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Yan H, Wang W, Cui T, Shao Y, Li M, Fang L, Feng L. Advances in the Understanding of the Correlation Between Neuroinflammation and Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease. Immunotargets Ther 2024; 13:287-304. [PMID: 38881647 PMCID: PMC11180466 DOI: 10.2147/itt.s455881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with a subtle and progressive onset and is the most common type of dementia. However, its etiology and pathogenesis have not yet been fully elucidated. The common pathological manifestations of AD include extraneuronal β-amyloid deposition (Aβ), intraneuronal tau protein phosphorylation leading to the formation of 'neurofibrillary tangles' (NFTs), neuroinflammation, progressive loss of brain neurons/synapses, and glucose metabolism disorders. Current treatment approaches for AD primarily focus on the 'Aβ cascade hypothesis and abnormal aggregation of hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins', but have shown limited efficacy. Therefore, there is an ongoing need to identify more effective treatment targets for AD. The central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory response plays a key role in the occurrence and development of AD. Neuroinflammation is an immune response activated by glial cells in the CNS that usually occurs in response to stimuli such as nerve injury, infection and toxins or in response to autoimmunity. Neuroinflammation ranks as the third most prominent pathological feature in AD, following Aβ and NFTs. In recent years, the focus on the role of neuroinflammation and microglia in AD has increased due to the advancements in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and sequencing technology. Furthermore, research has validated the pivotal role of microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in the progression of AD. Therefore, this article reviews the latest research progress on the role of neuroinflammation triggered by microglia in AD in recent years, aiming to provide a new theoretical basis for further exploring the role of neuroinflammation in the process of AD occurrence and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Yan
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital of the Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingting Cui
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital of the Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxin Shao
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingquan Li
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital of the Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Limei Fang
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital of the Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Lina Feng
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital of the Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People's Republic of China
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Poniatowski ŁA, Joniec-Maciejak I, Wawer A, Sznejder-Pachołek A, Machaj E, Ziętal K, Mirowska-Guzel D. Dose-Ranging Effects of the Intracerebral Administration of Atsttrin in Experimental Model of Parkinson's Disease Induced by 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04161-0. [PMID: 38642286 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04161-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders characterized by a multitude of motor and non-motor clinical symptoms resulting from the progressive and long-lasting abnormal loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Currently, the available treatments for patients with Parkinson's disease are limited and exert only symptomatic effects, without adequate signs of delaying or stopping the progression of the disease. Atsttrin constitutes the bioengineered protein which ultrastructure is based on the polypeptide chain frame of the progranulin (PGRN), which exerts anti-inflammatory effects through the inhibition of TNFα. The conducted preclinical studies suggest that the therapeutic implementation of Atsttrin may be potentially effective in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with the occurrence of neuroinflammatory processes. The aim of the proposed study was to investigate the effect of direct bilateral intracerebral administration of Atsttrin using stereotactic methods in the preclinical C57BL/6 mouse model of Parkinson's disease inducted by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) intoxication. The analysis of the dose dependency effects of the increasing doses of Atsttrin has covered a number of parameters and markers regarding neurodegenerative processes and inflammatory responses including IL-1α, TNFα, IL-6, TH, and TG2 mRNA expressions. Accordingly, the evaluation of the changes in the neurochemical profile included DA, DOPAC, 3-MT, HVA, NA, MHPG, 5-HT, and 5-HIAA concentration levels. The intracerebral administration of Atsttrin into the striatum effectively attenuated the neuroinflammatory reaction in evaluated neuroanatomical structures. Furthermore, the partial restoration of monoamine content and its metabolic turnover were observed. In this case, taking into account the previously described pharmacokinetic profile and extrapolated bioavailability as well as the stability characteristics of Atsttrin, an attempt was made to describe as precisely as possible the quantitative and qualitative effects of increasing doses of the compound within the brain tissue microenvironment in the presented preclinical model of the disease. Collectively, this findings demonstrated that the intracerebral administration of Atsttrin may represent a potential novel therapeutic method for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz A Poniatowski
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1B, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Klinikum, Salvador-Allende-Straße 30, 17036, Neubrandenburg, Germany
| | - Ilona Joniec-Maciejak
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1B, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Adriana Wawer
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1B, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Sznejder-Pachołek
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1B, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Machaj
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1B, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Ziętal
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1B, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dagmara Mirowska-Guzel
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1B, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
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Fritze J, Muralidharan C, Stamp E, Ahlenius H. Microglia undergo disease-associated transcriptional activation and CX3C motif chemokine receptor 1 expression regulates neurogenesis in the aged brain. Dev Neurobiol 2024. [PMID: 38616340 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis continues throughout life but declines dramatically with age and in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. In parallel, microglia become activated resulting in chronic inflammation in the aged brain. A unique type of microglia, suggested to support neurogenesis, exists in the subventricular zone (SVZ), but little is known how they are affected by aging. We analyzed the transcriptome of aging microglia and identified a unique neuroprotective activation profile in aged SVZ microglia, which is partly shared with disease-associated microglia (DAM). CX3C motif chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) is characteristically expressed by brain microglia where it directs migration to targets for phagocytosis. We show that Cx3cr1 expression, as in DAM, is downregulated in old SVZ microglia and that heterozygous Cx3cr1 mice have increased proliferation and neuroblast number in the aged SVZ but not in the dentate gyrus, identifying CX3CR1 signaling as a novel age and brain region-specific regulator of neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Fritze
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Stem Cells, Aging and Neurodegeneration Group, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund, Sweden
| | - Chandramouli Muralidharan
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Stem Cells, Aging and Neurodegeneration Group, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Neurogenetics Group, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eleanor Stamp
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Stem Cells, Aging and Neurodegeneration Group, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund, Sweden
| | - Henrik Ahlenius
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Stem Cells, Aging and Neurodegeneration Group, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund, Sweden
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Turkistani A, Al-Kuraishy HM, Al-Gareeb AI, Albuhadily AK, Alexiou A, Papadakis M, Elfiky MM, Saad HM, Batiha GES. Therapeutic Potential Effect of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK-3β) Inhibitors in Parkinson Disease: Exploring an Overlooked Avenue. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04003-z. [PMID: 38367137 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04003-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of the brain due to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β) is implicated in the pathogenesis of PD. Therefore, the purpose of the present review was to revise the mechanistic role of GSK-3β in PD neuropathology, and how GSK-3β inhibitors affect PD neuropathology. GSK-3 is a conserved threonine/serine kinase protein that is intricate in the regulation of cellular anabolic and catabolic pathways by modulating glycogen synthase. Over-expression of GSK-3β is also interconnected with the development of different neurodegenerative diseases. However, the underlying mechanism of GSK-3β in PD neuropathology is not fully clarified. Over-expression of GSK-3β induces the development of PD by triggering mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the dopaminergic neurons of the SN. NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome are activated in response to dysregulated GSK-3β in PD leading to progressive neuronal injury. Higher expression of GSK-3β in the early stages of PD neuropathology might contribute to the reduction of neuroprotective brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Thus, GSK-3β inhibitors may be effective in PD by reducing inflammatory and oxidative stress disorders which are associated with degeneration of dopaminergic in the SN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areej Turkistani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, Taif University, 21944, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hayder M Al-Kuraishy
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, P.O. Box 14132, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ali I Al-Gareeb
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, P.O. Box 14132, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ali K Albuhadily
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, P.O. Box 14132, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Athanasios Alexiou
- University Centre for Research & Development, Chandigarh University, Chandigarh-Ludhiana Highway, Mohali, Punjab, India
- Department of Research & Development, Funogen, Athens, Greece
- Department of Research & Development, AFNP Med, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Science and Engineering, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Hebersham, NSW, 2770, Australia
| | - Marios Papadakis
- Department of Surgery II, University Hospital Witten-Herdecke, Heusnerstrasse 40, University of Witten-Herdecke, 42283, Wuppertal, Germany.
| | - Mohamed M Elfiky
- Anatomy Department, General Medicine Practice Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shibin El Kom, Al Minufya, Egypt
| | - Hebatallah M Saad
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Matrouh University, Matrouh, 51744, Egypt
| | - Gaber El-Saber Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22511, AlBeheira, Egypt
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Doyle JJ, Parker JA. Genetic Interactions of Progranulin Across the ALS-FTD Spectrum and Beyond. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000304. [PMID: 38188422 PMCID: PMC10767572 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a growth factor in which mutations are one of the leading causes of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and has been implicated in an assortment of neurodegenerative diseases. Conversely, higher levels of the protein have shown potential as a general neuronal protective factor. While examining its neuroprotective applications on a broader scale would be unfeasible in mammalian models, we turned to the nematode C. elegans to map the interactions of PGRN across multiple genetic models of neurodegenerative diseases. Our results indicate that while the overexpression of PGRN appears to be protective across all models tested, the loss of PGRN exacerbated the disease phenotypes of all but three of the models tested. Given the ease of genetic analysis in nematodes, we propose this model organism as an efficient tool to build a comprehensive map of PGRN's genetic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J. Doyle
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Metabolic Disorders and Complications, RI-MUHC, Montreal, McGill, Canada
| | - J Alex Parker
- CRCHUM and Department of Neuroscience, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Gillett DA, Wallings RL, Uriarte Huarte O, Tansey MG. Progranulin and GPNMB: interactions in endo-lysosome function and inflammation in neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:286. [PMID: 38037070 PMCID: PMC10688479 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02965-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations in progranulin (PGRN) expression are associated with multiple neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). Recently, the loss of PGRN was shown to result in endo-lysosomal system dysfunction and an age-dependent increase in the expression of another protein associated with NDs, glycoprotein non-metastatic B (GPNMB). MAIN BODY It is unclear what role GPNMB plays in the context of PGRN insufficiency and how they interact and contribute to the development or progression of NDs. This review focuses on the interplay between these two critical proteins within the context of endo-lysosomal health, immune function, and inflammation in their contribution to NDs. SHORT CONCLUSION PGRN and GPNMB are interrelated proteins that regulate disease-relevant processes and may have value as therapeutic targets to delay disease progression or extend therapeutic windows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew A Gillett
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CTRND), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Rebecca L Wallings
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CTRND), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Oihane Uriarte Huarte
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CTRND), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Malú Gámez Tansey
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CTRND), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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Boylan MA, Pincetic A, Romano G, Tatton N, Kenkare-Mitra S, Rosenthal A. Targeting Progranulin as an Immuno-Neurology Therapeutic Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15946. [PMID: 37958929 PMCID: PMC10647331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Immuno-neurology is an emerging therapeutic strategy for dementia and neurodegeneration designed to address immune surveillance failure in the brain. Microglia, as central nervous system (CNS)-resident myeloid cells, routinely perform surveillance of the brain and support neuronal function. Loss-of-function (LOF) mutations causing decreased levels of progranulin (PGRN), an immune regulatory protein, lead to dysfunctional microglia and are associated with multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal dementia caused by the progranulin gene (GRN) mutation (FTD-GRN), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), limbic-predominant age-related transactivation response deoxyribonucleic acid binding protein 43 (TDP-43) encephalopathy (LATE), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Immuno-neurology targets immune checkpoint-like proteins, offering the potential to convert aging and dysfunctional microglia into disease-fighting cells that counteract multiple disease pathologies, clear misfolded proteins and debris, promote myelin and synapse repair, optimize neuronal function, support astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and maintain brain vasculature. Several clinical trials are underway to elevate PGRN levels as one strategy to modulate the function of microglia and counteract neurodegenerative changes associated with various disease states. If successful, these and other immuno-neurology drugs have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders by harnessing the brain's immune system and shifting it from an inflammatory/pathological state to an enhanced physiological/homeostatic state.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Arnon Rosenthal
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 600, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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He Y, Kaya I, Shariatgorji R, Lundkvist J, Wahlberg LU, Nilsson A, Mamula D, Kehr J, Zareba-Paslawska J, Biverstål H, Chergui K, Zhang X, Andren PE, Svenningsson P. Prosaposin maintains lipid homeostasis in dopamine neurons and counteracts experimental parkinsonism in rodents. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5804. [PMID: 37726325 PMCID: PMC10509278 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41539-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Prosaposin (PSAP) modulates glycosphingolipid metabolism and variants have been linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we find altered PSAP levels in the plasma, CSF and post-mortem brain of PD patients. Altered plasma and CSF PSAP levels correlate with PD-related motor impairments. Dopaminergic PSAP-deficient (cPSAPDAT) mice display hypolocomotion and depression/anxiety-like symptoms with mildly impaired dopaminergic neurotransmission, while serotonergic PSAP-deficient (cPSAPSERT) mice behave normally. Spatial lipidomics revealed an accumulation of highly unsaturated and shortened lipids and reduction of sphingolipids throughout the brains of cPSAPDAT mice. The overexpression of α-synuclein via AAV lead to more severe dopaminergic degeneration and higher p-Ser129 α-synuclein levels in cPSAPDAT mice compared to WT mice. Overexpression of PSAP via AAV and encapsulated cell biodelivery protected against 6-OHDA and α-synuclein toxicity in wild-type rodents. Thus, these findings suggest PSAP may maintain dopaminergic lipid homeostasis, which is dysregulated in PD, and counteract experimental parkinsonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yachao He
- Translational Neuropharmacology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Ibrahim Kaya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Medical Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Reza Shariatgorji
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Medical Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Spatial Mass Spectrometry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Lundkvist
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Science and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Sinfonia Biotherapeutics AB, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Lars U Wahlberg
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Science and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Nilsson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Medical Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Spatial Mass Spectrometry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dejan Mamula
- Translational Neuropharmacology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Kehr
- Section of Pharmacological Neurochemistry, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Justyna Zareba-Paslawska
- Translational Neuropharmacology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Biverstål
- Sinfonia Biotherapeutics AB, Huddinge, Sweden
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Karima Chergui
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xiaoqun Zhang
- Translational Neuropharmacology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per E Andren
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Medical Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Spatial Mass Spectrometry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Per Svenningsson
- Translational Neuropharmacology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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Kurnellas M, Mitra A, Schwabe T, Paul R, Arrant AE, Roberson ED, Ward M, Yeh F, Long H, Rosenthal A. Latozinemab, a novel progranulin-elevating therapy for frontotemporal dementia. J Transl Med 2023; 21:387. [PMID: 37322482 PMCID: PMC10268535 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04251-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the progranulin (PGRN) gene (GRN) cause a reduction in PGRN and lead to the development of frontotemporal dementia (FTD-GRN). PGRN is a secreted lysosomal chaperone, immune regulator, and neuronal survival factor that is shuttled to the lysosome through multiple receptors, including sortilin. Here, we report the characterization of latozinemab, a human monoclonal antibody that decreases the levels of sortilin, which is expressed on myeloid and neuronal cells and shuttles PGRN to the lysosome for degradation, and blocks its interaction with PGRN. METHODS In vitro characterization studies were first performed to assess the mechanism of action of latozinemab. After the in vitro studies, a series of in vivo studies were performed to assess the efficacy of a mouse-cross reactive anti-sortilin antibody and the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of latozinemab in nonhuman primates and humans. RESULTS In a mouse model of FTD-GRN, the rodent cross-reactive anti-sortilin antibody, S15JG, decreased total sortilin levels in white blood cell (WBC) lysates, restored PGRN to normal levels in plasma, and rescued a behavioral deficit. In cynomolgus monkeys, latozinemab decreased sortilin levels in WBCs and concomitantly increased plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) PGRN by 2- to threefold. Finally, in a first-in-human phase 1 clinical trial, a single infusion of latozinemab caused a reduction in WBC sortilin, tripled plasma PGRN and doubled CSF PGRN in healthy volunteers, and restored PGRN to physiological levels in asymptomatic GRN mutation carriers. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the development of latozinemab for the treatment of FTD-GRN and other neurodegenerative diseases where elevation of PGRN may be beneficial. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03636204. Registered on 17 August 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03636204 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kurnellas
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, #600, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
- Neuron23, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
| | - Ananya Mitra
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, #600, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Tina Schwabe
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, #600, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
- Nine Square Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Robert Paul
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, #600, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
- Nine Square Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Andrew E Arrant
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Erik D Roberson
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Michael Ward
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, #600, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Felix Yeh
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, #600, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Hua Long
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, #600, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Arnon Rosenthal
- Alector, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Blvd, #600, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
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10
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PGRN deficiency exacerbates, whereas a brain penetrant PGRN derivative protects, GBA1 mutation-associated pathologies and diseases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2210442120. [PMID: 36574647 PMCID: PMC9910439 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210442120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in GBA1, encoding glucocerebrosidase (GCase), cause Gaucher disease (GD) and are also genetic risks in developing Parkinson's disease (PD). Currently, the approved therapies are only effective for directly treating visceral symptoms, but not for primary neuronopathic involvement in GD (nGD). Progranulin (PGRN), encoded by GRN, is a novel modifier of GCase, but the impact of PGRN in GBA1 mutation-associated pathologies in vivo remains unknown. Herein, Grn-/- mice crossed into Gba9v/9v mice, a Gba1 mutant line homozygous for the Gba1 D409V mutation, generating Grn-/-Gba9v/9v (PG9V) mice. PG9V mice exhibited neurobehavioral deficits, early onset, and more severe GD phenotypes compared to Grn-/- and Gba9v/9v mice. Moreover, PG9V mice also displayed PD-like phenotype. Mechanistic analysis revealed that PGRN deficiency caused severe neuroinflammation with microgliosis and astrogliosis, along with impaired autophagy associated with the Gba1 mutation. A PGRN-derived peptide, termed ND7, ameliorated the disease phenotype in GD patient fibroblasts ex vivo. Unexpectedly, ND7 penetrated the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and effectively ameliorated the nGD manifestations and PD pathology in Gba9v/null and PG9V mice. Collectively, this study not only provides the first line of in vivo but also ex vivo evidence demonstrating the crucial role of PGRN in GBA1/Gba1 mutation-related pathologies, as well as a clinically relevant mouse model for mechanistic and potential therapeutics studies for nGD and PD. Importantly, a BBB penetrant PGRN-derived biologic was developed that may provide treatment for rare lysosomal storage diseases and common neurodegenerative disorders, particularly nGD and PD.
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11
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Dedert C, Mishra V, Aggarwal G, Nguyen AD, Xu F. Progranulin Preserves Autophagy Flux and Mitochondrial Function in Rat Cortical Neurons Under High Glucose Stress. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:874258. [PMID: 35880011 PMCID: PMC9308004 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.874258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hyperglycemia in type II diabetes results in impaired autophagy function, accumulation of protein aggregates, and neurodegeneration. However, little is known about how to preserve autophagy function under hyperglycemic conditions. In this study, we tested whether progranulin (PGRN), a neurotrophic factor required for proper lysosome function, can restore autophagy function in neurons under high-glucose stress. We cultured primary cortical neurons derived from E18 Sprague-Dawley rat pups to maturity at 10 days in vitro (DIV) before incubation in high glucose medium and PGRN for 24-72 h before testing for autophagy flux, protein turnover, and mitochondrial function. We found that although PGRN by itself did not upregulate autophagy, it attenuated impairments in autophagy seen under high-glucose conditions. Additionally, buildup of the autophagosome marker light chain 3B (LC3B) and lysosome marker lysosome-associated membrane protein 2A (LAMP2A) changed in both neurons and astrocytes, indicating a possible role for glia in autophagy flux. Protein turnover, assessed by remaining advanced glycation end-product levels after a 6-h incubation, was preserved with PGRN treatment. Mitochondrial activity differed by complex, although PGRN appeared to increase overall activity in high glucose. We also found that activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), kinases implicated in autophagy function, increased with PGRN treatment under stress. Together, our data suggest that PGRN prevents hyperglycemia-induced decreases in autophagy by increasing autophagy flux via increased ERK1/2 kinase activity in primary rat cortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cass Dedert
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Vandana Mishra
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Geetika Aggarwal
- Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Andrew D. Nguyen
- Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Fenglian Xu
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Fenglian Xu,
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12
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Chitramuthu BP, Campos-García VR, Bateman A. Multiple Molecular Pathways Are Influenced by Progranulin in a Neuronal Cell Model-A Parallel Omics Approach. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:775391. [PMID: 35095393 PMCID: PMC8791029 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.775391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is critical in supporting a healthy CNS. Its haploinsufficiency results in frontotemporal dementia, while in experimental models of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, the targeted expression of PGRN greatly slows the onset of disease phenotypes. Nevertheless, much remains unclear about how PGRN affects its target cells. In previous studies we found that PGRN showed a remarkable ability to support the survival of NSC-34 motor neuron cells under conditions that would otherwise lead to their apoptosis. Here we used the same model to investigate other phenotypes of PGRN expression in NSC-34 cells. PGRN significantly influenced morphological differentiation, resulting in cells with enlarged cell bodies and extended projections. At a molecular level this correlated with pathways associated with the cytoskeleton and synaptic differentiation. Depletion of PGRN led to increased expression of several neurotrophic receptors, which may represent a homeostatic mechanism to compensate for loss of neurotrophic support from PGRN. The exception was RET, a neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase, which, when PGRN levels are high, shows increased expression and enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation. Other receptor tyrosine kinases also showed higher tyrosine phosphorylation when PGRN was elevated, suggesting a generalized enhancement of receptor activity. PGRN was found to bind to multiple plasma membrane proteins, including RET, as well as proteins in the ER/Golgi apparatus/lysosome pathway. Understanding how these various pathways contribute to PGRN action may provide routes toward improving neuroprotective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babykumari P Chitramuthu
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, and Centre for Translational Biology, Metabolic Disorders and Complications, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Víctor R Campos-García
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, and Centre for Translational Biology, Metabolic Disorders and Complications, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Andrew Bateman
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, and Centre for Translational Biology, Metabolic Disorders and Complications, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
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13
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Zhao X, Hasan S, Liou B, Lin Y, Sun Y, Liu C. Analysis of the Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Aged Progranulin Deficient Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:629. [PMID: 35054815 PMCID: PMC8775568 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are debilitating impairments that affect millions of people worldwide and are characterized by progressive degeneration of structure and function of the central or peripheral nervous system. Effective biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases can be used to improve the diagnostic workup in the clinic as well as facilitate the development of effective disease-modifying therapies. Progranulin (PGRN) has been reported to be involved in various neurodegenerative disorders. Hence, in the current study we systematically compared the inflammation and accumulation of typical neurodegenerative disease markers in the brain tissue between PGRN knockout (PGRN KO) and wildtype (WT) mice. We found that PGRN deficiency led to significant neuron loss as well as activation of microglia and astrocytes in aged mice. Several characteristic neurodegenerative markers, including α-synuclein, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), Tau, and β-amyloid, were all accumulated in the brain of PGRN-deficient mice as compared to WT mice. Moreover, higher aggregation of lipofuscin was observed in the brain tissue of PGRN-deficient mice compared with WT mice. In addition, the autophagy was also defective in the brain of PGRN-deficient mice, indicated by the abnormal expression level of autophagy marker LC3-II. Collectively, comprehensive assays support the idea that PGRN plays an important role during the development of neurodegenerative disease, indicating that PGRN might be a useful biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangli Zhao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10003, USA; (X.Z.); (S.H.)
| | - Sadaf Hasan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10003, USA; (X.Z.); (S.H.)
| | - Benjamin Liou
- The Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; (B.L.); (Y.L.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yi Lin
- The Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; (B.L.); (Y.L.); (Y.S.)
| | - Ying Sun
- The Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; (B.L.); (Y.L.); (Y.S.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Chuanju Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10003, USA; (X.Z.); (S.H.)
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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14
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Dong T, Tejwani L, Jung Y, Kokubu H, Luttik K, Driessen TM, Lim J. Microglia regulate brain progranulin levels through the endocytosis/lysosomal pathway. JCI Insight 2021; 6:e136147. [PMID: 34618685 PMCID: PMC8663778 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.136147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic variants in Granulin (GRN), which encodes the secreted glycoprotein progranulin (PGRN), are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal lobar degeneration, neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, and Alzheimer's disease. These genetic alterations manifest in pathological changes due to a reduction of PGRN expression; therefore, identifying factors that can modulate PGRN levels in vivo would enhance our understanding of PGRN in neurodegeneration and could reveal novel potential therapeutic targets. Here, we report that modulation of the endocytosis/lysosomal pathway via reduction of Nemo-like kinase (Nlk) in microglia, but not in neurons, can alter total brain Pgrn levels in mice. We demonstrate that Nlk reduction promotes Pgrn degradation by enhancing its trafficking through the endocytosis/lysosomal pathway, specifically in microglia. Furthermore, genetic interaction studies in mice showed that Nlk heterozygosity in Grn haploinsufficient mice further reduces Pgrn levels and induces neuropathological phenotypes associated with PGRN deficiency. Our results reveal a mechanism for Pgrn level regulation in the brain through the active catabolism by microglia and provide insights into the pathophysiology of PGRN-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Dong
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Leon Tejwani
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neuroscience
| | - Youngseob Jung
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Hiroshi Kokubu
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kimberly Luttik
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neuroscience
| | - Terri M. Driessen
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Janghoo Lim
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neuroscience
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, and
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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15
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Glycosphingolipid metabolism and its role in ageing and Parkinson's disease. Glycoconj J 2021; 39:39-53. [PMID: 34757540 PMCID: PMC8979855 DOI: 10.1007/s10719-021-10023-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
It is well established that lysosomal glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA) variants are a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease (PD), with increasing evidence suggesting a loss of function mechanism. One question raised by this genetic association is whether variants of genes involved in other aspects of sphingolipid metabolism are also associated with PD. Recent studies in sporadic PD have identified variants in multiple genes linked to diseases of glycosphingolipid (GSL) metabolism to be associated with PD. GSL biosynthesis is a complex pathway involving the coordinated action of multiple enzymes in the Golgi apparatus. GSL catabolism takes place in the lysosome and is dependent on the action of multiple acid hydrolases specific for certain substrates and glycan linkages. The finding that variants in multiple GSL catabolic genes are over-represented in PD in a heterozygous state highlights the importance of GSLs in the healthy brain and how lipid imbalances and lysosomal dysfunction are associated with normal ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. In this article we will explore the link between lysosomal storage disorders and PD, the GSL changes seen in both normal ageing, lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) and PD and the mechanisms by which these changes can affect neurodegeneration.
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16
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Terryn J, Verfaillie CM, Van Damme P. Tweaking Progranulin Expression: Therapeutic Avenues and Opportunities. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:713031. [PMID: 34366786 PMCID: PMC8343103 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.713031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disease, leading to behavioral changes and language difficulties. Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN) induce haploinsufficiency of the protein and are associated with up to one-third of all genetic FTD cases worldwide. While the loss of GRN is primarily associated with neurodegeneration, the biological functions of the secreted growth factor-like protein are more diverse, ranging from wound healing, inflammation, vasculogenesis, and metabolic regulation to tumor cell growth and metastasis. To date, no disease-modifying treatments exist for FTD, but different therapeutic approaches to boost GRN levels in the central nervous system are currently being developed (including AAV-mediated GRN gene delivery as well as anti-SORT1 antibody therapy). In this review, we provide an overview of the multifaceted regulation of GRN levels and the corresponding therapeutic avenues. We discuss the opportunities, advantages, and potential drawbacks of the diverse approaches. Additionally, we highlight the therapeutic potential of elevating GRN levels beyond patients with loss-of-function mutations in GRN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joke Terryn
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Catherine M Verfaillie
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Interdepartmental Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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17
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Chemical and genetic rescue of in vivo progranulin-deficient lysosomal and autophagic defects. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2022115118. [PMID: 34140407 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022115118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2006, GRN mutations were first linked to frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the leading cause of non-Alzheimer dementias. While much research has been dedicated to understanding the genetic causes of the disease, our understanding of the mechanistic impacts of GRN deficiency has only recently begun to take shape. With no known cure or treatment available for GRN-related FTD, there is a growing need to rapidly advance genetic and/or small-molecule therapeutics for this disease. This issue is complicated by the fact that, while lysosomal dysfunction seems to be a key driver of pathology, the mechanisms linking a loss of GRN to a pathogenic state remain unclear. In our attempt to address these key issues, we have turned to the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, to model, study, and find potential therapies for GRN-deficient FTD. First, we show that the loss of the nematode GRN ortholog, pgrn-1, results in several behavioral and molecular defects, including lysosomal dysfunction and defects in autophagic flux. Our investigations implicate the sphingolipid metabolic pathway in the regulation of many of the in vivo defects associated with pgrn-1 loss. Finally, we utilized these nematodes as an in vivo tool for high-throughput drug screening and identified two small molecules with potential therapeutic applications against GRN/pgrn-1 deficiency. These compounds reverse the biochemical, cellular, and functional phenotypes of GRN deficiency. Together, our results open avenues for mechanistic and therapeutic research into the outcomes of GRN-related neurodegeneration, both genetic and molecular.
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18
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Wang XM, Zeng P, Fang YY, Zhang T, Tian Q. Progranulin in neurodegenerative dementia. J Neurochem 2021; 158:119-137. [PMID: 33930186 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Long-term or severe lack of protective factors is important in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative dementia. Progranulin (PGRN), a neurotrophic factor expressed mainly in neurons and microglia, has various neuroprotective effects such as anti-inflammatory effects, promoting neuron survival and neurite growth, and participating in normal lysosomal function. Mutations in the PGRN gene (GRN) have been found in several neurodegenerative dementias, including frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Herein, PGRN deficiency and PGRN hydrolytic products (GRNs) in the pathological changes related to dementia, including aggregation of tau and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), amyloid-β (Aβ) overproduction, neuroinflammation, lysosomal dysfunction, neuronal death, and synaptic deficit have been summarized. Furthermore, as some therapeutic strategies targeting PGRN have been developed in various models, we highlighted PGRN as a potential anti-neurodegeneration target in dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ming Wang
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Neurological Disease of National Education Ministry, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng Zeng
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Neurological Disease of National Education Ministry, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying-Yan Fang
- Hubei Key Laboratory for Kidney Disease Pathogenesis and Intervention, Hubei Polytechnic University School of Medicine, Huangshi, China
| | - Teng Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxian Central Hospital, The Affiliated Huxi Hospital of Jining Medical College, Heze, China
| | - Qing Tian
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Neurological Disease of National Education Ministry, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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19
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Gururaj S, Sampognaro PJ, Argouarch AR, Kao AW. Progranulin Adsorbs to Polypropylene Tubes and Disrupts Functional Assays: Implications for Research, Biomarker Studies, and Therapeutics. Front Neurosci 2021; 14:602235. [PMID: 33381010 PMCID: PMC7768044 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.602235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a tightly regulated, secreted glycoprotein involved in a wide range of biological processes that is of tremendous interest to the scientific community due to its involvement in neoplastic, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, progranulin haploinsufficiency leads to frontotemporal dementia. While performing experiments with a HIS-tagged recombinant human (rh) PGRN protein, we observed a measurable depletion of protein from solution due to its adsorption onto polypropylene (PPE) microcentrifuge tubes. In this study, we have quantified the extent of rhPGRN adsorption to PPE tubes while varying experimental conditions, including incubation time and temperature. We found that ∼25–35% of rhPGRN becomes adsorbed to the surface of PPE tubes even after a short incubation period. We then directly showed the deleterious impact of PGRN adsorption in functional assays and have recommended alternative labware to minimize these effects. Although the risk of adsorption of some purified proteins and peptides to polymer plastics has been characterized previously, this is the first report of rhPGRN adsorption. Moreover, since PGRN is currently being studied and utilized in both basic science laboratories to perform in vitro studies and translational laboratories to survey PGRN as a quantitative dementia biomarker and potential replacement therapy, the reported observations here are broadly impactful and will likely significantly affect the design and interpretation of future experiments centered on progranulin biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushmitha Gururaj
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Paul J Sampognaro
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Andrea R Argouarch
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Aimee W Kao
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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20
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Turner A, Kaas Q, Craik DJ. Hormone-like conopeptides - new tools for pharmaceutical design. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:1235-1251. [PMID: 34095838 PMCID: PMC8126879 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00173b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Conopeptides are a diverse family of peptides found in the venoms of marine cone snails and are used in prey capture and host defence. Because of their potent activity on a range of mammalian targets they have attracted interest as leads in drug design. Until recently most focus had been on studying conopeptides having activity at ion channels and related neurological targets but, with recent discoveries that some conopeptides might play hormonal roles, a new area of conopeptide research has opened. In this article we first summarize the canonical pharmaceutical families of Conus venom peptides and then focus on new research relating to hormone-like conopeptides and their potential applications. Finally, we briefly examine methods of chemically stabilizing conopeptides to improve their pharmacological properties. A summary is presented of conopeptides in clinical trials and a call for future work on hormone-like conopeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlin Turner
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Quentin Kaas
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
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21
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Xu W, Han SD, Zhang C, Li JQ, Wang YJ, Tan CC, Li HQ, Dong Q, Mei C, Tan L, Yu JT. The FAM171A2 gene is a key regulator of progranulin expression and modifies the risk of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eabb3063. [PMID: 33087363 PMCID: PMC7577723 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb3063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a secreted pleiotropic glycoprotein associated with the development of common neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding the pathophysiological role of PGRN may help uncover biological underpinnings. We performed a genome-wide association study to determine the genetic regulators of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) PGRN levels. Common variants in region of FAM171A2 were associated with lower CSF PGRN levels (rs708384, P = 3.95 × 10-12). This was replicated in another independent cohort. The rs708384 was associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and frontotemporal dementia and could modify the expression of the FAM171A2 gene. FAM171A2 was considerably expressed in the vascular endothelium and microglia, which are rich in PGRN. The in vitro study further confirmed that the rs708384 mutation up-regulated the expression of FAM171A2, which caused a decrease in the PGRN level. Collectively, genetic, molecular, and bioinformatic findings suggested that FAM171A2 is a key player in regulating PGRN production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Si-Da Han
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Can Zhang
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, Mass General Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (MIND), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jie-Qiong Li
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yan-Jiang Wang
- Department of Neurology and Center for Clinical Neuroscience, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chen-Chen Tan
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hong-Qi Li
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Dong
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cui Mei
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan Tan
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jin-Tai Yu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Chaplot K, Jarvela TS, Lindberg I. Secreted Chaperones in Neurodegeneration. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:268. [PMID: 33192447 PMCID: PMC7481362 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, is a combination of cellular processes that govern protein quality control, namely, protein translation, folding, processing, and degradation. Disruptions in these processes can lead to protein misfolding and aggregation. Proteostatic disruption can lead to cellular changes such as endoplasmic reticulum or oxidative stress; organelle dysfunction; and, if continued, to cell death. A majority of neurodegenerative diseases involve the pathologic aggregation of proteins that subverts normal neuronal function. While prior reviews of neuronal proteostasis in neurodegenerative processes have focused on cytoplasmic chaperones, there is increasing evidence that chaperones secreted both by neurons and other brain cells in the extracellular – including transsynaptic – space play important roles in neuronal proteostasis. In this review, we will introduce various secreted chaperones involved in neurodegeneration. We begin with clusterin and discuss its identification in various protein aggregates, and the use of increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) clusterin as a potential biomarker and as a potential therapeutic. Our next secreted chaperone is progranulin; polymorphisms in this gene represent a known genetic risk factor for frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and progranulin overexpression has been found to be effective in reducing Alzheimer’s- and Parkinson’s-like neurodegenerative phenotypes in mouse models. We move on to BRICHOS domain-containing proteins, a family of proteins containing highly potent anti-amyloidogenic activity; we summarize studies describing the biochemical mechanisms by which recombinant BRICHOS protein might serve as a therapeutic agent. The next section of the review is devoted to the secreted chaperones 7B2 and proSAAS, small neuronal proteins which are packaged together with neuropeptides and released during synaptic activity. Since proteins can be secreted by both classical secretory and non-classical mechanisms, we also review the small heat shock proteins (sHsps) that can be secreted from the cytoplasm to the extracellular environment and provide evidence for their involvement in extracellular proteostasis and neuroprotection. Our goal in this review focusing on extracellular chaperones in neurodegenerative disease is to summarize the most recent literature relating to neurodegeneration for each secreted chaperone; to identify any common mechanisms; and to point out areas of similarity as well as differences between the secreted chaperones identified to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kriti Chaplot
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Timothy S Jarvela
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Iris Lindberg
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Yao YN, Wang MD, Tang XC, Wu B, Sun HM. Reduced plasma progranulin levels are associated with the severity of Parkinson's disease. Neurosci Lett 2020; 725:134873. [PMID: 32112819 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.134873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Blood levels of progranulin (PGRN) are suggested to be decreased in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the association between blood levels of progranulin and the severity of PD is not yet clear. A total of 55 PD patients and 55 normal control (NC) subjects were recruited in the present study. Hoehn and Yahr stages (H&Y) and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores (UPDRS) were examined to assess the severity of the disease. UPDRS motor section (UPDRS-III) was used to assess the motor function of the patients. Plasma levels of PGRN were tested by Elisa assays. Plasma PGRN levels are significantly decreased in PD patients (PD vs. NC: 333.8 ± 8.067 vs. 364.2 ± 10.11 ng/ml, p = 0.020). In the subgroup analysis, plasma PGRN levels decrease as H&Y score increases (H&Y = 1 vs. H&Y = 2: 363.5 ± 3.251 vs. 336.3 ± 7.403 ng/ml, p = 0.013; H&Y = 1 vs. H&Y = 3-5: 363.5 ± 3.251 vs. 218.1 ± 18.12 ng/ml, p < 0.001; H&Y = 2 vs. H&Y = 3-5: 336.3 ± 7.403 vs. 218.1 ± 18.12 ng/ml, p = 0.076). Plasma levels of progranulin are negatively correlated with the severity of PD, as reflected by UPDRS (γ=-0.754, p < 0.001), UPDRS-III (γ=-0.808, p < 0.001) and disease duration (γ=-0.633, p < 0.001). Circulating PGRN levels might be a potential indicator of the disease severity of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Na Yao
- Second Department of Neurology, the 4(th) Hospital of Daqing, Heilongjiang, 163000, No. 198, Central Street, Ranghulu District, Daqing City, China
| | - Ming-Da Wang
- Second Department of Neurology, the 4(th) Hospital of Daqing, Heilongjiang, 163000, No. 198, Central Street, Ranghulu District, Daqing City, China
| | - Xi-Cun Tang
- Second Department of Neurology, the 4(th) Hospital of Daqing, Heilongjiang, 163000, No. 198, Central Street, Ranghulu District, Daqing City, China
| | - Bo Wu
- Second Department of Neurology, the 4(th) Hospital of Daqing, Heilongjiang, 163000, No. 198, Central Street, Ranghulu District, Daqing City, China
| | - Hong-Ming Sun
- Second Department of Neurology, the 4(th) Hospital of Daqing, Heilongjiang, 163000, No. 198, Central Street, Ranghulu District, Daqing City, China.
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24
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Tanaka M, Kuse Y, Nakamura S, Hara H, Shimazawa M. Potential effects of progranulin and granulins against retinal photoreceptor cell degeneration. Mol Vis 2019; 25:902-911. [PMID: 32025182 PMCID: PMC6982430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The authors previously reported that progranulin attenuated retinal degeneration. The present study focused on the role of progranulin and its cleavage products, granulins, in the pathogenesis of photoreceptor degeneration. Methods Photoreceptor degeneration was induced with excessive exposure of murine photoreceptor cells and the retinas of albino mice to white fluorescent light. Damaged photoreceptor cells and retinas were examined using a cell death assay, western blotting, and immunostaining. Results Even after proteolytic cleavage, treatment with progranulin or its cleavage products or both exerted protective effects on photoreceptors against light exposure. In the murine retina, the expression levels of granulins and the macrophage and microglia marker Iba-1 were increased at 48 h after light exposure. Additionally, progranulin+ and Iba-1+ double-positive cells had accumulated in the outer nuclear layer, the primary location of photoreceptor cells. Conclusions These results suggest that progranulin or its cleavage products, granulins, or both may be therapeutic targets for age-related macular degeneration and other neurodegenerative diseases.
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25
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Arrant AE, Roth JR, Boyle NR, Kashyap SN, Hoffmann MQ, Murchison CF, Ramos EM, Nana AL, Spina S, Grinberg LT, Miller BL, Seeley WW, Roberson ED. Impaired β-glucocerebrosidase activity and processing in frontotemporal dementia due to progranulin mutations. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:218. [PMID: 31870439 PMCID: PMC6929503 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0872-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN) are a major autosomal dominant cause of frontotemporal dementia. Most pathogenic GRN mutations result in progranulin haploinsufficiency, which is thought to cause frontotemporal dementia in GRN mutation carriers. Progranulin haploinsufficiency may drive frontotemporal dementia pathogenesis by disrupting lysosomal function, as patients with GRN mutations on both alleles develop the lysosomal storage disorder neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, and frontotemporal dementia patients with GRN mutations (FTD-GRN) also accumulate lipofuscin. The specific lysosomal deficits caused by progranulin insufficiency remain unclear, but emerging data indicate that progranulin insufficiency may impair lysosomal sphingolipid-metabolizing enzymes. We investigated the effects of progranulin insufficiency on sphingolipid-metabolizing enzymes in the inferior frontal gyrus of FTD-GRN patients using fluorogenic activity assays, biochemical profiling of enzyme levels and posttranslational modifications, and quantitative neuropathology. Of the enzymes studied, only β-glucocerebrosidase exhibited impairment in FTD-GRN patients. Brains from FTD-GRN patients had lower activity than controls, which was associated with lower levels of mature β-glucocerebrosidase protein and accumulation of insoluble, incompletely glycosylated β-glucocerebrosidase. Immunostaining revealed loss of neuronal β-glucocerebrosidase in FTD-GRN patients. To investigate the effects of progranulin insufficiency on β-glucocerebrosidase outside of the context of neurodegeneration, we investigated β-glucocerebrosidase activity in progranulin-insufficient mice. Brains from Grn-/- mice had lower β-glucocerebrosidase activity than wild-type littermates, which was corrected by AAV-progranulin gene therapy. These data show that progranulin insufficiency impairs β-glucocerebrosidase activity in the brain. This effect is strongest in neurons and may be caused by impaired β-glucocerebrosidase processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E Arrant
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- , 1825 University Blvd., SHEL 1106, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Jonathan R Roth
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nicholas R Boyle
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Shreya N Kashyap
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Madelyn Q Hoffmann
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Charles F Murchison
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Eliana Marisa Ramos
- Department of Psychiatry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alissa L Nana
- Department of Neurology, Memory & Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Department of Neurology, Memory & Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lea T Grinberg
- Department of Neurology, Memory & Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Department of Neurology, Memory & Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William W Seeley
- Department of Neurology, Memory & Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Erik D Roberson
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- , 1825 University Blvd., SHEL 1110, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
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26
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Mendsaikhan A, Tooyama I, Bellier JP, Serrano GE, Sue LI, Lue LF, Beach TG, Walker DG. Characterization of lysosomal proteins Progranulin and Prosaposin and their interactions in Alzheimer's disease and aged brains: increased levels correlate with neuropathology. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:215. [PMID: 31864418 PMCID: PMC6925443 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0862-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a protein encoded by the GRN gene with multiple identified functions including as a neurotrophic factor, tumorigenic growth factor, anti-inflammatory cytokine and regulator of lysosomal function. A single mutation in the human GRN gene resulting in reduced PGRN expression causes types of frontotemporal lobar degeneration resulting in frontotemporal dementia. Prosaposin (PSAP) is also a multifunctional neuroprotective secreted protein and regulator of lysosomal function. Interactions of PGRN and PSAP affect their functional properties. Their roles in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia, have not been defined. In this report, we examined in detail the cellular expression of PGRN in middle temporal gyrus samples of a series of human brain cases (n = 45) staged for increasing plaque pathology. Immunohistochemistry showed PGRN expression in cortical neurons, microglia, cerebral vessels and amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, while PSAP expression was mainly detected in neurons and Aβ plaques, and to a limited extent in astrocytes. We showed that there were increased levels of PGRN protein in AD cases and corresponding increased levels of PSAP. Levels of PGRN and PSAP protein positively correlated with amyloid beta (Aβ), with PGRN levels correlating with phosphorylated tau (serine 205) levels in these samples. Although PGRN colocalized with lysosomal-associated membrane protein-1 in neurons, most PGRN associated with Aβ plaques did not. Aβ plaques with PGRN and PSAP deposits were identified in the low plaque non-demented cases suggesting this was an early event in plaque formation. We did not observe PGRN-positive neurofibrillary tangles. Co-immunoprecipitation studies of PGRN from brain samples identified only PSAP associated with PGRN, not sortilin or other known PGRN-binding proteins, under conditions used. Most PGRN associated with Aβ plaques were immunoreactive for PSAP showing a high degree of colocalization of these proteins that did not change between disease groups. As PGRN supplementation has been considered as a therapeutic approach for AD, the possible involvement of PGRN and PSAP interactions in AD pathology needs to be further considered.
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27
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Butler VJ, Gao F, Corrales CI, Cortopassi WA, Caballero B, Vohra M, Ashrafi K, Cuervo AM, Jacobson MP, Coppola G, Kao AW. Age- and stress-associated C. elegans granulins impair lysosomal function and induce a compensatory HLH-30/TFEB transcriptional response. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008295. [PMID: 31398187 PMCID: PMC6703691 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The progressive failure of protein homeostasis is a hallmark of aging and a common feature in neurodegenerative disease. As the enzymes executing the final stages of autophagy, lysosomal proteases are key contributors to the maintenance of protein homeostasis with age. We previously reported that expression of granulin peptides, the cleavage products of the neurodegenerative disease protein progranulin, enhance the accumulation and toxicity of TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). In this study we show that C. elegans granulins are produced in an age- and stress-dependent manner. Granulins localize to the endolysosomal compartment where they impair lysosomal protease expression and activity. Consequently, protein homeostasis is disrupted, promoting the nuclear translocation of the lysosomal transcription factor HLH-30/TFEB, and prompting cells to activate a compensatory transcriptional program. The three C. elegans granulin peptides exhibited distinct but overlapping functional effects in our assays, which may be due to amino acid composition that results in distinct electrostatic and hydrophobicity profiles. Our results support a model in which granulin production modulates a critical transition between the normal, physiological regulation of protease activity and the impairment of lysosomal function that can occur with age and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria J. Butler
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Fuying Gao
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Christian I. Corrales
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Wilian A. Cortopassi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Caballero
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Mihir Vohra
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Kaveh Ashrafi
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Ana Maria Cuervo
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Matthew P. Jacobson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Aimee W. Kao
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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28
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Zhou X, Paushter DH, Pagan MD, Kim D, Nunez Santos M, Lieberman RL, Overkleeft HS, Sun Y, Smolka MB, Hu F. Progranulin deficiency leads to reduced glucocerebrosidase activity. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212382. [PMID: 31291241 PMCID: PMC6619604 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutation in the GRN gene, encoding the progranulin (PGRN) protein, shows a dose-dependent disease correlation, wherein haploinsufficiency results in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and complete loss results in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL). Although the exact function of PGRN is unknown, it has been increasingly implicated in lysosomal physiology. Here we report that PGRN interacts with the lysosomal enzyme, glucocerebrosidase (GCase), and is essential for proper GCase activity. GCase activity is significantly reduced in tissue lysates from PGRN-deficient mice. This is further evidence that reduced lysosomal hydrolase activity may be a pathological mechanism in cases of GRN-related FTLD and NCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolai Zhou
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Daniel H. Paushter
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Mitchell D. Pagan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Dongsung Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Mariela Nunez Santos
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Raquel L. Lieberman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, NW, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Herman S. Overkleeft
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Gorlaeus Laboratories, RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ying Sun
- Division of Human Genetics; Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Marcus B. Smolka
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Fenghua Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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29
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Raza C, Anjum R, Shakeel NUA. Parkinson's disease: Mechanisms, translational models and management strategies. Life Sci 2019; 226:77-90. [PMID: 30980848 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.03.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 277] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. The classical motor symptoms include resting tremors, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability and are accompanied by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and Lewy pathology. Diminished neurotransmitter level, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and perturbed protein homeostasis over time worsen the disease manifestations in elderly people. Current management strategies aim to provide symptomatic relief and to slow down the disease progression. However, no pharmacological breakthrough has been made to protect dopaminergic neurons and associated motor circuitry components. Deep brain stimulation, stem cells-derived dopaminergic neurons transplantation, gene editing and gene transfer remain promising approaches for the potential management of neurodegenerative disease. Toxin or genetically induced rodent models replicating Parkinson's disease pathology are of high predictive value for translational research. This review addresses the current understanding, management strategies and the Parkinson's disease models for translational research. Preclinical research may provide powerful tools to quest the potential therapeutic and neuroprotective compounds for dopaminergic neurons and hence possible cure for the Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chand Raza
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
| | - Rabia Anjum
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Noor Ul Ain Shakeel
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
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30
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Microglial Progranulin: Involvement in Alzheimer's Disease and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Cells 2019; 8:cells8030230. [PMID: 30862089 PMCID: PMC6468562 DOI: 10.3390/cells8030230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease have proven resistant to new treatments. The complexity of neurodegenerative disease mechanisms can be highlighted by accumulating evidence for a role for a growth factor, progranulin (PGRN). PGRN is a glycoprotein encoded by the GRN/Grn gene with multiple cellular functions, including neurotrophic, anti-inflammatory and lysosome regulatory properties. Mutations in the GRN gene can lead to frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), a cause of dementia, and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), a lysosomal storage disease. Both diseases are associated with loss of PGRN function resulting, amongst other features, in enhanced microglial neuroinflammation and lysosomal dysfunction. PGRN has also been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Unlike FTLD, increased expression of PGRN occurs in brains of human AD cases and AD model mice, particularly in activated microglia. How microglial PGRN might be involved in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases will be discussed. A unifying feature of PGRN in diseases might be its modulation of lysosomal function in neurons and microglia. Many experimental models have focused on consequences of PGRN gene deletion: however, possible outcomes of increasing PGRN on microglial inflammation and neurodegeneration will be discussed. We will also suggest directions for future studies on PGRN and microglia in relation to neurodegenerative diseases.
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31
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Cui Y, Hettinghouse A, Liu CJ. Progranulin: A conductor of receptors orchestra, a chaperone of lysosomal enzymes and a therapeutic target for multiple diseases. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2019; 45:53-64. [PMID: 30733059 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN), a widely expressed glycoprotein with pleiotropic function, has been linked to a host of physiological processes and diverse pathological states. A series of contemporary preclinical disease models and clinical trials have evaluated various therapeutic strategies targeting PGRN, highlighting PGRN as a promising therapeutic target. Herein we summarize available knowledge of PGRN targeting in various kinds of diseases, including common neurological diseases, inflammatory autoimmune diseases, cancer, tissue repair, and rare lysosomal storage diseases, with a focus on the functional domain-oriented drug development strategies. In particular, we emphasize the role of extracellular PGRN as a non-conventional, extracellular matrix bound, growth factor-like conductor orchestrating multiple membrane receptors and intracellular PGRN as a chaperone/co-chaperone that mediates the folding and traffic of its various binding partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazhou Cui
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10003, USA; Shandong Medical Biotechnological Center, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Aubryanna Hettinghouse
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Chuan-Ju Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10003, USA; Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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Progranulin Stimulates the In Vitro Maturation of Pro-Cathepsin D at Acidic pH. J Mol Biol 2019; 431:1038-1047. [PMID: 30690031 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Single-copy loss-of-function mutations in the progranulin gene (PGRN) underlie the neurodegenerative disease frontotemporal lobar degeneration, while homozygous loss-of-function of PGRN results in the lysosomal storage disorder neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Despite evidence that normal PGRN levels are critical for neuronal health, the function of this protein is not yet understood. Here, we show that PGRN stimulates the in vitro maturation of the lysosomal aspartyl protease cathepsin D (CTSD). CTSD is delivered to the endolysosomal system as an inactive precursor (proCTSD) and requires sequential cleavage steps via intermediate forms to achieve the mature state (matCTSD). In co-immunoprecipitation experiments, PGRN interacts predominantly with immature pro- and intermediate forms of CTSD. PGRN enhances in vitro conversion of proCTSD to matCTSD in a concentration-dependent manner. Differential scanning fluorimetry shows a destabilizing effect induced by PGRN on proCTSD folding (∆Tm = -1.7 °C at a 3:1 molar ratio). We propose a mechanism whereby PGRN binds to proCTSD, destabilizing the propeptide from the enzyme catalytic core and favoring conversion to mature forms of the enzyme. Further understanding of the role of PGRN in CTSD maturation will assist in the development of targeted therapies for neurodegenerative disease.
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Amado DA, Rieders JM, Diatta F, Hernandez-Con P, Singer A, Mak JT, Zhang J, Lancaster E, Davidson BL, Chen-Plotkin AS. AAV-Mediated Progranulin Delivery to a Mouse Model of Progranulin Deficiency Causes T Cell-Mediated Toxicity. Mol Ther 2018; 27:465-478. [PMID: 30559071 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus-mediated gene replacement is emerging as a safe and effective means of correcting single-gene mutations affecting the CNS. AAV-mediated progranulin gene (GRN) delivery has been proposed as a treatment for GRN-deficient frontotemporal dementia and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, and recent studies using intraparenchymal AAV-Grn delivery to brain have shown moderate success in histopathologic and behavioral rescue in mouse models. Here, we used AAV9 to deliver GRN to the lateral ventricle to achieve widespread expression in the Grn null mouse brain. We found that, despite a global increase in progranulin, overexpression resulted in dramatic and selective hippocampal toxicity and degeneration affecting neurons and glia. Hippocampal degeneration was preceded by T cell infiltration and perivascular cuffing. GRN delivery with an ependymal-targeting AAV for selective secretion of progranulin into the cerebrospinal fluid similarly resulted in T cell infiltration, as well as ependymal hypertrophy. Interestingly, overexpression of GRN in wild-type animals also provoked T cell infiltration. These results call into question the safety of GRN overexpression in the CNS, with evidence for both a region-selective immune response and cellular proliferative response. Our results highlight the importance of careful consideration of target gene biology and cellular response to overexpression prior to progressing to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Defne A Amado
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Julianne M Rieders
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3501 Civic Center Boulevard, 5060 CTRB, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Fortunay Diatta
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Pilar Hernandez-Con
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Adina Singer
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jordan T Mak
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Junxian Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Eric Lancaster
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Beverly L Davidson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3501 Civic Center Boulevard, 5060 CTRB, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Alice S Chen-Plotkin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Beel S, Herdewyn S, Fazal R, De Decker M, Moisse M, Robberecht W, Van Den Bosch L, Van Damme P. Progranulin reduces insoluble TDP-43 levels, slows down axonal degeneration and prolongs survival in mutant TDP-43 mice. Mol Neurodegener 2018; 13:55. [PMID: 30326935 PMCID: PMC6192075 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-018-0288-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is the main disease protein in most patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and about 50% of patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). TDP-43 pathology is not restricted to patients with missense mutations in TARDBP, the gene encoding TDP-43, but also occurs in ALS/FTD patients without known genetic cause or in patients with various other ALS/FTD gene mutations. Mutations in progranulin (GRN), which result in a reduction of ~ 50% of progranulin protein (PGRN) levels, cause FTD with TDP-43 pathology. How loss of PGRN leads to TDP-43 pathology and whether or not PGRN expression protects against TDP-43-induced neurodegeneration is not yet clear. METHODS We studied the effect of PGRN on the neurodegenerative phenotype in TDP-43(A315T) mice. RESULTS PGRN reduced the levels of insoluble TDP-43 and histology of the spinal cord revealed a protective effect of PGRN on the loss of large axon fibers in the lateral horn, the most severely affected fiber pool in this mouse model. Overexpression of PGRN significantly slowed down disease progression, extending the median survival by approximately 130 days. A transcriptome analysis did not point towards a single pathway affected by PGRN, but rather towards a pleiotropic effect on different pathways. CONCLUSION Our findings reveal an important role of PGRN in attenuating mutant TDP-43-induced neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Beel
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah Herdewyn
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Raheem Fazal
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathias De Decker
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Moisse
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Robberecht
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. .,VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium. .,Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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35
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Hickman S, Izzy S, Sen P, Morsett L, El Khoury J. Microglia in neurodegeneration. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:1359-1369. [PMID: 30258234 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0242-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 933] [Impact Index Per Article: 155.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The neuroimmune system is involved in development, normal functioning, aging, and injury of the central nervous system. Microglia, first described a century ago, are the main neuroimmune cells and have three essential functions: a sentinel function involved in constant sensing of changes in their environment, a housekeeping function that promotes neuronal well-being and normal operation, and a defense function necessary for responding to such changes and providing neuroprotection. Microglia use a defined armamentarium of genes to perform these tasks. In response to specific stimuli, or with neuroinflammation, microglia also have the capacity to damage and kill neurons. Injury to neurons in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and prion diseases, as well as in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, results from disruption of the sentinel or housekeeping functions and dysregulation of the defense function and neuroinflammation. Pathways associated with such injury include several sensing and housekeeping pathways, such as the Trem2, Cx3cr1 and progranulin pathways, which act as immune checkpoints to keep the microglial inflammatory response under control, and the scavenger receptor pathways, which promote clearance of injurious stimuli. Peripheral interference from systemic inflammation or the gut microbiome can also alter progression of such injury. Initiation or exacerbation of neurodegeneration results from an imbalance between these microglial functions; correcting such imbalance may be a potential mode for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Hickman
- Center for Immunology & Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Saef Izzy
- Center for Immunology & Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pritha Sen
- Center for Immunology & Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liza Morsett
- Center for Immunology & Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph El Khoury
- Center for Immunology & Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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36
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Abstract
Microglia are a subset of tissue macrophages that constitute the major immune cell type of the central nervous system. These cells have long been known to change their morphology and functions in response to various neurological insults. Recently, a plethora of unbiased transcriptomics studies have revealed that across a broad spectrum of neurodegeneration-like disease models, microglia adopt a similar activation signature and perform similar functions. Despite these commonalities in response, the role of microglia has been described as both positive and negative in different murine disease models. In humans, genetic association studies have revealed strong connections between microglia genes and various neurodegenerative diseases, and mechanistic investigations of these mutations have added another layer of complexity. Here, we provide an overview of studies that have built a case for a common microglial response to neurodegeneration and discuss pathways that may be important to initiate and sustain this response; delineate the multifaceted functions of activated microglia spanning different diseases; and discuss insights from studying genes associated with disease in humans. We argue that strong evidence causally links activated microglia function to neurodegeneration and discuss what seems to be a conflict between mouse models and human genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilbur M Song
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
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Ibanez L, Dube U, Davis AA, Fernandez MV, Budde J, Cooper B, Diez-Fairen M, Ortega-Cubero S, Pastor P, Perlmutter JS, Cruchaga C, Benitez BA. Pleiotropic Effects of Variants in Dementia Genes in Parkinson Disease. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:230. [PMID: 29692703 PMCID: PMC5902712 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The prevalence of dementia in Parkinson disease (PD) increases dramatically with advancing age, approaching 80% in patients who survive 20 years with the disease. Increasing evidence suggests clinical, pathological and genetic overlap between Alzheimer disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia with PD. However, the contribution of the dementia-causing genes to PD risk, cognitive impairment and dementia in PD is not fully established. Objective: To assess the contribution of coding variants in Mendelian dementia-causing genes on the risk of developing PD and the effect on cognitive performance of PD patients. Methods: We analyzed the coding regions of the amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP), Presenilin 1 and 2 (PSEN1, PSEN2), and Granulin (GRN) genes from 1,374 PD cases and 973 controls using pooled-DNA targeted sequence, human exome-chip and whole-exome sequencing (WES) data by single variant and gene base (SKAT-O and burden tests) analyses. Global cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The effect of coding variants in dementia-causing genes on cognitive performance was tested by multiple regression analysis adjusting for gender, disease duration, age at dementia assessment, study site and APOE carrier status. Results: Known AD pathogenic mutations in the PSEN1 (p.A79V) and PSEN2 (p.V148I) genes were found in 0.3% of all PD patients. There was a significant burden of rare, likely damaging variants in the GRN and PSEN1 genes in PD patients when compared with frequencies in the European population from the ExAC database. Multiple regression analysis revealed that PD patients carrying rare variants in the APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, and GRN genes exhibit lower cognitive tests scores than non-carrier PD patients (p = 2.0 × 10-4), independent of age at PD diagnosis, age at evaluation, APOE status or recruitment site. Conclusions: Pathogenic mutations in the Alzheimer disease-causing genes (PSEN1 and PSEN2) are found in sporadic PD patients. PD patients with cognitive decline carry rare variants in dementia-causing genes. Variants in genes causing Mendelian neurodegenerative diseases exhibit pleiotropic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Ibanez
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Umber Dube
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Albert A Davis
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Maria V Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - John Budde
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Breanna Cooper
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Monica Diez-Fairen
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Mutua de Terrassa, Fundació per la Recerca Biomèdica i Social Mútua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Ortega-Cubero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, Spain
| | - Pau Pastor
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Mutua de Terrassa, Fundació per la Recerca Biomèdica i Social Mútua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joel S Perlmutter
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States.,Departments of Radiology, Neuroscience, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Carlos Cruchaga
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Bruno A Benitez
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
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38
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Abstract
The purpose of this brief overview of the progranulin protein is to provide a sense of the range and extent of the roles of progranulin in normal physiology and pathology. Progranulin has received attention due to its role in neurodegeneration, where mutation of a single copy of GRN, the gene encoding progranulin, results in frontotemporal dementia, whereas viral delivery of progranulin to the brains of mice exhibiting Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease phenotypes inhibits the progression of the neurodegenerative phenotypes. Of equal importance, progranulin protects tissues against the harmful effects of poorly controlled inflammation and promotes tissue regeneration after injury at a multitude of sites throughout the body. Progranulin is overexpressed by many types of cancer and contributes to their progression. Given suitable analytical methods and model systems, progranulin offers a wealth of research possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Bateman
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Program in Metabolic Diseases and Their Complications, Centre for Translational Biology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Siu Tim Cheung
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hugh P J Bennett
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Program in Metabolic Diseases and Their Complications, Centre for Translational Biology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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39
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Methods to Investigate the Protection Against Neurodegenerative Disorders Provided by Progranulin Gene Transfer in the Brain. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1806:255-267. [PMID: 29956281 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8559-3_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a multifunctional protein that is widely expressed throughout the brain, where it has been shown to be a critical regulator of CNS inflammation (Ahmed et al., J Neuroinflammation 4:7, 2007; Yin et al., J Exp Med 207:117-128, 2010; Martens et al., J Clin Investig 122:3955-3959; Inestrosa and Arenas). PGRN functions as an autocrine neuronal growth factor, important for long-term neuronal survival (Ahmed et al., J Neuroinflammation 4:7, 2007; Nat Rev Neurosci 11:77-86, 2009). Together, these critical roles in the CNS suggest that enhancing PGRN expression may provide neuronal support and protection for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we describe the application of PGRN gene transfer using in vivo delivery of lentiviral expression vectors in a rodent model of PD.
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40
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Chitramuthu BP, Bennett HPJ, Bateman A. Progranulin: a new avenue towards the understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative disease. Brain 2017; 140:3081-3104. [PMID: 29053785 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awx198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Progranulin, a secreted glycoprotein, is encoded in humans by the single GRN gene. Progranulin consists of seven and a half, tandemly repeated, non-identical copies of the 12 cysteine granulin motif. Many cellular processes and diseases are associated with this unique pleiotropic factor that include, but are not limited to, embryogenesis, tumorigenesis, inflammation, wound repair, neurodegeneration and lysosome function. Haploinsufficiency caused by autosomal dominant mutations within the GRN gene leads to frontotemporal lobar degeneration, a progressive neuronal atrophy that presents in patients as frontotemporal dementia. Frontotemporal dementia is an early onset form of dementia, distinct from Alzheimer's disease. The GRN-related form of frontotemporal lobar dementia is a proteinopathy characterized by the appearance of neuronal inclusions containing ubiquitinated and fragmented TDP-43 (encoded by TARDBP). The neurotrophic and neuro-immunomodulatory properties of progranulin have recently been reported but are still not well understood. Gene delivery of GRN in experimental models of Alzheimer's- and Parkinson's-like diseases inhibits phenotype progression. Here we review what is currently known concerning the molecular function and mechanism of action of progranulin in normal physiological and pathophysiological conditions in both in vitro and in vivo models. The potential therapeutic applications of progranulin in treating neurodegenerative diseases are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babykumari P Chitramuthu
- Endocrine Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, and McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Centre for Translational Biology, Platform in Metabolic Disorders and Complications, 1001 Decarie Boulevard, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
| | - Hugh P J Bennett
- Endocrine Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, and McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Centre for Translational Biology, Platform in Metabolic Disorders and Complications, 1001 Decarie Boulevard, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
| | - Andrew Bateman
- Endocrine Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, and McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Centre for Translational Biology, Platform in Metabolic Disorders and Complications, 1001 Decarie Boulevard, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
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41
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Arrant AE, Filiano AJ, Unger DE, Young AH, Roberson ED. Restoring neuronal progranulin reverses deficits in a mouse model of frontotemporal dementia. Brain 2017; 140:1447-1465. [PMID: 28379303 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awx060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN), a secreted glycoprotein expressed by neurons and microglia, are a common autosomal dominant cause of frontotemporal dementia, a neurodegenerative disease commonly characterized by disrupted social and emotional behaviour. GRN mutations are thought to cause frontotemporal dementia through progranulin haploinsufficiency, therefore, boosting progranulin expression from the intact allele is a rational treatment strategy. However, this approach has not been tested in an animal model of frontotemporal dementia and it is unclear if boosting progranulin could correct pre-existing deficits. Here, we show that adeno-associated virus-driven expression of progranulin in the medial prefrontal cortex reverses social dominance deficits in Grn+/- mice, an animal model of frontotemporal dementia due to GRN mutations. Adeno-associated virus-progranulin also corrected lysosomal abnormalities in Grn+/- mice. The adeno-associated virus-progranulin vector only transduced neurons, suggesting that restoring neuronal progranulin is sufficient to correct deficits in Grn+/- mice. To further test the role of neuronal progranulin in the development of frontotemporal dementia-related deficits, we generated two neuronal progranulin-deficient mouse lines using CaMKII-Cre and Nestin-Cre. Measuring progranulin levels in these lines indicated that most brain progranulin is derived from neurons. Both neuronal progranulin-deficient lines developed social dominance deficits similar to those in global Grn+/- mice, showing that neuronal progranulin deficiency is sufficient to disrupt social behaviour. These data support the concept of progranulin-boosting therapies for frontotemporal dementia and highlight an important role for neuron-derived progranulin in maintaining normal social function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E Arrant
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Anthony J Filiano
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Daniel E Unger
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Allen H Young
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Erik D Roberson
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Wauters E, Van Mossevelde S, Van der Zee J, Cruts M, Van Broeckhoven C. Modifiers of GRN-Associated Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration. Trends Mol Med 2017; 23:962-979. [PMID: 28890134 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Heterozygous loss-of-function (LOF) mutations in the human progranulin gene (GRN) cause frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) by a mechanism of haploinsufficiency. Patients present most frequently with frontotemporal dementia, which is the second most common neurodegenerative dementia at young age. Currently, no disease-modifying therapies are available for these patients. Stimulating GRN protein expression or inhibiting its breakdown is an obvious therapeutic strategy, and is indeed the focus of current preclinical research and clinical trials. Multiple studies have demonstrated the heterogeneity in clinical presentation and wide variability in age of onset in patients carrying a GRN LOF mutation. Recently, this heterogeneity became an opportunity to identify disease modifiers, considering that these might constitute suitable targets for developing disease-modifying or disease-delaying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline Wauters
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sara Van Mossevelde
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Neurology and Memory Clinic, Hospital Network Antwerp Middelheim and Hoge Beuken, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Neurology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Julie Van der Zee
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marc Cruts
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christine Van Broeckhoven
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Van Kampen JM, Kay DG. Progranulin gene delivery reduces plaque burden and synaptic atrophy in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182896. [PMID: 28837568 PMCID: PMC5570501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a multifunctional protein that is widely expressed throughout the brain, where it has been shown to act as a critical regulator of CNS inflammation and also functions as an autocrine neuronal growth factor, important for long-term neuronal survival. PGRN has been shown to activate cell signaling pathways regulating excitoxicity, oxidative stress, and synaptogenesis, as well as amyloidogenesis. Together, these critical roles in the CNS suggest that PGRN has the potential to be an important therapeutic target for the treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is the leading cause of dementia and is marked by the appearance of extracellular plaques consisting of aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ), as well as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, neuronal loss and synaptic atrophy. The ability of PGRN to target multiple key features of AD pathophysiology suggests that enhancing its expression may benefit this disease. Here, we describe the application of PGRN gene transfer using in vivo delivery of lentiviral expression vectors in a transgenic mouse model of AD. Viral vector delivery of the PGRN gene effectively enhanced PGRN expression in the hippocampus of Tg2576 mice. This elevated PGRN expression significantly reduced amyloid plaque burden in these mice, accompanied by reductions in markers of inflammation and synaptic atrophy. The overexpression of PGRN was also found to increase activity of neprilysin, a key amyloid beta degrading enzyme. PGRN regulation of neprilysin activity could play a major role in the observed alterations in plaque burden. Thus, PGRN may be an effective therapeutic target for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackalina M. Van Kampen
- Neurodyn Inc., Charlottetown, PE, Canada
- Dept. Biomedical Science, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
- Dept. Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Denis G. Kay
- Neurodyn Inc., Charlottetown, PE, Canada
- Dept. Pathology and Microbiology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
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44
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Intracellular Proteolysis of Progranulin Generates Stable, Lysosomal Granulins that Are Haploinsufficient in Patients with Frontotemporal Dementia Caused by GRN Mutations. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-NWR-0100-17. [PMID: 28828399 PMCID: PMC5562298 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0100-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Homozygous or heterozygous mutations in the GRN gene, encoding progranulin (PGRN), cause neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) or frontotemporal dementia (FTD), respectively. NCL and FTD are characterized by lysosome dysfunction and neurodegeneration, indicating PGRN is important for lysosome homeostasis in the brain. PGRN is trafficked to the lysosome where its functional role is unknown. PGRN can be cleaved into seven 6-kDa proteins called granulins (GRNs); however, little is known about how GRNs are produced or if levels of GRNs are altered in FTD-GRN mutation carriers. Here, we report the identification and characterization of antibodies that reliably detect several human GRNs by immunoblot and immunocytochemistry. Using these tools, we find that endogenous GRNs are present within multiple cell lines and are constitutively produced. Further, extracellular PGRN is endocytosed and rapidly processed into stable GRNs within lysosomes. Processing of PGRN into GRNs is conserved between humans and mice and is modulated by sortilin expression and mediated by cysteine proteases (i.e. cathpesin L). Induced lysosome dysfunction caused by alkalizing agents or increased expression of transmembrane protein 106B (TMEM106B) inhibit processing of PGRN into GRNs. Finally, we find that multiple GRNs are haploinsufficient in primary fibroblasts and cortical brain tissue from FTD-GRN patients. Taken together, our findings raise the interesting possibility that GRNs carry out critical lysosomal functions and that loss of GRNs should be explored as an initiating factor in lysosomal dysfunction and neurodegeneration caused by GRN mutations.
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Pottier C, Ravenscroft TA, Sanchez-Contreras M, Rademakers R. Genetics of FTLD: overview and what else we can expect from genetic studies. J Neurochem 2017; 138 Suppl 1:32-53. [PMID: 27009575 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) comprises a highly heterogeneous group of disorders clinically associated with behavioral and personality changes, language impairment, and deficits in executive functioning, and pathologically associated with degeneration of frontal and temporal lobes. Some patients present with motor symptoms including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Genetic research over the past two decades in FTLD families led to the identification of three common FTLD genes (microtubule-associated protein tau, progranulin, and chromosome 9 open reading frame 72) and a small number of rare FTLD genes, explaining the disease in almost all autosomal dominant FTLD families but only a minority of apparently sporadic patients or patients in whom the family history is less clear. Identification of additional FTLD (risk) genes is therefore highly anticipated, especially with the emerging use of next-generation sequencing. Common variants in the transmembrane protein 106 B were identified as a genetic risk factor of FTLD and disease modifier in patients with known mutations. This review summarizes for each FTLD gene what we know about the type and frequency of mutations, their associated clinical and pathological features, and potential disease mechanisms. We also provide an overview of emerging disease pathways encompassing multiple FTLD genes. We further discuss how FTLD specific issues, such as disease heterogeneity, the presence of an unclear family history and the possible role of an oligogenic basis of FTLD, can pose challenges for future FTLD gene identification and risk assessment of specific variants. Finally, we highlight emerging clinical, genetic, and translational research opportunities that lie ahead. Genetic research led to the identification of three common FTLD genes with rare variants (MAPT, GRN, and C9orf72) and a small number of rare genes. Efforts are now ongoing, which aimed at the identification of rare variants with high risk and/or low frequency variants with intermediate effect. Common risk variants have also been identified, such as TMEM106B. This review discusses the current knowledge on FTLD genes and the emerging disease pathways encompassing multiple FTLD genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Pottier
- Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Rosa Rademakers
- Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Polylysine-modified polyethylenimine (PEI-PLL) mediated VEGF gene delivery protects dopaminergic neurons in cell culture and in rat models of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Acta Biomater 2017; 54:58-68. [PMID: 28025049 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2016.12.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor deficits which result from the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. Gene therapy using growth factors such as VEGF seems to be a viable approach for potential therapeutic treatment of PD. In this study, we utilized a novel non-viral gene carrier designated as PEI-PLL synthesized by our laboratory to deliver VEGF gene to study its effect by using both cell culture as well as animal models of PD. For cell culture experiments, we utilized 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) mediated cell death model of MN9D cells following transfection with either a control plasmid or VEGF expressing plasmid. As compared to control transfected cells, PEI-PLL mediated VEGF gene delivery to MN9D cells resulted in increased cell viability, increase in the number of Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells and decreased apoptosis following 6-OHDA insult. Next, we studied the therapeutic potential of PEI-PLL mediated VEGF gene delivery in SNPc by using unilateral 6-OHDA Medial forebrain bundle (MFB) lesion model of PD in rats. VEGF administration prevented the loss of motor functions induced by 6-OHDA as determined by behavior analysis. Similarly, VEGF inhibited the 6-OHDA mediated loss of DA neurons in Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta (SNPc) as well as DA nerve fibers in striatum as determined by TH immunostaining. In addition, PEI-PLL mediated VEGF gene delivery also prevented apoptosis and microglial activation in PD rat models. Together, these results clearly demonstrated the beneficial effects of PEI-PLL mediated VEGF gene delivery on dopaminergic system in both cell culture and animal models of PD. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE In this report, we exploited the potential of PEI-PLL to deliver VEGF gene for the potential therapeutic treatment of PD by using both cell culture and animal models of PD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the use of novel polymeric gene carriers for the delivery of VEGF gene to DA neurons with improved transfection efficiency. Finally, the study will lead to a significant advancement in the field of non-viral PD gene therapy treatment.
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Chitramuthu BP, Kay DG, Bateman A, Bennett HPJ. Neurotrophic effects of progranulin in vivo in reversing motor neuron defects caused by over or under expression of TDP-43 or FUS. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174784. [PMID: 28358904 PMCID: PMC5373598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a glycoprotein with multiple roles in normal and disease states. Mutations within the GRN gene cause frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). The affected neurons display distinctive TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) inclusions. How partial loss of PGRN causes TDP-43 neuropathology is poorly understood. TDP-43 inclusions are also found in affected neurons of patients with other neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's disease. In ALS, TDP-43 inclusions are typically also immunoreactive for fused in sarcoma (FUS). Mutations within TDP-43 or FUS are themselves neuropathogenic in ALS and some cases of FTLD. We used the outgrowth of caudal primary motor neurons (MNs) in zebrafish embryos to investigate the interaction of PGRN with TDP-43 and FUS in vivo. As reported previously, depletion of zebrafish PGRN-A (zfPGRN-A) is associated with truncated primary MNs and impaired motor function. Here we found that depletion of zfPGRN-A results in primary MNs outgrowth stalling at the horizontal myoseptum, a line of demarcation separating the myotome into dorsal and ventral compartments that is where the final destination of primary motor is assigned. Successful axonal outgrowth beyond the horizontal myoseptum depends in part upon formation of acetylcholine receptor clusters and this was found to be disorganized upon depletion of zfPGRN-A. PGRN reversed the effects of zfPGRN-A knockdown, but a related gene, zfPGRN-1, was without effect. Both knockdown of TDP-43 or FUS, as well as expression of humanTDP-43 and FUS mutants results in MN abnormalities that are reversed by co-expression of hPGRN mRNA. Neither TDP-43 nor FUS reversed MN phenotypes caused by the depletion of PGRN. Thus TDP-43 and FUS lie upstream of PGRN in a gene complementation pathway. The ability of PGRN to override TDP-43 and FUS neurotoxicity due to partial loss of function or mutation in the corresponding genes may have therapeutic relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babykumari P. Chitramuthu
- Endocrine Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Neurodyn Inc., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
- * E-mail: (BPC); (HPJB)
| | - Denis G. Kay
- Neurodyn Inc., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
| | - Andrew Bateman
- Endocrine Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Hugh P. J. Bennett
- Endocrine Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail: (BPC); (HPJB)
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Neill T, Buraschi S, Goyal A, Sharpe C, Natkanski E, Schaefer L, Morrione A, Iozzo RV. EphA2 is a functional receptor for the growth factor progranulin. J Cell Biol 2016; 215:687-703. [PMID: 27903606 PMCID: PMC5146997 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201603079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The receptor for the growth factor progranulin has remained unclear. Neill et al. show that the Ephrin receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 is a functional signaling receptor for progranulin and mediates its effects in capillary morphogenesis and autoregulation. Although the growth factor progranulin was discovered more than two decades ago, the functional receptor remains elusive. Here, we discovered that EphA2, a member of the large family of Ephrin receptor tyrosine kinases, is a functional signaling receptor for progranulin. Recombinant progranulin bound with high affinity to EphA2 in both solid phase and solution. Interaction of progranulin with EphA2 caused prolonged activation of the receptor, downstream stimulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and Akt, and promotion of capillary morphogenesis. Furthermore, we found an autoregulatory mechanism of progranulin whereby a feed-forward loop occurred in an EphA2-dependent manner that was independent of the endocytic receptor sortilin. The discovery of a functional signaling receptor for progranulin offers a new avenue for understanding the underlying mode of action of progranulin in cancer progression, tumor angiogenesis, and perhaps neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Neill
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107.,Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Simone Buraschi
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107.,Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Atul Goyal
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107.,Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Catherine Sharpe
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107.,Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Elizabeth Natkanski
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107.,Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Liliana Schaefer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main 60323, Germany
| | - Andrea Morrione
- Department of Urology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107.,Biology of Prostate Cancer Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Renato V Iozzo
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107 .,Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
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Copy number variability in Parkinson's disease: assembling the puzzle through a systems biology approach. Hum Genet 2016; 136:13-37. [PMID: 27896429 PMCID: PMC5214768 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-016-1749-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder of aging, was long believed to be a non-genetic sporadic origin syndrome. The proof that several genetic loci are responsible for rare Mendelian forms has represented a revolutionary breakthrough, enabling to reveal molecular mechanisms underlying this debilitating still incurable condition. While single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small indels constitute the most commonly investigated DNA variations accounting for only a limited number of PD cases, larger genomic molecular rearrangements have emerged as significant PD-causing mutations, including submicroscopic Copy Number Variations (CNVs). CNVs constitute a prevalent source of genomic variations and substantially participate in each individual’s genomic makeup and phenotypic outcome. However, the majority of genetic studies have focused their attention on single candidate-gene mutations or on common variants reaching a significant statistical level of acceptance. This gene-centric approach is insufficient to uncover the genetic background of polygenic multifactorial disorders like PD, and potentially masks rare individual CNVs that all together might contribute to disease development or progression. In this review, we will discuss literature and bioinformatic data describing the involvement of CNVs on PD pathobiology. We will analyze the most frequent copy number changes in familiar PD genes and provide a “systems biology” overview of rare individual rearrangements that could functionally act on commonly deregulated molecular pathways. Assessing the global genome-wide burden of CNVs in PD patients may reveal new disease-related molecular mechanisms, and open the window to a new possible genetic scenario in the unsolved PD puzzle.
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Holler CJ, Taylor G, McEachin ZT, Deng Q, Watkins WJ, Hudson K, Easley CA, Hu WT, Hales CM, Rossoll W, Bassell GJ, Kukar T. Trehalose upregulates progranulin expression in human and mouse models of GRN haploinsufficiency: a novel therapeutic lead to treat frontotemporal dementia. Mol Neurodegener 2016; 11:46. [PMID: 27341800 PMCID: PMC4919863 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-016-0114-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Progranulin (PGRN) is a secreted growth factor important for neuronal survival and may do so, in part, by regulating lysosome homeostasis. Mutations in the PGRN gene (GRN) are a common cause of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and lead to disease through PGRN haploinsufficiency. Additionally, complete loss of PGRN in humans leads to neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), a lysosomal storage disease. Importantly, Grn-/- mouse models recapitulate pathogenic lysosomal features of NCL. Further, GRN variants that decrease PGRN expression increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Together these findings demonstrate that insufficient PGRN predisposes neurons to degeneration. Therefore, compounds that increase PGRN levels are potential therapeutics for multiple neurodegenerative diseases. RESULTS Here, we performed a cell-based screen of a library of known autophagy-lysosome modulators and identified multiple novel activators of a human GRN promoter reporter including several common mTOR inhibitors and an mTOR-independent activator of autophagy, trehalose. Secondary cellular screens identified trehalose, a natural disaccharide, as the most promising lead compound because it increased endogenous PGRN in all cell lines tested and has multiple reported neuroprotective properties. Trehalose dose-dependently increased GRN mRNA as well as intracellular and secreted PGRN in both mouse and human cell lines and this effect was independent of the transcription factor EB (TFEB). Moreover, trehalose rescued PGRN deficiency in human fibroblasts and neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generated from GRN mutation carriers. Finally, oral administration of trehalose to Grn haploinsufficient mice significantly increased PGRN expression in the brain. CONCLUSIONS This work reports several novel autophagy-lysosome modulators that enhance PGRN expression and identifies trehalose as a promising therapeutic for raising PGRN levels to treat multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Holler
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Georgia Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Zachary T McEachin
- Laboratory of Translational Cell Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Qiudong Deng
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - William J Watkins
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Kathryn Hudson
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Charles A Easley
- Laboratory of Translational Cell Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - William T Hu
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Neurology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Chadwick M Hales
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Neurology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Wilfried Rossoll
- Laboratory of Translational Cell Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Gary J Bassell
- Laboratory of Translational Cell Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Neurology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Thomas Kukar
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA. .,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA. .,Department of Neurology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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