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Krishnan V, Wu J, Mazumder AG, Kamen JL, Schirmer C, Adhyapak N, Bass JS, Lee SC, Maheshwari A, Molinaro G, Gibson JR, Huber KM, Minassian BA. Clinicopathologic Dissociation: Robust Lafora Body Accumulation in Malin KO Mice Without Observable Changes in Home-Cage Behavior. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25660. [PMID: 39039998 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25660] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a syndrome of progressive myoclonic epilepsy and cumulative neurocognitive deterioration caused by recessively inherited genetic lesions of EPM2A (laforin) or NHLRC1 (malin). Neuropsychiatric symptomatology in LD is thought to be directly downstream of neuronal and astrocytic polyglucosan aggregates, termed Lafora bodies (LBs), which faithfully accumulate in an age-dependent manner in all mouse models of LD. In this study, we applied home-cage monitoring to examine the extent of neurobehavioral deterioration in a model of malin-deficient LD as a means to identify robust preclinical endpoints that may guide the selection of novel genetic treatments. At 6 weeks, ∼6-7 months, and ∼12 months of age, malin-deficient mice ("KO") and wild-type (WT) littermates underwent a standardized home-cage behavioral assessment designed to non-obtrusively appraise features of rest/arousal, consumptive behaviors, risk aversion, and voluntary wheel-running. At all timepoints, and over a range of metrics that we report transparently, WT and KO mice were essentially indistinguishable. In contrast, within WT mice compared across the same timepoints, we identified age-related nocturnal hypoactivity, diminished sucrose preference, and reduced wheel-running. Neuropathological examinations in subsets of the same mice revealed expected age-dependent LB accumulation, gliosis, and microglial activation in cortical and subcortical brain regions. At 12 months of age, despite the burden of neocortical LBs, we did not identify spontaneous seizures during an electroencephalographic (EEG) survey, and KO and WT mice exhibited similar spectral EEG features. However, in an in vitro assay of neocortical function, paroxysmal bursts of network activity (UP states) in KO slices were more prolonged at 3 and 6 months of age, but similar to WT at 12 months. KO mice displayed a distinct response to pentylenetetrazole, with a greater incidence of clonic seizures and a more pronounced postictal suppression of movement, feeding, and drinking behavior. Together, these results highlight the clinicopathologic dissociation in a mouse model of LD, where the accrual of LBs may latently modify cortical circuit function and seizure threshold without clinically meaningful changes in home-cage behavior. Our findings allude to a delay between LB accumulation and neurobehavioral decline in LD: one that may provide a window for treatment, and whose precise duration may be difficult to ascertain within the typical lifespan of a laboratory mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishnav Krishnan
- Department of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jun Wu
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Arindam Ghosh Mazumder
- Department of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jessica L Kamen
- Department of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Catharina Schirmer
- Department of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Nandani Adhyapak
- Department of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - John Samuel Bass
- Department of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Samuel C Lee
- Department of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Atul Maheshwari
- Department of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Gemma Molinaro
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jay R Gibson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Kimberly M Huber
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Donohue KJ, Fitzsimmons B, Bruntz RC, Markussen KH, Young LEA, Clarke HA, Coburn PT, Griffith LE, Sanders W, Klier J, Burke SN, Maurer AP, Minassian BA, Sun RC, Kordasiewisz HB, Gentry MS. Gys1 Antisense Therapy Prevents Disease-Driving Aggregates and Epileptiform Discharges in a Lafora Disease Mouse Model. Neurotherapeutics 2023; 20:1808-1819. [PMID: 37700152 PMCID: PMC10684475 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-023-01434-9] [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] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with Lafora disease have a mutation in EPM2A or EPM2B, resulting in dysregulation of glycogen metabolism throughout the body and aberrant glycogen molecules that aggregate into Lafora bodies. Lafora bodies are particularly damaging in the brain, where the aggregation drives seizures with increasing severity and frequency, coupled with neurodegeneration. Previous work employed mouse genetic models to reduce glycogen synthesis by approximately 50%, and this strategy significantly reduced Lafora body formation and disease phenotypes. Therefore, an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) was developed to reduce glycogen synthesis in the brain by targeting glycogen synthase 1 (Gys1). To test the distribution and efficacy of this drug, the Gys1-ASO was administered to Epm2b-/- mice via intracerebroventricular administration at 4, 7, and 10 months. The mice were then sacrificed at 13 months and their brains analyzed for Gys1 expression, glycogen aggregation, and neuronal excitability. The mice treated with Gys1-ASO exhibited decreased Gys1 protein levels, decreased glycogen aggregation, and reduced epileptiform discharges compared to untreated Epm2b-/- mice. This work provides proof of concept that a Gys1-ASO halts disease progression of EPM2B mutations of Lafora disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine J Donohue
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Bethany Fitzsimmons
- Department of Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | - Ronald C Bruntz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Kia H Markussen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Lyndsay E A Young
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Harrison A Clarke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Peyton T Coburn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Laiken E Griffith
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - William Sanders
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Jack Klier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Sara N Burke
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Andrew P Maurer
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Ramon C Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Holly B Kordasiewisz
- Department of Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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Burgos DF, Machío-Castello M, Iglesias-Cabeza N, Giráldez BG, González-Fernández J, Sánchez-Martín G, Sánchez MP, Serratosa JM. Early Treatment with Metformin Improves Neurological Outcomes in Lafora Disease. Neurotherapeutics 2023; 20:230-244. [PMID: 36303102 PMCID: PMC10119355 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01304-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease is a fatal form of progressive myoclonic epilepsy caused by mutations in the EPM2A or NHLRC1/EPM2B genes that usually appears during adolescence. The Epm2a-/- and Epm2b-/- knock-out mouse models of the disease develop behavioral and neurological alterations similar to those observed in patients. The aim of this work is to analyze whether early treatment with metformin (from conception to adulthood) ameliorates the formation of Lafora bodies and improves the behavioral and neurological outcomes observed with late treatment (during 2 months at 10 months of age). We also evaluated the benefits of metformin in patients with Lafora disease. To assess neurological improvements due to metformin administration in the two mouse models, we evaluated the effects on pentylenetetrazol sensitivity, posturing, motor coordination and activity, and memory. We also analyzed the effects on Lafora bodies, neurodegeneration, and astrogliosis. Furthermore, we conducted a follow-up study of an initial cohort of 18 patients with Lafora disease, 8 treated with metformin and 10 untreated. Our results indicate that early metformin was more effective than late metformin in Lafora disease mouse models improving neurological alterations of both models such as neuronal hyperexcitability, motor and memory alterations, neurodegeneration, and astrogliosis and decreasing the formation of Lafora bodies. Moreover, patients receiving metformin had a slower progression of the disease. Overall, early treatment improves the outcome seen with late metformin treatment in the two knock-out mouse models of Lafora disease. Metformin-treated patients exhibited an ameliorated course of the disease with slower deterioration of their daily living activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Burgos
- Laboratory of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma de Madrid University (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029, Madrid, Spain
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autonoma de Madrid University-Cajal Institute, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Machío-Castello
- Laboratory of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma de Madrid University (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Iglesias-Cabeza
- Laboratory of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma de Madrid University (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz G Giráldez
- Laboratory of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma de Madrid University (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan González-Fernández
- Laboratory of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma de Madrid University (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Parasitology, School of Pharmacy, Complutense de Madrid University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Sánchez-Martín
- Laboratory of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma de Madrid University (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina P Sánchez
- Laboratory of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma de Madrid University (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Serratosa
- Laboratory of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma de Madrid University (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029, Madrid, Spain.
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Mollá B, Heredia M, Campos Á, Sanz P. Pharmacological Modulation of Glutamatergic and Neuroinflammatory Pathways in a Lafora Disease Mouse Model. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:6018-6032. [PMID: 35835895 PMCID: PMC9463199 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02956-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal rare neurodegenerative disorder that affects young adolescents and has no treatment yet. The hallmark of LD is the presence of polyglucosan inclusions (PGs), called Lafora bodies (LBs), in the brain and peripheral tissues. LD is caused by mutations in either EPM2A or EPM2B genes, which, respectively, encode laforin, a glucan phosphatase, and malin, an E3-ubiquitin ligase, with identical clinical features. LD knockout mouse models (Epm2a - / - and Epm2b - / -) recapitulate PG body accumulation, as in the human pathology, and display alterations in glutamatergic transmission and neuroinflammatory pathways in the brain. In this work, we show the results of four pre-clinical trials based on the modulation of glutamatergic transmission (riluzole and memantine) and anti-neuroinflammatory interventions (resveratrol and minocycline) as therapeutical strategies in an Epm2b - / - mouse model. Drugs were administered in mice from 3 to 5 months of age, corresponding to early stage of the disease, and we evaluated the beneficial effect of the drugs by in vivo behavioral phenotyping and ex vivo histopathological brain analyses. The behavioral assessment was based on a battery of anxiety, cognitive, and neurodegenerative tests and the histopathological analyses included a panel of markers regarding PG accumulation, astrogliosis, and microgliosis. Overall, the outcome of ameliorating the excessive glutamatergic neurotransmission present in Epm2b - / - mice by memantine displayed therapeutic effectiveness at the behavioral levels. Modulation of neuroinflammation by resveratrol and minocycline also showed beneficial effects at the behavioral level. Therefore, our study suggests that both therapeutical strategies could be beneficial for the treatment of LD patients. A mouse model of Lafora disease (Epm2b-/-) was used to check the putative beneficial effect of different drugs aimed to ameliorate the alterations in glutamatergic transmission and/or neuroinflammation present in the model. Drugs in blue gave a more positive outcome than the rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Mollá
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel Heredia
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ángela Campos
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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Sinha P, Verma B, Ganesh S. Age-Dependent Reduction in the Expression Levels of Genes Involved in Progressive Myoclonus Epilepsy Correlates with Increased Neuroinflammation and Seizure Susceptibility in Mouse Models. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:5532-5548. [PMID: 35732865 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02928-x] [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: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Brain aging is characterized by a gradual decline in cellular homeostatic processes, thereby losing the ability to respond to physiological stress. At the anatomical level, the aged brain is characterized by degenerating neurons, proteinaceous plaques and tangles, intracellular deposition of glycogen, and elevated neuroinflammation. Intriguingly, such age-associated changes are also seen in neurodegenerative disorders suggesting that an accelerated aging process could be one of the contributory factors for the disease phenotype. Amongst these, the genetic forms of progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME), resulting from loss-of-function mutations in genes, manifest symptoms that are common to age-associated disorders, and genes mutated in PME are involved in the cellular homeostatic processes. Intriguingly, the incidence and/or onset of epileptic seizures are known to increase with age, suggesting that physiological changes in the aged brain might contribute to increased susceptibility to seizures. We, therefore, hypothesized that the expression level of genes implicated in PME might decrease with age, thereby leading to a compromised neuronal response towards physiological stress and hence neuroinflammation in the aging brain. Using mice models, we demonstrate here that the expression level of PME genes shows an inverse correlation with age, neuroinflammation, and compromised heat shock response. We further show that the pharmacological suppression of neuroinflammation ameliorates seizure susceptibility in aged animals as well as in animal models for a PME. Taken together, our results indicate a functional role for the PME genes in normal brain aging and that neuroinflammation could be a major contributory player in susceptibility to seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Sinha
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Bhupender Verma
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Subramaniam Ganesh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur, 208016, India. .,Mehta Family Center for Engineering in Medicine, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India.
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Mollá B, Heredia M, Sanz P. Modulators of Neuroinflammation Have a Beneficial Effect in a Lafora Disease Mouse Model. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:2508-2522. [PMID: 33447969 PMCID: PMC8167455 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02285-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD; OMIM#274780) is a fatal rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by generalized epileptic seizures and the presence of polyglucosan inclusions (PGs), called Lafora bodies (LBs), typically in the brain. LD is caused by mutations in two genes EPM2A or EPM2B, which encode respectively laforin, a glucan phosphatase, and malin, an E3-ubiquitin ligase. Much remains unknown about the molecular bases of LD and, unfortunately, appropriate treatment is still missing; therefore patients die within 10 years from the onset of the disease. Recently, we have identified neuroinflammation as one of the initial determinants in LD. In this work, we have investigated anti-inflammatory treatments as potential therapies in LD. With this aim, we have performed a preclinical study in an Epm2b-/- mouse model with propranolol, a β-adrenergic antagonist, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant from green tea extract, both of which displaying additional anti-inflammatory properties. In vivo motor and cognitive behavioral tests and ex vivo histopathological brain analyses were used as parameters to assess the therapeutic potential of propranolol and EGCG. After 2 months of treatment, we observed an improvement not only in attention defects but also in neuronal disorganization, astrogliosis, and microgliosis present in the hippocampus of Epm2b-/- mice. In general, propranolol intervention was more effective than EGCG in preventing the appearance of astrocyte and microglia reactivity. In summary, our results confirm the potential therapeutic effectiveness of the modulators of inflammation as novel treatments in Lafora disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Mollá
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Miguel Heredia
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Laboratory of Nutrient Signaling, Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010, Valencia, Spain
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Beneficial Effects of Metformin on the Central Nervous System, with a Focus on Epilepsy and Lafora Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22105351. [PMID: 34069559 PMCID: PMC8160983 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Metformin is a drug in the family of biguanide compounds that is widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Interestingly, the therapeutic potential of metformin expands its prescribed use as an anti-diabetic drug. In this sense, it has been described that metformin administration has beneficial effects on different neurological conditions. In this work, we review the beneficial effects of this drug as a neuroprotective agent in different neurological diseases, with a special focus on epileptic disorders and Lafora disease, a particular type of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. In addition, we review the different proposed mechanisms of action of metformin to understand its function at the neurological level.
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Sinha P, Verma B, Ganesh S. Trehalose Ameliorates Seizure Susceptibility in Lafora Disease Mouse Models by Suppressing Neuroinflammation and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:1088-1101. [PMID: 33094475 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02170-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is one of the progressive and fatal forms of a neurodegenerative disorder and is characterized by teenage-onset myoclonic seizures. Neuropathological changes in LD include the formation of abnormal glycogen as Lafora bodies, gliosis, and neuroinflammation. LD is caused by defects in the gene coding for phosphatase (laforin) or ubiquitin ligase (malin). Mouse models of LD, developed by targeted disruption of these two genes, develop most symptoms of LD and show increased susceptibility to induced seizures. Studies on mouse models also suggest that defective autophagy might contribute to LD etiology. In an attempt to understand the specific role of autophagy in LD pathogenesis, in this study, we fed LD animals with trehalose, an inducer of autophagy, for 3 months and looked at its effect on the neuropathology and seizure susceptibility. We demonstrate here that trehalose ameliorates gliosis, neuroinflammation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress and reduces susceptibility to induced seizures in LD animals. However, trehalose did not affect the formation of Lafora bodies, suggesting the epileptic phenotype in LD could be either secondary to or independent of Lafora bodies. Taken together, our results suggest that autophagy inducers can be considered as potential therapeutic molecules for Lafora disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Sinha
- Department of Biological Sciences & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Bhupender Verma
- Department of Biological Sciences & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Subramaniam Ganesh
- Department of Biological Sciences & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India.
- The Mehta Family Centre for Engineering in Medicine, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India.
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Burgos DF, Cussó L, Sánchez-Elexpuru G, Calle D, Perpinyà MB, Desco M, Serratosa JM, Sánchez MP. Structural and Functional Brain Abnormalities in Mouse Models of Lafora Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207771. [PMID: 33092303 PMCID: PMC7589150 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the EPM2A and EPM2B genes, encoding laforin and malin proteins respectively, are responsible for Lafora disease, a fatal form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy with autosomal recessive inheritance. Neuroimaging studies of patients with Lafora disease have shown different degrees of brain atrophy, decreased glucose brain uptake and alterations on different brain metabolites mainly in the frontal cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum. Mice deficient for laforin and malin present many features similar to those observed in patients, including cognitive, motor, histological and epileptic hallmarks. We describe the neuroimaging features found in two mouse models of Lafora disease. We found altered volumetric values in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia and cerebellum using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Positron emission tomography (PET) of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of Epm2a-/- mice revealed abnormal glucose uptake, although no alterations in Epm2b-/- mice were observed. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) revealed significant changes in the concentration of several brain metabolites, including N-acetylaspartate (NAA), in agreement with previously described findings in patients. These data may provide new insights into disease mechanisms that may be of value for developing new biomarkers for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of Lafora disease using animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Burgos
- Laboratory of Neurology, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma University, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (D.F.B.); (G.S.-E.); (M.B.P.); (J.M.S.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lorena Cussó
- Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Madrid, Spain; (L.C.); (M.D.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Unidad de Imagen Avanzada, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gentzane Sánchez-Elexpuru
- Laboratory of Neurology, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma University, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (D.F.B.); (G.S.-E.); (M.B.P.); (J.M.S.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Daniel Calle
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Unidad de Imagen Avanzada, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Max Bautista Perpinyà
- Laboratory of Neurology, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma University, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (D.F.B.); (G.S.-E.); (M.B.P.); (J.M.S.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Desco
- Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Madrid, Spain; (L.C.); (M.D.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Unidad de Imagen Avanzada, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - José M. Serratosa
- Laboratory of Neurology, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma University, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (D.F.B.); (G.S.-E.); (M.B.P.); (J.M.S.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina P. Sánchez
- Laboratory of Neurology, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autónoma University, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (D.F.B.); (G.S.-E.); (M.B.P.); (J.M.S.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +34-91-5497700
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10
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Israelian L, Nitschke S, Wang P, Zhao X, Perri AM, Lee JPY, Verhalen B, Nitschke F, Minassian BA. Ppp1r3d deficiency preferentially inhibits neuronal and cardiac Lafora body formation in a mouse model of the fatal epilepsy Lafora disease. J Neurochem 2020; 157:1897-1910. [PMID: 32892347 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian glycogen chain lengths are subject to complex regulation, including by seven proteins (protein phosphatase-1 regulatory subunit 3, PPP1R3A through PPP1R3G) that target protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) to glycogen to activate the glycogen chain-elongating enzyme glycogen synthase and inactivate the chain-shortening glycogen phosphorylase. Lafora disease is a fatal neurodegenerative epilepsy caused by aggregates of long-chained, and as a result insoluble, glycogen, termed Lafora bodies (LBs). We previously eliminated PPP1R3C from a Lafora disease mouse model and studied the effect on LB formation. In the present work, we eliminate and study the effect of absent PPP1R3D. In the interim, brain cell type levels of all PPP1R3 genes have been published, and brain cell type localization of LBs clarified. Integrating these data we find that PPP1R3C is the major isoform in most tissues including brain. In the brain, PPP1R3C is expressed at 15-fold higher levels than PPP1R3D in astrocytes, the cell type where most LBs form. PPP1R3C deficiency eliminates ~90% of brain LBs. PPP1R3D is quantitatively a minor isoform, but possesses unique MAPK, CaMK2 and 14-3-3 binding domains and appears to have an important functional niche in murine neurons and cardiomyocytes. In neurons, it is expressed equally to PPP1R3C, and its deficiency eliminates ~50% of neuronal LBs. In heart, it is expressed at 25% of PPP1R3C where its deficiency eliminates ~90% of LBs. This work studies the role of a second (PPP1R3D) of seven PP1 subunits that regulate the structure of glycogen, toward better understanding of brain glycogen metabolism generally, and in Lafora disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Israelian
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Silvia Nitschke
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Peixiang Wang
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Xiaochu Zhao
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ami M Perri
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer P Y Lee
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brandy Verhalen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Felix Nitschke
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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11
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Neuroinflammation and progressive myoclonus epilepsies: from basic science to therapeutic opportunities. Expert Rev Mol Med 2020; 22:e4. [PMID: 32938505 PMCID: PMC7520540 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2020.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Progressive myoclonus epilepsies (PMEs) are a group of genetic neurological disorders characterised by the occurrence of epileptic seizures, myoclonus and progressive neurological deterioration including cerebellar involvement and dementia. The primary cause of PMEs is variable and alterations in the corresponding mutated genes determine the progression and severity of the disease. In most cases, they lead to the death of the patient after a period of prolonged disability. PMEs also share poor information on the pathophysiological bases and the lack of a specific treatment. Recent reports suggest that neuroinflammation is a common trait under all these conditions. Here, we review similarities and differences in neuroinflammatory response in several PMEs and discuss the window of opportunity of using anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of several of these conditions.
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12
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Lahuerta M, Gonzalez D, Aguado C, Fathinajafabadi A, García-Giménez JL, Moreno-Estellés M, Romá-Mateo C, Knecht E, Pallardó FV, Sanz P. Reactive Glia-Derived Neuroinflammation: a Novel Hallmark in Lafora Progressive Myoclonus Epilepsy That Progresses with Age. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 57:1607-1621. [PMID: 31808062 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01842-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a rare, fatal form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. The molecular basis of this devastating disease is still poorly understood, and no treatment is available yet, which leads to the death of the patients around 10 years from the onset of the first symptoms. The hallmark of LD is the accumulation of insoluble glycogen-like inclusions in the brain and peripheral tissues, as a consequence of altered glycogen homeostasis. In addition, other determinants in the pathophysiology of LD have been suggested, such as proteostasis impairment, with reduction in autophagy, and oxidative stress, among others. In order to gain a general view of the genes involved in the pathophysiology of LD, in this work, we have performed RNA-Seq transcriptome analyses of whole-brain tissue from two independent mouse models of the disease, namely Epm2a-/- and Epm2b-/- mice, at different times of age. Our results provide strong evidence for three major facts: first, in both models of LD, we found a common set of upregulated genes, most of them encoding mediators of inflammatory response; second, there was a progression with the age in the appearance of these inflammatory markers, starting at 3 months of age; and third, reactive glia was responsible for the expression of these inflammatory genes. These results clearly indicate that neuroinflammation is one of the most important traits to be considered in order to fully understand the pathophysiology of LD, and define reactive glia as novel therapeutic targets in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Lahuerta
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Daymé Gonzalez
- EpiDisease S.L. (Spin-Off from the CIBER-ISCIII), Parc Científic de la Universitat de València, Paterna, Spain
| | - Carmen Aguado
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alihamze Fathinajafabadi
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Luis García-Giménez
- EpiDisease S.L. (Spin-Off from the CIBER-ISCIII), Parc Científic de la Universitat de València, Paterna, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Dept. Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mireia Moreno-Estellés
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Romá-Mateo
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Dept. Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Erwin Knecht
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Federico V Pallardó
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.,Dept. Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanz
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.
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13
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Brewer MK, Uittenbogaard A, Austin GL, Segvich DM, DePaoli-Roach A, Roach PJ, McCarthy JJ, Simmons ZR, Brandon JA, Zhou Z, Zeller J, Young LEA, Sun RC, Pauly JR, Aziz NM, Hodges BL, McKnight TR, Armstrong DD, Gentry MS. Targeting Pathogenic Lafora Bodies in Lafora Disease Using an Antibody-Enzyme Fusion. Cell Metab 2019; 30:689-705.e6. [PMID: 31353261 PMCID: PMC6774808 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal childhood epilepsy caused by recessive mutations in either the EPM2A or EPM2B gene. A hallmark of LD is the intracellular accumulation of insoluble polysaccharide deposits known as Lafora bodies (LBs) in the brain and other tissues. In LD mouse models, genetic reduction of glycogen synthesis eliminates LB formation and rescues the neurological phenotype. Therefore, LBs have become a therapeutic target for ameliorating LD. Herein, we demonstrate that human pancreatic α-amylase degrades LBs. We fused this amylase to a cell-penetrating antibody fragment, and this antibody-enzyme fusion (VAL-0417) degrades LBs in vitro and dramatically reduces LB loads in vivo in Epm2a-/- mice. Using metabolomics and multivariate analysis, we demonstrate that VAL-0417 treatment of Epm2a-/- mice reverses the metabolic phenotype to a wild-type profile. VAL-0417 is a promising drug for the treatment of LD and a putative precision therapy platform for intractable epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kathryn Brewer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Annette Uittenbogaard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Grant L Austin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Dyann M Segvich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Anna DePaoli-Roach
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Peter J Roach
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - John J McCarthy
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Zoe R Simmons
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jason A Brandon
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Zhengqiu Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jill Zeller
- Northern Biomedical Research, Spring Lake, MI 49456, USA
| | - Lyndsay E A Young
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Ramon C Sun
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - James R Pauly
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; University of Kentucky Epilepsy & Brain Metabolism Alliance, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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14
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Muñoz-Ballester C, Santana N, Perez-Jimenez E, Viana R, Artigas F, Sanz P. In vivo glutamate clearance defects in a mouse model of Lafora disease. Exp Neurol 2019; 320:112959. [PMID: 31108086 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.112959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by epilepsy, neurodegeneration and insoluble polyglucosan accumulation in brain and other peripheral tissues. Although in the last two decades we have increased our knowledge on the molecular basis underlying the pathophysiology of LD, only a small part of the research in LD has paid attention to the mechanisms triggering one of the most lethal features of the disease: epilepsy. Recent studies in our laboratory suggested that a dysfunction in the activity of the mouse astrocytic glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) could contribute to epilepsy in LD. In this work, we present new in vivo evidence of a GLT-1 dysfunction, contributing to increased levels of extracellular glutamate in the hippocampus of a mouse model of Lafora disease (Epm2b-/-, lacking the E3-ubiquitin ligase malin). According to our results, Epm2b-/- mice showed an increased neuronal activity, as assessed by c-fos expression, in the hippocampus, an area directly correlated to epileptogenesis. This brain area presented lesser ability to remove synaptic glutamate after local GLT-1 blockade with dihydrokainate (DHK), in comparison to Epm2b+/+ animals, suggesting that these animals have a compromised glutamate clearance when a challenging condition was presented. These results correlate with a hippocampal upregulation of the minor isoform of the Glt-1 gene, named Glt-1b, which has been associated with compensatory mechanisms activated in response to neuronal stress. In conclusion, the hippocampus of Epm2b-/- mice presents an in vivo impairment in glutamate uptake which could contribute to epileptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Muñoz-Ballester
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - N Santana
- Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques de Barcelona, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Perez-Jimenez
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - R Viana
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - F Artigas
- Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques de Barcelona, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Sanz
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain; CIBERER. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, group U742, Valencia, Spain.
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15
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4-Phenylbutyric acid and metformin decrease sensitivity to pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in a malin knockout model of Lafora disease. Neuroreport 2018; 28:268-271. [PMID: 28181916 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000000751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a rare adolescent-onset progressive myoclonic epilepsy caused by loss-of-function mutations either in the EPM2A gene encoding laforin or in the EPM2B gene encoding malin. Mouse models with deletion in the Epm2a or the Epm2b gene show intracellular aggregates of polyglucosans (Lafora bodies) and neurological complications that resemble those observed in patients with LD. In the absence of laforin or malin expression, mice also show different degrees of hyperexcitability, as reflected by an enhanced response to the convulsant drug pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). Malin knockout mice treated with 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) and metformin showed decreased amounts of Lafora bodies and polyubiquitin protein aggregates in the brain, diminished neurodegeneration, and amelioration of some neurological conditions. In this study, we analyzed the action of 4-PBA and metformin treatments on response to PTZ in a malin knockout model of LD. Both treatments decreased seizure susceptibility, bringing about a reduction in both seizure number and length, and eliminated the mortality induced by PTZ. These results show a neuroprotective role of 4-PBA and metformin and extend the beneficial effects reported in the malin knockout model of LD Video abstract: http://links.lww.com/WNR/A411.
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16
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Sánchez-Elexpuru G, Serratosa JM, Sánchez MP. Sodium selenate treatment improves symptoms and seizure susceptibility in a malin-deficient mouse model of Lafora disease. Epilepsia 2017; 58:467-475. [PMID: 28098937 DOI: 10.1111/epi.13656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To search for new therapies aimed at ameliorating the neurologic symptoms and epilepsy developing in patients with Lafora disease. METHODS Lafora disease is caused by loss-of-function mutations in either the EPM2A or EPM2B genes. Epm2a-/- and Epm2b-/- mice display neurologic and behavioral abnormalities similar to those found in patients. Selenium is a potent antioxidant and its deficiency has been related to the development of certain diseases, including epilepsy. In this study, we investigated whether sodium selenate treatment improved the neurologic alterations and the hyperexcitability present in the Epm2b-/- mouse model. RESULTS Sodium selenate ameliorates some of the motor and memory deficits and the sensitivity observed with pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) treatments in Epm2b-/- mice. Neuronal degeneration and gliosis were also diminished after sodium selenate treatment. SIGNIFICANCE Sodium selenate could be beneficial for ameliorating some symptoms that present in patients with Lafora disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gentzane Sánchez-Elexpuru
- Laboratory of Neurology, IIS-Jiménez Díaz Foundation, UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Biomedical Research Network Center on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Serratosa
- Laboratory of Neurology, IIS-Jiménez Díaz Foundation, UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Biomedical Research Network Center on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina P Sánchez
- Laboratory of Neurology, IIS-Jiménez Díaz Foundation, UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Biomedical Research Network Center on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
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