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Talevi A, Bellera C. An update on the novel methods for the discovery of antiseizure and antiepileptogenic medications: where are we in 2024? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38963148 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2373165] [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: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the availability of around 30 antiseizure medications, 1/3 of patients with epilepsy fail to become seizure-free upon pharmacological treatment. Available medications provide adequate symptomatic control in two-thirds of patients, but disease-modifying drugs are still scarce. Recently, though, new paradigms have been explored. AREAS COVERED Three areas are reviewed in which a high degree of innovation in the search for novel antiseizure and antiepileptogenic medications has been implemented: development of novel screening approaches, search for novel therapeutic targets, and adoption of new drug discovery paradigms aligned with a systems pharmacology perspective. EXPERT OPINION In the past, worldwide leaders in epilepsy have reiteratively stated that the lack of progress in the field may be explained by the recurrent use of the same molecular targets and screening procedures to identify novel medications. This landscape has changed recently, as reflected by the new Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program and the introduction of many in vitro and in vivo models that could possibly improve our chances of identifying first-in-class medications that may control drug-resistant epilepsy or modify the course of disease. Other milestones include the study of new molecular targets for disease-modifying drugs and exploration of a systems pharmacology perspective to design new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Talevi
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, University of La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Carolina Bellera
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, University of La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
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2
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Amato CM, Yao HHC. New uses for an old technique: live imaging on the slice organ culture to study reproductive processes†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:1055-1064. [PMID: 38315794 PMCID: PMC11180704 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae023] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Reproductive processes are dynamic and involve extensive morphological remodeling and cell-cell interactions. Live imaging of organs enhances our understanding of how biological processes occur in real time. Slice culture is a type of organ culture where thick slices are collected from an organ and cultured for several days. Slice culture is a useful and easy-to-implement technique for live imaging of reproductive events at cellular resolution. Here we describe a pipeline of live imaging on slice culture to visualize the process of urethra closure in mouse embryonic penis as a proof of principle. In combination with genetic reporter mice, nuclear stains, and exposure experiments, we demonstrate the feasibility of slice culture on a reproductive organ. We also provide a step-by-step protocol and troubleshooting guide to facilitate the adoption of slice culture with live imaging in other reproductive organs. Lastly, we discuss potential utilities and experiments that could be implemented with slice culture in reproductive sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro Maurizio Amato
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Humphrey Hung-Chang Yao
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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3
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Linsley JW, Reisine T, Finkbeiner S. Three dimensional and four dimensional live imaging to study mechanisms of progressive neurodegeneration. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107433. [PMID: 38825007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107433] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are complex and progressive, posing challenges to their study and understanding. Recent advances in microscopy imaging technologies have enabled the exploration of neurons in three spatial dimensions (3D) over time (4D). When applied to 3D cultures, tissues, or animals, these technologies can provide valuable insights into the dynamic and spatial nature of neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on the use of imaging techniques and neurodegenerative disease models to study neurodegeneration in 4D. Imaging techniques such as confocal microscopy, two-photon microscopy, miniscope imaging, light sheet microscopy, and robotic microscopy offer powerful tools to visualize and analyze neuronal changes over time in 3D tissue. Application of these technologies to in vitro models of neurodegeneration such as mouse organotypic culture systems and human organoid models provide versatile platforms to study neurodegeneration in a physiologically relevant context. Additionally, use of 4D imaging in vivo, including in mouse and zebrafish models of neurodegenerative diseases, allows for the investigation of early dysfunction and behavioral changes associated with neurodegeneration. We propose that these studies have the power to overcome the limitations of two-dimensional monolayer neuronal cultures and pave the way for improved understanding of the dynamics of neurodegenerative diseases and the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy W Linsley
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA; Operant Biopharma, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Terry Reisine
- Independent Scientific Consultant, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA; Operant Biopharma, San Francisco, California, USA; Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA; Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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4
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Bak A, Koch H, van Loo KMJ, Schmied K, Gittel B, Weber Y, Ort J, Schwarz N, Tauber SC, Wuttke TV, Delev D. Human organotypic brain slice cultures: a detailed and improved protocol for preparation and long-term maintenance. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 404:110055. [PMID: 38184112 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.110055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
The investigation of the human brain at cellular and microcircuit level remains challenging due to the fragile viability of neuronal tissue, inter- and intra-variability of the samples and limited availability of human brain material. Especially brain slices have proven to be an excellent source to investigate brain physiology and disease at cellular and small network level, overcoming the temporal limits of acute slices. Here we provide a revised, detailed protocol of the production and in-depth knowledge on long-term culturing of such human organotypic brain slice cultures for research purposes. We highlight the critical pitfalls of the culturing process of the human brain tissue and present exemplary results on viral expression, single-cell Patch-Clamp recordings, as well as multi-electrode array recordings as readouts for culture viability, enabling the use of organotypic brain slice cultures of these valuable tissue samples for basic neuroscience and disease modeling (Fig. 1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniella Bak
- Department of Epileptology, Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Henner Koch
- Department of Epileptology, Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Karen M J van Loo
- Department of Epileptology, Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Katharina Schmied
- Department of Epileptology, Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Birgit Gittel
- Department of Epileptology, Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yvonne Weber
- Department of Epileptology, Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jonas Ort
- Department of Neurosurgery, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Niklas Schwarz
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Simone C Tauber
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas V Wuttke
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Delev
- Department of Neurosurgery, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; Neurosurgical Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Aachen (NAILA), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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5
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Bhat K, Schlotterose L, Hanke L, Helmholz H, Quandt E, Hattermann K, Willumeit-Römer R. Magnesium-lithium thin films for neurological applications-An in vitro investigation of glial cytocompatibility and neuroinflammatory response. Acta Biomater 2024; 178:307-319. [PMID: 38382831 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.02.018] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Lithium (Li), a widely used drug for bipolar disorder management, is associated with many side effects due to systemic exposure. The localized delivery of lithium through implants could be an approach to overcome this challenge, for which biodegradable magnesium (Mg)-based materials are a promising choice. In this study, we focus on Mg-Li thin film alloys as potential Li-releasing implants. Therefore, we investigated the in vitro short-term corrosion behavior and cytocompatibility of two alloys, Mg-1.6wt%Li and Mg-9.5wt%Li. As glial cells are the key players of foreign body responses to implants, we used human glial cell lines for cytocompatibility studies, and a murine brain slice model for a more holistic view at the neuroinflammatory response. We found that Mg-1.6wt%Li corrodes approximately six times slower than Mg-9.5wt%Li. Microscopic analysis showed that the material surface (Mg-1.6wt%Li) is suitable for cell adhesion. The cytocompatibility test with Mg-1.6wt%Li and Mg-9.5wt%Li alloy extracts revealed that both cell types proliferated well up to 10 mM Mg concentration, irrespective of the Li concentration. In the murine brain slice model, Mg-1.6wt%Li and Mg-9.5wt%Li alloy extracts did not provoke a significant upregulation of glial inflammatory/ reactivity markers (IL-1β, IL-6, FN1, TNC) after 24 h of exposure. Furthermore, the gene expression of IL-1β (up to 3-fold) and IL-6 (up to 16-fold) were significantly downregulated after 96 h, and IL-6 downregulation showed a Li concentration dependency. Together, these results indicate the acute cytocompatibility of two Mg-Li thin film alloys and provide basis for future studies to explore promising applications of the material. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: We propose the idea of lithium delivery to the brain via biodegradable implants to reduce systemic side effects of lithium for bipolar disorder therapy and other neurological applications. This is the first in vitro study investigating Mg-xLi thin film degradation under physiological conditions and its influence on cellular responses such as proliferation, viability, morphology and inflammation. Utilizing human brain-derived cell lines, we showed that the material surface of such a thin film alloy is suitable for normal cell attachment. Using murine brain slices, which comprise a multicellular network, we demonstrated that the material extracts did not elicit a pro-inflammatory response. These results substantiate that degradable Mg-Li materials are biocompatible and support the further investigation of their potential as neurological implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krathika Bhat
- Institute of Metallic Biomaterials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
| | - Luise Schlotterose
- Institute of Anatomy, Kiel University, Otto-Hahn-Platz 8, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lisa Hanke
- Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, Kaiserstr. 2, 24143 Kiel, Germany
| | - Heike Helmholz
- Institute of Metallic Biomaterials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Eckhard Quandt
- Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, Kaiserstr. 2, 24143 Kiel, Germany
| | - Kirsten Hattermann
- Institute of Anatomy, Kiel University, Otto-Hahn-Platz 8, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Regine Willumeit-Römer
- Institute of Metallic Biomaterials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
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Rashidi AS, Tran DN, Peelen CR, van Gent M, Ouwendijk WJD, Verjans GMGM. Herpes simplex virus infection induces necroptosis of neurons and astrocytes in human fetal organotypic brain slice cultures. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:38. [PMID: 38302975 PMCID: PMC10832279 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03027-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis (HSE) is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease, affecting both adults and newborns. Progress in understanding the virus and host factors involved in neonatal HSE has been hampered by the limitations of current brain models that do not fully recapitulate the tissue structure and cell composition of the developing human brain in health and disease. Here, we developed a human fetal organotypic brain slice culture (hfOBSC) model and determined its value in mimicking the HSE neuropathology in vitro. METHODS Cell viability and tissues integrity were determined by lactate dehydrogenase release in supernatant and immunohistological (IHC) analyses. Brain slices were infected with green fluorescent protein (GFP-) expressing HSV-1 and HSV-2. Virus replication and spread were determined by confocal microscopy, PCR and virus culture. Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were detected by PCR. Cell tropism and HSV-induced neuropathology were determined by IHC analysis. Finally, the in situ data of HSV-infected hfOBSC were compared to the neuropathology detected in human HSE brain sections. RESULTS Slicing and serum-free culture conditions were optimized to maintain the viability and tissue architecture of ex vivo human fetal brain slices for at least 14 days at 37 °C in a CO2 incubator. The hfOBSC supported productive HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection, involving predominantly infection of neurons and astrocytes, leading to expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Both viruses induced programmed cell death-especially necroptosis-in infected brain slices at later time points after infection. The virus spread, cell tropism and role of programmed cell death in HSV-induced cell death resembled the neuropathology of HSE. CONCLUSIONS We developed a novel human brain culture model in which the viability of the major brain-resident cells-including neurons, microglia, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes-and the tissue architecture is maintained for at least 2 weeks in vitro under serum-free culture conditions. The close resemblance of cell tropism, spread and neurovirulence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in the hfOBSC model with the neuropathological features of human HSE cases underscores its potential to detail the pathophysiology of other neurotropic viruses and as preclinical model to test novel therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad S Rashidi
- HerpesLabNL of the Department of Viroscience (Room Ee1720a), Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diana N Tran
- HerpesLabNL of the Department of Viroscience (Room Ee1720a), Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Caithlin R Peelen
- HerpesLabNL of the Department of Viroscience (Room Ee1720a), Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel van Gent
- HerpesLabNL of the Department of Viroscience (Room Ee1720a), Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Werner J D Ouwendijk
- HerpesLabNL of the Department of Viroscience (Room Ee1720a), Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Georges M G M Verjans
- HerpesLabNL of the Department of Viroscience (Room Ee1720a), Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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7
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Korde DS, Humpel C. A Combination of Heavy Metals and Intracellular Pathway Modulators Induces Alzheimer Disease-like Pathologies in Organotypic Brain Slices. Biomolecules 2024; 14:165. [PMID: 38397402 PMCID: PMC10887098 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020165] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). Modelling aspects of AD is challenging due to its complex multifactorial etiology and pathology. The present study aims to establish a cost-effective and rapid method to model the two primary pathologies in organotypic brain slices. Coronal hippocampal brain slices (150 µm) were generated from postnatal (day 8-10) C57BL6 wild-type mice and cultured for 9 weeks. Collagen hydrogels containing either an empty load or a mixture of human Aβ42 and P301S aggregated tau were applied to the slices. The media was further supplemented with various intracellular pathway modulators or heavy metals to augment the appearance of Aβ plaques and tau NFTs, as assessed by immunohistochemistry. Immunoreactivity for Aβ and tau was significantly increased in the ventral areas in slices with a mixture of human Aβ42 and P301S aggregated tau compared to slices with empty hydrogels. Aβ plaque- and tau NFT-like pathologies could be induced independently in slices. Heavy metals (aluminum, lead, cadmium) potently augmented Aβ plaque-like pathology, which developed intracellularly prior to cell death. Intracellular pathway modulators (scopolamine, wortmannin, MHY1485) significantly boosted tau NFT-like pathologies. A combination of nanomolar concentrations of scopolamine, wortmannin, MHY1485, lead, and cadmium in the media strongly increased Aβ plaque- and tau NFT-like immunoreactivity in ventral areas compared to the slices with non-supplemented media. The results highlight that we could harness the potential of the collagen hydrogel-based spreading of human Aβ42 and P301S aggregated tau, along with pharmacological manipulation, to produce pathologies relevant to AD. The results offer a novel ex vivo organotypic slice model to investigate AD pathologies with potential applications for screening drugs or therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Humpel
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer’s Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
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8
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Dwyer MKR, Amelinez-Robles N, Polsfuss I, Herbert K, Kim C, Varghese N, Parry TJ, Buller B, Verdoorn TA, Billing CB, Morrison B. NTS-105 decreased cell death and preserved long-term potentiation in an in vitro model of moderate traumatic brain injury. Exp Neurol 2024; 371:114608. [PMID: 37949202 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of hospitalization and death. To mitigate these human costs, the search for effective drugs to treat TBI continues. In the current study, we evaluated the efficacy of the novel neurosteroid, NTS-105, to reduce post-traumatic pathobiology in an in vitro model of moderate TBI that utilizes an organotypic hippocampal slice culture. NTS-105 inhibited activation of the androgen receptor and the mineralocorticoid receptor, partially activated the progesterone B receptor and was not active at the glucocorticoid receptor. Treatment with NTS-105 starting one hour after injury decreased post-traumatic cell death in a dose-dependent manner, with 10 nM NTS-105 being most effective. Post-traumatic administration of 10 nM NTS-105 also prevented deficits in long-term potentiation (LTP) without adversely affecting neuronal activity in naïve cultures. We propose that the high potency pleiotropic action of NTS-105 beneficial effects at multiple receptors (e.g. androgen, mineralocorticoid and progesterone) provides significant mechanistic advantages over native neurosteroids such as progesterone, which lacked clinical success for the treatment of TBI. Our results suggest that this pleiotropic pharmacology may be a promising strategy for the effective treatment of TBI, and future studies should test its efficacy in pre-clinical animal models of TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kate R Dwyer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Amelinez-Robles
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - Isabella Polsfuss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - Keondre Herbert
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - Carolyn Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - Nevin Varghese
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - Tom J Parry
- NeuroTrauma Sciences, LLC, Alpharetta, GA 30009, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Buller
- NeuroTrauma Sciences, LLC, Alpharetta, GA 30009, United States of America
| | - Todd A Verdoorn
- NeuroTrauma Sciences, LLC, Alpharetta, GA 30009, United States of America
| | - Clare B Billing
- BioPharmaWorks, LLC, Groton, CT 06340, United States of America
| | - Barclay Morrison
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America.
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Steiner K, Humpel C. Beta-Amyloid Enhances Vessel Formation in Organotypic Brain Slices Connected to Microcontact Prints. Biomolecules 2023; 14:3. [PMID: 38275744 PMCID: PMC10812928 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010003] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, the blood-brain barrier breakdown, blood vessel damage and re-organization are early events. Deposits of the small toxic peptide beta-amyloid (Aβ) cause the formation of extracellular plaques and accumulate in vessels disrupting the blood flow but may also play a role in blood clotting. In the present study, we aim to explore the impact of Aβ on the migration of endothelial cells and subsequent vessel formation. We use organotypic brain slices of postnatal day 10 wildtype mice (C57BL/6) and connect them to small microcontact prints (µCPs) of collagen. Our data show that laminin-positive endothelial cells migrate onto collagen µCPs, but without any vessel formation after 4 weeks. When the µCPs are loaded with human Aβ40, (aggregated) human Aβ42 and mouse Aβ42 peptides, the number and migration distance of endothelial cells are significantly reduced, but with a more pronounced subsequent vessel formation. The vessel formation is verified by zonula occludens (ZO)-1 and -2 stainings and confocal microscopy. In addition, the vessel formation is accompanied by a stronger GFAP-positive astroglial formation. Finally, we show that vessels can grow towards convergence when two opposed slices are connected via microcontact-printed lanes. In conclusion, our data show that Aβ promotes vessel formation, and organotypic brain slices connected to collagen µCPs provide a potent tool to study vessel formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Humpel
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer’s Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
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10
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Vincent PF, Young ED, Edge AS, Glowatzki E. Auditory Hair Cells and Spiral Ganglion Neurons Regenerate Synapses with Refined Release Properties In Vitro. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.05.561095. [PMID: 38076928 PMCID: PMC10705289 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.05.561095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Ribbon synapses between inner hair cells (IHCs) and type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) in the inner ear are damaged by noise trauma and with aging, causing 'synaptopathy 'and hearing loss. Co-cultures of neonatal denervated organs of Corti and newly introduced SGNs have been developed to find strategies for improving IHC synapse regeneration, but evidence of the physiological normality of regenerated synapses is missing. This study utilizes IHC optogenetic stimulation and SGN recordings, showing that newly formed IHC synapses are indeed functional, exhibiting glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents. When older organs of Corti were plated, synaptic activity probed by deconvolution, showed more mature release properties, closer to the highly specialized mode of IHC synaptic transmission that is crucial for coding the sound signal. This newly developed functional assessment of regenerated IHC synapses provides a powerful tool for testing approaches to improve synapse regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe F.Y. Vincent
- The Center for Hearing and Balance, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Eric D. Young
- The Center for Hearing and Balance, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Albert S.B. Edge
- Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elisabeth Glowatzki
- The Center for Hearing and Balance, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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11
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Babalola JA, Lang M, George M, Stracke A, Tam-Amersdorfer C, Itxaso I, Lucija D, Tadic J, Schilcher I, Loeffler T, Flunkert S, Prokesch M, Leitinger G, Lass A, Hutter-Paier B, Panzenboeck U, Hoefler G. Astaxanthin enhances autophagy, amyloid beta clearance and exerts anti-inflammatory effects in in vitro models of Alzheimer's disease-related blood brain barrier dysfunction and inflammation. Brain Res 2023; 1819:148518. [PMID: 37579986 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Defective degradation and clearance of amyloid-β as well as inflammation per se are crucial players in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A defective transport across the blood-brain barrier is causative for amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in the brain, provoking amyloid plaque formation. Using primary porcine brain capillary endothelial cells and murine organotypic hippocampal slice cultures as in vitro models of AD, we investigated the effects of the antioxidant astaxanthin (ASX) on Aβ clearance and neuroinflammation. We report that ASX enhanced the clearance of misfolded proteins in primary porcine brain capillary endothelial cells by inducing autophagy and altered the Aβ processing pathway. We observed a reduction in the expression levels of intracellular and secreted amyloid precursor protein/Aβ accompanied by an increase in ABC transporters ABCA1, ABCG1 as well as low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 mRNA levels. Furthermore, ASX treatment increased autophagic flux as evidenced by increased lipidation of LC3B-II as well as reduced protein expression of phosphorylated S6 ribosomal protein and mTOR. In LPS-stimulated brain slices, ASX exerted anti-inflammatory effects by reducing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines while shifting microglia polarization from M1 to M2 phenotype. Our data suggest ASX as potential therapeutic compound ameliorating AD-related blood brain barrier impairment and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Magdalena Lang
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Meekha George
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Anika Stracke
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Jelena Tadic
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Austria
| | | | | | | | | | - Gerd Leitinger
- Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Achim Lass
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Austria
| | | | - Ute Panzenboeck
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Gerald Hoefler
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Austria.
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12
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Steiner K, Humpel C. Long-term organotypic brain slices cultured on collagen-based microcontact prints: A perspective for a brain-on-a-chip. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 399:109979. [PMID: 37783349 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.109979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Organotypic brain slices are three-dimensional 150 µm-thick sections of a postnatal day 10 mouse and can be cultured for several weeks in vitro. In such brain slices the complex cellular connections are preserved with a high viability. These brain slices can be connected to collagen-loaded microcontact prints to develop a simple brain-on-a-chip model. Using the microcontact printing technique, many peptides or proteins can be printed onto a semipermeable membrane and linked to brain slices. On these microcontact prints, brain-derived nerve fibers grow out, or microglia can get activated and migrate out, or also new brain vessels can be formed. Such a brain-on-a-chip model may allow to develop new drugs or a diagnostic method for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Steiner
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer's Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christian Humpel
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer's Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria.
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13
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Miguel Sanz C, Martinez Navarro M, Caballero Diaz D, Sanchez-Elexpuru G, Di Donato V. Toward the use of novel alternative methods in epilepsy modeling and drug discovery. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1213969. [PMID: 37719765 PMCID: PMC10501616 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1213969] [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: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease and, considering the amount of people affected of all ages worldwide, one of the most common neurological disorders. Over 20 novel antiseizure medications (ASMs) have been released since 1993, yet despite substantial advancements in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind epileptogenesis, over one-third of patients continue to be resistant to available therapies. This is partially explained by the fact that the majority of existing medicines only address seizure suppression rather than underlying processes. Understanding the origin of this neurological illness requires conducting human neurological and genetic studies. However, the limitation of sample sizes, ethical concerns, and the requirement for appropriate controls (many patients have already had anti-epileptic medication exposure) in human clinical trials underscore the requirement for supplemental models. So far, mammalian models of epilepsy have helped to shed light on the underlying causes of the condition, but the high costs related to breeding of the animals, low throughput, and regulatory restrictions on their research limit their usefulness in drug screening. Here, we present an overview of the state of art in epilepsy modeling describing gold standard animal models used up to date and review the possible alternatives for this research field. Our focus will be mainly on ex vivo, in vitro, and in vivo larval zebrafish models contributing to the 3R in epilepsy modeling and drug screening. We provide a description of pharmacological and genetic methods currently available but also on the possibilities offered by the continued development in gene editing methodologies, especially CRISPR/Cas9-based, for high-throughput disease modeling and anti-epileptic drugs testing.
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14
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Tian Y, Milic J, Monasor LS, Chakraborty R, Wang S, Yuan Y, Asare Y, Behrends C, Tahirovic S, Bernhagen J. The COP9 signalosome reduces neuroinflammation and attenuates ischemic neuronal stress in organotypic brain slice culture model. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:262. [PMID: 37597109 PMCID: PMC10439869 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04911-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
The constitutive photomorphogenesis 9 (COP9) signalosome (CSN) is a deNEDDylase controlling ubiquitination activity of cullin-RING-E3 ligases (CRLs) and thus the levels of key cellular proteins. While the CSN and its catalytic subunit CSN5 have been extensively studied in cancer, its role in inflammatory and neurological diseases is less understood. Following verification that CSN5 is expressed in mouse and human brain, here we studied the role of the CSN in neuroinflammation and ischemic neuronal damage employing models of relevant brain-resident cell types, an ex vivo organotypic brain slice culture model, and the CRL NEDDylation state-modifying drugs MLN4924 and CSN5i-3, which mimic and inhibit, respectively, CSN5 deNEDDylase activity. Untargeted mass spectrometry-based proteomics revealed that MLN4924 and CSN5i-3 substantially alter the microglial proteome, including inflammation-related proteins. Applying these drugs and mimicking microglial and endothelial inflammation as well as ischemic neuronal stress by TNF and oxygen-glucose-deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/RO) treatment, respectively, we could link CSN5/CSN-mediated cullin deNEDDylation to reduction of microglial inflammation, attenuated cerebral endothelial inflammation, improved barrier integrity, as well as protection from ischemic stress-induced neuronal cell death. Specifically, MLN4924 reduced phagocytic activity, motility, and inflammatory cytokine expression of microglial cells, and this was linked to inhibition of inflammation-induced NF-κB and Akt signaling. Inversely, Csn5 knockdown and CSN5i-3 increased NF-κB signaling. Moreover, MLN4924 abrogated TNF-induced NF-κB signaling in cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (hCMECs) and rescued hCMEC monolayers from OGD/RO-triggered barrier leakage, while CSN5i-3 exacerbated permeability. In an ex vivo organotypic brain slice model of ischemia/reperfusion stress, MLN4924 protected from neuronal death, while CSN5i-3 impaired neuronal survival. Neuronal damage was attributable to microglial activation and inflammatory cytokines, as indicated by microglial shape tracking and TNF-blocking experiments. Our results indicate a protective role of the CSN in neuroinflammation via brain-resident cell types involved in ischemic brain disease and implicate CSN activity-mimicking deNEDDylating drugs as potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Tian
- Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU) Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jelena Milic
- Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU) Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Rahul Chakraborty
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Sijia Wang
- Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU) Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yue Yuan
- Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU) Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Yaw Asare
- Translational Stroke Research, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU Klinikum, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Behrends
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Sabina Tahirovic
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bernhagen
- Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU) Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, Germany.
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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15
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Pischiutta F, Cavaleiro H, Caruso E, Tribuzio F, Di Marzo N, Moro F, Kobeissy F, Wang KK, Salgado AJ, Zanier ER. A novel organotypic cortical slice culture model for traumatic brain injury: molecular changes induced by injury and mesenchymal stromal cell secretome treatment. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1217987. [PMID: 37534042 PMCID: PMC10390737 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1217987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major worldwide neurological disorder with no neuroprotective treatment available. Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models of brain contusion serving as a screening platform for drug testing are lacking. Here we developed a new in vitro model of brain contusion on organotypic cortical brain slices and tested its responsiveness to mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) derived secretome. A focal TBI was induced on organotypic slices by an electromagnetic impactor. Compared to control condition, a temporal increase in cell death was observed after TBI by propidium iodide incorporation and lactate dehydrogenase release assays up to 48 h post-injury. TBI induced gross neuronal loss in the lesion core, with disruption of neuronal arborizations measured by microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) immunostaining and associated with MAP-2 gene down-regulation. Neuronal damage was confirmed by increased levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), microtubule associated protein (Tau) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) released into the culture medium 48 h after TBI. We detected glial activation with microglia cells acquiring an amoeboid shape with less ramified morphology in the contusion core. MSC-secretome treatment, delivered 1 h post-injury, reduced cell death in the contusion core, decreased NfL release in the culture media, promoted neuronal reorganization and improved microglia survival/activation. Our 3D in vitro model of brain contusion recapitulates key features of TBI pathology. We showed protective effects of MSC-secretome, suggesting the model stands as a tractable medium/high throughput, ethically viable, and pathomimetic biological asset for testing new cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pischiutta
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Helena Cavaleiro
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Enrico Caruso
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Tribuzio
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Noemi Di Marzo
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, Clinica Pediatrica, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Fondazione MBBM, Monza, Italy
| | - Federico Moro
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Firas Kobeissy
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics and Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics and Biomarkers (CNMB), Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Kevin K. Wang
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics and Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics and Biomarkers (CNMB), Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - António J. Salgado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Elisa R. Zanier
- Department of Acute Brain and Cardiovascular Injury, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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16
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Kemppainen S, Huber N, Willman RM, Zamora A, Mäkinen P, Martiskainen H, Takalo M, Haapasalo A, Sobrino T, González Gómez MA, Piñeiro Y, Rivas J, Himmelreich U, Hiltunen M. Organotypic Hippocampal Slice Cultures from Adult Tauopathy Mice and Theragnostic Evaluation of Nanomaterial Phospho-TAU Antibody-Conjugates. Cells 2023; 12:1422. [PMID: 37408256 DOI: 10.3390/cells12101422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Organotypic slice culture models surpass conventional in vitro methods in many aspects. They retain all tissue-resident cell types and tissue hierarchy. For studying multifactorial neurodegenerative diseases such as tauopathies, it is crucial to maintain cellular crosstalk in an accessible model system. Organotypic slice cultures from postnatal tissue are an established research tool, but adult tissue-originating systems are missing, yet necessary, as young tissue-originating systems cannot fully model adult or senescent brains. To establish an adult-originating slice culture system for tauopathy studies, we made hippocampal slice cultures from transgenic 5-month-old hTau.P301S mice. In addition to the comprehensive characterization, we set out to test a novel antibody for hyperphosphorylated TAU (pTAU, B6), with and without a nanomaterial conjugate. Adult hippocampal slices retained intact hippocampal layers, astrocytes, and functional microglia during culturing. The P301S-slice neurons expressed pTAU throughout the granular cell layer and secreted pTAU to the culture medium, whereas the wildtype slices did not. Additionally, cytotoxicity and inflammation-related determinants were increased in the P301S slices. Using fluorescence microscopy, we showed target engagement of the B6 antibody to pTAU-expressing neurons and a subtle but consistent decrease in intracellular pTAU with the B6 treatment. Collectively, this tauopathy slice culture model enables measuring the extracellular and intracellular effects of different mechanistic or therapeutic manipulations on TAU pathology in adult tissue without the hindrance of the blood-brain barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Kemppainen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Nadine Huber
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Roosa-Maria Willman
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ana Zamora
- Molecular Imaging and Photonics, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Petra Mäkinen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Henna Martiskainen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mari Takalo
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Annakaisa Haapasalo
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Tomás Sobrino
- NeuroAging Group (NEURAL), Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory (LINC), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Manuel Antonio González Gómez
- Institute of Materials, Applied Physics Department, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Yolanda Piñeiro
- Institute of Materials, Applied Physics Department, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - José Rivas
- Institute of Materials, Applied Physics Department, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mikko Hiltunen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
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17
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Chamera K, Curzytek K, Kamińska K, Trojan E, Leśkiewicz M, Tylek K, Regulska M, Basta-Kaim A. Insights into the Potential Impact of Quetiapine on the Microglial Trajectory and Inflammatory Response in Organotypic Cortical Cultures Derived from Rat Offspring. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051405. [PMID: 37239076 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Atypical antipsychotics currently constitute the first-line medication for schizophrenia, with quetiapine being one of the most commonly prescribed representatives of the group. Along with its specific affinity for multiple receptors, this compound exerts other biological characteristics, among which anti-inflammatory effects are strongly suggested. Simultaneously, published data indicated that inflammation and microglial activation could be diminished by stimulation of the CD200 receptor (CD200R), which takes place by binding to its ligand (CD200) or soluble CD200 fusion protein (CD200Fc). Therefore, in the present study, we sought to evaluate whether quetiapine could affect certain aspects of microglial activity, including the CD200-CD200R and CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axes, which are involved in the regulation of neuron-microglia interactions, as well as the expression of selected markers of the pro- and anti-inflammatory profile of microglia (Cd40, Il-1β, Il-6, Cebpb, Cd206, Arg1, Il-10 and Tgf-β). Concurrently, we examined the impact of quetiapine and CD200Fc on the IL-6 and IL-10 protein levels. The abovementioned aspects were investigated in organotypic cortical cultures (OCCs) prepared from the offspring of control rats (control OCCs) or those subjected to maternal immune activation (MIA OCCs), which is a widely implemented approach to explore schizophrenia-like disturbances in animals. The experiments were performed under basal conditions and after additional exposure to the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), according to the "two-hit" hypothesis of schizophrenia. The results of our research revealed differences between control and MIA OCCs under basal conditions and in response to treatment with LPS in terms of lactate dehydrogenase and nitric oxide release as well as Cd200r, Il-1β, Il-6 and Cd206 expression. The additional stimulation with the bacterial endotoxin resulted in a notable change in the mRNA levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory microglial markers in both types of OCCs. Quetiapine diminished the influence of LPS on Il-1β, Il-6, Cebpb and Arg1 expression in control OCCs as well as on IL-6 and IL-10 levels in MIA OCCs. Moreover, CD200Fc reduced the impact of the bacterial endotoxin on IL-6 production in MIA OCCs. Thus, our results demonstrated that quetiapine, as well as the stimulation of CD200R by CD200Fc, beneficially affected LPS-induced neuroimmunological changes, including microglia-related activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Chamera
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Curzytek
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Kinga Kamińska
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewa Trojan
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Monika Leśkiewicz
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Kinga Tylek
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Regulska
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Basta-Kaim
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, Poland
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18
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Croft CL, Paterno G, Vause AR, Rowe LA, Ryu DH, Goodwin MS, Moran CA, Cruz PE, Giasson BI, Golde TE. Optical pulse labeling studies reveal exogenous seeding slows α-synuclein clearance. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2022; 8:173. [PMID: 36535953 PMCID: PMC9763367 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-022-00434-4] [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: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) in intracellular formations known as Lewy bodies (LBs) is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease and Lewy Body Dementia. There is still limited understanding of how α-syn and LB formation is associated with cellular dysfunction and degeneration in these diseases. To examine the clearance and production dynamics of α-syn we transduced organotypic murine brain slice cultures (BSCs) with recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) to express Dendra2-tagged human wild-type (WT) and mutant A53T α-syn, with and without the addition of exogenous α-syn fibrillar seeds and tracked them over several weeks in culture using optical pulse labeling. We found that neurons expressing WT or mutant A53T human α-syn show similar rates of α-syn turnover even when insoluble, phosphorylated Ser129 α-syn has accumulated. Taken together, this data reveals α-syn aggregation and overexpression, pSer129 α-syn, nor the A53T mutation affect α-syn dynamics in this system. Prion-type seeding with exogenous α-syn fibrils significantly slows α-syn turnover, in the absence of toxicity but is associated with the accumulation of anti-p62 immunoreactivity and Thiazin Red positivity. Prion-type induction of α-syn aggregation points towards a potential protein clearance deficit in the presence of fibrillar seeds and the ease of this system to explore precise mechanisms underlying these processes. This system facilitates the exploration of α-syn protein dynamics over long-term culture periods. This platform can further be exploited to provide mechanistic insight on what drives this slowing of α-syn turnover and how therapeutics, other genes or different α-syn mutations may affect α-syn protein dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara L. Croft
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201UK Dementia Research Institute, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.451388.30000 0004 1795 1830The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Giavanna Paterno
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Ava R. Vause
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Lyla A. Rowe
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201UK Dementia Research Institute, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK ,grid.451388.30000 0004 1795 1830The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Daniel H. Ryu
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Marshall S. Goodwin
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Corey A. Moran
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Pedro E. Cruz
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Benoit I. Giasson
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Todd E. Golde
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA ,grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Department of Neurology, Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
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19
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Weitz J, Montecillo Gulay KC, Hurtado de Mendoza T, Tiriac H, Baumgartner J, Kelly K, Veerapong J, Lowy AM. Culture and Imaging of Ex Vivo Organotypic Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Tumor Slices from Resected Human Tumor Specimens. J Vis Exp 2022:10.3791/64620. [PMID: 36571414 PMCID: PMC10880464 DOI: 10.3791/64620] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare condition that results from the dissemination of a mucinous primary tumor and the resultant accumulation of mucin-secreting tumor cells in the peritoneal cavity. PMP can arise from various types of cancers, including appendiceal, ovarian, and colorectal, though appendiceal neoplasms are by far the most common etiology. PMP is challenging to study due to its (1) rarity, (2) limited murine models, and (3) mucinous, acellular histology. The method presented here allows real-time visualization and interrogation of these tumor types using patient-derived ex vivo organotypic slices in a preparation where the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains intact. In this protocol, we first describe the preparation of tumor slices using a vibratome and subsequent long-term culture. Second, we describe confocal imaging of tumor slices and how to monitor functional readouts of viability, calcium imaging, and local proliferation. In short, slices are loaded with imaging dyes and are placed in an imaging chamber that can be mounted onto a confocal microscope. Time-lapse videos and confocal images are used to assess the initial viability and cellular functionality. This procedure also explores translational cellular movement, and paracrine signaling interactions in the TME. Lastly, we describe a dissociation protocol for tumor slices to be used for flow cytometry analysis. Quantitative flow cytometry analysis can be used for bench-to-bedside therapeutic testing to determine changes occurring within the immune landscape and epithelial cell content.
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Moore H, Lega BC, Konopka G. Riding brain "waves" to identify human memory genes. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2022; 78:102118. [PMID: 35947942 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2022.102118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
While there is extensive research on memory-related oscillations and brain gene expression, the relationship between oscillations and gene expression has rarely been studied. Recently, progress has been made to identify specific genes associated with oscillations that are correlated with episodic memory. Neocortical regions, in particular the temporal pole, have been examined in this line of research due to their accessibility during neurosurgical procedures. By harnessing this accessibility, a unique and powerful study design has allowed gene expression and intracranial oscillatory data to be sourced from the same human patients. These studies have identified a plethora of understudied gene targets that should be further characterized with respect to human brain function. Future work should extend to other brain regions to increase our understanding of the genetic signatures of oscillations and, ultimately, human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA
| | - Bradley C Lega
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA.
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA.
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21
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Griffin A, Mahesh A, Tiwari VK. Disruption of the gene regulatory programme in neurodevelopmental disorders. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2022; 1865:194860. [PMID: 36007842 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2022.194860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cortical development consists of a series of synchronised events, including fate transition of cortical progenitors, neuronal migration, specification and connectivity. It is becoming clear that gene expression programs governing these events rely on the interplay between signalling molecules, transcription factors and epigenetic mechanisms. When genetic or environmental factors disrupt expression of genes involved in important brain development processes, neurodevelopmental disorders can occur. This review aims to highlight how recent advances in technologies have helped uncover and imitate the gene regulatory mechanisms commonly disrupted in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoife Griffin
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Science, Queens University, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - Arun Mahesh
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Science, Queens University, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - Vijay K Tiwari
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Science, Queens University, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom.
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22
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Cognitive dysfunction in SLE: An understudied clinical manifestation. J Autoimmun 2022; 132:102911. [PMID: 36127204 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) is a debilitating manifestation of SLE which occurs in a majority of SLE patients and has a variety of clinical manifestations. In the central nervous system, NPSLE may result from ischemia or penetration of inflammatory mediators and neurotoxic antibodies through the blood brain barrier (BBB). Here we focus on cognitive dysfunction (CD) as an NPSLE manifestation; it is common, underdiagnosed, and without specific therapy. For a very long time, clinicians ignored cognitive dysfunction and researchers who might be interested in the question struggled to find an approach to understanding mechanisms for this manifestation. Recent years, however, propelled by a more patient-centric approach to disease, have seen remarkable progress in our understanding of CD pathogenesis. This has been enabled through the use of novel imaging modalities and numerous mouse models. Overall, these studies point to a pivotal role of an impaired BBB and microglial activation in leading to neuronal injury. These insights suggest potential therapeutic modalities and make possible clinical trials for cognitive impairment.
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23
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Habibey R, Rojo Arias JE, Striebel J, Busskamp V. Microfluidics for Neuronal Cell and Circuit Engineering. Chem Rev 2022; 122:14842-14880. [PMID: 36070858 PMCID: PMC9523714 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The widespread adoption of microfluidic devices among the neuroscience and neurobiology communities has enabled addressing a broad range of questions at the molecular, cellular, circuit, and system levels. Here, we review biomedical engineering approaches that harness the power of microfluidics for bottom-up generation of neuronal cell types and for the assembly and analysis of neural circuits. Microfluidics-based approaches are instrumental to generate the knowledge necessary for the derivation of diverse neuronal cell types from human pluripotent stem cells, as they enable the isolation and subsequent examination of individual neurons of interest. Moreover, microfluidic devices allow to engineer neural circuits with specific orientations and directionality by providing control over neuronal cell polarity and permitting the isolation of axons in individual microchannels. Similarly, the use of microfluidic chips enables the construction not only of 2D but also of 3D brain, retinal, and peripheral nervous system model circuits. Such brain-on-a-chip and organoid-on-a-chip technologies are promising platforms for studying these organs as they closely recapitulate some aspects of in vivo biological processes. Microfluidic 3D neuronal models, together with 2D in vitro systems, are widely used in many applications ranging from drug development and toxicology studies to neurological disease modeling and personalized medicine. Altogether, microfluidics provide researchers with powerful systems that complement and partially replace animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rouhollah Habibey
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitäts-Augenklinik Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, D-53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jesús Eduardo Rojo Arias
- Wellcome─MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Striebel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitäts-Augenklinik Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, D-53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Volker Busskamp
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitäts-Augenklinik Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, D-53127 Bonn, Germany
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Nikolić L, Ferracin C, Legname G. Recent advances in cellular models for discovering prion disease therapeutics. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2022; 17:985-996. [PMID: 35983689 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.2113773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prion diseases are a group of rare and lethal rapidly progressive neurodegenerative diseases arising due to conversion of the physiological cellular prion protein into its pathological counterparts, denoted as "prions". These agents are resistant to inactivation by standard decontamination procedures and can be transmitted between individuals, consequently driving the irreversible brain damage typical of the diseases. AREAS COVERED Since its infancy, prion research has mainly depended on animal models for untangling the pathogenesis of the disease as well as for the drug development studies. With the advent of prion-infected cell lines, relevant animal models have been complemented by a variety of cell-based models presenting a much faster, ethically acceptable alternative. EXPERT OPINION To date, there are still either no effective prophylactic regimens or therapies for human prion diseases. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more relevant cellular models that best approximate in vivo models. Each cellular model presented and discussed in detail in this review has its own benefits and limitations. Once embarking in a drug screening campaign for the identification of molecules that could interfere with prion conversion and replication, one should carefully consider the ideal cellular model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Nikolić
- PhD Student in Functional and Structural Genomics, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy,
| | - Chiara Ferracin
- PhD Student in Functional and Structural Genomics, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- D.Phil., Full Professor of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
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25
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Lam CH, Janson C, Romanova L, Hansen EA. Lymphatic cells do not functionally integrate into 3D organotypic brain slice cultures, but aggregate around penetrating blood vessels. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:2349-2358. [PMID: 35920898 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06429-0] [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: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Brain slice culture (BSC) is a well-known three-dimensional model of the brain. In this study, we use organotypic slices for studying neuro-lymphatic physiology, to directly test the longstanding assumption that the brain is not a hospitable milieu for typical lymphatic vessels. An additional objective is to model fluid egress through brain perivascular space systems and to visualize potential cellular interactions among cells in the leptomeninges including alterations of cellular geometry and number of processes. Immortalized lymphatic rat cell lines were used to seed organotypic brain slices. The brain slice model was characterized by monitoring morphologies, growth rates, degree of apoptosis, and transport properties of brain slices with or without a lymphatic component. The model was then challenged with fibroblast co-cultures, as a control cell that is not normally found in the brain. Immortalized lymphatic cells penetrated the brain slices within 2-4 days. Typical cell morphology is spindly with bipolar and tripolar forms well represented. Significantly more indigo carmine marker passed through lymphatic seeded BSCs compared to arachnoid BSCs. Significantly more indigo carmine passed through brain slices co-cultured with fibroblast compared to lymphatic and arachnoid BSCs alone. We have developed an organotypic model in which lymphatic cells are able to interact with parenchymal cells in the cerebrum. Their presence appears to alter the small molecule transport ability of whole-brain slices. Lymphatic cells decreased dye transport in BSCs, possibly by altering the perivascular space. Given their direct contact with the CSF, they may affect convectional and diffusional processes. Our model shows that a decrease in lymphatic cell growth may reduce the brain slice's transport capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelius H Lam
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, MMC 96, 420 Delaware St. S.E, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Minneapolis Veterans Administration Health Care System, 1 Veterans Drive, 151 Research Department, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, USA
| | - Christopher Janson
- Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Liudmila Romanova
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Eric A Hansen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Minneapolis Veterans Administration Health Care System, 1 Veterans Drive, 151 Research Department, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, USA.
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Ogura Y, Sahashi K, Hirunagi T, Iida M, Miyata T, Katsuno M. Mid1 is associated with androgen-dependent axonal vulnerability of motor neurons in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:601. [PMID: 35821212 PMCID: PMC9276699 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05001-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is an adult-onset hereditary neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansions of CAG repeats in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. Androgen-dependent nuclear accumulation of pathogenic AR protein causes degeneration of lower motor neurons, leading to progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. While the successful induction of SBMA-like pathology has been achieved in mouse models, mechanisms underlying motor neuron vulnerability remain unclear. In the present study, we performed a transcriptome-based screening for genes expressed exclusively in motor neurons and dysregulated in the spinal cord of SBMA mice. We found upregulation of Mid1 encoding a microtubule-associated RNA binding protein which facilitates the translation of CAG-expanded mRNAs. Based on the finding that lower motor neurons begin expressing Mid1 during embryonic stages, we developed an organotypic slice culture system of the spinal cord obtained from SBMA mouse fetuses to study the pathogenic role of Mid1 in SBMA motor neurons. Impairment of axonal regeneration arose in the spinal cord culture in SBMA mice in an androgen-dependent manner, but not in mice with non-CAG-expanded AR, and was either exacerbated or ameliorated by Mid1 overexpression or knockdown, respectively. Hence, an early Mid1 expression confers vulnerability to motor neurons, at least by inducing axonogenesis defects, in SBMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Ogura
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kentaro Sahashi
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tomoki Hirunagi
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Madoka Iida
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takaki Miyata
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masahisa Katsuno
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Clinical Research Education, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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27
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Farrell C, Mumford P, Wiseman FK. Rodent Modeling of Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome: In vivo and ex vivo Approaches. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:909669. [PMID: 35747206 PMCID: PMC9209729 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.909669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
There are an estimated 6 million people with Down syndrome (DS) worldwide. In developed countries, the vast majority of these individuals will develop Alzheimer's disease neuropathology characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles within the brain, which leads to the early onset of dementia (AD-DS) and reduced life-expectancy. The mean age of onset of clinical dementia is ~55 years and by the age of 80, approaching 100% of individuals with DS will have a dementia diagnosis. DS is caused by trisomy of chromosome 21 (Hsa21) thus an additional copy of a gene(s) on the chromosome must cause the development of AD neuropathology and dementia. Indeed, triplication of the gene APP which encodes the amyloid precursor protein is sufficient and necessary for early onset AD (EOAD), both in people who have and do not have DS. However, triplication of other genes on Hsa21 leads to profound differences in neurodevelopment resulting in intellectual disability, elevated incidence of epilepsy and perturbations to the immune system. This different biology may impact on how AD neuropathology and dementia develops in people who have DS. Indeed, genes on Hsa21 other than APP when in three-copies can modulate AD-pathogenesis in mouse preclinical models. Understanding this biology better is critical to inform drug selection for AD prevention and therapy trials for people who have DS. Here we will review rodent preclinical models of AD-DS and how these can be used for both in vivo and ex vivo (cultured cells and organotypic slice cultures) studies to understand the mechanisms that contribute to the early development of AD in people who have DS and test the utility of treatments to prevent or delay the development of disease.
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28
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Aktories P, Petry P, Kierdorf K. Microglia in a Dish—Which Techniques Are on the Menu for Functional Studies? Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:908315. [PMID: 35722614 PMCID: PMC9204042 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.908315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia build the first line of defense in the central nervous system (CNS) and play central roles during development and homeostasis. Indeed, they serve a plethora of diverse functions in the CNS of which many are not yet fully described and more are still to be discovered. Research of the last decades unraveled an implication of microglia in nearly every neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory disease, making it even more challenging to elucidate molecular mechanisms behind microglial functions and to modulate aberrant microglial behavior. To understand microglial functions and the underlying signaling machinery, many attempts were made to employ functional in vitro studies of microglia. However, the range of available cell culture models is wide and they come with different advantages and disadvantages for functional assays. Here we aim to provide a condensed summary of common microglia in vitro systems and discuss their potentials and shortcomings for functional studies in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Aktories
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Philippe Petry
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Kierdorf
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS-Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Katrin Kierdorf
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29
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Müller-Bühl AM, Safaei A, Tsai T. [Are organ and co-cultures an alternative to animal models in ophthalmology?]. Ophthalmologe 2022; 119:530-532. [PMID: 35522337 DOI: 10.1007/s00347-021-01565-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Müller-Bühl
- Universitäts-Augenklinik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Deutschland
| | - Armin Safaei
- Universitäts-Augenklinik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Deutschland
| | - Teresa Tsai
- Universitäts-Augenklinik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Deutschland.
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30
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Tuck BJ, Miller LVC, Katsinelos T, Smith AE, Wilson EL, Keeling S, Cheng S, Vaysburd MJ, Knox C, Tredgett L, Metzakopian E, James LC, McEwan WA. Cholesterol determines the cytosolic entry and seeded aggregation of tau. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110776. [PMID: 35508140 PMCID: PMC9108550 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Assemblies of tau can transit between neurons, seeding aggregation in a prion-like manner. To accomplish this, tau must cross cell-limiting membranes, a process that is poorly understood. Here, we establish assays for the study of tau entry into the cytosol as a phenomenon distinct from uptake, in real time, and at physiological concentrations. The entry pathway of tau is cell type specific and, in neurons, highly sensitive to cholesterol. Depletion of the cholesterol transporter Niemann-Pick type C1 or extraction of membrane cholesterol renders neurons highly permissive to tau entry and potentiates seeding even at low levels of exogenous tau assemblies. Conversely, cholesterol supplementation reduces entry and almost completely blocks seeded aggregation. Our findings establish entry as a rate-limiting step to seeded aggregation and demonstrate that dysregulated cholesterol, a feature of several neurodegenerative diseases, potentiates tau aggregation by promoting entry of tau assemblies into the cell interior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Tuck
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK.
| | - Lauren V C Miller
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Taxiarchis Katsinelos
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Annabel E Smith
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Emma L Wilson
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Sophie Keeling
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Shi Cheng
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Marina J Vaysburd
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Claire Knox
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Lucy Tredgett
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Emmanouil Metzakopian
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Leo C James
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - William A McEwan
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK.
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31
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Zarekiani P, Nogueira Pinto H, Hol EM, Bugiani M, de Vries HE. The neurovascular unit in leukodystrophies: towards solving the puzzle. Fluids Barriers CNS 2022; 19:18. [PMID: 35227276 PMCID: PMC8887016 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-022-00316-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurovascular unit (NVU) is a highly organized multicellular system localized in the brain, formed by neuronal, glial (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia) and vascular (endothelial cells and pericytes) cells. The blood-brain barrier, a complex and dynamic endothelial cell barrier in the brain microvasculature that separates the blood from the brain parenchyma, is a component of the NVU. In a variety of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke, dysfunctions of the NVU occurs. There is, however, a lack of knowledge regarding the NVU function in leukodystrophies, which are rare monogenic disorders that primarily affect the white matter. Since leukodystrophies are rare diseases, human brain tissue availability is scarce and representative animal models that significantly recapitulate the disease are difficult to develop. The introduction of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) now makes it possible to surpass these limitations while maintaining the ability to work in a biologically relevant human context and safeguarding the genetic background of the patient. This review aims to provide further insights into the NVU functioning in leukodystrophies, with a special focus on iPSC-derived models that can be used to dissect neurovascular pathophysiology in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parand Zarekiani
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henrique Nogueira Pinto
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Elly M Hol
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marianna Bugiani
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Helga E de Vries
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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32
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Alternative Brain Slice-on-a-Chip for Organotypic Culture and Effective Fluorescence Injection Testing. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052549. [PMID: 35269696 PMCID: PMC8910551 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse brain slices are one of the most common models to study brain development and functioning, increasing the number of study models that integrate microfluidic systems for hippocampal slice cultures. This report presents an alternative brain slice-on-a-chip, integrating an injection system inside the chip to dispense a fluorescent dye for long-term monitoring. Hippocampal slices have been cultured inside these chips, observing fluorescence signals from living cells, maintaining the cytoarchitecture of the slices. Having fluorescence images of biological samples inside the chip demonstrates the effectiveness of the staining process using the injection method avoiding leaks or biological contamination. The technology developed in this study presents a significant improvement in the local administration of reagents within a brain slice-on-a-chip system, which could be a suitable option for organotypic cultures in a microfluidic chip acting as a highly effective bioreactor.
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Nogueira GO, Garcez PP, Bardy C, Cunningham MO, Sebollela A. Modeling the Human Brain With ex vivo Slices and in vitro Organoids for Translational Neuroscience. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:838594. [PMID: 35281505 PMCID: PMC8908416 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.838594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna O. Nogueira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patricia P. Garcez
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cedric Bardy
- Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Mark O. Cunningham
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Adriano Sebollela
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Adriano Sebollela
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Golde TE. Disease-Modifying Therapies for Alzheimer's Disease: More Questions than Answers. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:209-227. [PMID: 35229269 PMCID: PMC8885119 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01201-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientific advances over the last four decades have steadily infused the Alzheimer's disease (AD) field with great optimism that therapies targeting Aβ, amyloid, tau, and innate immune activation states in the brain would provide disease modification. Unfortunately, this optimistic scenario has not yet played out. Though a recent approval of the anti-Aβ aggregate binding antibody, Aduhelm (aducanumab), as a "disease-modifying therapy for AD" is viewed by some as a breakthrough, many remain unconvinced by the data underlying this approval. Collectively, we have not succeeded in changing AD from a largely untreatable, inevitable, and incurable disease to a treatable, preventable, and curable one. Here, I will review the major foci of the AD "disease-modifying" therapeutic pipeline and some of the "open questions" that remain in terms of these therapeutic approaches. I will conclude the review by discussing how we, as a field, might adjust our approach, learning from our past failures to ensure future success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd E Golde
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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35
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Liu X, Yao S, Bi J, Zheng D, Wang P. Protective effects and regulatory mechanisms of melatonin in a neonatal mouse model of LPS-induced inflammation. Neurosci Lett 2022; 772:136483. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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36
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Knock E, Julian LM. Building on a Solid Foundation: Adding Relevance and Reproducibility to Neurological Modeling Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:767457. [PMID: 34867204 PMCID: PMC8637745 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.767457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is our most complex and least understood organ. Animal models have long been the most versatile tools available to dissect brain form and function; however, the human brain is highly distinct from that of standard model organisms. In addition to existing models, access to human brain cells and tissues is essential to reach new frontiers in our understanding of the human brain and how to intervene therapeutically in the face of disease or injury. In this review, we discuss current and developing culture models of human neural tissue, outlining advantages over animal models and key challenges that remain to be overcome. Our principal focus is on advances in engineering neural cells and tissue constructs from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), though primary human cell and slice culture are also discussed. By highlighting studies that combine animal models and human neural cell culture techniques, we endeavor to demonstrate that clever use of these orthogonal model systems produces more reproducible, physiological, and clinically relevant data than either approach alone. We provide examples across a range of topics in neuroscience research including brain development, injury, and cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric conditions. Finally, as testing of PSC-derived neurons for cell replacement therapy progresses, we touch on the advancements that are needed to make this a clinical mainstay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Knock
- Research and Development, STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa M Julian
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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Caba E, Sherman MD, Farizatto KLG, Alcira B, Wang HW, Giardina C, Shin DG, Sandefur CI, Bahr BA. Excitotoxic stimulation activates distinct pathogenic and protective expression signatures in the hippocampus. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:9011-9027. [PMID: 34414662 PMCID: PMC8435451 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitotoxic events underlying ischaemic and traumatic brain injuries activate degenerative and protective pathways, particularly in the hippocampus. To understand opposing pathways that determine the brain's response to excitotoxicity, we used hippocampal explants, thereby eliminating systemic variables during a precise protocol of excitatory stimulation. N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) was applied for 20 min and total RNA isolated one and 24 h later for neurobiology‐specific microarrays. Distinct groups of genes exhibited early vs. delayed induction, with 63 genes exclusively reduced 24‐h post‐insult. Egr‐1 and NOR‐1 displayed biphasic transcriptional modulation: early induction followed by delayed suppression. Opposing events of NMDA‐induced genes linked to pathogenesis and cell survival constituted the early expression signature. Delayed degenerative indicators (up‐regulated pathogenic genes, down‐regulated pro‐survival genes) and opposing compensatory responses (down‐regulated pathogenic genes, up‐regulated pro‐survival genes) generated networks with temporal gene profiles mirroring coexpression network clustering. We then used the expression profiles to test whether NF‐κB, a potent transcription factor implicated in both degenerative and protective pathways, is involved in the opposing responses. The NF‐κB inhibitor MG‐132 indeed altered NMDA‐mediated transcriptional changes, revealing components of opposing expression signatures that converge on the single response element. Overall, this study identified counteracting avenues among the distinct responses to excitotoxicity, thereby suggesting multi‐target treatment strategies and implications for predictive medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebru Caba
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Neurosciences Program, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Marcus D Sherman
- Biotechnology Research and Training Center, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA
| | - Karen L G Farizatto
- Biotechnology Research and Training Center, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA
| | - Britney Alcira
- Biotechnology Research and Training Center, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA
| | - Hsin-Wei Wang
- Bioinformatics and Biocomputing Institute, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.,Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Charles Giardina
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Dong-Guk Shin
- Bioinformatics and Biocomputing Institute, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.,Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Conner I Sandefur
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and the Cystic Fibrosis and Pulmonary Diseases Research and Treatment Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Sandefur Modeling, Pittsboro, NC, USA
| | - Ben A Bahr
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Neurosciences Program, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.,Biotechnology Research and Training Center, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA
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38
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Laksono BM, Tran DN, Kondova I, van Engelen HGH, Michels S, Nambulli S, de Vries RD, Duprex WP, Verjans GMGM, de Swart RL. Comparable Infection Level and Tropism of Measles Virus and Canine Distemper Virus in Organotypic Brain Slice Cultures Obtained from Natural Host Species. Viruses 2021; 13:1582. [PMID: 34452447 PMCID: PMC8402773 DOI: 10.3390/v13081582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Measles virus (MV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) are closely related members of the family Paramyxoviridae, genus Morbillivirus. MV infection of humans and non-human primates (NHPs) results in a self-limiting disease, which rarely involves central nervous system (CNS) complications. In contrast, infection of carnivores with CDV usually results in severe disease, in which CNS complications are common and the case-fatality rate is high. To compare the neurovirulence and neurotropism of MV and CDV, we established a short-term organotypic brain slice culture system of the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, or cortex obtained from NHPs, dogs, and ferrets. Slices were inoculated ex vivo with wild-type-based recombinant CDV or MV expressing a fluorescent reporter protein. The infection level of both morbilliviruses was determined at different times post-infection. We observed equivalent infection levels and identified microglia as main target cells in CDV-inoculated carnivore and MV-inoculated NHP brain tissue slices. Neurons were also susceptible to MV infection in NHP brain slice cultures. Our findings suggest that MV and CDV have comparable neurotropism and intrinsic capacity to infect CNS-resident cells of their natural host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitta M. Laksono
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.M.L.); (D.N.T.); (S.M.); (R.D.d.V.); (G.M.G.M.V.)
| | - Diana N. Tran
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.M.L.); (D.N.T.); (S.M.); (R.D.d.V.); (G.M.G.M.V.)
| | - Ivanela Kondova
- Division of Pathology, Animal Science Department, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2280 GH Rijswijk, The Netherlands;
| | - Harry G. H. van Engelen
- Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Veterinary Medicine, Universiteit Utrecht, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Samira Michels
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.M.L.); (D.N.T.); (S.M.); (R.D.d.V.); (G.M.G.M.V.)
| | - Sham Nambulli
- Centre for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (S.N.); (W.P.D.)
| | - Rory D. de Vries
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.M.L.); (D.N.T.); (S.M.); (R.D.d.V.); (G.M.G.M.V.)
| | - W. Paul Duprex
- Centre for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (S.N.); (W.P.D.)
| | - Georges M. G. M. Verjans
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.M.L.); (D.N.T.); (S.M.); (R.D.d.V.); (G.M.G.M.V.)
| | - Rik L. de Swart
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.M.L.); (D.N.T.); (S.M.); (R.D.d.V.); (G.M.G.M.V.)
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39
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McFarland KN, Ceballos C, Rosario A, Ladd T, Moore B, Golde G, Wang X, Allen M, Ertekin-Taner N, Funk CC, Robinson M, Baloni P, Rappaport N, Chakrabarty P, Golde TE. Microglia show differential transcriptomic response to Aβ peptide aggregates ex vivo and in vivo. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:4/7/e202101108. [PMID: 34127518 PMCID: PMC8321667 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregation and accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) is a defining feature of Alzheimer's disease pathology. To study microglial responses to Aβ, we applied exogenous Aβ peptide, in either oligomeric or fibrillar conformation, to primary mouse microglial cultures and evaluated system-level transcriptional changes and then compared these with transcriptomic changes in the brains of CRND8 APP mice. We find that primary microglial cultures have rapid and massive transcriptional change in response to Aβ. Transcriptomic responses to oligomeric or fibrillar Aβ in primary microglia, although partially overlapping, are distinct and are not recapitulated in vivo where Aβ progressively accumulates. Furthermore, although classic immune mediators show massive transcriptional changes in the primary microglial cultures, these changes are not observed in the mouse model. Together, these data extend previous studies which demonstrate that microglia responses ex vivo are poor proxies for in vivo responses. Finally, these data demonstrate the potential utility of using microglia as biosensors of different aggregate conformation, as the transcriptional responses to oligomeric and fibrillar Aβ can be distinguished.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen N McFarland
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA .,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Carolina Ceballos
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Awilda Rosario
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas Ladd
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Brenda Moore
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Griffin Golde
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Xue Wang
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Mariet Allen
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.,Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Cory C Funk
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Paramita Chakrabarty
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Todd E Golde
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA .,McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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40
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The Potential of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Treat and Model Alzheimer's Disease. Stem Cells Int 2021; 2021:5511630. [PMID: 34122554 PMCID: PMC8172295 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5511630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An estimated 6.2 million Americans aged 65 or older are currently living with Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease that disrupts an individual's ability to function independently through the degeneration of key regions in the brain, including but not limited to the hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex, and the motor cortex. The cause of this degeneration is not known, but research has found two proteins that undergo posttranslational modifications: tau, a protein concentrated in the axons of neurons, and amyloid precursor protein (APP), a protein concentrated near the synapse. Through mechanisms that have yet to be elucidated, the accumulation of these two proteins in their abnormal aggregate forms leads to the neurodegeneration that is characteristic of AD. Until the invention of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in 2006, the bulk of research was carried out using transgenic animal models that offered little promise in their ability to translate well from benchtop to bedside, creating a bottleneck in the development of therapeutics. However, with iPSC, patient-specific cell cultures can be utilized to create models based on human cells. These human cells have the potential to avoid issues in translatability that have plagued animal models by providing researchers with a model that closely resembles and mimics the neurons found in humans. By using human iPSC technology, researchers can create more accurate models of AD ex vivo while also focusing on regenerative medicine using iPSC in vivo. The following review focuses on the current uses of iPSC and how they have the potential to regenerate damaged neuronal tissue, in the hopes that these technologies can assist in getting through the bottleneck of AD therapeutic research.
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Zhou G, Zha XM. GPR68 Contributes to Persistent Acidosis-Induced Activation of AGC Kinases and Tyrosine Phosphorylation in Organotypic Hippocampal Slices. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:692217. [PMID: 34113235 PMCID: PMC8185064 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.692217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent acidosis occurs in ischemia and multiple neurological diseases. In previous studies, acidic stimulation leads to rapid increase in intracellular calcium in neurons. However, it remains largely unclear how a prolonged acidosis alters neuronal signaling. In our previous study, we found that GPR68-mediated PKC activities are protective against acidosis-induced injury in cortical slices. Here, we first asked whether the same principle holds true in organotypic hippocampal slices. Our data showed that 1-h pH 6 induced PKC phosphorylation in a GPR68-dependent manner. Go6983, a PKC inhibitor worsened acidosis-induced neuronal injury in wild type (WT) but had no effect in GPR68−/− slices. Next, to gain greater insights into acid signaling in brain tissue, we treated organotypic hippocampal slices with pH 6 for 1-h and performed a kinome profiling analysis by Western blot. Acidosis had little effect on cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) or casein kinase 2 activity, two members of the CMGC family, or Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)/ATM and RAD3-related (ATR) activity, but reduced the phosphorylation of MAPK/CDK substrates. In contrast, acidosis induced the activation of CaMKIIα, PKA, and Akt. Besides these serine/threonine kinases, acidosis also induced tyrosine phosphorylation. Since GPR68 is widely expressed in brain neurons, we asked whether GPR68 contributes to acidosis-induced signaling. Deleting GPR68 had no effect on acidosis-induced CaMKII phosphorylation, attenuated that of phospho-Akt and phospho-PKA substrates, while abolishing acidosis-induced tyrosine phosphorylation. These data demonstrate that prolonged acidosis activates a network of signaling cascades, mediated by AGC kinases, CaMKII, and tyrosine kinases. GPR68 is the primary mediator for acidosis-induced activation of PKC and tyrosine phosphorylation, while both GPR68-dependent and -independent mechanisms contribute to the activation of PKA and Akt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guokun Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, AL, United States
| | - Xiang-Ming Zha
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, AL, United States
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42
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Development of P301S tau seeded organotypic hippocampal slice cultures to study potential therapeutics. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10309. [PMID: 33986302 PMCID: PMC8119691 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89230-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular tau inclusions are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration and other sporadic neurodegenerative tauopathies. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that tau aggregates may spread to neighbouring cells and functionally connected brain regions, where they can seed further tau aggregation. This process is referred to as tau propagation. Here we describe an ex vivo system using organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHCs) which recapitulates aspects of this phenomenon. OHCs are explants of hippocampal tissue which may be maintained in culture for months. They maintain their synaptic connections and multicellular 3D architecture whilst also permitting direct control of the environment and direct access for various analysis types. We inoculated OHCs prepared from P301S mouse pups with brain homogenate from terminally ill P301S mice and then examined the slices for viability and the production and localization of insoluble phosphorylated tau. We show that following seeding, phosphorylated insoluble tau accumulate in a time and concentration dependent manner within OHCs. Furthermore, we show the ability of the conformation dependent anti-tau antibody, MC1, to compromise tau accrual in OHCs, thus showcasing the potential of this therapeutic approach and the utility of OHCs as an ex vivo model system for assessing such therapeutics.
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43
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Miller LVC, Mukadam AS, Durrant CS, Vaysburd MJ, Katsinelos T, Tuck BJ, Sanford S, Sheppard O, Knox C, Cheng S, James LC, Coleman MP, McEwan WA. Tau assemblies do not behave like independently acting prion-like particles in mouse neural tissue. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:41. [PMID: 33712082 PMCID: PMC7953780 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01141-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental property of infectious agents is their particulate nature: infectivity arises from independently-acting particles rather than as a result of collective action. Assemblies of the protein tau can exhibit seeding behaviour, potentially underlying the apparent spread of tau aggregation in many neurodegenerative diseases. Here we ask whether tau assemblies share with classical pathogens the characteristic of particulate behaviour. We used organotypic hippocampal slice cultures from P301S tau transgenic mice in order to precisely control the concentration of extracellular tau assemblies in neural tissue. Whilst untreated slices displayed no overt signs of pathology, exposure to recombinant tau assemblies could result in the formation of intraneuronal, hyperphosphorylated tau structures. However, seeding ability of tau assemblies did not titrate in a one-hit manner in neural tissue. The results suggest that seeding behaviour of tau arises at high concentrations, with implications for the interpretation of high-dose intracranial challenge experiments and the possible contribution of seeded aggregation to human disease.
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44
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Rühlmann C, Dannehl D, Brodtrück M, Adams AC, Stenzel J, Lindner T, Krause BJ, Vollmar B, Kuhla A. Neuroprotective Effects of the FGF21 Analogue LY2405319. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 80:357-369. [PMID: 33554901 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To date, there are no effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, a significant need for research of therapies remains. OBJECTIVE One promising pharmacological target is the hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), which is thought to be neuroprotective. A clinical candidate for medical use could be the FGF21 analogue LY2405319 (LY), which has a specificity and potency comparable to FGF21. METHODS The present study investigated the potential neuroprotective effect of LY via PPARγ/apoE/abca1 pathway, which is known to degrade amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques by using primary glial cells and hippocampal organotypic brain slice cultures (OBSCs) from 30- and 50-week-old transgenic APPswe/PS1dE9 (tg) mice. By LY treatment of 52-week-old tg mice with advanced Aβ deposition, we further aimed to elaborate the effect of LY on AD pathology in vivo. RESULTS LY application to primary glial cells caused an upregulation of pparγ, apoE, and abca1 mRNA expression and significantly decreased number and area of Aβ plaques in OBSCs. LY treatment in tg mice increased cerebral [18F] FDG uptake and N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio indicating enhanced neuronal activity and integrity. Although LY did not reduce the number of Aβ plaques in tg mice, the number of iba1-positive cells was significantly decreased indicating reduced microgliosis. CONCLUSION These data identified LY in vitro as an activator of Aβ degrading genes leading to cerebral Aβ load amelioration in early and late AD pathology. Although Aβ plaque reduction by LY failed in vivo, LY may be used as therapeutic agent to treat AD-related neuroinflammation and impaired neuronal integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Rühlmann
- Institute for Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - David Dannehl
- Institute for Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Marcus Brodtrück
- Institute for Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Andrew C Adams
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jan Stenzel
- Core Facility Multimodal Small Animal Imaging, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Tobias Lindner
- Core Facility Multimodal Small Animal Imaging, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Bernd J Krause
- Core Facility Multimodal Small Animal Imaging, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Brigitte Vollmar
- Institute for Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany.,Core Facility Multimodal Small Animal Imaging, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Angela Kuhla
- Institute for Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
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45
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Croft CL, Goodwin MS, Ryu DH, Lessard CB, Tejeda G, Marrero M, Vause AR, Paterno G, Cruz PE, Lewis J, Giasson BI, Golde TE. Photodynamic studies reveal rapid formation and appreciable turnover of tau inclusions. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 141:359-381. [PMID: 33496840 PMCID: PMC7882582 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02264-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Accumulation of the tau protein in fibrillar intracellular aggregates is a defining feature of multiple neurodegenerative diseases collectively referred to as tauopathies. Despite intensive study of tau, there is limited information on the formation and clearance dynamics of tau inclusions. Using rAAV vectors to mediate expression of Dendra2-tagged human wild-type, P301L and pro-aggregant P301L/S320F tau proteins, with and without the addition of exogenous tau fibrillar seeds, we evaluated tau inclusion dynamics in organotypic brain slice culture (BSC) models using long-term optical pulse labeling methodology. Our studies reveal that tau inclusions typically form in 12–96 h in tauopathy BSC models. Unexpectedly, we demonstrate appreciable turnover of tau within inclusions with an average half-life of ~ 1 week when inclusions are newly formed. When BSCs with inclusions are aged in culture for extended periods, tau inclusions continue to turnover, but their half-lives increase to ~ 2 weeks and ~ 3 weeks after 1 and 2 months in culture, respectively. Individual tau inclusions can be long-lived structures that can persist for months in these BSC models and for even longer in the human brain. However, our data indicate that tau inclusions, are not ‘tombstones’, but dynamic structures with appreciable turnover. Understanding the cellular processes mediating this inclusion turnover may lead to new therapeutic strategies that could reverse pathological tau inclusion formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara L Croft
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, London, UK
| | - Marshall S Goodwin
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Daniel H Ryu
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Christian B Lessard
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Giancarlo Tejeda
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Marc Marrero
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Ava R Vause
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Giavanna Paterno
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Pedro E Cruz
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Jada Lewis
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Benoit I Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Todd E Golde
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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46
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Wolters A, Reuther J, Gude P, Weber T, Theiss C, Vogelsang H, Matschke V. Teriflunomide provides protective properties after oxygen-glucose-deprivation in hippocampal and cerebellar slice cultures. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:2243-2249. [PMID: 33818508 PMCID: PMC8354112 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.310689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major challenges in emergency medicine is out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Every year, about 53-62/100 000 people worldwide suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with serious consequences, whereas persistent brain injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of those surviving a cardiac arrest. Today, only few and insufficient strategies are known to limit neurological damage of ischemia and reperfusion injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether teriflunomide, an approved drug for treatment of relapsing-remitting-multiple-sclerosis, exerts a protective effect on brain cells in an in vitro model of ischemia. Therefore, organotypic slice cultures from rat hippocampus and cerebellum were exposed to oxygen-glucose-deprivation and subsequently treated with teriflunomide. The administration of teriflunomide in the reperfusion time on both hippocampal and cerebellar slice cultures significantly decreased the amount of detectable propidium iodide signal compared with an untreated culture, indicating that more cells survive after oxygen-glucose-deprivation. However, hippocampal slice cultures showed a higher vulnerability to ischemic conditions and a more sensitive response to teriflunomide compared with cerebellar slice cultures. Our study suggests that teriflunomide, applied as a post-treatment after an oxygen-glucose-deprivation, has a protective effect on hippocampal and cerebellar cells in organotypic slice cultures of rats. All procedures were conducted under established standards of the German federal state of North Rhine Westphalia, in accordance with the European Communities Council Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wolters
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Judith Reuther
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Philipp Gude
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, St. Josef Hospital, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Weber
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, St. Josef Hospital, Bochum, Germany
| | - Carsten Theiss
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Heike Vogelsang
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, St. Josef Hospital, Bochum, Germany
| | - Veronika Matschke
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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47
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Elfarrash S, Jensen PH. Organotypic hippocampal slices, an emerging tool to model synucleinopathies. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:999-1000. [PMID: 33229751 PMCID: PMC8178764 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.297065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Elfarrash
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Poul Henning Jensen
- DANDRITE-Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience and Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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48
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AlaylioĞlu M, Dursun E, Yilmazer S, Ak DG. A Bridge Between in vitro and in vivo Studies in Neuroscience: Organotypic Brain Slice Cultures. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 57:333-337. [PMID: 33354128 DOI: 10.29399/npa.26139] [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: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In vitro and in vivo models are efficiently used systems in neuroscience research to study the brain in normal or pathological conditions. There are many advantages to these systems, yet they also have significant limitations. In vitro cell cultures offer the opportunity to investigate the cell basics or primary response of a cell population against any treatment. However, these models do not always predict in vivo behavior. In vivo animal studies constitute the most realistic platform for research and therapeutic approaches, yet they are laborious, open to secondary complications and painful or stressful for the animals from an ethical point of view. Organotypic brain slice cultures provide an in vivo-like environment since they maintain three-dimensional cytoarchitecture of the brain thus enable to study many cell types in one system and allow precise control of the microenvironment. In this review, we will focus on the history and key features of organotypic brain slice cultures as well as its preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve AlaylioĞlu
- Brain and Neurodegenerative Disorders Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Erdinç Dursun
- Brain and Neurodegenerative Disorders Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, İstanbul, Turkey.,Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Neurological Sciences, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Selma Yilmazer
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Altınbaş University, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Duygu Gezen Ak
- Brain and Neurodegenerative Disorders Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, İstanbul, Turkey
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49
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Delbridge ARD, Huh D, Brickelmaier M, Burns JC, Roberts C, Challa R, Raymond N, Cullen P, Carlile TM, Ennis KA, Liu M, Sun C, Allaire NE, Foos M, Tsai HH, Franchimont N, Ransohoff RM, Butts C, Mingueneau M. Organotypic Brain Slice Culture Microglia Exhibit Molecular Similarity to Acutely-Isolated Adult Microglia and Provide a Platform to Study Neuroinflammation. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:592005. [PMID: 33473245 PMCID: PMC7812919 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.592005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia are central nervous system (CNS) resident immune cells that have been implicated in neuroinflammatory pathogenesis of a variety of neurological conditions. Their manifold context-dependent contributions to neuroinflammation are only beginning to be elucidated, which can be attributed in part to the challenges of studying microglia in vivo and the lack of tractable in vitro systems to study microglia function. Organotypic brain slice cultures offer a tissue-relevant context that enables the study of CNS resident cells and the analysis of brain slice microglial phenotypes has provided important insights, in particular into neuroprotective functions. Here we use RNA sequencing, direct digital quantification of gene expression with nCounter® technology and targeted analysis of individual microglial signature genes, to characterize brain slice microglia relative to acutely-isolated counterparts and 2-dimensional (2D) primary microglia cultures, a widely used in vitro surrogate. Analysis using single cell and population-based methods found brain slice microglia exhibited better preservation of canonical microglia markers and overall gene expression with stronger fidelity to acutely-isolated adult microglia, relative to in vitro cells. We characterized the dynamic phenotypic changes of brain slice microglia over time, after plating in culture. Mechanical damage associated with slice preparation prompted an initial period of inflammation, which resolved over time. Based on flow cytometry and gene expression profiling we identified the 2-week timepoint as optimal for investigation of microglia responses to exogenously-applied stimuli as exemplified by treatment-induced neuroinflammatory changes observed in microglia following LPS, TNF and GM-CSF addition to the culture medium. Altogether these findings indicate that brain slice cultures provide an experimental system superior to in vitro culture of microglia as a surrogate to investigate microglia functions, and the impact of soluble factors and cellular context on their physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex R D Delbridge
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Biogen Postdoctoral Scientist Program, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Dann Huh
- Translational Biology, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Margot Brickelmaier
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Jeremy C Burns
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Chris Roberts
- Translational Biology, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Ravi Challa
- Translational Biology, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Naideline Raymond
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Patrick Cullen
- Translational Biology, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Katelin A Ennis
- Genetic and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Mei Liu
- Biogen Postdoctoral Scientist Program, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Chao Sun
- Biogen Postdoctoral Scientist Program, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Normand E Allaire
- Biogen Postdoctoral Scientist Program, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Marianna Foos
- Biogen Postdoctoral Scientist Program, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Hui-Hsin Tsai
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Richard M Ransohoff
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Cherie Butts
- Digital & Quantitative Medicine, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Michael Mingueneau
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, United States
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50
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Wu Q, Shaikh MA, Meymand ES, Zhang B, Luk KC, Trojanowski JQ, Lee VMY. Neuronal activity modulates alpha-synuclein aggregation and spreading in organotypic brain slice cultures and in vivo. Acta Neuropathol 2020; 140:831-849. [PMID: 33021680 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-020-02227-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) preformed fibrils (PFF) induce endogenous αSyn aggregation leading to reduced synaptic transmission. Neuronal activity modulates release of αSyn; however, whether neuronal activity regulates the spreading of αSyn pathology remains elusive. Here, we established a hippocampal slice culture system from wild-type (WT) mice and found that both Ca2+ influx and the uptake of αSyn PFF were higher in the CA3 than in the CA1 sub-region. Pharmacologically enhancing neuronal activity substantially increased αSyn pathology in αSyn PFF-treated hippocampal or midbrain slice cultures and accelerated dopaminergic neuron degeneration. Consistently, neuronal hyperactivity promoted PFF trafficking along axons/dendrites within microfluidic chambers. Unexpectedly, enhancing neuronal activity in LRRK2 G2019S mutant slice cultures further increased αSyn pathology, especially with more Lewy body (LB) forming than in WT slice cultures. Finally, following injection of αSyn PFF and chemogenetic modulators into the dorsal striatum of WT mice, both motor behavior and αSyn pathology were exacerbated likely by enhancing neuronal activity, since they were ameliorated by reducing neuronal activity. Thus, a greater understanding of the impact of neuronal activity on αSyn aggregation and spreading, as well as dopaminergic neuronal vulnerability, may provide new therapeutic strategies for patients with LB disease (LBD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihui Wu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4283, USA
| | - Muhammad A Shaikh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4283, USA
| | - Emily S Meymand
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4283, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4283, USA
| | - Kelvin C Luk
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4283, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4283, USA
| | - Virginia M-Y Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4283, USA.
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