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Goldschmidt-Clermont PJ, Khan A, Jimsheleishvili G, Graham P, Brooks A, Silvera R, Goldschmidt AJP, Pearse DD, Dietrich WD, Levi AD, Guest JD. Treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with allogeneic Schwann cell-derived exosomal vesicles: a case report. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:1207-1216. [PMID: 38922880 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Schwann cells are essential for the maintenance and function of motor neurons, axonal networks, and the neuromuscular junction. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, where motor neuron function is progressively lost, Schwann cell function may also be impaired. Recently, important signaling and potential trophic activities of Schwann cell-derived exosomal vesicles have been reported. This case report describes the treatment of a patient with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using serial intravenous infusions of allogeneic Schwann cell-derived exosomal vesicles, marking, to our knowledge, the first instance of such treatment. An 81-year-old male patient presented with a 1.5-year history of rapidly progressive amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. After initial diagnosis, the patient underwent a combination of generic riluzole, sodium phenylbutyrate for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and taurursodiol. The patient volunteered to participate in an FDA-approved single-patient expanded access treatment and received weekly intravenous infusions of allogeneic Schwann cell-derived exosomal vesicles to potentially restore impaired Schwann cell and motor neuron function. We confirmed that cultured Schwann cells obtained from the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient via sural nerve biopsy appeared impaired (senescent) and that exposure of the patient's Schwann cells to allogeneic Schwann cell-derived exosomal vesicles, cultured expanded from a cadaver donor improved their growth capacity in vitro. After a period of observation lasting 10 weeks, during which amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised and pulmonary function were regularly monitored, the patient received weekly consecutive infusions of 1.54 × 10 12 (×2), and then consecutive infusions of 7.5 × 10 12 (×6) allogeneic Schwann cell-derived exosomal vesicles diluted in 40 mL of Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline. None of the infusions were associated with adverse events such as infusion reactions (allergic or otherwise) or changes in vital signs. Clinical lab serum neurofilament and cytokine levels measured prior to each infusion varied somewhat without a clear trend. A more sensitive in-house assay suggested possible inflammasome activation during the disease course. A trend for clinical stabilization was observed during the infusion period. Our study provides a novel approach to address impaired Schwann cells and possibly motor neuron function in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using allogeneic Schwann cell-derived exosomal vesicles. Initial findings suggest that this approach is safe.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aisha Khan
- Stem Cell Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - George Jimsheleishvili
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Patricia Graham
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Adriana Brooks
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Risset Silvera
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Damien D Pearse
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - W Dalton Dietrich
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Allan D Levi
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - James D Guest
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
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Zhang J, Xie D, Jiao D, Zhou S, Liu S, Ju Z, Hu L, Qi L, Yao C, Zhao C. From inflammatory signaling to neuronal damage: Exploring NLR inflammasomes in ageing neurological disorders. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32688. [PMID: 38975145 PMCID: PMC11226848 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32688] [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: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The persistence of neuronal degeneration and damage is a major obstacle in ageing medicine. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors detect environmental stressors and trigger the maturation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines that can cause neuronal damage and accelerate cell death. NLR (NOD-like receptors) inflammasomes are protein complexes that contain NOD-like receptors. Studying the role of NLR inflammasomes in ageing-related neurological disorders can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of neurodegeneration. This includes investigating their activation of inflammasomes, transcription, and capacity to promote or inhibit inflammatory signaling, as well as exploring strategies to regulate NLR inflammasomes levels. This review summarizes the use of NLR inflammasomes in guiding neuronal degeneration and injury during the ageing process, covering several neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, and peripheral neuropathies. To improve the quality of life and slow the progression of neurological damage, NLR-based treatment strategies, including inhibitor-related therapies and physical therapy, are presented. Additionally, important connections between age-related neurological disorders and NLR inflammasomes are highlighted to guide future research and facilitate the development of new treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Zhang
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Dong Xie
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Danli Jiao
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Shuang Zhou
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Shimin Liu
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Ziyong Ju
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Li Hu
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Li Qi
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Chongjie Yao
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
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Hastings RL, Valdez G. Origin, identity, and function of terminal Schwann cells. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:432-446. [PMID: 38664109 PMCID: PMC11168889 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The highly specialized nonmyelinating glial cells present at somatic peripheral nerve endings, known collectively as terminal Schwann cells (TSCs), play critical roles in the development, function and repair of their motor and sensory axon terminals and innervating tissue. Over the past decades, research efforts across various vertebrate species have revealed that while TSCs are a diverse group of cells, they share a number of features among them. In this review, we summarize the state-of-knowledge about each TSC type and explore the opportunities that TSCs provide to treat conditions that afflict peripheral axon terminals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Louis Hastings
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Gregorio Valdez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Center for Translational Neuroscience, Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, and Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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Lundt S, Zhang N, Polo-Parada L, Wang X, Ding S. Dietary NMN supplementation enhances motor and NMJ function in ALS. Exp Neurol 2024; 374:114698. [PMID: 38266764 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114698] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease that causes the degeneration of motor neurons in the motor cortex and spinal cord. Patients with ALS experience muscle weakness and atrophy in the limbs which eventually leads to paralysis and death. NAD+ is critical for energy metabolism, such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, but is also involved in non-metabolic cellular reactions. In the current study, we determined whether the supplementation of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), an NAD+ precursor, in the diet had beneficial impacts on disease progression using a SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS. We found that the ALS mice fed with an NMN-supplemented diet (ALS+NMN mice) had modestly extended lifespan and exhibited delayed motor dysfunction. Using electrophysiology, we studied the effect of NMN on synaptic transmission at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in symptomatic of ALS mice (18 weeks old). ALS+NMN mice had larger end-plate potential (EPP) amplitudes and maintained better responses than ALS mice, and also had restored EPP facilitation. While quantal content was not affected by NMN, miniature EPP (mEPP) amplitude and frequency were elevated in ALS+NMN mice. NMN supplementation in diet also improved NMJ morphology, innervation, mitochondrial structure, and reduced reactive astrogliosis in the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cord. Overall, our results indicate that dietary consumption of NMN can slow motor impairment, enhance NMJ function and improve healthspan of ALS mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Lundt
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America; Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America
| | - Nannan Zhang
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America
| | - Luis Polo-Parada
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America; Department of Medical, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America
| | - Xinglong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States of America
| | - Shinghua Ding
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America; Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America; Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America.
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Theme 04 - In Vivo Experimetal Models. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2023; 24:128-139. [PMID: 37966319 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2260194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
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Theme 07 - Pre-Clinical Therapeutic Strategies. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2023; 24:173-191. [PMID: 37966323 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2260198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
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Hoffman DB, Basten AM, Sorensen JR, Raymond-Pope CJ, Lillquist TJ, Call JA, Corona BT, Greising SM. Response of terminal Schwann cells following volumetric muscle loss injury. Exp Neurol 2023; 365:114431. [PMID: 37142114 PMCID: PMC10227691 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114431] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
An often-overlooked component of traumatic skeletal muscle injuries is the impact on the nervous system and resultant innervation of the affected muscles. Recent work in a rodent model of volumetric muscle loss (VML) injury demonstrated a progressive, secondary loss of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) innervation, supporting a role of NMJ dysregulation in chronic functional deficits. Terminal Schwann cells (tSCs) are known to be vital for the maintenance of NMJ structure and function, in addition to guiding repair and regeneration after injury. However, the tSC response to a traumatic muscle injury such as VML is not known. Thus, a study was conducted to investigate the effect of VML on tSC morphological characteristics and neurotrophic signaling proteins in adult male Lewis rats that underwent VML injury to the tibialis anterior muscle using a temporal design with outcome assessments at 3, 7, 14, 21, and 48 days post-injury. The following salient observations were made; first, although there is a loss of innervation over time, the number of tSCs per NMJ increases, significantly so at 48 days post-injury compared to control. The degree of NMJ fragmentation was positively correlated with tSC number after injury. Moreover, neurotrophic factors such as NRG1 and BDNF are elevated after injury through at least 48 days. These results were unanticipated and in contrast to neurodegenerative disease models, in which there is a reduction in tSC number that precedes denervation. However, we found that while there are more tSCs per NMJ after injury, they cover a significantly smaller percent of the post-synaptic endplate area compared to control. These findings support a sustained increase in neurotrophic activity and tSC number after VML, which is a maladaptive response occurring in parallel to other aspects of the VML injury, such as over-accumulation of collagen and aberrant inflammatory signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Hoffman
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Alec M Basten
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Jacob R Sorensen
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | | | - Thomas J Lillquist
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Jarrod A Call
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
| | - Benjamin T Corona
- School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, United States of America
| | - Sarah M Greising
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America.
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Mukhamedyarov MA, Khabibrakhmanov AN, Khuzakhmetova VF, Giniatullin AR, Zakirjanova GF, Zhilyakov NV, Mukhutdinova KA, Samigullin DV, Grigoryev PN, Zakharov AV, Zefirov AL, Petrov AM. Early Alterations in Structural and Functional Properties in the Neuromuscular Junctions of Mutant FUS Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9022. [PMID: 37240370 PMCID: PMC10218837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is manifested as skeletal muscle denervation, loss of motor neurons and finally severe respiratory failure. Mutations of RNA-binding protein FUS are one of the common genetic reasons of ALS accompanied by a 'dying back' type of degeneration. Using fluorescent approaches and microelectrode recordings, the early structural and functional alterations in diaphragm neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) were studied in mutant FUS mice at the pre-onset stage. Lipid peroxidation and decreased staining with a lipid raft marker were found in the mutant mice. Despite the preservation of the end-plate structure, immunolabeling revealed an increase in levels of presynaptic proteins, SNAP-25 and synapsin 1. The latter can restrain Ca2+-dependent synaptic vesicle mobilization. Indeed, neurotransmitter release upon intense nerve stimulation and its recovery after tetanus and compensatory synaptic vesicle endocytosis were markedly depressed in FUS mice. There was a trend to attenuation of axonal [Ca2+]in increase upon nerve stimulation at 20 Hz. However, no changes in neurotransmitter release and the intraterminal Ca2+ transient in response to low frequency stimulation or in quantal content and the synchrony of neurotransmitter release at low levels of external Ca2+ were detected. At a later stage, shrinking and fragmentation of end plates together with a decrease in presynaptic protein expression and disturbance of the neurotransmitter release timing occurred. Overall, suppression of synaptic vesicle exo-endocytosis upon intense activity probably due to alterations in membrane properties, synapsin 1 levels and Ca2+ kinetics could be an early sign of nascent NMJ pathology, which leads to neuromuscular contact disorganization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marat A. Mukhamedyarov
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
| | - Aydar N. Khabibrakhmanov
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
| | - Venera F. Khuzakhmetova
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center ‘‘Kazan Scientific Center of RAS”, 2/31 Lobachevsky St., P.O. Box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia (N.V.Z.)
| | - Arthur R. Giniatullin
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center ‘‘Kazan Scientific Center of RAS”, 2/31 Lobachevsky St., P.O. Box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia (N.V.Z.)
| | - Guzalia F. Zakirjanova
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center ‘‘Kazan Scientific Center of RAS”, 2/31 Lobachevsky St., P.O. Box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia (N.V.Z.)
| | - Nikita V. Zhilyakov
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center ‘‘Kazan Scientific Center of RAS”, 2/31 Lobachevsky St., P.O. Box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia (N.V.Z.)
| | - Kamilla A. Mukhutdinova
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
| | - Dmitry V. Samigullin
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center ‘‘Kazan Scientific Center of RAS”, 2/31 Lobachevsky St., P.O. Box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia (N.V.Z.)
- Department of Radiophotonics and Microwave Technologies, Kazan National Research Technical University, 10 K. Marx St., Kazan 420111, Russia
| | - Pavel N. Grigoryev
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
| | - Andrey V. Zakharov
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | - Andrey L. Zefirov
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
| | - Alexey M. Petrov
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova St., Kazan 420012, Russia; (M.A.M.)
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center ‘‘Kazan Scientific Center of RAS”, 2/31 Lobachevsky St., P.O. Box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia (N.V.Z.)
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Lépine S, Castellanos-Montiel MJ, Durcan TM. TDP-43 dysregulation and neuromuscular junction disruption in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Transl Neurodegener 2022; 11:56. [PMID: 36575535 PMCID: PMC9793560 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00331-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease characterized by upper and lower motor neuron (MN) loss with a signature feature of cytoplasmic aggregates containing TDP-43, which are detected in nearly all patients. Mutations in the gene that encodes TDP-43 (TARBDP) are known to result in both familial and sporadic ALS. In ALS, disruption of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) constitutes a critical event in disease pathogenesis, leading to denervation atrophy, motor impairments and disability. Morphological defects and impaired synaptic transmission at NMJs have been reported in several TDP-43 animal models and in vitro, linking TDP-43 dysregulation to the loss of NMJ integrity in ALS. Through the lens of the dying-back and dying-forward hypotheses of ALS, this review discusses the roles of TDP-43 related to synaptic function, with a focus on the potential molecular mechanisms occurring within MNs, skeletal muscles and glial cells that may contribute to NMJ disruption in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lépine
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, 3605 De La Montagne, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1 Canada
| | - Maria José Castellanos-Montiel
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada
| | - Thomas Martin Durcan
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada
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Davis LA, Fogarty MJ, Brown A, Sieck GC. Structure and Function of the Mammalian Neuromuscular Junction. Compr Physiol 2022; 12:3731-3766. [PMID: 35950651 PMCID: PMC10461538 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c210022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian neuromuscular junction (NMJ) comprises a presynaptic terminal, a postsynaptic receptor region on the muscle fiber (endplate), and the perisynaptic (terminal) Schwann cell. As with any synapse, the purpose of the NMJ is to transmit signals from the nervous system to muscle fibers. This neural control of muscle fibers is organized as motor units, which display distinct structural and functional phenotypes including differences in pre- and postsynaptic elements of NMJs. Motor units vary considerably in the frequency of their activation (both motor neuron discharge rate and duration/duty cycle), force generation, and susceptibility to fatigue. For earlier and more frequently recruited motor units, the structure and function of the activated NMJs must have high fidelity to ensure consistent activation and continued contractile response to sustain vital motor behaviors (e.g., breathing and postural balance). Similarly, for higher force less frequent behaviors (e.g., coughing and jumping), the structure and function of recruited NMJs must ensure short-term reliable activation but not activation sustained for a prolonged period in which fatigue may occur. The NMJ is highly plastic, changing structurally and functionally throughout the life span from embryonic development to old age. The NMJ also changes under pathological conditions including acute and chronic disease. Such neuroplasticity often varies across motor unit types. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12:1-36, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah A. Davis
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Matthew J. Fogarty
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alyssa Brown
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Gary C. Sieck
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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vanLieshout TL, Stouth DW, Hartel NG, Vasam G, Ng SY, Webb EK, Rebalka IA, Mikhail AI, Graham NA, Menzies KJ, Hawke TJ, Ljubicic V. The CARM1 transcriptome and arginine methylproteome mediate skeletal muscle integrative biology. Mol Metab 2022; 64:101555. [PMID: 35872306 PMCID: PMC9379683 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) catalyzes the methylation of arginine residues on target proteins to regulate critical processes in health and disease. A mechanistic understanding of the role(s) of CARM1 in skeletal muscle biology is only gradually emerging. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the function of CARM1 in regulating the maintenance and plasticity of skeletal muscle. METHODS We used transcriptomic, methylproteomic, molecular, functional, and integrative physiological approaches to determine the specific impact of CARM1 in muscle homeostasis. RESULTS Our data defines the occurrence of arginine methylation in skeletal muscle and demonstrates that this mark occurs on par with phosphorylation and ubiquitination. CARM1 skeletal muscle-specific knockout (mKO) mice displayed altered transcriptomic and arginine methylproteomic signatures with molecular and functional outcomes confirming remodeled skeletal muscle contractile and neuromuscular junction characteristics, which presaged decreased exercise tolerance. Moreover, CARM1 regulates AMPK-PGC-1α signalling during acute conditions of activity-induced muscle plasticity. CONCLUSIONS This study uncovers the broad impact of CARM1 in the maintenance and remodelling of skeletal muscle biology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Derek W Stouth
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Nicolas G Hartel
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Goutham Vasam
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Sean Y Ng
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Erin K Webb
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Irena A Rebalka
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Andrew I Mikhail
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Nicholas A Graham
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Keir J Menzies
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada; Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology and the Centre for Neuromuscular Disease, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, K1H 8M5, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Thomas J Hawke
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Vladimir Ljubicic
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada.
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12
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Lum JS, Berg T, Chisholm CG, Vendruscolo M, Yerbury JJ. Vulnerability of the spinal motor neuron presynaptic terminal sub-proteome in ALS. Neurosci Lett 2022; 778:136614. [PMID: 35367314 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, characterised by the loss of motor neurons and subsequent paralysis. Evidence indicates that synaptic alterations are associated with the early stages of ALS pathogenesis. A hallmark of ALS postmortem tissue is the presence of proteinaceous inclusions, indicative of disturbed protein homeostasis, particularly in spinal cord motor neurons. We recently demonstrated that spinal cord motor neurons contain a supersaturated proteome, as they possess proteins at concentrations that exceed their solubility limits, resulting in a metastable proteome conducive to protein misfolding and aggregation. Recent evidence indicates metastable sub-proteomes within neuronal compartments, such as the synapse, may be particularly vulnerable and underlie their involvement in the initial stages of neurodegenerative diseases. To investigate if the motor neuron presynaptic terminal possesses a metastable sub-proteome, we used human and mouse spinal cord motor neuron expression data to calculate supersaturation scores. Here, we found that both the human and mouse presynaptic terminal sub-proteomes have higher supersaturation scores than the entire motor neuron proteome. In addition, we observed that proteins down-regulated in ALS were over-represented in the synapse. These results provide support for the notion that the metastability of the sub-proteome within the motor neuron presynaptic terminal may be particularly susceptible to protein homeostasis disturbances in ALS, and may contribute to explaining the observed synaptic dysfunction in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy S Lum
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Tracey Berg
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Christen G Chisholm
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Justin J Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
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13
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Perez-Gonzalez AP, Provost F, Rousse I, Piovesana R, Benzina O, Darabid H, Lamoureux B, Wang YS, Arbour D, Robitaille R. Functional adaptation of glial cells at neuromuscular junctions in response to injury. Glia 2022; 70:1605-1629. [PMID: 35474470 PMCID: PMC9543218 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic elements from neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) undergo massive morphological and functional changes upon nerve injury. While morphological changes of NMJ‐associated glia in response to injury has been investigated, their functional properties remain elusive. Perisynaptic Schwann cells (PSCs), glial cells at the NMJ, are essential for NMJ maintenance and repair, and are involved in synaptic efficacy and plasticity. Importantly, these functions are regulated by PSCs ability to detect synaptic transmission through, notably, muscarinic (mAChRs) and purinergic receptors' activation. Using Ca2+ imaging and electrophysiological recordings of synaptic transmission at the mouse NMJ, we investigated PSC receptors activation following denervation and during reinnervation in adults and at denervated NMJs in an ALS mouse model (SOD1G37R). We observed reduced PSCs mAChR‐mediated Ca2+ responses at denervated and reinnervating NMJs. Importantly, PSC phenotypes during denervation and reinnervation were distinct than the one observed during NMJ maturation. At denervated NMJs, exogenous activation of mAChRs greatly diminished galectin‐3 expression, a glial marker of phagocytosis. PSCs Ca2+ responses at reinnervating NMJs did not correlate with the number of innervating axons or process extensions. Interestingly, we observed an extended period of reduced PSC mAChRs activation after the injury (up to 60 days), suggesting a glial memory of injury. PSCs associated with denervated NMJs in an ALS model (SOD1G37R mice) did not show any muscarinic adaptation, a phenotype incompatible with NMJ repair. Understanding functional mechanisms that underlie this glial response to injury may contribute to favor complete NMJ and motor recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna P Perez-Gonzalez
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Frédéric Provost
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Rousse
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Roberta Piovesana
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ouafa Benzina
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Houssam Darabid
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Benoit Lamoureux
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yu Shi Wang
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Danielle Arbour
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l'apprentissage, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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14
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Louit A, Beaudet MJ, Gros-Louis F, Berthod F. Tissue-engineered in vitro modeling of the impact of Schwann cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biotechnol Bioeng 2022; 119:1938-1948. [PMID: 35289393 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and lower motor neurons (MN). To investigate whether Schwann cells could be involved in the disease pathogenesis, we developed a tissue-engineered 3D in vitro model that combined MNs cocultured with astrocytes and microglia seeded on top of a collagen sponge populated with epineurium fibroblasts to enable 3D axonal migration. C2C12 myoblasts were seeded underneath the sponge in presence or absence of Schwann cells. To reproduce an ALS cellular microenvironment, MNs, astrocytes and microglia were extracted from SOD1G93A mice recapitulating many aspects of the human disease. This 3D ALS in vitro model was compared with a 3D control made of cells isolated from SOD1WT mice. We showed that normal Schwann cells strongly enhanced MN axonal migration in the 3D control model but had no effect in the ALS model. However, ALS-derived Schwann cells isolated from SOD1G93A mice failed to significantly improve axonal migration in both models. These results suggest that a cell therapy using healthy Schwann cells may not be effective in promoting axonal regeneration in ALS. In addition, this 3D ALS model could be used to study the impact of other cell types on ALS by various combinations of normal and diseased cells. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Louit
- LOEX, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval
| | | | - François Gros-Louis
- LOEX, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval.,Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - François Berthod
- LOEX, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval.,Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
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15
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Seaberg BL, Purao S, Rimer M. Validation of terminal Schwann cell gene marker expression by fluorescent in situ hybridization using RNAscope. Neurosci Lett 2022; 771:136468. [PMID: 35065247 PMCID: PMC8821205 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent RNA-seq studies have generated a new crop of putative gene markers for terminal Schwann cells (tSCs), non-myelinating glia that cap axon terminals at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction (NMJ). While compelling, these studies did not validate the expression of the novel markers using in situ hybridization techniques. Here, we use RNAscope technology to study the expression of top candidates from recent tSC and non-myelinating Schwann cell marker RNA-seq studies. Our results validate the expression of these markers at tSCs but also demonstrate that they are present at other sites in the muscle tissue, specifically, at muscle spindles and along intramuscular nerves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie L. Seaberg
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, 77807
| | - Sohum Purao
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, 77807
| | - Mendell Rimer
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, 77807,Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, 77807,Corresponding author at: 4008 Medical Research and Education Building, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3260 USA. Phone: (979) 436-0334. Fax: (979) 436-0086.
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16
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Riva N, Gentile F, Cerri F, Gallia F, Podini P, Dina G, Falzone YM, Fazio R, Lunetta C, Calvo A, Logroscino G, Lauria G, Corbo M, Iannaccone S, Chiò A, Lazzerini A, Nobile-Orazio E, Filippi M, Quattrini A. Phosphorylated TDP-43 aggregates in peripheral motor nerves of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2022; 145:276-284. [PMID: 35076694 PMCID: PMC8967102 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) aggregates in the cytoplasm of motor neurons and neuroglia in the brain are one of the pathological hallmarks of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Although the axons exceed the total volume of motor neuron soma by several orders of magnitude, systematic studies investigating the presence and distribution of pTDP-43 aggregates within motor nerves are still lacking. The aim of this study is to define the TDP-43/pTDP-43 pathology in diagnostic motor nerve biopsies performed on a large cohort of patients presenting with a lower motor neuron syndrome and to assess whether this might be a discriminating tissue biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and non-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases. We retrospectively evaluated 102 lower motor neuron syndrome patients referred to our centre for a diagnostic motor nerve biopsy. Histopathological criteria of motor neuron disease and motor neuropathy were applied by two independent evaluators, who were blind to clinical data. TDP-43 and pTDP-43 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and results compared to final clinical diagnosis. We detected significant differences between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and non-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases in pTDP-43 expression in myelinated fibres: axonal accumulation was detected in 98.2% of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis versus 30.4% of non-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis samples (P < 0.0001), while concomitant positive staining in Schwan cell cytoplasm was found in 70.2% of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis versus 17.4% of patients who did not have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (P < 0.001). Importantly, we were also able to detect pTDP-43 aggregates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases displaying normal features at standard histopathological analysis. Our findings demonstrated that a specific pTDP-43 signature is present in the peripheral nervous system of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and could be exploited as a specific, accessible tissue biomarker. The detection of pTDP-43 aggregates within motor nerves of living patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, occurring before axonal degeneration, suggests that this is an early event that may contribute to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilo Riva
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit and Neurorehabilitation Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Gentile
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Cerri
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit and Neurorehabilitation Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Gallia
- Neuromuscular and Neuroimmunology Service, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Humanitas Clinical and Research Institute, Milan University, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Podini
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Dina
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Yuri Matteo Falzone
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit and Neurorehabilitation Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Fazio
- Neurology Unit and Neurorehabilitation Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Calvo
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Lauria
- 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease Center, IRCCS Foundation ‘Carlo Besta’ Neurological Institute, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical and Sciences ‘Luigi Sacco’, University of Milan, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Corbo
- Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa Cura Policlinico, 20144, Milan, Italy
| | - Sandro Iannaccone
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Alberto Lazzerini
- Hand Surgery Department, IRCCS Orthopedic Institute Galeazzi, 20161, Milan, Italy
| | - Eduardo Nobile-Orazio
- Neuromuscular and Neuroimmunology Service, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Humanitas Clinical and Research Institute, Milan University, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neurology Unit and Neurorehabilitation Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Neurophysiology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo Quattrini
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
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17
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Verma S, Khurana S, Vats A, Sahu B, Ganguly NK, Chakraborti P, Gourie-Devi M, Taneja V. Neuromuscular Junction Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:1502-1527. [PMID: 34997540 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02658-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons leading to skeletal muscle denervation. Earlier studies have shown that motor neuron degeneration begins in motor cortex and descends to the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in a dying forward fashion. However, accumulating evidences support that ALS is a distal axonopathy where early pathological changes occur at the NMJ, prior to onset of clinical symptoms and propagates towards the motor neuron cell body supporting "dying back" hypothesis. Despite several evidences, series of events triggering NMJ disassembly in ALS are still obscure. Neuromuscular junction is a specialized tripartite chemical synapse which involves a well-coordinated communication among the presynaptic motor neuron, postsynaptic skeletal muscle, and terminal Schwann cells. This review provides comprehensive insight into the role of NMJ in ALS pathogenesis. We have emphasized the molecular alterations in cellular components of NMJ leading to loss of effective neuromuscular transmission in ALS. Further, we provide a preview into research involved in exploring NMJ as potential target for designing effective therapies for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Verma
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.,Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, India
| | - Shiffali Khurana
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.,Department of Biomedical Science, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Abhishek Vats
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bandana Sahu
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | - Vibha Taneja
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.
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18
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Negro S, Pirazzini M, Rigoni M. Models and methods to study Schwann cells. J Anat 2022; 241:1235-1258. [PMID: 34988978 PMCID: PMC9558160 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Schwann cells (SCs) are fundamental components of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) of all vertebrates and play essential roles in development, maintenance, function, and regeneration of peripheral nerves. There are distinct populations of SCs including: (1) myelinating SCs that ensheath axons by a specialized plasma membrane, called myelin, which enhances the conduction of electric impulses; (2) non‐myelinating SCs, including Remak SCs, which wrap bundles of multiple axons of small caliber, and perysinaptic SCs (PSCs), associated with motor axon terminals at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). All types of SCs contribute to PNS regeneration through striking morphological and functional changes in response to nerve injury, are affected in peripheral neuropathies and show abnormalities and a diminished plasticity during aging. Therefore, methodological approaches to study and manipulate SCs in physiological and pathophysiological conditions are crucial to expand the present knowledge on SC biology and to devise new therapeutic strategies to counteract neurodegenerative conditions and age‐derived denervation. We present here an updated overview of traditional and emerging methodologies for the study of SCs for scientists approaching this research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Negro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Marco Pirazzini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,CIR-Myo, Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca di Miologia, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Michela Rigoni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,CIR-Myo, Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca di Miologia, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
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19
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Ma JY, Liu XY, Zhang S, Fan DS. Ultra-early amplitude decrement after repetitive nerve stimulation supports early neuromuscular junction injury in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a prospective cross-sectional study. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:655-660. [PMID: 34380907 PMCID: PMC8504376 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.320998] [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: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The dying-back hypothesis holds that the damage to neuromuscular junctions and distal axons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis occurs at the earliest stage of the disease. Previous basic studies have confirmed early damage to neuromuscular junctions, but it is difficult to obtain such evidence directly in clinical practice. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we recruited 22 patients with early amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with disease duration < 12 months and with clinical symptoms limited to the upper limbs. We also recruited 32 healthy controls. Repetitive nerve stimulation was performed, and patients were followed for 12 months. We found a significant change in the response to repetitive nerve stimulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients without spontaneous electromyographic activity. Patients that were prone to denervation had an increased decrement response of target muscles after repetitive nerve stimulation. These results suggest that changes in response to repetitive nerve stimulation may occur before denervation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. The damage to lower motor neurons is more obvious in patients with a higher percentage of repetitive never stimulation-related amplitude decrements. This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Peking University Third Hospital (approval No. M2017198) on August 24, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yue Ma
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang-Yi Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
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20
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Walker CL. Progress in perisynaptic Schwann cell and neuromuscular junction research. Neural Regen Res 2021; 17:1273-1274. [PMID: 34782570 PMCID: PMC8643052 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.327334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chandler L Walker
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Comprehensive Care, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Neuromusculoskeletal Research Group, Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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21
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Pikatza-Menoio O, Elicegui A, Bengoetxea X, Naldaiz-Gastesi N, López de Munain A, Gerenu G, Gil-Bea FJ, Alonso-Martín S. The Skeletal Muscle Emerges as a New Disease Target in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Pers Med 2021; 11:671. [PMID: 34357138 PMCID: PMC8307751 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11070671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that leads to progressive degeneration of motor neurons (MNs) and severe muscle atrophy without effective treatment. Most research on ALS has been focused on the study of MNs and supporting cells of the central nervous system. Strikingly, the recent observations of pathological changes in muscle occurring before disease onset and independent from MN degeneration have bolstered the interest for the study of muscle tissue as a potential target for delivery of therapies for ALS. Skeletal muscle has just been described as a tissue with an important secretory function that is toxic to MNs in the context of ALS. Moreover, a fine-tuning balance between biosynthetic and atrophic pathways is necessary to induce myogenesis for muscle tissue repair. Compromising this response due to primary metabolic abnormalities in the muscle could trigger defective muscle regeneration and neuromuscular junction restoration, with deleterious consequences for MNs and thereby hastening the development of ALS. However, it remains puzzling how backward signaling from the muscle could impinge on MN death. This review provides a comprehensive analysis on the current state-of-the-art of the role of the skeletal muscle in ALS, highlighting its contribution to the neurodegeneration in ALS through backward-signaling processes as a newly uncovered mechanism for a peripheral etiopathogenesis of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oihane Pikatza-Menoio
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Amaia Elicegui
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Xabier Bengoetxea
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
| | - Neia Naldaiz-Gastesi
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Adolfo López de Munain
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Neurology, Donostialdea Integrated Health Organization, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursery, University of the Basque Country UPV-EHU, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Gorka Gerenu
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Physiology, University of the Basque Country UPV-EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Gil-Bea
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Alonso-Martín
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
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22
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Alhindi A, Boehm I, Chaytow H. Small junction, big problems: Neuromuscular junction pathology in mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). J Anat 2021; 241:1089-1107. [PMID: 34101196 PMCID: PMC9558162 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease with an extremely heterogeneous clinical and genetic phenotype. In our efforts to find therapies for ALS, the scientific community has developed a plethora of mouse models, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. The peripheral nervous system, specifically the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), is known to be affected in ALS patients and shows marked dysfunction across mouse models. Evidence of pathology at the NMJ includes denervated NMJs, changes in endplate size and loss of terminal Schwann cells. This review compares the temporal disease progression with severity of disease at the NMJ in mouse models with the most commonly mutated genes in ALS patients (SOD1, C9ORF72, TARDBP and FUS). Despite variability, early NMJ dysfunction seems to be a common factor in models with SOD1, TARDBP and FUS mutations, while C9ORF72 models do not appear to follow the same pattern of pathology. Further work into determining the timing of NMJ pathology, particularly in newer ALS mouse models, will confirm its pivotal role in ALS pathogenesis and therefore highlight the NMJ as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Alhindi
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ines Boehm
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Helena Chaytow
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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23
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Mini-Review: Induced pluripotent stem cells and the search for new cell-specific ALS therapeutic targets. Neurosci Lett 2021; 755:135911. [PMID: 33892003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Amongst the most important discoveries in ALS pathobiology are the works demonstrating that multiple cell types contribute to disease onset and progression. However, a significant limitation in ALS research is the inability to obtain tissues from ALS patient brain and spinal cord during the course of the disease. In vivo modeling has provided insights into the role of these cell subtypes in disease onset and progression. However, in vivo models also have shortcomings, including the reliance on a limited number of models based upon hereditary forms of the disease. Therefore, using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) reprogrammed from somatic cells of ALS patients, with both hereditary and sporadic forms of the disease, and differentiated into cell subtypes of both the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), have become powerful complementary tools for investigating basic mechanisms of disease as well as a platform for drug discovery. Motor neuron and other neuron subtypes, as well as non-neuronal cells have been differentiated from human iPSC and studied for their potential contributions to ALS pathobiology. As iPSC technologies have advanced, 3D modeling with multicellular systems organised in microfluidic chambers or organoids are the next step in validating the pathways and therapeutic targets already identified. Precision medicine approaches with iPSC using either traditional strategies of screening drugs that target a known pathogenic mechanism as well as "blind-to-target" drug screenings that allow for patient stratification based on drug response rather than clinical characteristics are now being employed.
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24
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Fuertes-Alvarez S, Izeta A. Terminal Schwann Cell Aging: Implications for Age-Associated Neuromuscular Dysfunction. Aging Dis 2021; 12:494-514. [PMID: 33815879 PMCID: PMC7990373 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2020.0708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Action potential is transmitted to muscle fibers through specialized synaptic interfaces called neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). These structures are capped by terminal Schwann cells (tSCs), which play essential roles during formation and maintenance of the NMJ. tSCs are implicated in the correct communication between nerves and muscles, and in reinnervation upon injury. During aging, loss of muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia and dynapenia) are due, at least in part, to the progressive loss of contacts between muscle fibers and nerves. Despite the important role of tSCs in NMJ function, very little is known on their implication in the NMJ-aging process and in age-associated denervation. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the implication of tSCs in the age-associated degeneration of NMJs. We also speculate on the possible mechanisms underlying the observed phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Fuertes-Alvarez
- 1Biodonostia, Tissue Engineering Group, Paseo Dr. Begiristain, s/n, San Sebastian 20014, Spain
| | - Ander Izeta
- 1Biodonostia, Tissue Engineering Group, Paseo Dr. Begiristain, s/n, San Sebastian 20014, Spain.,2Tecnun-University of Navarra, School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Science, Paseo Mikeletegi, 48, San Sebastian 20009, Spain
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25
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Keon M, Musrie B, Dinger M, Brennan SE, Santos J, Saksena NK. Destination Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2021; 12:596006. [PMID: 33854469 PMCID: PMC8039771 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.596006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a prototypical neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons both in the brain and spinal cord. The constantly evolving nature of ALS represents a fundamental dimension of individual differences that underlie this disorder, yet it involves multiple levels of functional entities that alternate in different directions and finally converge functionally to define ALS disease progression. ALS may start from a single entity and gradually becomes multifactorial. However, the functional convergence of these diverse entities in eventually defining ALS progression is poorly understood. Various hypotheses have been proposed without any consensus between the for-and-against schools of thought. The present review aims to capture explanatory hierarchy both in terms of hypotheses and mechanisms to provide better insights on how they functionally connect. We can then integrate them within a common functional frame of reference for a better understanding of ALS and defining future treatments and possible therapeutic strategies. Here, we provide a philosophical understanding of how early leads are crucial to understanding the endpoints in ALS, because invariably, all early symptomatic leads are underpinned by neurodegeneration at the cellular, molecular and genomic levels. Consolidation of these ideas could be applied to other neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and guide further critical thinking to unveil their roadmap of destination ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt Keon
- GenieUs Genomics Pty Ltd., Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Marcel Dinger
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Jerran Santos
- Advanced Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Biology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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26
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Zakyrjanova GF, Giniatullin AR, Mukhutdinova KA, Kuznetsova EA, Petrov AM. Early differences in membrane properties at the neuromuscular junctions of ALS model mice: Effects of 25-hydroxycholesterol. Life Sci 2021; 273:119300. [PMID: 33662433 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Plasma hyperlipidemia is a protective factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) while cholesterol-lowering drugs aggravate the pathology. We hypothesize that this phenomenon can be linked with membrane lipid alterations in the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) occurring before motor neuron loss. METHODS Neurotransmitter release in parallel with lipid membrane properties in diaphragm NMJs of SOD1G93A (mSOD) mice at nine weeks of age (pre-onset stage) were assessed. KEY FINDINGS Despite on slight changes in spontaneous and evoked quantum release of acetylcholine, extracellular levels of choline at resting conditions, an indicator of non-quantum release, were significantly increased in mSOD mice. The use of lipid-sensitive fluorescent probes points to lipid raft disruption in the NMJs of mSOD mice. However, content of cholesterol, a key raft component was unchanged implying another pathway responsible for the loss of raft integrity. In the mSOD mice we found marked increase in levels of raft-destabilizing lipid ceramide. This was accompanied by enhanced ability to uptake of exogenous ceramide in NMJs. Acute and chronic administration of 25-hydroxycholesterol, whose levels increase due to hypercholesterolemia, recovered early alterations in membrane properties. Furthermore, chronic treatment with 25-hydroxycholesterol prevented increase in ceramide and extracellular choline levels as well as suppressed lipid peroxidation of NMJ membranes and fragmentation of end plates. SIGNIFICANCE Thus, lipid raft disruption likely due to ceramide accumulation could be early event in ALS which may trigger neuromuscular abnormalities. Cholesterol derivative 25-hydroxycholesterol may serve as a molecule restoring the membrane and functional properties of NMJs at the early stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guzel F Zakyrjanova
- Laboratory of Biophysics of Synaptic Processes, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center "Kazan Scientific Center of RAS", 2/31 Lobachevsky Street, box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia; Institute of Neuroscience, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, Kazan, 420012, Russia
| | - Arthur R Giniatullin
- Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, Kazan 420012, Russia
| | - Kamilla A Mukhutdinova
- Institute of Neuroscience, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, Kazan, 420012, Russia
| | - Eva A Kuznetsova
- Laboratory of Biophysics of Synaptic Processes, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center "Kazan Scientific Center of RAS", 2/31 Lobachevsky Street, box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia
| | - Alexey M Petrov
- Laboratory of Biophysics of Synaptic Processes, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Federal Research Center "Kazan Scientific Center of RAS", 2/31 Lobachevsky Street, box 30, Kazan 420111, Russia; Institute of Neuroscience, Kazan State Medial University, 49 Butlerova Street, Kazan, 420012, Russia.
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27
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de Jongh R, Spijkers XM, Pasteuning-Vuhman S, Vulto P, Pasterkamp RJ. Neuromuscular junction-on-a-chip: ALS disease modeling and read-out development in microfluidic devices. J Neurochem 2021; 157:393-412. [PMID: 33382092 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and lower motor neurons with no cure available. Clinical and animal studies reveal that the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a synaptic connection between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers, is highly vulnerable in ALS and suggest that NMJ defects may occur at the early stages of the disease. However, mechanistic insight into how NMJ dysfunction relates to the onset and progression of ALS is incomplete, which hampers therapy development. This is, in part, caused by a lack of robust in vitro models. The ability to combine microfluidic and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies has opened up new avenues for studying molecular and cellular ALS phenotypes in vitro. Microfluidic devices offer several advantages over traditional culture approaches when modeling the NMJ, such as the spatial separation of different cell types and increased control over the cellular microenvironment. Moreover, they are compatible with 3D cell culture, which enhances NMJ functionality and maturity. Here, we review how microfluidic technology is currently being employed to develop more reliable in vitro NMJ models. To validate and phenotype such models, various morphological and functional read-outs have been developed. We describe and discuss the relevance of these read-outs and specifically illustrate how these read-outs have enhanced our understanding of NMJ pathology in ALS. Finally, we share our view on potential future directions and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rianne de Jongh
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Xandor M Spijkers
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Mimetas B.V., Organ-on-a-chip Company, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Svetlana Pasteuning-Vuhman
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Vulto
- Mimetas B.V., Organ-on-a-chip Company, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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28
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Fogarty MJ, Brandenburg JE, Sieck GC. Diaphragm neuromuscular transmission failure in a mouse model of an early-onset neuromotor disorder. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2020; 130:708-720. [PMID: 33382958 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00864.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The spa transgenic mouse displays spasticity and hypertonia that develops during the early postnatal period, with motor impairments that are remarkably similar to symptoms of human cerebral palsy. Previously, we observed that spa mice have fewer phrenic motor neurons innervating the diaphragm muscle (DIAm). We hypothesize that spa mice exhibit increased susceptibility to neuromuscular transmission failure (NMTF) due to an expanded innervation ratio. We retrogradely labeled phrenic motor neurons with rhodamine and imaged them in horizontal sections (70 µm) using confocal microscopy. Phrenic nerve-DIAm strip preparations from wild type and spa mice were stretched to optimal length, and force was evoked by phrenic nerve stimulation at 10, 40, or 75 Hz in 330-ms duration trains repeated each second (33% duty cycle) across a 120-s period. To assess NMTF, force evoked by phrenic nerve stimulation was compared to force evoked by direct DIAm stimulation superimposed every 15 s. Total DIAm fiber number was estimated in hematoxylin and eosin-stained strips. Compared to wild type, spa mice had over twofold greater NMTF during the first stimulus train that persisted throughout the 120 s period of repetitive activation. In both wild type and spa mice, NMTF was stimulation-frequency dependent. There was no difference in neuromuscular junction morphology or the total number of DIAm fibers between wild type and spa mice, however, there was an increase innervation ratio (39%) in spa mice. We conclude that early-onset developmental neuromotor disorders impair the efficacy of DIAm neuromuscular transmission, likely to contribute to respiratory complications.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Individuals with motor control deficits, including cerebral palsy (CP) often have respiratory impairments. Glycine-receptor mutant spa mice have early-onset hypertonia, and limb motor impairments, similar to individuals with CP. We hypothesized that in the diaphragm of spa mice, disruption of glycinergic inputs to MNs would result in increased phrenic-DIAm neuromuscular transmission failure. Pathophysiologic abnormalities in neuromuscular transmission may contribute to respiratory dysfunction in conditions where early developmental MN loss or motor control deficits are apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fogarty
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.,School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Joline E Brandenburg
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.,Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Gary C Sieck
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
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29
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Properties of Glial Cell at the Neuromuscular Junction Are Incompatible with Synaptic Repair in the SOD1G37R ALS Mouse Model. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7759-7777. [PMID: 32859714 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1748-18.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting motoneurons (MNs) in a motor-unit (MU)-dependent manner. Glial dysfunction contributes to numerous aspects of the disease. At the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), early alterations in perisynaptic Schwann cell (PSC), glial cells at this synapse, may impact their ability to regulate NMJ stability and repair. Indeed, muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) regulate the repair phenotype of PSCs and are overactivated at disease-resistant NMJs [soleus muscle (SOL)] in SOD1G37R mice. However, it remains unknown whether this is the case at disease-vulnerable NMJs and whether it translates into an impairment of PSC-dependent repair mechanisms. We used SOL and sternomastoid (STM) muscles from SOD1G37R mice and performed Ca2+-imaging to monitor PSC activity and used immunohistochemistry to analyze their repair and phagocytic properties. We show that PSC mAChR-dependent activity was transiently increased at disease-vulnerable NMJs (STM muscle). Furthermore, PSCs from both muscles extended disorganized processes from denervated NMJs and failed to initiate or guide nerve terminal sprouts at disease-vulnerable NMJs, a phenomenon essential for compensatory reinnervation. This was accompanied by a failure of numerous PSCs to upregulate galectin-3 (MAC-2), a marker of glial axonal debris phagocytosis, on NMJ denervation in SOD1 mice. Finally, differences in these PSC-dependent NMJ repair mechanisms were MU type dependent, thus reflecting MU vulnerability in ALS. Together, these results reveal that neuron-glia communication is ubiquitously altered at the NMJ in ALS. This appears to prevent PSCs from adopting a repair phenotype, resulting in a maladapted response to denervation at the NMJ in ALS.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding how the complex interplay between neurons and glial cells ultimately lead to the degeneration of motor neurons and loss of motor function is a fundamental question to comprehend amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). An early and persistent alteration of glial cell activity takes place at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the output of motor neurons, but its impact on NMJ repair remains unknown. Here, we reveal that glial cells at disease-vulnerable NMJs often fail to guide compensatory nerve terminal sprouts and to adopt a phagocytic phenotype on denervated NMJs in SOD1G37R mice. These results show that glial cells at the NMJ elaborate an inappropriate response to NMJ degeneration in a manner that reflects motor-unit (MU) vulnerability and potentially impairs compensatory reinnervation.
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30
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Heredia DJ, De Angeli C, Fedi C, Gould TW. Calcium Signaling in Schwann cells. Neurosci Lett 2020; 729:134959. [PMID: 32339610 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.134959] [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: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In addition to providing structural, metabolic and trophic support to neurons, glial cells of the central, peripheral and enteric nervous systems (CNS, PNS, ENS) respond to and regulate neural activity. One of the most well characterized features of this response is an increase of intracellular calcium. Astrocytes at synapses of the CNS, oligodendrocytes along axons of the CNS, enteric glia associated with the cell bodies and axonal varicosities of the ENS, and Schwann cells at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and along peripheral nerves of the PNS, all exhibit this response. Recent technical advances have facilitated the imaging of neural activity-dependent calcium responses in large populations of glial cells and thus provided a new tool to evaluate the physiological significance of these responses. This mini-review summarizes the mechanisms and functional role of activity-induced calcium signaling within Schwann cells, including terminal/perisynaptic Schwann cells (TPSCs) at the NMJ and axonal Schwann cells (ASCs) within peripheral nerves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dante J Heredia
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV, 89557, United States
| | - Claire De Angeli
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV, 89557, United States
| | - Camilla Fedi
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV, 89557, United States
| | - Thomas W Gould
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV, 89557, United States.
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31
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Perisynaptic schwann cells - The multitasking cells at the developing neuromuscular junctions. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 104:31-38. [PMID: 32147379 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are specialized synapses in the peripheral nervous system that allow the transmission of neuronal impulses to skeletal muscles for their contraction. Due to its size and accessibility, the NMJ is a commonly used model for studying basic principles of synapse organization and function. Similar to synapses in the central nervous system, NMJs are composed of presynaptic axonal terminals, the postsynaptic machinery formed at the membrane of the muscle fibers, and the synapse-associated glial cells. The special glial cells at the NMJs are called terminal Schwann cells or perisynaptic Schwann cells (PSCs). Decades of studies on the NMJ, as well as the most recent discoveries, have revealed multiple functions for PSCs at different stages of synaptic formation, maintenance, and disassembly. This review summarizes major observations in the field.
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32
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Trias E, Kovacs M, King PH, Si Y, Kwon Y, Varela V, Ibarburu S, Moura IC, Hermine O, Beckman JS, Barbeito L. Schwann cells orchestrate peripheral nerve inflammation through the expression of CSF1, IL-34, and SCF in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Glia 2019; 68:1165-1181. [PMID: 31859421 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Distal axonopathy is a recognized pathological feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In the peripheral nerves of ALS patients, motor axon loss elicits a Wallerian-like degeneration characterized by denervated Schwann cells (SCs) together with immune cell infiltration. However, the pathogenic significance of denervated SCs accumulating following impaired axonal growth in ALS remains unclear. Here, we analyze SC phenotypes in sciatic nerves of ALS patients and paralytic SOD1G93A rats, and identify remarkably similar and specific reactive SC phenotypes based on the pattern of S100β, GFAP, isolectin and/or p75NTR immunoreactivity. Different subsets of reactive SCs expressed colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF1) and Interleukin-34 (IL-34) and closely interacted with numerous endoneurial CSF-1R-expressing monocyte/macrophages, suggesting a paracrine mechanism of myeloid cell expansion and activation. SCs bearing phagocytic phenotypes as well as endoneurial macrophages expressed stem cell factor (SCF), a trophic factor that attracts and activates mast cells through the c-Kit receptor. Notably, a subpopulation of Ki67+ SCs expressed c-Kit in the sciatic nerves of SOD1G93A rats, suggesting a signaling pathway that fuels SC proliferation in ALS. c-Kit+ mast cells were also abundant in the sciatic nerve from ALS donors but not in controls. Pharmacological inhibition of CSF-1R and c-Kit with masitinib in SOD1G93A rats potently reduced SC reactivity and immune cell infiltration in the sciatic nerve and ventral roots, suggesting a mechanism by which the drug ameliorates peripheral nerve pathology. These findings provide strong evidence for a previously unknown inflammatory mechanism triggered by SCs in ALS peripheral nerves that has broad application in developing novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter H King
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama.,Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Ying Si
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama.,Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Yuri Kwon
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama
| | | | | | - Ivan C Moura
- Imagine Institute, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Hematological Disorders and Therapeutic Implications, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,CNRS ERL 8254, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France.,Equipe Labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Hermine
- Imagine Institute, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Hematological Disorders and Therapeutic Implications, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,CNRS ERL 8254, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France.,Equipe Labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France.,AB Science, Paris, France.,Department of Hematology, Necker Hospital, Paris, France.,Centre national de référence des mastocytoses (CEREMAST), Paris, France
| | - Joseph S Beckman
- Linus Pauling Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Environmental Health Sciences Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
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33
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Darabid H, St-Pierre-See A, Robitaille R. Purinergic-Dependent Glial Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity of Competing Terminals and Synapse Elimination at the Neuromuscular Junction. Cell Rep 2019; 25:2070-2082.e6. [PMID: 30463006 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.10.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The precise wiring of synaptic connections requires the elimination of supernumerary inputs competing for innervation of the same target cell. This competition is activity-dependent, strengthening some inputs whereas others are eliminated. Although glial cells are required for the elimination and clearance of terminals, their involvement in activity-dependent synaptic competition remains ill-defined. Here, we used the developing neuromuscular junctions of mice to show that perisynaptic glial cells, through 2Y1 purinergic receptors (P2Y1Rs), decode synaptic efficacy of competing terminals in a Ca2+-dependent manner. This glial activity induces long-lasting synaptic potentiation of strong but not weak terminals via presynaptic adenosine 2A receptors. Blockade of glial activity by intracellular Ca2+ chelation or blockade of P2Y1Rs prevents this plasticity. In addition, blockade of P2Y1Rs delays synapse elimination in vivo. Hence, P2Y1Rs drive glial cell regulation of strong synaptic inputs and influence synapse competition and elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houssam Darabid
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada; Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Alexandre St-Pierre-See
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada; Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada; Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.
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Germeys C, Vandoorne T, Bercier V, Van Den Bosch L. Existing and Emerging Metabolomic Tools for ALS Research. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E1011. [PMID: 31817338 PMCID: PMC6947647 DOI: 10.3390/genes10121011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that aberrant energy metabolism could play an important role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite this, studies applying advanced technologies to investigate energy metabolism in ALS remain scarce. The rapidly growing field of metabolomics offers exciting new possibilities for ALS research. Here, we review existing and emerging metabolomic tools that could be used to further investigate the role of metabolism in ALS. A better understanding of the metabolic state of motor neurons and their surrounding cells could hopefully result in novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Germeys
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven—University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (C.G.); (T.V.); (V.B.)
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tijs Vandoorne
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven—University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (C.G.); (T.V.); (V.B.)
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valérie Bercier
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven—University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (C.G.); (T.V.); (V.B.)
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven—University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (C.G.); (T.V.); (V.B.)
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Chern Y, Rei N, Ribeiro JA, Sebastião AM. Adenosine and Its Receptors as Potential Drug Targets in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Caffeine Adenosine Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1089/caff.2019.0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yijuang Chern
- Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nádia Rei
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joaquim A. Ribeiro
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana M. Sebastião
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Bose P, Tremblay E, Maios C, Narasimhan V, Armstrong GAB, Liao M, Parker JA, Robitaille R, Wen XY, Barden C, Drapeau P. The Novel Small Molecule TRVA242 Stabilizes Neuromuscular Junction Defects in Multiple Animal Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neurotherapeutics 2019; 16:1149-1166. [PMID: 31342410 PMCID: PMC6985319 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00765-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder in which the neuromuscular junction progressively degenerates, leading to movement difficulties, paralysis, and eventually death. ALS is currently being treated by only two FDA-approved drugs with modest efficacy in slowing disease progression. Often, the translation of preclinical findings to bedside terminates prematurely as the evaluation of potential therapeutic compounds focuses on a single study or a single animal model. To circumscribe these issues, we screened 3,765 novel small molecule derivatives of pimozide, a recently identified repurposed neuroleptic for ALS, in Caenorhabditis elegans, confirmed the hits in zebrafish and validated the most active compounds in mouse genetic models. Out of the 27 small molecules identified from the high-throughput screen in worms, 4 were found to recover locomotor defects in C. elegans and genetic zebrafish models of ALS. TRVA242 was identified as the most potent compound as it significantly improved efficiency in rescuing locomotor, motorneuron, and neuromuscular junction synaptic deficits in a C. elegans TDP-43 model and in multiple zebrafish genetic (TDP-43, SOD1, and C9ORF72) models of ALS. The actions of TRVA242 were also conserved in a mammalian model as it also stabilized neuromuscular junction deficits in a mouse SOD1 model of ALS. Compounds such as TRVA242 therefore represent new potential therapeutics for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poulomee Bose
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM Tour Viger R09-482), 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montréal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Elsa Tremblay
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- FRQS Group de recherche sur le system nerveux centrale, Montreal, Canada
| | - Claudia Maios
- Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM Tour Viger R09-482), 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montréal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Vijay Narasimhan
- Zebrafish Centre for Advanced Drug Discovery and Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital and Department of Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gary A B Armstrong
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University and Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, Canada
| | - Meijiang Liao
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM Tour Viger R09-482), 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montréal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - J Alex Parker
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM Tour Viger R09-482), 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montréal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- FRQS Group de recherche sur le system nerveux centrale, Montreal, Canada
| | - Xiao Yan Wen
- Zebrafish Centre for Advanced Drug Discovery and Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital and Department of Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Pierre Drapeau
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
- Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM Tour Viger R09-482), 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montréal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada.
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Vaughan SK, Sutherland NM, Valdez G. Attenuating Cholinergic Transmission Increases the Number of Satellite Cells and Preserves Muscle Mass in Old Age. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:262. [PMID: 31616286 PMCID: PMC6768977 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to driving contraction of skeletal muscles, acetylcholine (ACh) acts as an anti-synaptogenic agent at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Previous studies suggest that aging is accompanied by increases in cholinergic activity at the NMJ, which may play a role in neuromuscular degeneration. In this study, we hypothesized that moderately and chronically reducing ACh could attenuate the deleterious effects of aging on NMJs and skeletal muscles. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed NMJs and muscle fibers from heterozygous transgenic mice with reduced expression of the vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT; VKDHet), which present with approximately 30% less synaptic ACh compared to control mice. Because ACh is constitutively decreased in VKDHet, we first analyzed developing NMJs and muscle fibers. We found no obvious morphological or molecular differences between NMJs and muscle fibers of VKDHet and control mice during development. In contrast, we found that moderately reducing ACh has various effects on adult NMJs and muscle fibers. VKDHet mice have significantly larger NMJs and muscle fibers compared to age-matched control mice. They also present with reduced expression of the pro-atrophy gene, Foxo1, and have more satellite cells in skeletal muscles. These molecular and cellular features may partially explain the increased size of NMJs and muscle fibers. Thus, moderately reducing ACh may be a therapeutic strategy to prevent the loss of skeletal muscle mass that occurs with advancing age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney K Vaughan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.,Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, United States.,Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Natalia M Sutherland
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - Gregorio Valdez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.,Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, United States.,Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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Vannucci B, Santosa KB, Keane AM, Jablonka-Shariff A, Lu CY, Yan Y, MacEwan M, Snyder-Warwick AK. What is Normal? Neuromuscular junction reinnervation after nerve injury. Muscle Nerve 2019; 60:604-612. [PMID: 31408210 DOI: 10.1002/mus.26654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In this study we present a reproducible technique to assess motor recovery after nerve injury via neuromuscular junction (NMJ) immunostaining and electrodiagnostic testing. METHODS Wild-type mice underwent sciatic nerve transection with repair. Hindlimb muscles were collected for microscopy up to 30 weeks after injury. Immunostaining was used to assess axons (NF200), Schwann cells (S100), and motor endplates (α-bungarotoxin). Compound motor action potential (CMAP) amplitude was used to assess tibialis anterior (TA) function. RESULTS One week after injury, nearly all (98.0%) endplates were denervated. At 8 weeks, endplates were either partially (28.3%) or fully (71.7%) reinnervated. At 16 weeks, NMJ reinnervation reached 87.3%. CMAP amplitude was 83% of naive mice at 16 weeks and correlated with percentage of fully reinnervated NMJs. Morphological differences were noted between injured and noninjured NMJs. DISCUSSION We present a reproducible method for evaluating NMJ reinnervation. Electrodiagnostic data summarize NMJ recovery. Characterization of wild-type reinnervation provides important data for consideration in experimental design and interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Vannucci
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Katherine B Santosa
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Alexandra M Keane
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Albina Jablonka-Shariff
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Chuieng-Yi Lu
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Ying Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Matthew MacEwan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Alison K Snyder-Warwick
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
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Fogarty MJ, Gonzalez Porras MA, Mantilla CB, Sieck GC. Diaphragm neuromuscular transmission failure in aged rats. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:93-104. [PMID: 31042426 PMCID: PMC6689786 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00061.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In aging Fischer 344 rats, phrenic motor neuron loss, neuromuscular junction abnormalities, and diaphragm muscle (DIAm) sarcopenia are present by 24 mo of age, with larger fast-twitch fatigue-intermediate (type FInt) and fast-twitch fatigable (type FF) motor units particularly vulnerable. We hypothesize that in old rats, DIAm neuromuscular transmission deficits are specific to type FInt and/or FF units. In phrenic nerve/DIAm preparations from rats at 6 and 24 mo of age, the phrenic nerve was supramaximally stimulated at 10, 40, or 75 Hz. Every 15 s, the DIAm was directly stimulated, and the difference in forces evoked by nerve and muscle stimulation was used to estimate neuromuscular transmission failure. Neuromuscular transmission failure in the DIAm was observed at each stimulation frequency. In the initial stimulus trains, the forces evoked by phrenic nerve stimulation at 40 and 75 Hz were significantly less than those evoked by direct muscle stimulation, and this difference was markedly greater in 24-mo-old rats. During repetitive nerve stimulation, neuromuscular transmission failure at 40 and 75 Hz worsened to a greater extent in 24-mo-old rats compared with younger animals. Because type IIx and/or IIb DIAm fibers (type FInt and/or FF motor units) display greater susceptibility to neuromuscular transmission failure at higher frequencies of stimulation, these data suggest that the age-related loss of larger phrenic motor neurons impacts nerve conduction to muscle at higher frequencies and may contribute to DIAm sarcopenia in old rats. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Diaphragm muscle (DIAm) sarcopenia, phrenic motor neuron loss, and perturbations of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are well described in aged rodents and selectively affect FInt and FF motor units. Less attention has been paid to the motor unit-specific aspects of nerve-muscle conduction. In old rats, increased neuromuscular transmission failure occurred at stimulation frequencies where FInt and FF motor units exhibit conduction failures, along with decreased apposition of pre- and postsynaptic domains of DIAm NMJs of these units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fogarty
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | - Carlos B Mantilla
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Gary C Sieck
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota
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Gentile F, Scarlino S, Falzone YM, Lunetta C, Tremolizzo L, Quattrini A, Riva N. The Peripheral Nervous System in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Opportunities for Translational Research. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:601. [PMID: 31293369 PMCID: PMC6603245 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been considered as a disorder of the motor neuron (MN) cell body, recent evidences show the non-cell-autonomous pathogenic nature of the disease. Axonal degeneration, loss of peripheral axons and destruction of nerve terminals are early events in the disease pathogenic cascade, anticipating MN degeneration, and the onset of clinical symptoms. Therefore, although ALS and peripheral axonal neuropathies should be differentiated in clinical practice, they also share damage to common molecular pathways, including axonal transport, RNA metabolism and proteostasis. Thus, an extensive evaluation of the molecular events occurring in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) could be fundamental to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of ALS, favoring the discovery of potential disease biomarkers, and new therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Gentile
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology – San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Scarlino
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology – San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Yuri Matteo Falzone
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology – San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Lucio Tremolizzo
- Neurology Unit, ALS Clinic, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Angelo Quattrini
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology – San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Nilo Riva
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology – San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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Gould TW, Dominguez B, de Winter F, Yeo GW, Liu P, Sundararaman B, Stark T, Vu A, Degen JL, Lin W, Lee KF. Glial cells maintain synapses by inhibiting an activity-dependent retrograde protease signal. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007948. [PMID: 30870413 PMCID: PMC6417855 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Glial cells regulate multiple aspects of synaptogenesis. In the absence of Schwann cells, a peripheral glial cell, motor neurons initially innervate muscle but then degenerate. Here, using a genetic approach, we show that neural activity-regulated negative factors produced by muscle drive neurodegeneration in Schwann cell-deficient mice. We find that thrombin, the hepatic serine protease central to the hemostatic coagulation cascade, is one such negative factor. Trancriptomic analysis shows that expression of the antithrombins serpin C1 and D1 is significantly reduced in Schwann cell-deficient mice. In the absence of peripheral neuromuscular activity, neurodegeneration is completely blocked, and expression of prothrombin in muscle is markedly reduced. In the absence of muscle-derived prothrombin, neurodegeneration is also markedly reduced. Together, these results suggest that Schwann cells regulate NMJs by opposing the effects of activity-regulated, muscle-derived negative factors and provide the first genetic evidence that thrombin plays a central role outside of the coagulation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W. Gould
- Peptide Biology Laboratories, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, United States of America
| | - Bertha Dominguez
- Peptide Biology Laboratories, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Fred de Winter
- Peptide Biology Laboratories, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gene W. Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Patrick Liu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Balaji Sundararaman
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, United States of America
| | - Thomas Stark
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, United States of America
| | - Anthony Vu
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, United States of America
| | - Jay L. Degen
- Division of Experimental Hematology, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Weichun Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
| | - Kuo-Fen Lee
- Peptide Biology Laboratories, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
The synapse is an incredibly specialized structure that allows for the coordinated communication of information from one neuron to another. When assembled into circuits, steady streams of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity shape neural outputs. At the organismal level, ensembles of neural networks underlie behavior, emotion and memory. Disorder or dysfunctions of synapses, a synaptopathy, may underlie a host of developmental and degenerative neurological conditions. There is a possibility that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may be a result of a synaptopathy within the neuromotor system. To this end, particular attention has been trained on the excitatory glutamatergic synapses and their morphological proxy, the dendritic spine. The extensive detailing of these dysfunctions in vulnerable neuronal populations, including corticospinal neurons and motor neurons, has recently been the subject of original research in rodents and humans. If amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is indeed a synaptopathy, it is entirely consistent with other proposed pathogenic mechanisms – including glutamate excitotoxicity, accumulation of misfolded proteins and mitochondrial dysfunction at distal axon terminals (cortico-motor neuron and neuromuscular). Further, although the exact mechanism of disease spread from region to region is unknown, the synaptopathy hypothesis is consistent with emerging die-forward evidence and the prion-like propagation of misfolded protein aggregates to distant neuronal populations. Here in this mini-review, we focus on the timeline of synaptic observations in both cortical and spinal neurons from different rodent models, and provide a conceptual framework for assessing the synaptopathy hypothesis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fogarty
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
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Herskovits AZ, Hunter TA, Maxwell N, Pereira K, Whittaker CA, Valdez G, Guarente LP. SIRT1 deacetylase in aging-induced neuromuscular degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Aging Cell 2018; 17:e12839. [PMID: 30295421 PMCID: PMC6260920 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
SIRT1 is an NAD+ -dependent deacetylase that functions in a variety of cells and tissues to mitigate age-associated diseases. However, it remains unknown if SIRT1 also acts to prevent pathological changes that accrue in motor neurons during aging and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this study, we show that SIRT1 expression decreases in the spinal cord of wild-type mice during normal aging. Using mouse models either overexpressing or lacking SIRT1 in motor neurons, we found that SIRT1 slows age-related degeneration of motor neurons' presynaptic sites at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Transcriptional analysis of spinal cord shows an overlap of greater than 90% when comparing alterations during normal aging with changes during ALS, revealing a substantial upregulation in immune and inflammatory response genes and a downregulation of synaptic transcripts. In addition, overexpressing SIRT1 in motor neurons delays progression to end-stage disease in high copy SOD1G93A mice. Thus, our findings suggest that there are parallels between ALS and aging, and interventions to impede aging may also slow the progression of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianna Z. Herskovits
- Department of PathologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusetts
- Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusetts
| | - Tegan A. Hunter
- Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusetts
- University of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida
| | - Nicholas Maxwell
- Virginia Tech Carillion Research Institute Virginia TechRoanokeVirginia
| | - Katherine Pereira
- Virginia Tech Carillion Research Institute Virginia TechRoanokeVirginia
| | - Charles A. Whittaker
- Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusetts
| | - Gregorio Valdez
- Virginia Tech Carillion Research Institute Virginia TechRoanokeVirginia
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginia
| | - Leonard P. Guarente
- Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusetts
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Bose P, Armstrong GAB, Drapeau P. Neuromuscular junction abnormalities in a zebrafish loss-of-function model of TDP-43. J Neurophysiol 2018; 121:285-297. [PMID: 30461368 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00265.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost 90% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases are characterized by the presence of aggregates of insoluble, misfolded cytoplasmic TAR DNA binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43). Distal axonopathy with impaired neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) before motor neuron degeneration or clinical onset of symptoms has been hypothesized as an early pathology in ALS. However, synaptic defects at the NMJ caused by TDP-43 mutations have not been characterized. In this study, we examined a previously reported zebrafish line expressing the tardbpY220X/Y220X variant, which results in an unstable and degraded protein. These tardbp-/- larvae, however, mature normally due to the upregulated expression of an alternative splice variant of the tardbp paralog tardbp-like, or tardbpl. We generated a mutant line with a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated 5-base pair deletion encompassing the ATG start codon of tardbpl and in-crossed these with tardbp-/- mutants to obtain tardbp-/- and tardbpl-/- double mutants, herein referred to as hom/hom. We subsequently characterized morphological, coiling, locomotor, synaptic, and NMJ structural abnormalities in the hom/hom mutants and in their genotypic controls. We observed that hom/hom mutants displayed gross morphological defects, early lethality, reduced locomotor function, aberrant quantal transmission, and perturbed synapse architecture at the NMJ. We further employed pharmacological manipulations in an effort to rescue phenotypic defects and observed that tardbp+/-; tardbpl-/- (herein referred to as het/hom) mutants, but not hom/hom mutants, were sensitive to chronic treatments of BAY K 8644, an L-type calcium channel agonist. This result highlights the importance of partial vs. complete loss of allelic functions of TDP-43. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study highlights the importance of partial vs. complete loss of allelic functions of TDP-43 in a zebrafish loss of function model, thus making it an attractive tool for drug screening approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poulomee Bose
- Department of Neuroscience, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal , Montreal, Quebec , Canada
| | - Gary A B Armstrong
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University , Montreal, Quebec , Canada
| | - Pierre Drapeau
- Department of Neuroscience, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal , Montreal, Quebec , Canada
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Theme 7 Pre-clinical therapeutic strategies. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2018; 19:217-239. [DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2018.1510574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Martineau É, Di Polo A, Vande Velde C, Robitaille R. Dynamic neuromuscular remodeling precedes motor-unit loss in a mouse model of ALS. eLife 2018; 7:41973. [PMID: 30320556 PMCID: PMC6234026 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being an early event in ALS, it remains unclear whether the denervation of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) is simply the first manifestation of a globally degenerating motor neuron. Using in vivo imaging of single axons and their NMJs over a three-month period, we identify that single motor-units are dismantled asynchronously in SOD1G37R mice. We reveal that weeks prior to complete axonal degeneration, the dismantling of axonal branches is accompanied by contemporaneous new axonal sprouting resulting in synapse formation onto nearby NMJs. Denervation events tend to propagate from the first lost NMJ, consistent with a contribution of neuromuscular factors extrinsic to motor neurons, with distal branches being more susceptible. These results show that NMJ denervation in ALS is a complex and dynamic process of continuous denervation and new innervation rather than a manifestation of sudden global motor neuron degeneration. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. It occurs when the neurons that control muscles – the motoneurons – disconnect from their target muscles and die. This causes the muscles to weaken and waste away. More and more muscles become affected over time until eventually the muscles that control breathing also become paralyzed. Most patients die within two to five years of diagnosis. Motoneurons consist of a cell body plus a cable-like structure called the axon. The cell body of each motoneuron sits within the spinal cord, and the axon extends out of the spinal cord to the motoneuron’s target muscle. Within the muscle the axon divides into branches, each of which connects with multiple muscle fibers. The breakdown of these connections, known as neuromuscular junctions, is one of the first signs of ALS. Does a motoneuron lose all of its connections with muscle fibers at once, or do the connections break down a few at a time? This distinction is important as it will help to identify the events that lead to muscle paralysis in ALS. To find out, Martineau et al. studied mice that had two genetic mutations: one that causes ALS and another that produces fluorescent molecules in some motoneurons. This allowed the branches of the motoneurons to be tracked over time with a fluorescence microscope. Martineau et al. found that individual neurons lose their connections to muscle fibers gradually. Moreover, motoneurons grow new branches and form new connections even while losing their old ones. This dual process of pruning and budding lasts for several weeks, until eventually the motoneuron dies. Developing drugs to stabilize neuromuscular junctions during the period when motoneurons gradually disconnect from muscles could be a promising avenue to explore to improve the quality of life of ALS patients. One advantage of this treatment strategy is that neuromuscular junctions in muscles are easier to access than motoneurons inside the spinal cord. To identify potential drugs, future studies will need to focus on the proteins and signals that cause the neuromuscular junctions to break down.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éric Martineau
- Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Adriana Di Polo
- Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Christine Vande Velde
- Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Trias E, King PH, Si Y, Kwon Y, Varela V, Ibarburu S, Kovacs M, Moura IC, Beckman JS, Hermine O, Barbeito L. Mast cells and neutrophils mediate peripheral motor pathway degeneration in ALS. JCI Insight 2018; 3:123249. [PMID: 30282815 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.123249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is a recognized pathogenic mechanism underlying motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the inflammatory mechanisms influencing peripheral motor axon degeneration remain largely unknown. A recent report showed a pathogenic role for c-Kit-expressing mast cells mediating inflammation and neuromuscular junction denervation in muscles from SOD1G93A rats. Here, we have explored whether mast cells infiltrate skeletal muscles in autopsied muscles from ALS patients. We report that degranulating mast cells were abundant in the quadriceps muscles from ALS subjects but not in controls. Mast cells were associated with myofibers and motor endplates and, remarkably, interacted with neutrophils forming large extracellular traps. Mast cells and neutrophils were also abundant around motor axons in the extensor digitorum longus muscle, sciatic nerve, and ventral roots of symptomatic SOD1G93A rats, indicating that immune cell infiltration extends along the entire peripheral motor pathway. Postparalysis treatment of SOD1G93A rats with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug masitinib prevented mast cell and neutrophil infiltration, axonal pathology, secondary demyelination, and the loss of type 2B myofibers, compared with vehicle-treated rats. These findings provide further evidence for a yet unrecognized contribution of immune cells in peripheral motor pathway degeneration that can be therapeutically targeted by tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter H King
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Ying Si
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Yuri Kwon
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ivan C Moura
- Imagine Institute, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Hematological Disorders and Therapeutic Implications, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,CNRS ERL 8254, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France.,Equipe Labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Nantes, France
| | - Joseph S Beckman
- Linus Pauling Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Environmental Health Sciences Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Olivier Hermine
- Imagine Institute, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Hematological Disorders and Therapeutic Implications, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,CNRS ERL 8254, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France.,Equipe Labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Nantes, France.,AB Science, Paris, France.,Department of Hematology, Necker Hospital, Paris, France.,Centre national de référence des mastocytoses (CEREMAST), Paris, France
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48
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Heredia DJ, Feng CY, Agarwal A, Nennecker K, Hennig GW, Gould TW. Postnatal Restriction of Activity-Induced Ca 2+ Responses to Schwann Cells at the Neuromuscular Junction Are Caused by the Proximo-Distal Loss of Axonal Synaptic Vesicles during Development. J Neurosci 2018; 38:8650-8665. [PMID: 30143570 PMCID: PMC6170982 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0956-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Terminal or perisynaptic Schwann cells (TPSCs) are nonmyelinating, perisynaptic glial cells at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) that respond to neural activity by increasing intracellular calcium (Ca2+) and regulate synaptic function. The onset of activity-induced TPSC Ca2+ responses, as well as whether axonal Schwann cells (ASCs) along the nerve respond to nerve stimulation during development, is unknown. Here, we show that phrenic nerve stimulation in developing male and female mice elicited Ca2+ responses in both ASCs and TPSCs at embryonic day 14. ASC responses were lost in a proximo-distal gradient over time, but could continue to be elicited by bath application of neurotransmitter, suggesting that a loss of release rather than a change in ASC competence accounted for this response gradient. Similar to those of early postnatal TPSCs, developing ASC/TPSC responses were mediated by purinergic P2Y1 receptors. The loss of ASC Ca2+ responses was correlated to the proximo-distal disappearance of synaptophysin immunoreactivity and synaptic vesicles in phrenic axons. Accordingly, developing ASC Ca2+ responses were blocked by botulinum toxin. Interestingly, the loss of ASC Ca2+ responses was also correlated to the proximo-distal development of myelination. Finally, compared with postnatal TPSCs, neonatal TPSCs and ASCs displayed Ca2+ signals in response to lower frequencies and shorter durations of nerve stimulation. Together, these results with GCaMP3-expressing Schwann cells provide ex vivo evidence that both axons and presynaptic terminals initially exhibit activity-induced vesicular release of neurotransmitter, but that the subsequent loss of axonal synaptic vesicles accounts for the postnatal restriction of vesicular release to the NMJ.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neural activity regulates multiple aspects of development, including myelination. Whether the excitation of developing neurons in vivo results in the release of neurotransmitter from both axons and presynaptic terminals is unclear. Here, using mice expressing the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP3 in Schwann cells, we show that both terminal/perisynaptic Schwann cells at the diaphragm neuromuscular junction and axonal Schwann cells along the phrenic nerve exhibit activity-induced calcium responses early in development, mediated by the vesicular release of ATP from the axons of motor neurons acting on P2Y1 receptors. These ex vivo findings corroborate classic in vitro studies demonstrating transmitter release by developing axons, and thus represent a tool to study the mechanisms and significance of this process during embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dante J Heredia
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada 89557 and
| | - Cheng-Yuan Feng
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada 89557 and
| | - Andrea Agarwal
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada 89557 and
| | - Kyle Nennecker
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada 89557 and
| | - Grant W Hennig
- Department of Pharmacology, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
| | - Thomas W Gould
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada 89557 and
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Santosa KB, Keane AM, Jablonka-Shariff A, Vannucci B, Snyder-Warwick AK. Clinical relevance of terminal Schwann cells: An overlooked component of the neuromuscular junction. J Neurosci Res 2018; 96:1125-1135. [PMID: 29536564 PMCID: PMC6292684 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 12/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The terminal Schwann cell (tSC), a type of nonmyelinating Schwann cell, is a significant yet relatively understudied component of the neuromuscular junction. In addition to reviewing the role tSCs play on formation, maintenance, and remodeling of the synapse, we review studies that implicate tSCs in neuromuscular diseases including spinal muscular atrophy, Miller-Fisher syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, among others. We also discuss the importance of these cells on degeneration and regeneration after nerve injury. Knowledge of tSC biology may improve our understanding of disease pathogenesis and help us identify new and innovative therapeutic strategies for the many patients who suffer from neuromuscular disorders and nerve injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine B. Santosa
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Alexandra M. Keane
- Medical Student, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Albina Jablonka-Shariff
- Research Scientist, Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Bianca Vannucci
- Medical Student, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Alison K. Snyder-Warwick
- Assistant Professor, Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
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50
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Abstract
As the final output of the somatic nervous system, the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is essential for all voluntary movements. The NMJ is also necessary for connected cells to function and survive. Because of this central role, much effort has been devoted to understanding the effects of aging, diseases, and injuries on the NMJ. These efforts have revealed a close relationship between aberrant changes at NMJs and its three cellular components - the presynaptic site on motor axons, the postsynaptic region on muscle fibers and perisynaptic Schwann cells. Here, we review the morphological and molecular changes associated with aging NMJs in rodents and humans. We also provide an overview of factors with potential roles in maintaining and repairing adult and aged NMJs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Taetzsch
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Gregorio Valdez
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, Virginia, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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