1
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Effect of chronic lithium on mechanical sensitivity and trabecular bone loss induced by type-1 diabetes mellitus in mice. Biometals 2022; 35:1033-1042. [PMID: 35849260 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-022-00421-5] [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: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic condition characterized by long-term hyperglycemia that results in several complications such as painful peripheral neuropathy, bone deterioration, and increased risk of bone fractures. Lithium, a first-line therapy for bipolar disorder, has become an attractive agent for attenuating peripheral neuropathy and menopause-induced bone loss. Therefore, our aim was to determine the effect of chronic lithium treatment on mechanical hypersensitivity and trabecular bone loss induced by T1DM in mice. T1DM was induced in male C57BL/6J mice by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg/day, for 5 consecutive days). 12 weeks after T1DM-induction, mice received a daily intraperitoneal injection of vehicle, 30 or 60 mg/kg lithium (as LiCl) for 6 weeks. Throughout the treatment period, blood glucose levels and mechanical sensitivity were evaluated every 2 weeks. After lithium treatment, the femur and L5 vertebra were harvested for microcomputed tomography (microCT) analysis. T1DM mice showed significant hyperglycemia, mechanical hypersensitivity, and significant trabecular bone loss as compared with the control group. Chronic lithium treatment did not revert the hindpaw mechanical hypersensitivity nor hyperglycemia associated to T1DM induced by STZ. In contrast, microCT analysis revealed that lithium reverted, in a dose-dependent manner, the loss of trabecular bone associated to T1DM induced by STZ at both the distal femur and L5 vertebra. Lithium treatment by itself did not affect any trabecular bone parameter in non-diabetic mice.
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2
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Zhang C, Burch M, Wylie K, Herter B, Franklin CL, Ericsson AC. Characterization of the Eukaryotic Virome of Mice from Different Sources. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102064. [PMID: 34683385 PMCID: PMC8538372 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating studies show that the host microbiome influences the development or progression of many diseases. The eukaryotic virome, as a key component of the microbiome, plays an important role in host health and disease in humans and animals, including research animals designed to model human disease. To date, the majority of research on the microbiome has focused on bacterial populations, while less attention has been paid to the viral component. Members of the eukaryotic virome interact with the commensal bacterial microbiome through trans-kingdom interactions, and influence host immunity and disease phenotypes as a collective microbial ecosystem. As such, differences in the virome may affect the reproducibility of animal models, and supplementation of the virome may enhance the translatability of animal models of human disease. However, there are minimal empirical data regarding differences in the virome of mice from different commercial sources. Our hypotheses were that the mice obtained from pet store sources and lab mice differ in their eukaryotic virome, and that lab mice from different sources would also have different viromes. To test this hypothesis, the ViroCap platform was used to characterize the eukaryotic virome in multiple tissues of mice from different sources including three sources of laboratory mice and two pet stores. As expected, pet store mice harbored a much greater diversity within the virome compared to lab mice. This included an ostensibly novel norovirus strain identified in one source of these mice. Viruses found in both laboratory and pet store populations included four strains of endogenous retroviruses and murine astrovirus with the latter being restricted to one source of lab mice. Considering the relatively high richness virome within different samples from healthy humans, these data suggest that mouse models from alternative sources may be more translational to the human condition. Moreover, these data demonstrate that, by characterizing the eukaryotic murine virome from different sources, novel viruses may be identified for use as field strains in biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunye Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (C.Z.); (M.B.)
| | - Matt Burch
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (C.Z.); (M.B.)
| | - Kristine Wylie
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (K.W.); (B.H.)
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Brandi Herter
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (K.W.); (B.H.)
| | - Craig L. Franklin
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (C.Z.); (M.B.)
- Metagenomics Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Mutant Mouse Resource and Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Correspondence: (C.L.F.); (A.C.E.)
| | - Aaron C. Ericsson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (C.Z.); (M.B.)
- Metagenomics Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Mutant Mouse Resource and Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Correspondence: (C.L.F.); (A.C.E.)
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3
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Abstract
Motor neuron diseases (MND) are a group of fatal progressive neurodegenerative diseases, which selectively affect the motor system in the anterior horn of spinal cord, brainstem, cortex and pyramidal tract. Motor neurons could be divided into two groups, which are upper groups in the motor cortex and lower groups in the brain stem and spinal cord. Loss of lower motor neurons leads to muscle weakness, wasting and cramps. Loss of upper motor neurons leads to brisk reflexes and functional limits. There are several types of motor neuron disease: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive bulbar palsy (PBP), progressive muscular atrophy (PMA), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). Now, the studies of autophagy in MND focus on the type of ALS, so this chapter will summarize the alteration of autophagy in motor neurons, and how that knowledge contributes to our understanding of the pathogenesis of ALS.
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4
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Bendotti C, Bonetto V, Pupillo E, Logroscino G, Al-Chalabi A, Lunetta C, Riva N, Mora G, Lauria G, Weishaupt JH, Agosta F, Malaspina A, Basso M, Greensmith L, Van Den Bosch L, Ratti A, Corbo M, Hardiman O, Chiò A, Silani V, Beghi E. Focus on the heterogeneity of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2020; 21:485-495. [PMID: 32583689 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1779298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The clinical manifestations of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are variable in terms of age at disease onset, site of onset, progression of symptoms, motor neuron involvement, and the occurrence of cognitive and behavioral changes. Genetic background is a key determinant of the ALS phenotype. The mortality of the disease also varies with the ancestral origin of the affected population and environmental factors are likely to be associated with ALS at least within some cohorts. Disease heterogeneity is likely underpinned by the presence of different pathogenic mechanisms. A variety of ALS animal models can be informative about the heterogeneity of the neuropathological or genetic aspects of the disease and can support the development of new therapeutic intervention. Evolving biomarkers can contribute to the identification of differing genotypes and phenotypes, and can be used to explore whether genotypic and phenotypic differences in animal models might help to provide a better definition of the heterogeneity of ALS in humans. These include neurofilaments, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, extracellular vesicles, microRNA and imaging findings. These biomarkers might predict not only the development of the disease, but also the variability in progression, although robust validation is required. A promising area of progress in modeling the heterogeneity of human ALS is represented by the use of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs)-derived motor neurons. Although the translational value of iPSCs remains unclear, this model is attractive in the perspective of replicating the heterogeneity of sporadic ALS as a first step toward a personalized medicine strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Bendotti
- Mario Negri-ALS Study Group, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Valentina Bonetto
- Mario Negri-ALS Study Group, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Pupillo
- Mario Negri-ALS Study Group, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- Department of Neurosciences and Sense Organs, Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari; Fondazione Giovanni Panico Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Christian Lunetta
- NEuroMuscular Omnicentre (NEMO), Serena Onlus Foundation, Milano, Italy
| | - Nilo Riva
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy
| | - Gabriela Mora
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, ICS Maugeri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lauria
- Unit of Neurology, Motor Neuron Disease Center, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta", Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Lduigi Sacco", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Manuela Basso
- Mario Negri-ALS Study Group, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy.,Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Università degli Studi di Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Linda Greensmith
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Center for Brain & Disease Research (VIB) and Laboratory of Neurobiology (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Antonia Ratti
- Department of Neurology - Stroke Unit and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milano, Italy.,Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Massimo Corbo
- Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa Cura Policlinico (CCP), Milano, Italy
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Adriano Chiò
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology - Stroke Unit and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milano, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Ettore Beghi
- Mario Negri-ALS Study Group, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
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5
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Elliott E, Bailey O, Waldron FM, Hardingham GE, Chandran S, Gregory JM. Therapeutic Targeting of Proteostasis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Research. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:511. [PMID: 32523508 PMCID: PMC7261930 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive fatal neurodegenerative condition. There are no effective treatments. The only globally licensed medication, that prolongs life by 2–3 months, was approved by the FDA in 1995. One reason for the absence of effective treatments is disease heterogeneity noting that ALS is clinically heterogeneous and can be considered to exist on a neuropathological spectrum with frontotemporal dementia. Despite this significant clinical heterogeneity, protein misfolding has been identified as a unifying pathological feature in these cases. Based on this shared pathophysiology, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the therapeutic efficacy of compounds that specifically target protein misfolding in preclinical studies of both ALS and FTD. Methods: Three databases: (i) PubMed, (ii) MEDLINE, and (iii) EMBASE were searched. All studies comparing the effect of treatments targeting protein misfolding in pre-clinical ALS or FTD models to a control group were retrieved. Results: Systematic review identified 70 pre-clinical studies investigating the effects of therapies targeting protein misfolding on survival. Meta-analysis revealed that targeting protein misfolding did significantly improve survival compared to untreated controls (p < 0.001, df = 68, α = 0.05, CI 1.05–1.16), with no evidence of heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 0%). Further subgroup analyses, evaluating the effect of timing of these interventions, showed that, only treating prior to symptom onset (n = 33), significantly improved survival (p < 0.001, df = 31, α = 0.05, CI 1.08–1.29), although this likely reflects the inadequate sample size of later time points. Furthermore, arimoclomol was found to significantly reduce secondary outcome measures including: (i) histological outcomes, (ii) behavioral outcomes, and (iii) biochemical outcomes (p < 0.005). Conclusions: This analysis supports the hypothesis that protein misfolding plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ALS and FTD and that targeting protein misfolding, at least in pre-clinical models, can significantly improve survival, especially if such an intervention is administered prior to symptom onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Elliott
- UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Euan MacDonald Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Edinburgh Neuroscience, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,MRC Edinburgh Brain Bank, Academic Department of Neuropathology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Olivia Bailey
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Euan MacDonald Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Fergal M Waldron
- Ashworth Laboratories, Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Centre for Immunity Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Giles E Hardingham
- UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Euan MacDonald Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Siddharthan Chandran
- UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Euan MacDonald Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Edinburgh Neuroscience, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, inStem, Bangalore, India.,MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Jenna M Gregory
- UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,The Euan MacDonald Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Edinburgh Neuroscience, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,MRC Edinburgh Brain Bank, Academic Department of Neuropathology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Edinburgh Pathology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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6
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Seranova E, Palhegyi AM, Verma S, Dimova S, Lasry R, Naama M, Sun C, Barrett T, Rosenstock TR, Kumar D, Cohen MA, Buganim Y, Sarkar S. Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders for Studying the Biomedical Implications of Autophagy. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:2754-2798. [PMID: 32044344 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is an intracellular degradation process that is essential for cellular survival, tissue homeostasis, and human health. The housekeeping functions of autophagy in mediating the clearance of aggregation-prone proteins and damaged organelles are vital for post-mitotic neurons. Improper functioning of this process contributes to the pathology of myriad human diseases, including neurodegeneration. Impairment in autophagy has been reported in several neurodegenerative diseases where pharmacological induction of autophagy has therapeutic benefits in cellular and transgenic animal models. However, emerging studies suggest that the efficacy of autophagy inducers, as well as the nature of the autophagy defects, may be context-dependent, and therefore, studies in disease-relevant experimental systems may provide more insights for clinical translation to patients. With the advancements in human stem cell technology, it is now possible to establish disease-affected cellular platforms from patients for investigating disease mechanisms and identifying candidate drugs in the appropriate cell types, such as neurons that are otherwise not accessible. Towards this, patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have demonstrated considerable promise in constituting a platform for effective disease modeling and drug discovery. Multiple studies have utilized hiPSC models of neurodegenerative diseases to study autophagy and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of autophagy inducers in neuronal cells. This review provides an overview of the regulation of autophagy, generation of hiPSCs via cellular reprogramming, and neuronal differentiation. It outlines the findings in various neurodegenerative disorders where autophagy has been studied using hiPSC models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Seranova
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Adina Maria Palhegyi
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Surbhi Verma
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Cellular Immunology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Simona Dimova
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Lasry
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Moriyah Naama
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Congxin Sun
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy Barrett
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Tatiana Rosado Rosenstock
- Department of Physiological Science, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, SP, 01221-020, Brazil
| | - Dhiraj Kumar
- Cellular Immunology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Malkiel A Cohen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Yosef Buganim
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Sovan Sarkar
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
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7
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Klotho Is Neuroprotective in the Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1 G93A) Mouse Model of ALS. J Mol Neurosci 2019; 69:264-285. [PMID: 31250273 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-019-01356-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. ALS neuropathology is associated with increased oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, and inflammation. We and others reported that the anti-aging and cognition-enhancing protein Klotho is a neuroprotective, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and promyelinating protein. In mice, its absence leads to an extremely shortened life span and to multiple phenotypes resembling human aging, including motor and hippocampal neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. In contrast, its overexpression extends life span, enhances cognition, and confers resistance against oxidative stress; it also reduces premature mortality and cognitive and behavioral abnormalities in an animal model for Alzheimer's disease (AD). These pleiotropic beneficial properties of Klotho suggest that Klotho could be a potent therapeutic target for preventing neurodegeneration in ALS. Klotho overexpression in the SOD1 mouse model of ALS resulted in delayed onset and progression of the disease and extended survival that was more prominent in females than in males. Klotho reduced the expression of neuroinflammatory markers and prevented neuronal loss with the more profound effect in the spinal cord than in the motor cortex. The effect of Klotho was accompanied by reduced expression of proinflammatory cytokines and enhanced the expression of antioxidative and promyelinating factors in the motor cortex and spinal cord of Klotho × SOD1 compared to SOD1 mice. Our study provides evidence that increased levels of Klotho alleviate ALS-associated pathology in the SOD1 mouse model and may serve as a basis for developing Klotho-based therapeutic strategies for ALS.
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8
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Le Pichon CE, Meilandt WJ, Dominguez S, Solanoy H, Lin H, Ngu H, Gogineni A, Sengupta Ghosh A, Jiang Z, Lee SH, Maloney J, Gandham VD, Pozniak CD, Wang B, Lee S, Siu M, Patel S, Modrusan Z, Liu X, Rudhard Y, Baca M, Gustafson A, Kaminker J, Carano RAD, Huang EJ, Foreman O, Weimer R, Scearce-Levie K, Lewcock JW. Loss of dual leucine zipper kinase signaling is protective in animal models of neurodegenerative disease. Sci Transl Med 2018; 9:9/403/eaag0394. [PMID: 28814543 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aag0394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hallmarks of chronic neurodegenerative disease include progressive synaptic loss and neuronal cell death, yet the cellular pathways that underlie these processes remain largely undefined. We provide evidence that dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) is an essential regulator of the progressive neurodegeneration that occurs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. We demonstrate that DLK/c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling was increased in mouse models and human patients with these disorders and that genetic deletion of DLK protected against axon degeneration, neuronal loss, and functional decline in vivo. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of DLK activity was sufficient to attenuate the neuronal stress response and to provide functional benefit even in the presence of ongoing disease. These findings demonstrate that pathological activation of DLK is a conserved mechanism that regulates neurodegeneration and suggest that DLK inhibition may be a potential approach to treat multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Le Pichon
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - William J Meilandt
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Sara Dominguez
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Hilda Solanoy
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Han Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Hai Ngu
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Alvin Gogineni
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | - Zhiyu Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Seung-Hye Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Janice Maloney
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Vineela D Gandham
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Christine D Pozniak
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Bei Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Sebum Lee
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Michael Siu
- Department of Discovery Chemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Snahel Patel
- Department of Discovery Chemistry, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Zora Modrusan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Xingrong Liu
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - York Rudhard
- In Vitro Pharmacology, Evotec AG, Manfred Eigen Campus, 22419 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Baca
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Amy Gustafson
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Josh Kaminker
- Department of Bioinformatics, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Richard A D Carano
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Eric J Huang
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.,Pathology Service 113B, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
| | - Oded Foreman
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Robby Weimer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Kimberly Scearce-Levie
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Joseph W Lewcock
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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9
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Kondori NR, Paul P, Robbins JP, Liu K, Hildyard JCW, Wells DJ, de Belleroche JS. Focus on the Role of D-serine and D-amino Acid Oxidase in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Motor Neuron Disease (ALS). Front Mol Biosci 2018; 5:8. [PMID: 29487852 PMCID: PMC5816792 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2018.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We have investigated a pathogenic mutation in D-amino acid oxidase (DAO), DAOR199W, associated with familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) that impairs D-serine metabolism and causes protein aggregation, autophagy and cell death in motor neuron cell lines. These features are consistent with the pathogenic processes occurring in ALS but most importantly, we have demonstrated that activation of the formation of ubiquitinated protein inclusions, increased autophagosome production and apoptotic cell death caused by the mutation in cell lines are attenuated by 5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid (DCKA), a selective inhibitor of the glycine/D-serine binding site of the NMDA receptor. D-serine is an essential co-agonist at this glutamate receptor. This data provides insight into potential upstream mechanisms that involve the action of D-serine at the NMDA receptor and might contribute to neurodegeneration. This is highly relevant to sporadic ALS (SALS), familial ALS, as well as ALS models, where elevated levels of D-serine have been reported and hence has broader clinical therapeutic implications. In order to investigate this further, we have generated a transgenic line expressing the pathogenic mutation, in order to determine whether mice expressing DAOR199W develop a motor phenotype and whether crossing the SOD1G93A model of ALS with mice expressing DAOR199W affects disease progression. We found that heterozygous expression of DAOR199W led to a significant loss of spinal cord motor neurons at 14 months, which is similar to that found in homozygous mice expressing DAOG181R. We hypothesize that DAO has potential for development as a therapeutic agent in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazanin R Kondori
- Neurogenetics Group, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Praveen Paul
- Neurogenetics Group, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacqueline P Robbins
- Neurogenetics Group, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ke Liu
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - John C W Hildyard
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dominic J Wells
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacqueline S de Belleroche
- Neurogenetics Group, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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10
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Kondori NR, Paul P, Robbins JP, Liu K, Hildyard JCW, Wells DJ, de Belleroche JS. Characterisation of the pathogenic effects of the in vivo expression of an ALS-linked mutation in D-amino acid oxidase: Phenotype and loss of spinal cord motor neurons. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188912. [PMID: 29194436 PMCID: PMC5711026 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult-onset neuromuscular disorder characterised by selective loss of motor neurons leading to fatal paralysis. Current therapeutic approaches are limited in their effectiveness. Substantial advances in understanding ALS disease mechanisms has come from the identification of pathogenic mutations in dominantly inherited familial ALS (FALS). We previously reported a coding mutation in D-amino acid oxidase (DAOR199W) associated with FALS. DAO metabolises D-serine, an essential co-agonist at the N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid glutamate receptor subtype (NMDAR). Using primary motor neuron cultures or motor neuron cell lines we demonstrated that expression of DAOR199W, promoted the formation of ubiquitinated protein aggregates, activated autophagy and increased apoptosis. The aim of this study was to characterise the effects of DAOR199Win vivo, using transgenic mice overexpressing DAOR199W. Marked abnormal motor features, e.g. kyphosis, were evident in mice expressing DAOR199W, which were associated with a significant loss (19%) of lumbar spinal cord motor neurons, analysed at 14 months. When separated by gender, this effect was greater in females (26%; p< 0.0132). In addition, we crossed the DAOR199W transgenic mouse line with the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS to determine whether the effects of SOD1G93A were potentiated in the double transgenic line (DAOR199W/SOD1G93A). Although overall survival was not affected, onset of neurological signs was significantly earlier in female double transgenic animals than their female SOD1G93A littermates (125 days vs 131 days, P = 0.0239). In summary, some significant in vivo effects of DAOR199W on motor neuron function (i.e. kyphosis and loss of motor neurons) were detected which were most marked in females and could contribute to the earlier onset of neurological signs in double transgenic females compared to SOD1G93A littermates, highlighting the importance of recognizing gender effects present in animal models of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazanin Rahmani Kondori
- Neurogenetics Group, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Praveen Paul
- Neurogenetics Group, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacqueline P. Robbins
- Neurogenetics Group, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ke Liu
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - John C. W. Hildyard
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dominic J. Wells
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacqueline S. de Belleroche
- Neurogenetics Group, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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11
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Distinct roles for motor neuron autophagy early and late in the SOD1 G93A mouse model of ALS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E8294-E8303. [PMID: 28904095 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1704294114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in autophagy genes can cause familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the role of autophagy in ALS pathogenesis is poorly understood, in part due to the lack of cell type-specific manipulations of this pathway in animal models. Using a mouse model of ALS expressing mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1G93A), we show that motor neurons form large autophagosomes containing ubiquitinated aggregates early in disease progression. To investigate whether this response is protective or detrimental, we generated mice in which the critical autophagy gene Atg7 was specifically disrupted in motor neurons (Atg7 cKO). Atg7 cKO mice were viable but exhibited structural and functional defects at a subset of vulnerable neuromuscular junctions. By crossing Atg7 cKO mice to the SOD1G93A mouse model, we found that autophagy inhibition accelerated early neuromuscular denervation of the tibialis anterior muscle and the onset of hindlimb tremor. Surprisingly, however, lifespan was extended in Atg7 cKO; SOD1G93A double-mutant mice. Autophagy inhibition did not prevent motor neuron cell death, but it reduced glial inflammation and blocked activation of the stress-related transcription factor c-Jun in spinal interneurons. We conclude that motor neuron autophagy is required to maintain neuromuscular innervation early in disease but eventually acts in a non-cell-autonomous manner to promote disease progression.
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12
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De Vos KJ, Hafezparast M. Neurobiology of axonal transport defects in motor neuron diseases: Opportunities for translational research? Neurobiol Dis 2017; 105:283-299. [PMID: 28235672 PMCID: PMC5536153 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular trafficking of cargoes is an essential process to maintain the structure and function of all mammalian cell types, but especially of neurons because of their extreme axon/dendrite polarisation. Axonal transport mediates the movement of cargoes such as proteins, mRNA, lipids, membrane-bound vesicles and organelles that are mostly synthesised in the cell body and in doing so is responsible for their correct spatiotemporal distribution in the axon, for example at specialised sites such as nodes of Ranvier and synaptic terminals. In addition, axonal transport maintains the essential long-distance communication between the cell body and synaptic terminals that allows neurons to react to their surroundings via trafficking of for example signalling endosomes. Axonal transport defects are a common observation in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, and mutations in components of the axonal transport machinery have unequivocally shown that impaired axonal transport can cause neurodegeneration (reviewed in El-Kadi et al., 2007, De Vos et al., 2008; Millecamps and Julien, 2013). Here we review our current understanding of axonal transport defects and the role they play in motor neuron diseases (MNDs) with a specific focus on the most common form of MND, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt J De Vos
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK.
| | - Majid Hafezparast
- Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK.
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13
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Ramesh N, Pandey UB. Autophagy Dysregulation in ALS: When Protein Aggregates Get Out of Hand. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:263. [PMID: 28878620 PMCID: PMC5572252 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results from the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. One of the key pathological hallmarks in diseased neurons is the mislocalization of disease-associated proteins and the formation of cytoplasmic aggregates of these proteins and their interactors due to defective protein quality control. This apparent imbalance in the cellular protein homeostasis could be a crucial factor in causing motor neuron death in the later stages of the disease in patients. Autophagy is a major protein degradation pathway that is involved in the clearance of protein aggregates and damaged organelles. Abnormalities in autophagy have been observed in numerous neurodegenerative disorders, including ALS. In this review, we discuss the contribution of autophagy dysfunction in various in vitro and in vivo models of ALS. Furthermore, we examine the crosstalk between autophagy and other cellular stresses implicated in ALS pathogenesis and the therapeutic implications of regulating autophagy in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Ramesh
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public HealthPittsburgh, PA, United States.,Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical CenterPittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Udai Bhan Pandey
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public HealthPittsburgh, PA, United States.,Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical CenterPittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, PA, United States
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14
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Vieira FG, Hatzipetros T, Thompson K, Moreno AJ, Kidd JD, Tassinari VR, Levine B, Perrin S, Gill A. CuATSM efficacy is independently replicated in a SOD1 mouse model of ALS while unmetallated ATSM therapy fails to reveal benefits. IBRO Rep 2017; 2:47-53. [PMID: 30135932 PMCID: PMC6084867 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibror.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A copper chelator known as diacetylbis(N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazonato) copper II (CuATSM), has been reported to be efficacious in multiple transgenic SOD1 models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor neurons. Here we report that we also observed CuATSM efficacy on disease onset and progression in a standardized litter-matched and gender-balanced efficacy study using B6SJL-SOD1G93A/1Gur mice. We also report improved survival trends with CuATSM treatment. In addition, we report a lack of efficacy by unmetallated ATSM in the same model using the same standardized study design. These results add to existing evidence supporting an efficacious role for copper delivery using chaperone molecules in mouse models of ALS. CuATSM administration slows disease onset and progression in high copy SOD1 mice. Signs of CuATSM efficacy are more pronounced in male SOD1 mice than in female SOD1 mice. Unmetallated ATSM administration reveals no detectable effects on disease progression in high copy SOD1 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Alan Gill
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, USA
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15
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Lu H, Le WD, Xie YY, Wang XP. Current Therapy of Drugs in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Curr Neuropharmacol 2016; 14:314-21. [PMID: 26786249 PMCID: PMC4876587 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x14666160120152423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly termed as motor neuron disease (MND) in UK, is a chronically lethal disorder among the neurodegenerative diseases, meanwhile. ALS is basically irreversible and progressive deterioration of upper and lower motor neurons in the motor cortex, brain stem and medulla spinalis. Riluzole, used for the treatment of ALS, was demonstrated to slightly delay the initiation of respiratory dysfunction and extend the median survival of patients by a few months. In this study, the key biochemical defects were discussed, such as: mutant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, mitochondrial protectants, and anti-excitotoxic/ anti-oxidative / anti-inflammatory/ anti-apoptotic agents, so the related drug candidates that have been studied in ALS models would possibly be further used in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiao-Ping Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai First People's Hospital , Shanghai Jiao-Tong University, China, 200080.
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16
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Therapeutic progress in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-beginning to learning. Eur J Med Chem 2016; 121:903-917. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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17
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Triheptanoin Protects Motor Neurons and Delays the Onset of Motor Symptoms in a Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161816. [PMID: 27564703 PMCID: PMC5001695 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that energy metabolism is disturbed in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients and animal models. Treatment with triheptanoin, the triglyceride of heptanoate, is a promising approach to provide alternative fuel to improve oxidative phosphorylation and aid ATP generation. Heptanoate can be metabolized to propionyl-CoA, which after carboxylation can produce succinyl-CoA and thereby re-fill the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (anaplerosis). Here we tested the hypothesis that treatment with triheptanoin prevents motor neuron loss and delays the onset of disease symptoms in female mice overexpressing the mutant human SOD1G93A (hSOD1G93A) gene. When oral triheptanoin (35% of caloric content) was initiated at P35, motor neuron loss at 70 days of age was attenuated by 33%. In untreated hSOD1G93A mice, the loss of hind limb grip strength began at 16.7 weeks. Triheptanoin maintained hind limb grip strength for 2.8 weeks longer (p<0.01). Loss of balance on the rotarod and reduction of body weight were delayed by 13 and 11 days respectively (both p<0.01). Improved motor function occurred in parallel with alterations in the expression of genes associated with muscle metabolism. In gastrocnemius muscles, the mRNA levels of pyruvate, 2-oxoglutarate and succinate dehydrogenases and methyl-malonyl mutase were reduced by 24–33% in 10 week old hSOD1G93A mice when compared to wild-type mice, suggesting that TCA cycling in skeletal muscle may be slowed in this ALS mouse model at a stage when muscle strength is still normal. At 25 weeks of age, mRNA levels of succinate dehydrogenases, glutamic pyruvic transaminase 2 and the propionyl carboxylase β subunit were reduced by 69–84% in control, but not in triheptanoin treated hSOD1G93A animals. Taken together, our results suggest that triheptanoin slows motor neuron loss and the onset of motor symptoms in ALS mice by improving TCA cycling.
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18
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McGown A, Shaw DPJ, Ramesh T. ZNStress: a high-throughput drug screening protocol for identification of compounds modulating neuronal stress in the transgenic mutant sod1G93R zebrafish model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mol Neurodegener 2016; 11:56. [PMID: 27460825 PMCID: PMC4962399 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-016-0122-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal neurodegenerative disease with death on average within 2–3 years of symptom onset. Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) have been identified to cause ALS. Riluzole, the only neuroprotective drug for ALS provides life extension of only 3 months on average. Thishighlights the need for compound screening in disease models to identify new neuroprotective therapies for this disease. Zebrafish is an emerging model system that is well suited for the study of diseasepathophysiology and also for high throughput (HT) drug screening. The mutant sod1 zebrafish model of ALS mimics the hallmark features of ALS. Using a fluorescence based readout of neuronal stress, we developed a high throughput (HT) screen to identify neuroprotective compounds. Results Here we show that the zebrafish screen is a robust system that can be used to rapidly screen thousands ofcompounds and also demonstrate that riluzole is capable of reducing neuronal stress in this model system. The screen shows optimal quality control, maintaining a high sensitivity and specificity withoutcompromising throughput. Most importantly, we demonstrate that many compounds previously failed in human clinical trials, showed no stress reducing activity in the zebrafish assay. Conclusion We conclude that HT drug screening using a mutant sod1 zebrafish is a reliable model system which supplemented with secondary assays would be useful in identifying drugs with potential for neuroprotective efficacy in ALS. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13024-016-0122-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander McGown
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, 385A Glossop Road, Sheffield, UK
| | - Dame Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, 385A Glossop Road, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tennore Ramesh
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, 385A Glossop Road, Sheffield, UK.
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19
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Han Y, Ripley B, Serada S, Naka T, Fujimoto M. Interleukin-6 Deficiency Does Not Affect Motor Neuron Disease Caused by Superoxide Dismutase 1 Mutation. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153399. [PMID: 27070121 PMCID: PMC4829212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background & Aim Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset, progressive, motor neuron degenerative disease. Recent evidence indicates that inflammation is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases including ALS. Previously, abnormal levels of inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were described in ALS patients and/or in mouse ALS models. In addition, one study showed that blocking IL-1β could slow down progression of ALS-like symptoms in mice. In this study, we examined a role for IL-6 in ALS, using an animal model for familial ALS. Methods Mice with mutant SOD1 (G93A) transgene, a model for familial ALS, were used in this study. The expression of the major inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α, in spinal cords of these SOD1 transgenic (TG) mice were assessed by real time PCR. Mice were then crossed with IL-6(-/-) mice to generate SOD1TG/IL-6(-/-) mice. SOD1 TG/IL-6(-/-) mice (n = 17) were compared with SOD1 TG/IL-6(+/-) mice (n = 18), SOD1 TG/IL-6(+/+) mice (n = 11), WT mice (n = 15), IL-6(+/-) mice (n = 5) and IL-6(-/-) mice (n = 8), with respect to neurological disease severity score, body weight and the survival. We also histologically compared the motor neuron loss in lumber spinal cords and the atrophy of hamstring muscles between these mouse groups. Results Levels of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α in spinal cords of SOD1 TG mice was increased compared to WT mice. However, SOD1 TG/IL-6(-/-) mice exhibited weight loss, deterioration in motor function and shortened lifespan (167.55 ± 11.52 days), similarly to SOD1 TG /IL-6(+/+) mice (164.31±12.16 days). Motor neuron numbers and IL-1β and TNF-α levels in spinal cords were not significantly different in SOD1 TG /IL-6(-/-) mice and SOD1 TG /IL-6 (+/+) mice. Conclusion These results provide compelling preclinical evidence indicating that IL-6 does not directly contribute to motor neuron disease caused by SOD1 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmei Han
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1–3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565–0871 Japan
- Laboratory of Immune Signal, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
| | - Barry Ripley
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation, IFReC Research Building, Osaka University 3–1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565–0871, Japan
| | - Satoshi Serada
- Laboratory of Immune Signal, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tetsuji Naka
- Laboratory of Immune Signal, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
| | - Minoru Fujimoto
- Laboratory of Immune Signal, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
- * E-mail:
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20
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Atanasio A, Decman V, White D, Ramos M, Ikiz B, Lee HC, Siao CJ, Brydges S, LaRosa E, Bai Y, Fury W, Burfeind P, Zamfirova R, Warshaw G, Orengo J, Oyejide A, Fralish M, Auerbach W, Poueymirou W, Freudenberg J, Gong G, Zambrowicz B, Valenzuela D, Yancopoulos G, Murphy A, Thurston G, Lai KMV. C9orf72 ablation causes immune dysregulation characterized by leukocyte expansion, autoantibody production, and glomerulonephropathy in mice. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23204. [PMID: 26979938 PMCID: PMC4793236 DOI: 10.1038/srep23204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The expansion of a hexanucleotide (GGGGCC) repeat in C9ORF72 is the most common cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Both the function of C9ORF72 and the mechanism by which the repeat expansion drives neuropathology are unknown. To examine whether C9ORF72 haploinsufficiency induces neurological disease, we created a C9orf72-deficient mouse line. Null mice developed a robust immune phenotype characterized by myeloid expansion, T cell activation, and increased plasma cells. Mice also presented with elevated autoantibodies and evidence of immune-mediated glomerulonephropathy. Collectively, our data suggest that C9orf72 regulates immune homeostasis and an autoimmune response reminiscent of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) occurs in its absence. We further imply that haploinsufficiency is unlikely to be the causative factor in C9ALS/FTD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vilma Decman
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, NY USA
| | - Derek White
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, NY USA
| | - Meg Ramos
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, NY USA
| | - Burcin Ikiz
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, NY USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Yu Bai
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, NY USA
| | - Wen Fury
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, NY USA
| | | | | | | | - Jamie Orengo
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, NY USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Guochun Gong
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, NY USA
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21
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Nardo G, Trolese MC, Tortarolo M, Vallarola A, Freschi M, Pasetto L, Bonetto V, Bendotti C. New Insights on the Mechanisms of Disease Course Variability in ALS from Mutant SOD1 Mouse Models. Brain Pathol 2016; 26:237-47. [PMID: 26780365 PMCID: PMC8029191 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a heterogeneous disease in terms of progression rate and survival. This is probably one of the reasons for the failure of many clinical trials and the lack of effective therapies. Similar variability is also seen in SOD1(G93A) mouse models based on their genetic background. For example, when the SOD1(G93A) transgene is expressed in C57BL6 background the phenotype is mild with slower disease progression than in the 129Sv mice expressing the same amount of transgene but showing faster progression and shorter lifespan. This review summarizes and discusses data obtained from the analysis of these two mouse models under different aspects such as the motor phenotype, neuropathological alterations in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the motor neuron autonomous and non-cell autonomous mechanisms with the aim of finding elements to explain the different rates of disease progression. We also discuss the identification of promising prognostic biomarkers by comparative analysis of the two ALS mouse models. This analysis might possibly suggest new strategies for effective therapeutic intervention in ALS to slow significantly or even block the course of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Nardo
- Department of NeuroscienceLaboratory Molecular Neurobiology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”MilanoItaly
| | - Maria Chiara Trolese
- Department of NeuroscienceLaboratory Molecular Neurobiology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”MilanoItaly
| | - Massimo Tortarolo
- Department of NeuroscienceLaboratory Molecular Neurobiology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”MilanoItaly
| | - Antonio Vallarola
- Department of NeuroscienceLaboratory Molecular Neurobiology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”MilanoItaly
| | - Mattia Freschi
- Department of NeuroscienceLaboratory Molecular Neurobiology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”MilanoItaly
- Animal Facility, AriSLA, Fondazione Italiana di ricerca per la Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica
| | - Laura Pasetto
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Laboratory of Translational ProteomicsIRCCS‐Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”MilanoItaly
| | - Valentina Bonetto
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Laboratory of Translational ProteomicsIRCCS‐Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”MilanoItaly
| | - Caterina Bendotti
- Department of NeuroscienceLaboratory Molecular Neurobiology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”MilanoItaly
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Dell'Osso L, Del Grande C, Gesi C, Carmassi C, Musetti L. A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2016; 12:1687-703. [PMID: 27468233 PMCID: PMC4946830 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s106479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence highlights bipolar disorder as being associated with impaired neurogenesis, cellular plasticity, and resiliency, as well as with cell atrophy or loss in specific brain regions. This has led most recent research to focus on the possible neuroprotective effects of medications, and particularly interesting findings have emerged for lithium. A growing body of evidence from preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies has in fact documented its neuroprotective effects from different insults acting on cellular signaling pathways, both preventing apoptosis and increasing neurotrophins and cell-survival molecules. Furthermore, positive effects of lithium on neurogenesis, brain remodeling, angiogenesis, mesenchymal stem cells functioning, and inflammation have been revealed, with a key role played through the inhibition of the glycogen synthase kinase-3, a serine/threonine kinase implicated in the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric disorders. These recent evidences suggest the potential utility of lithium in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and hypoxic-ischemic/traumatic brain injury, with positive results at even lower lithium doses than those traditionally considered to be antimanic. The aim of this review is to briefly summarize the potential benefits of lithium salts on neuroprotection and neuroregeneration, emphasizing preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting new therapeutic potentials of this drug beyond its mood stabilizing properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Dell'Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Del Grande
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Camilla Gesi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Carmassi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Musetti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2015; 1852:2517-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2015.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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24
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Endolysosomal Deficits Augment Mitochondria Pathology in Spinal Motor Neurons of Asymptomatic fALS Mice. Neuron 2015; 87:355-70. [PMID: 26182418 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2013] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
One pathological hallmark in ALS motor neurons (MNs) is axonal accumulation of damaged mitochondria. A fundamental question remains: does reduced degradation of those mitochondria by an impaired autophagy-lysosomal system contribute to mitochondrial pathology? We reveal MN-targeted progressive lysosomal deficits accompanied by impaired autophagic degradation beginning at asymptomatic stages in fALS-linked hSOD1(G93A) mice. Lysosomal deficits result in accumulation of autophagic vacuoles engulfing damaged mitochondria along MN axons. Live imaging of spinal MNs from the adult disease mice demonstrates impaired dynein-driven retrograde transport of late endosomes (LEs). Expressing dynein-adaptor snapin reverses transport defects by competing with hSOD1(G93A) for binding dynein, thus rescuing autophagy-lysosomal deficits, enhancing mitochondrial turnover, improving MN survival, and ameliorating the disease phenotype in hSOD1(G93A) mice. Our study provides a new mechanistic link for hSOD1(G93A)-mediated impairment of LE transport to autophagy-lysosomal deficits and mitochondrial pathology. Understanding these early pathological events benefits development of new therapeutic interventions for fALS-linked MN degeneration.
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25
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Emde A, Eitan C, Liou LL, Libby RT, Rivkin N, Magen I, Reichenstein I, Oppenheim H, Eilam R, Silvestroni A, Alajajian B, Ben-Dov IZ, Aebischer J, Savidor A, Levin Y, Sons R, Hammond SM, Ravits JM, Möller T, Hornstein E. Dysregulated miRNA biogenesis downstream of cellular stress and ALS-causing mutations: a new mechanism for ALS. EMBO J 2015; 34:2633-51. [PMID: 26330466 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201490493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in RNA dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) recently aroused upon discovering causative mutations in RNA-binding protein genes. Here, we show that extensive down-regulation of miRNA levels is a common molecular denominator for multiple forms of human ALS. We further demonstrate that pathogenic ALS-causing mutations are sufficient to inhibit miRNA biogenesis at the Dicing step. Abnormalities of the stress response are involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, including ALS. Accordingly, we describe a novel mechanism for modulating microRNA biogenesis under stress, involving stress granule formation and re-organization of DICER and AGO2 protein interactions with their partners. In line with this observation, enhancing DICER activity by a small molecule, enoxacin, is beneficial for neuromuscular function in two independent ALS mouse models. Characterizing miRNA biogenesis downstream of the stress response ties seemingly disparate pathways in neurodegeneration and further suggests that DICER and miRNAs affect neuronal integrity and are possible therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Emde
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Chen Eitan
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lee-Loung Liou
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ryan T Libby
- Translational Research Program, Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Natali Rivkin
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Iddo Magen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Irit Reichenstein
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Hagar Oppenheim
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Raya Eilam
- Veterinary Resources, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Aurelio Silvestroni
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Betty Alajajian
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Iddo Z Ben-Dov
- Nephrology Department, Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Julianne Aebischer
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alon Savidor
- de Botton Institute for Protein Profiling, The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yishai Levin
- de Botton Institute for Protein Profiling, The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Robert Sons
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Scott M Hammond
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - John M Ravits
- Translational Research Program, Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Thomas Möller
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eran Hornstein
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Guanabenz Treatment Accelerates Disease in a Mutant SOD1 Mouse Model of ALS. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135570. [PMID: 26288094 PMCID: PMC4545826 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of motor neurons. The mechanisms leading to motor neuron degeneration in ALS are unclear. However, there is evidence for involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) in ALS, notably in mutant SOD1 mediated models of ALS. Stress induced phosphorylation of the eIF2 alpha subunit by eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2-alpha kinase 3 Perk activates the UPR. Guanabenz is a centrally acting alpha2 adrenergic receptor agonist shown to interact with a regulatory subunit of the protein phosphatase, Pp1/Gadd34, and selectively disrupt the dephosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eif2alpha). Here we demonstrate that guanabenz is protective in fibroblasts expressing G93A mutant SOD1 when they are exposed to tunicamycin mediated ER stress. However, in contrast to other reports, guanabenz treatment accelerated ALS-like disease progression in a strain of mutant SOD1 transgenic ALS mice. This study highlights challenges of pharmacological interventions of cellular stress responses in whole animal models of ALS.
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Li W, Fotinos A, Wu Q, Chen Y, Zhu Y, Baranov S, Tu Y, Zhou EW, Sinha B, Kristal BS, Wang X. N-acetyl-l-tryptophan delays disease onset and extends survival in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis transgenic mouse model. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 80:93-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 04/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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Nadeem RI, Ahmed HI, El-Denshary EEDS. Effect of Imipramine, Paroxetine, and Lithium Carbonate on Neurobehavioral Changes of Streptozotocin in Rats: Impact on Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 and Blood Glucose Level. Neurochem Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-015-1670-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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29
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Li Y, Guo Y, Wang X, Yu X, Duan W, Hong K, Wang J, Han H, Li C. Trehalose decreases mutant SOD1 expression and alleviates motor deficiency in early but not end-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a SOD1-G93A mouse model. Neuroscience 2015; 298:12-25. [PMID: 25841320 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.03.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2014] [Revised: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder for which there is currently no effective treatment. Studies indicate that enhancing autophagy in mouse models of neurodegenerative disease can ameliorate the behavioral symptoms and pathological damage associated with the accumulation of pathological mutant proteins such as mutant superoxide dismutase (SOD1). This study investigated the effects of trehalose treatment on both early and end-stage disease in a transgenic mouse model of ALS via short-term (30 days after administration) and long-term (from 60 days after administration to death) trehalose treatment experiments. Sixty-day-old female SOD1-G93A transgenic mice were treated daily with 2% (w/v) trehalose in their drinking water for 30 days and monitored until they reached a neurological score of four, whereupon they were euthanized by cervical dislocation. Neurological, rotarod performance test and hanging wire test scores were recorded and body weight monitored. After death, the spinal cord was removed to assess the number of motor neurons and to measure the expression of mutant SOD1, LC3-II and p62. Trehalose significantly reduced the levels of mutant SOD1 and p62 and increased LC3-II in the spinal cords of 90-day-old SOD1-G93A transgenic mice. Furthermore, trehalose treatment significantly postponed disease onset, lengthened the time it took to reach a neurological score of 2 and preserved motor function; however, trehalose became less effective at delaying further disease progression as the disease progressed beyond a neurological score of 2 and it failed to extend the survival of SOD1-G93A transgenic mice. Additionally, independent of autophagy, trehalose consistently inhibited microgliosis and astrogliosis throughout the entire duration of the study. In conclusion, trehalose may be a useful add-on therapy in conjunction with other ALS treatment options to alleviate symptoms in early-stage ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Key Laboratory of Hebei Neurology, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Institute of Cardiocerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Y Guo
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Key Laboratory of Hebei Neurology, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Institute of Cardiocerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - X Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - X Yu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Key Laboratory of Hebei Neurology, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Institute of Cardiocerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - W Duan
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Key Laboratory of Hebei Neurology, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Institute of Cardiocerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - K Hong
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Key Laboratory of Hebei Neurology, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Institute of Cardiocerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - J Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - H Han
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - C Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Key Laboratory of Hebei Neurology, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Institute of Cardiocerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang, China.
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Abstract
The degeneration of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) inevitably causes paralysis and death within a matter of years. Mounting genetic and functional evidence suggest that abnormalities in RNA processing and metabolism underlie motor neuron loss in sporadic and familial ALS. Abnormal localization and aggregation of essential RNA-binding proteins are fundamental pathological features of sporadic ALS, and mutations in genes encoding RNA processing enzymes cause familial disease. Also, expansion mutations occurring in the noncoding region of C9orf72-the most common cause of inherited ALS-result in nuclear RNA foci, underscoring the link between abnormal RNA metabolism and neurodegeneration in ALS. This review summarizes the current understanding of RNA dysfunction in ALS, and builds upon this knowledge base to identify converging mechanisms of neurodegeneration in ALS. Potential targets for therapy development are highlighted, with particular emphasis on early and conserved pathways that lead to motor neuron loss in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami J Barmada
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, 5015 Biomedical Sciences Research Building, SSPC 2200, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA,
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31
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Vieira FG, LaDow E, Moreno A, Kidd JD, Levine B, Thompson K, Gill A, Finkbeiner S, Perrin S. Dexpramipexole is ineffective in two models of ALS related neurodegeneration. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91608. [PMID: 25526593 PMCID: PMC4272269 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 02/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment options for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are limited and ineffective. Recently, dexpramipexole (RPPX) was advanced into human ALS clinical trials. In the current studies, we investigated RPPX in two parallel screening systems: 1) appropriately powered, sibling-matched, gender-balanced survival efficacy screening in high-copy B6-SJL-SOD1G93A/Gur1 mice, and 2) high-content neuronal survival screening in primary rat cortical neurons transfected with wild-type human TDP43 or mutant human TDP43. In both cases, we exposed the test systems to RPPX levels approximating those achieved in human Phase II clinical investigations. In SOD1G93A mice, no effect was observed on neuromotor disease progression or survival. In primary cortical neurons transfected with either mutant or wild-type human TDP43, a marginally significant improvement in a single indicator of neuronal survival was observed, and only at the 10 µM RPPX treatment. These systems reflect both mutant SOD1- and TDP43-mediated forms of neurodegeneration. The systems also reflect both complex non-cell autonomous and neuronal cell autonomous disease mechanisms. The results of these experiments, taken in context with results produced by other molecules tested in both screening systems, do not argue positively for further study of RPPX in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando G. Vieira
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (FGV); (SF)
| | - Eva LaDow
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Andy Moreno
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Joshua D. Kidd
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Beth Levine
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kenneth Thompson
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alan Gill
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Taube-Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research and the Hellman Family Foundation Alzheimer's Disease Research Program, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (FGV); (SF)
| | - Steven Perrin
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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32
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Zeiss CJ. Improving the predictive value of interventional animal models data. Drug Discov Today 2014; 20:475-82. [PMID: 25448761 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2014.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
For many chronic diseases, translational success using the animal model paradigm has reached an impasse. Using Alzheimer's disease as an example, this review employs a networks-based method to assess repeatability of outcomes across species, by intervention and mechanism. Over 75% of animal studies reported an improved outcome. Strain background was a significant potential confounder. Five percent of interventions had been tested across animals and humans, or examined across three or more animal models. Positive outcomes across species emerged for donepezil, memantine and exercise. Repeatable positive outcomes in animals were identified for the amyloid hypothesis and three additional mechanisms. This approach supports in silico reduction of positive outcomes bias in animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline J Zeiss
- Section of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 375 Congress Ave, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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33
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Mitsumoto H, Brooks BR, Silani V. Clinical trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: why so many negative trials and how can trials be improved? Lancet Neurol 2014; 13:1127-1138. [DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(14)70129-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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34
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First-in-class thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-based compound binds to a pharmacologically distinct TRH receptor subtype in human brain and is effective in neurodegenerative models. Neuropharmacology 2014; 89:193-203. [PMID: 25281210 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
JAK4D, a first-in-class thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-based compound, is a prospective therapeutic candidate offering a multifaceted approach to treating neurodegeneration and other CNS conditions. The purpose of these studies was to determine the ability of JAK4D to bind to TRH receptors in human brain and to evaluate its neuropharmacological effects in neurodegenerative animal models. Additionally, JAK4D brain permeation was examined in mouse, and initial toxicology was assessed in vivo and in vitro. We report that JAK4D bound selectively with nanomolar affinity to native TRH receptors in human hippocampal tissue and showed for the first time that these receptors are pharmacologically distinct from TRH receptors in human pituitary, thus revealing a new TRH receptor subtype which represents a promising neurotherapeutic target in human brain. Systemic administration of JAK4D elicited statistically significant and clinically-relevant neuroprotective effects in three established neurodegenerative animal models: JAK4D reduced cognitive deficits when administered post-insult in a kainate (KA)-induced rat model of neurodegeneration; it protected against free radical release and neuronal damage evoked by intrastriatal microdialysis of KA in rat; and it reduced motor decline, weight loss, and lumbar spinal cord neuronal loss in G93A-SOD1 transgenic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis mice. Ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and a clean initial toxicology profile were also shown. In light of these findings, JAK4D is an important tool for investigating the hitherto-unidentified central TRH receptor subtype reported herein and an attractive therapeutic candidate for neurodegenerative disorders.
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35
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Agam G, Israelson A. Why lithium studies for ALS treatment should not be halted prematurely. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:267. [PMID: 25228854 PMCID: PMC4151332 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Galila Agam
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences and Psychiatry Research Unit, Ben Gurion University of the Negev Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Adrian Israelson
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev Beer Sheva, Israel
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36
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37
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Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process that delivers the cytosol and cytosolic constituents to the lysosome. Its fundamental role is to maintain cellular homeostasis and to protect cells from varying insults, including misfolded proteins and damaged organelles. Beyond these roles, the highly specialized cells of the brain have further adapted autophagic pathways to suit their distinct needs. In this review, we briefly summarize our current understanding of the different forms of autophagy and then offer a closer look at how these pathways impact neuronal and glial functions. The emerging evidence indicates that not only are autophagy pathways essential for neural health, but they have a direct impact on developmental and neurodegenerative processes. Taken together, as we unravel the complex roles autophagy pathways play, we will gain the necessary insight to modify these pathways to protect the human brain and treat neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Yamamoto
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology, and Cell Biology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032;
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38
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Regulation of autophagy by mTOR-dependent and mTOR-independent pathways: autophagy dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases and therapeutic application of autophagy enhancers. Biochem Soc Trans 2014; 41:1103-30. [PMID: 24059496 DOI: 10.1042/bst20130134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 269] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is an intracellular degradation pathway essential for cellular and energy homoeostasis. It functions in the clearance of misfolded proteins and damaged organelles, as well as recycling of cytosolic components during starvation to compensate for nutrient deprivation. This process is regulated by mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin)-dependent and mTOR-independent pathways that are amenable to chemical perturbations. Several small molecules modulating autophagy have been identified that have potential therapeutic application in diverse human diseases, including neurodegeneration. Neurodegeneration-associated aggregation-prone proteins are predominantly degraded by autophagy and therefore stimulating this process with chemical inducers is beneficial in a wide range of transgenic disease models. Emerging evidence indicates that compromised autophagy contributes to the aetiology of various neurodegenerative diseases related to protein conformational disorders by causing the accumulation of mutant proteins and cellular toxicity. Combining the knowledge of autophagy dysfunction and the mechanism of drug action may thus be rational for designing targeted therapy. The present review describes the cellular signalling pathways regulating mammalian autophagy and highlights the potential therapeutic application of autophagy inducers in neurodegenerative disorders.
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39
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Fecto F, Esengul YT, Siddique T. Protein recycling pathways in neurodegenerative diseases. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2014; 6:13. [PMID: 25031631 PMCID: PMC4055009 DOI: 10.1186/alzrt243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and frontotemporal lobe dementia, are associated with the formation of insoluble intracellular proteinaceous inclusions. It is therefore imperative to understand the factors that regulate normal, as well as abnormal, protein recycling in neurons. Dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome or autophagy pathways might contribute to the pathology of various neurodegenerative diseases. Induction of these pathways may offer a rational therapeutic strategy for a number of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Fecto
- Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurosciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Tarry Building, Room 13-715, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Y Taylan Esengul
- Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurosciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Tarry Building, Room 13-715, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Teepu Siddique
- Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurosciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Tarry Building, Room 13-715, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA ; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA ; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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40
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Yáñez M, Matías-Guiu J, Arranz-Tagarro JA, Galán L, Viña D, Gómez-Pinedo U, Vela A, Guerrero A, Martínez-Vila E, García AG. The neuroprotection exerted by memantine, minocycline and lithium, against neurotoxicity of CSF from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is antagonized by riluzole. NEURODEGENER DIS 2013; 13:171-9. [PMID: 24356417 DOI: 10.1159/000357281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In a recent study we found that cerebrospinal fluids (CSFs) from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients caused 20-30% loss of cell viability in primary cultures of rat embryo motor cortex neurons. We also found that the antioxidant resveratrol protected against such damaging effects and that, surprisingly, riluzole antagonized its protecting effects. Here we have extended this study to the interactions of riluzole with 3 other recognized neuroprotective agents, namely memantine, minocycline and lithium. We found: (1) by itself riluzole exerted neurotoxic effects at concentrations of 3-30 µM; this cell damage was similar to that elicited by 30 µM glutamate and a 10% dilution of ALS/CSF; (2) memantine (0.1-30 µM), minocycline (0.03-1 µM) and lithium (1-80 µg/ml) afforded 10-30% protection against ALS/CSF-elicited neurotoxicity, and (3) at 1-10 µM, riluzole antagonized the protection afforded by the 3 agents. These results strongly support the view that at the riluzole concentrations reached in the brain of patients, the neurotoxic effects of this drug could be masking the potential neuroprotective actions of new compounds being tested in clinical trials. Therefore, in the light of the present results, the inclusion of a group of patients free of riluzole treatment may be mandatory in future clinical trials performed in ALS patients with novel neuroprotective compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Yáñez
- Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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41
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Pandya RS, Zhu H, Li W, Bowser R, Friedlander RM, Wang X. Therapeutic neuroprotective agents for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2013; 70:4729-45. [PMID: 23864030 PMCID: PMC4172456 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-013-1415-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2012] [Revised: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 06/24/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal chronic neurodegenerative disease whose hallmark is proteinaceous, ubiquitinated, cytoplasmic inclusions in motor neurons and surrounding cells. Multiple mechanisms proposed as responsible for ALS pathogenesis include dysfunction of protein degradation, glutamate excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation. It is therefore essential to gain a better understanding of the underlying disease etiology and search for neuroprotective agents that might delay disease onset, slow progression, prolong survival, and ultimately reduce the burden of disease. Because riluzole, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment, prolongs the ALS patient's life by only 3 months, new therapeutic agents are urgently needed. In this review, we focus on studies of various small pharmacological compounds targeting the proposed pathogenic mechanisms of ALS and discuss their impact on disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachna S. Pandya
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Haining Zhu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536 USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Robert Bowser
- Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013 USA
| | - Robert M. Friedlander
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
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Autophagy in aging and neurodegenerative diseases: implications for pathogenesis and therapy. Neurobiol Aging 2013; 35:941-57. [PMID: 24360503 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2013] [Revised: 11/17/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, share a common cellular and molecular pathogenetic mechanism involving aberrant misfolded protein or peptide aggregation and deposition. Autophagy represents a major route for degradation of aggregated cellular proteins and dysfunctional organelles. Emerging studies have demonstrated that up-regulation of autophagy can lead to decreased levels of these toxic aggregate-prone proteins, and is beneficial in the context of aging and various models of neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding the signaling pathways involved in the regulation of autophagy is crucial to the development of strategies for therapy. This review will discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms of autophagy and its important role in the pathogenesis of aging and neurodegenerative diseases, and the ongoing drug discovery strategies for therapeutic modulation.
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Dachs E, Piedrafita L, Hereu M, Esquerda J, Calderó J. Chronic treatment with lithium does not improve neuromuscular phenotype in a mouse model of severe spinal muscular atrophy. Neuroscience 2013; 250:417-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Revised: 06/26/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Baptista MAS, Dave KD, Sheth NP, De Silva SN, Carlson KM, Aziz YN, Fiske BK, Sherer TB, Frasier MA. A strategy for the generation, characterization and distribution of animal models by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Dis Model Mech 2013; 6:1316-24. [PMID: 24046356 PMCID: PMC3820256 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.011940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research and therapeutic development is hindered by many challenges, including a need for robust preclinical animal models. Limited availability of these tools is due to technical hurdles, patent issues, licensing restrictions and the high costs associated with generating and distributing these animal models. Furthermore, the lack of standardization of phenotypic characterization and use of varying methodologies has made it difficult to compare outcome measures across laboratories. In response, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) is directly sponsoring the generation, characterization and distribution of preclinical rodent models, enabling increased access to these crucial tools in order to accelerate PD research. To date, MJFF has initiated and funded the generation of 30 different models, which include transgenic or knockout models of PD-relevant genes such as Park1 (also known as Park4 and SNCA), Park8 (LRRK2), Park7 (DJ-1), Park6 (PINK1), Park2 (Parkin), VPS35, EiF4G1 and GBA. The phenotypic characterization of these animals is performed in a uniform and streamlined manner at independent contract research organizations. Finally, MJFF created a central repository at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) that houses both non-MJFF and MJFF-generated preclinical animal models. Funding from MJFF, which subsidizes the costs involved in transfer, rederivation and colony expansion, has directly resulted in over 2500 rodents being distributed to the PD community for research use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A S Baptista
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY 10018-6798, USA
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McGoldrick P, Joyce PI, Fisher EMC, Greensmith L. Rodent models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2013; 1832:1421-36. [PMID: 23524377 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2013.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2012] [Revised: 03/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterised by the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. Recent advances in our understanding of some of the genetic causes of ALS, such as mutations in SOD1, TARDBP, FUS and VCP have led to the generation of rodent models of the disease, as a strategy to help our understanding of the pathophysiology of ALS and to assist in the development of therapeutic strategies. This review provides detailed descriptions of TDP-43, FUS and VCP models of ALS, and summarises potential therapeutics which have been recently trialled in rodent models of the disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Animal Models of Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip McGoldrick
- MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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Castillo K, Nassif M, Valenzuela V, Rojas F, Matus S, Mercado G, Court FA, van Zundert B, Hetz C. Trehalose delays the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by enhancing autophagy in motoneurons. Autophagy 2013; 9:1308-20. [PMID: 23851366 DOI: 10.4161/auto.25188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 266] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motoneuron disease with no current effective treatment. Accumulation of abnormal protein inclusions containing SOD1, TARDBP, FUS, among other proteins, is a pathological hallmark of ALS. Autophagy is the major degradation pathway involved in the clearance of damaged organelles and protein aggregates. Although autophagy has been shown to efficiently degrade ALS-linked mutant protein in cell culture models, several studies suggest that autophagy impairment may also contribute to disease pathogenesis. In this report, we tested the potential use of trehalose, a disaccharide that induces MTOR-independent autophagy, in the development of experimental ALS. Administration of trehalose to mutant SOD1 transgenic mice significantly prolonged life span and attenuated the progression of disease signs. These effects were associated with decreased accumulation of SOD1 aggregates and enhanced motoneuron survival. The protective effects of trehalose were associated with increased autophagy levels in motoneurons. Cell culture experiments demonstrated that trehalose led to mutant SOD1 degradation by autophagy in NSC34 motoneuron cells and also protected primary motoneurons against the toxicity of conditioned media from mutant SOD1 transgenic astrocytes. At the mechanistic level, trehalose treatment led to a significant upregulation in the expression of key autophagy-related genes at the mRNA level including Lc3, Becn1, Sqstm1 and Atg5. Consistent with these changes, trehalose administration enhanced the nuclear translocation of FOXO1, an important transcription factor involved in the activation of autophagy in neurons. This study suggests a potential use of trehalose and enhancers of MTOR-independent autophagy for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Castillo
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute; Faculty of Medicine; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of Chile; Santiago, Chile
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Le Pichon CE, Dominguez SL, Solanoy H, Ngu H, Lewin-Koh N, Chen M, Eastham-Anderson J, Watts R, Scearce-Levie K. EGFR inhibitor erlotinib delays disease progression but does not extend survival in the SOD1 mouse model of ALS. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62342. [PMID: 23638043 PMCID: PMC3637182 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive paralysis due to motor neuron death. Several lines of published evidence suggested that inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling might protect neurons from degeneration. To test this hypothesis in vivo, we treated the SOD1 transgenic mouse model of ALS with erlotinib, an EGFR inhibitor clinically approved for oncology indications. Although erlotinib failed to extend ALS mouse survival it did provide a modest but significant delay in the onset of multiple behavioral measures of disease progression. However, given the lack of protection of motor neuron synapses and the lack of survival extension, the small benefits observed after erlotinib treatment appear purely symptomatic, with no modification of disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E. Le Pichon
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sara L. Dominguez
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Hilda Solanoy
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Hai Ngu
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Lewin-Koh
- Department of Nonclinical Biostatistics, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Mark Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey Eastham-Anderson
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Ryan Watts
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Kimberly Scearce-Levie
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Morrison KE, Dhariwal S, Hornabrook R, Savage L, Burn DJ, Khoo TK, Kelly J, Murphy CL, Al-Chalabi A, Dougherty A, Leigh PN, Wijesekera L, Thornhill M, Ellis CM, O'Hanlon K, Panicker J, Pate L, Ray P, Wyatt L, Young CA, Copeland L, Ealing J, Hamdalla H, Leroi I, Murphy C, O'Keeffe F, Oughton E, Partington L, Paterson P, Rog D, Sathish A, Sexton D, Smith J, Vanek H, Dodds S, Williams TL, Steen IN, Clarke J, Eziefula C, Howard R, Orrell R, Sidle K, Sylvester R, Barrett W, Merritt C, Talbot K, Turner MR, Whatley C, Williams C, Williams J, Cosby C, Hanemann CO, Iman I, Philips C, Timings L, Crawford SE, Hewamadduma C, Hibberd R, Hollinger H, McDermott C, Mils G, Rafiq M, Shaw PJ, Taylor A, Waines E, Walsh T, Addison-Jones R, Birt J, Hare M, Majid T. Lithium in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (LiCALS): a phase 3 multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Neurol 2013; 12:339-45. [PMID: 23453347 PMCID: PMC3610091 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(13)70037-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background Lithium has neuroprotective effects in cell and animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and a small pilot study in patients with ALS showed a significant effect of lithium on survival. We aimed to assess whether lithium improves survival in patients with ALS. Methods The lithium carbonate in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (LiCALS) trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral lithium taken daily for 18 months in patients with ALS. Patients aged at least 18 years who had ALS according to the revised El Escorial criteria, had disease duration between 6 and 36 months, and were taking riluzole were recruited from ten centres in the UK. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either lithium or matched placebo tablets. Randomisation was via an online system done at the level of the individual by block randomisation with randomly varying block sizes, stratified by study centre and site of disease onset (limb or bulbar). All patients and assessing study personnel were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was the rate of survival at 18 months and was analysed by intention to treat. This study is registered with Eudract, number 2008-006891-31. Findings Between May 26, 2009, and Nov 10, 2011, 243 patients were screened, 214 of whom were randomly assigned to receive lithium (107 patients) or placebo (107 patients). Two patients discontinued treatment and one died before the target therapeutic lithium concentration could be achieved. 63 (59%) of 107 patients in the placebo group and 54 (50%) of 107 patients in the lithium group were alive at 18 months. The survival functions did not differ significantly between groups (Mantel-Cox log-rank χ2 on 1 df=1·64; p=0·20). After adjusting for study centre and site of onset using logistic regression, the relative odds of survival at 18 months (lithium vs placebo) was 0·71 (95% CI 0·40–1·24). 56 patients in the placebo group and 61 in the lithium group had at least one serious adverse event. Interpretation We found no evidence of benefit of lithium on survival in patients with ALS, but nor were there safety concerns, which had been identified in previous studies with less conventional designs. This finding emphasises the importance of pursuing adequately powered trials with clear endpoints when testing new treatments. Funding The Motor Neurone Disease Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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Chiu CT, Wang Z, Hunsberger JG, Chuang DM. Therapeutic potential of mood stabilizers lithium and valproic acid: beyond bipolar disorder. Pharmacol Rev 2013; 65:105-42. [PMID: 23300133 PMCID: PMC3565922 DOI: 10.1124/pr.111.005512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 282] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The mood stabilizers lithium and valproic acid (VPA) are traditionally used to treat bipolar disorder (BD), a severe mental illness arising from complex interactions between genes and environment that drive deficits in cellular plasticity and resiliency. The therapeutic potential of these drugs in other central nervous system diseases is also gaining support. This article reviews the various mechanisms of action of lithium and VPA gleaned from cellular and animal models of neurologic, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Clinical evidence is included when available to provide a comprehensive perspective of the field and to acknowledge some of the limitations of these treatments. First, the review describes how action at these drugs' primary targets--glycogen synthase kinase-3 for lithium and histone deacetylases for VPA--induces the transcription and expression of neurotrophic, angiogenic, and neuroprotective proteins. Cell survival signaling cascades, oxidative stress pathways, and protein quality control mechanisms may further underlie lithium and VPA's beneficial actions. The ability of cotreatment to augment neuroprotection and enhance stem cell homing and migration is also discussed, as are microRNAs as new therapeutic targets. Finally, preclinical findings have shown that the neuroprotective benefits of these agents facilitate anti-inflammation, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, blood-brain barrier integrity, and disease-specific neuroprotection. These mechanisms can be compared with dysregulated disease mechanisms to suggest core cellular and molecular disturbances identifiable by specific risk biomarkers. Future clinical endeavors are warranted to determine the therapeutic potential of lithium and VPA across the spectrum of central nervous system diseases, with particular emphasis on a personalized medicine approach toward treating these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Tso Chiu
- Molecular Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Cozzolino M, Pesaresi MG, Gerbino V, Grosskreutz J, Carrì MT. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: new insights into underlying molecular mechanisms and opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Antioxid Redox Signal 2012; 17:1277-330. [PMID: 22413952 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2011.4328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in the pathogenic mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a late-onset progressive degeneration of motor neurons. The discovery of new genes associated with the familial form of the disease, along with a deeper insight into pathways already described for this disease, has led scientists to reconsider previous postulates. While protein misfolding, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage, defective axonal transport, and excitotoxicity have not been dismissed, they need to be re-examined as contributors to the onset or progression of ALS in the light of the current knowledge that the mutations of proteins involved in RNA processing, apparently unrelated to the previous "old partners," are causative of the same phenotype. Thus, newly envisaged models and tools may offer unforeseen clues on the etiology of this disease and hopefully provide the key to treatment.
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