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Shen Y, Zhao M, Zhao P, Meng L, Zhang Y, Zhang G, Taishi Y, Sun L. Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential of lithium in Alzheimer's disease: repurposing an old class of drugs. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1408462. [PMID: 39055498 PMCID: PMC11269163 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1408462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and memory loss. Despite advances in understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of AD, effective treatments remain scarce. Lithium salts, recognized as mood stabilizers in bipolar disorder, have been extensively studied for their neuroprotective effects. Several studies indicate that lithium may be a disease-modifying agent in the treatment of AD. Lithium's neuroprotective properties in AD by acting on multiple neuropathological targets, such as reducing amyloid deposition and tau phosphorylation, enhancing autophagy, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity, regulating cholinergic and glucose metabolism, inhibiting neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, while preserving mitochondrial function. Clinical trials have demonstrated that lithium therapy can improve cognitive function in patients with AD. In particular, meta-analyses have shown that lithium may be a more effective and safer treatment than the recently FDA-approved aducanumab for improving cognitive function in patients with AD. The affordability and therapeutic efficacy of lithium have prompted a reassessment of its use. However, the use of lithium may lead to potential side effects and safety issues, which may limit its clinical application. Currently, several new lithium formulations are undergoing clinical trials to improve safety and efficacy. This review focuses on lithium's mechanism of action in treating AD, highlighting the latest advances in preclinical studies and clinical trials. It also explores the side effects of lithium therapy and coping strategies, offering a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxin Shen
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
- Cognitive Center, Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Meng Zhao
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
- Cognitive Center, Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Panpan Zhao
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
- Cognitive Center, Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Lingjie Meng
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
- Cognitive Center, Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
- Cognitive Center, Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Guimei Zhang
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
- Cognitive Center, Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Yezi Taishi
- Department of Cadre Ward, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
- Cognitive Center, Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
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Davoody S, Asgari Taei A, Khodabakhsh P, Dargahi L. mTOR signaling and Alzheimer's disease: What we know and where we are? CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14463. [PMID: 37721413 PMCID: PMC11017461 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14463] [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: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the great body of research done on Alzheimer's disease, the underlying mechanisms have not been vividly investigated. To date, the accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles constitutes the hallmark of the disease; however, dysregulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) seems to be significantly involved in the pathogenesis of the disease as well. mTOR, as a serine-threonine protein kinase, was previously known for controlling many cellular functions such as cell size, autophagy, and metabolism. In this regard, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) may leave anti-aging impacts by robustly inhibiting autophagy, a mechanism that inhibits the accumulation of damaged protein aggregate and dysfunctional organelles. Formation and aggregation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid-beta plaques seem to be significantly regulated by mTOR signaling. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and connection between mTOR signaling and AD may suggest conducting clinical trials assessing the efficacy of rapamycin, as an mTOR inhibitor drug, in managing AD or may help develop other medications. In this literature review, we aim to elaborate mTOR signaling network mainly in the brain, point to gaps of knowledge, and define how and in which ways mTOR signaling can be connected with AD pathogenesis and symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samin Davoody
- Student Research Committee, School of MedicineShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Afsaneh Asgari Taei
- Neuroscience Research CenterShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Pariya Khodabakhsh
- Department of NeurophysiologyInstitute of Physiology, Eberhard Karls University of TübingenTübingenGermany
| | - Leila Dargahi
- Neurobiology Research CenterShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
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Zhang T, Tian Y, Zheng X, Li R, Hu L, Shui X, Mei Y, Wang Q, Zhang M, Zheng X, Wang L, Chen D, Tao W, Lee TH. Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 ameliorates tau accumulation-induced synaptic damage and cognitive dysfunction via autophagy enhancement. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14432. [PMID: 37641913 PMCID: PMC10916438 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The autophagy-lysosomal pathway is important for maintaining cellular proteostasis, while dysfunction of this pathway has been suggested to drive the aberrant intraneuronal accumulation of tau protein, leading to synaptic damage and cognitive impairment. Previous studies have demonstrated that the activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) by capsaicin has a positive impact on cognition and AD-related biomarkers. However, the effect and mechanism of TPRV1 activation on neuronal tau homeostasis remain elusive. METHODS A mouse model of tauopathy was established by overexpressing full-length human tau in the CA3 area. Mice were fed capsaicin diet (0.0125%) or normal diet for 9 weeks. The cognitive ability, synaptic function, tau phosphorylation levels, and autophagy markers were detected. In vitro, capsaicin-induced alterations in cellular autophagy and tau degradation were characterized using two cell models. Besides, various inhibitors were applied to validate the role of TRPV1-mediated autophagy enhancement in tau clearance. RESULTS We observed that TRPV1 activation by capsaicin effectively mitigates hippocampal tau accumulation-induced synaptic damages, gliosis, and cognitive impairment in vivo. Capsaicin promotes the degradation of abnormally accumulated tau through enhancing autophagic function in neurons, which is dependent on TRPV1-mediated activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and subsequent inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Blocking AMPK activation abolishes capsaicin-induced autophagy enhancement and tau degradation in neurons. CONCLUSION Our findings reveal that capsaicin-induced TRPV1 activation confers neuroprotection by restoring neuronal tau homeostasis via modulating cellular autophagy and provides additional evidence to support the potential of TRPV1 as a therapeutic target for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Yuan Tian
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Xiaoqing Zheng
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Ruomeng Li
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Li Hu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Xindong Shui
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Yingxue Mei
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Quling Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Mi Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Xiuzhi Zheng
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Long Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Dongmei Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Wucheng Tao
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Tae Ho Lee
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
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Bisi N, Pinzi L, Rastelli G, Tonali N. Early Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases: What Has Been Undertaken to Promote the Transition from PET to Fluorescence Tracers. Molecules 2024; 29:722. [PMID: 38338465 PMCID: PMC10856728 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29030722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD) represent two among the most frequent neurodegenerative diseases worldwide. A common hallmark of these pathologies is the misfolding and consequent aggregation of amyloid proteins into soluble oligomers and insoluble β-sheet-rich fibrils, which ultimately lead to neurotoxicity and cell death. After a hundred years of research on the subject, this is the only reliable histopathological feature in our hands. Since AD and PD are diagnosed only once neuronal death and the first symptoms have appeared, the early detection of these diseases is currently impossible. At present, there is no effective drug available, and patients are left with symptomatic and inconclusive therapies. Several reasons could be associated with the lack of effective therapeutic treatments. One of the most important factors is the lack of selective probes capable of detecting, as early as possible, the most toxic amyloid species involved in the onset of these pathologies. In this regard, chemical probes able to detect and distinguish among different amyloid aggregates are urgently needed. In this article, we will review and put into perspective results from ex vivo and in vivo studies performed on compounds specifically interacting with such early species. Following a general overview on the three different amyloid proteins leading to insoluble β-sheet-rich amyloid deposits (amyloid β1-42 peptide, Tau, and α-synuclein), a list of the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches employed to date is discussed, with particular attention paid to the translation of fluorescence imaging into clinical applications. Furthermore, we also discuss how the progress achieved in detecting the amyloids of one neurodegenerative disease could be leveraged for research into another amyloidosis. As evidenced by a critical analysis of the state of the art, substantial work still needs to be conducted. Indeed, the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases is a priority, and we believe that this review could be a useful tool for better investigating this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Bisi
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, BioCIS, Bat. Henri Moissan, 17, Av. des Sciences, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Luca Pinzi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy; (L.P.); (G.R.)
| | - Giulio Rastelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy; (L.P.); (G.R.)
| | - Nicolò Tonali
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, BioCIS, Bat. Henri Moissan, 17, Av. des Sciences, 91400 Orsay, France
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Yadikar H, Johnson C, Pafundi N, Nguyen L, Kurup M, Torres I, Al-Enezy A, Yang Z, Yost R, Kobeissy FH, Wang KKW. Neurobiochemical, Peptidomic, and Bioinformatic Approaches to Characterize Tauopathy Peptidome Biomarker Candidates in Experimental Mouse Model of Traumatic Brain Injury. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:2295-2319. [PMID: 36635478 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03165-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a multidimensional damage, and currently, no FDA-approved medicine is available. Multiple pathways in the cell are triggered through a head injury (e.g., calpain and caspase activation), which truncate tau and generate variable fragment sizes (MW 400-45,000 K). In this study, we used an open-head TBI mouse model generated by controlled cortical impact (CCI) and collected ipsilateral (IC) and contralateral (CC) mice htau brain cortices at one (D1) three (D3), and seven (D7) days post-injury. We implemented immunological (antibody-based detection) and peptidomic approaches (nano-reversed-phase liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry) to investigate proteolytic tau peptidome (low molecular weight (LMW) < 10 K)) and pathological phosphorylation sites (high-molecular-weight (HMW); > 10 K) derived from CCI-TBI animal models. Our immunoblotting analysis verified tau hyperphosphorylation, HMW, and HMW breakdown products (HMW-BDP) formation of tau (e.g., pSer202, pThr181, pThr231, pSer396, and pSer404), following CCI-TBI. Peptidomic data revealed unique sequences of injury-dependent proteolytic peptides generated from human tau protein. Among the N-terminal tau peptides, EIPEGTTAEEAGIGDTPSLEDEAAGHVTQA (a.a. 96-125) and AQPHTEIPEGTTAEEAGIGDTPSLEDEAAGHVTQARM (a.a. 91-127). Examples of tau C-terminal peptides identified include NVSSTGSIDMVDSPQLATLADEVSASLAKQGL (a.a. 410-441) and QLATLADEVSASLAKQGL (a.a. 424-441). Our peptidomic bioinformatic tools showed the association of proteases, such as CAPN1, CAPN2, and CTSL; CASP1, MMP7, and MMP9; and ELANE, GZMA, and MEP1A, in CCI-TBI tau peptidome. In clinical trials for novel TBI treatments, it might be useful to monitor a subset of tau peptidome as targets for biomarker utility and use them for a "theranostic" approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamad Yadikar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait.
| | - Connor Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - Niko Pafundi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - Lynn Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - Milin Kurup
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - Isabel Torres
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - Albandery Al-Enezy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - Zhihui Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - Richard Yost
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Laboratory Building, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Firas H Kobeissy
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. .,Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers (CNMB), 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA.
| | - Kevin K W Wang
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. .,Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers (CNMB), 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA. .,Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA.
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Donnaloja F, Limonta E, Mancosu C, Morandi F, Boeri L, Albani D, Raimondi MT. Unravelling the mechanotransduction pathways in Alzheimer's disease. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:22. [PMID: 36978103 PMCID: PMC10045049 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00336-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents one of the most common and debilitating neurodegenerative disorders. By the end of 2040, AD patients might reach 11.2 million in the USA, around 70% higher than 2022, with severe consequences on the society. As now, we still need research to find effective methods to treat AD. Most studies focused on the tau and amyloid hypothesis, but many other factors are likely involved in the pathophysiology of AD. In this review, we summarize scientific evidence dealing with the mechanotransduction players in AD to highlight the most relevant mechano-responsive elements that play a role in AD pathophysiology. We focused on the AD-related role of extracellular matrix (ECM), nuclear lamina, nuclear transport and synaptic activity. The literature supports that ECM alteration causes the lamin A increment in the AD patients, leading to the formation of nuclear blebs and invaginations. Nuclear blebs have consequences on the nuclear pore complexes, impairing nucleo-cytoplasmic transport. This may result in tau hyperphosphorylation and its consequent self-aggregation in tangles, which impairs the neurotransmitters transport. It all exacerbates in synaptic transmission impairment, leading to the characteristic AD patient's memory loss. Here we related for the first time all the evidence associating the mechanotransduction pathway with neurons. In addition, we highlighted the entire pathway influencing neurodegenerative diseases, paving the way for new research perspectives in the context of AD and related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Donnaloja
- Politecnico Di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Campus Leonardo, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Emma Limonta
- Politecnico Di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Campus Leonardo, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Christian Mancosu
- Politecnico Di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Campus Leonardo, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Morandi
- Politecnico Di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Campus Leonardo, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Boeri
- Politecnico Di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Campus Leonardo, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Albani
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Teresa Raimondi
- Politecnico Di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Campus Leonardo, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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Shahpasand-Kroner H, Siddique I, Malik R, Linares GR, Ivanova MI, Ichida J, Weil T, Münch J, Sanchez-Garcia E, Klärner FG, Schrader T, Bitan G. Molecular Tweezers: Supramolecular Hosts with Broad-Spectrum Biological Applications. Pharmacol Rev 2023; 75:263-308. [PMID: 36549866 PMCID: PMC9976797 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.122.000654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysine-selective molecular tweezers (MTs) are supramolecular host molecules displaying a remarkably broad spectrum of biologic activities. MTs act as inhibitors of the self-assembly and toxicity of amyloidogenic proteins using a unique mechanism. They destroy viral membranes and inhibit infection by enveloped viruses, such as HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, by mechanisms unrelated to their action on protein self-assembly. They also disrupt biofilm of Gram-positive bacteria. The efficacy and safety of MTs have been demonstrated in vitro, in cell culture, and in vivo, suggesting that these versatile compounds are attractive therapeutic candidates for various diseases, infections, and injuries. A lead compound called CLR01 has been shown to inhibit the aggregation of various amyloidogenic proteins, facilitate their clearance in vivo, prevent infection by multiple viruses, display potent anti-biofilm activity, and have a high safety margin in animal models. The inhibitory effect of CLR01 against amyloidogenic proteins is highly specific to abnormal self-assembly of amyloidogenic proteins with no disruption of normal mammalian biologic processes at the doses needed for inhibition. Therapeutic effects of CLR01 have been demonstrated in animal models of proteinopathies, lysosomal-storage diseases, and spinal-cord injury. Here we review the activity and mechanisms of action of these intriguing compounds and discuss future research directions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Molecular tweezers are supramolecular host molecules with broad biological applications, including inhibition of abnormal protein aggregation, facilitation of lysosomal clearance of toxic aggregates, disruption of viral membranes, and interference of biofilm formation by Gram-positive bacteria. This review discusses the molecular and cellular mechanisms of action of the molecular tweezers, including the discovery of distinct mechanisms acting in vitro and in vivo, and the application of these compounds in multiple preclinical disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedieh Shahpasand-Kroner
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ibrar Siddique
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ravinder Malik
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Gabriel R Linares
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Magdalena I Ivanova
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Justin Ichida
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Tatjana Weil
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jan Münch
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Elsa Sanchez-Garcia
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Frank-Gerrit Klärner
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Thomas Schrader
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Gal Bitan
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine (H.S.-K., I.S., R.M., G.B.), Brain Research Institute (G.B.), and Molecular Biology Institute (G.B.), University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (G.R.L., J.I.); Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (M.I.I.); Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany (T.W., J.M.); and Department of Computational Biochemistry (E.S.-G.) and Faculty of Chemistry (F-G.K., T.S.), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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8
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Rawat P, Sehar U, Bisht J, Selman A, Culberson J, Reddy PH. Phosphorylated Tau in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Tauopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12841. [PMID: 36361631 PMCID: PMC9654278 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in elderly people. Amyloid beta (Aβ) deposits and neurofibrillary tangles are the major pathological features in an Alzheimer's brain. These proteins are highly expressed in nerve cells and found in most tissues. Tau primarily provides stabilization to microtubules in the part of axons and dendrites. However, tau in a pathological state becomes hyperphosphorylated, causing tau dysfunction and leading to synaptic impairment and degeneration of neurons. This article presents a summary of the role of tau, phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in AD, and other tauopathies. Tauopathies, including Pick's disease, frontotemporal dementia, corticobasal degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, argyrophilic grain disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Huntington's disease, are the result of misprocessing and accumulation of tau within the neuronal and glial cells. This article also focuses on current research on the post-translational modifications and genetics of tau, tau pathology, the role of tau in tauopathies and the development of new drugs targeting p-tau, and the therapeutics for treating and possibly preventing tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Rawat
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Ujala Sehar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Jasbir Bisht
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Ashley Selman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - John Culberson
- Department of Family Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - P. Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Nutritional Sciences Department, College Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Neurology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
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9
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Barbolina MV. Targeting Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau in Chemotherapy-Resistant Models of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4535. [PMID: 36139693 PMCID: PMC9496900 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapsed, recurrent, chemotherapy-resistant high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma is the deadliest stage of this disease. Expression of microtubule-associated protein tau (tau) has been linked to resistance to paclitaxel treatment. Here, I used models of platinum-resistant and created models of platinum/paclitaxel-resistant high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma to examine the impact of reducing tau expression on cell survival and tumor burden in cell culture and xenograft and syngeneic models of the disease. Tau was overexpressed in platinum/paclitaxel-resistant models; expression of phosphoSer396 and phosphoThr181 species was also found. A treatment with leucomethylene blue reduced the levels of tau in treated cells, was cytotoxic in cell cultures, and efficiently reduced the tumor burden in xenograft models. Furthermore, a combination of leucomethylene blue and paclitaxel synergized in eliminating cancer cells in cell culture and xenograft models. These findings underscore the feasibility of targeting tau as a treatment option in terminal-stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria V Barbolina
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 South Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60091, USA
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10
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Goel P, Chakrabarti S, Goel K, Bhutani K, Chopra T, Bali S. Neuronal cell death mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease: An insight. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:937133. [PMID: 36090249 PMCID: PMC9454331 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.937133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulated cell death (RCD) is an ordered and tightly orchestrated set of changes/signaling events in both gene expression and protein activity and is responsible for normal development as well as maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Aberrant activation of this pathway results in cell death by various mechanisms including apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and autophagy-dependent cell death. Such pathological changes in neurons alone or in combination have been observed in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Pathological hallmarks of AD focus primarily on the accumulation of two main protein markers: amyloid β peptides and abnormally phosphorylated tau proteins. These protein aggregates result in the formation of A-β plaques and neuro-fibrillary tangles (NFTs) and induce neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration over years to decades leading to a multitude of cognitive and behavioral deficits. Autopsy findings of AD reveal massive neuronal death manifested in the form of cortical volume shrinkage, reduction in sizes of gyri to up to 50% and an increase in the sizes of sulci. Multiple forms of cell death have been recorded in neurons from different studies conducted so far. However, understanding the mechanism/s of neuronal cell death in AD patients remains a mystery as the trigger that results in aberrant activation of RCD is unknown and because of the limited availability of dying neurons. This review attempts to elucidate the process of Regulated cell death, how it gets unregulated in response to different intra and extracellular stressors, various forms of unregulated cell death, their interplay and their role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease in both human and experimental models of AD. Further we plan to explore the correlation of both amyloid-beta and Tau with neuronal loss as seen in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Goel
- Department of Biochemistry, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College Chhainsa, Faridabad, India
| | - Sasanka Chakrabarti
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India
| | - Kapil Goel
- Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Karanpreet Bhutani
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India
| | - Tanya Chopra
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India
| | - Sharadendu Bali
- Department of Surgery, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India
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11
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Weber P, Mészáros Z, Jagečić D, Hribljan V, Mitrečić D, Bojarová P, Slámová K, Vrba J, Kulik N, Křen V, Stütz AE. Diaminocyclopentane-derived O-GlcNAcase inhibitors for combating tau hyperphosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:8838-8841. [PMID: 35849011 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc02712g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We developed potent and selective aminocyclopentane-derived inhibitors of human O-N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (OGA) implicated in Alzheimer's disease. For example compound 13 was a nanomolar OGA inhibitor with 92 000-fold selectivity over human HexB. It was non-toxic and increased protein O-GlcNAcylation in the culture of murine neural cells, showing new alternatives in the treatment of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Weber
- Glycogroup, Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Biobased Systems, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, A-8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Zuzana Mészáros
- Laboratory of Biotransformation, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-14220, Praha 4, Czech Republic. .,Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 1903/3, CZ-16628, Praha 6, Czech Republic
| | - Denis Jagečić
- Laboratory for Stem Cells, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 3, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Valentina Hribljan
- Laboratory for Stem Cells, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 3, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dinko Mitrečić
- Laboratory for Stem Cells, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 3, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Pavla Bojarová
- Laboratory of Biotransformation, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-14220, Praha 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Kristýna Slámová
- Laboratory of Biotransformation, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-14220, Praha 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Vrba
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, Hněvotínská 3, CZ-77515, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Natalia Kulik
- Laboratory of Biotransformation, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-14220, Praha 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Vladimír Křen
- Laboratory of Biotransformation, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-14220, Praha 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Arnold E Stütz
- Glycogroup, Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Biobased Systems, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, A-8010, Graz, Austria
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12
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Sittipo P, Choi J, Lee S, Lee YK. The function of gut microbiota in immune-related neurological disorders: a review. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:154. [PMID: 35706008 PMCID: PMC9199126 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02510-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This review provides an overview of the importance of microbiota in the regulation of gut–brain communication in immune-related neurological disorders. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract hosts a diverse abundance of microbiota, referred to as gut microbiota. The gut microbiota plays a role in the maintenance of GI tract homeostasis and is likely to have multiple effects on brain development and function. The bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the brain is termed the microbiota–gut–brain axis. This communication between the intestine and the brain appears to affect human health and behavior, as certain animal studies have demonstrated the association between alterations in the gut microbiota and neurological disorders. Most insights about the microbiota–gut–brain axis come from germ-free animal models, which reveal the importance of gut microbiota in neural function. To date, many studies have observed the impact of the gut microbiota in patients with neurological disorders. Although many studies have investigated the microbiota–gut–brain axis, there are still limitations in translating this research to humans given the complexities of the relationship between the gut microbiota and the brain. In this review, we discuss emerging evidence of how the microbiota–gut–brain axis regulates brain development and function through biological networks, as well as the possible contribution of the microbiota–gut–brain axis in immune-related neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panida Sittipo
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, 31151, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeyoon Choi
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, 31151, Republic of Korea
| | - Soojin Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yun Kyung Lee
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, 31151, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Barki M, Xue H. GABRB2, a key player in neuropsychiatric disorders and beyond. Gene 2022; 809:146021. [PMID: 34673206 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.146021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The GABA receptors represent the main inhibitory system in the central nervous system that ensure synaptogenesis, neurogenesis, and the regulation of neuronal plasticity and learning. GABAA receptors are pentameric in structure and belong to the Cys-loop superfamily. The GABRB2 gene, located on chromosome 5q34, encodes the β2 subunit that combines with the α and γ subunits to form the major subtype of GABAA receptors, which account for 43% of all GABAA receptors in the mammalian brain. Each subunit probably consists of an extracellular N-terminal domain, four membrane-spanning segments, a large intracellular loop between TM3 and TM4, and an extracellular C-terminal domain. Alternative splicing of the RNA transcript of the GABRB2 gene gives rise at least to four long and short isoforms with dissimilar electrophysiological properties. Furthermore, GABRB2 is imprinted and subjected to epigenetic regulation and positive selection. It has been associated with schizophrenia first in Han Chinese, and subsequently validated in other populations. Gabrb2 knockout mice also exhibited schizophrenia-like behavior and neuroinflammation that were ameliorated by the antipsychotic drug risperidone. GABRB2 was also associated with other neuropsychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, substance dependence, depression, internet gaming disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Recently, it has been postulated that GABRB2 might be a potential marker for different cancer types. As GABRB2 has a pivotal role in the central nervous system and is increasingly recognized to contribute to human diseases, further understanding of its structure and function may expedite the generation of new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manel Barki
- Center for Cancer Genomics, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hong Xue
- Center for Cancer Genomics, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Division of Life Science and Applied Genomics Center, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China.
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14
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Nath AK, Dey SG. Simultaneous Binding of Heme and Cu to Amyloid β Peptides: Active Site and Reactivities. Dalton Trans 2022; 51:4986-4999. [DOI: 10.1039/d2dt00162d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid imbalance and Aβ plaque formation are key histopathological features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). These amyloid plaques observed in post-mortem AD brains have been found to contain increased levels of...
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15
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Olešová D, Majerová P, Hájek R, Piešťanský J, Brumarová R, Michalicová A, Jurkanin B, Friedecký D, Kováč A. GM3 Ganglioside Linked to Neurofibrillary Pathology in a Transgenic Rat Model for Tauopathy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12581. [PMID: 34830461 PMCID: PMC8622195 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are amphipathic lipids composed of a sphingoid base and a fatty acyl attached to a saccharide moiety. GSLs play an important role in signal transduction, directing proteins within the membrane, cell recognition, and modulation of cell adhesion. Gangliosides and sulfatides belong to a group of acidic GSLs, and numerous studies report their involvement in neurodevelopment, aging, and neurodegeneration. In this study, we used an approach based on hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HRMS/MS) to characterize the glycosphingolipid profile in rat brain tissue. Then, we screened characterized lipids aiming to identify changes in glycosphingolipid profiles in the normal aging process and tau pathology. Thorough screening of acidic glycosphingolipids in rat brain tissue revealed 117 ganglioside and 36 sulfatide species. Moreover, we found two ganglioside subclasses that were not previously characterized-GT1b-Ac2 and GQ1b-Ac2. The semi-targeted screening revealed significant changes in the levels of sulfatides and GM1a gangliosides during the aging process. In the transgenic SHR24 rat model for tauopathies, we found elevated levels of GM3 gangliosides which may indicate a higher rate of apoptotic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Olešová
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84510 Bratislava, Slovakia; (D.O.); (P.M.); (A.M.); (B.J.)
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, 04181 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Petra Majerová
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84510 Bratislava, Slovakia; (D.O.); (P.M.); (A.M.); (B.J.)
| | - Roman Hájek
- Waters Corporation, Stamford Avenue, Altrincham Road, Wilmslow SK9 4AX, UK;
| | - Juraj Piešťanský
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Nuclear Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Odbojarov 10, 83232 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Radana Brumarová
- Laboratory for Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Olomouc, and Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (R.B.); (D.F.)
| | - Alena Michalicová
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84510 Bratislava, Slovakia; (D.O.); (P.M.); (A.M.); (B.J.)
| | - Bernadeta Jurkanin
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84510 Bratislava, Slovakia; (D.O.); (P.M.); (A.M.); (B.J.)
| | - David Friedecký
- Laboratory for Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Olomouc, and Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (R.B.); (D.F.)
| | - Andrej Kováč
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84510 Bratislava, Slovakia; (D.O.); (P.M.); (A.M.); (B.J.)
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16
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Barbolina MV. Dichotomous role of microtubule associated protein tau as a biomarker of response to and a target for increasing efficacy of taxane treatment in cancers of epithelial origin. Pharmacol Res 2021; 168:105585. [PMID: 33798735 PMCID: PMC8165012 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, and the World Health Organization estimates that one in six deaths globally is due to cancer. Chemotherapy is one of the major modalities used to treat advanced cancers and their metastasis. However, the existence of acquired and intrinsic resistance to anti-cancer drugs often diminishes their therapeutic effect. In order to pre-select patients who could benefit the most from these treatments, the efforts of many research groups have been focused on identification of biomarkers of therapy response. Taxanes paclitaxel (Taxol) and docetaxel (Taxotere) have been introduced as chemotherapy for treatment of cancers of ovary in 1992 and breast in 1996, respectively. Since then, clinical use of taxanes has expanded to include lung, prostate, gastric, head and neck, esophageal, pancreatic, and cervical cancers, as well as Kaposi sarcoma. Several independent molecular mechanisms have been shown to support taxane chemoresistance. One such mechanism is dependent on microtubule associated protein tau. Tau binds to the same site on the inner side of the microtubules that is also occupied by paclitaxel or docetaxel, and several studies have demonstrated that low/no tau expression significantly correlated with better response to the taxane treatment, suggesting that levels of tau expression could have a predictive value in pre-selecting patient cohorts that are likely to benefit from the treatment. However, several other studies have found no correlation between tau expression and taxane response, introducing a controversy and precluding its wide use as a predictive biomarker. Based on the knowledge of tau biology accumulated thus far, in this review we attempt to critically analyze the studies that evaluated tau as a biomarker of taxane response. Further, we identify yet unknown aspects of tau biology understanding of which is necessary for improvement of development of tau as a biomarker of response and a target for increasing response to taxane treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria V Barbolina
- University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 833 South Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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17
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Bai X, Wu J, Zhang M, Xu Y, Duan L, Yao K, Zhang J, Bo J, Zhao Y, Xu G, Zu H. DHCR24 Knock-Down Induced Tau Hyperphosphorylation at Thr181, Ser199, Thr231, Ser262, Ser396 Epitopes and Inhibition of Autophagy by Overactivation of GSK3β/mTOR Signaling. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:513605. [PMID: 33967735 PMCID: PMC8098657 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.513605] [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: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidences supported that knock-down of DHCR24 is linked to the pathological risk factors of AD, suggesting a potential role of DHCR24 in AD pathogenesis. However, the molecular mechanism link between DHCR24 and tauopathy remains unknown. Here, in order to elucidate the relationship between DHCR24 and tauopathy, we will focus on the effect of DHCR24 on the tau hyperphosphorylation at some toxic sites. In present study, we found that DHCR24 knock-down significantly lead to the hyperphosphorylation of tau sites at Thr181, Ser199, Thr231, Ser262, Ser396. Moreover, DHCR24 knock-down also increase the accumulation of p62 protein, simultaneously decreased the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I and the number of autophagosome compared to the control groups, suggesting the inhibition of autophagy activity. In contrast, DHCR24 knock-in obviously abolished the effect of DHCR24 knock-down on tau hyperphosphrylation and autophagy. In addition, to elucidate the association between DHCR24 and tauopathy, we further showed that the level of plasma membrane cholesterol, lipid raft-anchored protein caveolin-1, and concomitantly total I class PI3-K (p110α), phospho-Akt (Thr308 and Ser473) were significantly decreased, resulting in the disruption of lipid raft/caveola and inhibition of PI3-K/Akt signaling in silencing DHCR24 SH-SY5Y cells compared to control groups. At the same time, DHCR24 knock-down simultaneously decreased the level of phosphorylated GSK3β at Ser9 (inactive form) and increased the level of phosphorylated mTOR at Ser2448 (active form), leading to overactivation of GSK3β and mTOR signaling. On the contrary, DHCR24 knock-in largely increased the level of membrane cholesterol and caveolin-1, suggesting the enhancement of lipid raft/caveola. And synchronously DHCR24 knock-in also abolished the effect of DHCR24 knock-down on the inhibition of PI3-K/Akt signaling as well as the overactivation of GSK3β and mTOR signaling. Collectively, our data strongly supported DHCR24 knock-down lead to tau hyperphosphorylation and the inhibition of autophagy by a lipid raft-dependent PI3-K/Akt-mediated GSK3β and mTOR signaling. Taking together, our results firstly demonstrated that the decrease of plasma membrane cholesterol mediated by DHCR24 deficiency might contribute to the tauopathy in AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Bai
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junfeng Wu
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengqi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yixuan Xu
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijie Duan
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Yao
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianfeng Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jimei Bo
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongfei Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoxiong Xu
- The Research Center for Clinical Medicine, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hengbing Zu
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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18
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Hill J, Zawia NH. Fenamates as Potential Therapeutics for Neurodegenerative Disorders. Cells 2021; 10:702. [PMID: 33809987 PMCID: PMC8004804 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are desperately lacking treatment options. It is imperative that drug repurposing be considered in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases. Fenamates have been studied for efficacy in treating several neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively present the past and current research on fenamates in the context of neurodegenerative diseases with a special emphasis on tolfenamic acid and Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, this review discusses the major molecular pathways modulated by fenamates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaunetta Hill
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
| | - Nasser H. Zawia
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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19
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Siddiqui A, Akhtar S, Shah Z, Othman I, Kumari Y. Inflammation Drives Alzheimer's Disease: Emphasis on 5-lipoxygenase Pathways. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 19:885-895. [PMID: 32972344 PMCID: PMC8686299 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x18666200924122732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is a known fact that inflammation affects several physiological processes, including the functioning of the central nervous system. Additionally, impairment of lipid mechanisms/pathways have been associated with a number of neurodegenerative disorders and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of them. However, much attention has been given to the link between tau and beta- amyloid hypothesis in AD pathogenesis/prognosis. Increasing evidences suggest that biologically active lipid molecules could influence the pathophysiology of AD via a different mechanism of inflammation. This review intends to highlight the role of inflammatory responses in the context of AD with the emphasis on biochemical pathways of lipid metabolism enzyme, 5-lipoxygenase (5- LO).
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha Siddiqui
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sayeed Akhtar
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha-21974, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Zahoor Shah
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, University of Toledo, 43614, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Iekhsan Othman
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yatinesh Kumari
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
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20
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Aqsa, Sarkar S. Age dependent trans-cellular propagation of human tau aggregates in Drosophila disease models. Brain Res 2020; 1751:147207. [PMID: 33212022 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies is a class of neurodegenerative disorders which involves the transformation of physiological tau into pathogenic tau. One of the prime causes reported to drive this conversion is tau hyperphosphorylation and the subsequent propagation of pathogenic protein aggregates across the nervous system. Although past attempts have been made to deduce the details of tau propagation, yet not much is known about its mechanism. A better understanding of this aspect of disease pathology can prove to be beneficial for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. For the first time, we demonstrate that the human tau possesses an intrinsic property to spread trans-cellularly in the fly nervous system irrespective of the tau allele or the neuronal tissue type. Aggregate migration restricted by targeted down-regulation of a specific kinase, elucidates the role of hyper-phosphorylation in its movement. On the contrary to the previous models, our study delivers an easy and rapid in-vivo model for comprehensive examination of tau migration pathology. Henceforth, the developed model would not only be immensely helpful in uncovering the mechanistic in-depths of tau propagation pathology but also aid in modifier and/or drug screening for amelioration of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aqsa
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi 110 021, India
| | - Surajit Sarkar
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi 110 021, India.
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21
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Oakley SS, Maina MB, Marshall KE, Al-Hilaly YK, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Serpell LC. Tau Filament Self-Assembly and Structure: Tau as a Therapeutic Target. Front Neurol 2020; 11:590754. [PMID: 33281730 PMCID: PMC7688747 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.590754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau plays an important pathological role in a group of neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and corticobasal degeneration. In each disease, tau self-assembles abnormally to form filaments that deposit in the brain. Tau is a natively unfolded protein that can adopt distinct structures in different pathological disorders. Cryo-electron microscopy has recently provided a series of structures for the core of the filaments purified from brain tissue from patients with different tauopathies and revealed that they share a common core region, while differing in their specific conformation. This structurally resolvable part of the core is contained within a proteolytically stable core region from the repeat domain initially isolated from AD tau filaments. Tau has recently become an important target for therapy. Recent work has suggested that the prevention of tau self-assembly may be effective in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Here we review the work that explores the importance of tau filament structures and tau self-assembly mechanisms, as well as examining model systems that permit the exploration of the mode of action of potential inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian S. Oakley
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Mahmoud B. Maina
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- College of Medical Sciences, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria
| | - Karen E. Marshall
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Youssra K. Al-Hilaly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Chemistry Department, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Charlie R. Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Claude M. Wischik
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Louise C. Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
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22
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Šmidlehner T, Bonnet H, Chierici S, Piantanida I. Fluorescently-labelled amyloid paired helical filaments (PHF) in monitoring its fibrillation kinetics. Bioorg Chem 2020; 104:104196. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.104196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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23
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Jęśko H, Cieślik M, Gromadzka G, Adamczyk A. Dysfunctional proteins in neuropsychiatric disorders: From neurodegeneration to autism spectrum disorders. Neurochem Int 2020; 141:104853. [PMID: 32980494 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite fundamental differences in disease course and outcomes, neurodevelopmental (autism spectrum disorders - ASD) and neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's disease - AD and Parkinson's disease - PD) present surprising, common traits in their molecular pathomechanisms. Uncontrolled oligomerization and aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ), microtubule-associated protein (MAP) tau, or α-synuclein (α-syn) contribute to synaptic impairment and the ensuing neuronal death in both AD and PD. Likewise, the pathogenesis of ASD may be attributed, at least in part, to synaptic dysfunction; attention has also been recently paid to irregularities in the metabolism and function of the Aβ precursor protein (APP), tau, or α-syn. Commonly affected elements include signaling pathways that regulate cellular metabolism and survival such as insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) - PI3 kinase - Akt - mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and a number of key synaptic proteins critically involved in neuronal communication. Understanding how these shared pathomechanism elements operate in different conditions may help identify common targets and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henryk Jęśko
- Department of Cellular Signalling, M. Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawińskiego Str., 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Cieślik
- Department of Cellular Signalling, M. Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawińskiego Str., 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Grażyna Gromadzka
- Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Faculty of Medicine. Collegium Medicum, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Agata Adamczyk
- Department of Cellular Signalling, M. Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawińskiego Str., 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
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24
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Trinh D, Israwi AR, Arathoon LR, Gleave JA, Nash JE. The multi-faceted role of mitochondria in the pathology of Parkinson's disease. J Neurochem 2020; 156:715-752. [PMID: 33616931 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria are essential for neuronal function. They produce ATP to meet energy demands, regulate homeostasis of ion levels such as calcium and regulate reactive oxygen species that cause oxidative cellular stress. Mitochondria have also been shown to regulate protein synthesis within themselves, as well as within the nucleus, and also influence synaptic plasticity. These roles are especially important for neurons, which have higher energy demands and greater susceptibility to stress. Dysfunction of mitochondria has been associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Glaucoma and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The focus of this review is on how and why mitochondrial function is linked to the pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Many of the PD-linked genetic mutations which have been identified result in dysfunctional mitochondria, through a wide-spread number of mechanisms. In this review, we describe how susceptible neurons are predisposed to be vulnerable to the toxic events that occur during the neurodegenerative process of PD, and how mitochondria are central to these pathways. We also discuss ways in which proteins linked with familial PD control mitochondrial function, both physiologically and pathologically, along with their implications in genome-wide association studies and risk assessment. Finally, we review potential strategies for disease modification through mitochondrial enhancement. Ultimately, agents capable of both improving and/or restoring mitochondrial function, either alone, or in conjunction with other disease-modifying agents may halt or slow the progression of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennison Trinh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Centre for Neurobiology of Stress, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ahmad R Israwi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Centre for Neurobiology of Stress, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lindsay R Arathoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Centre for Neurobiology of Stress, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jacqueline A Gleave
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Centre for Neurobiology of Stress, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joanne E Nash
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Centre for Neurobiology of Stress, Toronto, ON, Canada
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25
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Insights into Disease-Associated Tau Impact on Mitochondria. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176344. [PMID: 32882957 PMCID: PMC7503371 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal tau protein aggregation in the brain is a hallmark of tauopathies, such as frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. Substantial evidence has been linking tau to neurodegeneration, but the underlying mechanisms have yet to be clearly identified. Mitochondria are paramount organelles in neurons, as they provide the main source of energy (adenosine triphosphate) to these highly energetic cells. Mitochondrial dysfunction was identified as an early event of neurodegenerative diseases occurring even before the cognitive deficits. Tau protein was shown to interact with mitochondrial proteins and to impair mitochondrial bioenergetics and dynamics, leading to neurotoxicity. In this review, we discuss in detail the different impacts of disease-associated tau protein on mitochondrial functions, including mitochondrial transport, network dynamics, mitophagy and bioenergetics. We also give new insights about the effects of abnormal tau protein on mitochondrial neurosteroidogenesis, as well as on the endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria coupling. A better understanding of the pathomechanisms of abnormal tau-induced mitochondrial failure may help to identify new targets for therapeutic interventions.
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26
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Chi H, Sun L, Shiu RH, Han R, Hsieh CP, Wei TM, Lo CC, Chang HY, Sang TK. Cleavage of human tau at Asp421 inhibits hyperphosphorylated tau induced pathology in a Drosophila model. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13482. [PMID: 32778728 PMCID: PMC7417559 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70423-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylated and truncated tau variants are enriched in neuropathological aggregates in diseases known as tauopathies. However, whether the interaction of these posttranslational modifications affects tau toxicity as a whole remains unresolved. By expressing human tau with disease-related Ser/Thr residues to simulate hyperphosphorylation, we show that despite severe neurodegeneration in full-length tau, with the truncation at Asp421, the toxicity is ameliorated. Cytological and biochemical analyses reveal that hyperphosphorylated full-length tau distributes in the soma, the axon, and the axonal terminal without evident distinction, whereas the Asp421-truncated version is mostly restricted from the axonal terminal. This discrepancy is correlated with the fact that fly expressing hyperphosphorylated full-length tau, but not Asp421-cleaved one, develops axonopathy lesions, including axonal spheroids and aberrant actin accumulations. The reduced presence of hyperphosphorylated tau in the axonal terminal is corroborated with the observation that flies expressing Asp421-truncated variants showed less motor deficit, suggesting synaptic function is preserved. The Asp421 cleavage of tau is a proteolytic product commonly found in the neurofibrillary tangles. Our finding suggests the coordination of different posttranslational modifications on tau may have an unexpected impact on the protein subcellular localization and cytotoxicity, which may be valuable when considering tau for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chi
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Lee Sun
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Ren-Huei Shiu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Rui Han
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Ping Hsieh
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Min Wei
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Chuan Lo
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Yun Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Kang Sang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan. .,Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan. .,Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
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27
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Expression of ArfGAP3 in Vaginal Anterior Wall of Patients With Pelvic Floor Organ Prolapse in Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Non-Pelvic Organ Prolapse Patients. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg 2020; 27:e64-e69. [PMID: 31868832 PMCID: PMC7774809 DOI: 10.1097/spv.0000000000000808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to study the expression of adenosine diphosphate ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein 3 (ArfGAP3) in the anterior vaginal wall of patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP).
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28
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Lauretti E, Praticò D. Alzheimer's disease: phenotypic approaches using disease models and the targeting of tau protein. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:319-330. [PMID: 32116063 PMCID: PMC7201870 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1737012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Hyperphosphorylated and aggregated tau protein is the main hallmark of a class of neurodegenerative disorders known as tauopathies. Tau is a microtubule-binding protein which is important for microtubule assembly and stabilization, for proper axonal transport and overall neuronal integrity. However, in tauopathies, tau undergoes aberrant post-translational modifications that fundamentally affect its normal function. The etiology of these devastating diseases is unclear and there is no treatment for these disorders.Areas covered: This review examines the neurobiology of tau, tau post-translational modifications, and tau pathophysiology. Progress regarding the effort to identify and assess novel tau-targeted therapeutic strategies in preclinical studies is also discussed. We performed a search on PubMed of the relevant literature published between 1995 and 2020.Expert opinion: Tau diversity and the lack of clinically available test to diagnose and identify tauopathies are major obstacles; they represent a possible reason for the lack of success of clinical trials. However, given the encouraging advances in PET tau imaging and tau neurobiology, we believe that a more personalized approach could be on the horizon and that this will be key to addressing the heterogeneity of tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Lauretti
- Alzheimer's Center at Temple, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Domenico Praticò
- Alzheimer's Center at Temple, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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29
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Li X, Yang Y, Zhao H, Zhu T, Yang Z, Xu H, Fu Y, Lin F, Pan X, Li L, Cui C, Hong M, Yang L, Wang KK, Tan W. Enhanced in Vivo Blood–Brain Barrier Penetration by Circular Tau–Transferrin Receptor Bifunctional Aptamer for Tauopathy Therapy. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:3862-3872. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b11490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Li
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Yu Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Hengzhi Zhao
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Tian Zhu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Zhihui Yang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Haiyan Xu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Yueqiang Fu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Fan Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Xiaoshu Pan
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Long Li
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Cheng Cui
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Min Hong
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252059, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Kevin K. Wang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center (BRRC), Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1601 SW Archer Road, Gainesville Florida 32608, United States
| | - Weihong Tan
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences; The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
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30
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Penke B, Bogár F, Paragi G, Gera J, Fülöp L. Key Peptides and Proteins in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2019; 20:577-599. [PMID: 30605056 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666190103123434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a form of progressive dementia involving cognitive impairment, loss of learning and memory. Different proteins (such as amyloid precursor protein (APP), β- amyloid (Aβ) and tau protein) play a key role in the initiation and progression of AD. We review the role of the most important proteins and peptides in AD pathogenesis. The structure, biosynthesis and physiological role of APP are shortly summarized. The details of trafficking and processing of APP to Aβ, the cytosolic intracellular Aβ domain (AICD) and small soluble proteins are shown, together with other amyloid-forming proteins such as tau and α-synuclein (α-syn). Hypothetic physiological functions of Aβ are summarized. The mechanism of conformational change, the formation and the role of neurotoxic amyloid oligomeric (oAβ) are shown. The fibril formation process and the co-existence of different steric structures (U-shaped and S-shaped) of Aβ monomers in mature fibrils are demonstrated. We summarize the known pathogenic and non-pathogenic mutations and show the toxic interactions of Aβ species after binding to cellular receptors. Tau phosphorylation, fibrillation, the molecular structure of tau filaments and their toxic effect on microtubules are shown. Development of Aβ and tau imaging in AD brain and CSF as well as blood biomarkers is shortly summarized. The most probable pathomechanisms of AD including the toxic effects of oAβ and tau; the three (biochemical, cellular and clinical) phases of AD are shown. Finally, the last section summarizes the present state of Aβ- and tau-directed therapies and future directions of AD research and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Botond Penke
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged, Dom square 8, Szeged, H-6720, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Bogár
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged, Dom square 8, Szeged, H-6720, Hungary.,MTA-SZTE Biomimetic Systems Research Group, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dom square 8, Hungary
| | - Gábor Paragi
- MTA-SZTE Biomimetic Systems Research Group, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dom square 8, Hungary.,Institute of Physics, University of Pécs, H-7624 Pecs, Ifjusag utja 6, Hungary
| | - János Gera
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged, Dom square 8, Szeged, H-6720, Hungary
| | - Lívia Fülöp
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged, Dom square 8, Szeged, H-6720, Hungary
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31
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Kounakis K, Tavernarakis N. The Cytoskeleton as a Modulator of Aging and Neurodegeneration. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1178:227-245. [PMID: 31493230 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-25650-0_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The cytoskeleton consists of filamentous protein polymers that form organized structures, contributing to a multitude of cell life aspects. It includes three types of polymers: the actin microfilaments, the microtubules and the intermediate filaments. Decades of research have implicated the cytoskeleton in processes that regulate cellular and organismal aging, as well as neurodegeneration associated with injury or neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Charcot Marie Tooth disease. Here, we provide a brief overview of cytoskeletal structure and function, and discuss experimental evidence linking cytoskeletal function and dynamics with aging and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Kounakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece.,Department of Basic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece. .,Department of Basic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
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Brodin L, Shupliakov O. Retromer in Synaptic Function and Pathology. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2018; 10:37. [PMID: 30405388 PMCID: PMC6207580 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2018.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The retromer complex mediates export of select transmembrane proteins from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) or to the plasma membrane. Dysfunction of retromer has been linked with slowly progressing neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (AD and PD). As these disorders affect synapses it is of key importance to clarify the function of retromer-dependent protein trafficking pathways in pre- and postsynaptic compartments. Here we discuss recent insights into the roles of retromer in the trafficking of synaptic vesicle proteins, neurotransmitter receptors and other synaptic proteins. We also consider evidence that implies synapses as sites of early pathology in neurodegenerative disorders, pointing to a possible role of synaptic retromer dysfunction in the initiation of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Brodin
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oleg Shupliakov
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet (KI), Stockholm, Sweden.,Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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Chi H, Chang HY, Sang TK. Neuronal Cell Death Mechanisms in Major Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3082. [PMID: 30304824 PMCID: PMC6213751 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19103082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal cell death in the central nervous system has always been a challenging process to decipher. In normal physiological conditions, neuronal cell death is restricted in the adult brain, even in aged individuals. However, in the pathological conditions of various neurodegenerative diseases, cell death and shrinkage in a specific region of the brain represent a fundamental pathological feature across different neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will briefly go through the general pathways of cell death and describe evidence for cell death in the context of individual common neurodegenerative diseases, discussing our current understanding of cell death by connecting with renowned pathogenic proteins, including Tau, amyloid-beta, alpha-synuclein, huntingtin and TDP-43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chi
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 30013, Taiwan.
| | - Hui-Yun Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 30013, Taiwan.
| | - Tzu-Kang Sang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 30013, Taiwan.
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