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Eck RJ, Stair JG, Kraemer BC, Liachko NF. Simple models to understand complex disease: 10 years of progress from Caenorhabditis elegans models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Front Neurosci 2024; 17:1300705. [PMID: 38239833 PMCID: PMC10794587 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1300705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans are a powerful model system to study human disease, with numerous experimental advantages including significant genetic and cellular homology to vertebrate animals, a short lifespan, and tractable behavioral, molecular biology and imaging assays. Beginning with the identification of SOD1 as a genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), C. elegans have contributed to a deeper understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of this devastating neurodegenerative disease. More recently this work has expanded to encompass models of other types of ALS and the related disease frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-TDP), including those characterized by mutation or accumulation of the proteins TDP-43, C9orf72, FUS, HnRNPA2B1, ALS2, DCTN1, CHCHD10, ELP3, TUBA4A, CAV1, UBQLN2, ATXN3, TIA1, KIF5A, VAPB, GRN, and RAB38. In this review we summarize these models and the progress and insights from the last ten years of using C. elegans to study the neurodegenerative diseases ALS and FTLD-TDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randall J. Eck
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jade G. Stair
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Brian C. Kraemer
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Nicole F. Liachko
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States
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Yamoah A, Tripathi P, Guo H, Scheve L, Walter P, Johnen S, Müller F, Weis J, Goswami A. Early Alterations of RNA Binding Protein (RBP) Homeostasis and ER Stress-Mediated Autophagy Contributes to Progressive Retinal Degeneration in the rd10 Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). Cells 2023; 12:cells12071094. [PMID: 37048167 PMCID: PMC10092976 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The retinal degeneration 10 (rd10) mouse model is widely used to study retinitis pigmentosa (RP) pathomechanisms. It offers a rather unique opportunity to study trans-neuronal degeneration because the cell populations in question are separated anatomically and the mutated Pde6b gene is selectively expressed in rod photoreceptors. We hypothesized that RNA binding protein (RBP) aggregation and abnormal autophagy might serve as early pathogenic events, damaging non-photoreceptor retinal cell types that are not primarily targeted by the Pde6b gene defect. We used a combination of immunohistochemistry (DAB, immunofluorescence), electron microscopy (EM), subcellular fractionation, and Western blot analysis on the retinal preparations obtained from both rd10 and wild-type mice. We found early, robust increases in levels of the protective endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium (Ca2+) buffering chaperone Sigma receptor 1 (SigR1) together with other ER-Ca2+ buffering proteins in both photoreceptors and non-photoreceptor neuronal cells before any noticeable photoreceptor degeneration. In line with this, we found markedly altered expression of the autophagy proteins p62 and LC3, together with abnormal ER widening and large autophagic vacuoles as detected by EM. Interestingly, these changes were accompanied by early, prominent cytoplasmic and nuclear aggregation of the key RBPs including pTDP-43 and FET family RBPs and stress granule formation. We conclude that progressive neurodegeneration in the rd10 mouse retina is associated with early disturbances of proteostasis and autophagy, along with abnormal cytoplasmic RBP aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred Yamoah
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- EURON-European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Priyanka Tripathi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- EURON-European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Haihong Guo
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Leonie Scheve
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Peter Walter
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Sandra Johnen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank Müller
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Molecular and Cellular Physiology, IBI-1, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Joachim Weis
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Anand Goswami
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Neurology, Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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3
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Hung ST, Linares GR, Chang WH, Eoh Y, Krishnan G, Mendonca S, Hong S, Shi Y, Santana M, Kueth C, Macklin-Isquierdo S, Perry S, Duhaime S, Maios C, Chang J, Perez J, Couto A, Lai J, Li Y, Alworth SV, Hendricks E, Wang Y, Zlokovic BV, Dickman DK, Parker JA, Zarnescu DC, Gao FB, Ichida JK. PIKFYVE inhibition mitigates disease in models of diverse forms of ALS. Cell 2023; 186:786-802.e28. [PMID: 36754049 PMCID: PMC10062012 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that results from many diverse genetic causes. Although therapeutics specifically targeting known causal mutations may rescue individual types of ALS, these approaches cannot treat most cases since they have unknown genetic etiology. Thus, there is a pressing need for therapeutic strategies that rescue multiple forms of ALS. Here, we show that pharmacological inhibition of PIKFYVE kinase activates an unconventional protein clearance mechanism involving exocytosis of aggregation-prone proteins. Reducing PIKFYVE activity ameliorates ALS pathology and extends survival of animal models and patient-derived motor neurons representing diverse forms of ALS including C9ORF72, TARDBP, FUS, and sporadic. These findings highlight a potential approach for mitigating ALS pathogenesis that does not require stimulating macroautophagy or the ubiquitin-proteosome system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Ting Hung
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Gabriel R Linares
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | | | - Yunsun Eoh
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Gopinath Krishnan
- Department of Neurology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | | | - Sarah Hong
- AcuraStem Incorporated, Monrovia, CA 91016, USA
| | - Yingxiao Shi
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Manuel Santana
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Chuol Kueth
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | | | - Sarah Perry
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Sarah Duhaime
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Département de Pathologie et Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Claudia Maios
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Département de Pathologie et Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan Chang
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Joscany Perez
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Alexander Couto
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Jesse Lai
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Yichen Li
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | | | - Eric Hendricks
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Yaoming Wang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Berislav V Zlokovic
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Dion K Dickman
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - J Alex Parker
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Département de Pathologie et Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Daniela C Zarnescu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Fen-Biao Gao
- Department of Neurology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Justin K Ichida
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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Liang B, Thapa R, Zhang G, Moffitt C, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Johnston A, Ruby HP, Barbera G, Wong PC, Zhang Z, Chen R, Lin DT, Li Y. Aberrant neural activity in prefrontal pyramidal neurons lacking TDP-43 precedes neuron loss. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 215:102297. [PMID: 35667630 PMCID: PMC9258405 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mislocalization of TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TARDBP, or TDP-43) is a principal pathological hallmark identified in cases of neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). As an RNA binding protein, TDP-43 serves in the nuclear compartment to repress non-conserved cryptic exons to ensure the normal transcriptome. Multiple lines of evidence from animal models and human studies support the view that loss of TDP-43 leads to neuron loss, independent of its cytosolic aggregation. However, the underlying pathogenic pathways driven by the loss-of-function mechanism are still poorly defined. We employed a genetic approach to determine the impact of TDP-43 loss in pyramidal neurons of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Using a custom-built miniscope imaging system, we performed repetitive in vivo calcium imaging from freely behaving mice for up to 7 months. By comparing calcium activity in PFC pyramidal neurons between TDP-43 depleted and TDP-43 intact mice, we demonstrated remarkably increased numbers of pyramidal neurons exhibiting hyperactive calcium activity after short-term TDP-43 depletion, followed by rapid activity declines prior to neuron loss. Our results suggest aberrant neural activity driven by loss of TDP-43 as the pathogenic pathway at early stage in ALS and FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Liang
- School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, College of Engineering & Mines, University of North Dakota, 243 Centennial Drive Stop 7165, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA.
| | - Rashmi Thapa
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Gracie Zhang
- Laramie High School, 1710 Boulder Drive, Laramie, WY 82070, USA.
| | - Casey Moffitt
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Lifeng Zhang
- School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, College of Engineering & Mines, University of North Dakota, 243 Centennial Drive Stop 7165, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Laramie High School, 1710 Boulder Drive, Laramie, WY 82070, USA; Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 100N. Greene St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Amanda Johnston
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Hyrum P Ruby
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Giovanni Barbera
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Philip C Wong
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Zhaojie Zhang
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Rong Chen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 100N. Greene St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Da-Ting Lin
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
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Vitamin B12 Reduces TDP-43 Toxicity by Alleviating Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 11:antiox11010082. [PMID: 35052586 PMCID: PMC8773243 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a member of an evolutionarily conserved family of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins that modulate multiple steps in RNA metabolic processes. Cytoplasmic aggregation of TDP-43 in affected neurons is a pathological hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and limbic predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE). Mislocalized and accumulated TDP-43 in the cytoplasm induces mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxidative species (ROS) production. Here, we show that TDP-43- and rotenone-induced neurotoxicity in the human neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y were attenuated by hydroxocobalamin (Hb, vitamin B12 analog) treatment. Although Hb did not affect the cytoplasmic accumulation of TDP-43, Hb attenuated TDP-43-induced toxicity by reducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, a shortened lifespan and motility defects in TDP-43-expressing Drosophila were significantly mitigated by dietary treatment with hydroxocobalamin. Taken together, these findings suggest that oral intake of hydroxocobalamin may be a potential therapeutic intervention for TDP-43-associated proteinopathies.
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Kropp PA, Bauer R, Zafra I, Graham C, Golden A. Caenorhabditis elegans for rare disease modeling and drug discovery: strategies and strengths. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:dmm049010. [PMID: 34370008 PMCID: PMC8380043 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although nearly 10% of Americans suffer from a rare disease, clinical progress in individual rare diseases is severely compromised by lack of attention and research resources compared to common diseases. It is thus imperative to investigate these diseases at their most basic level to build a foundation and provide the opportunity for understanding their mechanisms and phenotypes, as well as potential treatments. One strategy for effectively and efficiently studying rare diseases is using genetically tractable organisms to model the disease and learn about the essential cellular processes affected. Beyond investigating dysfunctional cellular processes, modeling rare diseases in simple organisms presents the opportunity to screen for pharmacological or genetic factors capable of ameliorating disease phenotypes. Among the small model organisms that excel in rare disease modeling is the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. With a staggering breadth of research tools, C. elegans provides an ideal system in which to study human disease. Molecular and cellular processes can be easily elucidated, assayed and altered in ways that can be directly translated to humans. When paired with other model organisms and collaborative efforts with clinicians, the power of these C. elegans studies cannot be overstated. This Review highlights studies that have used C. elegans in diverse ways to understand rare diseases and aid in the development of treatments. With continuing and advancing technologies, the capabilities of this small round worm will continue to yield meaningful and clinically relevant information for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Andy Golden
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Braems E, Tziortzouda P, Van Den Bosch L. Exploring the alternative: Fish, flies and worms as preclinical models for ALS. Neurosci Lett 2021; 759:136041. [PMID: 34118308 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. In general, patients succumb to respiratory insufficiency due to respiratory muscle weakness. Despite many promising therapeutic strategies primarily identified in rodent models, patient trials remain rather unsuccessful. There is a clear need for alternative approaches, which could provide directions towards the justified use of rodents and which increase the likelihood to identify new promising clinical candidates. In the last decades, the use of fast genetic approaches and the development of high-throughput screening platforms in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and in zebrafish (Danio rerio) have contributed to new insights into ALS pathomechanisms, disease modifiers and therapeutic targets. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of these alternative small animal studies, modeling the most common ALS genes and discuss the most recent preclinical discoveries. We conclude that small animal models will not replace rodent models, yet they clearly represent an important asset for preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Braems
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paraskevi Tziortzouda
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.
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8
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García-Casas P, Alvarez-Illera P, Fonteriz RI, Montero M, Alvarez J. Mechanism of the lifespan extension induced by submaximal SERCA inhibition in C. elegans. Mech Ageing Dev 2021; 196:111474. [PMID: 33766744 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We have reported recently that submaximal inhibition of the Sarco Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) produces an increase in the lifespan of C. elegans worms. We have explored here the mechanism of this increased survival by studying the effect of SERCA inhibition in several mutants of signaling pathways related to longevity. Our data show that the mechanism of the effect is unrelated with the insulin signaling pathway or the sirtuin activity, because SERCA inhibitors increased lifespan similarly in mutants of these pathways. However, the effect required functional mitochondria and both the AMP kinase and TOR pathways, as the SERCA inhibitors were ineffective in the corresponding mutants. The same effects were obtained after reducing SERCA expression with submaximal RNAi treatment. The SERCA inhibitors did not induce ER-stress at the concentrations used, and their effect was not modified by inactivation of the OP50 bacterial food. Altogether, our data suggest that the effect may be due to a reduced ER-mitochondria Ca2+ transfer acting via AMPK activation and mTOR inhibition to promote survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma García-Casas
- Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid and CSIC, Ramón y Cajal, 7, E-47005, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Pilar Alvarez-Illera
- Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid and CSIC, Ramón y Cajal, 7, E-47005, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Rosalba I Fonteriz
- Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid and CSIC, Ramón y Cajal, 7, E-47005, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Mayte Montero
- Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid and CSIC, Ramón y Cajal, 7, E-47005, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Javier Alvarez
- Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid and CSIC, Ramón y Cajal, 7, E-47005, Valladolid, Spain.
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Sun L, Wei H. Ryanodine Receptors: A Potential Treatment Target in Various Neurodegenerative Disease. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2020; 41:1613-1624. [PMID: 32833122 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-00936-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Progressive neuronal demise is a key contributor to the key pathogenic event implicated in many different neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs). There are several therapeutic strategies available; however, none of them are particularly effective. Targeted neuroprotective therapy is one such therapy, which seems a compelling option, yet remains challenging due to the internal heterogeneity of the mechanisms underlying various NDDs. An alternative method to treat NDDs is to exploit common modalities involving molecularly distinct subtypes and thus develop specialized drugs with broad-spectrum characteristics. There is mounting evidence which supports for the theory that dysfunctional ryanodine receptors (RyRs) disrupt intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, contributing to NDDs significantly. This review aims to provide direct and indirect evidence on the intersection of NDDs and RyRs malfunction, and to shed light on novel strategies to treat RyRs-mediated disease, modifying pharmacological therapies such as the potential therapeutic role of dantrolene, a RyRs antagonist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 305 John Morgan Building, 3610 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Huafeng Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 305 John Morgan Building, 3610 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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10
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Altered serum protein levels in frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis indicate calcium and immunity dysregulation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13741. [PMID: 32792518 PMCID: PMC7426269 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70687-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are neurodegenerative diseases that are considered to be on the same disease spectrum because of overlapping genetic, pathological and clinical traits. Changes in serum proteins in FTD and ALS are poorly understood, and currently no definitive biomarkers exist for diagnosing or monitoring disease progression for either disease. Here we applied quantitative discovery proteomics to analyze protein changes in FTD (N = 72) and ALS (N = 28) patient serum compared to controls (N = 22). Twenty three proteins were significantly altered in FTD compared to controls (increased-APOL1, C3, CTSH, EIF5A, MYH2, S100A8, SUSD5, WDR1; decreased-C1S, C7, CILP2, COMP, CRTAC1, EFEMP1, FBLN1, GSN, HSPG2, IGHV1, ITIH2, PROS1, SHBG, UMOD, VASN) and 14 proteins were significantly altered in ALS compared to controls (increased-APOL1, CKM, CTSH, IGHG1, IGKC, MYH2; decreased-C7, COMP, CRTAC1, EFEMP1, FBLN1, GSN, HSPG2, SHBG). There was substantial overlap in the proteins that were altered in FTD and ALS. These results were validated using western blotting. Gene ontology tools were used to assess functional pathways potentially dysregulated in the two diseases, and calcium ion binding and innate immunity pathways were altered in both diseases. When put together, these results suggest significant overlap in pathophysiological peripheral changes in FTD and ALS. This study represents the first proteomics side-by-side comparison of serum changes in FTD and ALS, providing new insights into under-recognized perturbed pathways and an avenue for biomarker development for FTD and ALS.
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11
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Alvarez J, Alvarez-Illera P, García-Casas P, Fonteriz RI, Montero M. The Role of Ca 2+ Signaling in Aging and Neurodegeneration: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans Models. Cells 2020; 9:cells9010204. [PMID: 31947609 PMCID: PMC7016793 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ca2+ is a ubiquitous second messenger that plays an essential role in physiological processes such as muscle contraction, neuronal secretion, and cell proliferation or differentiation. There is ample evidence that the dysregulation of Ca2+ signaling is one of the key events in the development of neurodegenerative processes, an idea called the "calcium hypothesis" of neurodegeneration. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a very good model for the study of aging and neurodegeneration. In fact, many of the signaling pathways involved in longevity were first discovered in this nematode, and many models of neurodegenerative diseases have also been developed therein, either through mutations in the worm genome or by expressing human proteins involved in neurodegeneration (β-amyloid, α-synuclein, polyglutamine, or others) in defined worm tissues. The worm is completely transparent throughout its whole life, which makes it possible to carry out Ca2+ dynamics studies in vivo at any time, by expressing Ca2+ fluorescent probes in defined worm tissues, and even in specific organelles such as mitochondria. This review will summarize the evidence obtained using this model organism to understand the role of Ca2+ signaling in aging and neurodegeneration.
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12
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Roles for the Endoplasmic Reticulum in Regulation of Neuronal Calcium Homeostasis. Cells 2019; 8:cells8101232. [PMID: 31658749 PMCID: PMC6829861 DOI: 10.3390/cells8101232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
By influencing Ca2+ homeostasis in spatially and architecturally distinct neuronal compartments, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) illustrates the notion that form and function are intimately related. The contribution of ER to neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis is attributed to the organelle being the largest reservoir of intracellular Ca2+ and having a high density of Ca2+ channels and transporters. As such, ER Ca2+ has incontrovertible roles in the regulation of axodendritic growth and morphology, synaptic vesicle release, and neural activity dependent gene expression, synaptic plasticity, and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Not surprisingly, many neurological diseases arise from ER Ca2+ dyshomeostasis, either directly due to alterations in ER resident proteins, or indirectly via processes that are coupled to the regulators of ER Ca2+ dynamics. In this review, we describe the mechanisms involved in the establishment of ER Ca2+ homeostasis in neurons. We elaborate upon how changes in the spatiotemporal dynamics of Ca2+ exchange between the ER and other organelles sculpt neuronal function and provide examples that demonstrate the involvement of ER Ca2+ dyshomeostasis in a range of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
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13
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Pessah IN, Lein PJ, Seegal RF, Sagiv SK. Neurotoxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls and related organohalogens. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 138:363-387. [PMID: 30976975 PMCID: PMC6708608 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-01978-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Halogenated organic compounds are pervasive in natural and built environments. Despite restrictions on the production of many of these compounds in most parts of the world through the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), many "legacy" compounds, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are routinely detected in human tissues where they continue to pose significant health risks to highly exposed and susceptible populations. A major concern is developmental neurotoxicity, although impacts on neurodegenerative outcomes have also been noted. Here, we review human studies of prenatal and adult exposures to PCBs and describe the state of knowledge regarding outcomes across domains related to cognition (e.g., IQ, language, memory, learning), attention, behavioral regulation and executive function, and social behavior, including traits related to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We also review current understanding of molecular mechanisms underpinning these associations, with a focus on dopaminergic neurotransmission, thyroid hormone disruption, calcium dyshomeostasis, and oxidative stress. Finally, we briefly consider contemporary sources of organohalogens that may pose human health risks via mechanisms of neurotoxicity common to those ascribed to PCBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac N Pessah
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1089 VM3B, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1089 VM3B, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Richard F Seegal
- Professor Emeritus, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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14
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Young LEA, Shoben C, Ricci K, Williams DC. Genetic analysis of KillerRed in C. elegans identifies a shared role of calcium genes in ROS-mediated neurodegeneration. J Neurogenet 2018; 33:1-9. [PMID: 30489172 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2018.1531857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
In C. elegans, neurodegeneration induced by excitotoxicity or aggregation of misfolded proteins is dependent on genes involved in calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can also induce neurodegeneration, but the relationship between ROS-mediated neurodegeneration and calcium has not been established. We activated KillerRed in the GABA neurons of C. elegans to produce ROS that leads to functional loss and structural degeneration of these neurons and demonstrated that the severity of neurodegeneration was dependent on extent of KillerRed activation. To genetically examine the role of calcium in ROS-mediated neurodegeneration, we measured functional neurodegeneration in itr-1 (inositol trisphosphate receptor), crt-1 (caltreticulin), and unc-68 (ryanodine receptor) mutants. Similar to other neurotoxic conditions, neurodegeneration triggered by KillerRed was reduced in itr-1 and crt-1 mutants. Somewhat unexpectedly, genetic or pharmacological disruption of unc-68 had a minimal effect on neurodegeneration. Our results indicate ROS-mediated neurodegeneration occurs through a conserved calcium regulated mechanism and suggest that components of the degeneration process have different sensitivities to ROS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsay E A Young
- a Department of Biology , Coastal Carolina University , Conway , SC , USA
| | - Chelsea Shoben
- a Department of Biology , Coastal Carolina University , Conway , SC , USA
| | - Kyra Ricci
- a Department of Biology , Coastal Carolina University , Conway , SC , USA
| | - Daniel C Williams
- a Department of Biology , Coastal Carolina University , Conway , SC , USA
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15
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Chi H, Chang HY, Sang TK. Neuronal Cell Death Mechanisms in Major Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3082. [PMID: 30304824 PMCID: PMC6213751 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19103082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal cell death in the central nervous system has always been a challenging process to decipher. In normal physiological conditions, neuronal cell death is restricted in the adult brain, even in aged individuals. However, in the pathological conditions of various neurodegenerative diseases, cell death and shrinkage in a specific region of the brain represent a fundamental pathological feature across different neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will briefly go through the general pathways of cell death and describe evidence for cell death in the context of individual common neurodegenerative diseases, discussing our current understanding of cell death by connecting with renowned pathogenic proteins, including Tau, amyloid-beta, alpha-synuclein, huntingtin and TDP-43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chi
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 30013, Taiwan.
| | - Hui-Yun Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 30013, Taiwan.
| | - Tzu-Kang Sang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 30013, Taiwan.
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16
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Rudich P, Snoznik C, Watkins SC, Monaghan J, Pandey UB, Lamitina ST. Nuclear localized C9orf72-associated arginine-containing dipeptides exhibit age-dependent toxicity in C. elegans. Hum Mol Genet 2018; 26:4916-4928. [PMID: 29036691 PMCID: PMC5886095 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A hexanucleotide repeat expansion mutation in the C9orf72 gene represents a prevalent genetic cause of several neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia. Non-canonical translation of this repeat gives rise to several distinct dipeptide protein species that could play pathological roles in disease. Here, we show in the model system Caenorhabditis elegans that expression of the arginine-containing dipeptides, but not alanine-containing dipeptides, produces toxic phenotypes in multiple cellular contexts, including motor neurons. Expression of either (PR)50 or (GR)50 during development caused a highly penetrant developmental arrest, while post-developmental expression caused age-onset paralysis. Both (PR)50- and (GR)50-green fluorescent protein tagged dipeptides were present in the nucleus and nuclear localization was necessary and sufficient for their toxicity. Using an inducible expression system, we discovered that age-onset phenotypes caused by (PR)50 required both continual (PR)50 expression and an aged cellular environment. The toxicity of (PR)50 was modified by genetic mutations that uncouple physiological aging from chronological aging. However, these same mutations failed to modify the toxicity of (GR)50, suggesting that (PR)50 and (GR)50 exert their toxicity through partially distinct mechanism(s). Changing the rate of physiological aging also mitigates toxicity in other C. elegans models of ALS, suggesting that the (PR)50 dipeptide might engage similar toxicity mechanisms as other ALS disease-causing proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige Rudich
- Graduate Program in Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Carley Snoznik
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Simon C Watkins
- Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - John Monaghan
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Udai Bhan Pandey
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - S Todd Lamitina
- Graduate Program in Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.,Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
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17
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Sproviero D, La Salvia S, Giannini M, Crippa V, Gagliardi S, Bernuzzi S, Diamanti L, Ceroni M, Pansarasa O, Poletti A, Cereda C. Pathological Proteins Are Transported by Extracellular Vesicles of Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:487. [PMID: 30072868 PMCID: PMC6060258 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive adult-onset neurodegenerative disease, that affects cortical, bulbar and spinal motor neurons, and it is considered a proteinopathy, in which pathological proteins (SOD1, TDP-43, and FUS) may accumulate and interfere with neuronal functions eventually leading to cell death. These proteins can be released from cells and transported in the body fluids by extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are spherical vesicles, which are classified mainly in microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes (EXOs) based on their biogenesis, size and surface markers. In this study we characterized MVs and EXOs isolated from plasma of sporadic ALS patients and healthy controls and determined their number, size and SOD1, TDP-43, and FUS protein composition. No variation was found in the number of EVs between ALS patients and controls. However, the mean size both for MVs and for EXOs resulted increased in ALS patients compared to controls. MVs derived from ALS patients were enriched in SOD1, TDP-43, phospho-TDP-43, and FUS proteins compared to CTRLs. SOD1 was generally more concentrated in EXOs than in MVs, while TDP-43 and FUS protein levels were slightly higher in MVs than in EXOs. We demonstrated that MVs and EXOs size were increased in ALS patients compared to controls and that MVs of ALS patients were enriched with toxic proteins compared to CTRLs. EXOs did not show any protein changes. These data may suggest that MVs can transport toxic proteins and might play a role in prion-like propagation of ALS disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Sproviero
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sabrina La Salvia
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marta Giannini
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Valeria Crippa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stella Gagliardi
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Bernuzzi
- Immunohematological and Transfusional Service and Centre of Transplantation Immunology, IRCCS Foundation San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luca Diamanti
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Division of General Neurology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mauro Ceroni
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Division of General Neurology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Angelo Poletti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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18
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Coomer CE, Morris AC. Capn5 Expression in the Healthy and Regenerating Zebrafish Retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018; 59:3643-3654. [PMID: 30029251 PMCID: PMC6054427 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.18-24278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Autosomal dominant neovascular inflammatory vitreoretinopathy (ADNIV) is a devastating inherited autoimmune disease of the eye that displays features commonly seen in other eye diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy. ADNIV is caused by a gain-of-function mutation in Calpain-5 (CAPN5), a calcium-dependent cysteine protease. Very little is known about the normal function of CAPN5 in the adult retina, and there are conflicting results regarding its role during mammalian embryonic development. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an excellent animal model for studying vertebrate development and tissue regeneration, and represents a novel model to explore the function of Capn5 in the eye. Methods We characterized the expression of Capn5 in the developing zebrafish central nervous system (CNS) and retina, in the adult zebrafish retina, and in response to photoreceptor degeneration and regeneration using whole-mount in situ hybridization, FISH, and immunohistochemistry. Results In zebrafish, capn5 is strongly expressed in the developing embryonic brain, early optic vesicles, and in newly differentiated retinal photoreceptors. We found that expression of capn5 colocalized with cone-specific markers in the adult zebrafish retina. We observed an increase in expression of Capn5 in a zebrafish model of chronic rod photoreceptor degeneration and regeneration. Acute light damage to the zebrafish retina was accompanied by an increase in expression of Capn5 in the surviving cones and in a subset of Müller glia. Conclusions These studies suggest that Capn5 may play a role in CNS development, photoreceptor maintenance, and photoreceptor regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cagney E. Coomer
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
| | - Ann C. Morris
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
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19
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Van Damme P, Robberecht W, Van Den Bosch L. Modelling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: progress and possibilities. Dis Model Mech 2018; 10:537-549. [PMID: 28468939 PMCID: PMC5451175 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.029058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects the motor system and presents with progressive muscle weakness. Most patients survive for only 2-5 years after disease onset, often due to failure of the respiratory muscles. ALS is a familial disease in ∼10% of patients, with the remaining 90% developing sporadic ALS. Over the past decade, major advances have been made in our understanding of the genetics and neuropathology of ALS. To date, around 20 genes are associated with ALS, with the most common causes of typical ALS associated with mutations in SOD1, TARDBP, FUS and C9orf72. Advances in our understanding of the genetic basis of ALS have led to the creation of different models of this disease. The molecular pathways that have emerged from these systems are more heterogeneous than previously anticipated, ranging from protein aggregation and defects in multiple key cellular processes in neurons, to dysfunction of surrounding non-neuronal cells. Here, we review the different model systems used to study ALS and discuss how they have contributed to our current knowledge of ALS disease mechanisms. A better understanding of emerging disease pathways, the detrimental effects of the various gene mutations and the causes underlying motor neuron denegation in sporadic ALS will accelerate progress in the development of novel treatments. Summary: In this Review, Ludo Van Den Bosch and colleagues discuss the different model systems for studying ALS and how they have contributed to our current understanding of the etiology and pathology of this neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Van Damme
- KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.,VIB - Center of Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.,University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Neurology, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Robberecht
- KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.,University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Neurology, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), B-3000 Leuven, Belgium .,VIB - Center of Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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20
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Choudhary B, Mandelkow E, Mandelkow EM, Pir GJ. Glutamatergic nervous system degeneration in a C. elegans Tau A152T tauopathy model involves pathways of excitotoxicity and Ca 2+ dysregulation. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 117:189-202. [PMID: 29894752 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding Tau (MAPT-microtubule-associated protein tau) cause a group of neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies. A recently identified Tau variant, p.A152T, has been reported as a risk factor for frontotemporal dementia-related disorders and Alzheimer disease. However, the mechanism for the pathologies still remain poorly understood. Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans expressing mutant 2N4R-TauA152T (TauAT) panneuronally show locomotor defects, neurodegeneration and accelerated aging. Here we report that, in TauAT animals, the glutamatergic nervous system is at a high risk of progressive neuronal loss. We present genetic data that this loss occurs predominantly through necrosis. The neuronal loss is caused by several determinants, such as altered adenylyl cyclase (type AC9) pathway, prevalence of excitotoxicity-like conditions, aging-related factors and finally dyshomeostasis of intracellular calcium (Ca2+). The study provides novel insights into the mechanisms involved in selective loss of glutamatergic neurons in a TauAT tauopathy model which could point to new therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bikash Choudhary
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud St. 27, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrsse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud St. 27, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Caesar Research Center, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrsse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Eva-Maria Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud St. 27, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Caesar Research Center, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrsse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Ghulam Jeelani Pir
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud St. 27, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrsse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
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21
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Insulin Signaling Regulates Oocyte Quality Maintenance with Age via Cathepsin B Activity. Curr Biol 2018; 28:753-760.e4. [PMID: 29478855 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.01.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A decline in female reproduction is one of the earliest hallmarks of aging in many animals, including invertebrates and mammals [1-4]. The insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling (IIS) pathway has a conserved role in regulating longevity [5] and also controls reproductive aging [2, 6]. Although IIS transcriptional targets that regulate somatic aging have been characterized [7, 8], it was not known whether the same mechanisms influence reproductive aging. We previously showed that Caenorhabditis elegans daf-2 IIS receptor mutants extend reproductive span by maintaining oocyte quality with age [6], but IIS targets in oocytes had not been identified. Here, we compared the transcriptomes of aged daf-2(-) and wild-type oocytes, and distinguished IIS targets in oocytes from soma-specific targets. Remarkably, IIS appears to regulate reproductive and somatic aging through largely distinct mechanisms, although the binding motif for longevity factor PQM-1 [8] was also overrepresented in oocyte targets. Reduction of oocyte-specific IIS targets decreased reproductive span extension and oocyte viability of daf-2(-) worms, and pqm-1 is required for daf-2(-)'s long reproductive span. Cathepsin-B-like gene expression and activity levels were reduced in aged daf-2(-) oocytes, and RNAi against cathepsin-B-like W07B8.4 improved oocyte quality maintenance and extended reproductive span. Importantly, adult-only pharmacological inhibition of cathepsin B proteases reduced age-dependent deterioration in oocyte quality, even when treatment was initiated in mid-reproduction. This suggests that it is possible to pharmacologically slow age-related reproductive decline through mid-life intervention. Oocyte-specific IIS target genes thereby revealed potential therapeutic targets for maintaining reproductive health with age.
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22
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Smith EF, Shaw PJ, De Vos KJ. The role of mitochondria in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurosci Lett 2017; 710:132933. [PMID: 28669745 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.06.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 323] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria are unique organelles that are essential for a variety of cellular processes including energy metabolism, calcium homeostasis, lipid biosynthesis, and apoptosis. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a prevalent feature of many neurodegenerative diseases including motor neuron disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Disruption of mitochondrial structure, dynamics, bioenergetics and calcium buffering has been extensively reported in ALS patients and model systems and has been suggested to be directly involved in disease pathogenesis. Here we review the alterations in mitochondrial parameters in ALS and examine the common pathways to dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma F Smith
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Kurt J De Vos
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK.
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Amici DR, Pinal-Fernandez I, Mázala DAG, Lloyd TE, Corse AM, Christopher-Stine L, Mammen AL, Chin ER. Calcium dysregulation, functional calpainopathy, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in sporadic inclusion body myositis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2017; 5:24. [PMID: 28330496 PMCID: PMC5363023 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-017-0427-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common primary myopathy in the elderly, but its pathoetiology is still unclear. Perturbed myocellular calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis can exacerbate many of the factors proposed to mediate muscle degeneration in IBM, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, protein aggregation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Ca2+ dysregulation may plausibly be initiated in IBM by immune-mediated membrane damage and/or abnormally accumulating proteins, but no studies to date have investigated Ca2+ regulation in IBM patients. We first investigated protein expression via immunoblot in muscle biopsies from IBM, dermatomyositis, and non-myositis control patients, identifying several differentially expressed Ca2+-regulatory proteins in IBM. Next, we investigated the Ca2+-signaling transcriptome by RNA-seq, finding 54 of 183 (29.5%) genes from an unbiased list differentially expressed in IBM vs. controls. Using an established statistical approach to relate genes with causal transcription networks, Ca2+ abundance was considered a significant upstream regulator of observed whole-transcriptome changes. Post-hoc analyses of Ca2+-regulatory mRNA and protein data indicated a lower protein to transcript ratio in IBM vs. controls, which we hypothesized may relate to increased Ca2+-dependent proteolysis and decreased protein translation. Supporting this hypothesis, we observed robust (4-fold) elevation in the autolytic activation of a Ca2+-activated protease, calpain-1, as well as increased signaling for translational attenuation (eIF2α phosphorylation) downstream of the unfolded protein response. Finally, in IBM samples we observed mRNA and protein under-expression of calpain-3, the skeletal muscle-specific calpain, which broadly supports proper Ca2+ homeostasis. Together, these data provide novel insight into mechanisms by which intracellular Ca2+ regulation is perturbed in IBM and offer evidence of pathological downstream effects.
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Watanabe S, Ilieva H, Tamada H, Nomura H, Komine O, Endo F, Jin S, Mancias P, Kiyama H, Yamanaka K. Mitochondria-associated membrane collapse is a common pathomechanism in SIGMAR1- and SOD1-linked ALS. EMBO Mol Med 2016; 8:1421-1437. [PMID: 27821430 PMCID: PMC5167132 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201606403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
A homozygous mutation in the gene for sigma 1 receptor (Sig1R) is a cause of inherited juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS16). Sig1R localizes to the mitochondria-associated membrane (MAM), which is an interface of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. However, the role of the MAM in ALS is not fully elucidated. Here, we identified a homozygous p.L95fs mutation of Sig1R as a novel cause of ALS16. ALS-linked Sig1R variants were unstable and incapable of binding to inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor type 3 (IP3R3). The onset of mutant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1)-mediated ALS disease in mice was accelerated when Sig1R was deficient. Moreover, either deficiency of Sig1R or accumulation of mutant SOD1 induced MAM disruption, resulting in mislocalization of IP3R3 from the MAM, calpain activation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our findings indicate that a loss of Sig1R function is causative for ALS16, and collapse of the MAM is a common pathomechanism in both Sig1R- and SOD1-linked ALS Furthermore, our discovery of the selective enrichment of IP3R3 in motor neurons suggests that integrity of the MAM is crucial for the selective vulnerability in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiji Watanabe
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hristelina Ilieva
- Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hiromi Tamada
- Department of Functional Anatomy and Neuroscience, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hanae Nomura
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Okiru Komine
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Fumito Endo
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Shijie Jin
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Pedro Mancias
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hiroshi Kiyama
- Department of Functional Anatomy and Neuroscience, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Koji Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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25
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Aaron C, Beaudry G, Parker JA, Therrien M. Maple Syrup Decreases TDP-43 Proteotoxicity in a Caenorhabditis elegans Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2016; 64:3338-3344. [PMID: 27071850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b05432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease causing death of the motor neurons. Proteotoxicity caused by TDP-43 protein is an important aspect of ALS pathogenesis, with TDP-43 being the main constituent of the aggregates found in patients. We have previously tested the effect of different sugars on the proteotoxicity caused by the expression of mutant TDP-43 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we tested maple syrup, a natural compound containing many active molecules including sugars and phenols, for neuroprotective activity. Maple syrup decreased several age-dependent phenotypes caused by the expression of TDP-43(A315T) in C. elegans motor neurons and requires the FOXO transcription factor DAF-16 to be effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Aaron
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) , 900 St-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec, Canada H2X 0A9
| | - Gabrielle Beaudry
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) , 900 St-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec, Canada H2X 0A9
| | - J Alex Parker
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) , 900 St-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec, Canada H2X 0A9
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Montréal , 2960 Chemin de la Tour, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3T 1J4
| | - Martine Therrien
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) , 900 St-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec, Canada H2X 0A9
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of Montreal , 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boul, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3T 1J4
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26
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Mass spectrometric analysis of accumulated TDP-43 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis brains. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23281. [PMID: 26980269 PMCID: PMC4793195 DOI: 10.1038/srep23281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
TDP-43 is the major disease-associated protein involved in the pathogenesis and progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions linked to TDP-43 pathology (FTLD-TDP). Abnormal phosphorylation, truncation and cytoplasmic mis-localization are known to be the characteristics for the aggregated forms of TDP-43, and gain of toxic abnormal TDP-43 or loss of function of physiological TDP-43 have been suggested as the cause of neurodegeneration. However, most of the post-translational modifications or truncation sites in the abnormal TDP-43 in brains of patients remain to be identified by protein chemical analysis. In this study, we carried out a highly sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of Sarkosyl-insoluble pathological TDP-43 from brains of ALS patients and identified several novel phosphorylation sites, deamidation sites, and cleavage sites. Almost all modifications were localized in the Gly-rich C-terminal half. Most of the cleavage sites identified in this study are novel and are located in N-terminal half, suggesting that these sites may be more accessible to proteolytic enzymes. The data obtained in this study provide a foundation for the molecular mechanisms of TDP-43 aggregation and ALS pathogenesis.
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27
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The Progranulin Cleavage Products, Granulins, Exacerbate TDP-43 Toxicity and Increase TDP-43 Levels. J Neurosci 2015; 35:9315-28. [PMID: 26109656 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4808-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the human progranulin gene resulting in protein haploinsufficiency cause frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 inclusions. Although progress has been made in understanding the normal functions of progranulin and TDP-43, the molecular interactions between these proteins remain unclear. Progranulin is proteolytically processed into granulins, but the role of granulins in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease is unknown. We used a Caenorhabditis elegans model of neuronal TDP-43 proteinopathy to specifically interrogate the contribution of granulins to the neurodegenerative process. Complete loss of the progranulin gene did not worsen TDP-43 toxicity, whereas progranulin heterozygosity did. Interestingly, expression of individual granulins alone had little effect on behavior. In contrast, when granulins were coexpressed with TDP-43, they exacerbated its toxicity in a variety of behaviors including motor coordination. These same granulins increased TDP-43 levels via a post-translational mechanism. We further found that in human neurodegenerative disease subjects, granulin fragments accumulated specifically in diseased regions of brain. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a toxic role for granulin fragments in a neurodegenerative disease model. These studies suggest that presence of cleaved granulins, rather than or in addition to loss of full-length progranulin, may contribute to disease in TDP-43 proteinopathies.
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28
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Leal SS, Gomes CM. Calcium dysregulation links ALS defective proteins and motor neuron selective vulnerability. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:225. [PMID: 26136661 PMCID: PMC4468822 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 20 distinct gene loci have so far been implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive neurodegeneration of motor neurons (MN) and death. Most of this distinct set of ALS-related proteins undergoes toxic deposition specifically in MN for reasons which remain unclear. Here we overview a recent body of evidence indicative that mutations in ALS-related proteins can disrupt fundamental Ca2+ signalling pathways in MN, and that Ca2+ itself impacts both directly or indirectly in many ALS critical proteins and cellular processes that result in MN neurodegeneration. We argue that the inherent vulnerability of MN to dysregulation of intracellular Ca2+ is deeply associated with discriminating pathogenicity and aberrant crosstalk of most of the critical proteins involved in ALS. Overall, Ca2+ deregulation in MN is at the cornerstone of different ALS processes and is likely one of the factors contributing to the selective susceptibility of these cells to this particular neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sónia S Leal
- Faculdade de Ciências, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Universidade de Lisboa Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal ; Instituto Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Cláudio M Gomes
- Faculdade de Ciências, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Universidade de Lisboa Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal ; Instituto Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa Oeiras, Portugal
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29
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Vérièpe J, Fossouo L, Parker JA. Neurodegeneration in C. elegans models of ALS requires TIR-1/Sarm1 immune pathway activation in neurons. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7319. [DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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30
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Li Q, Yokoshi M, Okada H, Kawahara Y. The cleavage pattern of TDP-43 determines its rate of clearance and cytotoxicity. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6183. [PMID: 25630387 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) and its C-terminal fragment of 25 kDa (CTF25) play critical roles in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Although the overexpression of TDP-43 in cultured cells and animals results in the production of CTF25, the cleavage site that generates CTF25 and biological significance of the cleavage remain undetermined. Here we identify Asp174 as a cleavage site for CTF25. TDP-43 is cleaved initially after Asp174, which activates caspase-3/7 to accelerate TDP-43 fragmentation. Consequently, blockage of this cleavage results in a severe delay in TDP-43 clearance and prolonged necrotic cell death. We further show that the endoplasmic reticulum membrane-bound caspase-4 is the enzyme responsible for the cleavage after Asp174 and inhibition of caspase-4 activity slows TDP-43 fragmentation and reduces cell viability. These findings suggest that caspase-4-mediated cleavage after Asp174 is an initiator of TDP-43 clearance, which is required to avoid cell death induced by overexpressed TDP-43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Li
- Department of RNA Biology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Moe Yokoshi
- Department of RNA Biology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hitomi Okada
- Department of RNA Biology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yukio Kawahara
- Department of RNA Biology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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31
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Buratti E. Functional Significance of TDP-43 Mutations in Disease. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2015; 91:1-53. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2015.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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32
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Young LEA, Williams DC. Reactive oxygen species-mediated neurodegeneration is independent of the ryanodine receptor in Caernorhabditis elegans. JOURNAL OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 2015; 13:4. [PMID: 27540332 PMCID: PMC4987101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite the significant impacts on human health caused by neurodegeneration, our understanding of the degeneration process is incomplete. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is emerging as a genetic model organism well suited for identification of conserved cellular mechanisms and molecular pathways of neurodegeneration. Studies in the worm have identified factors that contribute to neurodegeneration, including excitotoxicity and stress due to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Disruption of the gene unc-68, which encodes the ryanodine receptor, abolishes excitotoxic cell death, indicating a role for calcium (Ca2+) signaling in neurodegeneration. We tested the requirement for unc-68 in ROS-mediated neurodegeneration using the genetically encoded photosensitizer KillerRed. Upon illumination of KillerRed expressing animals to produce ROS, we observed similar levels of degeneration in wild-type and unc-68 mutant strains. Our results indicate that ROS-mediated cell death is independent of unc-68 and suggest multiple molecular pathways of neurodegeneration.
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