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Okekenwa S, Tsai M, Dooley P, Wang B, Comassio P, Moreira J, Kriefall N, Martin S, Morfini G, Brady S, Song Y. Divergent Molecular Pathways for Toxicity of Selected Mutant C9ORF72-derived Dipeptide Repeats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.28.558663. [PMID: 37808871 PMCID: PMC10557653 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.28.558663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Expansion of a hexanucleotide repeat in a noncoding region of the C9ORF72 gene is responsible for a significant fraction of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) cases, but mechanisms linking mutant gene products to neuronal toxicity remain debatable. Pathogenesis was proposed to involve the production of toxic RNA species and/or accumulation of toxic dipeptide repeats (DPRs) but distinguishing between these mechanisms has been challenging. In this study, we first use complementary model systems for analyzing pathogenesis in adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases to characterize the pathogenicity of DPRs produced by Repeat Associated Non-ATG translation of C9ORF72 in specific cellular compartments: isolated axoplasm and giant synapse from the squid. Results showed selective axonal and presynaptic toxicity of GP-DPRs, independent of associated RNA. These effects involved a MAPK signaling pathway that affects fast axonal transport and synaptic function, a pathogenic mechanism shared with other mutant proteins associated with familial ALS, like SOD1 and FUS. In primary cultured neurons, GP but not other DPRs promote the "dying-back" axonopathy seen in ALS. Interestingly, GR- and PR-DPRs, which had no effect on axonal transport or synaptic transmission, were found to disrupt the nuclear membrane, promoting "dying-forward" neuropathy. All C9-DPR-mediated toxic effects observed in these studies are independent of whether the corresponding mRNAs contained hexanucleotide repeats or alternative codons. Finally, C9ORF72 human tissues confirmed a close association between GP and active P38 in degenerating motor neurons as well as GR-associated nuclear damage in the cortex. Collectively, our studies establish compartment-specific toxic effects of C9-DPRs associated with degeneration, suggesting that two independent pathogenic mechanisms may contribute to disease heterogeneity and/or synergize on disease progression in C9ORF72 patients with ALS and/or FTD symptoms.
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Lundt S, Zhang N, Polo-Parada L, Wang X, Ding S. Dietary NMN supplementation enhances motor and NMJ function in ALS. Exp Neurol 2024; 374:114698. [PMID: 38266764 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114698] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease that causes the degeneration of motor neurons in the motor cortex and spinal cord. Patients with ALS experience muscle weakness and atrophy in the limbs which eventually leads to paralysis and death. NAD+ is critical for energy metabolism, such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, but is also involved in non-metabolic cellular reactions. In the current study, we determined whether the supplementation of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), an NAD+ precursor, in the diet had beneficial impacts on disease progression using a SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS. We found that the ALS mice fed with an NMN-supplemented diet (ALS+NMN mice) had modestly extended lifespan and exhibited delayed motor dysfunction. Using electrophysiology, we studied the effect of NMN on synaptic transmission at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in symptomatic of ALS mice (18 weeks old). ALS+NMN mice had larger end-plate potential (EPP) amplitudes and maintained better responses than ALS mice, and also had restored EPP facilitation. While quantal content was not affected by NMN, miniature EPP (mEPP) amplitude and frequency were elevated in ALS+NMN mice. NMN supplementation in diet also improved NMJ morphology, innervation, mitochondrial structure, and reduced reactive astrogliosis in the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cord. Overall, our results indicate that dietary consumption of NMN can slow motor impairment, enhance NMJ function and improve healthspan of ALS mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Lundt
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America; Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America
| | - Nannan Zhang
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America
| | - Luis Polo-Parada
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America; Department of Medical, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America
| | - Xinglong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States of America
| | - Shinghua Ding
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America; Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America; Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America.
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Dunn E, Steinert JR, Stone A, Sahota V, Williams RSB, Snowden S, Augustin H. Medium-Chain Fatty Acids Rescue Motor Function and Neuromuscular Junction Degeneration in a Drosophila Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2023; 12:2163. [PMID: 37681895 PMCID: PMC10486503 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172163] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease characterised by progressive degeneration of the motor neurones. An expanded GGGGCC (G4C2) hexanucleotide repeat in C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD); therefore, the resulting disease is known as C9ALS/FTD. Here, we employ a Drosophila melanogaster model of C9ALS/FTD (C9 model) to investigate a role for specific medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in reversing pathogenic outcomes. Drosophila larvae overexpressing the ALS-associated dipeptide repeats (DPRs) in the nervous system exhibit reduced motor function and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) defects. We show that two MCFAs, nonanoic acid (NA) and 4-methyloctanoic acid (4-MOA), can ameliorate impaired motor function in C9 larvae and improve NMJ degeneration, although their mechanisms of action are not identical. NA modified postsynaptic glutamate receptor density, whereas 4-MOA restored defects in the presynaptic vesicular release. We also demonstrate the effects of NA and 4-MOA on metabolism in C9 larvae and implicate various metabolic pathways as dysregulated in our ALS model. Our findings pave the way to identifying novel therapeutic targets and potential treatments for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Dunn
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 OEX, UK; (E.D.); (R.S.B.W.)
| | - Joern R. Steinert
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; (J.R.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Aelfwin Stone
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; (J.R.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Virender Sahota
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 OEX, UK; (E.D.); (R.S.B.W.)
| | - Robin S. B. Williams
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 OEX, UK; (E.D.); (R.S.B.W.)
| | - Stuart Snowden
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 OEX, UK; (E.D.); (R.S.B.W.)
| | - Hrvoje Augustin
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 OEX, UK; (E.D.); (R.S.B.W.)
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Hindley N, Sanchez Avila A, Henstridge C. Bringing synapses into focus: Recent advances in synaptic imaging and mass-spectrometry for studying synaptopathy. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1130198. [PMID: 37008679 PMCID: PMC10050382 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1130198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Synapses are integral for healthy brain function and are becoming increasingly recognized as key structures in the early stages of brain disease. Understanding the pathological processes driving synaptic dysfunction will unlock new therapeutic opportunities for some of the most devastating diseases of our time. To achieve this we need a solid repertoire of imaging and molecular tools to interrogate synaptic biology at greater resolution. Synapses have historically been examined in small numbers, using highly technical imaging modalities, or in bulk, using crude molecular approaches. However, recent advances in imaging techniques are allowing us to analyze large numbers of synapses, at single-synapse resolution. Furthermore, multiplexing is now achievable with some of these approaches, meaning we can examine multiple proteins at individual synapses in intact tissue. New molecular techniques now allow accurate quantification of proteins from isolated synapses. The development of increasingly sensitive mass-spectrometry equipment means we can now scan the synaptic molecular landscape almost in totality and see how this changes in disease. As we embrace these new technical developments, synapses will be viewed with clearer focus, and the field of synaptopathy will become richer with insightful and high-quality data. Here, we will discuss some of the ways in which synaptic interrogation is being facilitated by methodological advances, focusing on imaging, and mass spectrometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Hindley
- Division of Cellular and Systems Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Nicole Hindley,
| | - Anna Sanchez Avila
- Division of Cellular and Systems Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
- Euan Macdonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Henstridge
- Division of Cellular and Systems Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
- Euan Macdonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Lopez-Herdoiza MB, Bauché S, Wilmet B, Le Duigou C, Roussel D, Frah M, Béal J, Devely G, Boluda S, Frick P, Bouteiller D, Dussaud S, Guillabert P, Dalle C, Dumont M, Camuzat A, Saracino D, Barbier M, Bruneteau G, Ravassard P, Neumann M, Nicole S, Le Ber I, Brice A, Latouche M. C9ORF72 knockdown triggers FTD-like symptoms and cell pathology in mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1155929. [PMID: 37138765 PMCID: PMC10149765 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1155929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The GGGGCC intronic repeat expansion within C9ORF72 is the most common genetic cause of ALS and FTD. This mutation results in toxic gain of function through accumulation of expanded RNA foci and aggregation of abnormally translated dipeptide repeat proteins, as well as loss of function due to impaired transcription of C9ORF72. A number of in vivo and in vitro models of gain and loss of function effects have suggested that both mechanisms synergize to cause the disease. However, the contribution of the loss of function mechanism remains poorly understood. We have generated C9ORF72 knockdown mice to mimic C9-FTD/ALS patients haploinsufficiency and investigate the role of this loss of function in the pathogenesis. We found that decreasing C9ORF72 leads to anomalies of the autophagy/lysosomal pathway, cytoplasmic accumulation of TDP-43 and decreased synaptic density in the cortex. Knockdown mice also developed FTD-like behavioral deficits and mild motor phenotypes at a later stage. These findings show that C9ORF72 partial loss of function contributes to the damaging events leading to C9-FTD/ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephanie Bauché
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Baptiste Wilmet
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Le Duigou
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Roussel
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Magali Frah
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Jonas Béal
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Gabin Devely
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Susana Boluda
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Petra Frick
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Sébastien Dussaud
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Guillabert
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Carine Dalle
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Magali Dumont
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Agnes Camuzat
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Dario Saracino
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Barbier
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Gaelle Bruneteau
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | - Manuela Neumann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Neuropathology, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sophie Nicole
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Le Ber
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Alexis Brice
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Morwena Latouche
- Institut du Cerveau–Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Inserm, CNRS, Paris, France
- EPHE, Neurogenetics Team, PSL Research University, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Morwena Latouche,
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Gelon PA, Dutchak PA, Sephton CF. Synaptic dysfunction in ALS and FTD: anatomical and molecular changes provide insights into mechanisms of disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1000183. [PMID: 36263379 PMCID: PMC9575515 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1000183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic loss is a pathological feature of all neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). ALS is a disease of the cortical and spinal motor neurons resulting in fatal paralysis due to denervation of muscles. FTD is a form of dementia that primarily affects brain regions controlling cognition, language and behavior. Once classified as two distinct diseases, ALS and FTD are now considered as part of a common disease spectrum based on overlapping clinical, pathological and genetic evidence. At the cellular level, aggregation of common proteins and overlapping gene susceptibilities are shared in both ALS and FTD. Despite the convergence of these two fields of research, the underlying disease mechanisms remain elusive. However, recent discovers from ALS and FTD patient studies and models of ALS/FTD strongly suggests that synaptic dysfunction is an early event in the disease process and a unifying hallmark of these diseases. This review provides a summary of the reported anatomical and cellular changes that occur in cortical and spinal motor neurons in ALS and FTD tissues and models of disease. We also highlight studies that identify changes in the proteome and transcriptome of ALS and FTD models and provide a conceptual overview of the processes that contribute to synaptic dysfunction in these diseases. Due to space limitations and the vast number of publications in the ALS and FTD fields, many articles have not been discussed in this review. As such, this review focuses on the three most common shared mutations in ALS and FTD, the hexanucleuotide repeat expansion within intron 1 of chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72), transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TARDBP or TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS), with the intention of highlighting common pathways that promote synaptic dysfunction in the ALS-FTD disease spectrum.
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Synaptic Effects of Palmitoylethanolamide in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12081161. [PMID: 36009055 PMCID: PMC9405819 DOI: 10.3390/biom12081161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence strongly supports the key role of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuroinflammation may alter synaptic transmission contributing to the progression of neurodegeneration, as largely documented in animal models and in patients’ studies. In the last few years, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), an endogenous lipid mediator, and its new composite, which is a formulation constituted of PEA and the well-recognized antioxidant flavonoid luteolin (Lut) subjected to an ultra-micronization process (co-ultraPEALut), has been identified as a potential therapeutic agent in different disorders by exerting potential beneficial effects on neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation by modulating synaptic transmission. In this review, we will show the potential therapeutic effects of PEA in animal models and in patients affected by neurodegenerative disorders.
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Amalyan S, Tamboli S, Lazarevich I, Topolnik D, Bouman LH, Topolnik L. Enhanced motor cortex output and disinhibition in asymptomatic female mice with C9orf72 genetic expansion. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111043. [PMID: 35793625 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Information and action coding by cortical circuits relies on a balanced dialogue between excitation and inhibition. Circuit hyperexcitability is considered a potential pathophysiological mechanism in various brain disorders, but the underlying deficits, especially at early disease stages, remain largely unknown. We report that asymptomatic female mice carrying the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) repeat expansion, which represents a high-prevalence genetic abnormality for human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) spectrum disorder, exhibit abnormal motor cortex output. The number of primary motor cortex (M1) layer 5 pyramidal neurons is reduced in asymptomatic mice, with the surviving neurons receiving a decreased inhibitory drive that results in a higher M1 output, specifically during high-speed animal locomotion. Importantly, using deep-learning algorithms revealed that speed-dependent M1 output predicts the likelihood of C9orf72 genetic expansion. Our data link early circuit abnormalities with a gene mutation in asymptomatic ALS/FTLD carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sona Amalyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Axis, CHU de Québec Research Center (CHUL), Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Suhel Tamboli
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Axis, CHU de Québec Research Center (CHUL), Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Ivan Lazarevich
- École Normale Supérieure, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, Group for Neural Theory, Paris, France
| | - Dimitry Topolnik
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Axis, CHU de Québec Research Center (CHUL), Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Leandra Harriet Bouman
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Axis, CHU de Québec Research Center (CHUL), Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Lisa Topolnik
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Axis, CHU de Québec Research Center (CHUL), Québec, QC, Canada.
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