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Koppers M, Özkan N, Nguyen HH, Jurriens D, McCaughey J, Nguyen DTM, Li CH, Stucchi R, Altelaar M, MacGillavry HD, Kapitein LC, Hoogenraad CC, Farías GG. Axonal endoplasmic reticulum tubules control local translation via P180/RRBP1-mediated ribosome interactions. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00322-8. [PMID: 38815583 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Local mRNA translation in axons is critical for the spatiotemporal regulation of the axonal proteome. A wide variety of mRNAs are localized and translated in axons; however, how protein synthesis is regulated at specific subcellular sites in axons remains unclear. Here, we establish that the axonal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) supports axonal translation in developing rat hippocampal cultured neurons. Axonal ER tubule disruption impairs local translation and ribosome distribution. Using nanoscale resolution imaging, we find that ribosomes make frequent contacts with axonal ER tubules in a translation-dependent manner and are influenced by specific extrinsic cues. We identify P180/RRBP1 as an axonally distributed ribosome receptor that regulates local translation and binds to mRNAs enriched for axonal membrane proteins. Importantly, the impairment of axonal ER-ribosome interactions causes defects in axon morphology. Our results establish a role for the axonal ER in dynamically localizing mRNA translation, which is important for proper neuron development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Koppers
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Nazmiye Özkan
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ha H Nguyen
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Daphne Jurriens
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Janine McCaughey
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dan T M Nguyen
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Chun Hei Li
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Riccardo Stucchi
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands; Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Harold D MacGillavry
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lukas C Kapitein
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Casper C Hoogenraad
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Ginny G Farías
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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2
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Cagnetta R, Flanagan JG, Sonenberg N. Control of Selective mRNA Translation in Neuronal Subcellular Compartments in Health and Disease. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7247-7263. [PMID: 37914402 PMCID: PMC10621772 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2240-22.2023] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In multiple cell types, mRNAs are transported to subcellular compartments, where local translation enables rapid, spatially localized, and specific responses to external stimuli. Mounting evidence has uncovered important roles played by local translation in vivo in axon survival, axon regeneration, and neural wiring, as well as strong links between dysregulation of local translation and neurologic disorders. Omic studies have revealed that >1000 mRNAs are present and can be selectively locally translated in the presynaptic and postsynaptic compartments from development to adulthood in vivo A large proportion of the locally translated mRNAs is specifically upregulated or downregulated in response to distinct extracellular signals. Given that the local translatome is large, selectively translated, and cue-specifically remodeled, a fundamental question concerns how selective translation is achieved locally. Here, we review the emerging regulatory mechanisms of local selective translation in neuronal subcellular compartments, their mRNA targets, and their orchestration. We discuss mechanisms of local selective translation that remain unexplored. Finally, we describe clinical implications and potential therapeutic strategies in light of the latest advances in gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Cagnetta
- Department of Biochemistry and Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - John G Flanagan
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Nahum Sonenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A3, Canada
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3
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Piol D, Robberechts T, Da Cruz S. Lost in local translation: TDP-43 and FUS in axonal/neuromuscular junction maintenance and dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuron 2023; 111:1355-1380. [PMID: 36963381 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Key early features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are denervation of neuromuscular junctions and axonal degeneration. Motor neuron homeostasis relies on local translation through controlled regulation of axonal mRNA localization, transport, and stability. Yet the composition of the local transcriptome, translatome (mRNAs locally translated), and proteome during health and disease remains largely unexplored. This review covers recent discoveries on axonal translation as a critical mechanism for neuronal maintenance/survival. We focus on two RNA binding proteins, transactive response DNA binding protein-43 (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS), whose mutations cause ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Emerging evidence points to their essential role in the maintenance of axons and synapses, including mRNA localization, transport, and local translation, and whose dysfunction may contribute to ALS. Finally, we describe recent advances in omics-based approaches mapping compartment-specific local RNA and protein compositions, which will be invaluable to elucidate fundamental local processes and identify key targets for therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Piol
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tessa Robberechts
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sandrine Da Cruz
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
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Gouveia Roque C, Chung KM, McCurdy EP, Jagannathan R, Randolph LK, Herline-Killian K, Baleriola J, Hengst U. CREB3L2-ATF4 heterodimerization defines a transcriptional hub of Alzheimer's disease gene expression linked to neuropathology. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd2671. [PMID: 36867706 PMCID: PMC9984184 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add2671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression is changed by disease, but how these molecular responses arise and contribute to pathophysiology remains less understood. We discover that β-amyloid, a trigger of Alzheimer's disease (AD), promotes the formation of pathological CREB3L2-ATF4 transcription factor heterodimers in neurons. Through a multilevel approach based on AD datasets and a novel chemogenetic method that resolves the genomic binding profile of dimeric transcription factors (ChIPmera), we find that CREB3L2-ATF4 activates a transcription network that interacts with roughly half of the genes differentially expressed in AD, including subsets associated with β-amyloid and tau neuropathologies. CREB3L2-ATF4 activation drives tau hyperphosphorylation and secretion in neurons, in addition to misregulating the retromer, an endosomal complex linked to AD pathogenesis. We further provide evidence for increased heterodimer signaling in AD brain and identify dovitinib as a candidate molecule for normalizing β-amyloid-mediated transcriptional responses. The findings overall reveal differential transcription factor dimerization as a mechanism linking disease stimuli to the development of pathogenic cellular states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudio Gouveia Roque
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kyung Min Chung
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ethan P. McCurdy
- Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Radhika Jagannathan
- Division of Aging and Dementia, Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lisa K. Randolph
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Krystal Herline-Killian
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jimena Baleriola
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- IKERBASQUE Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Ulrich Hengst
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Diaz-Amarilla P, Arredondo F, Dapueto R, Boix V, Carvalho D, Santi MD, Vasilskis E, Mesquita-Ribeiro R, Dajas-Bailador F, Abin-Carriquiry JA, Engler H, Savio E. Isolation and characterization of neurotoxic astrocytes derived from adult triple transgenic Alzheimer's disease mice. Neurochem Int 2022; 159:105403. [PMID: 35853553 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease has been considered mostly as a neuronal pathology, although increasing evidence suggests that glial cells might play a key role in the disease onset and progression. In this sense, astrocytes, with their central role in neuronal metabolism and function, are of great interest for increasing our understanding of the disease. Thus, exploring the morphological and functional changes suffered by astrocytes along the course of this disorder has great therapeutic and diagnostic potential. In this work we isolated and cultivated astrocytes from symptomatic 9-10-months-old adult 3xTg-AD mice, with the aim of characterizing their phenotype and exploring their pathogenic potential. These "old" astrocytes occurring in the 3xTg-AD mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease presented high proliferation rate and differential expression of astrocytic markers compared with controls. They were neurotoxic to primary neuronal cultures both, in neuronal-astrocyte co-cultures and when their conditioned media (ACM) was added into neuronal cultures. ACM caused neuronal GSK3β activation, changes in cytochrome c pattern, and increased caspase 3 activity, suggesting intrinsic apoptotic pathway activation. Exposure of neurons to ACM caused different subcellular responses. ACM application to the somato-dendritic domain in compartmentalised microfluidic chambers caused degeneration both locally in soma/dendrites and distally in axons. However, exposure of axons to ACM did not affect somato-dendritic nor axonal integrity. We propose that this newly described old 3xTg-AD neurotoxic astrocytic population can contribute towards the mechanistic understanding of the disease and shed light on new therapeutical opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Diaz-Amarilla
- Area I+D Biomédica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Florencia Arredondo
- Area I+D Biomédica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Rosina Dapueto
- Area I+D Biomédica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Victoria Boix
- Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Diego Carvalho
- Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María Daniela Santi
- Area I+D Biomédica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Elena Vasilskis
- Area I+D Biomédica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Raquel Mesquita-Ribeiro
- School of Life Sciences, Medical School Building, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH, Nottingham, UK
| | - Federico Dajas-Bailador
- School of Life Sciences, Medical School Building, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH, Nottingham, UK
| | - Juan Andrés Abin-Carriquiry
- Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Henry Engler
- Area I+D Biomédica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Eduardo Savio
- Area I+D Biomédica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Interaction between TRPML1 and p62 in Regulating Autophagosome-Lysosome Fusion and Impeding Neuroaxonal Dystrophy in Alzheimer’s Disease. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:8096009. [PMID: 35116093 PMCID: PMC8807035 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8096009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The loss of transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 (TRPML1), an endosomal and lysosomal Ca2+-releasing channel, has been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders. Mounting evidence have shown that TRPML1 could clear intraneuronal amyloid-β (Aβ), which triggers a hypothesis that TRPML1 activation may be beneficial for axonal transport in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this work, the functional roles of TRPML1 were studied in the APP/PS1 transgenic mice and Aβ1-42-stimulated hippocampal neurons HT22. We found that lentivirus-mediated overexpression of TRPML1 was shown to promote an accumulation of autolysosomes and increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) transportation to the nucleus, suggesting an axon-protective function. More importantly, we found that TRPML1 also increased p62 that interacted with dynein. Lentivirus-mediated knockdown of p62 or inhibition of dynein by ciliobrevin D stimulation was found to reduce autolysosome formation and nuclear accumulation of BDNF in HT22 cells with Aβ1-42 stimulation. Inhibition of p62 by XRK3F2 stimulation was observed to promote the death of hippocampal neurons of the APP/PS1 transgenic mice. TRPML1 recruited dynein by interacting with p62 to promote the autophagosome-lysosome fusion to mediate BDNF nuclear translocation to impede axon dystrophy in mice with Alzheimer-like phenotypes. In summary, these results demonstrate the presence of a TRPML1/p62/dynein regulatory network in AD, and activation of TRPML1 is required for axon protection to prevent neuroaxonal dystrophy.
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Li L, Yu J, Ji SJ. Axonal mRNA localization and translation: local events with broad roles. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:7379-7395. [PMID: 34698881 PMCID: PMC11072051 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03995-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) can be transported and targeted to different subcellular compartments and locally translated. Local translation is an evolutionally conserved mechanism that in mammals, provides an important tool to exquisitely regulate the subcellular proteome in different cell types, including neurons. Local translation in axons is involved in processes such as neuronal development, function, plasticity, and diseases. Here, we summarize the current progress on axonal mRNA transport and translation. We focus on the regulatory mechanisms governing how mRNAs are transported to axons and how they are locally translated in axons. We discuss the roles of axonally synthesized proteins, which either function locally in axons, or are retrogradely trafficked back to soma to achieve neuron-wide gene regulation. We also examine local translation in neurological diseases. Finally, we give a critical perspective on the remaining questions that could be answered to uncover the fundamental rules governing local translation, and discuss how this could lead to new therapeutic targets for neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lichao Li
- School of Life Sciences, Department of Biology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, Brain Research Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Department of Biology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, Brain Research Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Sheng-Jian Ji
- School of Life Sciences, Department of Biology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, Brain Research Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
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8
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Mesquita-Ribeiro R, Fort RS, Rathbone A, Farias J, Lucci C, James V, Sotelo-Silveira J, Duhagon MA, Dajas-Bailador F. Distinct small non-coding RNA landscape in the axons and released extracellular vesicles of developing primary cortical neurons and the axoplasm of adult nerves. RNA Biol 2021; 18:832-855. [PMID: 34882524 PMCID: PMC8782166 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.2000792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons have highlighted the needs for decentralized gene expression and specific RNA function in somato-dendritic and axonal compartments, as well as in intercellular communication via extracellular vesicles (EVs). Despite advances in miRNA biology, the identity and regulatory capacity of other small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) in neuronal models and local subdomains has been largely unexplored.We identified a highly complex and differentially localized content of sncRNAs in axons and EVs during early neuronal development of cortical primary neurons and in adult axons in vivo. This content goes far beyond miRNAs and includes most known sncRNAs and precisely processed fragments from tRNAs, sno/snRNAs, Y RNAs and vtRNAs. Although miRNAs are the major sncRNA biotype in whole-cell samples, their relative abundance is significantly decreased in axons and neuronal EVs, where specific tRNA fragments (tRFs and tRHs/tiRNAs) mainly derived from tRNAs Gly-GCC, Val-CAC and Val-AAC predominate. Notably, although 5'-tRHs compose the great majority of tRNA-derived fragments observed in vitro, a shift to 3'-tRNAs is observed in mature axons in vivo.The existence of these complex sncRNA populations that are specific to distinct neuronal subdomains and selectively incorporated into EVs, equip neurons with key molecular tools for spatiotemporal functional control and cell-to-cell communication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael Sebastián Fort
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Moleculares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Alex Rathbone
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Joaquina Farias
- Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Polo de Desarrollo Universitario "Espacio de Biología Vegetal del Noreste", Centro Universitario Regional Noreste, UdelaR, Uruguay
| | - Cristiano Lucci
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Victoria James
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Jose Sotelo-Silveira
- Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Maria Ana Duhagon
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Moleculares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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9
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Gamarra M, de la Cruz A, Blanco-Urrejola M, Baleriola J. Local Translation in Nervous System Pathologies. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:689208. [PMID: 34276318 PMCID: PMC8279726 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.689208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendrites and axons can extend dozens to hundreds of centimeters away from the cell body so that a single neuron can sense and respond to thousands of stimuli. Thus, for an accurate function of dendrites and axons the neuronal proteome needs to be asymmetrically distributed within neurons. Protein asymmetry can be achieved by the transport of the protein itself or the transport of the mRNA that is then translated at target sites in neuronal processes. The latter transport mechanism implies local translation of localized mRNAs. The role of local translation in nervous system (NS) development and maintenance is well established, but recently there is growing evidence that this mechanism and its deregulation are also relevant in NS pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases. For instance, upon pathological signals disease-related proteins can be locally synthesized in dendrites and axons. Locally synthesized proteins can exert their effects at or close to the site of translation, or they can be delivered to distal compartments like the nucleus and induce transcriptional responses that lead to neurodegeneration, nerve regeneration and other cell-wide responses. Relevant key players in the process of local protein synthesis are RNA binding proteins (RBPs), responsible for mRNA transport to neurites. Several neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or spinal motor atrophy, are characterized by mutations in genes encoding for RBPs and consequently mRNA localization and local translation are impaired. In other diseases changes in the local mRNA repertoire and altered local protein synthesis have been reported. In this review, we will discuss how deregulation of localized translation at different levels can contribute to the development and progression of nervous system pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Gamarra
- Laboratory of Local Translation in Neurons and Glia, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Neurociencias, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Aida de la Cruz
- Laboratory of Local Translation in Neurons and Glia, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Neurociencias, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Maite Blanco-Urrejola
- Laboratory of Local Translation in Neurons and Glia, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Neurociencias, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Jimena Baleriola
- Laboratory of Local Translation in Neurons and Glia, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
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10
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Di Paolo A, Garat J, Eastman G, Farias J, Dajas-Bailador F, Smircich P, Sotelo-Silveira JR. Functional Genomics of Axons and Synapses to Understand Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:686722. [PMID: 34248504 PMCID: PMC8267896 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.686722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional genomics studies through transcriptomics, translatomics and proteomics have become increasingly important tools to understand the molecular basis of biological systems in the last decade. In most cases, when these approaches are applied to the nervous system, they are centered in cell bodies or somatodendritic compartments, as these are easier to isolate and, at least in vitro, contain most of the mRNA and proteins present in all neuronal compartments. However, key functional processes and many neuronal disorders are initiated by changes occurring far away from cell bodies, particularly in axons (axopathologies) and synapses (synaptopathies). Both neuronal compartments contain specific RNAs and proteins, which are known to vary depending on their anatomical distribution, developmental stage and function, and thus form the complex network of molecular pathways required for neuron connectivity. Modifications in these components due to metabolic, environmental, and/or genetic issues could trigger or exacerbate a neuronal disease. For this reason, detailed profiling and functional understanding of the precise changes in these compartments may thus yield new insights into the still intractable molecular basis of most neuronal disorders. In the case of synaptic dysfunctions or synaptopathies, they contribute to dozens of diseases in the human brain including neurodevelopmental (i.e., autism, Down syndrome, and epilepsy) as well as neurodegenerative disorders (i.e., Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases). Histological, biochemical, cellular, and general molecular biology techniques have been key in understanding these pathologies. Now, the growing number of omics approaches can add significant extra information at a high and wide resolution level and, used effectively, can lead to novel and insightful interpretations of the biological processes at play. This review describes current approaches that use transcriptomics, translatomics and proteomic related methods to analyze the axon and presynaptic elements, focusing on the relationship that axon and synapses have with neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Di Paolo
- Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Proteínas y Ácidos Nucleicos, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Joaquin Garat
- Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Guillermo Eastman
- Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Joaquina Farias
- Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Polo de Desarrollo Universitario “Espacio de Biología Vegetal del Noreste”, Centro Universitario Regional Noreste, Universidad de la República (UdelaR), Tacuarembó, Uruguay
| | - Federico Dajas-Bailador
- School of Life Sciences, Medical School Building, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Pablo Smircich
- Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Moleculares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República (UdelaR), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - José Roberto Sotelo-Silveira
- Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República (UdelaR), Montevideo, Uruguay
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11
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Perrone-Capano C, Volpicelli F, Penna E, Chun JT, Crispino M. Presynaptic protein synthesis and brain plasticity: From physiology to neuropathology. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 202:102051. [PMID: 33845165 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
To form and maintain extremely intricate and functional neural circuitry, mammalian neurons are typically endowed with highly arborized dendrites and a long axon. The synapses that link neurons to neurons or to other cells are numerous and often too remote for the cell body to make and deliver new proteins to the right place in time. Moreover, synapses undergo continuous activity-dependent changes in their number and strength, establishing the basis of neural plasticity. The innate dilemma is then how a highly complex neuron provides new proteins for its cytoplasmic periphery and individual synapses to support synaptic plasticity. Here, we review a growing body of evidence that local protein synthesis in discrete sites of the axon and presynaptic terminals plays crucial roles in synaptic plasticity, and that deregulation of this local translation system is implicated in various pathologies of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Perrone-Capano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", CNR, Naples, Italy.
| | | | - Eduardo Penna
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
| | - Jong Tai Chun
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.
| | - Marianna Crispino
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
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12
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RNA Localization and Local Translation in Glia in Neurological and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Lessons from Neurons. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030632. [PMID: 33809142 PMCID: PMC8000831 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity is crucial for almost every cell in our body to establish distinct structural and functional domains. Polarized cells have an asymmetrical morphology and therefore their proteins need to be asymmetrically distributed to support their function. Subcellular protein distribution is typically achieved by localization peptides within the protein sequence. However, protein delivery to distinct cellular compartments can rely, not only on the transport of the protein itself but also on the transport of the mRNA that is then translated at target sites. This phenomenon is known as local protein synthesis. Local protein synthesis relies on the transport of mRNAs to subcellular domains and their translation to proteins at target sites by the also localized translation machinery. Neurons and glia specially depend upon the accurate subcellular distribution of their proteome to fulfil their polarized functions. In this sense, local protein synthesis has revealed itself as a crucial mechanism that regulates proper protein homeostasis in subcellular compartments. Thus, deregulation of mRNA transport and/or of localized translation can lead to neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Local translation has been more extensively studied in neurons than in glia. In this review article, we will summarize the state-of-the art research on local protein synthesis in neuronal function and dysfunction, and we will discuss the possibility that local translation in glia and deregulation thereof contributes to neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
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13
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Broix L, Turchetto S, Nguyen L. Coordination between Transport and Local Translation in Neurons. Trends Cell Biol 2021; 31:372-386. [PMID: 33526339 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The axonal microtubules (MTs) support long-distance transport of cargoes that are dispatched to distinct cellular subcompartments. Among them, mRNAs are directly transported in membraneless ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules that, together with ribosomes, can also hitchhike on fast-moving membrane-bound organelles for accurate transport along MTs. These organelles serve as platforms for mRNA translation, thus generating axonal foci of newly synthesized proteins. Local translation along axons not only supports MT network integrity but also modulates the processivity and function of molecular motors to allow proper trafficking of cargoes along MTs. Thus, identifying the mechanisms that coordinate axonal transport with local protein synthesis will shed new light on the processes underlying axon development and maintenance, whose deregulation often contribute to neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïc Broix
- GIGA Stem Cells, GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, C.H.U. Sart Tilman, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Silvia Turchetto
- GIGA Stem Cells, GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, C.H.U. Sart Tilman, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Laurent Nguyen
- GIGA Stem Cells, GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, C.H.U. Sart Tilman, Liège 4000, Belgium.
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14
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Mazaré N, Oudart M, Cohen-Salmon M. Local translation in perisynaptic and perivascular astrocytic processes - a means to ensure astrocyte molecular and functional polarity? J Cell Sci 2021; 134:237323. [PMID: 33483366 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.251629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Together with the compartmentalization of mRNAs in distal regions of the cytoplasm, local translation constitutes a prominent and evolutionarily conserved mechanism mediating cellular polarization and the regulation of protein delivery in space and time. The translational regulation of gene expression enables a rapid response to stimuli or to a change in the environment, since the use of pre-existing mRNAs can bypass time-consuming nuclear control mechanisms. In the brain, the translation of distally localized mRNAs has been mainly studied in neurons, whose cytoplasmic protrusions may be more than 1000 times longer than the diameter of the cell body. Importantly, alterations in local translation in neurons have been implicated in several neurological diseases. Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells in the brain, are voluminous, highly ramified cells that project long processes to neurons and brain vessels, and dynamically regulate distal synaptic and vascular functions. Recent research has demonstrated the presence of local translation at these astrocytic interfaces that might regulate the functional compartmentalization of astrocytes. In this Review, we summarize our current knowledge about the localization and local translation of mRNAs in the distal perisynaptic and perivascular processes of astrocytes, and discuss their possible contribution to the molecular and functional polarity of astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noémie Mazaré
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, F-75005 Paris, France.,École doctorale Cerveau Cognition Comportement 'ED3C' No. 158, Pierre and Marie Curie University, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Marc Oudart
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, F-75005 Paris, France.,École doctorale Cerveau Cognition Comportement 'ED3C' No. 158, Pierre and Marie Curie University, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Martine Cohen-Salmon
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, F-75005 Paris, France .,École doctorale Cerveau Cognition Comportement 'ED3C' No. 158, Pierre and Marie Curie University, F-75005 Paris, France
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15
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Corradi E, Baudet ML. In the Right Place at the Right Time: miRNAs as Key Regulators in Developing Axons. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228726. [PMID: 33218218 PMCID: PMC7699167 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
During neuronal circuit formation, axons progressively develop into a presynaptic compartment aided by extracellular signals. Axons display a remarkably high degree of autonomy supported in part by a local translation machinery that permits the subcellular production of proteins required for their development. Here, we review the latest findings showing that microRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators of this machinery, orchestrating the spatiotemporal regulation of local translation in response to cues. We first survey the current efforts toward unraveling the axonal miRNA repertoire through miRNA profiling, and we reveal the presence of a putative axonal miRNA signature. We also provide an overview of the molecular underpinnings of miRNA action. Our review of the available experimental evidence delineates two broad paradigms: cue-induced relief of miRNA-mediated inhibition, leading to bursts of protein translation, and cue-induced miRNA activation, which results in reduced protein production. Overall, this review highlights how a decade of intense investigation has led to a new appreciation of miRNAs as key elements of the local translation regulatory network controlling axon development.
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16
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Salvadores N, Gerónimo-Olvera C, Court FA. Axonal Degeneration in AD: The Contribution of Aβ and Tau. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:581767. [PMID: 33192476 PMCID: PMC7593241 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.581767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder, affecting around 35 million people worldwide. Despite enormous efforts dedicated to AD research over decades, there is still no cure for the disease. Misfolding and accumulation of Aβ and tau proteins in the brain constitute a defining signature of AD neuropathology, and mounting evidence has documented a link between aggregation of these proteins and neuronal dysfunction. In this context, progressive axonal degeneration has been associated with early stages of AD and linked to Aβ and tau accumulation. As the axonal degeneration mechanism has been starting to be unveiled, it constitutes a promising target for neuroprotection in AD. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of axonal destruction in neurodegenerative conditions is therefore critical for the development of new therapies aimed to prevent axonal loss before irreversible neuronal death occurs in AD. Here, we review current evidence of the involvement of Aβ and tau pathologies in the activation of signaling cascades that can promote axonal demise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Salvadores
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.,Fondap Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian Gerónimo-Olvera
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.,Fondap Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe A Court
- Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.,Fondap Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile.,Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, United States
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17
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Gamarra M, Blanco-Urrejola M, Batista AFR, Imaz J, Baleriola J. Object-Based Analyses in FIJI/ImageJ to Measure Local RNA Translation Sites in Neurites in Response to Aβ1-42 Oligomers. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:547. [PMID: 32581689 PMCID: PMC7284234 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Subcellular protein delivery is especially important in signal transduction and cell behavior, and is typically achieved by localization signals within the protein. However, protein delivery can also rely on localization of mRNAs that are translated at target sites. Although once considered heretical, RNA localization has proven to be highly conserved in eukaryotes. RNA localization and localized translation are especially relevant in polarized cells like neurons where neurites extend dozens to hundreds of centimeters away from the soma. Local translation confers dendrites and axons the capacity to respond to their environment in an acute manner without fully relying on somatic signals. The relevance of local protein synthesis in neuron development, maintenance and disease has not been fully acknowledged until recent years, partly due to the limited amount of locally produced proteins. For instance, in hippocampal neurons levels of newly synthesized somatic proteins can be more than 20–30 times greater than translation levels of neuritic proteins. Thus local translation events can be easily overlooked under the microscope. Here we describe an object-based analysis used to visualize and quantify local RNA translation sites in neurites. Newly synthesized proteins are tagged with puromycin and endogenous RNAs labeled with SYTO. After imaging, signals corresponding to neuritic RNAs and proteins are filtered with a Laplacian operator to enhance the edges. Resulting pixels are converted into objects and selected by automatic masking followed by signal smoothing. Objects corresponding to RNA or protein and colocalized objects (RNA and protein) are quantified along individual neurites. Colocalization between RNA and protein in neurites correspond to newly synthesized proteins arising from localized RNAs and represent localized translation sites. To test the validity of our analyses we have compared control neurons to Aβ1–42-treated neurons. Aβ is involved in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease and was previously reported to induce local translation in axons and dendrites which in turn contributes to the disease. We have observed that Aβ increases the synthesis of neuritic proteins as well as the fraction of translating RNAs in distal sites of the neurite, suggesting an induction of local protein synthesis. Our results thus confirm previous reports and validate our quantification method.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Gamarra
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Maite Blanco-Urrejola
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Andreia F R Batista
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Associate Laboratory, Universidade do Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Josune Imaz
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Jimena Baleriola
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain.,IKERBASQUE Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
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18
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Smith TP, Sahoo PK, Kar AN, Twiss JL. Intra-axonal mechanisms driving axon regeneration. Brain Res 2020; 1740:146864. [PMID: 32360100 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic injury to the peripheral and central nervous systems very often causes axotomy, where an axon loses connections with its target resulting in loss of function. The axon segments distal to the injury site lose connection with the cell body and degenerate. Axotomized neurons in the periphery can spontaneously mount a regenerative response and reconnect to their denervated target tissues, though this is rarely complete in humans. In contrast, spontaneous regeneration rarely occurs after axotomy in the spinal cord and brain. Here, we concentrate on the mechanisms underlying this spontaneous regeneration in the peripheral nervous system, focusing on events initiated from the axon that support regenerative growth. We contrast this with what is known for axonal injury responses in the central nervous system. Considering the neuropathy focus of this special issue, we further draw parallels and distinctions between the injury-response mechanisms that initiate regenerative gene expression programs and those that are known to trigger axon degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terika P Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Pabitra K Sahoo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Amar N Kar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jeffery L Twiss
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
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19
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Lucci C, Mesquita-Ribeiro R, Rathbone A, Dajas-Bailador F. Spatiotemporal regulation of GSK3β levels by miRNA-26a controls axon development in cortical neurons. Development 2020; 147:dev.180232. [PMID: 31964775 PMCID: PMC7033742 DOI: 10.1242/dev.180232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Both the establishment of neuronal polarity and axonal growth are crucial steps in the development of the nervous system. The local translation of mRNAs in the axon provides precise regulation of protein expression, and is now known to participate in axon development, pathfinding and synaptic formation and function. We have investigated the role of miR-26a in early stage mouse primary cortical neuron development. We show that micro-RNA-26a-5p (miR-26a) is highly expressed in neuronal cultures, and regulates both neuronal polarity and axon growth. Using compartmentalised microfluidic neuronal cultures, we identified a local role for miR-26a in the axon, where the repression of local synthesis of GSK3β controls axon development and growth. Removal of this repression in the axon triggers local translation of GSK3β protein and subsequent transport to the soma, where it can impact axonal growth. These results demonstrate how the axonal miR-26a can regulate local protein translation in the axon to facilitate retrograde communication to the soma and amplify neuronal responses, in a mechanism that influences axon development. Highlighted Article: Axonal miR-26a can regulate GSK3β translation in the axon to promote retrograde communication to the soma in a mechanism that modulates axon development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano Lucci
- School of Life Sciences, Medical School Building, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH Nottingham, UK
| | - Raquel Mesquita-Ribeiro
- School of Life Sciences, Medical School Building, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH Nottingham, UK
| | - Alex Rathbone
- School of Life Sciences, Medical School Building, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH Nottingham, UK
| | - Federico Dajas-Bailador
- School of Life Sciences, Medical School Building, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH Nottingham, UK
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