Amelioration of Huntington's disease phenotypes by Beta-Lapachone is associated with increases in Sirt1 expression, CREB phosphorylation and PGC-1α deacetylation

Mitochondrial targeted antioxidants as potential therapy for huntington's disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion in CAG repeat on huntington (Htt) gene, leading to a degeneration of GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum, resulting in the generation of reactive oxygen species, and decrease antioxidant activity. These pathophysiological alterations impair mitochondrial functions, leading to an increase in involuntary hyperkinetic movement. However, researchers investigated the neuroprotective effect of antioxidants using various animal models. Still, their impact is strictly limited to curtailing oxidative stress and increasing the antioxidant enzyme in the brain, which is less effective in HD. Meanwhile, researchers discovered Mitochondria-targeted antioxidants (MTAXs) that can improve mitochondrial functions and antioxidant activity through the modulation of mitochondrial signaling pathways, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-coactivator 1 (PGC-1α), dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), mitochondrial fission protein 1 (Fis1), and Silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (SIRT-1), showing neuroprotective effects in HD. The present review discusses the clinical and preclinical studies that investigate the neuroprotective effect of MTAXs (SS31, XJB-5-131, MitoQ, bezafibrate, rosiglitazone, meldonium, coenzyme Q10, etc.) in HD. This brief literature review will help to understand the relevance of MTAXs in HD and enlighten the importance of MTAXs in future drug discovery and development.

Abnormal protein post-translational modifications induces aggregation and abnormal deposition of protein, mediating neurodegenerative diseases

Protein post-translational modifications (PPTMs) refer to a series of chemical modifications that occur after the synthesis of protein. Proteins undergo different modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, and so on. These modifications can alter the protein's structure, function, and interaction, thereby regulating its biological activity. In neurodegenerative diseases, several proteins undergo abnormal post-translational modifications, which leads to aggregation and abnormal deposition of protein, thus resulting in neuronal death and related diseases. For example, the main pathological features of Alzheimer's disease are the aggregation of beta-amyloid protein and abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein. The abnormal ubiquitination and loss of α-synuclein are related to the onset of Parkinson's disease. Other neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and so on are also connected with abnormal PPTMs. Therefore, studying the abnormal PPTMs in neurodegenerative diseases is critical for understanding the mechanism of these diseases and the development of significant therapeutic strategies. This work reviews the implications of PPTMs in neurodegenerative diseases and discusses the relevant therapeutic strategies.

Therapeutic implications of phosphorylation- and dephosphorylation-dependent factors of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) in neurodegeneration

Neurodegeneration is a condition of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by loss of neural structures and function. The most common neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), motor neuron disorders, psychological disorders, dementia with vascular dementia (VaD), Lewy body dementia (DLB), epilepsy, cerebral ischemia, mental illness, and behavioral disorders. CREB (cAMP-response element-binding protein) represent a nuclear protein that regulates gene transcriptional activity. The primary focus of the review pertains to the exploration of CREB expression and activation within the context of neurodegenerative diseases, specifically in relation to the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events that occur within the CREB signaling pathway under normal physiological conditions. The findings mentioned have contributed to the elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms governing CREB activity. Additionally, they have provided valuable insights into the potential mediation of diverse biological processes, such as memory consolidation and neuroprotective effects, by various related studies. The promotion of synaptic plasticity and neurodevelopment in the central nervous system through the targeting of CREB proteins has the potential to contribute to the prevention or delay of the onset of neurodegenerative disorders. Multiple drugs have been found to initiate downstream signaling pathways, leading to neuroprotective advantages in both animal model studies and clinical trials. The clinical importance of the cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) is examined in this article, encompassing its utility as both a predictive/prognostic marker and a target for therapeutic interventions.

Mitochondria in Huntington's disease: implications in pathogenesis and mitochondrial-targeted therapeutic strategies

Huntington's disease is a genetic disease caused by expanded CAG repeats on exon 1 of the huntingtin gene located on chromosome 4. Compelling evidence implicates impaired mitochondrial energetics, altered mitochondrial biogenesis and quality control, disturbed mitochondrial trafficking, oxidative stress and mitochondrial calcium dyshomeostasis in the pathogenesis of the disorder. Unfortunately, conventional mitochondrial-targeted molecules, such as cysteamine, creatine, coenzyme Q10, or triheptanoin, yielded negative or inconclusive results. However, future therapeutic strategies, aiming to restore mitochondrial biogenesis, improving the fission/fusion balance, and improving mitochondrial trafficking, could prove useful tools in improving the phenotype of Huntington's disease and, used in combination with genome-editing methods, could lead to a cure for the disease.

A FRET-based respirasome assembly screen identifies spleen tyrosine kinase as a target to improve muscle mitochondrial respiration and exercise performance in mice

Aerobic muscle activities predominantly depend on fuel energy supply by mitochondrial respiration, thus, mitochondrial activity enhancement may become a therapeutic intervention for muscle disturbances. The assembly of mitochondrial respiratory complexes into higher-order "supercomplex" structures has been proposed to be an efficient biological process for energy synthesis, although there is controversy in its physiological relevance. We here established Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) phenomenon-based live imaging of mitochondrial respiratory complexes I and IV interactions using murine myoblastic cells, whose signals represent in vivo supercomplex assembly of complexes I, III, and IV, or respirasomes. The live FRET signals were well correlated with supercomplex assembly observed by blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) and oxygen consumption rates. FRET-based live cell screen defined that the inhibition of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK), a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase that belongs to the SYK/ zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP-70) family, leads to an increase in supercomplex assembly in murine myoblastic cells. In parallel, SYK inhibition enhanced mitochondrial respiration in the cells. Notably, SYK inhibitor administration enhances exercise performance in mice. Overall, this study proves the feasibility of FRET-based respirasome assembly assay, which recapitulates in vivo mitochondrial respiration activities.

Virtual Screening in the Identification of Sirtuins’ Activity Modulators

Sirtuins are NAD⁺-dependent deac(et)ylases with different subcellular localization. The sirtuins’ family is composed of seven members, named SIRT-1 to SIRT-7. Their substrates include histones and also an increasing number of different proteins. Sirtuins regulate a wide range of different processes, ranging from transcription to metabolism to genome stability. Thus, their dysregulation has been related to the pathogenesis of different diseases. In this review, we discussed the pharmacological approaches based on sirtuins’ modulators (both inhibitors and activators) that have been attempted in in vitro and/or in in vivo experimental settings, to highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting one/more specific sirtuin isoform(s) in cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and type 2 diabetes. Extensive research has already been performed to identify SIRT-1 and -2 modulators, while compounds targeting the other sirtuins have been less studied so far. Beside sections dedicated to each sirtuin, in the present review we also included sections dedicated to pan-sirtuins’ and to parasitic sirtuins’ modulators. A special focus is dedicated to the sirtuins’ modulators identified by the use of virtual screening.

Synergistic Effect of β-Lapachone and Aminooxyacetic Acid on Central Metabolism in Breast Cancer

The compound β-lapachone, a naturally derived naphthoquinone, has been utilized as a potent medicinal nutrient to improve health. Over the last twelve years, numerous reports have demonstrated distinct associations of β-lapachone and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) protein in the amelioration of various diseases. Comprehensive research of NQO1 bioactivity has clearly confirmed the tumoricidal effects of β-lapachone action through NAD+-keresis, in which severe DNA damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS) production triggers a poly-ADP-ribose polymerase-I (PARP1) hyperactivation cascade, culminating in NAD+/ATP depletion. Here, we report a novel combination strategy with aminooxyacetic acid (AOA), an aspartate aminotransferase inhibitor that blocks the malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS) and synergistically enhances the efficacy of β-lapachone metabolic perturbation in NQO1+ breast cancer. We evaluated metabolic turnover in MDA-MB-231 NQO1+, MDA-MB-231 NQO1-, MDA-MB-468, and T47D cancer cells by measuring the isotopic labeling of metabolites from a [U-13C]glucose tracer. We show that β-lapachone treatment significantly hampers lactate secretion by ~85% in NQO1+ cells. Our data demonstrate that combinatorial treatment decreases citrate, glutamate, and succinate enrichment by ~14%, ~50%, and ~65%, respectively. Differences in citrate, glutamate, and succinate fractional enrichments indicate synergistic effects on central metabolism based on the coefficient of drug interaction. Metabolic modeling suggests that increased glutamine anaplerosis is protective in the case of MAS inhibition.

Molecular Pathophysiological Mechanisms in Huntington's Disease

Huntington’s disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disease described 150 years ago by George Huntington. The genetic defect was identified in 1993 to be an expanded CAG repeat on exon 1 of the huntingtin gene located on chromosome 4. In the following almost 30 years, a considerable amount of research, using mainly animal models or in vitro experiments, has tried to unravel the complex molecular cascades through which the transcription of the mutant protein leads to neuronal loss, especially in the medium spiny neurons of the striatum, and identified excitotoxicity, transcriptional dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, impaired proteostasis, altered axonal trafficking and reduced availability of trophic factors to be crucial contributors. This review discusses the pathogenic cascades described in the literature through which mutant huntingtin leads to neuronal demise. However, due to the ubiquitous presence of huntingtin, astrocytes are also dysfunctional, and neuroinflammation may additionally contribute to Huntington’s disease pathology. The quest for therapies to delay the onset and reduce the rate of Huntington’s disease progression is ongoing, but is based on findings from basic research.

Sirtuins Modulation: A Promising Strategy for HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Impairments

HIV-Associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) is one of the major concerns since it persists in 40% of this population. Nowadays, HAND neuropathogenesis is considered to be caused by the infected cells that cross the brain-blood barrier and produce viral proteins that can be secreted and internalized into neurons leading to disruption of cellular processes. The evidence points to viral proteins such as Tat as the causal agent for neuronal alteration and thus HAND. The hallmarks in Tat-induced neurodegeneration are endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Sirtuins (SIRTs) are NAD+-dependent deacetylases involved in mitochondria biogenesis, unfolded protein response, and intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Tat interaction with these deacetylases causes inhibition of SIRT1 and SIRT3. Studies revealed that SIRTs activation promotes neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases such Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Therefore, this review focuses on Tat-induced neurotoxicity mechanisms that involve SIRTs as key regulators and their modulation as a therapeutic strategy for tackling HAND and thereby improving the quality of life of people living with HIV.

Sirtuins at the Crossroads between Mitochondrial Quality Control and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Structure, Regulation, Modifications, and Modulators

Sirtuins (SIRT1-SIRT7), a family of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺)-dependent enzymes, are key regulators of life span and metabolism. In addition to acting as deacetylates, some sirtuins have the properties of deacylase, decrotonylase, adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosyltransferase, lipoamidase, desuccinylase, demalonylase, deglutarylase, and demyristolyase. Mitochondrial dysfunction occurs early on and acts causally in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). Sirtuins are implicated in the regulation of mitochondrial quality control, which is highly associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. There is growing evidence indicating that sirtuins are promising and well-documented molecular targets for the treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegenerative disorders by regulating mitochondrial quality control, including mitochondrial biogenesis, mitophagy, mitochondrial fission/fusion dynamics, and mitochondrial unfolded protein responses (mtUPR). Therefore, elucidation of the molecular etiology of sirtuin-mediated mitochondrial quality control points to new prospects for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying sirtuin-mediated mitochondrial quality control remain obscure. In this review, we update and summarize the current understanding of the structure, function, and regulation of sirtuins with an emphasis on the cumulative and putative effects of sirtuins on mitochondrial biology and neurodegenerative diseases, particularly their roles in mitochondrial quality control. In addition, we outline the potential therapeutic applications for neurodegenerative diseases of targeting sirtuin-mediated mitochondrial quality control through exercise training, calorie restriction, and sirtuin modulators in neurodegenerative diseases.

The possibility of low isomerization of β-lapachone in the human body

β-Lapachone has been reported to have anticancer and various other therapeutic effects, but is limited in clinical applications by its low bioavailability. pH-Dependent isomerization can be suggested as one plausible factor influencing its low bioavailability. Since it is known that β-lapachone is converted to its isomer, α-lapachone in hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution, isomerization in the human body may be driven by HCl in the gastric fluid. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of isomerization of β-lapachone in the human body. Chemical reactions were conducted using simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 7.5) at 37°C. β-Lapachone was observed in SGF at 37°C for 1 hour and SIF for 3 hours. In addition, biofluid analysis was performed on plasma samples 1 hour and 4 hours, and on urine sample 12 hours after oral administration of 100 mg MB12066, a synthetic β-lapachone, in healthy adult male. All samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Only β-lapachone peaks existed in the spectra obtained from SGF and SIF. No isomerization of β-lapachone was observed in the analysis of any of the human samples. In the current study, the possibility of pH-dependent isomerization of β-lapachone in the human body was not confirmed.

New Avenues for the Treatment of Huntington's Disease

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the HD gene. The disease is characterized by neurodegeneration, particularly in the striatum and cortex. The first symptoms usually appear in mid-life and include cognitive deficits and motor disturbances that progress over time. Despite being a genetic disorder with a known cause, several mechanisms are thought to contribute to neurodegeneration in HD, and numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have been conducted and are currently underway to test the efficacy of therapeutic approaches targeting some of these mechanisms with varying degrees of success. Although current clinical trials may lead to the identification or refinement of treatments that are likely to improve the quality of life of those living with HD, major efforts continue to be invested at the pre-clinical level, with numerous studies testing novel approaches that show promise as disease-modifying strategies. This review offers a detailed overview of the currently approved treatment options for HD and the clinical trials for this neurodegenerative disorder that are underway and concludes by discussing potential disease-modifying treatments that have shown promise in pre-clinical studies, including increasing neurotropic support, modulating autophagy, epigenetic and genetic manipulations, and the use of nanocarriers and stem cells.

Post-translational modifications: Regulators of neurodegenerative proteinopathies

One of the hallmark features in the neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) is the accumulation of aggregated and/or non-functional protein in the cellular milieu. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are an essential regulator of non-functional protein aggregation in the pathogenesis of NDDs. Any alteration in the post-translational mechanism and the protein quality control system, for instance, molecular chaperone, ubiquitin-proteasome system, autophagy-lysosomal degradation pathway, enhances the accumulation of misfolded protein, which causes neuronal dysfunction. Post-translational modification plays many roles in protein turnover rate, accumulation of aggregate and can also help in the degradation of disease-causing toxic metabolites. PTMs such as acetylation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, palmitoylation, SUMOylation, nitration, oxidation, and many others regulate protein homeostasis, which includes protein structure, functions and aggregation propensity. Different studies demonstrated the involvement of PTMs in the regulation of signaling cascades such as PI3K/Akt/GSK3β, MAPK cascade, AMPK pathway, and Wnt signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of NDDs. Further, mounting evidence suggests that targeting different PTMs with small chemical molecules, which acts as an inhibitor or activator, reverse misfolded protein accumulation and thus enhances the neuroprotection. Herein, we briefly discuss the protein aggregation and various domain structures of different proteins involved in the NDDs, indicating critical amino acid residues where PTMs occur. We also describe the implementation and involvement of various PTMs on signaling cascade and cellular processes in NDDs. Lastly, we implement our current understanding of the therapeutic importance of PTMs in neurodegeneration, along with emerging techniques targeting various PTMs.

Natural products targeting mitochondria: emerging therapeutics for age-associated neurological disorders

Mitochondria are the primary source of energy production in the brain thereby supporting most of its activity. However, mitochondria become inefficient and dysfunctional with age and to a greater extent in neurological disorders. Thus, mitochondria represent an emerging drug target for many age-associated neurological disorders. This review summarizes recent advances (covering from 2010 to May 2020) in the use of natural products from plant, animal, and microbial sources as potential neuroprotective agents to restore mitochondrial function. Natural products from diverse classes of chemical structures are discussed and organized according to their mechanism of action on mitochondria in terms of modulation of biogenesis, dynamics, bioenergetics, calcium homeostasis, and membrane potential, as well as inhibition of the oxytosis/ferroptosis pathway. This analysis emphasizes the significant value of natural products for mitochondrial pharmacology as well as the opportunities and challenges for the discovery and development of future neurotherapeutics.

Inhibition of GSK-3 ameliorates the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease

In Huntington's disease (HD), the mutant huntingtin (mHtt) accumulates as toxic aggregates in the striatum tissue, with deleterious effects on motor-coordination and cognitive functions. Reducing the levels of mHtt is therefore a promising therapeutic strategy. We have previously reported that GSK-3 is a negative regulator of the autophagy/lysosome pathway, which is responsible for intracellular degradation, and is critically important for maintaining neuronal vitality. Thus, we hypothesized that inhibition of GSK-3 may trigger mHtt clearance thereby reducing mHtt cytotoxicity and improving HD symptoms. Here, we demonstrate that depletion or suppression of autophagy results in a massive accumulation of mHtt aggregates. Accordingly, mHtt aggregates were localized in lysosomes, but, mostly mislocalized from lysosomes in the absence of functional autophagy. Overexpression of GSK-3, particularly the α isozyme, increased the number of mHtt aggregates, while silencing GSK-3α/β, or treatment with a selective GSK-3 inhibitor, L807mts, previously described by us, reduced the amounts of mHtt aggregates. This effect was mediated by increased autophagic and lysosomal activity. Treating R6/2 mouse model of HD with L807mts, reduced striatal mHtt aggregates and elevated autophagic and lysosomal markers. The L807mts treatment also reduced hyperglycemia and improved motor-coordination functions in these mice. In addition, L807mts restored the expression levels of Sirt1, a critical neuroprotective factor in the HD striatum, along with its targets BDNF, DRPP-32, and active Akt, all provide neurotrophic/pro-survival support and typically decline in the HD brain. Our results provide strong evidence for a role for GSK-3 in the regulation of mHtt dynamics, and demonstrate the benefits of GSK-3 inhibition in reducing mHtt toxicity, providing neuroprotective support, and improving HD symptoms.

Mitochondrial and Redox-Based Therapeutic Strategies in Huntington's Disease

Significance: The molecular processes that determine Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis are not yet fully understood, and until now no effective neuroprotective therapeutic strategies have been developed. Mitochondria are one of most important organelles required for neuronal homeostasis, by providing metabolic pathways relevant for energy production, regulating calcium homeostasis, or controlling free radical generation and cell death. Because augmented reactive oxygen species (ROS) accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction are relevant early HD mechanisms, targeting these cellular mechanisms may constitute relevant therapeutic approaches. Recent Advances: Previous findings point toward a close relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and redox changes in HD. Mutant huntingtin (mHTT) can directly interact with mitochondrial proteins, as translocase of the inner membrane 23 (TIM23), disrupting mitochondrial proteostasis and favoring ROS production and HD progression. Furthermore, abnormal brain and muscle redox signaling contributes to altered proteostasis and motor impairment in HD, which can be improved with the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant mitoquinone or resveratrol, an SIRT1 activator that ameliorates mitochondrial biogenesis and function. Critical Issues: Various antioxidants and metabolic enhancers have been studied in HD; however, the real outcome of these molecules is still debatable. New compounds have proven to ameliorate mitochondrial and redox-based signaling pathways in early stages of HD, potentially precluding selective neurodegeneration. Future Directions: Unraveling the molecular etiology of deregulated mitochondrial function and dynamics, and oxidative stress opens new prospects for HD therapeutics. In this review, we explore the role of redox unbalance and mitochondrial dysfunction in HD progression, and further describe advances on clinical trials in HD based on mitochondrial and redox-based therapeutic strategies.

β‑Lapachone ameliorates L‑DOPA‑induced dyskinesia in a 6‑OHDA‑induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease

The dopamine precursor 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl- l-alanine (L-DOPA) is the most widely used symptomatic treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD); however, its prolonged use is associated with L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in more than half of patients after 10 years of treatment. The present study investigated whether co-treatment with β-Lapachone, a natural compound, and L-DOPA has protective effects in a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced mouse model of PD. Unilateral 6-OHDA-lesioned mice were treated with vehicle or β-Lapachone (10 mg/kg/day) and L-DOPA for 11 days. Abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs) were scored on days 5 and 10. β-Lapachone (10 mg/kg) co-treatment with L-DOPA decreased the AIMs score on both days 5 and 10. β-Lapachone was demonstrated to have a beneficial effect on the axial and limb AIMs scores on day 10. There was no significant suppression in dopamine D1 receptor-related and ERK1/2 signaling in the DA-denervated striatum by β-Lapachone-cotreatment with L-DOPA. Notably, β-Lapachone-cotreatment with L-DOPA increased phosphorylation at the Ser9 site of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), indicating suppression of GSK-3β activity in both the unlesioned and 6-OHDA-lesioned striata. In addition, astrocyte activation was markedly suppressed by β-Lapachone-cotreatment with L-DOPA in the striatum and substantia nigra of the unilateral 6-OHDA model. These findings suggest that β-Lapachone cotreatment with L-DOPA therapy may have therapeutic potential for the suppression or management of the development of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in patients with PD.

SIRT1 and SIRT2 Activity Control in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Sirtuins are NAD+ dependent histone deacetylases (HDAC) that play a pivotal role in neuroprotection and cellular senescence. SIRT1-7 are different homologs from sirtuins. They play a prominent role in many aspects of physiology and regulate crucial proteins. Modulation of sirtuins can thus be utilized as a therapeutic target for metabolic disorders. Neurological diseases have distinct clinical manifestations but are mainly age-associated and due to loss of protein homeostasis. Sirtuins mediate several life extension pathways and brain functions that may allow therapeutic intervention for age-related diseases. There is compelling evidence to support the fact that SIRT1 and SIRT2 are shuttled between the nucleus and cytoplasm and perform context-dependent functions in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). In this review, we highlight the regulation of SIRT1 and SIRT2 in various neurological diseases. This study explores the various modulators that regulate the activity of SIRT1 and SIRT2, which may further assist in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. Moreover, we analyze the structure and function of various small molecules that have potential significance in modulating sirtuins, as well as the technologies that advance the targeted therapy of neurodegenerative disease.

β-Lapachone Induces Acute Oxidative Stress in Rat Primary Astrocyte Cultures that is Terminated by the NQO1-Inhibitor Dicoumarol

β-lapachone (β-lap) is reduced in tumor cells by the enzyme NAD(P)H: quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) to a labile hydroquinone which spontaneously reoxidises to β-lap, thereby generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. To test for the consequences of an acute exposure of brain cells to β-lap, cultured primary rat astrocytes were incubated with β-lap for up to 4 h. The presence of β-lap in concentrations of up to 10 µM had no detectable adverse consequences, while higher concentrations of β-lap compromised the cell viability and the metabolism of astrocytes in a concentration- and time-dependent manner with half-maximal effects observed for around 15 µM β-lap after a 4 h incubation. Exposure of astrocytes to β-lap caused already within 5 min a severe increase in the cellular production of ROS as well as a rapid oxidation of glutathione (GSH) to glutathione disulfide (GSSG). The transient cellular accumulation of GSSG was followed by GSSG export. The β-lap-induced ROS production and GSSG accumulation were completely prevented in the presence of the NQO1 inhibitor dicoumarol. In addition, application of dicoumarol to β-lap-exposed astrocytes caused rapid regeneration of the normal high cellular GSH to GSSG ratio. These results demonstrate that application of β-lap to cultured astrocytes causes acute oxidative stress that depends on the activity of NQO1. The sequential application of β-lap and dicoumarol to rapidly induce and terminate oxidative stress, respectively, is a suitable experimental paradigm to study consequences of a defined period of acute oxidative stress in NQO1-expressing cells.

How Do Post-Translational Modifications Influence the Pathomechanistic Landscape of Huntington's Disease? A Comprehensive Review

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of motor control and cognitive ability, which eventually leads to death. The mutant huntingtin protein (HTT) exhibits an expansion of a polyglutamine repeat. The mechanism of pathogenesis is still not fully characterized; however, evidence suggests that post-translational modifications (PTMs) of HTT and upstream and downstream proteins of neuronal signaling pathways are involved. The determination and characterization of PTMs are essential to understand the mechanisms at work in HD, to define possible therapeutic targets better, and to challenge the scientific community to develop new approaches and methods. The discovery and characterization of a panoply of PTMs in HTT aggregation and cellular events in HD will bring us closer to understanding how the expression of mutant polyglutamine-containing HTT affects cellular homeostasis that leads to the perturbation of cell functions, neurotoxicity, and finally, cell death. Hence, here we review the current knowledge on recently identified PTMs of HD-related proteins and their pathophysiological relevance in the formation of abnormal protein aggregates, proteolytic dysfunction, and alterations of mitochondrial and metabolic pathways, neuroinflammatory regulation, excitotoxicity, and abnormal regulation of gene expression.

PGC-1α, Sirtuins and PARPs in Huntington's Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Conditions: NAD+ to Rule Them All

In this review, we summarize the available published information on the neuroprotective effects of increasing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels in Huntington's disease models. We discuss the rationale of potential therapeutic benefit of administering nicotinamide riboside (NR), a safe and effective NAD+ precursor. We discuss the agonistic effect on the Sirtuin1-PGC-1α-PPAR pathway as well as Sirtuin 3, which converge in improving mitochondrial function, decreasing ROS production and ameliorating bioenergetics deficits. Also, we discuss the potential synergistic effect of increasing NAD+ combined with PARPs inhibitors, as a clinical therapeutic option not only in HD, but other neurodegenerative conditions.

Neuroprotective Effect of β-Lapachone in MPTP-Induced Parkinson's Disease Mouse Model: Involvement of Astroglial p-AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathways

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta. In the present study, we investigated whether β-Lapachone (β-LAP), a natural naphthoquinone compound isolated from the lapacho tree (Tabebuia avellanedae), elicits neuroprotective effects in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson’s disease mouse model. β-LAP reduced the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immuno-reactive fiber loss induced by MPTP in the dorsolateral striatum, and alleviated motor dysfunction as determined by the rotarod test. In addition, β-LAP protected against MPTP-induced loss of TH positive neurons, and upregulated B-cell lymphoma 2 protein (Bcl-2) expression in the substantia nigra. Based on previous reports on the neuroprotective role of nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in neurodegenerative diseases, we investigated whether β-LAP induces upregulation of the Nrf2-hemeoxygenae-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway molecules in MPTP-injected mouse brains. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses indicated that β-LAP increased HO-1 expression in glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes. Moreover, β-LAP increased the nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity of Nrf2, and the phosphorylation of upstream adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). β-LAP also increased the localization of p-AMPK and Nrf2 in astrocytes. Collectively, our data suggest that β-LAP exerts neuroprotective effect in MPTP-injected mice by upregulating the p-AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways in astrocytes.

Brain SIRT1 Mediates Metabolic Homeostasis and Neuroprotection

Sirtuins are evolutionarily conserved proteins that use nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a co-substrate in their enzymatic reactions. There are seven proteins (SIRT1-7) in the human sirtuin family, among which SIRT1 is the most conserved and characterized. SIRT1 in the brain, in particular, within the hypothalamus, plays crucial roles in regulating systemic energy homeostasis and circadian rhythm. Apart from this, SIRT1 has also been found to mediate beneficial effects in neurological diseases. In this review, we will first summarize how SIRT1 in the brain relates to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and circadian synchronization, and then we discuss the neuroprotective roles of brain SIRT1 in the context of cerebral ischemia and neurodegenerative disorders.

Controversial Impact of Sirtuins in Chronic Non-Transmissible Diseases and Rehabilitation Medicine

A large body of evidence reports about the positive effects of physical activity in pathophysiological conditions associated with aging. Physical exercise, alone or in combination with other medical therapies, unquestionably causes reduction of symptoms in chronic non-transmissible diseases often leading to significant amelioration or complete healing. The molecular basis of this exciting outcome—however, remain largely obscure. Epigenetics, exploring at the interface between environmental signals and the remodeling of chromatin structure, promises to shed light on this intriguing matter possibly contributing to the identification of novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we shall focalize on the role of sirtuins (Sirts) a class III histone deacetylases (HDACs), which function has been frequently associated, often with a controversial role, to the pathogenesis of aging-associated pathophysiological conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular, muscular, neurodegenerative, bones and respiratory diseases. Numerous studies, in fact, demonstrate that Sirt-dependent pathways are activated upon physical and cognitive exercises linking mitochondrial function, DNA structure remodeling and gene expression regulation to designed medical therapies leading to tangible beneficial outcomes. However, in similar conditions, other studies assign to sirtuins a negative pathophysiological role. In spite of this controversial effect, it is doubtless that studying sirtuins in chronic diseases might lead to an unprecedented improvement of life quality in the elderly.