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Esmaeili A, Eteghadi A, Landi FS, Yavari SF, Taghipour N. Recent approaches in regenerative medicine in the fight against neurodegenerative disease. Brain Res 2024; 1825:148688. [PMID: 38042394 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases arise due to slow and gradual loss of structure and/or function of neurons and glial cells and cause different degrees of loss of cognition abilities and sensation. The little success in developing effective treatments imposes a high and regressive economic impact on society, patients and their families. In recent years, regenerative medicine has provided a great opportunity to research new innovative strategies with strong potential to treatleva these diseases. These effects are due to the ability of suitable cells and biomaterials to regenerate damaged nerves with differentiated cells, creating an appropriate environment for recovering or preserving existing healthy neurons and glial cells from destruction and damage. Ultimately, a better understanding and thus a further investigation of stem cell technology, tissue engineering, gene therapy, and exosomes allows progress towards practical and effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, in this review, advances currently being developed in regenerative medicine using animal models and human clinical trials in neurological disorders are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Esmaeili
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Atefeh Eteghadi
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Saeedi Landi
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shadnaz Fakhteh Yavari
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Niloofar Taghipour
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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2
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Ganesh HVS, Canonne C. Am I Inflamed? Chicken, Egg, and Psychosis. SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN OPEN 2024; 5:sgae001. [PMID: 39144110 PMCID: PMC11207674 DOI: 10.1093/schizbullopen/sgae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
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3
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Bartl S, Xie Y, Potluri N, Kesineni R, Hencak K, Cengio LD, Balazs K, Oueslati A, Parth M, Salhat N, Siddu A, Smrzka O, Cicchetti F, Straffler G, Hayden MR, Southwell AL. Reducing huntingtin by immunotherapy delays disease progression in a mouse model of Huntington disease. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 190:106376. [PMID: 38092268 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In Huntington disease (HD), the mutant huntingtin (mtHTT) protein is the principal cause of pathological changes that initiate primarily along the cortico-striatal axis. mtHTT is ubiquitously expressed and there is, accordingly, growing recognition that HD is a systemic disorder with functional interplay between the brain and the periphery. We have developed a monoclonal antibody, C6-17, targeting an exposed region of HTT near the aa586 Caspase 6 cleavage site. As recently published, mAB C6-17 can block cell-to-cell propagation of mtHTT in vitro. In order to reduce the burden of the mutant protein in vivo, we queried whether extracellular mtHTT could be therapeutically targeted in YAC128 HD mice. In a series of proof of concept experiments, we found that systemic mAB C6-17 treatment resulted in the distribution of the mAB C6-17 to peripheral and CNS tissues and led to the reduction of HTT protein levels. Compared to CTRL mAB or vehicle treated mice, the mAB C6-17 treated YAC128 animals showed improved body weight and motor behaviors, a delayed progression in motor deficits and reduced striatal EM48 immunoreactivity. These results provide the first proof of concept for the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of an antibody-based anti-HTT passive immunization approach and suggest this modality as a potential new HD treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuanyun Xie
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America; University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nalini Potluri
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Ratnesh Kesineni
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Katlin Hencak
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Louisa Dal Cengio
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Abid Oueslati
- Centre de recherche du CHU - Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Alberto Siddu
- Centre de recherche du CHU - Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Michael R Hayden
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Amber L Southwell
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America.
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4
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Rieux M, Alpaugh M, Salem S, Siddu A, Saint-Pierre M, Denis HL, Rohweder H, Herrmann F, Bazenet C, Lacroix S, Cicchetti F. Understanding the role of the hematopoietic niche in Huntington's disease's phenotypic expression: in vivo evidence using a parabiosis model. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 180:106091. [PMID: 36967065 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106091] [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: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In a previous study, we have shown that parabiotic coupling of a knock-in mouse model (zQ175) of Huntington's disease (HD) to wild-type (WT) littermates resulted in a worsening of the normal phenotype as seen by detection of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) aggregates within peripheral organs and the cerebral cortex as well as vascular abnormalities in WT mice. In contrast, parabiosis improved disease features in the zQ175 mice such as reduction of mHTT aggregate number in the liver and cortex, decrease in blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and attenuation of mitochondrial impairments. While the shared circulation mediated these effects, no specific factor was identified. To better understand which blood elements were involved in the aforementioned changes, WT and zQ175 mice underwent parabiotic surgery prior to exposing one of the paired animals to irradiation. The irradiation procedure successfully eliminated the hematopoietic niche followed by repopulation with cells originating from the non-irradiated parabiont, as measured by the quantification of mHTT levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Although irradiation of the WT parabiont, causing the loss of healthy hematopoietic cells, did lead to a few alterations in mitochondrial function in the muscle (TOM40 levels), and increased neuroinflammation in the striatum (GFAP levels), most of the changes observed were likely attributable to the irradiation procedure itself (e.g. mHTT aggregates in cortex and liver; cellular stress in peripheral organs). However, factors such as mHTT aggregation in the brain and periphery, and BBB leakage, which were improved in zQ175 mice when paired to WT littermates in the previous parabiosis experiment, were unaffected by perturbation of the hematopoietic niche. It would therefore appear that cells of the hematopoietic stem cell niche are largely uninvolved in the beneficial effects of parabiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Rieux
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Melanie Alpaugh
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de psychiatrie & neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Shireen Salem
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Alberto Siddu
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de psychiatrie & neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Martine Saint-Pierre
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de psychiatrie & neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Steve Lacroix
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Département de psychiatrie & neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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Bhat SA, Ahamad S, Dar NJ, Siddique YH, Nazir A. The Emerging Landscape of Natural Small-molecule Therapeutics for Huntington's Disease. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:867-889. [PMID: 36797612 PMCID: PMC10227909 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230216104621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder with no diseasemodifying therapeutics. HD is characterized by extensive neuronal loss and is caused by the inherited expansion of the huntingtin (HTT) gene that encodes a toxic mutant HTT (mHTT) protein having expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) residues. Current HD therapeutics only offer symptomatic relief. In fact, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two synthetic small-molecule VMAT2 inhibitors, tetrabenazine (1) and deutetrabenazine (2), for managing HD chorea and various other diseases in clinical trials. Therefore, the landscape of drug discovery programs for HD is evolving to discover disease- modifying HD therapeutics. Likewise, numerous natural products are being evaluated at different stages of clinical development and have shown the potential to ameliorate HD pathology. The inherent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of natural products mitigate the mHTT-induced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, improve mitochondrial functions, and augment the anti-apoptotic and pro-autophagic mechanisms for increased survival of neurons in HD. In this review, we have discussed HD pathogenesis and summarized the anti-HD clinical and pre-clinical natural products, focusing on their therapeutic effects and neuroprotective mechanism/s.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shakir Ahamad
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, U.P., India
| | - Nawab John Dar
- School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, Texas, TX, USA
| | | | - Aamir Nazir
- Division of Neuroscience and Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, U.P., India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India
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Cvetanovic M, Gray M. Contribution of Glial Cells to Polyglutamine Diseases: Observations from Patients and Mouse Models. Neurotherapeutics 2023; 20:48-66. [PMID: 37020152 PMCID: PMC10119372 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-023-01357-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are broadly characterized neuropathologically by the degeneration of vulnerable neuronal cell types in a specific brain region. The degeneration of specific cell types has informed on the various phenotypes/clinical presentations in someone suffering from these diseases. Prominent neurodegeneration of specific neurons is seen in polyglutamine expansion diseases including Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA). The clinical manifestations observed in these diseases could be as varied as the abnormalities in motor function observed in those who have Huntington's disease (HD) as demonstrated by a chorea with substantial degeneration of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) or those with various forms of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) with an ataxic motor presentation primarily due to degeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells. Due to the very significant nature of the degeneration of MSNs in HD and Purkinje cells in SCAs, much of the research has centered around understanding the cell autonomous mechanisms dysregulated in these neuronal cell types. However, an increasing number of studies have revealed that dysfunction in non-neuronal glial cell types contributes to the pathogenesis of these diseases. Here we explore these non-neuronal glial cell types with a focus on how each may contribute to the pathogenesis of HD and SCA and the tools used to evaluate glial cells in the context of these diseases. Understanding the regulation of supportive and harmful phenotypes of glia in disease could lead to development of novel glia-focused neurotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Cvetanovic
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Michelle Gray
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Jia Q, Li S, Li XJ, Yin P. Neuroinflammation in Huntington's disease: From animal models to clinical therapeutics. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1088124. [PMID: 36618375 PMCID: PMC9815700 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1088124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by preferential loss of neurons in the striatum in patients, which leads to motor and cognitive impairments and death that often occurs 10-15 years after the onset of symptoms. The expansion of a glutamine repeat (>36 glutamines) in the N-terminal region of huntingtin (HTT) has been defined as the cause of HD, but the mechanism underlying neuronal death remains unclear. Multiple mechanisms, including inflammation, may jointly contribute to HD pathogenesis. Altered inflammation response is evident even before the onset of classical symptoms of HD. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on immune and inflammatory changes, from HD animal models to clinical phenomenon of patients with HD. The understanding of the impact of inflammation on HD would help develop novel strategies to treat HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Peng Yin
- *Correspondence: Xiao-Jiang Li, ; Peng Yin,
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8
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Wu J, Möhle L, Brüning T, Eiriz I, Rafehi M, Stefan K, Stefan SM, Pahnke J. A Novel Huntington's Disease Assessment Platform to Support Future Drug Discovery and Development. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314763. [PMID: 36499090 PMCID: PMC9740291 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a lethal neurodegenerative disorder without efficient therapeutic options. The inefficient translation from preclinical and clinical research into clinical use is mainly attributed to the lack of (i) understanding of disease initiation, progression, and involved molecular mechanisms; (ii) knowledge of the possible HD target space and general data awareness; (iii) detailed characterizations of available disease models; (iv) better suitable models; and (v) reliable and sensitive biomarkers. To generate robust HD-like symptoms in a mouse model, the neomycin resistance cassette was excised from zQ175 mice, generating a new line: zQ175Δneo. We entirely describe the dynamics of behavioral, neuropathological, and immunohistological changes from 15-57 weeks of age. Specifically, zQ175Δneo mice showed early astrogliosis from 15 weeks; growth retardation, body weight loss, and anxiety-like behaviors from 29 weeks; motor deficits and reduced muscular strength from 36 weeks; and finally slight microgliosis at 57 weeks of age. Additionally, we collected the entire bioactivity network of small-molecule HD modulators in a multitarget dataset (HD_MDS). Hereby, we uncovered 358 unique compounds addressing over 80 different pharmacological targets and pathways. Our data will support future drug discovery approaches and may serve as useful assessment platform for drug discovery and development against HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyun Wu
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Luisa Möhle
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Thomas Brüning
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Iván Eiriz
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Muhammad Rafehi
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katja Stefan
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Sven Marcel Stefan
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
- Pahnke Lab (Drug Development and Chemical Biology), Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED), University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Correspondence: (J.P.); (S.M.S.); Tel.: +47-23-071-466 (J.P.)
| | - Jens Pahnke
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
- Pahnke Lab (Drug Development and Chemical Biology), Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED), University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, Jelgavas iela 4, 1004 Rīga, Latvia
- Department of Neurobiology, The Georg S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Correspondence: (J.P.); (S.M.S.); Tel.: +47-23-071-466 (J.P.)
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A New Perspective on Huntington’s Disease: How a Neurological Disorder Influences the Peripheral Tissues. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116089. [PMID: 35682773 PMCID: PMC9181740 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a toxic, aggregation-prone expansion of CAG repeats in the HTT gene with an age-dependent progression that leads to behavioral, cognitive and motor symptoms. Principally affecting the frontal cortex and the striatum, mHTT disrupts many cellular functions. In fact, increasing evidence shows that peripheral tissues are affected by neurodegenerative diseases. It establishes an active crosstalk between peripheral tissues and the brain in different neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on the current knowledge of peripheral tissue effects in HD animal and cell experimental models and identifies biomarkers and mechanisms involved or affected in the progression of the disease as new therapeutic or early diagnostic options. The particular changes in serum/plasma, blood cells such as lymphocytes, immune blood cells, the pancreas, the heart, the retina, the liver, the kidney and pericytes as a part of the blood–brain barrier are described. It is important to note that several changes in different mouse models of HD present differences between them and between the different ages analyzed. The understanding of the impact of peripheral organ inflammation in HD may open new avenues for the development of novel therapeutic targets.
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Chand K, Nano R, Wixey J, Patel J. OUP accepted manuscript. Stem Cells Transl Med 2022; 11:372-382. [PMID: 35485440 PMCID: PMC9052430 DOI: 10.1093/stcltm/szac005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) occurs when a fetus is unable to grow normally due to inadequate nutrient and oxygen supply from the placenta. Children born with FGR are at high risk of lifelong adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, such as cerebral palsy, behavioral issues, and learning and attention difficulties. Unfortunately, there is no treatment to protect the FGR newborn from these adverse neurological outcomes. Chronic inflammation and vascular disruption are prevalent in the brains of FGR neonates and therefore targeted treatments may be key to neuroprotection. Tissue repair and regeneration via stem cell therapies have emerged as a potential clinical intervention for FGR babies at risk for neurological impairment and long-term disability. This review discusses the advancement of research into stem cell therapy for treating neurological diseases and how this may be extended for use in the FGR newborn. Leading preclinical studies using stem cell therapies in FGR animal models will be highlighted and the near-term steps that need to be taken for the development of future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirat Chand
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Rachel Nano
- Cancer and Ageing Research Program, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Julie Wixey
- Julie Wixey, Faculty of Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Herston 4029 QLD, Australia.
| | - Jatin Patel
- Corresponding authors: Jatin Patel, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba 4102 QLD, Australia.
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11
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Lee DY, Lee SE, Kwon DH, Nithiyanandam S, Lee MH, Hwang JS, Basith S, Ahn JH, Shin TH, Lee G. Strategies to Improve the Quality and Freshness of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Neurological Diseases. Stem Cells Int 2021; 2021:8444599. [PMID: 34539792 PMCID: PMC8445711 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8444599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) have been studied for their application to manage various neurological diseases, owing to their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, paracrine, and antiapoptotic ability, as well as their homing capacity to specific regions of brain injury. Among mesenchymal stem cells, such as BM-MSCs, adipose-derived MSCs, and umbilical cord MSCs, BM-MSCs have many merits as cell therapeutic agents based on their widespread availability and relatively easy attainability and in vitro handling. For stem cell-based therapy with BM-MSCs, it is essential to perform ex vivo expansion as low numbers of MSCs are obtained in bone marrow aspirates. Depending on timing, before hBM-MSC transplantation into patients, after detaching them from the culture dish, cell viability, deformability, cell size, and membrane fluidity are decreased, whereas reactive oxygen species generation, lipid peroxidation, and cytosolic vacuoles are increased. Thus, the quality and freshness of hBM-MSCs decrease over time after detachment from the culture dish. Especially, for neurological disease cell therapy, the deformability of BM-MSCs is particularly important in the brain for the development of microvessels. As studies on the traditional characteristics of hBM-MSCs before transplantation into the brain are very limited, omics and machine learning approaches are needed to evaluate cell conditions with indepth and comprehensive analyses. Here, we provide an overview of hBM-MSCs, the application of these cells to various neurological diseases, and improvements in their quality and freshness based on integrated omics after detachment from the culture dish for successful cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Yeon Lee
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Eun Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Do Hyeon Kwon
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Mi Ha Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Su Hwang
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Shaherin Basith
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Hwan Ahn
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hwan Shin
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Gwang Lee
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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12
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Shedding a new light on Huntington's disease: how blood can both propagate and ameliorate disease pathology. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:5441-5463. [PMID: 32514103 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0787-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic neurodegenerative disorder resulting from a mutation in the huntingtin gene. This leads to the expression of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) which provokes pathological changes in both the central nervous system (CNS) and periphery. Accumulating evidence suggests that mHTT can spread between cells of the CNS but here, we explored the possibility that mHTT could also propagate and cause pathology via the bloodstream. For this, we used a parabiosis approach to join the circulatory systems of wild-type (WT) and zQ175 mice. After surgery, we observed mHTT in the plasma and circulating blood cells of WT mice and post-mortem analyses revealed the presence of mHTT aggregates in several organs including the liver, kidney, muscle and brain. The presence of mHTT in the brain was accompanied by vascular abnormalities, such as a reduction of Collagen IV signal intensity and altered vessel diameter in the striatum, and changes in expression of Glutamic acid decarboxylase 65/67 (GAD65-67) in the cortex. Conversely, we measured reduced pathology in zQ175 mice by decreased mitochondrial impairments in peripheral organs, restored vessel diameter in the cortex and improved expression of Dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein 32 (DARPP32) in striatal neurons. Collectively, these results demonstrate that circulating mHTT can disseminate disease, but importantly, that healthy blood can dilute pathology. These findings have significant implications for the development of therapies in HD.
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Chuang CL, Demontis F. Systemic manifestation and contribution of peripheral tissues to Huntington's disease pathogenesis. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 69:101358. [PMID: 33979693 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease that is caused by expansion of cytosine/adenosine/guanine repeats in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which leads to a toxic, aggregation-prone, mutant HTT-polyQ protein. Beyond the well-established mechanisms of HD progression in the central nervous system, growing evidence indicates that also peripheral tissues are affected in HD and that systemic signaling originating from peripheral tissues can influence the progression of HD in the brain. Herein, we review the systemic manifestation of HD in peripheral tissues, and the impact of systemic signaling on HD pathogenesis. Mutant HTT induces a body wasting syndrome (cachexia) primarily via its activity in skeletal muscle, bone, adipose tissue, and heart. Additional whole-organism effects induced by mutant HTT include decline in systemic metabolic homeostasis, which stems from derangement of pancreas, liver, gut, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and circadian functions. In addition to spreading via the bloodstream and a leaky blood brain barrier, HTT-polyQ may travel long distance via its uptake by neurons and its axonal transport from the peripheral to the central nervous system. Lastly, signaling factors that are produced and/or secreted in response to therapeutic interventions such as exercise or in response to mutant HTT activity in peripheral tissues may impact HD. In summary, these studies indicate that HD is a systemic disease that is influenced by intertissue signaling and by the action of pathogenic HTT in peripheral tissues. We propose that treatment strategies for HD should include the amelioration of HD symptoms in peripheral tissues. Moreover, harnessing signaling between peripheral tissues and the brain may provide a means for reducing HD progression in the central nervous system.
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O'Regan GC, Farag SH, Casey CS, Wood-Kaczmar A, Pocock JM, Tabrizi SJ, Andre R. Human Huntington's disease pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia develop normally but are abnormally hyper-reactive and release elevated levels of reactive oxygen species. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:94. [PMID: 33874957 PMCID: PMC8054367 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02147-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroinflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease, given evidence of activated microglia and elevated levels of inflammatory molecules in disease gene carriers, even those many years from symptom onset. We have shown previously that monocytes from Huntington’s disease patients are hyper-reactive to stimulation in a manner dependent on their autonomous expression of the disease-causing mutant HTT protein. To date, however, whether human microglia are similarly hyper-responsive in a cell-autonomous manner has not been determined. Methods Microglial-like cells were derived from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) expressing mutant HTT containing varying polyglutamine lengths. These included lines that are otherwise isogenic, such that any observed differences can be attributed with certainty to the disease mutation itself. Analyses by quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence microscopy respectively of key genes and protein markers were undertaken to determine whether Huntington’s disease PSCs differentiated normally to a microglial fate. The resultant cultures and their supernatants were then assessed by various biochemical assays and multiplex ELISAs for viability and responses to stimulation, including the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species. Conditioned media were applied to PSC-derived striatal neurons, and vice versa, to determine the effects that the secretomes of each cell type might have on the other. Results Human PSCs generated microglia successfully irrespective of the expression of mutant HTT. These cells, however, were hyper-reactive to stimulation in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNFα. They also released elevated levels of reactive oxygen species that have neurotoxic potential. Accompanying such phenotypes, human Huntington’s disease PSC-derived microglia showed increased levels of apoptosis and were more susceptible to exogenous stress. Such stress appeared to be induced by supernatants from human PSC-derived striatal neurons expressing mutant HTT with a long polyglutamine tract. Conclusions These studies show, for the first time, that human Huntington’s disease PSC-derived microglia are hyper-reactive due to their autonomous expression of mutant HTT. This provides a cellular basis for the contribution that neuroinflammation might make to Huntington’s disease pathogenesis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-021-02147-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace C O'Regan
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG, London, UK
| | - Sahar H Farag
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG, London, UK
| | - Caroline S Casey
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG, London, UK
| | - Alison Wood-Kaczmar
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG, London, UK
| | - Jennifer M Pocock
- Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 1PJ, London, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG, London, UK.
| | - Ralph Andre
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG, London, UK.
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Andrzejewska A, Dabrowska S, Lukomska B, Janowski M. Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Neurological Disorders. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:2002944. [PMID: 33854883 PMCID: PMC8024997 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202002944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Neurological disorders are becoming a growing burden as society ages, and there is a compelling need to address this spiraling problem. Stem cell-based regenerative medicine is becoming an increasingly attractive approach to designing therapies for such disorders. The unique characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) make them among the most sought after cell sources. Researchers have extensively studied the modulatory properties of MSCs and their engineering, labeling, and delivery methods to the brain. The first part of this review provides an overview of studies on the application of MSCs to various neurological diseases, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other less frequently studied clinical entities. In the second part, stem cell delivery to the brain is focused. This fundamental but still understudied problem needs to be overcome to apply stem cells to brain diseases successfully. Here the value of cell engineering is also emphasized to facilitate MSC diapedesis, migration, and homing to brain areas affected by the disease to implement precision medicine paradigms into stem cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Andrzejewska
- NeuroRepair DepartmentMossakowski Medical Research CentrePASWarsaw02‐106Poland
| | - Sylwia Dabrowska
- NeuroRepair DepartmentMossakowski Medical Research CentrePASWarsaw02‐106Poland
| | - Barbara Lukomska
- NeuroRepair DepartmentMossakowski Medical Research CentrePASWarsaw02‐106Poland
| | - Miroslaw Janowski
- NeuroRepair DepartmentMossakowski Medical Research CentrePASWarsaw02‐106Poland
- Center for Advanced Imaging ResearchDepartment of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear MedicineUniversity of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of MarylandBaltimoreMD21201‐1595USA
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy ProgramUniversity of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of MarylandBaltimoreMD21201‐1595USA
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Assis MA, Díaz D, Ferrado R, Ávila-Zarza CA, Weruaga E, Ambrosio E. Transplantation with Lewis bone marrow induces the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior in male F344 resistant rats. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 93:23-34. [PMID: 33278561 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the main challenges to understand drug addiction is defining the biological mechanisms that underlie individual differences in recidivism. Studies of these mechanisms have mainly focused on the brain, yet we demonstrate here a significant influence of the peripheral immune system on this phenomenon. Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats have different immunological profiles and they display a distinct vulnerability to the reinforcing effects of cocaine, with F344 more resistant to reinstate cocaine-seeking behavior. Bone marrow from male LEW and F344 rats was transferred to male F344 rats (F344/LEW-BM and F344/F344-BM, respectively), and these rats were trained to self-administer cocaine over 21 days. Following extinction, these animals received a sub-threshold primer dose of cocaine to evaluate reinstatement. F344/LEW-BM but not F344/F344-BM rats reinstated cocaine-seeking behavior, in conjunction with changes in their peripheral immune cell populations to a profile that corresponded to that of the LEW donors. After cocaine exposure, higher CD4+ T-cells and lower CD4+CD25+ T-cells levels were observed in F344/LEW-BM rats referred to control, and the splenic expression of Il-17a, Tgf-β, Tlr-2, Tlr-4 and Il-1β was altered in both groups. We propose that peripheral T-cells respond to cocaine, with CD4+ T-cells in particular undergoing Th17 polarization and generating long-term memory, these cells releasing mediators that trigger central mechanisms to induce reinstatement after a second encounter. This immune response may explain the high rates of recidivism observed despite long periods of detoxification, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying the vulnerability and resilience of specific individuals, and opening new perspectives for personalized medicine in the treatment of relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Amparo Assis
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain; Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero (UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina; Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Inmunología y Microbiología, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo (IMSaTeD), CONICET-UNSE, Santiago del Estero, Argentina.
| | - David Díaz
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCyL), Universidad de Salamanca (USAL), Salamanca, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rosa Ferrado
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmelo Antonio Ávila-Zarza
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain; Grupo de Estadística Aplicada, Departamento de Estadísticas, USAL, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Eduardo Weruaga
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCyL), Universidad de Salamanca (USAL), Salamanca, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Emilio Ambrosio
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
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17
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Przybyl L, Wozna-Wysocka M, Kozlowska E, Fiszer A. What, When and How to Measure-Peripheral Biomarkers in Therapy of Huntington's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041561. [PMID: 33557131 PMCID: PMC7913877 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the main challenges in further advancing therapeutic strategies for Huntington’s disease (HD) is the development of biomarkers which must be applied to assess the efficiency of the treatment. HD is a dreadful neurodegenerative disorder which has its source of pathogenesis in the central nervous system (CNS) but is reflected by symptoms in the periphery. Visible symptoms include motor deficits and slight changes in peripheral tissues, which can be used as hallmarks for prognosis of the course of HD, e.g., the onset of the disease symptoms. Knowing how the pathology develops in the context of whole organisms is crucial for the development of therapy which would be the most beneficial for patients, as well as for proposing appropriate biomarkers to monitor disease progression and/or efficiency of treatment. We focus here on molecular peripheral biomarkers which could be used as a measurable outcome of potential therapy. We present and discuss a list of wet biomarkers which have been proposed in recent years to measure pre- and postsymptomatic HD. Interestingly, investigation of peripheral biomarkers in HD can unravel new aspects of the disease pathogenesis. This especially refers to inflammatory proteins or specific immune cells which attract scientific attention in neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukasz Przybyl
- Laboratory of Mammalian Model Organisms, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704 Poznan, Poland
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Magdalena Wozna-Wysocka
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704 Poznan, Poland; (M.W.-W.); (E.K.)
| | - Emilia Kozlowska
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704 Poznan, Poland; (M.W.-W.); (E.K.)
| | - Agnieszka Fiszer
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704 Poznan, Poland; (M.W.-W.); (E.K.)
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (A.F.)
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18
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O'Regan GC, Farag SH, Ostroff GR, Tabrizi SJ, Andre R. Wild-type huntingtin regulates human macrophage function. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17269. [PMID: 33057179 PMCID: PMC7560844 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74042-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The huntingtin (HTT) protein in its mutant form is the cause of the inherited neurodegenerative disorder, Huntington's disease. Beyond its effects in the central nervous system, disease-associated mutant HTT causes aberrant phenotypes in myeloid-lineage innate immune system cells, namely monocytes and macrophages. Whether the wild-type form of the protein, however, has a role in normal human macrophage function has not been determined. Here, the effects of lowering the expression of wild-type (wt)HTT on the function of primary monocyte-derived macrophages from healthy, non-disease human subjects were examined. This demonstrated a previously undescribed role for wtHTT in maintaining normal macrophage health and function. Lowered wtHTT expression was associated, for instance, with a diminished release of induced cytokines, elevated phagocytosis and increased vulnerability to cellular stress. These may well occur by mechanisms different to that associated with the mutant form of the protein, given an absence of any effect on the intracellular signalling pathway predominantly associated with macrophage dysfunction in Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace C O'Regan
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sahar H Farag
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Gary R Ostroff
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Two Biotech, Suite 113, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK. .,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Ralph Andre
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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19
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Salado-Manzano C, Perpiña U, Straccia M, Molina-Ruiz FJ, Cozzi E, Rosser AE, Canals JM. Is the Immunological Response a Bottleneck for Cell Therapy in Neurodegenerative Diseases? Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:250. [PMID: 32848630 PMCID: PMC7433375 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD) are characterized by a selective detrimental impact on neurons in a specific brain area. Currently, these diseases have no cures, although some promising trials of therapies that may be able to slow the loss of brain cells are underway. Cell therapy is distinguished by its potential to replace cells to compensate for those lost to the degenerative process and has shown a great potential to replace degenerated neurons in animal models and in clinical trials in PD and HD patients. Fetal-derived neural progenitor cells, embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells are the main cell sources that have been tested in cell therapy approaches. Furthermore, new strategies are emerging, such as the use of adult stem cells, encapsulated cell lines releasing trophic factors or cell-free products, containing an enriched secretome, which have shown beneficial preclinical outcomes. One of the major challenges for these potential new treatments is to overcome the host immune response to the transplanted cells. Immune rejection can cause significant alterations in transplanted and endogenous tissue and requires immunosuppressive drugs that may produce adverse effects. T-, B-lymphocytes and microglia have been recognized as the main effectors in striatal graft rejection. This review aims to summarize the preclinical and clinical studies of cell therapies in PD and HD. In addition, the precautions and strategies to ensure the highest quality of cell grafts, the lowest risk during transplantation and the reduction of a possible immune rejection will be outlined. Altogether, the wide-ranging possibilities of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) could make therapeutic treatment of these incurable diseases possible in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Salado-Manzano
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies (Creatio), Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Unai Perpiña
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies (Creatio), Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Francisco J. Molina-Ruiz
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies (Creatio), Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emanuele Cozzi
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Transplant Immunology Unit, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Anne E. Rosser
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Josep M. Canals
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies (Creatio), Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Wilton DK, Stevens B. The contribution of glial cells to Huntington's disease pathogenesis. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 143:104963. [PMID: 32593752 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Glial cells play critical roles in the normal development and function of neural circuits, but in many neurodegenerative diseases, they become dysregulated and may contribute to the development of brain pathology. In Huntington's disease (HD), glial cells both lose normal functions and gain neuropathic phenotypes. In addition, cell-autonomous dysfunction elicited by mutant huntingtin (mHTT) expression in specific glial cell types is sufficient to induce both pathology and Huntington's disease-related impairments in motor and cognitive performance, suggesting that these cells may drive the development of certain aspects of Huntington's disease pathogenesis. In support of this imaging studies in pre-symptomatic HD patients and work on mouse models have suggested that glial cell dysfunction occurs at a very early stage of the disease, prior to the onset of motor and cognitive deficits. Furthermore, selectively ablating mHTT from specific glial cells or correcting for HD-induced changes in their transcriptional profile rescues some HD-related phenotypes, demonstrating the potential of targeting these cells for therapeutic intervention. Here we review emerging research focused on understanding the involvement of different glial cell types in specific aspects of HD pathogenesis. This work is providing new insight into how HD impacts biological functions of glial cells in the healthy brain as well as how HD induced dysfunction in these cells might change the way they integrate into biological circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel K Wilton
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Beth Stevens
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Stanley Center, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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21
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Bartl S, Oueslati A, Southwell AL, Siddu A, Parth M, David LS, Maxan A, Salhat N, Burkert M, Mairhofer A, Friedrich T, Pankevych H, Balazs K, Staffler G, Hayden MR, Cicchetti F, Smrzka OW. Inhibiting cellular uptake of mutant huntingtin using a monoclonal antibody: Implications for the treatment of Huntington's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 141:104943. [PMID: 32407769 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104943] [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] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a highly polymorphic CAG trinucleotide expansion in the gene encoding for the huntingtin protein (HTT). The resulting mutant huntingtin protein (mutHTT) is ubiquitously expressed but also exhibits the ability to propagate from cell-to-cell to disseminate pathology; a property which may serve as a new therapeutic focus. Accordingly, we set out to develop a monoclonal antibody (mAB) targeting a particularly exposed region close to the aa586 caspase-6 cleavage site of the HTT protein. This monoclonal antibody, designated C6-17, effectively binds mutHTT and is able to deplete the protein from cell culture supernatants. Using cell-based assays, we demonstrate that extracellular secretion of mutHTT into cell culture media and its subsequent uptake in recipient HeLa cells can be almost entirely blocked by mAB C6-17. Immunohistochemical stainings of post-mortem HD brain tissue confirmed the specificity of mAB C6-17 to human mutHTT aggregates. These findings demonstrate that mAB C6-17 not only successfully engages with its target, mutHTT, but also inhibits cell uptake suggesting that this antibody could interfere with the pathological processes of mutHTT spreading in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abid Oueslati
- Université Laval/Centre de recherche du CHU, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Alberto Siddu
- Université Laval/Centre de recherche du CHU, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Oskar W Smrzka
- AFFiRiS AG, Vienna, Austria; Ablevia biotech GmbH, Vienna, Austria
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22
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Srinageshwar B, Petersen RB, Dunbar GL, Rossignol J. Prion-like mechanisms in neurodegenerative disease: Implications for Huntington's disease therapy. Stem Cells Transl Med 2020; 9:559-566. [PMID: 31997581 PMCID: PMC7180288 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.19-0248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansions in the huntingtin gene resulting in the synthesis of a misfolded form of the huntingtin protein (mHTT) which is toxic. The current treatments for HD are only palliative. Some of the potential therapies for HD include gene therapy (using antisense oligonucleotides and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas9 system) and stem-cell-based therapies. Various types of stem cell transplants, such as mesenchymal stem cells, neural stem cells, and reprogrammed stem cells, have the potential to either replace the lost neurons or support the existing neurons by releasing trophic factors. Most of the transplants are xenografts and allografts; however, recent reports on HD patients who received grafts suggest that the mHTT aggregates are transferred from the host neurons to the grafted cells as well as to the surrounding areas of the graft by a "prion-like" mechanism. This observation seems to be true for autotransplantation paradigms, as well. This article reviews the different types of stem cells that have been transplanted into HD patients and their therapeutic efficacy, focusing on the transfer of mHTT from the host cells to the graft. Autotransplants of reprogramed stem cells in HD patients are a promising therapeutic option. However, this needs further attention to ensure a better understanding of the transfer of mHTT aggregates following transplantation of the gene-corrected cells back into the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhairavi Srinageshwar
- College of Medicine, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.,Field Neurosciences Institute Laboratory for Restorative Neurology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.,Program in Neuroscience, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
| | - Robert B Petersen
- College of Medicine, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.,Program in Neuroscience, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
| | - Gary L Dunbar
- Field Neurosciences Institute Laboratory for Restorative Neurology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.,Program in Neuroscience, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.,Department of Psychology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.,Field Neurosciences Institute, Saginaw, Michigan
| | - Julien Rossignol
- College of Medicine, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.,Field Neurosciences Institute Laboratory for Restorative Neurology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.,Program in Neuroscience, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
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23
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Antibody-based therapies for Huntington’s disease: current status and future directions. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 132:104569. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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24
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Wu TT, Su FJ, Feng YQ, Liu B, Li MY, Liang FY, Li G, Li XJ, Zhang Y, Cai ZQ, Pei Z. Mesenchymal stem cells alleviate AQP-4-dependent glymphatic dysfunction and improve brain distribution of antisense oligonucleotides in BACHD mice. Stem Cells 2019; 38:218-230. [PMID: 31648394 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene that results in the production of neurotoxic mutant HTT (mHTT) protein. Suppressing HTT production with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) is a promising treatment strategy for HD; however, the difficulty of delivering ASOs to deep brain structures is a major barrier for its clinical application. The glymphatic system of astrocytes involving aquaporin 4 (AQP-4) controls the entry of macromolecules from the cerebrospinal fluid into the brain. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) target astrocytes to inhibit neuroinflammation. Here we examined the glymphatic distribution of ASO in the brain and the therapeutic potential of combining intravenously injection of mesenchymal stem cells (IV-MSC) and ASOs for the treatment of HD. Our results show that Cy3-labeled ASOs entered the brain parenchyma via the perivascular space following cisternal injection, but the brain distribution was significantly lower in AQP-4-/- as compared with wild-type mice. Downregulation of the AQP-4 M23 isoform was accompanied by decreased brain levels of ASOs in BACHD mice as well as an increase in astrogliosis and phosphorylation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65. IV-MSC treatment restored AQP-4 M23 expression, attenuated astrogliosis, and decreased NF-κB p65 phosphorylation; it also increased the brain distribution of ASOs and enhanced the suppression of mHTT in BACHD mice. These results suggest that modulating glymphatic activity using IV-MSC is a novel strategy for improving the potency of ASO in the treatment of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng-Teng Wu
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng-Juan Su
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Qing Feng
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Yue Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng-Yin Liang
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ge Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laboratory Animals, Guangdong Laboratory Animals Monitoring Institute, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Jiao Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laboratory Animals, Guangdong Laboratory Animals Monitoring Institute, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laboratory Animals, Guangdong Laboratory Animals Monitoring Institute, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong-Qiong Cai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou 12th People's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong Pei
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
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25
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Denis HL, Lauruol F, Cicchetti F. Are immunotherapies for Huntington's disease a realistic option? Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:364-377. [PMID: 29487401 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0021-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that the pathophysiology of many neurodegenerative diseases includes dysregulation of the immune system, with some elements that precede disease onset. However, if these alterations are prominent, why have clinical trials targeting this system failed to translate into long-lasting meaningful benefits for patients? This review focuses on Huntington's disease, a genetic disorder marked by notable cerebral and peripheral inflammation. We summarize ongoing and completed clinical trials that have involved pharmacological approaches to inhibit various components of the immune system and their pre-clinical correlates. We then discuss new putative treatment strategies using more targeted immunotherapies such as vaccination and intrabodies and how these may offer new hope in the treatment of Huntington's disease as well as other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélèna L Denis
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Florian Lauruol
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada. .,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
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26
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Rieux
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2 Canada
| | - Melanie Alpaugh
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2 Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada. .,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1K 0A6, Canada.
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27
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In vivo neutralization of the protagonist role of macrophages during the chronic inflammatory stage of Huntington's disease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11447. [PMID: 30061661 PMCID: PMC6065433 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29792-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, characterised by the progressive and selective neuronal death in the central nervous system, are frequently accompanied by an activated immune system. In Huntington’s disease (HD), clinical and animal studies show evidence of immune activity, along with hyper-reactive monocyte/macrophage responses, while application of immunosuppressive regimens have imparted beneficial effects to HD mice. These findings suggest a contributory role of the immune system in HD pathology, with immune-based interventions offering a potential therapeutic strategy. Herein, we show that peripheral and CNS immune system activity increased with disease progression in HD mouse models and defined the phenotype of the immune response. Additionally, the depletion of monocytes and macrophages in vivo, via clodronate liposome treatment, revealed a major contributory role of these innate immune cells to the chronic inflammatory milieu observed during the course of the disease. This suggests that peripheral immunomodulatory strategies targeting monocytes and macrophages could be relevant for HD.
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28
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Connor B. Concise Review: The Use of Stem Cells for Understanding and Treating Huntington's Disease. Stem Cells 2017; 36:146-160. [PMID: 29178352 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Two decades ago, researchers identified that a CAG expansion mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene was involved in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD). However, since the identification of the HTT gene, there has been no advance in the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent or reduce the progression of HD. With the recent advances in stem cell biology and human cell reprogramming technologies, several novel and exciting pathways have emerged allowing researchers to enhance their understanding of the pathogenesis of HD, to identify and screen potential drug targets, and to explore alternative donor cell sources for cell replacement therapy. This review will discuss the role of compensatory neurogenesis in the HD brain, the use of stem cell-based therapies for HD to replace or prevent cell loss, and the recent advance of cell reprogramming to model and/or treat HD. These new technologies, coupled with advances in genome editing herald a promising new era for HD research with the potential to identify a therapeutic strategy to alleviate this debilitating disorder. Stem Cells 2018;36:146-160.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwen Connor
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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29
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Miyaoka T, Wake R, Hashioka S, Hayashida M, Oh-Nishi A, Azis IA, Izuhara M, Tsuchie K, Araki T, Arauchi R, Abdullah RA, Horiguchi J. Remission of Psychosis in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia following Bone Marrow Transplantation: A Case Report. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:174. [PMID: 28983259 PMCID: PMC5613125 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The authors present the case of a 24-year-old male with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, with predominant severe delusion and hallucination, who received bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for acute myeloid leukemia. After BMT, he showed a remarkable reduction in psychotic symptoms without administration of neuroleptics. He also showed drastic improvement in social functioning. Follow-up evaluations 2 and 4 years after BMT showed persistent significant improvement of the psychotic state and social functioning. Recent findings show that the major underlying pathogenic mechanism of schizophrenia is immune dysregulation. Thus, conceptually, BMT, a cellular therapy, that facilitates the counteractive processes of balancing inflammation by immune regulation, could produce beneficial clinical effects in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Further studies are required to define the true benefits of BMT for the possible curative treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Miyaoka
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Rei Wake
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Sadayuki Hashioka
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Maiko Hayashida
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Arata Oh-Nishi
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | | | - Muneto Izuhara
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Keiko Tsuchie
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Araki
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Arauchi
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | | | - Jun Horiguchi
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
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30
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Jimenez-Sanchez M, Licitra F, Underwood BR, Rubinsztein DC. Huntington's Disease: Mechanisms of Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2017; 7:cshperspect.a024240. [PMID: 27940602 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a024240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a late-onset neurodegenerative disease caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat in the gene encoding the huntingtin protein. Despite its well-defined genetic origin, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the disease are unclear and complex. Here, we review some of the currently known functions of the wild-type huntingtin protein and discuss the deleterious effects that arise from the expansion of the CAG repeats, which are translated into an abnormally long polyglutamine tract. Finally, we outline some of the therapeutic strategies that are currently being pursued to slow down the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jimenez-Sanchez
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
| | - Floriana Licitra
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin R Underwood
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Beechcroft, Fulbourn Hospital, Cambridge CB21 5EF, United Kingdom
| | - David C Rubinsztein
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
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31
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Quinti L, Dayalan Naidu S, Träger U, Chen X, Kegel-Gleason K, Llères D, Connolly C, Chopra V, Low C, Moniot S, Sapp E, Tousley AR, Vodicka P, Van Kanegan MJ, Kaltenbach LS, Crawford LA, Fuszard M, Higgins M, Miller JRC, Farmer RE, Potluri V, Samajdar S, Meisel L, Zhang N, Snyder A, Stein R, Hersch SM, Ellerby LM, Weerapana E, Schwarzschild MA, Steegborn C, Leavitt BR, Degterev A, Tabrizi SJ, Lo DC, DiFiglia M, Thompson LM, Dinkova-Kostova AT, Kazantsev AG. KEAP1-modifying small molecule reveals muted NRF2 signaling responses in neural stem cells from Huntington's disease patients. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E4676-E4685. [PMID: 28533375 PMCID: PMC5468652 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1614943114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The activity of the transcription factor nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-derived factor 2 (NRF2) is orchestrated and amplified through enhanced transcription of antioxidant and antiinflammatory target genes. The present study has characterized a triazole-containing inducer of NRF2 and elucidated the mechanism by which this molecule activates NRF2 signaling. In a highly selective manner, the compound covalently modifies a critical stress-sensor cysteine (C151) of the E3 ligase substrate adaptor protein Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), the primary negative regulator of NRF2. We further used this inducer to probe the functional consequences of selective activation of NRF2 signaling in Huntington's disease (HD) mouse and human model systems. Surprisingly, we discovered a muted NRF2 activation response in human HD neural stem cells, which was restored by genetic correction of the disease-causing mutation. In contrast, selective activation of NRF2 signaling potently repressed the release of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 in primary mouse HD and WT microglia and astrocytes. Moreover, in primary monocytes from HD patients and healthy subjects, NRF2 induction repressed expression of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα. Together, our results demonstrate a multifaceted protective potential of NRF2 signaling in key cell types relevant to HD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Quinti
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Sharadha Dayalan Naidu
- Division of Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrike Träger
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Xiqun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Kimberly Kegel-Gleason
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - David Llères
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier, F-34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Colúm Connolly
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Vanita Chopra
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Cho Low
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111
| | - Sébastien Moniot
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Ellen Sapp
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Adelaide R Tousley
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Petr Vodicka
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Michael J Van Kanegan
- Center for Drug Discovery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Linda S Kaltenbach
- Center for Drug Discovery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Lisa A Crawford
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
| | - Matthew Fuszard
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Maureen Higgins
- Division of Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - James R C Miller
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth E Farmer
- Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Vijay Potluri
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Aurigene Discovery Technologies Limited, Bangalore 560 100, India
| | - Susanta Samajdar
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Aurigene Discovery Technologies Limited, Bangalore 560 100, India
| | - Lisa Meisel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Ningzhe Zhang
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945
| | - Andrew Snyder
- Targanox, Cambridge Research Laboratories, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Ross Stein
- Targanox, Cambridge Research Laboratories, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Steven M Hersch
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | | | | | - Michael A Schwarzschild
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Clemens Steegborn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Blair R Leavitt
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Alexei Degterev
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Donald C Lo
- Center for Drug Discovery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Marian DiFiglia
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Albena T Dinkova-Kostova
- Division of Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Aleksey G Kazantsev
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114;
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32
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Coffey SR, Bragg RM, Minnig S, Ament SA, Cantle JP, Glickenhaus A, Shelnut D, Carrillo JM, Shuttleworth DD, Rodier JA, Noguchi K, Bennett CF, Price ND, Kordasiewicz HB, Carroll JB. Peripheral huntingtin silencing does not ameliorate central signs of disease in the B6.HttQ111/+ mouse model of Huntington's disease. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175968. [PMID: 28453524 PMCID: PMC5409169 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease whose predominant neuropathological signature is the selective loss of medium spiny neurons in the striatum. Despite this selective neuropathology, the mutant protein (huntingtin) is found in virtually every cell so far studied, and, consequently, phenotypes are observed in a wide range of organ systems both inside and outside the central nervous system. We, and others, have suggested that peripheral dysfunction could contribute to the rate of progression of striatal phenotypes of HD. To test this hypothesis, we lowered levels of huntingtin by treating mice with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting the murine Huntingtin gene. To study the relationship between peripheral huntingtin levels and striatal HD phenotypes, we utilized a knock-in model of the human HD mutation (the B6.HttQ111/+ mouse). We treated mice with ASOs from 2-10 months of age, a time period over which significant HD-relevant signs progressively develop in the brains of HttQ111/+ mice. Peripheral treatment with ASOs led to persistent reduction of huntingtin protein in peripheral organs, including liver (64% knockdown), brown adipose (66% knockdown), and white adipose tissues (71% knockdown). This reduction was not associated with alterations in the severity of HD-relevant signs in the striatum of HttQ111/+ mice at the end of the study, including transcriptional dysregulation, the accumulation of neuronal intranuclear inclusions, and behavioral changes such as subtle hypoactivity and reduced exploratory drive. These results suggest that the amount of peripheral reduction achieved in the current study does not significantly impact the progression of HD-relevant signs in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney R. Coffey
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | - Robert M. Bragg
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | - Shawn Minnig
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | - Seth A. Ament
- Institute for Genome Sciences and Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey P. Cantle
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | - Anne Glickenhaus
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | - Daniel Shelnut
- Department of Mathematics, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | - José M. Carrillo
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | - Dominic D. Shuttleworth
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | - Julie-Anne Rodier
- INSERM U1216, Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience, Grenoble, France. Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Kimihiro Noguchi
- Department of Mathematics, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
| | | | - Nathan D. Price
- Institute for Genome Sciences and Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | | | - Jeffrey B. Carroll
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States of America
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33
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Hensman Moss DJ, Flower MD, Lo KK, Miller JRC, van Ommen GJB, ’t Hoen PAC, Stone TC, Guinee A, Langbehn DR, Jones L, Plagnol V, van Roon-Mom WMC, Holmans P, Tabrizi SJ. Huntington's disease blood and brain show a common gene expression pattern and share an immune signature with Alzheimer's disease. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44849. [PMID: 28322270 PMCID: PMC5359597 DOI: 10.1038/srep44849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is widespread transcriptional dysregulation in Huntington's disease (HD) brain, but analysis is inevitably limited by advanced disease and postmortem changes. However, mutant HTT is ubiquitously expressed and acts systemically, meaning blood, which is readily available and contains cells that are dysfunctional in HD, could act as a surrogate for brain tissue. We conducted an RNA-Seq transcriptomic analysis using whole blood from two HD cohorts, and performed gene set enrichment analysis using public databases and weighted correlation network analysis modules from HD and control brain datasets. We identified dysregulated gene sets in blood that replicated in the independent cohorts, correlated with disease severity, corresponded to the most significantly dysregulated modules in the HD caudate, the most prominently affected brain region, and significantly overlapped with the transcriptional signature of HD myeloid cells. High-throughput sequencing technologies and use of gene sets likely surmounted the limitations of previously inconsistent HD blood expression studies. Our results suggest transcription is disrupted in peripheral cells in HD through mechanisms that parallel those in brain. Immune upregulation in HD overlapped with Alzheimer's disease, suggesting a common pathogenic mechanism involving macrophage phagocytosis and microglial synaptic pruning, and raises the potential for shared therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davina J. Hensman Moss
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, WC1B 5EH, UK
| | - Michael D. Flower
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, WC1B 5EH, UK
| | - Kitty K. Lo
- University College London Genetics Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - James R. C. Miller
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, WC1B 5EH, UK
| | - Gert-Jan B. van Ommen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Postzone S-4-P, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A. C. ’t Hoen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Postzone S-4-P, The Netherlands
| | - Timothy C. Stone
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Amelia Guinee
- Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, CB2 8PQ, Cambridge UK
| | - Douglas R. Langbehn
- Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of Iowa, IA 52242, USA
| | - Lesley Jones
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Vincent Plagnol
- University College London Genetics Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Peter Holmans
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Sarah J. Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, WC1B 5EH, UK
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Bragg RM, Coffey SR, Weston RM, Ament SA, Cantle JP, Minnig S, Funk CC, Shuttleworth DD, Woods EL, Sullivan BR, Jones L, Glickenhaus A, Anderson JS, Anderson MD, Dunnett SB, Wheeler VC, MacDonald ME, Brooks SP, Price ND, Carroll JB. Motivational, proteostatic and transcriptional deficits precede synapse loss, gliosis and neurodegeneration in the B6.Htt Q111/+ model of Huntington's disease. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41570. [PMID: 28176805 PMCID: PMC5296868 DOI: 10.1038/srep41570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the appearance and progression of disease-relevant signs in the B6.HttQ111/+ mouse, a genetically precise model of the mutation that causes Huntington’s disease (HD). We find that B6.HttQ111/+ mice are healthy, show no overt signs of central or peripheral inflammation, and no gross motor impairment as late as 12 months of age. Behaviorally, we find that 4–9 month old B6.HttQ111/+ mice have normal activity levels and show no clear signs of anxiety or depression, but do show clear signs of reduced motivation. The neuronal density, neuronal size, synaptic density and number of glia is normal in B6.HttQ111/+ striatum, the most vulnerable brain region in HD, up to 12 months of age. Despite this preservation of the synaptic and cellular composition of the striatum, we observe clear progressive, striatal-specific transcriptional dysregulation and accumulation of neuronal intranuclear inclusions (NIIs). Simulation studies suggest these molecular endpoints are sufficiently robust for future preclinical studies, and that B6.HttQ111/+ mice are a useful tool for modeling disease-modifying or neuroprotective strategies for disease processes before the onset of overt phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Bragg
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Sydney R Coffey
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Rory M Weston
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Seth A Ament
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA.,Institute for Genome Sciences and Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Cantle
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Shawn Minnig
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Cory C Funk
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dominic D Shuttleworth
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Emily L Woods
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Bonnie R Sullivan
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Lindsey Jones
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Anne Glickenhaus
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - John S Anderson
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Michael D Anderson
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Stephen B Dunnett
- The Brain Repair Group, Cardiff University School of Biosciences, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Vanessa C Wheeler
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114, MA, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114, MA, USA
| | - Simon P Brooks
- The Brain Repair Group, Cardiff University School of Biosciences, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jeffrey B Carroll
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA.,Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114, MA, USA
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Renoir T, Pang TY, Shikano Y, Li S, Hannan AJ. Loss of the Sexually Dimorphic Neuro-Inflammatory Response in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2016; 4:297-303. [PMID: 26599196 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-150153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We previously reported sex differences in depression-like behaviours in a mouse model of Huntington's disease (HD). OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that immune response could also be altered in HD mice in a sex-dependent manner. METHODS Here, we assessed the molecular effects of an acute challenge with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in female versus male R6/1 transgenic HD mice. RESULTS We found an enhancement of LPS-induced TNF-α gene expression in the hypothalamus of female HD mice. TNF-α serum levels following LPS administration were also higher in female HD mice compared to WT animals. In contrast, male HD mice exhibited reduced LPS-induced TNF-α gene expression compared to WT animals. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that immune response to LPS is altered in HD mice in a sex-dependent manner. These pro-inflammatory abnormalities may contribute to the sexually dimorphic depression-like behaviours displayed by this mouse model of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Renoir
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Terence Y Pang
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Yoshiko Shikano
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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36
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Rodrigues FB, Byrne LM, McColgan P, Robertson N, Tabrizi SJ, Zetterberg H, Wild EJ. Cerebrospinal Fluid Inflammatory Biomarkers Reflect Clinical Severity in Huntington's Disease. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163479. [PMID: 27657730 PMCID: PMC5033331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immune system activation is involved in Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis and biomarkers for this process could be relevant to study the disease and characterise the therapeutic response to specific interventions. We aimed to study inflammatory cytokines and microglial markers in the CSF of HD patients. METHODS CSF TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, YKL-40, chitotriosidase, total tau and neurofilament light chain (NFL) from 23 mutation carriers and 14 healthy controls were assayed. RESULTS CSF TNF-α and IL-1β were below the limit of detection. Mutation carriers had higher YKL-40 (p = 0.003), chitotriosidase (p = 0.015) and IL-6 (p = 0.041) than controls. YKL-40 significantly correlated with disease stage (p = 0.007), UHDRS total functional capacity score (r = -0.46, p = 0.016), and UHDRS total motor score (r = 0.59, p = 4.5*10-4) after adjustment for age. CONCLUSION YKL-40 levels in CSF may, after further study, come to have a role as biomarkers for some aspects of HD. Further investigation is needed to support our exploratory findings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren M. Byrne
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter McColgan
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Robertson
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah J. Tabrizi
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Edward J. Wild
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Laquinimod rescues striatal, cortical and white matter pathology and results in modest behavioural improvements in the YAC128 model of Huntington disease. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31652. [PMID: 27528441 PMCID: PMC4985819 DOI: 10.1038/srep31652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence supports a role for abnormal immune activation and inflammatory responses in Huntington disease (HD). In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of laquinimod (1 and 10 mg/kg), a novel immunomodulatory agent shown to be protective in a number of neuroinflammatory conditions, in the YAC128 mouse model of HD. Treatment with laquinimod for 6 months rescued atrophy in the striatum, in certain cortical regions, and in the corpus callosum of YAC128 HD mice. Diffusion tensor imaging showed that white matter microstructural abnormalities in the posterior corpus callosum were improved following treatment with low dose (1 mg/kg) laquinimod, and were paralleled by reduced levels of interleukin-6 in the periphery of YAC128 HD mice. Functionally, treatment with laquinimod (1 and 10 mg/kg) led to modest improvements in motor function and in depressive-like behaviour. Taken together, these results suggest that laquinimod may improve some features of pathology in HD, and provides support for the role of immune activation in the pathogenesis of HD.
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38
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Miller JRC, Lo KK, Andre R, Hensman Moss DJ, Träger U, Stone TC, Jones L, Holmans P, Plagnol V, Tabrizi SJ. RNA-Seq of Huntington's disease patient myeloid cells reveals innate transcriptional dysregulation associated with proinflammatory pathway activation. Hum Mol Genet 2016; 25:2893-2904. [PMID: 27170315 PMCID: PMC5181590 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate immune activation beyond the central nervous system is emerging as a vital component of the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene. The systemic innate immune system is thought to act as a modifier of disease progression; however, the molecular mechanisms remain only partially understood. Here we use RNA-sequencing to perform whole transcriptome analysis of primary monocytes from thirty manifest HD patients and thirty-three control subjects, cultured with and without a proinflammatory stimulus. In contrast with previous studies that have required stimulation to elicit phenotypic abnormalities, we demonstrate significant transcriptional differences in HD monocytes in their basal, unstimulated state. This includes previously undetected increased resting expression of genes encoding numerous proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL6 Further pathway analysis revealed widespread resting enrichment of proinflammatory functional gene sets, while upstream regulator analysis coupled with Western blotting suggests that abnormal basal activation of the NFĸB pathway plays a key role in mediating these transcriptional changes. That HD myeloid cells have a proinflammatory phenotype in the absence of stimulation is consistent with a priming effect of mutant huntingtin, whereby basal dysfunction leads to an exaggerated inflammatory response once a stimulus is encountered. These data advance our understanding of mutant huntingtin pathogenesis, establish resting myeloid cells as a key source of HD immune dysfunction, and further demonstrate the importance of systemic immunity in the potential treatment of HD and the wider study of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R C Miller
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Kitty K Lo
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Ralph Andre
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Davina J Hensman Moss
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Ulrike Träger
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Timothy C Stone
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Vincent Plagnol
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
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Dobson L, Träger U, Farmer R, Hayardeny L, Loupe P, Hayden MR, Tabrizi SJ. Laquinimod dampens hyperactive cytokine production in Huntington's disease patient myeloid cells. J Neurochem 2016; 137:782-94. [PMID: 26823290 PMCID: PMC4982105 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by pathology in the brain and peripheral tissues. Hyperactivity of the innate immune system, due in part to NFκB pathway dysregulation, is an early and active component of HD. Evidence suggests targeting immune disruption may slow disease progression. Laquinimod is an orally active immunomodulator that down-regulates proinflammatory cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and in the brain down-regulates astrocytic and microglial activation by modulating NFκB signalling. Laquinimod had beneficial effects on inflammation, brain atrophy and disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) in two phase III clinical trials. This study investigated the effects of laquinimod on hyperactive proinflammatory cytokine release and NFκB signalling in HD patient myeloid cell cultures. Monocytes from manifest (manHD) and pre-manifest (preHD) HD gene carriers and healthy volunteers (HV) were treated with laquinimod and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. After 24 h pre-treatment with 5 μM laquinimod, manHD monocytes released lower levels of IL-1β, IL-5, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13 and TNFα in response to stimulation. PreHD monocytes released lower levels of IL-8, IL-10 and IL-13, with no reduction observed in HV monocytes. The effects of laquinimod on dysfunctional NFκB signalling in HD was assessed by inhibitor of kappa B (IκB) degradation kinetics, nuclear translocation of NFκB and interactions between IκB kinase (IKK) and HTT, in HD myeloid cells. No differences were observed between laquinimod-treated and untreated conditions. These results provide evidence that laquinimod dampens hyper-reactive cytokine release from manHD and preHD monocytes, with a much reduced effect on HV monocytes. Evidence suggests targeting CNS and peripheral immune disruption may slow Huntington's disease (HD) neurodegenerative processes. The effects of laquinimod, an orally active immunomodulator, on hyperactive cytokine release and dysfunctional NFκB signalling in stimulated myeloid cell cultures from pre-manifest and manifest HD gene carriers and healthy volunteers were investigated. Laquinimod dampened cytokine release but did not impact NFκB signalling. Read the Editorial Highlight for this article on page 670.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucianne Dobson
- Department of Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity College LondonInstitute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and NeurosurgeryLondonUK
| | - Ulrike Träger
- Department of Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity College LondonInstitute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and NeurosurgeryLondonUK
- Now at German Cancer Research CentreImmune ToleranceTumour Immunology ProgramHeidelbergGermany
| | - Ruth Farmer
- Department of Medical StatisticsLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | - Liat Hayardeny
- Teva PharmaceuticalsResearch and DevelopmentNetanyaIsrael
| | - Pippa Loupe
- Teva PharmaceuticalsResearch and DevelopmentNetanyaIsrael
| | | | - Sarah J. Tabrizi
- Department of Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity College LondonInstitute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and NeurosurgeryLondonUK
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40
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Treating the whole body in Huntington's disease. Lancet Neurol 2016; 14:1135-42. [PMID: 26466780 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(15)00177-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2014] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms that are linked to the progressive dysfunction and neuronal death in corticostriatal circuits. The causative gene (mutated HTT) is widely expressed outside the CNS and several peripheral signs of disease, including weight loss and increased proinflammatory signalling, are often seen; however, their importance in the pathophysiology of Huntington's disease is not clear. Studies in animals have shown that features of the disease involving the CNS, including synapse loss and behavioural alterations, are susceptible to modulation by treatments that target tissues and organs outside the CNS. Links between peripheral biology and neurodegeneration have also been shown in other chronic neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting that modulation of these peripheral targets can offer new approaches to therapeutic development. Treatments targeted to tissues and organs outside the CNS might therefore substantially improve the quality of life of patients with Huntington's disease, even in the absence of disease-modifying effects.
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41
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Andre R, Carty L, Tabrizi SJ. Disruption of immune cell function by mutant huntingtin in Huntington's disease pathogenesis. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2015; 26:33-8. [PMID: 26461267 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2015.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Innate immune dysfunction is increasingly recognised as a key characteristic of neurodegenerative disease. In the fatal inherited neurological disorder, Huntington's disease, altered innate immune cell function and increased inflammation are observed in the brain and the periphery of disease gene carriers many years before symptom onset, suggesting a potentially early and important role in disease pathogenesis. This is due, at least in part, to the intrinsic effects of the disease-causing protein, mutant huntingtin, expressed in innate immune cells themselves. Understanding whether such innate immune dysfunction in Huntington's disease can be targeted to slow the onset and/or the progression of the disease has significant therapeutic implications and is the subject of much current research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Andre
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK
| | - Lucy Carty
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK.
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42
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Crotti A, Glass CK. The choreography of neuroinflammation in Huntington's disease. Trends Immunol 2015; 36:364-73. [PMID: 26001312 PMCID: PMC4786070 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Revised: 04/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Currently, the concept of 'neuroinflammation' includes inflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases, in which there is little or no infiltration of blood-derived immune cells into the brain. The roles of brain-resident and peripheral immune cells in these inflammatory settings are poorly understood, and it is unclear whether neuroinflammation results from immune reaction to neuronal dysfunction/degeneration, and/or represents cell-autonomous phenotypes of dysfunctional immune cells. Here, we review recent studies examining these questions in the context of Huntington's disease (HD), where mutant Huntingtin (HTT) is expressed in both neurons and glia. Insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation in HD may provide a better understanding of inflammation in more complex neurodegenerative disorders, and of the contribution of the neuroinflammatory component to neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher K Glass
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, CA, USA.
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Drouin-Ouellet J, Sawiak SJ, Cisbani G, Lagacé M, Kuan WL, Saint-Pierre M, Dury RJ, Alata W, St-Amour I, Mason SL, Calon F, Lacroix S, Gowland PA, Francis ST, Barker RA, Cicchetti F. Cerebrovascular and blood-brain barrier impairments in Huntington's disease: Potential implications for its pathophysiology. Ann Neurol 2015; 78:160-77. [PMID: 25866151 DOI: 10.1002/ana.24406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2015] [Revised: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although the underlying cause of Huntington's disease (HD) is well established, the actual pathophysiological processes involved remain to be fully elucidated. In other proteinopathies such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, there is evidence for impairments of the cerebral vasculature as well as the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which have been suggested to contribute to their pathophysiology. We investigated whether similar changes are also present in HD. METHODS We used 3- and 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging as well as postmortem tissue analyses to assess blood vessel impairments in HD patients. Our findings were further investigated in the R6/2 mouse model using in situ cerebral perfusion, histological analysis, Western blotting, as well as transmission and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS We found mutant huntingtin protein (mHtt) aggregates to be present in all major components of the neurovascular unit of both R6/2 mice and HD patients. This was accompanied by an increase in blood vessel density, a reduction in blood vessel diameter, as well as BBB leakage in the striatum of R6/2 mice, which correlated with a reduced expression of tight junction-associated proteins and increased numbers of transcytotic vesicles, which occasionally contained mHtt aggregates. We confirmed the existence of similar vascular and BBB changes in HD patients. INTERPRETATION Taken together, our results provide evidence for alterations in the cerebral vasculature in HD leading to BBB leakage, both in the R6/2 mouse model and in HD patients, a phenomenon that may, in turn, have important pathophysiological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle Drouin-Ouellet
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Sawiak
- Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Cisbani
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie Lagacé
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Wei-Li Kuan
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Richard J Dury
- Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Wael Alata
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Sarah L Mason
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Frédéric Calon
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, Québec, Canada.,Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Steve Lacroix
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, Québec, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Penny A Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Susan T Francis
- Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Roger A Barker
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, Québec, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
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44
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The role of the immune system in triplet repeat expansion diseases. Mediators Inflamm 2015; 2015:873860. [PMID: 25873774 PMCID: PMC4385693 DOI: 10.1155/2015/873860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Revised: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Trinucleotide repeat expansion disorders (TREDs) are a group of dominantly inherited neurological diseases caused by the expansion of unstable repeats in specific regions of the associated genes. Expansion of CAG repeat tracts in translated regions of the respective genes results in polyglutamine- (polyQ-) rich proteins that form intracellular aggregates that affect numerous cellular activities. Recent evidence suggests the involvement of an RNA toxicity component in polyQ expansion disorders, thus increasing the complexity of the pathogenic processes. Neurodegeneration, accompanied by reactive gliosis and astrocytosis is the common feature of most TREDs, which may suggest involvement of inflammation in pathogenesis. Indeed, a number of immune response markers have been observed in the blood and CNS of patients and mouse models, and the activation of these markers was even observed in the premanifest stage of the disease. Although inflammation is not an initiating factor of TREDs, growing evidence indicates that inflammatory responses involving astrocytes, microglia, and the peripheral immune system may contribute to disease progression. Herein, we review the involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of triplet repeat expansion diseases, with particular emphasis on polyglutamine disorders. We also present various therapeutic approaches targeting the dysregulated inflammation pathways in these diseases.
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45
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review highlights the recent advances in Huntington's disease, with a particular focus on development of disease biomarkers for use in therapeutic trials in the premotor phase of the disease, as well as the growing literature regarding pathophysiological mechanisms and their relevance to potential therapeutic targets. RECENT FINDINGS There have been continued advances in the development of disease biomarkers, and promising neuroprotection trials are beginning to emerge in the premotor stage of Huntington's disease. Deeper understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms is being translated into potential therapeutic strategies. SUMMARY The premotor stage of Huntington's disease provides an ideal time to trial disease-modifying therapy, but reliable biomarkers are required for monitoring disease progression, and this remains an area of intense research. Our understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms continues to expand, and a number of promising therapeutic strategies are emerging, including strategies to silence mutant huntingtin expression.
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46
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Träger U, Andre R, Magnusson-Lind A, Miller JRC, Connolly C, Weiss A, Grueninger S, Silajdžić E, Smith DL, Leavitt BR, Bates GP, Björkqvist M, Tabrizi SJ. Characterisation of immune cell function in fragment and full-length Huntington's disease mouse models. Neurobiol Dis 2014; 73:388-98. [PMID: 25447230 PMCID: PMC4262574 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2014.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Revised: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is a growing area of research in neurodegeneration. In Huntington's disease (HD), a fatal inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a CAG-repeat expansion in the gene encoding huntingtin, patients have increased plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines and circulating monocytes that are hyper-responsive to immune stimuli. Several mouse models of HD also show elevated plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. To further determine the degree to which these models recapitulate observations in HD patients, we evaluated various myeloid cell populations from different HD mouse models to determine whether they are similarly hyper-responsive, as well as measuring other aspects of myeloid cell function. Myeloid cells from each of the three mouse models studied, R6/2, HdhQ150 knock-in and YAC128, showed increased cytokine production when stimulated. However, bone marrow CD11b+ cells did not show the same hyper-responsive phenotype as spleen and blood cells. Furthermore, macrophages isolated from R6/2 mice show increased levels of phagocytosis, similar to findings in HD patients. Taken together, these results show significant promise for these mouse models to be used to study targeting innate immune pathways identified in human cells, thereby helping to understand the role the peripheral immune system plays in HD progression. CD11b+ myeloid cells from HD mouse models are hyper-reactive to immune stimulation. This includes blood and spleen cells from the R6/2, HdhQ150 knock-in and YAC128 models. Bone marrow CD11b+ cells do not show the same hyper-responsive phenotype. Macrophages from HD mice also show increased levels of phagocytosis. These mouse models recapitulate similar observations made in HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Träger
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Dept. of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK
| | - Ralph Andre
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Dept. of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK
| | - Anna Magnusson-Lind
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Dept. of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK; Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Dept. of Experimental Medical Science, Brain Disease Biomarker Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - James R C Miller
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Dept. of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK
| | - Colúm Connolly
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Andreas Weiss
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Grueninger
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Edina Silajdžić
- Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Dept. of Experimental Medical Science, Brain Disease Biomarker Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Donna L Smith
- King's College London, Dept. of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Blair R Leavitt
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Gillian P Bates
- King's College London, Dept. of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Maria Björkqvist
- Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Dept. of Experimental Medical Science, Brain Disease Biomarker Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Dept. of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK.
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47
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Cicchetti F, Lacroix S, Cisbani G, Vallières N, Saint-Pierre M, St-Amour I, Tolouei R, Skepper JN, Hauser RA, Mantovani D, Barker RA, Freeman TB. Mutant huntingtin is present in neuronal grafts in huntington disease patients. Ann Neurol 2014; 76:31-42. [DOI: 10.1002/ana.24174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Revised: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurosciences
| | - Steve Lacroix
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center
- Molecular Medicine, Laval University; Quebec City Quebec Canada
| | - Giulia Cisbani
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center
| | | | | | | | - Ranna Tolouei
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering Laboratory; Saint-François d'Assise Hospital
- Department of Mining Engineering, Metallurgy, and Materials; Laval University; Quebec City Quebec Canada
| | - Jeremy N. Skepper
- Cambridge Advanced Imaging Centre; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
| | - Robert A. Hauser
- Departments of Neurology, Pharmacology, and Experimental Therapeutics; Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders National Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence, University of South Florida; Tampa Florida
| | - Diego Mantovani
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering Laboratory; Saint-François d'Assise Hospital
- Department of Mining Engineering, Metallurgy, and Materials; Laval University; Quebec City Quebec Canada
| | - Roger A. Barker
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
| | - Thomas B. Freeman
- Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair; University of South Florida; Tampa Florida
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48
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Alto LT, Chen X, Ruhn KA, Treviño I, Tansey MG. AAV-dominant negative tumor necrosis factor (DN-TNF) gene transfer to the striatum does not rescue medium spiny neurons in the YAC128 mouse model of Huntington's disease. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96544. [PMID: 24824433 PMCID: PMC4019512 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
CNS inflammation is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease, and recent studies suggest that the inflammatory response may contribute to neuronal demise. In particular, increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling is implicated in the pathology of both Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have previously shown that localized gene delivery of dominant negative TNF to the degenerating brain region can limit pathology in animal models of PD and AD. TNF is upregulated in Huntington's disease (HD), like in PD and AD, but it is unknown whether TNF signaling contributes to neuronal degeneration in HD. We used in vivo gene delivery to test whether selective reduction of soluble TNF signaling could attenuate medium spiny neuron (MSN) degeneration in the YAC128 transgenic (TG) mouse model of Huntington's disease (HD). AAV vectors encoding cDNA for dominant-negative tumor necrosis factor (DN-TNF) or GFP (control) were injected into the striatum of young adult wild type WT and YAC128 TG mice and achieved 30-50% target coverage. Expression of dominant negative TNF protein was confirmed immunohistologically and biochemically and was maintained as mice aged to one year, but declined significantly over time. However, the extent of striatal DN-TNF gene transfer achieved in our studies was not sufficient to achieve robust effects on neuroinflammation, rescue degenerating MSNs or improve motor function in treated mice. Our findings suggest that alternative drug delivery strategies should be explored to determine whether greater target coverage by DN-TNF protein might afford some level of neuroprotection against HD-like pathology and/or that soluble TNF signaling may not be the primary driver of striatal neuroinflammation and MSN loss in YAC128 TG mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Taylor Alto
- Department of Physiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Kelly A. Ruhn
- Department of Physiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Isaac Treviño
- Department of Physiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Malú G. Tansey
- Department of Physiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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49
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Hsiao HY, Chiu FL, Chen CM, Wu YR, Chen HM, Chen YC, Kuo HC, Chern Y. Inhibition of soluble tumor necrosis factor is therapeutic in Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2014; 23:4328-44. [PMID: 24698979 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is a common feature of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD). HD is an autosomal dominant genetic disease caused by an expanded CAG repeat in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Previous studies demonstrated that levels of several proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, were higher in the plasma and brain tissues of mice and patients with HD, suggesting that inflammation may contribute to HD progression. To evaluate the pathological role of TNF-α in HD pathogenesis, we blocked TNF-α signaling using a dominant negative inhibitor of soluble TNF-α (XPro1595). XPro1595 effectively suppressed the inflammatory responses of primary astrocytes-enriched culture isolated from a transgenic mouse model (R6/2) and human astrocytes-enriched culture derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of HD patients evoked by lipopolysaccharide and cytokines, respectively. Moreover, XPro1595 protected the cytokine-induced toxicity of primary R6/2 neurons and human neurons derived from iPSCs of HD patients. To assess the beneficial effect of XPro1595 in vivo, an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion was provided with an osmotic minipump. ELISA analyses showed that i.c.v. infusion of XPro1595 decreased elevated levels of TNFα in the cortex and striatum, improved motor function, reduced caspase activation, diminished the amount of mutant HTT aggregates, increased neuronal density and decreased gliosis in brains of R6/2 mice. Moreover, reducing the peripheral inflammatory response by a systemic injection of XPro1595 improved the impaired motor function of R6/2 mice but did not affect caspase activation. Collectively, our findings suggest that an effective and selective anti-inflammatory treatment targeting the abnormal brain inflammatory response is a potential therapeutic strategy for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Yun Hsiao
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Chiung-Mei Chen
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center and College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yih-Ru Wu
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center and College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | | | - Yu-Chen Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Chih Kuo
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology and Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Yijuang Chern
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
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50
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Träger U, Andre R, Lahiri N, Magnusson-Lind A, Weiss A, Grueninger S, McKinnon C, Sirinathsinghji E, Kahlon S, Pfister EL, Moser R, Hummerich H, Antoniou M, Bates GP, Luthi-Carter R, Lowdell MW, Björkqvist M, Ostroff GR, Aronin N, Tabrizi SJ. HTT-lowering reverses Huntington's disease immune dysfunction caused by NFκB pathway dysregulation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 137:819-33. [PMID: 24459107 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awt355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene. The peripheral innate immune system contributes to Huntington's disease pathogenesis and has been targeted successfully to modulate disease progression, but mechanistic understanding relating this to mutant huntingtin expression in immune cells has been lacking. Here we demonstrate that human Huntington's disease myeloid cells produce excessive inflammatory cytokines as a result of the cell-intrinsic effects of mutant huntingtin expression. A direct effect of mutant huntingtin on the NFκB pathway, whereby it interacts with IKKγ, leads to increased degradation of IκB and subsequent nuclear translocation of RelA. Transcriptional alterations in intracellular immune signalling pathways are also observed. Using a novel method of small interfering RNA delivery to lower huntingtin expression, we show reversal of disease-associated alterations in cellular function-the first time this has been demonstrated in primary human cells. Glucan-encapsulated small interfering RNA particles were used to lower huntingtin levels in human Huntington's disease monocytes/macrophages, resulting in a reversal of huntingtin-induced elevated cytokine production and transcriptional changes. These findings improve our understanding of the role of innate immunity in neurodegeneration, introduce glucan-encapsulated small interfering RNA particles as tool for studying cellular pathogenesis ex vivo in human cells and raise the prospect of immune cell-directed HTT-lowering as a therapeutic in Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Träger
- 1 UCL Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, London, UK
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