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Burtscher J, Strasser B, Pepe G, Burtscher M, Kopp M, Di Pardo A, Maglione V, Khamoui AV. Brain-Periphery Interactions in Huntington's Disease: Mediators and Lifestyle Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4696. [PMID: 38731912 PMCID: PMC11083237 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094696] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Prominent pathological features of Huntington's disease (HD) are aggregations of mutated Huntingtin protein (mHtt) in the brain and neurodegeneration, which causes characteristic motor (such as chorea and dystonia) and non-motor symptoms. However, the numerous systemic and peripheral deficits in HD have gained increasing attention recently, since those factors likely modulate disease progression, including brain pathology. While whole-body metabolic abnormalities and organ-specific pathologies in HD have been relatively well described, the potential mediators of compromised inter-organ communication in HD have been insufficiently characterized. Therefore, we applied an exploratory literature search to identify such mediators. Unsurprisingly, dysregulation of inflammatory factors, circulating mHtt, and many other messenger molecules (hormones, lipids, RNAs) were found that suggest impaired inter-organ communication, including of the gut-brain and muscle-brain axis. Based on these findings, we aimed to assess the risks and potentials of lifestyle interventions that are thought to improve communication across these axes: dietary strategies and exercise. We conclude that appropriate lifestyle interventions have great potential to reduce symptoms and potentially modify disease progression (possibly via improving inter-organ signaling) in HD. However, impaired systemic metabolism and peripheral symptoms warrant particular care in the design of dietary and exercise programs for people with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Burtscher
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Strasser
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rehabilitation Research, 1100 Vienna, Austria;
- Faculty of Medicine, Sigmund Freud Private University, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Giuseppe Pepe
- IRCCS Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (G.P.); (A.D.P.); (V.M.)
| | - Martin Burtscher
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (M.B.); (M.K.)
| | - Martin Kopp
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (M.B.); (M.K.)
| | - Alba Di Pardo
- IRCCS Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (G.P.); (A.D.P.); (V.M.)
| | | | - Andy V. Khamoui
- Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33458, USA;
- Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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2
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McGarry A, Hunter K, Gaughan J, Auinger P, Ferraro TN, Pradhan B, Ferrucci L, Egan JM, Moaddel R. An exploratory metabolomic comparison of participants with fast or absent functional progression from 2CARE, a randomized, double-blind clinical trial in Huntington's disease. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1101. [PMID: 38212353 PMCID: PMC10784537 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50553-y] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is increasingly recognized for diverse pathology outside of the nervous system. To describe the biology of HD in relation to functional progression, we previously analyzed the plasma and CSF metabolome in a cross-sectional study of participants who had various degrees of functional impairment. Here, we carried out an exploratory study in plasma from HD individuals over a 3-year time frame to assess whether differences exist between those with fast or absent clinical progression. There were more differences in circulating metabolite levels for fast progressors compared to absent progressors (111 vs 20, nominal p < 0.05). All metabolite changes in faster progressors were decreases, whereas some metabolite concentrations increased in absent progressors. Many of the metabolite levels that decreased in the fast progressors were higher at Screening compared to absent progressors but ended up lower by Year 3. Changes in faster progression suggest greater oxidative stress and inflammation (kynurenine, diacylglycerides, cysteine), disturbances in nitric oxide and urea metabolism (arginine, citrulline, ornithine, GABR), lower polyamines (putrescine and spermine), elevated glucose, and deficient AMPK signaling. Metabolomic differences between fast and absent progressors suggest the possibility of predicting functional decline in HD, and possibly delaying it with interventions to augment arginine, polyamines, and glucose regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew McGarry
- Department of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital and Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA.
| | - Krystal Hunter
- Department of Medicine, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - John Gaughan
- Department of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital and Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Peggy Auinger
- Department of Neurology, Center for Health and Technology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Thomas N Ferraro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Basant Pradhan
- Department of Psychiatry, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Luigi Ferrucci
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Josephine M Egan
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
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3
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Dinamarca MC, Colombo L, Brykczynska U, Grimm A, Fruh I, Hossain I, Gabriel D, Eckert A, Müller M, Pecho-Vrieseling E. Transmission-selective muscle pathology induced by the active propagation of mutant huntingtin across the human neuromuscular synapse. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 16:1287510. [PMID: 38235149 PMCID: PMC10791992 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1287510] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuron-to-neuron transmission of aggregation-prone, misfolded proteins may potentially explain the spatiotemporal accumulation of pathological lesions in the brains of patients with neurodegenerative protein-misfolding diseases (PMDs). However, little is known about protein transmission from the central nervous system to the periphery, or how this propagation contributes to PMD pathology. To deepen our understanding of these processes, we established two functional neuromuscular systems derived from human iPSCs. One was suitable for long-term high-throughput live-cell imaging and the other was adapted to a microfluidic system assuring that connectivity between motor neurons and muscle cells was restricted to the neuromuscular junction. We show that the Huntington's disease (HD)-associated mutant HTT exon 1 protein (mHTTEx1) is transmitted from neurons to muscle cells across the human neuromuscular junction. We found that transmission is an active and dynamic process that starts before aggregate formation and is regulated by synaptic activity. We further found that transmitted mHTTEx1 causes HD-relevant pathology at both molecular and functional levels in human muscle cells, even in the presence of the ubiquitous expression of mHTTEx1. In conclusion, we have uncovered a causal link between mHTTEx1 synaptic transmission and HD pathology, highlighting the therapeutic potential of blocking toxic protein transmission in PMDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita C. Dinamarca
- Neuronal Development and Degeneration Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Laura Colombo
- Neuronal Development and Degeneration Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Urszula Brykczynska
- Neuronal Development and Degeneration Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Amandine Grimm
- Neurobiology Laboratory for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Transfaculty Research Platform, Molecular and Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Fruh
- Biomedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Campus, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Imtiaz Hossain
- Biomedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Campus, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Gabriel
- Biomedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Campus, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anne Eckert
- Neurobiology Laboratory for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Transfaculty Research Platform, Molecular and Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Müller
- Biomedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Campus, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eline Pecho-Vrieseling
- Neuronal Development and Degeneration Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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4
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Bartl S, Xie Y, Potluri N, Kesineni R, Hencak K, Cengio LD, Balazs K, Oueslati A, Parth M, Salhat N, Siddu A, Smrzka O, Cicchetti F, Straffler G, Hayden MR, Southwell AL. Reducing huntingtin by immunotherapy delays disease progression in a mouse model of Huntington disease. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 190:106376. [PMID: 38092268 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106376] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In Huntington disease (HD), the mutant huntingtin (mtHTT) protein is the principal cause of pathological changes that initiate primarily along the cortico-striatal axis. mtHTT is ubiquitously expressed and there is, accordingly, growing recognition that HD is a systemic disorder with functional interplay between the brain and the periphery. We have developed a monoclonal antibody, C6-17, targeting an exposed region of HTT near the aa586 Caspase 6 cleavage site. As recently published, mAB C6-17 can block cell-to-cell propagation of mtHTT in vitro. In order to reduce the burden of the mutant protein in vivo, we queried whether extracellular mtHTT could be therapeutically targeted in YAC128 HD mice. In a series of proof of concept experiments, we found that systemic mAB C6-17 treatment resulted in the distribution of the mAB C6-17 to peripheral and CNS tissues and led to the reduction of HTT protein levels. Compared to CTRL mAB or vehicle treated mice, the mAB C6-17 treated YAC128 animals showed improved body weight and motor behaviors, a delayed progression in motor deficits and reduced striatal EM48 immunoreactivity. These results provide the first proof of concept for the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of an antibody-based anti-HTT passive immunization approach and suggest this modality as a potential new HD treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuanyun Xie
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America; University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nalini Potluri
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Ratnesh Kesineni
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Katlin Hencak
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Louisa Dal Cengio
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Abid Oueslati
- Centre de recherche du CHU - Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Alberto Siddu
- Centre de recherche du CHU - Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Michael R Hayden
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Amber L Southwell
- University of Central Florida, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, Orlando, FL, United States of America.
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5
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Van de Roovaart HJ, Nguyen N, Veenstra TD. Huntington's Disease Drug Development: A Phase 3 Pipeline Analysis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1513. [PMID: 38004378 PMCID: PMC10674993 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111513] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a severely debilitating neurodegenerative disorder in which sufferers exhibit different combinations of movement disorders, dementia, and behavioral or psychiatric abnormalities. The disorder is a result of a trinucleotide repeat expansion mutation that is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. While there is currently no treatment to alter the course of HD, there are medications that lessen abnormal movement and psychiatric symptoms. ClinicalTrials.gov was searched to identify drugs that are currently in or have completed phase III drug trials for the treatment of HD. The described phase III trials were further limited to interventional studies that were recruiting, active not recruiting, or completed. In addition, all studies must have posted an update within the past year. PubMed was used to gather further information on these interventional studies. Of the nine clinical trials that met these criteria, eight involved the following drugs: metformin, dextromethorphan/quinidine, deutetrabenazine, valbenazine, Cellavita HD, pridopidine, SAGE-718, and RO7234292 (RG6042). Of these drug treatments, four are already FDA approved. This systematic review provides a resource that summarizes the present therapies for treating this devastating condition that are currently in phase III clinical trials in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Timothy D. Veenstra
- School of Pharmacy, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH 45314, USA; (H.J.V.d.R.); (N.N.)
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6
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Roth JR, de Moraes RCM, Xu BP, Crawley SR, Khan MA, Melkani GC. Rapamycin reduces neuronal mutant huntingtin aggregation and ameliorates locomotor performance in Drosophila. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1223911. [PMID: 37823007 PMCID: PMC10562706 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1223911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by movement and cognitive dysfunction. HD is caused by a CAG expansion in exon 1 of the HTT gene that leads to a polyglutamine (PQ) repeat in the huntingtin protein, which aggregates in the brain and periphery. Previously, we used Drosophila models to determine that Htt-PQ aggregation in the heart causes shortened lifespan and cardiac dysfunction that is ameliorated by promoting chaperonin function or reducing oxidative stress. Here, we further study the role of neuronal mutant huntingtin and how it affects peripheral function. We overexpressed normal (Htt-PQ25) or expanded mutant (Htt-PQ72) exon 1 of huntingtin in Drosophila neurons and found that mutant huntingtin caused age-dependent Htt-PQ aggregation in the brain and could cause a loss of synapsin. To determine if this neuronal dysfunction led to peripheral dysfunction, we performed a negative geotaxis assay to measure locomotor performance and found that neuronal mutant huntingtin caused an age-dependent decrease in locomotor performance. Next, we found that rapamycin reduced Htt-PQ aggregation in the brain. These results demonstrate the role of neuronal Htt-PQ in dysfunction in models of HD, suggest that brain-periphery crosstalk could be important to the pathogenesis of HD, and show that rapamycin reduces mutant huntingtin aggregation in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R. Roth
- Department of Pathology, Cellular and Molecular Division, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Ruan Carlos Macedo de Moraes
- Department of Pathology, Cellular and Molecular Division, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Brittney P. Xu
- Department of Pathology, Cellular and Molecular Division, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Savannah R. Crawley
- Department of Pathology, Cellular and Molecular Division, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Malghalara A. Khan
- Department of Pathology, Cellular and Molecular Division, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Girish C. Melkani
- Department of Pathology, Cellular and Molecular Division, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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7
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Campesan S, Del Popolo I, Marcou K, Straatman-Iwanowska A, Repici M, Boytcheva KV, Cotton VE, Allcock N, Rosato E, Kyriacou CP, Giorgini F. Bypassing mitochondrial defects rescues Huntington's phenotypes in Drosophila. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 185:106236. [PMID: 37495179 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106236] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options. Human and animal studies have suggested that metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunctions contribute to HD pathogenesis. Here, we use high-resolution respirometry to uncover defective mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and electron transfer capacity when a mutant huntingtin fragment is targeted to neurons or muscles in Drosophila and find that enhancing mitochondrial function can ameliorate these defects. In particular, we find that co-expression of parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase critical for mitochondrial dynamics and homeostasis, produces significant enhancement of mitochondrial respiration when expressed either in neurons or muscles, resulting in significant rescue of neurodegeneration, viability and longevity in HD model flies. Targeting mutant HTT to muscles results in larger mitochondria and higher mitochondrial mass, while co-expression of parkin increases mitochondrial fission and decreases mass. Furthermore, directly addressing HD-mediated defects in the fly's mitochondrial electron transport system, by rerouting electrons to either bypass mitochondrial complex I or complexes III-IV, significantly increases mitochondrial respiration and results in a striking rescue of all phenotypes arising from neuronal mutant huntingtin expression. These observations suggest that bypassing impaired mitochondrial respiratory complexes in HD may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Campesan
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
| | - Ivana Del Popolo
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Kyriaki Marcou
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Anna Straatman-Iwanowska
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Core Biotechnology Services, Adrian Building, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Mariaelena Repici
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| | - Kalina V Boytcheva
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Victoria E Cotton
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Natalie Allcock
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Core Biotechnology Services, Adrian Building, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Ezio Rosato
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Charalambos P Kyriacou
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Flaviano Giorgini
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
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8
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Kozik I, Wikerd Z. Extremely elevated creatine kinase associated with rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury in a patient with Huntington's disease: a case report. J Med Case Rep 2023; 17:287. [PMID: 37424016 DOI: 10.1186/s13256-023-04018-5] [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: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury is a serious condition that can progress to acute renal failure if not promptly identified and treated. Rhabdomyolysis occurs when serum creatine kinase levels approach > 1000 U/L (five times the normal upper limit). The chance of acute kidney injury increases as the levels of creatine kinase increase. Although Huntington's disease is associated with muscle atrophy, elevated baseline creatine kinase levels in these patients have not been routinely reported. CASE PRESENTATION A 31-year-old African American patient presented to the emergency department after he was found unconscious from a fall attributed to the progression of his Huntington's disease. On admission, he had an extremely high creatine kinase level of 114,400 U/L and was treated with fluids, electrolyte balance, and dialysis. However, his condition progressed to acute renal failure and he later developed posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, requiring transfer to the intensive care unit with placement on continuous renal replacement therapy. Eventually, his kidney function recovered and he was discharged home with 24/7 care by his family for persistent impairments related to his Huntington's disease. CONCLUSIONS This case report underscores the importance of promptly recognizing elevated creatine kinase levels in patients with Huntington's disease due to the risk of developing rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury. If not aggressively treated, the condition of these patients is likely to progress to renal failure. Anticipating the progression of rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury is paramount to improving clinical outcomes. Additionally, this case identifies a potential link between the patient's Huntington's disease and his abnormally elevated creatine kinase, a finding not described in the literature of rhabdomyolysis-induced kidney injuries to date and an important consideration for future patients with similar comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Kozik
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
| | - Zachary Wikerd
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
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9
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Mielcarek M, Isalan M. A minimal region of the HSP90AB1 promoter is suitable for ubiquitous expression in different somatic tissues with applicability for gene therapy. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1175407. [PMID: 37138658 PMCID: PMC10149993 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1175407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a multi-tissue failure disorder for which there is no cure. We have previously shown an effective therapeutic approach limited mainly to the central nervous system, based on a synthetic zinc finger (ZF) transcription repressor gene therapy, but it would be important to target other tissues as well. In this study, we identify a novel minimal HSP90AB1 promoter region that can efficiently control expression not only in the CNS but also in other affected HD tissues. This promoter-enhancer is effective in driving expression of ZF therapeutic molecules in both HD skeletal muscles and the heart, in the symptomatic R6/1 mouse model. Moreover, for the first time we show that ZF molecules repressing mutant HTT reverse transcriptional pathological remodelling in HD hearts. We conclude that this HSP90AB1 minimal promoter may be used to target multiple HD organs with therapeutic genes. The new promoter has the potential to be added to the portfolio of gene therapy promoters, for use where ubiquitous expression is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Mielcarek
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Mark Isalan,
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10
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Ahamad S, Bhat SA. The Emerging Landscape of Small-Molecule Therapeutics for the Treatment of Huntington's Disease. J Med Chem 2022; 65:15993-16032. [PMID: 36490325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT). The new insights into HD's cellular and molecular pathways have led to the identification of numerous potent small-molecule therapeutics for HD therapy. The field of HD-targeting small-molecule therapeutics is accelerating, and the approval of these therapeutics to combat HD may be expected in the near future. For instance, preclinical candidates such as naphthyridine-azaquinolone, AN1, AN2, CHDI-00484077, PRE084, EVP4593, and LOC14 have shown promise for further optimization to enter into HD clinical trials. This perspective aims to summarize the advent of small-molecule therapeutics at various stages of clinical development for HD therapy, emphasizing their structure and design, therapeutic effects, and specific mechanisms of action. Further, we have highlighted the key drivers involved in HD pathogenesis to provide insights into the basic principle for designing promising anti-HD therapeutic leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakir Ahamad
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh202002, India
| | - Shahnawaz A Bhat
- Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh202002, India
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11
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Chivet M, McCluskey M, Nicot AS, Brocard J, Beaufils M, Giovannini D, Giannesini B, Poreau B, Brocard J, Humbert S, Saudou F, Fauré J, Marty I. Huntingtin regulates calcium fluxes in skeletal muscle. J Gen Physiol 2022; 155:213700. [PMID: 36409218 PMCID: PMC9682417 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The expression of the Huntingtin protein, well known for its involvement in the neurodegenerative Huntington's disease, has been confirmed in skeletal muscle. The impact of HTT deficiency was studied in human skeletal muscle cell lines and in a mouse model with inducible and muscle-specific HTT deletion. Characterization of calcium fluxes in the knock-out cell lines demonstrated a reduction in excitation-contraction (EC) coupling, related to an alteration in the coupling between the dihydropyridine receptor and the ryanodine receptor, and an increase in the amount of calcium stored within the sarcoplasmic reticulum, linked to the hyperactivity of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). Immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated an association of HTT with junctophilin 1 (JPH1) and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), both providing clues on the functional effects of HTT deletion on calcium fluxes. Characterization of muscle strength and muscle anatomy of the muscle-specific HTT-KO mice demonstrated that HTT deletion induced moderate muscle weakness and mild muscle atrophy associated with histological abnormalities, similar to the phenotype observed in tubular aggregate myopathy. Altogether, this study points toward the hypotheses of the involvement of HTT in EC coupling via its interaction with JPH1, and on SOCE via its interaction with JPH1 and/or STIM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Chivet
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Maximilian McCluskey
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Anne Sophie Nicot
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Julie Brocard
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Mathilde Beaufils
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Diane Giovannini
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Benoit Giannesini
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Résonance Magnétique Biologique et Médicale, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Brice Poreau
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Jacques Brocard
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Sandrine Humbert
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Frédéric Saudou
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Julien Fauré
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Isabelle Marty
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France,Correspondence to Isabelle Marty:
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12
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Al-Wardat M, Schirinzi T, Hadoush H, Kassab M, Yabroudi MA, Opara J, Nawrat-Szołtysik A, Khalil H, Etoom M. Home-Based Exercise to Improve Motor Functions, Cognitive Functions, and Quality of Life in People with Huntington's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14915. [PMID: 36429634 PMCID: PMC9690643 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192214915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Exercise in different settings has become a fundamental part of Huntington's disease (HD) management. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effectiveness of home-based exercises (HBE) in HD. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of HBE on motor, cognitive, or health-related quality of life (QoL) outcomes in HD were included. Standardized mean difference (SMD), the 95% confidence interval, and p-values were calculated by comparing the outcomes change between HBE and control groups. Seven RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The included RCTs prescribed different types of HBEs, i.e., aerobic strengthening, walking, balance, and fine motor exercises. The HBE protocol length was between 6 and 36 weeks. The meta-analyses showed a significant effect of HBE intervention on motor function measure by Unified Huntington Disease Rating and overall QoL measure by Short Form-36 post-treatment respectively, [SMD = 0.481, p = 0.048], [SMD = 0.378, p = 0.003]. The pooled analysis did not detect significant changes in cognition, gait characteristics, or functional balance scales. The current study shows the positive effect of HBE in HD, especially on motor function and QoL. No significant adverse events were reported. The current results support the clinical effect of HBE intervention on motor function and QoL in HD patients. However, these results should be taken with caution due to the limited available evidence. Well-designed clinical studies that consider the disease severity and stages are required in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Al-Wardat
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid P.O. Box 3030, Jordan
| | - Tommaso Schirinzi
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Roma Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Hikmat Hadoush
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid P.O. Box 3030, Jordan
| | - Manal Kassab
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid P.O. Box 3030, Jordan
| | - Mohammad A. Yabroudi
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid P.O. Box 3030, Jordan
| | - Józef Opara
- Department of Physiotherapy, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, Poland
| | | | - Hanan Khalil
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Mohammad Etoom
- Physical Therapy Department, Aqaba University of Technology, Aqaba 77110, Jordan
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13
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Chen TH, Koh KY, Lin KMC, Chou CK. Mitochondrial Dysfunction as an Underlying Cause of Skeletal Muscle Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12926. [PMID: 36361713 PMCID: PMC9653750 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are an important energy source in skeletal muscle. A main function of mitochondria is the generation of ATP for energy through oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Mitochondrial defects or abnormalities can lead to muscle disease or multisystem disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction can be caused by defective mitochondrial OXPHOS, mtDNA mutations, Ca2+ imbalances, mitochondrial-related proteins, mitochondrial chaperone proteins, and ultrastructural defects. In addition, an imbalance between mitochondrial fusion and fission, lysosomal dysfunction due to insufficient biosynthesis, and/or defects in mitophagy can result in mitochondrial damage. In this review, we explore the association between impaired mitochondrial function and skeletal muscle disorders. Furthermore, we emphasize the need for more research to determine the specific clinical benefits of mitochondrial therapy in the treatment of skeletal muscle disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Hsien Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 60002, Taiwan
| | - Kok-Yean Koh
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 60002, Taiwan
| | - Kurt Ming-Chao Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 35053, Taiwan
| | - Chu-Kuang Chou
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 60002, Taiwan
- Obesity Center, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 60002, Taiwan
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14
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Ruoss S, Esparza MC, Vasquez-Bolanos LS, Nasamran CA, Fisch KM, Engler AJ, Ward SR. Spatial transcriptomics tools allow for regional exploration of heterogeneous muscle pathology in the pre-clinical rabbit model of rotator cuff tear. J Orthop Surg Res 2022; 17:440. [PMID: 36195913 PMCID: PMC9531386 DOI: 10.1186/s13018-022-03326-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Conditions affecting skeletal muscle, such as chronic rotator cuff tears, low back pain, dystrophies, and many others, often share changes in muscle phenotype: intramuscular adipose and fibrotic tissue increase while contractile tissue is lost. The underlying changes in cell populations and cell ratios observed with these phenotypic changes complicate the interpretation of tissue-level transcriptional data. Novel single-cell transcriptomics has limited capacity to address this problem because muscle fibers are too long to be engulfed in single-cell droplets and single nuclei transcriptomics are complicated by muscle fibers’ multinucleation. Therefore, the goal of this project was to evaluate the potential and challenges of a spatial transcriptomics technology to add dimensionality to transcriptional data in an attempt to better understand regional cellular activity in heterogeneous skeletal muscle tissue. Methods The 3′ Visium spatial transcriptomics technology was applied to muscle tissue of a rabbit model of rotator cuff tear. Healthy control and tissue collected at 2 and 16 weeks after tenotomy was utilized and freshly snap frozen tissue was compared with tissue stored for over 6 years to evaluate whether this technology is retrospectively useful in previously acquired tissues. Transcriptional information was overlayed with standard hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stains of the exact same histological sections. Results Sequencing saturation and number of genes detected was not affected by sample storage duration. Unbiased clustering matched the underlying tissue type-based on H&E assessment. Connective-tissue-rich areas presented with lower unique molecular identifier counts are compared with muscle fibers even though tissue permeabilization was standardized across the section. A qualitative analysis of resulting datasets revealed heterogeneous fiber degeneration–regeneration after tenotomy based on (neonatal) myosin heavy chain 8 detection and associated differentially expressed gene analysis. Conclusions This protocol can be used in skeletal muscle to explore spatial transcriptional patterns and confidently relate them to the underlying histology, even for tissues that have been stored for up to 6 years. Using this protocol, there is potential for novel transcriptional pathway discovery in longitudinal studies since the transcriptional information is unbiased by muscle composition and cell type changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severin Ruoss
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0863, USA
| | - Mary C Esparza
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0863, USA
| | - Laura S Vasquez-Bolanos
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0863, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Chanond A Nasamran
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kathleen M Fisch
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Adam J Engler
- Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Samuel R Ward
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0863, USA. .,Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. .,Department of Radiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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15
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Tomczyk M, Braczko A, Mierzejewska P, Podlacha M, Krol O, Jablonska P, Jedrzejewska A, Pierzynowska K, Wegrzyn G, Slominska EM, Smolenski RT. Rosiglitazone Ameliorates Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction by Correction of Energetics in Huntington’s Disease. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172662. [PMID: 36078070 PMCID: PMC9454785 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease that is accompanied by skeletal muscle atrophy and cardiomyopathy. Tissues affected by HD (central nervous system [CNS], skeletal muscle, and heart) are known to suffer from deteriorated cellular energy metabolism that manifests already at presymptomatic stages. This work aimed to test the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ agonist—rosiglitazone on grip strength and heart function in an experimental HD model—on R6/1 mice and to address the mechanisms. We noted that rosiglitazone treatment lead to improvement of R6/1 mice grip strength and cardiac mechanical function. It was accompanied by an enhancement of the total adenine nucleotides pool, increased glucose oxidation, changes in mitochondrial number (indicated as increased citric synthase activity), and reduction in mitochondrial complex I activity. These metabolic changes were supported by increased total antioxidant status in HD mice injected with rosiglitazone. Correction of energy deficits with rosiglitazone was further indicated by decreased accumulation of nucleotide catabolites in HD mice serum. Thus, rosiglitazone treatment may not only delay neurodegeneration but also may ameliorate cardio- and myopathy linked to HD by improvement of cellular energetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Tomczyk
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (R.T.S.)
| | - Alicja Braczko
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
| | | | - Magdalena Podlacha
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Oliwia Krol
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Patrycja Jablonska
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Agata Jedrzejewska
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Karolina Pierzynowska
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Wegrzyn
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ewa M. Slominska
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ryszard T. Smolenski
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (R.T.S.)
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16
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Singh A, Agrawal N. Metabolism in Huntington's disease: a major contributor to pathology. Metab Brain Dis 2022; 37:1757-1771. [PMID: 34704220 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-021-00844-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressively debilitating neurodegenerative disease exhibiting autosomal-dominant inheritance. It is caused by an unstable expansion in the CAG repeat tract of HD gene, which transforms the disease-specific Huntingtin protein (HTT) to a mutant form (mHTT). The profound neuronal death in cortico-striatal circuits led to its identification and characterisation as a neurodegenerative disease. However, equally disturbing are the concomitant whole-body manifestations affecting nearly every organ of the diseased individuals, at varying extents. Altered central and peripheral metabolism of energy, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and carbohydrates encompass the gross pathology of the disease. Intense fluctuation of body weight, glucose homeostasis and organ-specific subcellular abnormalities are being increasingly recognised in HD. Many of these metabolic abnormalities exist years before the neuropathological manifestations such as chorea, cognitive decline and behavioural abnormalities develop, and prove to be reliable predictors of the disease progression. In this review, we provide a consolidated overview of the central and peripheral metabolic abnormalities associated with HD, as evidenced from clinical and experimental studies. Additionally, we have discussed the potential of metabolic biomolecules to translate into efficient biomarkers for the disease onset as well as progression. Finally, we provide a brief outlook on the efficacy of existing therapies targeting metabolic remediation. While it is clear that components of altered metabolic pathways can mark many aspects of the disease, it is only conceivable that combinatorial therapies aiming for neuronal protection in consort with metabolic upliftment will prove to be more efficient than the existing symptomatic treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Singh
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, New Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Namita Agrawal
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, New Delhi, 110007, India.
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17
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Temporal Characterization of Behavioral and Hippocampal Dysfunction in the YAC128 Mouse Model of Huntington’s Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10061433. [PMID: 35740454 PMCID: PMC9219853 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061433] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms. Emerging evidence suggests that emotional and cognitive deficits seen in HD may be related to hippocampal dysfunction. We used the YAC128 HD mouse model to perform a temporal characterization of the behavioral and hippocampal dysfunctions. Early and late symptomatic YAC128 mice exhibited depressive-like behavior, as demonstrated by increased immobility times in the Tail Suspension Test. In addition, YAC128 mice exhibited cognitive deficits in the Swimming T-maze Test during the late symptomatic stage. Except for a reduction in basal mitochondrial respiration, no significant deficits in the mitochondrial respiratory rates were observed in the hippocampus of late symptomatic YAC128 mice. In agreement, YAC128 animals did not present robust alterations in mitochondrial ultrastructural morphology. However, light and electron microscopy analysis revealed the presence of dark neurons characterized by the intense staining of granule cell bodies and shrunken nuclei and cytoplasm in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of late symptomatic YAC128 mice. Furthermore, structural alterations in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus were detected in the hippocampal DG of YAC128 mice by electron microscopy. These results clearly show a degenerative process in the hippocampal DG in late symptomatic YAC128 animals.
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18
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Derous D, Kebke A, Fair PA, Styczynski M, Bossart GD, Douglas A, Lusseau D. Untargeted plasma metabolomic analysis of wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) indicate protein degradation when in poorer health. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2022; 42:100991. [PMID: 35512616 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2022.100991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cumulative exposure to sub-lethal anthropogenic stressors can affect the health and reproduction of coastal cetaceans and hence their population viability. To date, we do not have a clear understanding of the notion of health for cetaceans in an ecological context; that is, how health status affects the ability of individuals to survive and reproduce. Here, we make use of a unique health-monitoring programme of estuarine bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina and Florida to determine de novo changes in biological pathways, using untargeted plasma metabolomics, depending on the health status of individuals obtained from veterinary screening. We found that individuals that were in a poor health state had lower circulating amino acids pointing towards increased involvement of gluconeogenesis (i.e., new formation of glucose). More mechanistic work is needed to disentangle the interconnection between health and energy metabolism in cetaceans to mediate potential metabolic constraints they may face during periods of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davina Derous
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
| | - Anna Kebke
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. https://twitter.com/AnnaKebke
| | - Patricia A Fair
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29412, United States
| | - Mark Styczynski
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States
| | - Gregory D Bossart
- Animal Health, Research and Conservation, Georgia Aquarium, NW Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alex Douglas
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. https://twitter.com/Scedacity
| | - David Lusseau
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Danish Technical University, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
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19
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Mazur-Michałek I, Ruciński M, Sowiński M, Pietras P, Leśniczak-Staszak M, Szaflarski W, Isalan M, Mielcarek M. Identification of the Transcriptional Biomarkers Panel Linked to Pathological Remodelling of the Eye Tissues in Various HD Mouse Models. Cells 2022; 11:1675. [PMID: 35626712 PMCID: PMC9139483 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101675] [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: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocular abnormalities are becoming associated with a spectrum of pathological events in various neurodegenerative diseases. Huntington's disease (HD) is just such an example of a fatal neurological disorder, where mutated genes (CAG trinucleotide expansions in the Huntingtin gene) have widespread expression, leading to the production of mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) protein. It is well known that mutant HTT protein is prone to form toxic aggregates, which are a typical pathological feature, along with global transcriptome alterations. In this study, we employed well-established quantitative methods such as Affymetrix arrays and quantitative PCR (qPCR) to identify a set of transcriptional biomarkers that will track HD progression in three well-established mouse models: R6/2, R6/1, and HdhQ150. Our array analysis revealed significantly deregulated networks that are related to visual processes and muscle contractions. Furthermore, our targeted quantitative analysis identified a panel of biomarkers with some being dysregulated even at the presymptomatic stage of the disease, e.g., Opn1mw, Opn1sw, and Pfkfb2. Some of the deregulated genes identified in this study have been linked to other genetic ocular disorders such as: GNAT2, a source of achromatopsia, and REEP6, linked to Retinitis pigmentosa. It may thus be a useful platform for preclinical evaluations of therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Mazur-Michałek
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (M.R.); (M.S.); (P.P.); (M.L.-S.); (W.S.)
| | - Marcin Ruciński
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (M.R.); (M.S.); (P.P.); (M.L.-S.); (W.S.)
| | - Mateusz Sowiński
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (M.R.); (M.S.); (P.P.); (M.L.-S.); (W.S.)
| | - Paulina Pietras
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (M.R.); (M.S.); (P.P.); (M.L.-S.); (W.S.)
| | - Marta Leśniczak-Staszak
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (M.R.); (M.S.); (P.P.); (M.L.-S.); (W.S.)
| | - Witold Szaflarski
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (M.R.); (M.S.); (P.P.); (M.L.-S.); (W.S.)
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Michal Mielcarek
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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20
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Mazur-Michałek I, Kowalska K, Zielonka D, Leśniczak-Staszak M, Pietras P, Szaflarski W, Isalan M, Mielcarek M. Structural Abnormalities of the Optic Nerve and Retina in Huntington's Disease Pre-Clinical and Clinical Settings. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5450. [PMID: 35628260 PMCID: PMC9141007 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin protein. HD-related pathological remodelling has been reported in HD mouse models and HD carriers. In this study, we studied structural abnormalities in the optic nerve by employing Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) in pre-symptomatic HD carriers of Caucasian origin. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was used to investigate ultrastructural changes in the optic nerve of the well-established R6/2 mouse model at the symptomatic stage of the disease. We found that pre-symptomatic HD carriers displayed a significant reduction in the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness, including specific quadrants: superior, inferior and temporal, but not nasal. There were no other significant irregularities in the GCC layer, at the macula level and in the optic disc morphology. The ultrastructural analysis of the optic nerve in R6/2 mice revealed a significant thinning of the myelin sheaths, with a lamellar separation of the myelin, and a presence of myelonoid bodies. We also found a significant reduction in the thickness of myelin sheaths in peripheral nerves within the choroids area. Those ultrastructural abnormalities were also observed in HD photoreceptor cells that contained severely damaged membrane disks, with evident vacuolisation and swelling. Moreover, the outer segment of retinal layers showed a progressive disintegration. Our study explored structural changes of the optic nerve in pre- and clinical settings and opens new avenues for the potential development of biomarkers that would be of great interest in HD gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Mazur-Michałek
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (K.K.); (M.L.-S.); (P.P.); (W.S.)
| | - Katarzyna Kowalska
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (K.K.); (M.L.-S.); (P.P.); (W.S.)
| | - Daniel Zielonka
- Department of Public Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Marta Leśniczak-Staszak
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (K.K.); (M.L.-S.); (P.P.); (W.S.)
| | - Paulina Pietras
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (K.K.); (M.L.-S.); (P.P.); (W.S.)
| | - Witold Szaflarski
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland; (I.M.-M.); (K.K.); (M.L.-S.); (P.P.); (W.S.)
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Michal Mielcarek
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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21
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St-Cyr S, Smith AR, Davidson BL. Temporal Phenotypic Changes in Huntington's Disease Models for Preclinical Studies. J Huntingtons Dis 2022; 11:35-57. [PMID: 35213386 PMCID: PMC9028736 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-210515] [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] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Mouse models bearing genetic disease mutations are instrumental in the development of therapies for genetic disorders. Huntington’s disease (HD) is a late-onset lethal dominant genetic disorder due to a CAG repeat within exon 1 of the Huntingtin (Htt) gene. Several mice were developed to model HD through the expression of a transgenic fragment (exon 1 of the human HTT), the knock-in mutation of the CAG repeat in the context of the mouse Htt gene, or the full-length HTT human gene. The different mouse models present distinct onset, symptoms, and progression of the disease. Objective: The objective of this study is to advise on the best behavioral tests to assess disease progression in three HD mouse models. Methods: We tested N171-82Q transgenic mice, zQ175 knock-in mice, and BACHD full-length mice in a comprehensive behavior test battery in early, mid-, and late disease stages. Results: We contrast and compare the models and the emerging phenotypes with the available literature. These results suggest the most effective behavioral tests and appropriate sample sizes to detect treatment efficacy in each model at the different ages. We provide options for early detection of motor deficits while minimizing testing time and training. Conclusion: This information will inform researchers in the HD field as to which mouse model, tests and sample sizes can accurately and sensitively detect treatment efficacy in preclinical HD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie St-Cyr
- The Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alicia R Smith
- The Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Beverly L Davidson
- The Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, The Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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22
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Modrzejewska-Zielonka E, Ren M, Młodak A, Marcinkowski JT, Zielonka D. Huntington's Disease Progression and Caregiver Burden. Eur Neurol 2022; 85:398-403. [PMID: 35483333 DOI: 10.1159/000524146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative, progressive disorder conditioned by a mutation in the HTT gene. Its progression is dependent on the causative mutation extension. Caregivers of individuals affected by HD, most often patients' relatives, are burdened with the care. This study aims to assess the caregivers' burden cross-sectionally and longitudinally and look for biological and clinical patients-related burdening factors. In total, 144 caregiver-patient pairs observed annually for up to 8 years were included in the study. In all of the patients, demographic data were collected, Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) assessments were conducted, and disease burden (DB) was calculated when caregivers were assessed in Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). Caregivers' burden measured in CBI at the first visit reached 18.7 ± 18.4 scores. Longitudinal observation showed no evidence for any discrepancy between clinical progression measured in UHDRS, nor biological progression measured in DB and the caregivers' burden progression measured in CBI. Caregivers were burdened mostly by patients' dependence and a discrepancy between reality and life expectations. This study indicates factors to be addressed to reduce caregivers' burden. Strict relation between caregivers' burden and biological and clinical progression denies conception of overloaded with care tasks or adaptation to the burden.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michał Ren
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Andrzej Młodak
- Inter-Faculty Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Calisia University, Kalisz, Poland.,Statistical Office in Poznan, Branch in Kalisz, Kalisz, Poland
| | - Jerzy Tadeusz Marcinkowski
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Collegium Medicum, Zielona Gora University, Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Daniel Zielonka
- Department of Public Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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23
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Kong G, Lê Cao KA, Hannan AJ. Alterations in the Gut Fungal Community in a Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0219221. [PMID: 35262396 PMCID: PMC9045163 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02192-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a trinucleotide expansion in the HTT gene, which is expressed throughout the brain and body, including the gut epithelium and enteric nervous system. Afflicted individuals suffer from progressive impairments in motor, psychiatric, and cognitive faculties, as well as peripheral deficits, including the alteration of the gut microbiome. However, studies characterizing the gut microbiome in HD have focused entirely on the bacterial component, while the fungal community (mycobiome) has been overlooked. The gut mycobiome has gained recognition for its role in host homeostasis and maintenance of the gut epithelial barrier. We aimed to characterize the gut mycobiome profile in HD using fecal samples collected from the R6/1 transgenic mouse model (and wild-type littermate controls) from 4 to 12 weeks of age, corresponding to presymptomatic through to early disease stages. Shotgun sequencing was performed on fecal DNA samples, followed by metagenomic analyses. The HD gut mycobiome beta diversity was significantly different from that of wild-type littermates at 12 weeks of age, while no genotype differences were observed at the earlier time points. Similarly, greater alpha diversity was observed in the HD mice by 12 weeks of age. Key taxa, including Malassezia restricta, Yarrowia lipolytica, and Aspergillus species, were identified as having a negative association with HD. Furthermore, integration of the bacterial and fungal data sets at 12 weeks of age identified negative correlations between the HD-associated fungal species and Lactobacillus reuteri. These findings provide new insights into gut microbiome alterations in HD and may help identify novel therapeutic targets. IMPORTANCE Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder affecting both the mind and body. We have recently discovered that gut bacteria are disrupted in HD. The present study provides the first evidence of an altered gut fungal community (mycobiome) in HD. The genomes of many thousands of gut microbes were sequenced and used to assess "metagenomics" in particular the different types of fungal species in the HD versus control gut, in a mouse model. At an early disease stage, before the onset of symptoms, the overall gut mycobiome structure (array of fungi) in HD mice was distinct from that of their wild-type littermates. Alterations of multiple key fungi species were identified as being associated with the onset of disease symptoms, some of which showed strong correlations with the gut bacterial community. This study highlights the potential role of gut fungi in HD and may facilitate the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Kong
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne Brain Centre, Parkville, Australia
| | - Kim-Anh Lê Cao
- Melbourne Integrative Genomics, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Anthony J. Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne Brain Centre, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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24
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Vega OM, Cepeda C. Converging evidence in support of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids as a potential therapy for Huntington's disease symptoms. Rev Neurosci 2021; 32:871-886. [PMID: 33818039 PMCID: PMC10017201 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2021-0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic, inexorably fatal neurodegenerative disease. Patient average survivability is up to 20 years after the onset of symptoms. Those who suffer from the disease manifest motor, cognitive, and psychiatric impairments. There is indirect evidence suggesting that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) could have alleviating effects on most of HD symptoms. These include beneficial effects against cachexia and weight loss, decrease of cognitive impairment over time, and improvement of psychiatric symptoms such as depression and irritability. Furthermore, there is a positive correlation between consumption of ω-3 PUFAs in diets and prevalence of HD, as well as direct effects on the disease via release of serotonin. Unfortunately, to date, very few studies have examined the effects of ω-3 PUFAs in HD, both on the symptoms and on disease progression. This paper reviews evidence in the literature suggesting that ω-3 PUFAs can be used in neurodegenerative disorders. This information can be extrapolated to support further research of ω-3 PUFAs and their potential use for HD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen M Vega
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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25
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Bečanović K, Asghar M, Gadawska I, Sachdeva S, Walker D, Lazarowski ER, Franciosi S, Park KHJ, Côté HCF, Leavitt BR. Age-related mitochondrial alterations in brain and skeletal muscle of the YAC128 model of Huntington disease. NPJ Aging Mech Dis 2021; 7:26. [PMID: 34650085 PMCID: PMC8516942 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-021-00079-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction and bioenergetics failure are common pathological hallmarks in Huntington's disease (HD) and aging. In the present study, we used the YAC128 murine model of HD to examine the effects of mutant huntingtin on mitochondrial parameters related to aging in brain and skeletal muscle. We have conducted a cross-sectional natural history study of mitochondrial DNA changes in the YAC128 mouse. Here, we first show that the mitochondrial volume fraction appears to increase in the axons and dendrite regions adjacent to the striatal neuron cell bodies in old mice. Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) was used as a proxy measure for mitochondrial biogenesis and function. We observed that the mtDNAcn changes significantly with age and genotype in a tissue-specific manner. We found a positive correlation between aging and the mtDNAcn in striatum and skeletal muscle but not in cortex. Notably, the YAC128 mice had lower mtDNAcn in cortex and skeletal muscle. We further show that mtDNA deletions are present in striatal and skeletal muscle tissue in both young and aged YAC128 and WT mice. Tracking gene expression levels cross-sectionally in mice allowed us to identify contributions of age and genotype to transcriptional variance in mitochondria-related genes. These findings provide insights into the role of mitochondrial dynamics in HD pathogenesis in both brain and skeletal muscle, and suggest that mtDNAcn in skeletal muscle tissue may be a potential biomarker that should be investigated further in human HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Bečanović
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada ,grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Muhammad Asghar
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ,grid.24381.3c0000 0000 9241 5705Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Izabella Gadawska
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Shiny Sachdeva
- grid.416553.00000 0000 8589 2327The James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease, St Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - David Walker
- grid.416553.00000 0000 8589 2327The James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease, St Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Eduardo. R. Lazarowski
- grid.410711.20000 0001 1034 1720Cystic Fibrosis Research Center, Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Sonia Franciosi
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada ,grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Kevin H. J. Park
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada ,grid.253856.f0000 0001 2113 4110Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI USA
| | - Hélène C. F. Côté
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Blair R. Leavitt
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
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26
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Tomczyk M, Glaser T, Slominska EM, Ulrich H, Smolenski RT. Purine Nucleotides Metabolism and Signaling in Huntington's Disease: Search for a Target for Novel Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126545. [PMID: 34207177 PMCID: PMC8234552 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a multi-system disorder that is caused by expanded CAG repeats within the exon-1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene that translate to the polyglutamine stretch in the HTT protein. HTT interacts with the proteins involved in gene transcription, endocytosis, and metabolism. HTT may also directly or indirectly affect purine metabolism and signaling. We aimed to review existing data and discuss the modulation of the purinergic system as a new therapeutic target in HD. Impaired intracellular nucleotide metabolism in the HD affected system (CNS, skeletal muscle and heart) may lead to extracellular accumulation of purine metabolites, its unusual catabolism, and modulation of purinergic signaling. The mechanisms of observed changes might be different in affected systems. Based on collected findings, compounds leading to purine and ATP pool reconstruction as well as purinergic receptor activity modulators, i.e., P2X7 receptor antagonists, may be applied for HD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Tomczyk
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland;
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (R.T.S.)
| | - Talita Glaser
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (T.G.); (H.U.)
| | - Ewa M. Slominska
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (T.G.); (H.U.)
| | - Ryszard T. Smolenski
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland;
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (R.T.S.)
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27
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Khan MS, Shaw RM. Huntington's disease skeletal muscle has altered T-tubules. J Gen Physiol 2021; 153:e202012843. [PMID: 33978682 PMCID: PMC8126974 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202012843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Romer et al. explored T-tubules in skeletal muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad S. Khan
- Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Robin M. Shaw
- Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
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28
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Zhu Y, Shamblin I, Rodriguez E, Salzer GE, Araysi L, Margolies KA, Halade GV, Litovsky SH, Pogwizd S, Gray M, Huke S. Progressive cardiac arrhythmias and ECG abnormalities in the Huntington's disease BACHD mouse model. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:369-381. [PMID: 31816043 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease. There is accumulating evidence that HD patients have increased prevalence of conduction abnormalities and compromised sinoatrial node function which could lead to increased risk for arrhythmia. We used mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) expressing bacterial artificial chromosome Huntington's disease mice to determine if they exhibit electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities involving cardiac conduction that are known to increase risk of sudden arrhythmic death in humans. We obtained surface ECGs and analyzed arrhythmia susceptibility; we observed prolonged QRS duration, increases in PVCs as well as PACs. Abnormal histological and structural changes that could lead to cardiac conduction system dysfunction were seen. Finally, we observed decreases in desmosomal proteins, plakophilin-2 and desmoglein-2, which have been reported to cause cardiac arrhythmias and reduced conduction. Our study indicates that mHTT could cause progressive cardiac conduction system pathology that could increase the susceptibility to arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Zhu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Isaac Shamblin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Efrain Rodriguez
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Grace E Salzer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Lita Araysi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Katherine A Margolies
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Ganesh V Halade
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Silvio H Litovsky
- Department of Pathology, Division of Anatomic Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Steven Pogwizd
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Michelle Gray
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Sabine Huke
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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29
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Gabery S, Ahmed RM, Caga J, Kiernan MC, Halliday GM, Petersén Å. Loss of the metabolism and sleep regulating neuronal populations expressing orexin and oxytocin in the hypothalamus in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2021; 47:979-989. [PMID: 33755993 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To determine the underlying cellular changes and clinical correlates associated with pathology of the hypothalamus in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as hypothalamic atrophy occurs in the preclinical phase of the disease. METHODS The hypothalamus was pathologically examined in nine patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in comparison to eight healthy control subjects. The severity of regional atrophy (paraventricular nucleus: PVN, fornix and total hypothalamus) and peptidergic neuronal loss (oxytocin, vasopressin, cocaine- and amphetamine-regulating transcript: CART, and orexin) was correlated with changes in eating behaviour, sleep function, cognition, behaviour and disease progression. RESULTS Tar DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) inclusions were present in the hypothalamus of all patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. When compared to controls, there was atrophy of the hypothalamus (average 21% atrophy, p = 0.004), PVN (average 30% atrophy p = 0.014) and a loss of paraventricular oxytocin-producing neurons (average 49% loss p = 0.02) and lateral hypothalamic orexin-producing neurons (average 37% loss, significance p = 0.02). Factor analysis identified strong relationships between abnormal eating behaviour, hypothalamic atrophy and loss of orexin-producing neurons. With increasing disease progression, abnormal sleep behaviour and cognition associated with atrophy of the fornix. CONCLUSIONS Substantial loss of hypothalamic oxytocin-producing neurons occurs in ALS, with regional atrophy and the loss of orexin neurons relating to abnormal eating behaviour in ALS. Oxytocin- and orexin neurons display TDP43 inclusions. Our study points to significant pathology in the hypothalamus that may play a key role in metabolic and pathogenic changes in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Gabery
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rebekah M Ahmed
- Memory and Cognition Clinic, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jashelle Caga
- Brain & Mind Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Memory and Cognition Clinic, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Glenda M Halliday
- Brain & Mind Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Åsa Petersén
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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30
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Mielcarek M, Isalan M. Polyglutamine diseases: looking beyond the neurodegenerative universe. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:1186-1187. [PMID: 33269768 PMCID: PMC8224133 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.300434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michal Mielcarek
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK; Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK; Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
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31
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An integrated metagenomics and metabolomics approach implicates the microbiota-gut-brain axis in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 148:105199. [PMID: 33249136 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder with onset and severity of symptoms influenced by various environmental factors. Recent discoveries have highlighted the importance of the gastrointestinal microbiome in mediating the gut-brain-axis bidirectional communication via circulating factors. Using shotgun sequencing, we investigated the gut microbiome composition in the R6/1 transgenic mouse model of HD from 4 to 12 weeks of age (early adolescent through to adult stages). Targeted metabolomics was also performed on the blood plasma of these mice (n = 9 per group) at 12 weeks of age to investigate potential effects of gut dysbiosis on the plasma metabolome profile. RESULTS Modelled time profiles of each species, KEGG Orthologs and bacterial genes, revealed heightened volatility in the R6/1 mice, indicating potential early effects of the HD mutation in the gut. In addition to gut dysbiosis in R6/1 mice at 12 weeks of age, gut microbiome function was perturbed. In particular, the butanoate metabolism pathway was elevated, suggesting increased production of the protective SCFA, butyrate, in the gut. No significant alterations were found in the plasma butyrate and propionate levels in the R6/1 mice at 12 weeks of age. The statistical integration of the metagenomics and metabolomics unraveled several Bacteroides species that were negatively correlated with ATP and pipecolic acid in the plasma. CONCLUSIONS The present study revealed the instability of the HD gut microbiome during the pre-motor symptomatic stage of the disease which may have dire consequences on the host's health. Perturbation of the HD gut microbiome function prior to significant cognitive and motor dysfunction suggest the potential role of the gut in modulating the pathogenesis of HD, potentially via specific altered plasma metabolites which mediate gut-brain signaling.
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32
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Cross-sectional analysis of plasma and CSF metabolomic markers in Huntington's disease for participants of varying functional disability: a pilot study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20490. [PMID: 33235276 PMCID: PMC7686309 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77526-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative condition. While generally considered for its devastating neurological phenotype, disturbances in other organ systems and metabolic pathways outside the brain have attracted attention for possible relevance to HD pathology, potential as therapeutic targets, or use as biomarkers of progression. In addition, it is not established how metabolic changes in the HD brain correlate to progression across the full spectrum of early to late-stage disease. In this pilot study, we sought to explore the metabolic profile across manifest HD from early to advanced clinical staging through metabolomic analysis by mass spectrometry in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). With disease progression, we observed nominally significant increases in plasma arginine, citrulline, and glycine, with decreases in total and d-serine, cholesterol esters, diacylglycerides, triacylglycerides, phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, and sphingomyelins. In CSF, worsening disease was associated with nominally significant increases in NAD+, arginine, saturated long chain free fatty acids, diacylglycerides, triacylglycerides, and sphingomyelins. Notably, diacylglycerides and triacylglyceride species associated with clinical progression were different between plasma and CSF, suggesting different metabolic preferences for these compartments. Increasing NAD+ levels strongly correlating with disease progression was an unexpected finding. Our data suggest that defects in the urea cycle, glycine, and serine metabolism may be underrecognized in the progression HD pathology, and merit further study for possible therapeutic relevance.
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33
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Tomczyk M, Glaser T, Ulrich H, Slominska EM, Smolenski RT. Huntingtin protein maintains balanced energetics in mouse cardiomyocytes. NUCLEOSIDES NUCLEOTIDES & NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 41:231-238. [PMID: 32933349 DOI: 10.1080/15257770.2020.1815769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Huntingtin (HTT) is a multifunctional protein crucial for proper embryogenesis and nervous system development. Mutation of a single allele in gene coded this protein results in the Huntington׳s disease (HD). There is growing evidence of cardiovascular system pathologies coexisting with the neurological symptoms in HD patients. Thus, this study aims to establish the role of huntingtin protein in cardiomyocytes cellular energy and nucleotides metabolism. We used HTT KO mice embryonic stem cells (ESC) obtained with CRISPR method, wild type mice ESC treated by CRISPR with Scramble control sequence (SCR) as well as wild type (WT) mice ESC and differentiate it into cardiomyocytes. Analysis of intracellular concentration of ATP, ADP, and NAD+, as well as nucleotide catabolites were performed with HPLC. We noted that HTT null cardiomyocytes showed diminished intracellular ATP (4.9 ± 0.5; 6.7 ± 0.4 nmol/mg protein HTT KO vs. SCR) and NAD+ (0.9 ± 0.1; 1.6 ± 0.1 nmol/mg HTT KO vs. SCR). We noted also reduced cellular medium concentration of total purines pool (17.1 ± 1.7; 24.7 ± 2.7 nmol/ml HTT KO vs. SCR) as well as IMP concentration (7.7 ± 0.6; 10.2 ± 0.4 nmol/ml HTT KO vs. SCR). This study indicates that HTT plays an important role in cellular energy balance as well as in nucleotide metabolism in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, our findings underline that the deterioration in energy metabolism observed in HD may be caused not only by cellular mutant HTT accumulation but also by the loss of HTT function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Tomczyk
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Talita Glaser
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ewa M Slominska
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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34
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Corey-Bloom J, Fischer RS, Kim A, Snell C, Parkin GM, Granger DA, Granger SW, Thomas EA. Levels of Interleukin-6 in Saliva, but Not Plasma, Correlate with Clinical Metrics in Huntington's Disease Patients and Healthy Control Subjects. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6363. [PMID: 32887270 PMCID: PMC7503233 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that inflammatory responses, in both the brain and peripheral tissues, contribute to disease pathology in Huntington's disease (HD), an inherited, progressive neurodegenerative disorder typically affecting adults in their 30-40 s. Hence, studies of inflammation-related markers in peripheral fluids might be useful to better characterize disease features. In this study, we measured levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1B), and alpha-amylase (AA) in saliva and plasma from n = 125 subjects, including n = 37 manifest HD patients, n = 36 premanifest patients, and n = 52 healthy controls, using immunoassays. We found increases in salivary levels of IL-6, IL-1B and CRP across different disease groups and increased levels of IL-6 in the plasma of HD patients as compared to premanifest patients and controls. The levels of salivary IL-6 were significantly correlated with each of the other salivary markers, as well as with IL-6 levels measured in plasma. Further, salivary IL-6 and IL-1B levels were significantly positively correlated with Total Motor Score (TMS) and chorea scores and negatively correlated with Total Functional Capacity (TFC) in HD patients, whereby in healthy control subjects, IL-6 was significantly negatively correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Symbol Digit Modalities test (SDM). Interestingly, the plasma levels of IL-6 did not show similar correlations to any clinical measures in either HD or control subjects. These findings suggest that salivary IL-6 is particularly relevant as a potential non-invasive biomarker for HD symptoms. The advent of an effective, dependable salivary biomarker would meet the urgent need for a less invasive means of identifying and monitoring HD disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jody Corey-Bloom
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (J.C.-B.); (C.S.)
| | - Ryan S. Fischer
- Salimetrics, LLC, Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA; (R.S.F.); (S.W.G.)
| | - Aeri Kim
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (J.C.-B.); (C.S.)
| | - Chase Snell
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (J.C.-B.); (C.S.)
| | - Georgia M. Parkin
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (G.M.P.); (D.A.G.)
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Douglas A. Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (G.M.P.); (D.A.G.)
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, and School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth A. Thomas
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (G.M.P.); (D.A.G.)
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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35
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Crapser JD, Ochaba J, Soni N, Reidling JC, Thompson LM, Green KN. Microglial depletion prevents extracellular matrix changes and striatal volume reduction in a model of Huntington's disease. Brain 2020; 143:266-288. [PMID: 31848580 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is associated with a reactive microglial response and consequent inflammation. To address the role of these cells in disease pathogenesis, we depleted microglia from R6/2 mice, a rapidly progressing model of Huntington's disease marked by behavioural impairment, mutant huntingtin (mHTT) accumulation, and early death, through colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibition (CSF1Ri) with pexidartinib (PLX3397) for the duration of disease. Although we observed an interferon gene signature in addition to downregulated neuritogenic and synaptic gene pathways with disease, overt inflammation was not evident by microglial morphology or cytokine transcript levels in R6/2 mice. Nonetheless, CSF1Ri-induced microglial elimination reduced or prevented disease-related grip strength and object recognition deficits, mHTT accumulation, astrogliosis, and striatal volume loss, the latter of which was not associated with reductions in cell number but with the extracellular accumulation of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs)-a primary component of glial scars. A concurrent loss of proteoglycan-containing perineuronal nets was also evident in R6/2 mice, and microglial elimination not only prevented this but also strikingly increased perineuronal nets in the brains of naïve littermates, suggesting a new role for microglia as homeostatic regulators of perineuronal net formation and integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Crapser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA, USA.,Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Joseph Ochaba
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA, USA.,Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Neelakshi Soni
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA, USA.,Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jack C Reidling
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA, USA.,Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA, USA.,Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kim N Green
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA, USA.,Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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36
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Miranda DR, Reed E, Jama A, Bottomley M, Ren H, Rich MM, Voss AA. Mechanisms of altered skeletal muscle action potentials in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2020; 319:C218-C232. [PMID: 32432924 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00153.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) patients suffer from progressive and debilitating motor dysfunction for which only palliative treatment is currently available. Previously, we discovered reduced skeletal muscle Cl- channel (ClC-1) and inwardly rectifying K+ channel (Kir) currents in R6/2 HD transgenic mice. To further investigate the role of ClC-1 and Kir currents in HD skeletal muscle pathology, we measured the effect of reduced ClC-1 and Kir currents on action potential (AP) repetitive firing in R6/2 mice using a two-electrode current clamp. We found that R6/2 APs had a significantly lower peak amplitude, depolarized maximum repolarization, and prolonged decay time compared with wild type (WT). Of these differences, only the maximum repolarization was accounted for by the reduction in ClC-1 and Kir currents, indicating the presence of additional ion channel defects. We found that both KV1.5 and KV3.4 mRNA levels were significantly reduced in R6/2 skeletal muscle compared with WT, which explains the prolonged decay time of R6/2 APs. Overall, we found that APs in WT and R6/2 muscle significantly and progressively change during activity to maintain peak amplitude despite buildup of Na+ channel inactivation. Even with this resilience, the persistently reduced peak amplitude of R6/2 APs is expected to result in earlier fatigue and may help explain the motor impersistence experienced by HD patients. This work lays the foundation to link electrical changes to force generation defects in R6/2 HD mice and to examine the regulatory events controlling APs in WT muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Miranda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
| | - Eric Reed
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
| | - Abdulrahman Jama
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
| | - Michael Bottomley
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
| | - Hongmei Ren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
| | - Mark M Rich
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
| | - Andrew A Voss
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
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Bartl S, Oueslati A, Southwell AL, Siddu A, Parth M, David LS, Maxan A, Salhat N, Burkert M, Mairhofer A, Friedrich T, Pankevych H, Balazs K, Staffler G, Hayden MR, Cicchetti F, Smrzka OW. Inhibiting cellular uptake of mutant huntingtin using a monoclonal antibody: Implications for the treatment of Huntington's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 141:104943. [PMID: 32407769 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a highly polymorphic CAG trinucleotide expansion in the gene encoding for the huntingtin protein (HTT). The resulting mutant huntingtin protein (mutHTT) is ubiquitously expressed but also exhibits the ability to propagate from cell-to-cell to disseminate pathology; a property which may serve as a new therapeutic focus. Accordingly, we set out to develop a monoclonal antibody (mAB) targeting a particularly exposed region close to the aa586 caspase-6 cleavage site of the HTT protein. This monoclonal antibody, designated C6-17, effectively binds mutHTT and is able to deplete the protein from cell culture supernatants. Using cell-based assays, we demonstrate that extracellular secretion of mutHTT into cell culture media and its subsequent uptake in recipient HeLa cells can be almost entirely blocked by mAB C6-17. Immunohistochemical stainings of post-mortem HD brain tissue confirmed the specificity of mAB C6-17 to human mutHTT aggregates. These findings demonstrate that mAB C6-17 not only successfully engages with its target, mutHTT, but also inhibits cell uptake suggesting that this antibody could interfere with the pathological processes of mutHTT spreading in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abid Oueslati
- Université Laval/Centre de recherche du CHU, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Alberto Siddu
- Université Laval/Centre de recherche du CHU, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Oskar W Smrzka
- AFFiRiS AG, Vienna, Austria; Ablevia biotech GmbH, Vienna, Austria
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Pelassa I, Cibelli M, Villeri V, Lilliu E, Vaglietti S, Olocco F, Ghirardi M, Montarolo PG, Corà D, Fiumara F. Compound Dynamics and Combinatorial Patterns of Amino Acid Repeats Encode a System of Evolutionary and Developmental Markers. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 11:3159-3178. [PMID: 31589292 PMCID: PMC6839033 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Homopolymeric amino acid repeats (AARs) like polyalanine (polyA) and polyglutamine (polyQ) in some developmental proteins (DPs) regulate certain aspects of organismal morphology and behavior, suggesting an evolutionary role for AARs as developmental "tuning knobs." It is still unclear, however, whether these are occasional protein-specific phenomena or hints at the existence of a whole AAR-based regulatory system in DPs. Using novel approaches to trace their functional and evolutionary history, we find quantitative evidence supporting a generalized, combinatorial role of AARs in developmental processes with evolutionary implications. We observe nonrandom AAR distributions and combinations in HOX and other DPs, as well as in their interactomes, defining elements of a proteome-wide combinatorial functional code whereby different AARs and their combinations appear preferentially in proteins involved in the development of specific organs/systems. Such functional associations can be either static or display detectable evolutionary dynamics. These findings suggest that progressive changes in AAR occurrence/combination, by altering embryonic development, may have contributed to taxonomic divergence, leaving detectable traces in the evolutionary history of proteomes. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that the evolutionary trajectories of the 20 AARs in eukaryotic proteomes are highly interrelated and their individual or compound dynamics can sharply mark taxonomic boundaries, or display clock-like trends, carrying overall a strong phylogenetic signal. These findings provide quantitative evidence and an interpretive framework outlining a combinatorial system of AARs whose compound dynamics mark at the same time DP functions and evolutionary transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Pelassa
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Marica Cibelli
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Veronica Villeri
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Elena Lilliu
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Serena Vaglietti
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Federica Olocco
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Mirella Ghirardi
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy.,National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), Torino, Italy
| | - Pier Giorgio Montarolo
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy.,National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), Torino, Italy
| | - Davide Corà
- Department of Translational Medicine, Piemonte Orientale University, Novara, Italy.,Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Disease (CAAD), Novara, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Fiumara
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Italy.,National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), Torino, Italy
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Zielonka D, Witkowski G, Puch EA, Lesniczak M, Mazur-Michalek I, Isalan M, Mielcarek M. Prevalence of Non-psychiatric Comorbidities in Pre-symptomatic and Symptomatic Huntington's Disease Gene Carriers in Poland. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:79. [PMID: 32219094 PMCID: PMC7078243 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is monogenic neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG expansions within the Huntingtin gene (Htt); it has a prevalence of 1 in 10,000 worldwide and is invariably fatal. Typically, healthy individuals have fewer than 35 CAG repeats, while the CAG expansions range from 36 to ~200 in HD patients. The hallmark of HD is neurodegeneration, especially in the striatal nuclei, basal ganglia and cerebral cortex, leading to neurological symptoms that involve motor, cognitive, and psychiatric events. However, HD is a complex disorder that may also affect peripheral organs, so it is possible that HD patients could be affected by comorbidities. Hence, we investigated the prevalence of comorbid conditions in HD patients (pre-symptomatic and symptomatic groups) and compared the frequency of those conditions to a control group. Our groups represent 65% of HD gene carriers registered in Poland. We identified 8 clusters of comorbid conditions in both HD groups, namely: musculoskeletal, allergies, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, thyroid, psychiatric, and ophthalmologic. We found that HD patients have a significantly higher percentage of co-existing conditions in comparison to the control group. Among the 8 clusters of diseases, musculoskeletal, psychiatric, and cardiovascular events were significantly more frequent in both pre- and symptomatic HD patients, while neurological and gastrointestinal clusters showed significantly higher occurrence in the HD symptomatic group. A greater recognition of comorbidity in HD might help to better understand health outcomes and improve clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zielonka
- Department of Public Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Witkowski
- First Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elzbieta A. Puch
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Marta Lesniczak
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Iwona Mazur-Michalek
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michal Mielcarek
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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40
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Alexander-Floyd J, Haroon S, Ying M, Entezari AA, Jaeger C, Vermulst M, Gidalevitz T. Unexpected cell type-dependent effects of autophagy on polyglutamine aggregation revealed by natural genetic variation in C. elegans. BMC Biol 2020; 18:18. [PMID: 32093691 PMCID: PMC7038566 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-0750-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monogenic protein aggregation diseases, in addition to cell selectivity, exhibit clinical variation in the age of onset and progression, driven in part by inter-individual genetic variation. While natural genetic variants may pinpoint plastic networks amenable to intervention, the mechanisms by which they impact individual susceptibility to proteotoxicity are still largely unknown. RESULTS We have previously shown that natural variation modifies polyglutamine (polyQ) aggregation phenotypes in C. elegans muscle cells. Here, we find that a genomic locus from C. elegans wild isolate DR1350 causes two genetically separable aggregation phenotypes, without changing the basal activity of muscle proteostasis pathways known to affect polyQ aggregation. We find that the increased aggregation phenotype was due to regulatory variants in the gene encoding a conserved autophagy protein ATG-5. The atg-5 gene itself conferred dosage-dependent enhancement of aggregation, with the DR1350-derived allele behaving as hypermorph. Surprisingly, increased aggregation in animals carrying the modifier locus was accompanied by enhanced autophagy activation in response to activating treatment. Because autophagy is expected to clear, not increase, protein aggregates, we activated autophagy in three different polyQ models and found a striking tissue-dependent effect: activation of autophagy decreased polyQ aggregation in neurons and intestine, but increased it in the muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that cryptic natural variants in genes encoding proteostasis components, although not causing detectable phenotypes in wild-type individuals, can have profound effects on aggregation-prone proteins. Clinical applications of autophagy activators for aggregation diseases may need to consider the unexpected divergent effects of autophagy in different cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Alexander-Floyd
- Biology Department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Present Address: Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - S Haroon
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - M Ying
- Biology Department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - A A Entezari
- Biology Department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Current Address: Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - C Jaeger
- Biology Department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Current Address: Department of Neuroradiology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - M Vermulst
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Current Address: Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - T Gidalevitz
- Biology Department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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41
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Pinho BR, Duarte AI, Canas PM, Moreira PI, Murphy MP, Oliveira JMA. The interplay between redox signalling and proteostasis in neurodegeneration: In vivo effects of a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant in Huntington's disease mice. Free Radic Biol Med 2020; 146:372-382. [PMID: 31751762 PMCID: PMC6970224 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal protein homeostasis (proteostasis), dysfunctional mitochondria, and aberrant redox signalling are often associated in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Huntington's (HD), Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. It remains incompletely understood, however, how changes in redox signalling affect proteostasis mechanisms, including protein degradation pathways and unfolded protein responses (UPR). Here we address this open question by investigating the interplay between redox signalling and proteostasis in a mouse model of HD, and by examining the in vivo effects of the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoQ. We performed behavioural tests in wild-type and R6/2 HD mice, examined markers of oxidative stress, UPR activation, and the status of key protein degradation pathways in brain and peripheral tissues. We show that R6/2 mice present widespread markers of oxidative stress, with tissue-specific changes in proteostasis that were more pronounced in the brain and muscle than in the liver. R6/2 mice presented increased levels of cytosolic and mitochondrial chaperones, particularly in muscle, indicating UPR activation. Treatment with MitoQ significantly ameliorated fine motor control of R6/2 mice, and reduced markers of oxidative damage in muscle. Additionally, MitoQ attenuated overactive autophagy induction in the R6/2 muscle, which has been associated with muscle wasting. Treatment with MitoQ did not alter autophagy markers in the brain, in agreement with its low brain bioavailability, which limits the risk of impairing neuronal protein clearance mechanisms. This study supports the hypotheses that abnormal redox signalling in muscle contributes to altered proteostasis and motor impairment in HD, and that redox interventions can improve muscle performance, highlighting the importance of peripheral therapeutics in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brígida R Pinho
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana I Duarte
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience & Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (IIIUC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paula M Canas
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience & Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paula I Moreira
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience & Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Michael P Murphy
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB20XY, UK
| | - Jorge M A Oliveira
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Consortium for Mitochondrial Research (CfMR), University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT, London, UK.
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42
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Antibody-based therapies for Huntington’s disease: current status and future directions. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 132:104569. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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43
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Role of Mutant TBP in Regulation of Myogenesis on Muscle Satellite Cells. Curr Med Sci 2019; 39:734-740. [PMID: 31612390 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-019-2099-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases, mutant proteins cause not only neurological problems but also peripheral tissue abnormalities. Among all systemic damages, skeletal muscle dystrophy is the severest. Previously by studying knock-in (KI) mouse models of spinal cerebellar ataxia 17 (SCA17), it was found that mutant TATA box binding protein (TBP) decreases its interaction with myogenic differentiation antigen, thus reducing the expression of skeletal muscle structural proteins and resulting in muscle degeneration. In this paper, the role of mutant TBP in myogenesis was investigated. Single myofibers were isolated from tibialis anterior muscles of wild type (WT) and SCA17KI mice. The 1TBP18 staining confirmed the expression of mutant TBP in muscle satellite cells in SCA17KI mice. In the BaCl2-induced TA muscle injury, H&E cross-section staining showed no significant change in myofibril size before and after BaCl2 treatment, and there was no significant difference in centralized nuclei between WT and SCA17KI mice, suggesting that mutant TBP had no significant effect on muscle regeneration. In the cultured primary myoblasts from WT and SCA17KI mice in vitro, representative BrdU immunostaining showed no significant difference in proliferation of muscle satellite cells. The primary myoblasts were then induced to differentiate and immunostained for eMyHC, and the staining showed there was no significant difference in differentiation of primary myoblasts between WT and SCA1KI mice. Our findings confirmed that mutant TBP had no significant effect on myogenesis.
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Abrigo J, Simon F, Cabrera D, Vilos C, Cabello-Verrugio C. Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Skeletal Muscle Pathologies. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2019; 20:536-546. [PMID: 30947668 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666190402100902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Several molecular mechanisms are involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle function. Among them, mitochondrial activity can be identified. The mitochondria is an important and essential organelle in the skeletal muscle that is involved in metabolic regulation and ATP production, which are two key elements of muscle contractibility and plasticity. Thus, in this review, we present the critical and recent antecedents regarding the mechanisms through which mitochondrial dysfunction can be involved in the generation and development of skeletal muscle pathologies, its contribution to detrimental functioning in skeletal muscle and its crosstalk with other typical signaling pathways related to muscle diseases. In addition, an update on the development of new strategies with therapeutic potential to inhibit the deleterious impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Abrigo
- Laboratory of Muscle Pathology, Fragility and Aging, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Santiago, Chile.,Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Simon
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Santiago, Chile.,Laboratory of Integrative Physiopathology, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Cabrera
- Departamento de Gastroenterologia, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Biológicas, Facultad de Salud, Universidad Bernardo O Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian Vilos
- Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Targeted Delivery, Center for Medical Research, School of Medicine. Universidad d e Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Claudio Cabello-Verrugio
- Laboratory of Muscle Pathology, Fragility and Aging, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Santiago, Chile.,Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Rodinova M, Krizova J, Stufkova H, Bohuslavova B, Askeland G, Dosoudilova Z, Juhas S, Juhasova J, Ellederova Z, Zeman J, Eide L, Motlik J, Hansikova H. Deterioration of mitochondrial bioenergetics and ultrastructure impairment in skeletal muscle of a transgenic minipig model in the early stages of Huntington's disease. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm.038737. [PMID: 31278192 PMCID: PMC6679385 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.038737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle wasting and atrophy is one of the more severe clinical impairments resulting from the progression of Huntington's disease (HD). Mitochondrial dysfunction may play a significant role in the etiology of HD, but the specific condition of mitochondria in muscle has not been widely studied during the development of HD. To determine the role of mitochondria in skeletal muscle during the early stages of HD, we analyzed quadriceps femoris muscle from 24-, 36-, 48- and 66-month-old transgenic minipigs that expressed the N-terminal portion of mutated human huntingtin protein (TgHD) and age-matched wild-type (WT) siblings. We found altered ultrastructure of TgHD muscle tissue and mitochondria. There was also significant reduction of activity of citrate synthase and respiratory chain complexes (RCCs) I, II and IV, decreased quantity of oligomycin-sensitivity conferring protein (OSCP) and the E2 subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDHE2), and differential expression of optic atrophy 1 protein (OPA1) and dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) in the skeletal muscle of TgHD minipigs. Statistical analysis identified several parameters that were dependent only on HD status and could therefore be used as potential biomarkers of disease progression. In particular, the reduction of biomarker RCCII subunit SDH30 quantity suggests that similar pathogenic mechanisms underlie disease progression in TgHD minipigs and HD patients. The perturbed biochemical phenotype was detectable in TgHD minipigs prior to the development of ultrastructural changes and locomotor impairment, which become evident at the age of 48 months. Mitochondrial disturbances may contribute to energetic depression in skeletal muscle in HD, which is in concordance with the mobility problems observed in this model.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Rodinova
- Laboratory for Study of Mitochondrial Disorders, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 12108 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Krizova
- Laboratory for Study of Mitochondrial Disorders, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 12108 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Stufkova
- Laboratory for Study of Mitochondrial Disorders, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 12108 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Bozena Bohuslavova
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Cell Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics AS CR, 27721 Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Georgina Askeland
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Zaneta Dosoudilova
- Laboratory for Study of Mitochondrial Disorders, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 12108 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Stefan Juhas
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Cell Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics AS CR, 27721 Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Juhasova
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Cell Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics AS CR, 27721 Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Ellederova
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Cell Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics AS CR, 27721 Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Zeman
- Laboratory for Study of Mitochondrial Disorders, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 12108 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Lars Eide
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan Motlik
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Cell Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics AS CR, 27721 Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Hansikova
- Laboratory for Study of Mitochondrial Disorders, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 12108 Prague 2, Czech Republic
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Rudenko O, Springer C, Skov LJ, Madsen AN, Hasholt L, Nørremølle A, Holst B. Ghrelin-mediated improvements in the metabolic phenotype in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12699. [PMID: 30776164 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a heritable neurodegenerative disorder, characterised by metabolic disturbances, along with cognitive and psychiatric impairments. Targeting metabolic HD dysfunction via the maintenance of body weight and fat mass and restoration of peripheral energy metabolism can improve the progression of neurological symptoms. In this respect, we focused on the therapeutic potential of the orexigenic peptide hormone ghrelin, which plays an important role in promoting a positive energy balance. In the present study, we found a significant disruption of circadian metabolic regulation in a R6/2 mouse HD model in the late stage of disease. Daily circadian rhythms of activity, energy expenditure, respiratory exchange ratio and feeding were strongly attenuated in R6/2 mice. During the rest phase, R6/2 mice had a higher total activity, elevated energy expenditure and excessive water consumption compared to control mice. We also found that, in the late stage of disease, R6/2 mice had ghrelin axis deficiency as a result of low circulating ghrelin levels, in addition to down-regulation of the ghrelin receptor and several key signalling molecules in the hypothalamus, as well as a reduced responsiveness to exogenous peripheral ghrelin. We demonstrated that, in pre-symptomatic mice, responsiveness to ghrelin is preserved. Chronic ghrelin treatment efficiently increased lean body mass and decreased the energy expenditure and fat utilisation of R6/2 mice in the early stage of disease. In addition, ghrelin treatment was also effective in the normalisation of drinking behaviour and the rest activity of these mice. Ghrelin treatment could provide a novel therapeutic possibility for delaying disease progression; however, deficiency in ghrelin receptor expression could limit its therapeutic potential in the late stage of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Rudenko
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Metabolic Receptology, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Springer
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Metabolic Receptology, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Louisa J Skov
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Metabolic Receptology, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas N Madsen
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Metabolic Receptology, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lis Hasholt
- Medical Genetics Program, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Nørremølle
- Medical Genetics Program, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Birgitte Holst
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Metabolic Receptology, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Mueller SM, Mihaylova V, Frese S, Petersen JA, Ligon-Auer M, Aguayo D, Flück M, Jung HH, Toigo M. Satellite cell content in Huntington's disease patients in response to endurance training. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2019; 14:135. [PMID: 31186054 PMCID: PMC6560826 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-019-1115-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Skeletal muscle wasting is a hallmark of Huntington’s disease (HD). However, data on myocellular characteristics and myofiber remodeling in HD patients are scarce. We aimed at gaining insights into myocellular characteristics of HD patients as compared to healthy controls at rest and after a period of increased skeletal muscle turnover. Methods Myosin heavy chain (MyHC)-specific cross-sectional area, satellite cell content, myonuclear number, myonuclear domain, and muscle fiber type distribution were determined from vastus lateralis muscle biopsies at rest and after 26 weeks of endurance training in HD patients and healthy controls. Results At the beginning of the study, there were no differences in myocellular characteristics between HD patients and healthy controls. Satellite cell content per MyHC-1 fiber (P = 0.014) and per MyHC-1 myonucleus (P = 0.006) increased significantly in healthy controls during the endurance training intervention, whereas it remained constant in HD patients (P = 0.804 and P = 0.975 for satellite cell content per MyHC-1 fiber and myonucleus, respectively). All further variables were not altered during the training intervention in HD patients and healthy controls. Conclusions Similar skeletal muscle characteristics between HD patients and healthy controls at baseline suggested similar potential for myofiber remodeling in response to exercise. However, the missing satellite cell response in MyHC-1 myofibers following endurance training in HD patients points to a potential dysregulation in the exercise-induced activation and/or proliferation of satellite cells. In the longer-term, impaired myonuclear turnover might be associated with the clinical observation of skeletal muscle wasting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Manuel Mueller
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Research and Performance Center for Elite Athleticism, OYM, Lorzenparkstrasse 12, 6330, Cham, Switzerland
| | - Violeta Mihaylova
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Frese
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Human Movement Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jens A Petersen
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maria Ligon-Auer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David Aguayo
- Institute of Human Movement Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Flück
- Department of Orthopaedics, Laboratory for Muscle Plasticity, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hans H Jung
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Toigo
- Research and Performance Center for Elite Athleticism, OYM, Lorzenparkstrasse 12, 6330, Cham, Switzerland. .,Institute of Human Movement Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. .,Department of Orthopaedics, Laboratory for Muscle Plasticity, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Mueller SM, Petersen JA, Jung HH. Exercise in Huntington's Disease: Current State and Clinical Significance. TREMOR AND OTHER HYPERKINETIC MOVEMENTS (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2019; 9:601. [PMID: 30783551 PMCID: PMC6377806 DOI: 10.7916/tm9j-f874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Background Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease. Currently, there is no cure for the disease, but treatment may alleviate HD symptoms. In recent years, several exercise training interventions have been conducted in HD patients. In the current article, we review previous studies investigating targeted exercise training interventions in HD patients. Methods We performed a literature search using the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases on exercise training interventions in HD patients. Six publications fulfilled the criteria and were included in the review. Results Exercise training resulted in beneficial effects on cardiovascular and mitochondrial function. Training effects on cognition, motor function, and body composition were less congruent, but a positive effect seems likely. Health-related quality of life during the training interventions was stable. Most studies reported no related adverse events in response to training. Discussion Exercise training seems to be safe and feasible in HD patients. However, current knowledge is mainly based on short, small-scale studies and it cannot be transferred to all HD patients. Therefore, longer-term interventions with larger HD patient cohorts are necessary to draw firm conclusions about the potentially positive effects of exercise training in HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jens A Petersen
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, CH
| | - Hans H Jung
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, CH
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Ooi J, Langley SR, Xu X, Utami KH, Sim B, Huang Y, Harmston NP, Tay YL, Ziaei A, Zeng R, Low D, Aminkeng F, Sobota RM, Ginhoux F, Petretto E, Pouladi MA. Unbiased Profiling of Isogenic Huntington Disease hPSC-Derived CNS and Peripheral Cells Reveals Strong Cell-Type Specificity of CAG Length Effects. Cell Rep 2019; 26:2494-2508.e7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
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Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases are a group of hereditary neurodegenerative disorders caused by expansion of unstable polyQ repeats in their associated disease proteins. To date, the pathogenesis of each disease remains poorly understood, and there are no effective treatments. Growing evidence has indicated that, in addition to neurodegeneration, polyQ-expanded proteins can cause a wide array of abnormalities in peripheral tissues. Indeed, polyQ-expanded proteins are ubiquitously expressed throughout the body and can affect the function of both the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues. The peripheral effects of polyQ disease proteins include muscle wasting and reduced muscle strength in patients or animal models of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), Huntington's disease (HD), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17). Since skeletal muscle pathology can reflect disease progression and is more accessible for treatment than neurodegeneration in the CNS, understanding how polyQ disease proteins affect skeletal muscle will help elucidate disease mechanisms and the development of new therapeutics. In this review, we focus on important findings in terms of skeletal muscle pathology in polyQ diseases and also discuss the potential mechanisms underlying the major peripheral effects of polyQ disease proteins, as well as their therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Huang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Suiqiang Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shihua Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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