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Dashtmian AR, Darvishi FB, Arnold WD. Chronological and Biological Aging in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and the Potential of Senolytic Therapies. Cells 2024; 13:928. [PMID: 38891059 PMCID: PMC11171952 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a group of sporadic and genetic neurodegenerative disorders that result in losses of upper and lower motor neurons. Treatment of ALS is limited, and survival is 2-5 years after disease onset. While ALS can occur in younger individuals, the risk significantly increases with advancing age. Notably, both sporadic and genetic forms of ALS share pathophysiological features overlapping hallmarks of aging including genome instability/DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, proteostasis, and cellular senescence. This review explores chronological and biological aging in the context of ALS onset and progression. Age-related muscle weakness and motor unit loss mirror aspects of ALS pathology and coincide with peak ALS incidence, suggesting a potential link between aging and disease development. Hallmarks of biological aging, including DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular senescence, are implicated in both aging and ALS, offering insights into shared mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis. Furthermore, senescence-associated secretory phenotype and senolytic treatments emerge as promising avenues for ALS intervention, with the potential to mitigate neuroinflammation and modify disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Roshani Dashtmian
- NextGen Precision Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (A.R.D.); (F.B.D.)
- NextGen Precision Health, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Fereshteh B. Darvishi
- NextGen Precision Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (A.R.D.); (F.B.D.)
- NextGen Precision Health, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - William David Arnold
- NextGen Precision Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (A.R.D.); (F.B.D.)
- NextGen Precision Health, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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2
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Jagaraj CJ, Shadfar S, Kashani SA, Saravanabavan S, Farzana F, Atkin JD. Molecular hallmarks of ageing in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:111. [PMID: 38430277 PMCID: PMC10908642 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05164-9] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, severely debilitating and rapidly progressing disorder affecting motor neurons in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. Unfortunately, there are few effective treatments, thus there remains a critical need to find novel interventions that can mitigate against its effects. Whilst the aetiology of ALS remains unclear, ageing is the major risk factor. Ageing is a slowly progressive process marked by functional decline of an organism over its lifespan. However, it remains unclear how ageing promotes the risk of ALS. At the molecular and cellular level there are specific hallmarks characteristic of normal ageing. These hallmarks are highly inter-related and overlap significantly with each other. Moreover, whilst ageing is a normal process, there are striking similarities at the molecular level between these factors and neurodegeneration in ALS. Nine ageing hallmarks were originally proposed: genomic instability, loss of telomeres, senescence, epigenetic modifications, dysregulated nutrient sensing, loss of proteostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, stem cell exhaustion, and altered inter-cellular communication. However, these were recently (2023) expanded to include dysregulation of autophagy, inflammation and dysbiosis. Hence, given the latest updates to these hallmarks, and their close association to disease processes in ALS, a new examination of their relationship to pathophysiology is warranted. In this review, we describe possible mechanisms by which normal ageing impacts on neurodegenerative mechanisms implicated in ALS, and new therapeutic interventions that may arise from this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Jones Jagaraj
- MND Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, 75 Talavera Road, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Sina Shadfar
- MND Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, 75 Talavera Road, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Sara Assar Kashani
- MND Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, 75 Talavera Road, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Sayanthooran Saravanabavan
- MND Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, 75 Talavera Road, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Fabiha Farzana
- MND Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, 75 Talavera Road, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Julie D Atkin
- MND Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, 75 Talavera Road, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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3
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Vellingiri B, Balasubramani K, Iyer M, Raj N, Elangovan A, Song K, Yeo HC, Jayakumar N, Kinoshita M, Thangarasu R, Narayanasamy A, Dayem AA, Prajapati VK, Gopalakrishnan AV, Cho SG. Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Parkinson's Disease-A New Theranostics? Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2300097. [PMID: 37590305 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex condition that is significantly influenced by oxidative stress and inflammation. It is also suggested that telomere shortening (TS) is regulated by oxidative stress which leads to various diseases including age-related neurodegenerative diseases like PD. Thus, it is anticipated that PD would result in TS of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Telomeres protect the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes preserving them against fusion and destruction. The TS is a normal process because DNA polymerase is unable to replicate the linear ends of the DNA due to end replication complications and telomerase activity in various cell types counteracts this process. PD is usually observed in the aged population and progresses over time therefore, disparities among telomere length in PBMCs of PD patients are recorded and it is still a question whether it has any useful role. Here, the likelihood of telomere attrition in PD and its implications concerning microglia activation, ageing, oxidative stress, and the significance of telomerase activators are addressed. Also, the possibility of telomeres and telomerase as a diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker in PD is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balachandar Vellingiri
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine/Translational Research, Department of Zoology, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, 151401, India
| | - Kiruthika Balasubramani
- Human Molecular Cytogenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641046, India
| | - Mahalaxmi Iyer
- Department of Biotechnology, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641021, India
| | - Neethu Raj
- Human Molecular Cytogenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641046, India
| | - Ajay Elangovan
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine/Translational Research, Department of Zoology, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, 151401, India
| | - Kwonwoo Song
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Molecular and Cellular Reprogramming Center and Institute of Advanced Regenerative Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Cheol Yeo
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Molecular and Cellular Reprogramming Center and Institute of Advanced Regenerative Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Namitha Jayakumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641006, India
| | - Masako Kinoshita
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Utano National Hospital, Ondoyama-Cho, Narutaki, Ukyo-Ku, Kyoto, 616-8255, Japan
| | - Ravimanickam Thangarasu
- Department of Zoology, School of Science, Tamil Nadu Open University, Saidapet, Chennai, 600015, India
| | - Arul Narayanasamy
- Disease Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641046, India
| | - Ahmed Abdal Dayem
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Molecular and Cellular Reprogramming Center and Institute of Advanced Regenerative Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Vijay Kumar Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Ssang-Goo Cho
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Molecular and Cellular Reprogramming Center and Institute of Advanced Regenerative Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
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Mormone E, Iorio EL, Abate L, Rodolfo C. Sirtuins and redox signaling interplay in neurogenesis, neurodegenerative diseases, and neural cell reprogramming. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1073689. [PMID: 36816109 PMCID: PMC9929468 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1073689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of Neural Stem Cells (NSCs) there are still mechanism to be clarified, such as the role of mitochondrial metabolism in the regulation of endogenous adult neurogenesis and its implication in neurodegeneration. Although stem cells require glycolysis to maintain their stemness, they can perform oxidative phosphorylation and it is becoming more and more evident that mitochondria are central players, not only for ATP production but also for neuronal differentiation's steps regulation, through their ability to handle cellular redox state, intracellular signaling, epigenetic state of the cell, as well as the gut microbiota-brain axis, upon dietary influences. In this scenario, the 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) repair system would link mitochondrial DNA integrity to the modulation of neural differentiation. On the other side, there is an increasing interest in NSCs generation, from induced pluripotent stem cells, as a clinical model for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), although this methodology still presents several drawbacks, mainly related to the reprogramming process. Indeed, high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), associated with telomere shortening, genomic instability, and defective mitochondrial dynamics, lead to pluripotency limitation and reprogramming efficiency's reduction. Moreover, while a physiological or moderate ROS increase serves as a signaling mechanism, to activate differentiation and suppress self-renewal, excessive oxidative stress is a common feature of NDs and aging. This ROS-dependent regulatory effect might be modulated by newly identified ROS suppressors, including the NAD+-dependent deacetylase enzymes family called Sirtuins (SIRTs). Recently, the importance of subcellular localization of NAD synthesis has been coupled to different roles for NAD in chromatin stability, DNA repair, circadian rhythms, and longevity. SIRTs have been described as involved in the control of both telomere's chromatin state and expression of nuclear gene involved in the regulation of mitochondrial gene expression, as well as in several NDs and aging. SIRTs are ubiquitously expressed in the mammalian brain, where they play important roles. In this review we summarize the current knowledge on how SIRTs-dependent modulation of mitochondrial metabolism could impact on neurogenesis and neurodegeneration, focusing mainly on ROS function and their role in SIRTs-mediated cell reprogramming and telomere protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Mormone
- Unitá Produttiva per Terapie Avanzate, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy,*Correspondence: Elisabetta Mormone, ;
| | | | - Lucrezia Abate
- Unitá Produttiva per Terapie Avanzate, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Carlo Rodolfo
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy,Department of Paediatric Onco-Haematology and Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Rome, Italy,Carlo Rodolfo,
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Torres P, Anerillas C, Ramírez-Núñez O, Fernàndez A, Encinas M, Povedano M, Andrés-Benito P, Ferrer I, Ayala V, Pamplona R, Portero-Otín M. The motor neuron disease mouse model hSOD1-G93A shows a non-canonical profile of senescence biomarkers. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:276182. [PMID: 35916061 PMCID: PMC9459393 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To evaluate senescence mechanisms, including senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), in the motor-neuron disease model hSOD1-G93A, we quantified the expression of p16 and p21 and the senescence-associated β galactosidase (SA-β-gal) in nervous tissue. As SASP markers, we measured the mRNA levels of Il1a, Il6, Ifna, and Ifnb. Furthermore, we explored if an alteration of alternative splicing is associated with senescence by measuring the Adipor2 cryptic exon inclusion levels, a specific splicing variant repressed by TAR-DNA binding of 43 kDa (Tdp-43). Transgenic mice show an atypical senescence profile with high p16 and p21 mRNA and protein in glia, without the canonical increase in SA-β-gal activity. Consistent with SASP, there is an increase in Il1a and Il6 expression, associated with increased TNFR and M-CSF protein levels, with females being partially protected. TDP-43 splicing activity is compromised in this model. Senolytic drug Navitoclax does not alter the present 'model's disease progression. This lack of effect is reproduced in vitro, in contrast with Dasatinib and quercetin, which diminish p16 and p21. Our findings show a non-canonical profile of senescence biomarkers in the model hSOD1-G93A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascual Torres
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Carlos Anerillas
- Oncogenic Signalling and Development, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Omar Ramírez-Núñez
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Anna Fernàndez
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Mario Encinas
- Oncogenic Signalling and Development, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Mònica Povedano
- Functional Unit of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (UFELA), Service of Neurology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Pol Andrés-Benito
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,Biomedical Network Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute Carlos III, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Victòria Ayala
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Reinald Pamplona
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Manuel Portero-Otín
- Metabolic Pathophysiology Research Group, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
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6
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Zamani A, Walker AK, Rollo B, Ayers KL, Farah R, O'Brien TJ, Wright DK. Impaired glymphatic function in the early stages of disease in a TDP-43 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Transl Neurodegener 2022; 11:17. [PMID: 35287738 PMCID: PMC8922788 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00291-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple lines of evidence suggest possible impairment of the glymphatic system in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To investigate this, we used in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess glymphatic function early in the course of disease in a transgenic mouse with doxycycline (Dox)-controlled expression of cytoplasmic human TDP-43 (hTDP-43ΔNLS), mimicking the key pathology implicated in ALS. METHODS Adult TDP-43 transgenic and littermate monogenic control mice underwent longitudinal multimodal MRI one and three weeks after the cessation of Dox feed, together with weekly rotarod assessments of motor performance. Glymphatic function was assessed using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to track the clearance of an MR contrast agent injected into the cisterna magna. RESULTS Compared to their littermate controls, TDP-43 mice exhibited progressive neurodegeneration including that within the primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex and corticospinal tract, significant weight loss including gastrocnemius atrophy, and shortened telomere length. Furthermore, in the presence of this ALS-like phenotype, these mice have significantly disrupted glymphatic function. CONCLUSIONS Although the relationship between glymphatic clearance and ALS disease progression remains to be elucidated, these changes occurred very early in the disease course. This provides initial evidence to suggest that the glymphatic system might be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akram Zamani
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Adam K Walker
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Ben Rollo
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Katie L Ayers
- The Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.,Department of Pediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Raysha Farah
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Terence J O'Brien
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - David K Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
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7
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Is Telomere Length Shortening a Risk Factor for Neurodegenerative Disorders? Dement Neurocogn Disord 2022; 21:83-92. [PMID: 35949423 PMCID: PMC9340245 DOI: 10.12779/dnd.2022.21.3.83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are located at the end of chromosomes. They are known to protect chromosomes and prevent cellular senescence. Telomere length shortening has been considered an important marker of aging. Many studies have reported this concept in connection with neurodegenerative disorders. Considering the role of telomeres, it seems that longer telomeres are beneficial while shorter telomeres are detrimental in preventing neurodegenerative disorders. However, several studies have shown that people with longer telomeres might also be vulnerable to neurodegenerative disorders. Before these conflicting results can be explained through large-scale longitudinal clinical studies on the role of telomere length in neurodegenerative disorders, it would be beneficial to simultaneously review these opposing results. Understanding these conflicting results might help us plan future studies to reveal the role of telomere length in neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, these contradictory findings are thoroughly discussed, with the aim to better understand the role of telomere length in neurodegenerative disorders.
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Xia K, Zhang L, Zhang G, Wang Y, Huang T, Fan D. Leukocyte telomere length and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a Mendelian randomization study. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2021; 16:508. [PMID: 34906191 PMCID: PMC8670150 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-021-02135-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Observational studies have suggested that telomere length is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, whether this association is causal remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the causal relationship between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and ALS by a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for LTL were identified through high-quality genome-wide association studies (GWASs). The ALS GWAS summary data (20,806 cases; 59,804 controls) with largest sample size to date was obtained. We adopted the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method to examine the effect of LTL on ALS and used the weighted median method, simple median method, MR Egger method and MR-PRESSO method to perform sensitivity analyses. Results We found that genetically determined increased LTL was inversely associated with the risk of ALS (odds ratio (OR) = 0.846, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.744–0.962, P = 0.011), which was mainly driven by rs940209 in the OBFC1 gene, suggesting a potential effect of OBFC1 on ALS. The results were further confirmed by sensitivity analysis with the MR Egger method (OR = 0.647, 95% CI = 0.447–0.936, P = 0.050). Analyses by the weighted median method (OR = 0.893, P = 0.201) and simple median method (OR = 0.935, P = 0.535) also showed a similar trend. The MR Egger analysis did not suggest directional pleiotropy, with an intercept of 0.025 (P = 0.168). Neither the influence of instrumental outliers nor heterogeneity was found. Conclusions Our results suggest that genetically predicted increased LTL has a causal relationship with a lower risk of ALS. Protecting against telomere loss may be of great importance in the prevention and treatment of ALS. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13023-021-02135-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailin Xia
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Linjing Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Gan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Yajun Wang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China. .,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China. .,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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9
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Kim EJ, Koh SH, Ha J, Na DL, Seo SW, Kim HJ, Park KW, Lee JH, Roh JH, Kwon JC, Yoon SJ, Jung NY, Jeong JH, Jang JW, Kim HJ, Park KH, Choi SH, Kim S, Park YH, Kim BC, Kim YE, Kwon HS, Park HH, Jin JH. Increased telomere length in patients with frontotemporal dementia syndrome. J Neurol Sci 2021; 428:117565. [PMID: 34311139 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2021.117565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences of TTAGGG at the ends of chromosomes. Many studies have shown that telomere shortening is associated with aging-related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease, and dementia with Lewy bodies. However, changes in telomere length (TL) in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) syndrome are unclear. Accordingly, in this study, we assessed TL in blood samples from patients with FTD syndrome. METHODS Absolute TL was measured in peripheral blood leukocytes from 53 patients with FTD syndromes (25 with behavioral variant FTD, 19 with semantic variant primary progressive aphasia [PPA], six with nonfluent/agrammatic variant PPA, and three with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS] plus) and 28 cognitively unimpaired (CU) controls using terminal restriction fragment analysis. RESULTS TL was significantly longer in the FTD group than in the CU group. All FTD subtypes had significantly longer TL than controls. There were no significant differences in TL among FTD syndromes. No significant correlations were found between TL and demographic factors in the FTD group. CONCLUSIONS Longer telomeres were associated with FTD syndrome, consistent with a recent report demonstrating that longer telomeres are related to ALS. Therefore, our results may support a shared biology between FTD and ALS. More studies with larger sample sizes are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Joo Kim
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Ho Koh
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jungsoon Ha
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; GemVax & Kael Co., Ltd, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Duk L Na
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Won Seo
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Jin Kim
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Won Park
- Department of Neurology, Dong-A Medical Center, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hong Lee
- Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee Hoon Roh
- Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jay C Kwon
- Department of Neurology, Changwon Fatima Hospital, Changwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Jin Yoon
- Department of Neurology, Eulgi University Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Na-Yeon Jung
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee H Jeong
- Department of Neurology, Ewha Womans University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Won Jang
- Department of Neurology, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Jin Kim
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kee Hyung Park
- Department of Neurology, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Hye Choi
- Department of Neurology, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - SangYun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Ho Park
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong C Kim
- Department of Neurology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Eun Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuk Sung Kwon
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Hee Park
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Hwa Jin
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
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10
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Miner AE, Graves JS. What telomeres teach us about MS. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2021; 54:103084. [PMID: 34371369 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
While the precise mechanisms driving progressive forms of MS are not fully understood, patient age has clear impact on disease phenotype. The very young with MS have high relapse rates and virtually no progressive disease, whereas older patients tend to experience more rapid disability accumulation with few relapses. Defining a patient's biological age may offer more precision in determining the role of aging processes in MS phenotype and pathophysiology than just working with an individual's birthdate. The most well recognized measurement of an individual's "biological clock" is telomere length (TL). While TL may differ across tissue types in an individual, most cells TL correlate well with leukocyte TL (LTL), which is the most common biomarker used for aging. LTL has been associated with risk for aging related diseases and most recently with higher levels of disability and brain atrophy in people living with MS. LTL explains 15% of the overall association of chronological age with MS disability level. While LTL may be used just as a biomarker of overall somatic aging processes, triggering of the DNA damage response by telomere attrition leads to senescence pathways that are likely highly relevant to a chronic autoimmune disease. Considering reproductive aging factors, particularly ovarian aging in women, which correlates with LTL and oocyte telomere length, may complement measurements of somatic aging in understanding MS progression. The key to stopping non-relapse related progression in MS might lie in targeting pathways related to biological aging effects on the immune and nervous systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalise E Miner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Jennifer S Graves
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, USA.
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11
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Telomerase in Brain: The New Kid on the Block and Its Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9050490. [PMID: 33946850 PMCID: PMC8145691 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9050490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase is an enzyme that in its canonical function extends and maintains telomeres, the ends of chromosomes. This reverse transcriptase function is mainly important for dividing cells that shorten their telomeres continuously. However, there are a number of telomere-independent functions known for the telomerase protein TERT (Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase). This includes the shuttling of the TERT protein from the nucleus to mitochondria where it decreases oxidative stress, apoptosis sensitivity and DNA damage. Recently, evidence has accumulated on a protective role of TERT in brain and postmitotic neurons. This function might be able to ameliorate the effects of toxic proteins such as amyloid-β, pathological tau and α-synuclein involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the protective mechanisms of TERT are not clear yet. Recently, an activation of autophagy as an important protein degradation process for toxic neuronal proteins by TERT has been described. This review summarises the current knowledge about the non-canonical role of the telomerase protein TERT in brain and shows its potential benefit for the amelioration of brain ageing and neurodegenerative diseases such as AD and PD. This might form the basis for the development of novel strategies and therapies against those diseases.
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12
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A Non-Toxic Concentration of Telomerase Inhibitor BIBR1532 Fails to Reduce TERT Expression in a Feeder-Free Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model of Human Motor Neurogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063256. [PMID: 33806803 PMCID: PMC8005146 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have shown that human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derivatives are essentially fetal in terms of their maturational status. Inducing ageing in iPSC-motor neuron (MN) models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has the potential to capture pathology with higher fidelity and consequently improve translational success. We show here that the telomerase inhibitor BIBR1532, hypothesised to recapitulate the telomere attrition hallmark of ageing in iPSC-MNs, was in fact cytotoxic to feeder-free iPSCs when used at doses previously shown to be effective in iPSCs grown on a layer of mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Toxicity in feeder-free cultures was not rescued by co-treatment with Rho Kinase (ROCK) inhibitor (Y-27632). Moreover, the highest concentration of BIBR1532 compatible with continued iPSC culture proved insufficient to induce detectable telomerase inhibition. Our data suggest that direct toxicity by BIBR1532 is the most likely cause of iPSC death observed, and that culture methods may influence enhanced toxicity. Therefore, recapitulation of ageing hallmarks in iPSC-MNs, which might reveal novel and relevant human disease targets in ALS, is not achievable in feeder-free culture through the use of this small molecule telomerase inhibitor.
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13
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Potential roles of telomeres and telomerase in neurodegenerative diseases. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 163:1060-1078. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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14
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Liu Z, Han R, Zhu W, Xiu J, Shen Y, Xu Q. Inverse changes in telomere length between the blood and brain in depressive-like mice. J Affect Disord 2020; 273:453-461. [PMID: 32560940 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes located at the end of chromosomes. Previous studies have confirmed that telomere length is reduced in the peripheral blood of depression patients. However, studies regarding whether telomere length is altered in brain regions associated with depression are limited. It remains unclear whether the peripheral blood telomere length indicates telomere variation in the brain. METHODS Using quantitative PCR, we measured telomere length in five brain regions (prefrontal cortex, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, paraventricular nucleus, and hippocampus) from depressive-like mice and in peripheral blood from depressive-like mice and major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. We also examined the expression of telomerase- and alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT)-related genes in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala of depressive-like mice. RESULTS Telomeres were shortened in the peripheral blood of depressive-like mice and MDD patients, but were elongated in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala compared with healthy controls. We also observed that the expression of ALT-related genes increased in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala. LIMITATIONS The amount of human sample was limited. The mechanism of telomere lengthening in the brain of depressive-like mice was not well explained. Mice and humans have inherently different telomere and telomere maintenance systems. CONCLUSION These findings illustrate that the telomere length in the peripheral blood may not indicate the dynamics of telomere length in the brain. They offer a new perspective on variable telomere length in different brain regions affected in depression and provide a new basis for understanding the relationship between variable telomere length and MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005 China; Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100005 China
| | - Rongrong Han
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005 China; Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100005 China
| | - Wanwan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005 China; Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100005 China
| | - Jianbo Xiu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005 China; Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100005 China.
| | - Yan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005 China; Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100005 China
| | - Qi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005 China; Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100005 China.
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15
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Kuraszkiewicz B, Goszczyńska H, Podsiadły-Marczykowska T, Piotrkiewicz M, Andersen P, Gromicho M, Grosskreutz J, Kuźma-Kozakiewicz M, Petri S, Stubbendorf B, Szacka K, Uysal H, de Carvalho M. Potential Preventive Strategies for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:428. [PMID: 32528241 PMCID: PMC7264408 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
It may seem useless to propose preventive measures for a disease without established pathogenesis and successful therapy, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, we will show that ALS shares essential molecular mechanisms with aging and that established anti-aging strategies, such as healthy diet or individually adjusted exercise, may be successfully applied to ameliorate the condition of ALS patients. These strategies might be applied for prevention if persons at ALS risk could be identified early enough. Recent research advances indicate that this may happen soon.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Kuraszkiewicz
- Department of Methods of Brain Imaging and Functional Research of Nervous System, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - H Goszczyńska
- Department of Methods of Brain Imaging and Functional Research of Nervous System, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - T Podsiadły-Marczykowska
- Department of Methods of Brain Imaging and Functional Research of Nervous System, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M Piotrkiewicz
- Department of Methods of Brain Imaging and Functional Research of Nervous System, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - P Andersen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - M Gromicho
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J Grosskreutz
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.,Jena Centre for Healthy Aging, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - S Petri
- Clinic for Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - B Stubbendorf
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - K Szacka
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - H Uysal
- Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - M de Carvalho
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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16
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Pandya VA, Patani R. Decoding the relationship between ageing and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a cellular perspective. Brain 2020; 143:1057-1072. [PMID: 31851317 PMCID: PMC7174045 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With an ageing population comes an inevitable increase in the prevalence of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a relentlessly progressive and universally fatal disease characterized by the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons within the brain and spinal cord. Indeed, the physiological process of ageing causes a variety of molecular and cellular phenotypes. With dysfunction at the neuromuscular junction implicated as a key pathological mechanism in ALS, and each lower motor unit cell type vulnerable to its own set of age-related phenotypes, the effects of ageing might in fact prove a prerequisite to ALS, rendering the cells susceptible to disease-specific mechanisms. Moreover, we discuss evidence for overlap between age and ALS-associated hallmarks, potentially implicating cell type-specific ageing as a key contributor to this multifactorial and complex disease. With a dearth of disease-modifying therapy currently available for ALS patients and a substantial failure in bench to bedside translation of other potential therapies, the unification of research in ageing and ALS requires high fidelity models to better recapitulate age-related human disease and will ultimately yield more reliable candidate therapeutics for patients, with the aim of enhancing healthspan and life expectancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virenkumar A Pandya
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
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17
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Fossel M. A unified model of dementias and age-related neurodegeneration. Alzheimers Dement 2020; 16:365-383. [PMID: 31943780 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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18
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Abstract
Ageing is the primary risk factor for most neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD). One in ten individuals aged ≥65 years has AD and its prevalence continues to increase with increasing age. Few or no effective treatments are available for ageing-related neurodegenerative diseases, which tend to progress in an irreversible manner and are associated with large socioeconomic and personal costs. This Review discusses the pathogenesis of AD, PD and other neurodegenerative diseases, and describes their associations with the nine biological hallmarks of ageing: genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, deregulated nutrient sensing, stem cell exhaustion and altered intercellular communication. The central biological mechanisms of ageing and their potential as targets of novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases are also discussed, with potential therapies including NAD+ precursors, mitophagy inducers and inhibitors of cellular senescence.
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19
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Al Khleifat A, Iacoangeli A, Shatunov A, Fang T, Sproviero W, Jones AR, Opie-Martin S, Morrison KE, Shaw PJ, Shaw CE, Powell JF, Dobson R, Newhouse SJ, Al-Chalabi A. Telomere length is greater in ALS than in controls: a whole genome sequencing study. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2019; 20:229-234. [PMID: 30931641 PMCID: PMC6567548 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2019.1586951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [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: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons resulting in progressive paralysis and death, typically within 3-5 years. Although the heritability of ALS is about 60%, only about 11% is explained by common gene variants, suggesting that other forms of genetic variation are important. Telomeres maintain DNA integrity during cellular replication and shorten naturally with age. Gender and age are risk factors for ALS and also associated with telomere length. We therefore investigated telomere length in ALS. Methods: We estimated telomere length by applying a bioinformatics analysis to whole genome sequence data of leukocyte-derived DNA from people with ALS and age and gender-matched matched controls in a UK population. We tested the association of telomere length with ALS and ALS survival. Results: There were 1241 people with ALS and 335 controls. The median age for ALS was 62.5 years and for controls, 60.1 years, with a male-female ratio of 62:38. Accounting for age and sex, there was a 9% increase of telomere length in ALS compared to matched controls. Those with longer telomeres had a 16% increase in median survival. Of nine SNPs associated with telomere length, two were also associated with ALS: rs8105767 near the ZNF208 gene (p = 1.29 × 10-4) and rs6772228 (p = 0.001), which is in an intron for the PXK gene. Conclusions: Longer telomeres in leukocyte-derived DNA are associated with ALS, and with increased survival in those with ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Al Khleifat
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Alfredo Iacoangeli
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Aleksey Shatunov
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Ton Fang
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - William Sproviero
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Ashley R. Jones
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Sarah Opie-Martin
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Karen E. Morrison
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Pamela J. Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Christopher E. Shaw
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
- King’s College Hospital, London, UK
- Psychology and Neuroscience, United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK, and
| | - John F. Powell
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Richard Dobson
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, King’s College London, London, UK
- Farr Institute of Health Informatics Research, UCL Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Steven J. Newhouse
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, King’s College London, London, UK
- Farr Institute of Health Informatics Research, UCL Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
- King’s College Hospital, London, UK
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20
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Wells C, Brennan SE, Keon M, Saksena NK. Prionoid Proteins in the Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:271. [PMID: 31780895 PMCID: PMC6861308 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a growing body of evidence that prionoid protein behaviors are a core element of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) that afflict humans. Common elements in pathogenesis, pathological effects and protein-level behaviors exist between Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), Huntington's Disease (HD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These extend beyond the affected neurons to glial cells and processes. This results in a complicated system of disease progression, which often takes advantage of protective processes to promote the propagation of pathological protein aggregates. This review article provides a current snapshot of knowledge on these proteins and their intrinsic role in the pathogenesis and disease progression seen across NDs.
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21
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Eberhardt K, Matthäus C, Marthandan S, Diekmann S, Popp J. Raman and infrared spectroscopy reveal that proliferating and quiescent human fibroblast cells age by biochemically similar but not identical processes. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207380. [PMID: 30507927 PMCID: PMC6277109 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Dermal fibroblast cells can adopt different cell states such as proliferation, quiescence, apoptosis or senescence, in order to ensure tissue homeostasis. Proliferating (dividing) cells pass through the phases of the cell cycle, while quiescent and senescent cells exist in a non-proliferating cell cycle-arrested state. However, the reversible quiescence state is in contrast to the irreversible senescence state. Long-term quiescent cells transit into senescence indicating that cells age also when not passing through the cell cycle. Here, by label-free in vitro vibrational spectroscopy, we studied the biomolecular composition of quiescent dermal fibroblast cells and compared them with those of proliferating and senescent cells. Spectra were examined by multivariate statistical analysis using a PLS-LDA classification model, revealing differences in the biomolecular composition between the cell states mainly associated with protein alterations (variations in the side chain residues of amino acids and protein secondary structure), but also within nucleic acids and lipids. We observed spectral changes in quiescent compared to proliferating cells, which increased with quiescence cultivation time. Raman and infrared spectroscopy, which yield complementary biochemical information, clearly distinguished contact-inhibited from serum-starved quiescent cells. Furthermore, the spectra displayed spectral differences between quiescent cells and proliferating cells, which had recovered from quiescence. This became more distinct with increasing quiescence cultivation time. When comparing proliferating, (in particular long-term) quiescent and senescent cells, we found that Raman as well as infrared spectroscopy can separate these three cellular states from each other due to differences in their biomolecular composition. Our spectroscopic analysis shows that proliferating and quiescent fibroblast cells age by similar but biochemically not identical processes. Despite their aging induced changes, over long time periods quiescent cells can return into the cell cycle. Finally however, the cell cycle arrest becomes irreversible indicating senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Eberhardt
- Spectroscopy and Imaging, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Matthäus
- Spectroscopy and Imaging, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena, Germany
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Shiva Marthandan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Stephan Diekmann
- Department of Molecular Biology, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Jürgen Popp
- Spectroscopy and Imaging, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena, Germany
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- * E-mail:
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22
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Liu MY, Nemes A, Zhou QG. The Emerging Roles for Telomerase in the Central Nervous System. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:160. [PMID: 29867352 PMCID: PMC5964194 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase, a specialized ribonucleoprotein enzyme complex, maintains telomere length at the 3′ end of chromosomes, and functions importantly in stem cells, cancer and aging. Telomerase exists in neural stem cells (NSCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs), at a high level in the developing and adult brains of humans and rodents. Increasing studies have demonstrated that telomerase in NSCs/NPCs plays important roles in cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation, neuronal survival and neuritogenesis. In addition, recent works have shown that telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) can protect newborn neurons from apoptosis and excitotoxicity. However, to date, the link between telomerase and diseases in the central nervous system (CNS) is not well reviewed. Here, we analyze the evidence and summarize the important roles of telomerase in the CNS. Understanding the roles of telomerase in the nervous system is not only important to gain further insight into the process of the neural cell life cycle but would also provide novel therapeutic applications in CNS diseases such as neurodegenerative condition, mood disorders, aging and other ailments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Ying Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Ashley Nemes
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Qi-Gang Zhou
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
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23
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Kuraszkiewicz B, Podsiadły-Marczykowska T, Goszczyńska H, Piotrkiewicz M. Are There Modifiable Environmental Factors Related to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis? Front Neurol 2018; 9:220. [PMID: 29681882 PMCID: PMC5897426 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bozenna Kuraszkiewicz
- Department of Brain Imaging and Investigation of Nervous System Function, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Teresa Podsiadły-Marczykowska
- Department of Brain Imaging and Investigation of Nervous System Function, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hanna Goszczyńska
- Department of Brain Imaging and Investigation of Nervous System Function, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maria Piotrkiewicz
- Department of Brain Imaging and Investigation of Nervous System Function, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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24
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Blaze J, Asok A, Borrelli K, Tulbert C, Bollinger J, Ronca AE, Roth TL. Intrauterine exposure to maternal stress alters Bdnf IV DNA methylation and telomere length in the brain of adult rat offspring. Int J Dev Neurosci 2017; 62:56-62. [PMID: 28330827 PMCID: PMC5600826 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2017.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation (addition of methyl groups to cytosines) and changes in telomere length (TTAGGG repeats on the ends of chromosomes) are two molecular modifications that result from stress and could contribute to the long-term effects of intrauterine exposure to maternal stress on offspring behavior. Here, we measured methylation of DNA associated with the Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) gene, a gene important in development and plasticity, and telomere length in the brains of adult rat male and female offspring whose mothers were exposed to unpredictable and variable stressors throughout gestation. Males exposed to prenatal stress had greater methylation (Bdnf IV) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) compared to non-stressed male controls and stressed females. Further, prenatally-stressed animals had shorter telomeres than controls in the mPFC. Together findings indicate a long-term impact of prenatal stress on brain DNA methylation and telomere biology with relevance for behavioral and health outcomes, and contribute to a growing literature linking stress to intergenerational molecular changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Blaze
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE,United States
| | - Arun Asok
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE,United States
| | - Kristyn Borrelli
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE,United States
| | - Christina Tulbert
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Justin Bollinger
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - April E Ronca
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States; Space Biosciences Research Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
| | - Tania L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE,United States.
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History of child maltreatment and telomere length in immune cell subsets: Associations with stress- and attachment-related hormones. Dev Psychopathol 2017; 30:539-551. [PMID: 28803568 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417001055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Experiencing maltreatment during childhood can have long-lasting consequences for both mental and physical health. Immune cell telomere length (TL) shortening might be one link between child maltreatment (CM) experiences and adverse health outcomes later in life. While the stress hormone cortisol has been associated with TL attrition, the attachment-related hormone oxytocin may promote resilience. In 15 mothers with and 15 age- and body mass index-matched mothers without CM, we assessed TL in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and selected immune cell subsets (monocytes, naive, and memory cytotoxic T cells) by quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization, as well as peripheral cortisol and oxytocin levels. Memory cytotoxic T cells showed significantly shorter TL in association with CM, whereas TL in monocytes and naive cytotoxic T cells did not significantly differ between the two groups. Across both groups, cortisol was negatively associated with TL, while oxytocin was positively associated with TL in memory cytotoxic T cells. These results indicate that long-lived memory cytotoxic T cells are most affected by the increased biological stress state associated with CM. Keeping in mind the correlational and preliminary nature of the results, the data suggest that cortisol may have a damaging and oxytocin a protective function on TL.
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26
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Geloso MC, Corvino V, Marchese E, Serrano A, Michetti F, D'Ambrosi N. The Dual Role of Microglia in ALS: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:242. [PMID: 28790913 PMCID: PMC5524666 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a non-cell autonomous motor neuron loss. While it is generally believed that the disease onset takes place inside motor neurons, different cell types mediating neuroinflammatory processes are considered deeply involved in the progression of the disease. On these grounds, many treatments have been tested on ALS animals with the aim of inhibiting or reducing the pro-inflammatory action of microglia and astrocytes and counteract the progression of the disease. Unfortunately, these anti-inflammatory therapies have been only modestly successful. The non-univocal role played by microglia during stress and injuries might explain this failure. Indeed, it is now well recognized that, during ALS, microglia displays different phenotypes, from surveillant in early stages, to activated states, M1 and M2, characterized by the expression of respectively harmful and protective genes in later phases of the disease. Consistently, the inhibition of microglial function seems to be a valid strategy only if the different stages of microglia polarization are taken into account, interfering with the reactivity of microglia specifically targeting only the harmful pathways and/or potentiating the trophic ones. In this review article, we will analyze the features and timing of microglia activation in the light of M1/M2 phenotypes in the main mice models of ALS. Moreover, we will also revise the results obtained by different anti-inflammatory therapies aimed to unbalance the M1/M2 ratio, shifting it towards a protective outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Concetta Geloso
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRome, Italy
| | - Valentina Corvino
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRome, Italy
| | - Elisa Marchese
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRome, Italy
| | - Alessia Serrano
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Michetti
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRome, Italy.,IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Università Vita-Salute San RaffaeleMilan, Italy
| | - Nadia D'Ambrosi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor VergataRome, Italy
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27
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Abstract
Three neurodegenerative diseases [Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD)] have many characteristics like pathological mechanisms and genes. In this sense some researchers postulate that these diseases share the same alterations and that one alteration in a specific protein triggers one of these diseases. Analyses of gene expression may shed more light on how to discover pathways, pathologic mechanisms associated with the disease, biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we analyze four microarrays related to three neurodegenerative diseases. We will systematically examine seven genes (CHN1, MDH1, PCP4, RTN1, SLC14A1, SNAP25 and VSNL1) that are altered in the three neurodegenerative diseases. A network was built and used to identify pathways, miRNA and drugs associated with ALS, AD and PD using Cytoscape software an interaction network based on the protein interactions of these genes. The most important affected pathway is PI3K-Akt signalling. Thirteen microRNAs (miRNA-19B1, miRNA-107, miRNA-124-1, miRNA-124-2, miRNA-9-2, miRNA-29A, miRNA-9-3, miRNA-328, miRNA-19B2, miRNA-29B2, miRNA-124-3, miRNA-15A and miRNA-9-1) and four drugs (Estradiol, Acetaminophen, Resveratrol and Progesterone) for new possible treatments were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcelo Alarcón
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunohematology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile; Interdisciplinary Excellence Research Program on Healthy Aging (PIEI-ES), Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile.
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28
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Common Molecular Pathways in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Trends Mol Med 2016; 22:769-783. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2016.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Revised: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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