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Myers AJ, Brahimi A, Jenkins IJ, Koob AO. The Synucleins and the Astrocyte. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020155. [PMID: 36829434 PMCID: PMC9952504 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Synucleins consist of three proteins exclusively expressed in vertebrates. α-Synuclein (αS) has been identified as the main proteinaceous aggregate in Lewy bodies, a pathological hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases. Less is understood about β-synuclein (βS) and γ-synuclein (γS), although it is known βS can interact with αS in vivo to inhibit aggregation. Likewise, both γS and βS can inhibit αS's propensity to aggregate in vitro. In the central nervous system, βS and αS, and to a lesser extent γS, are highly expressed in the neural presynaptic terminal, although they are not strictly located there, and emerging data have shown a more complex expression profile. Synapse loss and astrocyte atrophy are early aspects of degenerative diseases of the brain and correlate with disease progression. Synucleins appear to be involved in synaptic transmission, and astrocytes coordinate and organize synaptic function, with excess αS degraded by astrocytes and microglia adjacent to the synapse. βS and γS have also been observed in the astrocyte and may provide beneficial roles. The astrocytic responsibility for degradation of αS as well as emerging evidence on possible astrocytic functions of βS and γS, warrant closer inspection on astrocyte-synuclein interactions at the synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail J. Myers
- Neuroscience Program, Health Science Research Facility, University of Vermont, 149 Beaumont Ave., Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Ayat Brahimi
- Biology Department, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT 06117, USA
| | - Imani J. Jenkins
- Biology Department, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT 06117, USA
| | - Andrew O. Koob
- Biology Department, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT 06117, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-860-768-5780
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Hagihara H, Shoji H, Kuroiwa M, Graef IA, Crabtree GR, Nishi A, Miyakawa T. Forebrain-specific conditional calcineurin deficiency induces dentate gyrus immaturity and hyper-dopaminergic signaling in mice. Mol Brain 2022; 15:94. [PMID: 36414974 PMCID: PMC9682671 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-022-00981-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcineurin (Cn), a phosphatase important for synaptic plasticity and neuronal development, has been implicated in the etiology and pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. Forebrain-specific conditional Cn knockout mice have been known to exhibit multiple behavioral phenotypes related to these disorders. In this study, we investigated whether Cn mutant mice show pseudo-immaturity of the dentate gyrus (iDG) in the hippocampus, which we have proposed as an endophenotype shared by these disorders. Expression of calbindin and GluA1, typical markers for mature DG granule cells (GCs), was decreased and that of doublecortin, calretinin, phospho-CREB, and dopamine D1 receptor (Drd1), markers for immature GC, was increased in Cn mutants. Phosphorylation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) substrates (GluA1, ERK2, DARPP-32, PDE4) was increased and showed higher sensitivity to SKF81297, a Drd1-like agonist, in Cn mutants than in controls. While cAMP/PKA signaling is increased in the iDG of Cn mutants, chronic treatment with rolipram, a selective PDE4 inhibitor that increases intracellular cAMP, ameliorated the iDG phenotype significantly and nesting behavior deficits with nominal significance. Chronic rolipram administration also decreased the phosphorylation of CREB, but not the other four PKA substrates examined, in Cn mutants. These results suggest that Cn deficiency induces pseudo-immaturity of GCs and that cAMP signaling increases to compensate for this maturation abnormality. This study further supports the idea that iDG is an endophenotype shared by certain neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Hagihara
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Center for Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192 Japan
| | - Hirotaka Shoji
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Center for Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192 Japan
| | - Mahomi Kuroiwa
- Department of Pharmacology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011 Japan
| | - Isabella A. Graef
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Gerald R. Crabtree
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Akinori Nishi
- Department of Pharmacology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011 Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Center for Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192 Japan
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Hayashi J, Carver JA. β-Synuclein: An Enigmatic Protein with Diverse Functionality. Biomolecules 2022; 12:142. [PMID: 35053291 PMCID: PMC8773819 DOI: 10.3390/biom12010142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αS) is a small, unstructured, presynaptic protein expressed in the brain. Its aggregated form is a major component of Lewy bodies, the large proteinaceous deposits in Parkinson's disease. The closely related protein, β-Synuclein (βS), is co-expressed with αS. In vitro, βS acts as a molecular chaperone to inhibit αS aggregation. As a result of this assignation, βS has been largely understudied in comparison to αS. However, recent reports suggest that βS promotes neurotoxicity, implying that βS is involved in other cellular pathways with functions independent of αS. Here, we review the current literature pertaining to human βS in order to understand better the role of βS in homeostasis and pathology. Firstly, the structure of βS is discussed. Secondly, the ability of βS to (i) act as a molecular chaperone; (ii) regulate synaptic function, lipid binding, and the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system; (iii) mediate apoptosis; (iv) participate in protein degradation pathways; (v) modulate intracellular metal levels; and (vi) promote cellular toxicity and protein aggregation is explored. Thirdly, the P123H and V70M mutations of βS, which are associated with dementia with Lewy bodies, are discussed. Finally, the importance of post-translational modifications on the structure and function of βS is reviewed. Overall, it is concluded that βS has both synergistic and antagonistic interactions with αS, but it may also possess important cellular functions independent of αS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John A. Carver
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia;
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Nagashima S, Ito N, Kobayashi R, Shiiba I, Shimura H, Fukuda T, Hagihara H, Miyakawa T, Inatome R, Yanagi S. Forebrain-specific deficiency of the GTPase CRAG/Centaurin-γ3 leads to immature dentate gyri and hyperactivity in mice. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100620. [PMID: 33811862 PMCID: PMC8099661 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100620] [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: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse models of various neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, often display an immature dentate gyrus, characterized by increased numbers of immature neurons and neuronal progenitors and a dearth of mature neurons. We previously demonstrated that the CRMP5-associated GTPase (CRAG), a short splice variant of Centaurin-γ3/AGAP3, is highly expressed in the dentate gyrus. CRAG promotes cell survival and antioxidant defense by inducing the activation of serum response factors at promyelocytic leukemia protein bodies, which are nuclear stress-responsive domains, during neuronal development. However, the physiological role of CRAG in neuronal development remains unknown. Here, we analyzed the role of CRAG using dorsal forebrain-specific CRAG/Centaurin-γ3 knockout mice. The mice revealed maturational abnormality of the hippocampal granule cells, including increased doublecortin-positive immature neurons and decreased calbindin-positive mature neurons, a typical phenotype of immature dentate gyri. Furthermore, the mice displayed hyperactivity in the open-field test, a common measure of exploratory behavior, suggesting that these mice may serve as a novel model for neuropsychiatric disorder associated with hyperactivity. Thus, we conclude that CRAG is required for the maturation of neurons in the dentate gyrus, raising the possibility that its deficiency might promote the development of psychiatric disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Nagashima
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Naoki Ito
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Reiki Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Isshin Shiiba
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Shimura
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Fukuda
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideo Hagihara
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Ryoko Inatome
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeru Yanagi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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Fluoxetine-induced dematuration of hippocampal neurons and adult cortical neurogenesis in the common marmoset. Mol Brain 2019; 12:69. [PMID: 31383032 PMCID: PMC6683334 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-019-0489-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine (FLX) is widely used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. Chronic FLX treatment reportedly induces cellular responses in the brain, including increased adult hippocampal and cortical neurogenesis and reversal of neuron maturation in the hippocampus, amygdala, and cortex. However, because most previous studies have used rodent models, it remains unclear whether these FLX-induced changes occur in the primate brain. To evaluate the effects of FLX in the primate brain, we used immunohistological methods to assess neurogenesis and the expression of neuronal maturity markers following chronic FLX treatment (3 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks) in adult marmosets (n = 3 per group). We found increased expression of doublecortin and calretinin, markers of immature neurons, in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of FLX-treated marmosets. Further, FLX treatment reduced parvalbumin expression and the number of neurons with perineuronal nets, which indicate mature fast-spiking interneurons, in the hippocampus, but not in the amygdala or cerebral cortex. We also found that FLX treatment increased the generation of cortical interneurons; however, significant up-regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis was not observed in FLX-treated marmosets. These results suggest that dematuration of hippocampal neurons and increased cortical neurogenesis may play roles in FLX-induced effects and/or side effects. Our results are consistent with those of previous studies showing hippocampal dematuration and increased cortical neurogenesis in FLX-treated rodents. In contrast, FLX did not affect hippocampal neurogenesis or dematuration of interneurons in the amygdala and cerebral cortex.
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Jellinger KA. Animal models of synucleinopathies and how they could impact future drug discovery and delivery efforts. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 14:969-982. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2019.1638908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Transcriptomic immaturity inducible by neural hyperexcitation is shared by multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. Commun Biol 2019; 2:32. [PMID: 30675529 PMCID: PMC6342824 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0277-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomarkers are needed to improve the diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorders, which are often associated to excitatory/inhibitory imbalances in neural transmission and abnormal maturation. Here, we characterized different disease conditions by mapping changes in the expression patterns of maturation-related genes whose expression was altered by experimental neural hyperexcitation in published studies. This analysis revealed two gene expression patterns: decreases in maturity markers and increases in immaturity markers. These two groups of genes were characterized by the over-representation of genes related to synaptic function and chromosomal modification, respectively. Using these two groups in a transdiagnostic analysis of 87 disease datasets for eight neuropsychiatric disorders and 12 datasets from corresponding animal models, we found that transcriptomic pseudoimmaturity inducible by neural hyperexcitation is shared by multiple neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer disorders, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Our results indicate that this endophenotype serves as a basis for the transdiagnostic characterization of these disorders. Tomoyuki Murano et al. showed that neural hyperexcitation increases the expression of immaturity related genes. These changes in gene expression are shared among different neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions, hinting at their potential role as biomarkers.
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Zheng F, Cui D, Zhang L, Zhang S, Zhao Y, Liu X, Liu C, Li Z, Zhang D, Shi L, Liu Z, Hou K, Lu W, Yin T, Qiu J. The Volume of Hippocampal Subfields in Relation to Decline of Memory Recall Across the Adult Lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:320. [PMID: 30364081 PMCID: PMC6191512 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The hippocampus is an important limbic structure closely related to memory function. However, few studies have focused on the association between hippocampal subfields and age-related memory decline. We investigated the volume alterations of hippocampal subfields at different ages and assessed the correlations with Immediate and Delayed recall abilities. Materials and Methods: A total of 275 participants aged 20-89 years were classified into 4 groups: Young, 20-35 years; Middle-early, 36-50 years; Middle-late, 51-65 years; Old, 66-89 years. All data were acquired from the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study (DLBS). The volumes of hippocampal subfields were obtained using Freesurfer software. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to analyze alterations of subfield volumes among the 4 groups, and multiple comparisons between groups were performed using the Bonferroni method. Spearman correlation with false discovery rate correction was used to investigate the relationship between memory recall scores and hippocampal subfield volumes. Results: Apart from no significant difference in the left parasubiculum (P = 0.269) and a slight difference in the right parasubiculum (P = 0.022), the volumes of other hippocampal subfields were significantly different across the adult lifespan (P < 0.001). The hippocampal fissure volume was increased in the Old group, while volumes for other subfields decreased. In addition, Immediate recall scores were associated with volumes of the bilateral molecular layer, granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus (GC-DG), cornus ammonis (CA) 1, CA2/3, CA4, left fimbria and hippocampal amygdala transition area (HATA), and right fissure (P < 0.05). Delayed recall scores were associated with the bilateral molecular layer, GC-DG, CA2/3 and CA4; left tail, presubiculum, CA1, subiculum, fimbria and HATA (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The parasubiculum volume was not significantly different across the adult lifespan, while atrophy in dementia patients in some studies. Based on these findings, we speculate that volume changes in this region might be considered as a biomarker for dementia disorders. Additionally, several hippocampal subfield volumes were significantly associated with memory scores, further highlighting the key role of the hippocampus in age-related memory decline. These regions could be used to assess the risk of memory decline across the adult lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenglian Zheng
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Dong Cui
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Shitong Zhang
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Chunhua Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Zhengmei Li
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhang
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Liting Shi
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Zhipeng Liu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Kun Hou
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Wen Lu
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Tao Yin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianfeng Qiu
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
- Imaging-X Joint Laboratory, Taian, China
- College of Radiology, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China
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