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Talley S, Nguyen T, Van Ye L, Valiauga R, DeCarlo J, Mustafa J, Cook B, White FA, Campbell EM. Characterization of age-associated inflammasome activation reveals tissue specific differences in transcriptional and post-translational inflammatory responses. Immun Ageing 2024; 21:60. [PMID: 39256821 PMCID: PMC11384696 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-024-00462-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Aging is associated with systemic chronic, low-grade inflammation, termed 'inflammaging'. This pattern of inflammation is multifactorial and is driven by numerous inflammatory pathways, including the inflammasome. However, most studies to date have examined changes in the transcriptomes that are associated with aging and inflammaging, despite the fact that inflammasome activation is driven by a series of post-translational activation steps, culminating in the cleavage and activation of caspase-1. Here, we utilized transgenic mice expressing a caspase-1 biosensor to examine age-associated inflammasome activation in various organs and tissues to define these post-translational manifestations of inflammaging. Consistent with other studies, we observe increased inflammation, including inflammasome activation, in aged mice and specific tissues. However, we note that the degree of inflammasome activation is not uniformly associated with transcriptional changes commonly used as a surrogate for inflammasome activation in tissues. Furthermore, we used a skull thinning technique to monitor central nervous system inflammasome activation in vivo in aged mice and found that neuroinflammation is significantly amplified in aged mice in response to endotoxin challenge. Together, these data reveal that inflammaging is associated with both transcriptional and post-translational inflammatory pathways that are not uniform between tissues and establish new methodologies for measuring age-associated inflammasome activation in vivo and ex vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Talley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Tyler Nguyen
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Lily Van Ye
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Rasa Valiauga
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Jake DeCarlo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Jabra Mustafa
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Benjamin Cook
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Fletcher A White
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Edward M Campbell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA.
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Mohammed A, Ramadan A, Elnour AA, Saeed AAAM, Al Mazrouei N, Alsulami FT, Alqarni YS, Menon V, Amoodi AA, Abdalla SF. Luteolin as potential treatment for Huntington's disease: Insights from a transgenic mouse model. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e70025. [PMID: 39228080 PMCID: PMC11371662 DOI: 10.1111/cns.70025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS The study aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of luteolin treatment in Huntington's disease (HD), an inherited progressive neurodegenerative disorder. METHODS HD N171-82Q transgenic and WT mice received luteolin or vehicle for treatment at 6 weeks of age. The mice's body weight changes and survival rates were monitored throughout the study, and a series of motor functional tests were conducted. Serum level of the marker NfL was also determined. Immunohistochemical staining and western blotting were utilized to assess the expression of huntingtin aggregates. RESULTS Luteolin treatment enhanced survival and prevented weight loss in HD mice compared to the vehicle-treated HD group. Furthermore, the luteolin-treated HD mice exhibited enhanced motor coordination and balance and significantly reduced motor dysfunction. Also, luteolin decreased serum NfL levels in HD mice. Notably, the accumulation of huntingtin aggregates was significantly reduced in the brain's cortex, hippocampus, and striatum of luteolin-treated HD mice compared to the vehicle-treated HD group. CONCLUSION Luteolin holds promise as a therapeutic agent for improving survival outcomes, managing motor dysfunction, and reducing huntingtin aggregates in HD. The findings are of significance as currently, there are no approved therapeutic interventions that reverse HD pathology or slow down its progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abuelnor Mohammed
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine-Dar Al Uloom University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Azza Ramadan
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhbai, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Asim Ahmed Elnour
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Program of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ali Awadallah Ali Mohamed Saeed
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Clinical and Industrial Pharmacy, National University, Mycetoma Research Center, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Nadia Al Mazrouei
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fahad T Alsulami
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Taif university, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yousef Saeed Alqarni
- Department of pharmacy practice, college of pharmacy, Imam abdulrahman bin faisal university, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vineetha Menon
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abdulla Al Amoodi
- Ambulatory Healthcare Services, Academic Affairs, Abu Dhabi Health Services (SEHA), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sami Fatehi Abdalla
- Clinical Department, College of Medicine, Almaarefa University (Diriyah), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Bai D, Deng F, Jia Q, Ou K, Wang X, Hou J, Zhu L, Guo M, Yang S, Jiang G, Li S, Li XJ, Yin P. Pathogenic TDP-43 accelerates the generation of toxic exon1 HTT in Huntington's disease knock-in mice. Aging Cell 2024:e14325. [PMID: 39185703 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in exon1 of the HTT gene that encodes a polyglutamine tract in huntingtin protein. The formation of HTT exon1 fragments with an expanded polyglutamine repeat has been implicated as a key step in the pathogenesis of HD. It was reported that the CAG repeat length-dependent aberrant splicing of exon1 HTT results in a short polyadenylated mRNA that is translated into an exon1 HTT protein. Under normal conditions, TDP-43 is predominantly found in the nucleus, where it regulates gene expression. However, in various pathological conditions, TDP-43 is mislocalized in the cytoplasm. By investigating HD knock-in mice, we explore whether the pathogenic TDP-43 in the cytoplasm contributes to HD pathogenesis, through expressing the cytoplasmic TDP-43 without nuclear localization signal. We found that the cytoplasmic TDP-43 is increased in the HD mouse brain and that its mislocalization could deteriorate the motor and gait behavior. Importantly, the cytoplasmic TDP-43, via its binding to the intron1 sequence (GU/UG)n of the mouse Htt pre-mRNA, promotes the transport of exon1-intron1 Htt onto ribosome, resulting in the aberrant generation of exon1 Htt. Our findings suggest that cytoplasmic TDP-43 contributes to HD pathogenesis via its binding to and transport of nuclear un-spliced mRNA to the ribosome for the generation of a toxic protein product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dazhang Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Institute of Neurological Diseases, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Fuyu Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Institute for Drug Control, Shenzhen Testing Center of Medical Devices, In Vitro Diagnostic Reagents Testing Department, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Qingqing Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Kaili Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junqi Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Longhong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingwei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Su Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guohui Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Institute of Neurological Diseases, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Shihua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Peng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Dias Pinto JR, Faustinoni Neto B, Sanches Fernandes JM, Kerkis I, Araldi RP. How does the age of control individuals hinder the identification of target genes for Huntington's disease? Front Genet 2024; 15:1377237. [PMID: 38978875 PMCID: PMC11228582 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1377237] [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: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Several studies have compared the transcriptome across various brain regions in Huntington's disease (HD) gene-positive and neurologically normal individuals to identify potential differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that could be pharmaceutical or prognostic targets for HD. Despite adhering to technical recommendations for optimal RNA-Seq analysis, none of the genes identified as upregulated in these studies have yet demonstrated success as prognostic or therapeutic targets for HD. Earlier studies included samples from neurologically normal individuals older than the HD gene-positive group. Considering the gradual transcriptional changes induced by aging in the brain, we posited that utilizing samples from older controls could result in the misidentification of DEGs. To validate our hypothesis, we reanalyzed 146 samples from this study, accessible on the SRA database, and employed Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to create a "virtual" control group with a statistically comparable age distribution to the HD gene-positive group. Our study underscores the adverse impact of using neurologically normal individuals over 75 as controls in gene differential expression analysis, resulting in false positives and negatives. We conclusively demonstrate that using such old controls leads to the misidentification of DEGs, detrimentally affecting the discovery of potential pharmaceutical and prognostic markers. This underscores the pivotal role of considering the age of control samples in RNA-Seq analysis and emphasizes its inclusion in evaluating best practices for such investigations. Although our primary focus is HD, our findings suggest that judiciously selecting age-appropriate control samples can significantly improve best practices in differential expression analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Rafael Dias Pinto
- BioDecision Analytics Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program in Structural and Functional Biology, Paulista School of Medicine (EPM), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Irina Kerkis
- Genetics Laboratory, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Pinheiro Araldi
- BioDecision Analytics Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program in Structural and Functional Biology, Paulista School of Medicine (EPM), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
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Ates G, Taguchi T, Maher P. CMS121 Partially Attenuates Disease Progression in Mouse Models of Huntington's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:2165-2175. [PMID: 37864765 PMCID: PMC11191676 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03711-2] [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: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
There are currently no drugs that meaningfully slow down the progression of Huntington's disease (HD). Moreover, drug candidates against a single molecular target have not had significant success. Therefore, a different approach to HD drug discovery is needed. Previously we showed that the flavonol fisetin is efficacious in mouse and fly models of HD (Hum. Mol. Gen. 20:261, 2011). It is also effective in animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), ischemic stroke, and the CNS complications of diabetes, all of which share some pathological features with HD. Potent derivatives of fisetin with improved pharmacology were made that maintain its multiple biological activities (J. Med. Chem. 55:378, 2012). From 160 synthetic fisetin derivatives, one, CMS121, was selected for further study in the context of HD based on pharmacological parameters and its efficacy in animal models of AD. Both R6/2 and YAC128 mouse models of HD were used in these studies. We examined motor function using multiple assays as well as survival. In the R6/2 mice, we also looked at the effects of CMS121 on striatal gene expression. In both models, we found a slowing of motor dysfunction and an increase in median life span. Interestingly, in the YAC128 mice, the effects on the slowing in motor function loss became increasingly more pronounced as the mice aged. CMS121 also reduced HD-driven changes in the expression of genes associated with the proteasome and oxidative phosphorylation. Overall, these results suggest that CMS121 could provide some benefits for HD patients, particularly with regard to increasing health span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gamze Ates
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Ixelles, Belgium
| | - Taketo Taguchi
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Pamela Maher
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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6
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Lee SW, Oh YM, Victor MB, Yang Y, Chen S, Strunilin I, Dahiya S, Dolle RE, Pak SC, Silverman GA, Perlmutter DH, Yoo AS. Longitudinal modeling of human neuronal aging reveals the contribution of the RCAN1-TFEB pathway to Huntington's disease neurodegeneration. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:95-109. [PMID: 38066314 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00538-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a common risk factor in neurodegenerative disorders. Investigating neuronal aging in an isogenic background stands to facilitate analysis of the interplay between neuronal aging and neurodegeneration. Here we perform direct neuronal reprogramming of longitudinally collected human fibroblasts to reveal genetic pathways altered at different ages. Comparative transcriptome analysis of longitudinally aged striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in Huntington's disease identified pathways involving RCAN1, a negative regulator of calcineurin. Notably, RCAN1 protein increased with age in reprogrammed MSNs as well as in human postmortem striatum and RCAN1 knockdown rescued patient-derived MSNs of Huntington's disease from degeneration. RCAN1 knockdown enhanced chromatin accessibility of genes involved in longevity and autophagy, mediated through enhanced calcineurin activity, leading to TFEB's nuclear localization by dephosphorylation. Furthermore, G2-115, an analog of glibenclamide with autophagy-enhancing activities, reduced the RCAN1-calcineurin interaction, phenocopying the effect of RCAN1 knockdown. Our results demonstrate that targeting RCAN1 genetically or pharmacologically can increase neuronal resilience in Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong Won Lee
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Columbus, GA, USA
| | - Young Mi Oh
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Columbus, GA, USA
| | - Matheus B Victor
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shawei Chen
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ilya Strunilin
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sonika Dahiya
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Roland E Dolle
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Stephen C Pak
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gary A Silverman
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David H Perlmutter
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Andrew S Yoo
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Giri S, Mehta R, Mallick BN. REM Sleep Loss-Induced Elevated Noradrenaline Plays a Significant Role in Neurodegeneration: Synthesis of Findings to Propose a Possible Mechanism of Action from Molecule to Patho-Physiological Changes. Brain Sci 2023; 14:8. [PMID: 38275513 PMCID: PMC10813190 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010008] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Wear and tear are natural processes for all living and non-living bodies. All living cells and organisms are metabolically active to generate energy for their routine needs, including for survival. In the process, the cells are exposed to oxidative load, metabolic waste, and bye-products. In an organ, the living non-neuronal cells divide and replenish the lost or damaged cells; however, as neuronal cells normally do not divide, they need special feature(s) for their protection, survival, and sustenance for normal functioning of the brain. The neurons grow and branch as axons and dendrites, which contribute to the formation of synapses with near and far neurons, the basic scaffold for complex brain functions. It is necessary that one or more basic and instinct physiological process(es) (functions) is likely to contribute to the protection of the neurons and maintenance of the synapses. It is known that rapid eye movement sleep (REMS), an autonomic instinct behavior, maintains brain functioning including learning and memory and its loss causes dysfunctions. In this review we correlate the role of REMS and its loss in synaptogenesis, memory consolidation, and neuronal degeneration. Further, as a mechanism of action, we will show that REMS maintains noradrenaline (NA) at a low level, which protects neurons from oxidative damage and maintains neuronal growth and synaptogenesis. However, upon REMS loss, the level of NA increases, which withdraws protection and causes apoptosis and loss of synapses and neurons. We propose that the latter possibly causes REMS loss associated neurodegenerative diseases and associated symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shatrunjai Giri
- Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur 303007, India;
| | - Rachna Mehta
- Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida 201301, India;
| | - Birendra Nath Mallick
- Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida 201301, India;
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Ribeiro J, Lopes I, Gomes AC. A New Perspective for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: Exosome-like Liposomes to Deliver Natural Compounds and RNA Therapies. Molecules 2023; 28:6015. [PMID: 37630268 PMCID: PMC10458935 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28166015] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increment of the aging population in recent years, neurodegenerative diseases exert a major global disease burden, essentially as a result of the lack of treatments that stop the disease progression. Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an example of a neurodegenerative disease that affects millions of people globally, with no effective treatment. Natural compounds have emerged as a viable therapy to fill a huge gap in AD management, and in recent years, mostly fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, RNA-based therapeutics have become a hot topic in the treatment of several diseases. Treatments of AD face significant limitations due to the complex and interconnected pathways that lead to their hallmarks and also due to the necessity to cross the blood-brain barrier. Nanotechnology has contributed to surpassing this bottleneck in the treatment of AD by promoting safe and enhanced drug delivery to the brain. In particular, exosome-like nanoparticles, a hybrid delivery system combining exosomes and liposomes' advantageous features, are demonstrating great potential in the treatment of central nervous system diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Ribeiro
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA)/Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (J.R.); (I.L.)
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Sustainability (IB-S), Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Ivo Lopes
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA)/Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (J.R.); (I.L.)
| | - Andreia Castro Gomes
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA)/Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (J.R.); (I.L.)
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Sustainability (IB-S), Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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9
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Telomere Length Changes in Cancer: Insights on Carcinogenesis and Potential for Non-Invasive Diagnostic Strategies. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030715. [PMID: 36980987 PMCID: PMC10047978 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere dynamics play a crucial role in the maintenance of chromosome integrity; changes in telomere length may thus contribute to the development of various diseases including cancer. Understanding the role of telomeric DNA in carcinogenesis and detecting the presence of cell-free telomeric DNA (cf-telDNA) in body fluids offer a potential biomarker for novel cancer screening and diagnostic strategies. Liquid biopsy is becoming increasingly popular due to its undeniable benefits over conventional invasive methods. However, the organization and function of cf-telDNA in the extracellular milieu are understudied. This paper provides a review based on 3,398,017 cancer patients, patients with other conditions, and control individuals with the aim to shed more light on the inconsistent nature of telomere lengthening/shortening in oncological contexts. To gain a better understanding of biological factors (e.g., telomerase activation, alternative lengthening of telomeres) affecting telomere homeostasis across different types of cancer, we summarize mechanisms responsible for telomere length maintenance. In conclusion, we compare tissue- and liquid biopsy-based approaches in cancer assessment and provide a brief outlook on the methodology used for telomere length evaluation, highlighting the advances of state-of-the-art approaches in the field.
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10
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Castro E Costa AR, Mysore S, Paruchuri P, Chen KY, Liu AY. PolyQ-Expanded Mutant Huntingtin Forms Inclusion Body Following Transient Cold Shock in a Two-Step Aggregation Mechanism. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:277-288. [PMID: 36574489 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-dependent formation of insoluble protein aggregates is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases. We are interested in the cell chemistry that drives the aggregation of polyQ-expanded mutant Huntingtin (mHtt) protein into insoluble inclusion bodies (IBs). Using an inducible cell model of Huntington's disease, we show that a transient cold shock (CS) at 4 °C followed by recovery incubation at temperatures of 25-37 °C strongly and rapidly induces the compaction of diffuse polyQ-expanded HuntingtinExon1-enhanced green fluorescent protein chimera protein (mHtt) into round, micron size, cytosolic IBs. This transient CS-induced mHtt IB formation is independent of microtubule integrity or de novo protein synthesis. The addition of millimolar concentrations of sodium chloride accelerates, whereas urea suppresses this transient CS-induced mHtt IB formation. These results suggest that the low temperature of CS constrains the conformation dynamics of the intrinsically disordered mHtt into labile intermediate structures to facilitate de-solvation and hydrophobic interaction for IB formation at the higher recovery temperature. This work, along with our previous observation of the effects of heat shock protein chaperones and osmolytes in driving mHtt IB formation, underscores the primacy of mHtt structuring and rigidification for H-bond-mediated cross-linking in a two-step mechanism of mHtt IB formation in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Raquel Castro E Costa
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Nelson Biology Laboratory, Rutgers State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Sachin Mysore
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Nelson Biology Laboratory, Rutgers State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Praneet Paruchuri
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Nelson Biology Laboratory, Rutgers State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Kuang Yu Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Wright-Rieman Chemistry Laboratory, Rutgers State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Alice Y Liu
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Nelson Biology Laboratory, Rutgers State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
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Oxidative Stress in Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases: An Overview of Recent Tools and Findings. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12010131. [PMID: 36670993 PMCID: PMC9854433 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12010131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been described to induce a broad range of redox-dependent signaling reactions in physiological conditions. Nevertheless, an excessive accumulation of ROS leads to oxidative stress, which was traditionally considered as detrimental for cells and organisms, due to the oxidative damage they cause to biomolecules. During ageing, elevated ROS levels result in the accumulation of damaged proteins, which may exhibit altered enzymatic function or physical properties (e.g., aggregation propensity). Emerging evidence also highlights the relationship between oxidative stress and age-related pathologies, such as protein misfolding-based neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson's (PD), Alzheimer's (AD) and Huntington's (HD) diseases). In this review we aim to introduce the role of oxidative stress in physiology and pathology and then focus on the state-of-the-art techniques available to detect and quantify ROS and oxidized proteins in live cells and in vivo, providing a guide to those aiming to characterize the role of oxidative stress in ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. Lastly, we discuss recently published data on the role of oxidative stress in neurological disorders.
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Bai X, Bian Z, Zhang M. Targeting the Nrf2 signaling pathway using phytochemical ingredients: A novel therapeutic road map to combat neurodegenerative diseases. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 109:154582. [PMID: 36610130 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a classical nuclear transcription factor that regulates the system's anti-oxidative stress response. The activation of Nrf2 induces the expression of antioxidant proteins and improves the system's anti-oxidative stress ability. Accumulating evidence suggests that Nrf2-centered signaling pathways may be a key pharmacological target for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). However, phytochemicals as new therapeutic agents against NDDs have not been clearly delineated. PURPOSE To review the therapeutic effects of phytochemical ingredients on NDDs by activating Nrf2 and reducing oxidative stress injury. METHODS A comprehensive search of published articles was performed using various literature databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The search terms included "Nrf2", "phytochemical ingredients", "natural bioactive agents", "neurodegenerative diseases", "Antioxidant", "Alzheimer's disease", "Parkinson's disease", "Huntington's disease", "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" "multiple sclerosis", "toxicity", and combinations of these keywords. A total of 769 preclinical studies were retrieved until August 2022, and we included 39 of these articless on phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and other fields. RESULTS Numerous in vivo and in vitro studies showed that phytochemical ingredients could act as an Nrf2 activator in the treatment of NDDs through the antioxidant defense mechanism. These phytochemical ingredients, such as salidroside, naringenin, resveratrol, sesaminol, ellagic acid, ginsenoside Re, tanshinone I, sulforaphane, curcumin, naringin, tetramethylpyrazine, withametelin, magnolol, piperine, and myricetin, had the potential to improve Nrf2 signaling, thereby combatting NDDs. CONCLUSION As Nrf2 activators, phytochemical ingredients may provide a novel potential strategy for the treatment of NDDs. Here, we reviewed the interaction between phytochemical ingredients, Nrf2, and its antioxidant damaging pathway in NDDs and explored the advantages of phytochemical ingredients in anti-oxidative stress, which provides a reliable basis for improving the treatment of NDDs. However, further clinical trials are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of Nrf2 activators for NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Bai
- Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, 110004, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China
| | - Zhigang Bian
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, 110004, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, 110004, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China.
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Norouzkhani N, Karimi AG, Badami N, Jalalifar E, Mahmoudvand B, Ansari A, Pakrou Sariyarighan N, Alijanzadeh D, Aghakhani S, Shayestehmehr R, Arzaghi M, Sheikh Z, Salami Y, Marabi MH, Abdi A, Deravi N. From kitchen to clinic: Pharmacotherapeutic potential of common spices in Indian cooking in age-related neurological disorders. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:960037. [PMID: 36438833 PMCID: PMC9685814 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.960037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is described as an advanced time-related collection of changes that may negatively affect with the risk of several diseases or death. Aging is a main factor of several age-related neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia), stroke, neuroinflammation, neurotoxicity, brain tumors, oxidative stress, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Currently available medications for age-related neurological disorders may lead to several side effects, such as headache, diarrhea, nausea, gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, dyskinesia, and hallucinosis. These days, studies on plant efficacy in traditional medicine are being conducted because herbal medicine is affordable, safe, and culturally acceptable and easily accessible. The Indian traditional medicine system called Ayurveda uses several herbs and medicinal plants to treat various disorders including neurological disorders. This review aims to summarize the data on the neuroprotective potential of the following common Indian spices widely used in Ayurveda: cumin (Cuminum cyminum (L.), Apiaceae), black cumin (Nigella sativa (L.), Ranunculaceae), black pepper (Piper nigrum (L.), Piperaceae), curry leaf tree (Murraya koenigii (L.), Spreng Rutaceae), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum (L.), Fabaceae), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill, Apiaceae), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton, Zingiberaceae), cloves (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry, Myrtaceae), and coriander (Coriandrum sativum (L.), Apiaceae) in age-related neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narges Norouzkhani
- Department of Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Arian Ghannadi Karimi
- Preclinical, Cardiovascular Imaging Core Facility, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Negar Badami
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Erfan Jalalifar
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behnaz Mahmoudvand
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arina Ansari
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | | | - Dorsa Alijanzadeh
- Student Research committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Aghakhani
- Student Research Committee, Esfahan University of Medical Sciences, Esfahan, Iran
| | - Reza Shayestehmehr
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
| | | | - Zahra Sheikh
- Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Yasaman Salami
- Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hesam Marabi
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Abdi
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Niloofar Deravi
- Student Research committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- *Correspondence: Niloofar Deravi, ,
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14
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Ghafouri-Fard S, Khoshbakht T, Hussen BM, Taheri M, Ebrahimzadeh K, Noroozi R. The emerging role of long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, and an accelerated epigenetic age in Huntington’s disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:987174. [PMID: 36185471 PMCID: PMC9520620 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.987174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease with variable clinical manifestations. Recent studies highlighted the contribution of epigenetic alterations to HD progress and onset. The potential crosstalk between different epigenetic layers and players such as aberrant expression of non-coding RNAs and methylation alterations has been found to affect the pathogenesis of HD or mediate the effects of trinucleotide expansion in its pathophysiology. Also, microRNAs have been assessed for their roles in the modulation of HD manifestations, among them are miR-124, miR-128a, hsa-miR-323b-3p, miR-432, miR-146a, miR-19a, miR-27a, miR-101, miR-9*, miR-22, miR-132, and miR-214. Moreover, long non-coding RNAs such as DNM3OS, NEAT1, Meg3, and Abhd11os are suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of HD. An accelerated DNA methylation age is another epigenetic signature reported recently for HD. The current literature search collected recent findings of dysregulation of miRNAs or lncRNAs as well as methylation changes and epigenetic age in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tayyebeh Khoshbakht
- Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bashdar Mahmud Hussen
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq
- Center of Research and Strategic Studies, Lebanese French University, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Mohammad Taheri
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kaveh Ebrahimzadeh
- Skull Base Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- *Correspondence: Kaveh Ebrahimzadeh,
| | - Rezvan Noroozi
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
- Rezvan Noroozi,
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15
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Konopka A, Atkin JD. The Role of DNA Damage in Neural Plasticity in Physiology and Neurodegeneration. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:836885. [PMID: 35813507 PMCID: PMC9259845 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.836885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Damage to DNA is generally considered to be a harmful process associated with aging and aging-related disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases that involve the selective death of specific groups of neurons. However, recent studies have provided evidence that DNA damage and its subsequent repair are important processes in the physiology and normal function of neurons. Neurons are unique cells that form new neural connections throughout life by growth and re-organisation in response to various stimuli. This “plasticity” is essential for cognitive processes such as learning and memory as well as brain development, sensorial training, and recovery from brain lesions. Interestingly, recent evidence has suggested that the formation of double strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA, the most toxic form of damage, is a physiological process that modifies gene expression during normal brain activity. Together with subsequent DNA repair, this is thought to underlie neural plasticity and thus control neuronal function. Interestingly, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, and Huntington’s disease, manifest by a decline in cognitive functions, which are governed by plasticity. This suggests that DNA damage and DNA repair processes that normally function in neural plasticity may contribute to neurodegeneration. In this review, we summarize current understanding about the relationship between DNA damage and neural plasticity in physiological conditions, as well as in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Konopka
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Anna Konopka
| | - Julie D. Atkin
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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16
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Warner JH, Long JD, Mills JA, Langbehn DR, Ware J, Mohan A, Sampaio C. Standardizing the CAP Score in Huntington's Disease by Predicting Age-at-Onset. J Huntingtons Dis 2022; 11:153-171. [PMID: 35466943 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-210475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant, neurological disease caused by an expanded CAG repeat near the N-terminus of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. A leading theory concerning the etiology of HD is that both onset and progression are driven by cumulative exposure to the effects of mutant (or CAG expanded) huntingtin (mHTT). The CAG-Age-Product (CAP) score (i.e., the product of excess CAG length and age) is a commonly used measure of this cumulative exposure. CAP score has been widely used as a predictor of a variety of disease state variables in HD. The utility of the CAP score has been somewhat diminished, however, by a lack of agreement on its precise definition. The most commonly used forms of the CAP score are highly correlated so that, for purposes of prediction, it makes little difference which is used. However, reported values of CAP scores, based on commonly used definitions, differ substantially in magnitude when applied to the same data. This complicates the process of inter-study comparison. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we propose a standardized definition for the CAP score which will resolve this difficulty. Our standardization is chosen so that CAP = 100 at the expected age of diagnosis. METHODS Statistical methods include novel survival analysis methodology applied to the 13 disease landmarks taken from the Enroll-HD database (PDS 5) and comparisons with the existing, gold standard, onset model. RESULTS Useful by-products of our work include up-to-date, age-at-onset (AO) results and a refined AO model suitable for use in other contexts, a discussion of several useful properties of the CAP score that have not previously been noted in the literature and the introduction of the concept of a toxicity onset model. CONCLUSION We suggest that taking L = 30 and K = 6.49 provides a useful standardization of the CAP score, suitable for use in the routine modeling of clinical data in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeffrey D Long
- Departments of Psychiatry, Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - James A Mills
- Departments of Psychiatry, Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Douglas R Langbehn
- Departments of Psychiatry, Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | | | - Amrita Mohan
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ, USA
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Wang Z, Zheng P, Chen X, Xie Y, Weston-Green K, Solowij N, Chew YL, Huang XF. Cannabidiol induces autophagy and improves neuronal health associated with SIRT1 mediated longevity. GeroScience 2022; 44:1505-1524. [PMID: 35445360 PMCID: PMC9213613 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00559-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a catabolic process to eliminate defective cellular molecules via lysosome-mediated degradation. Dysfunctional autophagy is associated with accelerated aging, whereas stimulation of autophagy could have potent anti-aging effects. We report that cannabidiol (CBD), a natural compound from Cannabis sativa, extends lifespan and rescues age-associated physiological declines in C. elegans. CBD promoted autophagic flux in nerve-ring neurons visualized by a tandem-tagged LGG-1 reporter during aging in C. elegans. Similarly, CBD activated autophagic flux in hippocampal and SH-SY5Y neurons. Furthermore, CBD-mediated lifespan extension was dependent on autophagy genes (bec-1, vps-34, and sqst-1) confirmed by RNAi knockdown experiments. C. elegans neurons have previously been shown to accumulate aberrant morphologies, such as beading and blebbing, with increasing age. Interestingly, CBD treatment slowed the development of these features in anterior and posterior touch receptor neurons (TRN) during aging. RNAi knockdown experiments indicated that CBD-mediated age-associated morphological changes in TRNs require bec-1 and sqst-1, not vps-34. Further investigation demonstrated that CBD-induced lifespan extension and increased neuronal health require sir-2.1/SIRT1. These findings collectively indicate the anti-aging benefits of CBD treatment, in both in vitro and in vivo models, and its potential to improve neuronal health and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhizhen Wang
- Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE), New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Peng Zheng
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Xi Chen
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Yuanyi Xie
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Katrina Weston-Green
- Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE), New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Nadia Solowij
- Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE), New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Yee Lian Chew
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. .,Molecular Horizons, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. .,Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute and College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, 5042, Australia.
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE), New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia. .,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. .,Molecular Horizons, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
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18
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Soylu-Kucharz R, Khoshnan A, Petersén Å. IKKβ signaling mediates metabolic changes in the hypothalamus of a Huntington disease mouse model. iScience 2022; 25:103771. [PMID: 35146388 PMCID: PMC8819015 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Metabolic changes are associated with HD progression, but underlying mechanisms are not fully known. As the IKKβ/NF-κB pathway is an essential regulator of metabolism, we investigated the involvement of IKKβ, the upstream activator of NF-κB in hypothalamus-specific HD metabolic changes. We expressed amyloidogenic N-terminal fragments of mutant HTT (mHTT) in the hypothalamus of mice with brain-specific ablation of IKKβ (Nestin/IKKβlox/lox) and control mice (IKKβlox/lox). We assessed effects on body weight, metabolic hormones, and hypothalamic neuropathology. Hypothalamic expression of mHTT led to an obese phenotype only in female mice. CNS-specific inactivation of IKKβ prohibited weight gain in females, which was independent of neuroprotection and microglial activation. Our study suggests that mHTT in the hypothalamus causes metabolic imbalance in a sex-specific fashion, and central inhibition of the IKKβ pathway attenuates the obese phenotype. Mutant huntingtin in the hypothalamus causes sex-specific metabolic imbalance CNS-specific inactivation of the IKKβ pathway prevents the obese phenotype IKKβ inactivation leads to an increased number of mutant huntingtin inclusions IKKβ inactivation does not prevent orexin or A13 TH neuron loss
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Soylu-Kucharz
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ali Khoshnan
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Åsa Petersén
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC D11, 22184 Lund, Sweden
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Fields E, Vaughan E, Tripu D, Lim I, Shrout K, Conway J, Salib N, Lee Y, Dhamsania A, Jacobsen M, Woo A, Xue H, Cao K. Gene targeting techniques for Huntington's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 70:101385. [PMID: 34098113 PMCID: PMC8373677 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal neurodegenerative disorder caused by extended trinucleotide CAG repetition in the HTT gene. Wild-type huntingtin protein (HTT) is essential, involved in a variety of crucial cellular functions such as vesicle transportation, cell division, transcription regulation, autophagy, and tissue maintenance. The mutant HTT (mHTT) proteins in the body interfere with HTT's normal cellular functions and cause additional detrimental effects. In this review, we discuss multiple approaches targeting DNA and RNA to reduce mHTT expression. These approaches are categorized into non-allele-specific silencing and allele-specific-silencing using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplogroup analysis. Additionally, this review discusses a potential application of recent CRISPR prime editing technology in targeting HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Fields
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Erik Vaughan
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Deepika Tripu
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Isabelle Lim
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Katherine Shrout
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Jessica Conway
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Nicole Salib
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Yubin Lee
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Akash Dhamsania
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Michael Jacobsen
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Ashley Woo
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Huijing Xue
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Kan Cao
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States; Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States.
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20
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Region-specific vulnerability in neurodegeneration: lessons from normal ageing. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 67:101311. [PMID: 33639280 PMCID: PMC8024744 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Why neurodegenerative disease pathology is regionally restricted remains elusive. Regions selectively prone to neurodegeneration are also vulnerable to normal ageing. Nervous system tissue, cellular and molecular ageing may determine regional vulnerability. Differential ageing can conceptually extend from an individual to subcellular scale. An understanding of region-specific vulnerability might guide therapeutic advances.
A number of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), possess a shared characteristic of region-specific neurodegeneration. However, the mechanisms which determine why particular regions within the nervous system are selectively vulnerable to neurodegeneration, whilst others remain relatively unaffected throughout disease progression, remain elusive. Here, we review how regional susceptibility to the ubiquitous physiological phenomenon of normal ageing might underlie the vulnerability of these same regions to neurodegeneration, highlighting three regions archetypally associated with AD, PD and ALS (the hippocampus, substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral spinal cord, respectively), as especially prone to age-related alterations. Placing particular emphasis on these three regions, we comprehensively explore differential regional susceptibility to nervous system tissue, cellular and molecular level ageing to provide an integrated perspective on why age-related neurodegenerative diseases exhibit region-selective vulnerability. Combining these principles with increasingly recognised differences between chronological and biological ageing (termed differential or ‘delta’ ageing) might ultimately guide therapeutic approaches for these devastating neurodegenerative diseases, for which a paucity of disease modifying and/or life promoting treatments currently exist.
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