis 2018; 8:33-51. [PMID: 30584151 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-180303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the highest expression of mutant huntingtin (mtHtt) was observed in the brain, its negative effects were also apparent in other tissues. Specifically, mtHtt impairs metabolic homeostasis and causes transcriptional dysregulation in adipose tissue. Adipogenic differentiation can be induced by the activation of two transcription factors: CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). These same transcription factors were found to be compromised in some tissues of Huntington's disease (HD) mouse models and in lymphocytes of HD patients. OBJECTIVE This study investigated the adipogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from transgenic Huntington's disease (TgHD) minipigs expressing human mtHtt (1-548aa) containing 124 glutamines. Two differentiation conditions were used, employing PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone or indomethacin. METHODS Bone marrow MSCs were isolated from TgHD and WT minipig siblings and compared by their cluster of differentiation using flow cytometry. Their adipogenic potential in vitro was analyzed using quantitative immunofluorescence and western blot analysis of transcription factors and adipogenic markers. RESULTS Flow cytometry analysis did not reveal any significant difference between WT and TgHD MSCs. Nevertheless, following differentiation into adipocytes, the expression of CEBPα nuclear, PPARγ and adipogenic marker FABP4/AP2 were significantly lower in TgHD cells compared to WT cells. In addition, we proved both rosiglitazone and indomethacin to be efficient for adipogenic differentiation of porcine MSCs, with rosiglitazone showing a better adipogenic profile. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated a negative influence of mtHtt on adipogenic differentiation of porcine MSCs in vitro associated with compromised expression of adipogenic transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Smatlikova
- PIGMOD Centre, Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic.,Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Stefan Juhas
- PIGMOD Centre, Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Juhasova
- PIGMOD Centre, Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Suchy
- Department of Composites and Carbon Materials, Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic; Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Hubalek Kalbacova
- Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Pilsen, Czech Republic; Institute of Pathological Physiology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Ellederova
- PIGMOD Centre, Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Motlik
- PIGMOD Centre, Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Klima
- PIGMOD Centre, Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
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31
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Emborg ME. Nonhuman Primate Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders. ILAR J 2018; 58:190-201. [PMID: 28985333 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilx021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's (AD), Huntington's (HD), and Parkinson's (PD) disease are age-related neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive neuronal cell death. Although each disease has particular pathologies and symptoms, accumulated evidence points to similar mechanisms of neurodegeneration, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and protein aggregation. A significant body of research is ongoing to understand how these pathways affect each other and what ultimately triggers the onset of the disease. Experiments in nonhuman primates (NHPs) account for only 5% of all research in animals. Yet the impact of NHP studies for clinical translation is much greater, especially for neurodegenerative disorders, as NHPs have a complex cognitive and motor functions and highly developed neuroanatomy. New NHP models are emerging to better understand pathology and improve the platform in which to test novel therapies. The goal of this report is to review NHP models of AD, HD, and PD in the context of the current understanding of these diseases and their contribution to the development of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina E Emborg
- Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center.,Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
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32
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Zhang H, Zhang C, Vincent J, Zala D, Benstaali C, Sainlos M, Grillo-Bosch D, Daburon S, Coussen F, Cho Y, David DJ, Saudou F, Humeau Y, Choquet D. Modulation of AMPA receptor surface diffusion restores hippocampal plasticity and memory in Huntington's disease models. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4272. [PMID: 30323233 PMCID: PMC6189172 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06675-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity contributes to cognitive impairment in Huntington’s disease (HD). However, the molecular basis of such synaptic plasticity defects is not fully understood. Combining live-cell nanoparticle tracking and super-resolution imaging, we show that AMPAR surface diffusion, a key player in synaptic plasticity, is disturbed in various rodent models of HD. We demonstrate that defects in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)–tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) signaling pathway contribute to the deregulated AMPAR trafficking by reducing the interaction between transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins (TARPs) and the PDZ-domain scaffold protein PSD95. The disturbed AMPAR surface diffusion is rescued by the antidepressant drug tianeptine via the BDNF signaling pathway. Tianeptine also restores the impaired LTP and hippocampus-dependent memory in different HD mouse models. These findings unravel a mechanism underlying hippocampal synaptic and memory dysfunction in HD, and highlight AMPAR surface diffusion as a promising therapeutic target. Cognitive decline in Huntington’s disease (HD) may be due to impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity. In this study the authors show that AMPA receptor surface diffusion, a key player in synaptic plasticity, is deregulated in multiple HD mouse models as a result of impaired BDNF signalling that underlies the memory deficits, and can be pharmacologically rescued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France. .,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France. .,Department of Biomedicine, KG Jebsen Centre for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, N-5009, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Chunlei Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France
| | - Jean Vincent
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France
| | - Diana Zala
- Institut Curie, CNRS, UMR3306, Inserm, U1005, F-91405, Orsay, France.,INSERM U894, Center of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Paris, France, University Paris-Descartes, Paris, 75006, France
| | - Caroline Benstaali
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, GIN, F-38000, Grenoble, France.,INSERM, U1216, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Matthieu Sainlos
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France
| | - Dolors Grillo-Bosch
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France
| | - Sophie Daburon
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France
| | - Françoise Coussen
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France
| | - Yoon Cho
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33000, France
| | - Denis J David
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ. Paris-Sud, Faculté de Pharmacie, CESP, INSERM UMRS1178, Chatenay-Malabry, 92296, France
| | - Frederic Saudou
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, GIN, F-38000, Grenoble, France. .,INSERM, U1216, F-38000, Grenoble, France. .,CHU Grenoble Alpes, F-38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Yann Humeau
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France
| | - Daniel Choquet
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33076, France. .,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 5297, Bordeaux, 33076, France. .,Bordeaux Imaging Center, CNRS UMS 3420, University of Bordeaux, INSERM US04, 33076, Bordeaux, France.
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Piiponniemi TO, Parkkari T, Heikkinen T, Puoliväli J, Park LC, Cachope R, Kopanitsa MV. Impaired Performance of the Q175 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease in the Touch Screen Paired Associates Learning Task. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:226. [PMID: 30333735 PMCID: PMC6176131 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive disturbances often predate characteristic motor dysfunction in individuals with Huntington’s disease (HD) and place an increasing burden on the HD patients and caregivers with the progression of the disorder. Therefore, application of maximally translational cognitive tests to animal models of HD is imperative for the development of treatments that could alleviate cognitive decline in human patients. Here, we examined the performance of the Q175 mouse knock-in model of HD in the touch screen version of the paired associates learning (PAL) task. We found that 10–11-month-old heterozygous Q175 mice had severely attenuated learning curve in the PAL task, which was conceptually similar to previously documented impaired performance of individuals with HD in the PAL task of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Besides high rate of errors in PAL task, Q175 mice exhibited considerably lower responding rate than age-matched wild-type (WT) animals. Our examination of effortful operant responding during fixed ratio (FR) and progressive ratio (PR) reinforcement schedules in a separate cohort of similar age confirmed slower and unselective performance of mutant animals, as observed during PAL task, but suggested that motivation to work for nutritional reward in the touch screen setting was similar in Q175 and WT mice. We also demonstrated that pronounced sensorimotor disturbances in Q175 mice can be detected at early touch screen testing stages, (e.g., during “Punish Incorrect” phase of operant pretraining), so we propose that shorter test routines may be utilised for more expedient studies of treatments aimed at the rescue of HD-related phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Larry C Park
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Roger Cachope
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maksym V Kopanitsa
- Charles River Discovery Services, Kuopio, Finland.,UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Hunter CE, Pongos AL, Chi TY, Payne C, Stroud FC, Chan AWS. Longitudinal Anthropometric Assessment of Rhesus Macaque ( Macaca mulatta) Model of Huntington Disease. Comp Med 2018; 68:163-167. [PMID: 29663942 PMCID: PMC5897973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The neurodegeneration associated with Huntington disease (HD) leads to the onset of motor and cognitive impairment and their advancement with increased age in humans. In children at risk for HD, body measurement growth abnormalities include a reduction in BMI, weight, height, and head circumference. The transgenic HD NHP model was first reported in 2008, and progressive decline in cognitive behaviors and motor impairment have been reported. This study focuses on longitudinal body measurements in HD macaques from infancy through adulthood. The growth of HD macaques was assessed through head circumference, sagittal and transverse head, and crown-to-rump ('height') measurements and BMI. The animals were measured monthly from 0 to 72 mo of age and every 3 mo from 72 mo of age onward. A mixed-effect model was used to assess subject-specific effects in our nonlinear serial data. Compared with WT controls, HD macaques displayed different developmental trajectories characterized by increased BMI, head circumference, and sagittal head measurements beginning around 40 mo of age. The physiologic comparability between NHP and humans underscores the translational utility of our HD macaques to evaluate growth and developmental patterns associated with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carissa E Hunter
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alvince L Pongos
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tim Y Chi
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Christa Payne
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Fawn C Stroud
- Division of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,
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Aron Badin R. Nonhuman Primate Models of Huntington's Disease and Their Application in Translational Research. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1780:267-284. [PMID: 29856024 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7825-0_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic, autosomal dominant inherited fatal disease that affects 1 in 10,000 people worldwide. Given its unique genetic characteristics, HD would appear as one of the most straightforward neurodegenerative diseases to replicate in animal models. Indeed, mutations in the HTT gene have been used to generate a variety of animal models that display differential pathologies and have significantly increased our understanding of the pathological mechanisms of HD. However, decades of efforts have also shown the complexity of recapitulating the human condition in other species. Here we describe the three different types of models that have been generated in nonhuman primate species, stating their advantages and limitations and attempt to give a critical perspective of their translational value to test the efficacy of novel therapeutic strategies. Obtaining construct, phenotypic, and predictive validity has proven to be challenging in most animal models of human diseases. In HD in particular, it is hard to assess the predictive validity of a new therapeutic strategy when no effective "benchmark" treatment is available in the clinic. In this light, only phenotypic/face validity and construct validity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina Aron Badin
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
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Progress in developing transgenic monkey model for Huntington's disease. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2017; 125:401-417. [PMID: 29127484 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-017-1803-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that has no cure. Although treatments can often be given to relieve symptoms, the neuropathology associated with HD cannot be stopped or reversed. HD is characterized by degeneration of the striatum and associated pathways that leads to impairment in motor and cognitive functions as well as psychiatric disturbances. Although cell and rodent models for HD exist, longitudinal study in a transgenic HD nonhuman primate (i.e., rhesus macaque; HD monkeys) shows high similarity in its progression with human patients. Progressive brain atrophy and changes in white matter integrity examined by magnetic resonance imaging are coherent with the decline in cognitive behaviors related to corticostriatal functions and neuropathology. HD monkeys also express higher anxiety and irritability/aggression similar to human HD patients that other model systems have not yet replicated. While a comparative model approach is critical for advancing our understanding of HD pathogenesis, HD monkeys could provide a unique platform for preclinical studies and long-term assessment of translatable outcome measures. This review summarizes the progress in the development of the transgenic HD monkey model and the opportunities for advancing HD preclinical research.
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Stout JC, Andrews SC, Glikmann-Johnston Y. Cognitive assessment in Huntington disease clinical drug trials. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2017; 144:227-244. [PMID: 28947120 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-801893-4.00019-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Several Huntington disease (HD) clinical trials are in progress and on the horizon. Potential treatments are increasingly being targeted at ameliorating the cognitive decline in HD. This necessitates a careful consideration of trial designs, including endpoint strategies suitable for testing cognitive function. The aim of this chapter is to evaluate and consider the use of cognitive measures in HD clinical trials. We first consider the role of cognition in clinical trial endpoint models, including a review of previous HD clinical trials that have included cognitive measures. We evaluate strategies for selecting cognitive tools for HD clinical trials, and consider cognitive assessments that have been used in other neuropsychiatric disorders, namely Alzheimer disease and schizophrenia. Next, we describe a general framework for selecting patient-based outcomes in clinical trials, and apply this framework to the selection of cognitive outcomes. Using the HD-Cognitive Assessment Battery (HD-CAB), a new cognitive battery designed for clinical trials, we illustrate the evaluation of cognitive outcomes in terms of their responsivity, reliability, validity, appropriateness, precision, interpretability, feasibility, and acceptability. Finally, we articulate a pathway for continued development of cognitive tools that would pave the way for finding treatments that ameliorate cognitive decline in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie C Stout
- School of Psychological Sciences, and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Sophie C Andrews
- School of Psychological Sciences, and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yifat Glikmann-Johnston
- School of Psychological Sciences, and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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Leuchter MK, Donzis EJ, Cepeda C, Hunter AM, Estrada-Sánchez AM, Cook IA, Levine MS, Leuchter AF. Quantitative Electroencephalographic Biomarkers in Preclinical and Human Studies of Huntington's Disease: Are They Fit-for-Purpose for Treatment Development? Front Neurol 2017; 8:91. [PMID: 28424652 PMCID: PMC5371600 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A major focus in development of novel therapies for Huntington's disease (HD) is identification of treatments that reduce the burden of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein in the brain. In order to identify and test the efficacy of such therapies, it is essential to have biomarkers that are sensitive to the effects of mHTT on brain function to determine whether the intervention has been effective at preventing toxicity in target brain systems before onset of clinical symptoms. Ideally, such biomarkers should have a plausible physiologic basis for detecting the effects of mHTT, be measureable both in preclinical models and human studies, be practical to measure serially in clinical trials, and be reliably measurable in HD gene expansion carriers (HDGECs), among other features. Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) fulfills many of these basic criteria of a "fit-for-purpose" biomarker. qEEG measures brain oscillatory activity that is regulated by the brain structures that are affected by mHTT in premanifest and early symptom individuals. The technology is practical to implement in the laboratory and is well tolerated by humans in clinical trials. The biomarkers are measureable across animal models and humans, with findings that appear to be detectable in HDGECs and translate across species. We review here the literature on recent developments in both preclinical and human studies of the use of qEEG biomarkers in HD, and the evidence for their usefulness as biomarkers to help guide development of novel mHTT lowering treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Leuchter
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elissa J Donzis
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aimee M Hunter
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Neuromodulation Division, Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ana María Estrada-Sánchez
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ian A Cook
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Neuromodulation Division, Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrew F Leuchter
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Neuromodulation Division, Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Transgenic Monkey Model of the Polyglutamine Diseases Recapitulating Progressive Neurological Symptoms. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-NWR-0250-16. [PMID: 28374014 PMCID: PMC5368386 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0250-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-associated neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and the polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, are becoming prevalent as a consequence of elongation of the human lifespan. Although various rodent models have been developed to study and overcome these diseases, they have limitations in their translational research utility owing to differences from humans in brain structure and function and in drug metabolism. Here, we generated a transgenic marmoset model of the polyQ diseases, showing progressive neurological symptoms including motor impairment. Seven transgenic marmosets were produced by lentiviral introduction of the human ataxin 3 gene with 120 CAG repeats encoding an expanded polyQ stretch. Although all offspring showed no neurological symptoms at birth, three marmosets with higher transgene expression developed neurological symptoms of varying degrees at 3-4 months after birth, followed by gradual decreases in body weight gain, spontaneous activity, and grip strength, indicating time-dependent disease progression. Pathological examinations revealed neurodegeneration and intranuclear polyQ protein inclusions accompanied by gliosis, which recapitulate the neuropathological features of polyQ disease patients. Consistent with neuronal loss in the cerebellum, brain MRI analyses in one living symptomatic marmoset detected enlargement of the fourth ventricle, which suggests cerebellar atrophy. Notably, successful germline transgene transmission was confirmed in the second-generation offspring derived from the symptomatic transgenic marmoset gamete. Because the accumulation of abnormal proteins is a shared pathomechanism among various neurodegenerative diseases, we suggest that this new marmoset model will contribute toward elucidating the pathomechanisms of and developing clinically applicable therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.
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41
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Meng Y, Jiang J, Bachevalier J, Zhang X, Chan AWS. Developmental Whole Brain White Matter Alterations in Transgenic Huntington's Disease Monkey. Sci Rep 2017; 7:379. [PMID: 28336929 PMCID: PMC5428287 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00381-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic Huntington’s disease monkey (HD monkey) model provides great opportunity for studying disease progression that could lead to new insight for developing biomarker, early intervention and novel therapeutics. Whole brain white matter integrity of HD-monkeys was examined longitudinally from 6 to 48 months using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Progressive developmental white matter alterations in HD monkeys were widespread and were observed not only in fiber bundles connecting cortical areas to the striatum (e.g. striatal bundle and external capsule), but also in long association fiber pathways, commissural fibers, and subcortical fiber bundle. In all fiber tracts, the data indicate an arrest in white matter development around 23 months followed by slight decline until adulthood in HD monkeys. The microstructural changes parallel the progressive motor, memory and cognitive decline previously reported as HD monkeys aged. The findings revealed the widespread progressive temporal-spatial microstructural changes in HD monkey brains from infancy to adulthood, suggesting differentiated degenerations across different brain areas during brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuguang Meng
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jocelyne Bachevalier
- Department of Psychology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. .,Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. .,Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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42
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Raper J, Bosinger S, Johnson Z, Tharp G, Moran SP, Chan AWS. Increased irritability, anxiety, and immune reactivity in transgenic Huntington's disease monkeys. Brain Behav Immun 2016; 58:181-190. [PMID: 27395434 PMCID: PMC5067193 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the most notable clinical symptoms of Huntington's disease (HD) are motor disturbances and brain atrophy, other symptoms include cognitive dysfunction, emotional and hormonal dysregulation. Emotional dysregulation (irritability, anger/aggression, and anxiety) and increased inflammation are early emerging symptoms which can be detected decades before the onset of motor symptoms in HD patients. Despite the advances in understanding the genetic causes of HD there is still no cure or preventative treatment. Thus, to better understand the pathogenesis of HD and develop effective treatments, a holistic understanding of HD is needed, as well as animal models that replicate the full spectrum of HD symptoms. The current study examined the emotional, hormonal, and gene expression responses to an acute stressor of adult male transgenic HD rhesus monkeys (n=2) as compared to wild-type controls (n=2). Results revealed that HD monkeys expressed increased anxiety and irritability/aggression as compared to controls. Reactive cortisol response to the stressor was similar between groups. However, HD monkeys exhibited increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and higher induction of immune pathway genes as compared to controls. Overall, results reveal that HD monkeys exhibit these early emerging symptoms of HD and may be an effective animal model to facilitate the development of new therapeutics for HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Raper
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Steven Bosinger
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
| | - Zachary Johnson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
| | - Gregory Tharp
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
| | - Sean P Moran
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Suite 301, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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Kunkanjanawan T, Carter RL, Prucha MS, Yang J, Parnpai R, Chan AWS. miR-196a Ameliorates Cytotoxicity and Cellular Phenotype in Transgenic Huntington's Disease Monkey Neural Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162788. [PMID: 27631085 PMCID: PMC5025087 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of polyglutamine (polyQ) tract that leads to motor, cognitive and psychiatric impairment. Currently there is no cure for HD. A transgenic HD nonhuman primate (HD-NHP) model was developed with progressive development of clinical and pathological features similar to human HD, which suggested the potential preclinical application of the HD-NHP model. Elevated expression of miR-196a was observed in both HD-NHP and human HD brains. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis were ameliorated by the overexpression of miR-196a in HD-NHP neural progenitor cells (HD-NPCs) and differentiated neural cells (HD-NCs). The expression of apoptosis related gene was also down regulated. Mitochondrial morphology and activity were improved as indicated by mitotracker staining and the upregulation of CBP and PGC-1α in HD-NPCs overexpressing miR-196a. Here we demonstrated the amelioration of HD cellular phenotypes in HD-NPCs and HD-NCs overexpressing miR-196a. Our results also suggested the regulatory role of miR-196a in HD pathogenesis that may hold the key for understanding molecular regulation in HD and developing novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanut Kunkanjanawan
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd. N.E., Atlanta, GA, 39329, United States of America
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States of America
- Embryo Technology and Stem Cell Research Center, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Richard L. Carter
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd. N.E., Atlanta, GA, 39329, United States of America
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States of America
| | - Melinda S. Prucha
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd. N.E., Atlanta, GA, 39329, United States of America
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States of America
| | - Jinjing Yang
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd. N.E., Atlanta, GA, 39329, United States of America
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States of America
| | - Rangsun Parnpai
- Embryo Technology and Stem Cell Research Center, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Anthony W. S. Chan
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd. N.E., Atlanta, GA, 39329, United States of America
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States of America
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Grow DA, Simmons DV, Gomez JA, Wanat MJ, McCarrey JR, Paladini CA, Navara CS. Differentiation and Characterization of Dopaminergic Neurons From Baboon Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells Transl Med 2016; 5:1133-44. [PMID: 27343168 PMCID: PMC4996432 DOI: 10.5966/sctm.2015-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED : The progressive death of dopamine producing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta is the principal cause of symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Stem cells have potential therapeutic use in replacing these cells and restoring function. To facilitate development of this approach, we sought to establish a preclinical model based on a large nonhuman primate for testing the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based transplantation. To this end, we differentiated baboon fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (biPSCs) into dopaminergic neurons with the application of specific morphogens and growth factors. We confirmed that biPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons resemble those found in the human midbrain based on cell type-specific expression of dopamine markers TH and GIRK2. Using the reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we also showed that biPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons express PAX6, FOXA2, LMX1A, NURR1, and TH genes characteristic of this cell type in vivo. We used perforated patch-clamp electrophysiology to demonstrate that biPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons fired spontaneous rhythmic action potentials and high-frequency action potentials with spike frequency adaption upon injection of depolarizing current. Finally, we showed that biPSC-derived neurons released catecholamines in response to electrical stimulation. These results demonstrate the utility of the baboon model for testing and optimizing the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of PD. SIGNIFICANCE Functional dopamine neurons were produced from baboon induced pluripotent stem cells, and their properties were compared to baboon midbrain cells in vivo. The baboon has advantages as a clinically relevant model in which to optimize the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. Baboons possess crucial neuroanatomical and immunological similarities to humans, and baboon pluripotent stem cells can be differentiated into functional neurons that mimic those in the human brain, thus laying the foundation for the utility of the baboon model for evaluating stem cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas A Grow
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Cellular Therapeutics Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA; University of Texas at San Antonio Neurosciences Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - DeNard V Simmons
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; University of Texas at San Antonio Neurosciences Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Jorge A Gomez
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; University of Texas at San Antonio Neurosciences Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Matthew J Wanat
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; University of Texas at San Antonio Neurosciences Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - John R McCarrey
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Cellular Therapeutics Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Carlos A Paladini
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; University of Texas at San Antonio Neurosciences Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Christopher S Navara
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Cellular Therapeutics Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA;
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McBride JL, Clark RL. Stereotaxic Surgical Targeting of the Nonhuman Primate Caudate and Putamen: Gene Therapy for Huntington's Disease. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1382:409-28. [PMID: 26611603 PMCID: PMC5962357 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3271-9_29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Stereotaxic surgery is an invaluable tool to deliver a variety of gene therapy constructs to the nonhuman primate caudate and putamen in preclinical studies for the genetic, neurodegenerative disorder, Huntington's disease (HD). Here we describe in detail how to perform this technique beginning with a pre-surgical magnetic resonance imaging scan to determine surgical coordinates followed by the stereotaxic surgical injection technique. In addition, we include methodology of a full necropsy including brain and peripheral tissue removal and a standard immunohistochemical technique to visualize the injected gene therapy agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi L McBride
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA.
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
| | - Randall L Clark
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
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46
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Moran SP, Chi T, Prucha MS, Agca Y, Chan AW. Cryotolerance of Sperm from Transgenic Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta). JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2016; 55:520-524. [PMID: 27657705 PMCID: PMC5029821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Cryopreservation is an important tool routinely used in preserving sperm for assisted reproductive technologies and for genetic preservation of unique animal models. Here we investigated the viability of fresh and frozen sperm from rhesus macaques on the basis of motility, membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity. Sperm motility was determined by visual evaluation; membrane and acrosome integrity were assessed simultaneously through triple staining with Hoechst 33342, propidium iodide, and fluorescein isothiocyanate-peanut agglutinin. We compared thawed semen that had been cryopreserved by using 2 different media with fresh semen from wildtype (WT) macaques; fresh semen from a model of Huntington disease (HD) with fresh WT semen; and fresh HD with cryopreserved-thawed HD semen. Our new freezing media (TEST EQ) preserved the acrosome better, with less net damage, than did traditional TEST (egg yolk extender containing TES and Tris) media. In addition, the percentage of membrane-damaged cells was similar in fresh HD semen (38.6%±2.9%) and WT semen (35.5%±1.9%). Membrane and acrosomal damage were not different between HD and WT sperm after cryopreservation and subsequent thawing. Furthermore, cryopreservation had similar negative effects on the motility of HD and WT sperm. These data illustrate that semen from a rhesus macaque model of HD is similarly cryotoleratant to that from WT animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean P Moran
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tim Chi
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Melinda S Prucha
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yuksel Agca
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Anthony Ws Chan
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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47
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Schubert R, Frank F, Nagelmann N, Liebsch L, Schuldenzucker V, Schramke S, Wirsig M, Johnson H, Kim EY, Ott S, Hölzner E, Demokritov SO, Motlik J, Faber C, Reilmann R. Neuroimaging of a minipig model of Huntington's disease: Feasibility of volumetric, diffusion-weighted and spectroscopic assessments. J Neurosci Methods 2015; 265:46-55. [PMID: 26658298 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2015.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As novel treatment approaches for Huntington's disease (HD) evolve, the use of transgenic (tg) large animal models has been considered for preclinical safety and efficacy assessments. It is hoped that large animal models may provide higher reliability in translating preclinical findings to humans, e.g., by using similar endpoints and biomarkers. NEW METHOD We here investigated the feasibility to conduct MRI assessments in a recently developed tgHD model in the Libechov minipig. The model is characterized by high genetic homology to humans and a similar body mass and compartments. The minipig brain provides anatomical features that are attractive for imaging studies and could be used as endpoints for disease modifying preclinical studies similar to human HD. RESULTS We demonstrate that complex MRI protocols can be successfully acquired with tgHD and wild type (wt) Libechov minipigs. We show that acquisition of anatomical images applicable for volumetric assessments is feasible and outline the development of a segmented MRI brain atlas. Similarly diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) including fiber tractography is presented. We also demonstrate the feasibility to conduct in vivo metabolic assessments using MR spectroscopy. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS In human HD, these MRI methods are already validated and used as reliable biomarker of disease progression even before the onset of a clinical motor phenotype. CONCLUSIONS The results show that the minipig brain is well suited for MRI assessments in preclinical studies. We conclude that further characterization of phenotypical differences between tg and wt animals in sufficiently powered cross-sectional and longitudinal studies is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Schubert
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park, Johann-Krane-Weg 27, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Frauke Frank
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park, Johann-Krane-Weg 27, 48149 Muenster, Germany; Dept of Radiology, University of Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer Campus 1, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Nina Nagelmann
- Dept of Radiology, University of Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer Campus 1, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Lennart Liebsch
- Dept of Radiology, University of Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer Campus 1, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Verena Schuldenzucker
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park, Johann-Krane-Weg 27, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Sarah Schramke
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park, Johann-Krane-Weg 27, 48149 Muenster, Germany; Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Maike Wirsig
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park, Johann-Krane-Weg 27, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Hans Johnson
- Dept of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, IowaCity, IA, USA; Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Iowa, IowaCity, IA, USA
| | - Eun Young Kim
- Dept of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, IowaCity, IA, USA
| | - Stefanie Ott
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park, Johann-Krane-Weg 27, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Eva Hölzner
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park, Johann-Krane-Weg 27, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Sergej O Demokritov
- Department of Physics and Center for Nonlinear Science, University of Muenster, Germany
| | - Jan Motlik
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, v.v.i., AS CR, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Cornelius Faber
- Dept of Radiology, University of Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer Campus 1, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Ralf Reilmann
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park, Johann-Krane-Weg 27, 48149 Muenster, Germany; Dept of Radiology, University of Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer Campus 1, 48149 Muenster, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Munster, Germany; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe-Seyler Str. 3, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
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Chan AWS, Jiang J, Chen Y, Li C, Prucha MS, Hu Y, Chi T, Moran S, Rahim T, Li S, Li X, Zola SM, Testa CM, Mao H, Villalba R, Smith Y, Zhang X, Bachevalier J. Progressive cognitive deficit, motor impairment and striatal pathology in a transgenic Huntington disease monkey model from infancy to adulthood. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122335. [PMID: 25966278 PMCID: PMC4428630 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the roadblocks to developing effective therapeutics for Huntington disease (HD) is the lack of animal models that develop progressive clinical traits comparable to those seen in patients. Here we report a longitudinal study that encompasses cognitive and motor assessment, and neuroimaging of a group of transgenic HD and control monkeys from infancy to adulthood. Along with progressive cognitive and motor impairment, neuroimaging revealed a progressive reduction in striatal volume. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 48 months of age revealed a decrease of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), further suggesting neuronal damage/loss in the striatum. Postmortem neuropathological analyses revealed significant neuronal loss in the striatum. Our results indicate that HD monkeys share similar disease patterns with HD patients, making them potentially suitable as a preclinical HD animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony W. S. Chan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yiju Chen
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Chunxia Li
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Melinda S. Prucha
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yijuan Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Tim Chi
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Sean Moran
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Tayeb Rahim
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Shihua Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Xiaojiang Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Stuart M. Zola
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Claudia M. Testa
- Department of Neurology and Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Hui Mao
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Rosa Villalba
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yoland Smith
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jocelyne Bachevalier
- Department of Psychology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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Moran S, Chi T, Prucha MS, Ahn KS, Connor-Stroud F, Jean S, Gould K, Chan AWS. Germline transmission in transgenic Huntington's disease monkeys. Theriogenology 2015; 84:277-85. [PMID: 25917881 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic nonhuman primate models are an increasingly popular model for neurologic and neurodegenerative disease because their brain functions and neural anatomies closely resemble those of humans. Transgenic Huntington's disease monkeys (HD monkeys) developed clinical features similar to those seen in HD patients, making the monkeys suitable for a preclinical study of HD. However, until HD monkey colonies can be readily expanded, their use in preclinical studies will be limited. In the present study, we confirmed germline transmission of the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) transgene in both embryonic stem cells generated from three male HD monkey founders (F0) and in second-generation offspring (F1) produced via artificial insemination by using intrauterine insemination technique. A total of five offspring were produced from 15 females that were inseminated by intrauterine insemination using semen collected from the three HD founders (5 of 15, 33%). Thus far, sperm collected from the HD founder (rHD8) has led to two F1 transgenic HD monkeys with germline transmission rate at 100% (2 of 2). mHTT expression was confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using skin fibroblasts from the F1 HD monkeys and induced pluripotent stem cells established from one of the F1 HD monkeys (rHD8-2). Here, we report the stable germline transmission and expression of the mHTT transgene in HD monkeys, which suggest possible expansion of HD monkey colonies for preclinical and biomedical research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Moran
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tim Chi
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Melinda S Prucha
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kwang Sung Ahn
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Fawn Connor-Stroud
- Division of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sherrie Jean
- Division of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kenneth Gould
- Division of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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50
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Abstract
Attentional set-shifting, as a measure of executive flexibility, has been a staple of investigations into human cognition for over six decades. Mediated by the frontal cortex in mammals, the cognitive processes involved in forming, maintaining and shifting an attentional set are vulnerable to dysfunction arising from a number of human neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases) and other neurological disorders (such as schizophrenia, depression, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Our understanding of these diseases and disorders, and the cognitive impairments induced by them, continues to advance, in tandem with an increasing number of tools at our disposal. In this chapter, we review and compare commonly used attentional set-shifting tasks (the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task and Intradimensional/Extradimensional tasks) and their applicability across species. In addition to humans, attentional set-shifting has been observed in a number of other animals, with a substantial body of literature describing performance in monkeys and rodents. We consider the task designs used to investigate attentional set-shifting in these species and the methods used to model human diseases and disorders, and ultimately the comparisons and differences between species-specific tasks, and between performance across species.
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