1
|
Wasielewska JM, Chaves JCS, Cabral-da-Silva MC, Pecoraro M, Viljoen SJ, Nguyen TH, Bella VL, Oikari LE, Ooi L, White AR. A patient-derived amyotrophic lateral sclerosis blood-brain barrier model for focused ultrasound-mediated anti-TDP-43 antibody delivery. Fluids Barriers CNS 2024; 21:65. [PMID: 39138578 PMCID: PMC11323367 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-024-00565-1] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disorder with minimally effective treatment options. An important hurdle in ALS drug development is the non-invasive therapeutic access to the motor cortex currently limited by the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Focused ultrasound and microbubble (FUS+ MB) treatment is an emerging technology that was successfully used in ALS patients to temporarily open the cortical BBB. However, FUS+ MB-mediated drug delivery across ALS patients' BBB has not yet been reported. Similarly, the effects of FUS+ MB on human ALS BBB cells remain unexplored. METHODS Here we established the first FUS+ MB-compatible, fully-human ALS patient-cell-derived BBB model based on induced brain endothelial-like cells (iBECs) to study anti-TDP-43 antibody delivery and FUS+ MB bioeffects in vitro. RESULTS Generated ALS iBECs recapitulated disease-specific hallmarks of BBB pathology, including reduced BBB integrity and permeability, and TDP-43 proteinopathy. The results also identified differences between sporadic ALS and familial (C9orf72 expansion carrying) ALS iBECs reflecting patient heterogeneity associated with disease subgroups. Studies in these models revealed successful ALS iBEC monolayer opening in vitro with no adverse cellular effects of FUS+ MB as reflected by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release viability assay and the lack of visible monolayer damage or morphology change in FUS+ MB treated cells. This was accompanied by the molecular bioeffects of FUS+ MB in ALS iBECs including changes in expression of tight and adherens junction markers, and drug transporter and inflammatory mediators, with sporadic and C9orf72 ALS iBECs generating transient specific responses. Additionally, we demonstrated an effective increase in the delivery of anti-TDP-43 antibody with FUS+ MB in C9orf72 (2.7-fold) and sporadic (1.9-fold) ALS iBECs providing the first proof-of-concept evidence that FUS+ MB can be used to enhance the permeability of large molecule therapeutics across the BBB in a human ALS in vitro model. CONCLUSIONS Together, this study describes the first characterisation of cellular and molecular responses of ALS iBECs to FUS+ MB and provides a fully-human platform for FUS+ MB-mediated drug delivery screening on an ALS BBB in vitro model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna M Wasielewska
- Brain and Mental Health Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Juliana C S Chaves
- Brain and Mental Health Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Mauricio Castro Cabral-da-Silva
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Martina Pecoraro
- ALS Clinical Research Centre and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnosis, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stephani J Viljoen
- Brain and Mental Health Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Tam Hong Nguyen
- Flow Cytometry and Imaging Facility, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Vincenzo La Bella
- ALS Clinical Research Centre and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnosis, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Lotta E Oikari
- Brain and Mental Health Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Lezanne Ooi
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Anthony R White
- Brain and Mental Health Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia.
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Salzinger A, Ramesh V, Das Sharma S, Chandran S, Thangaraj Selvaraj B. Neuronal Circuit Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2024; 13:792. [PMID: 38786016 PMCID: PMC11120636 DOI: 10.3390/cells13100792] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The primary neural circuit affected in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients is the corticospinal motor circuit, originating in upper motor neurons (UMNs) in the cerebral motor cortex which descend to synapse with the lower motor neurons (LMNs) in the spinal cord to ultimately innervate the skeletal muscle. Perturbation of these neural circuits and consequent loss of both UMNs and LMNs, leading to muscle wastage and impaired movement, is the key pathophysiology observed. Despite decades of research, we are still lacking in ALS disease-modifying treatments. In this review, we document the current research from patient studies, rodent models, and human stem cell models in understanding the mechanisms of corticomotor circuit dysfunction and its implication in ALS. We summarize the current knowledge about cortical UMN dysfunction and degeneration, altered excitability in LMNs, neuromuscular junction degeneration, and the non-cell autonomous role of glial cells in motor circuit dysfunction in relation to ALS. We further highlight the advances in human stem cell technology to model the complex neural circuitry and how these can aid in future studies to better understand the mechanisms of neural circuit dysfunction underpinning ALS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Salzinger
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Vidya Ramesh
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Shreya Das Sharma
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Siddharthan Chandran
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic (ARRNC), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Bhuvaneish Thangaraj Selvaraj
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; (A.S.); (V.R.); (S.D.S.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic (ARRNC), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bette M, Cors E, Kresse C, Schütz B. Therapeutic Treatment of Superoxide Dismutase 1 (G93A) Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Model Mice with Medical Ozone Decelerates Trigeminal Motor Neuron Degeneration, Attenuates Microglial Proliferation, and Preserves Monocyte Levels in Mesenteric Lymph Nodes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063403. [PMID: 35328829 PMCID: PMC8950555 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable and lethal neurodegenerative disease in which progressive motor neuron loss and associated inflammation represent major pathology hallmarks. Both the prevention of neuronal loss and neuro-destructive inflammation are still unmet challenges. Medical ozone, an ozonized oxygen mixture (O3/O2), has been shown to elicit profound immunomodulatory effects in peripheral organs, and beneficial effects in the aging brain. We investigated, in a preclinical drug testing approach, the therapeutic potential of a five-day O3/O2i.p. treatment regime at the beginning of the symptomatic disease phase in the superoxide dismutase (SOD1G93A) ALS mouse model. Clinical assessment of SOD1G93A mice revealed no benefit of medical ozone treatment over sham with respect to gross body weight, motor performance, disease duration, or survival. In the brainstem of end stage SOD1G93A mice, however, neurodegeneration was found decelerated, and SOD1-related vacuolization was reduced in the motor trigeminal nucleus in the O3/O2 treatment group when compared to sham-treated mice. In addition, microglia proliferation was less pronounced in the brainstem, while the hypertrophy of astroglia remained largely unaffected. Finally, monocyte numbers were reduced in the blood, spleen, and mesenteric lymph nodes at postnatal day 60 in SOD1G93A mice. A further decrease in monocyte numbers seen in mesenteric lymph nodes from sham-treated SOD1G93A mice at an advanced disease stage, however, was prevented by medical ozone treatment. Collectively, our study revealed a select neuroprotective and possibly anti-inflammatory capacity for medical ozone when applied as a therapeutic agent in SOD1G93A ALS mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bette
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps-University, 35037 Marburg, Germany; (E.C.); (C.K.)
- Correspondence: (M.B.); (B.S.); Tel.: +49-6421-286-6780 (M.B.); +49-6421-286-4040 (B.S.)
| | - Eileen Cors
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps-University, 35037 Marburg, Germany; (E.C.); (C.K.)
- Department of Mitochondrial Proteostasis, Max-Planck-Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Carolin Kresse
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps-University, 35037 Marburg, Germany; (E.C.); (C.K.)
| | - Burkhard Schütz
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps-University, 35037 Marburg, Germany; (E.C.); (C.K.)
- Correspondence: (M.B.); (B.S.); Tel.: +49-6421-286-6780 (M.B.); +49-6421-286-4040 (B.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Roldan A, Henríquez M, Iturricastillo A, Castillo D, Yanci J, Reina R. To What Degree Does Limb Spasticity Affect Motor Performance in Para-Footballers With Cerebral Palsy? Front Physiol 2022; 12:807853. [PMID: 35140631 PMCID: PMC8818870 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.807853] [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: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Spasticity is considered a contributor to hypertonia, frequently presented in people with cerebral palsy (CP), affecting muscle function and motor activities. In CP football, the classification system determines that this impairment is eligible for competitive para-sports due to the impact on activity limitation and sports performance. However, the relationship between this feature (i.e., spastic hypertonia) and performance determinants has not been explored yet. This study aimed to assess the association of clinical spasticity measurements with the performance of sport-specific tests used for classification purposes. Sixty-nine international footballers with CP voluntarily participated in this study. The Australian Spasticity Assessment Scale was used to measure spasticity in lower limbs muscle groups and activity limitation tests were conducted considering dynamic balance, coordination, vertical and horizontal jumps, acceleration, and change of direction ability. Low-to-moderate negative significant associations were found between the hip spasticity and measures of dynamic balance and dominant unipedal horizontal jump capacity. Additionally, moderate associations were reported between the knee spasticity and the non-dominant unipedal horizontal jump capacity and the change of direction actions with the ball. The ankle spasticity score reported small to moderate associations with the change of direction assessment without the ball and bipedal and dominant unipedal horizontal jump capability. Finally, the total spasticity score only presented a significant association with horizontal jump performance. This is a novel study that provides evidence of the associations between an eligible neural impairment and relevant specific measures of activity limitation tests. These results suggest that the amount of spasticity according to each evaluated joint muscle group of the lower limbs presents a low-to-moderate significant relationship with determined measures of dynamic balance, coordination, horizontal jump, acceleration, and change of direction ability with and without the ball in international-level CP footballers. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the real contribution of neural and non-neural impairments related to hypertonia on fundamental sport-specific motor skills of para-footballers with CP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alba Roldan
- Sports Research Centre, Department of Sport Sciences, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain
| | - Matías Henríquez
- Sports Research Centre, Department of Sport Sciences, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain
- *Correspondence: Matías Henríquez,
| | - Aitor Iturricastillo
- Sports and Physical Exercise Research Group (GIKAFIT), Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Daniel Castillo
- Faculty of Education, University of Valladolid, Soria, Spain
| | - Javier Yanci
- Sports and Physical Exercise Research Group (GIKAFIT), Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Raul Reina
- Sports Research Centre, Department of Sport Sciences, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain
| |
Collapse
|