1
|
Bellver-Sanchis A, Ávila-López PA, Tic I, Valle-García D, Ribalta-Vilella M, Labrador L, Banerjee DR, Guerrero A, Casadesus G, Poulard C, Pallàs M, Griñán-Ferré C. Neuroprotective effects of G9a inhibition through modulation of peroxisome-proliferator activator receptor gamma-dependent pathways by miR-128. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:2532-2542. [PMID: 38526289 PMCID: PMC11090428 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.393102] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202419110-00033/figure1/v/2024-03-08T184507Z/r/image-tiff Dysregulation of G9a, a histone-lysine N-methyltransferase, has been observed in Alzheimer's disease and has been correlated with increased levels of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Likewise, microRNAs are involved in many biological processes and diseases playing a key role in pathogenesis, especially in multifactorial diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, our aim has been to provide partial insights into the interconnection between G9a, microRNAs, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. To better understand the biology of G9a, we compared the global microRNA expression between senescence-accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8) control mice and SAMP8 treated with G9a inhibitor UNC0642. We found a downregulation of miR-128 after a G9a inhibition treatment, which interestingly binds to the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of peroxisome-proliferator activator receptor γ (PPARG) mRNA. Accordingly, Pparg gene expression levels were higher in the SAMP8 group treated with G9a inhibitor than in the SAMP8 control group. We also observed modulation of oxidative stress responses might be mainly driven Pparg after G9a inhibitor. To confirm these antioxidant effects, we treated primary neuron cell cultures with hydrogen peroxide as an oxidative insult. In this setting, treatment with G9a inhibitor increases both cell survival and antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, up-regulation of PPARγ by G9a inhibitor could also increase the expression of genes involved in DNA damage responses and apoptosis. In addition, we also described that the PPARγ/AMPK axis partially explains the regulation of autophagy markers expression. Finally, PPARγ/GADD45α potentially contributes to enhancing synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis after G9a inhibition. Altogether, we propose that pharmacological inhibition of G9a leads to a neuroprotective effect that could be due, at least in part, by the modulation of PPARγ-dependent pathways by miR-128.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aina Bellver-Sanchis
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro A. Ávila-López
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Iva Tic
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Valle-García
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Marta Ribalta-Vilella
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Labrador
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Health Science Center-University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Deb Ranjan Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, M G Avenue, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | - Ana Guerrero
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Casadesus
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Health Science Center-University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Coralie Poulard
- Cancer Research Cancer Lyon, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Inserm U1052, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France
- CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérlogie de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Mercè Pallàs
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Christian Griñán-Ferré
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yang Y, Chen W, Lin Z, Wu Y, Li Y, Xia X. Panax notoginseng saponins prevent dementia and oxidative stress in brains of SAMP8 mice by enhancing mitophagy. BMC Complement Med Ther 2024; 24:144. [PMID: 38575939 PMCID: PMC10993618 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04403-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the distinctive features of neurons in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Intraneuronal autophagosomes selectively phagocytose and degrade the damaged mitochondria, mitigating neuronal damage in AD. Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) can effectively reduce oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in the brain of animals with AD, but their exact mechanism of action is unknown. METHODS Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice with age-related AD were treated with PNS for 8 weeks. The effects of PNS on learning and memory abilities, cerebral oxidative stress status, and hippocampus ultrastructure of mice were observed. Moreover, changes of the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1)-Parkin, which regulates ubiquitin-dependent mitophagy, and the recruit of downstream autophagy receptors were investigated. RESULTS PNS attenuated cognitive dysfunction in SAMP8 mice in the Morris water maze test. PNS also enhanced glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, and increased glutathione levels by 25.92% and 45.55% while inhibiting 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine by 27.74% and the malondialdehyde production by 34.02% in the brains of SAMP8 mice. Our observation revealed the promotion of mitophagy, which was accompanied by an increase in microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) mRNA and 70.00% increase of LC3-II/I protein ratio in the brain tissues of PNS-treated mice. PNS treatment increased Parkin mRNA and protein expression by 62.80% and 43.80%, while increasing the mRNA transcription and protein expression of mitophagic receptors such as optineurin, and nuclear dot protein 52. CONCLUSION PNS enhanced the PINK1/Parkin pathway and facilitated mitophagy in the hippocampus, thereby preventing cerebral oxidative stress in SAMP8 mice. This may be a mechanism contributing to the cognition-improvement effect of PNS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, China
| | - Wenya Chen
- Key Laboratory of TCM Neuro-metabolism and Immunopharmacology of Guangxi Education Department, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, China
| | - Zhenmei Lin
- School of Pharmacy, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, China
| | - Yijing Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, China.
| | - Xing Xia
- Key Laboratory of TCM Neuro-metabolism and Immunopharmacology of Guangxi Education Department, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jana A, Naga R, Saha S, Griñán-Ferré C, Banerjee DR. Integration of ligand and structure-based pharmacophore screening for the identification of novel natural leads against Euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2/G9a). J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:3535-3562. [PMID: 37216299 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2213346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we report a blended ligand and structure-based pharmacophore screening approach to identify new natural leads against the Protein Lysine Methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2/G9a). The EHMT2/G9a has been associated with Cancer, Alzheimer's, and aging and is considered an emerging drug target having no clinically passed inhibitor. Purposefully, we developed the ligand-based pharmacophore (Pharmacophore-L) based on the common features of known inhibitors and the structure-based pharmacophore (Pharmacophore-S) based on the interaction profile of available crystal structures. The Pharmacophore-L and Pharmacophore-S were subjected to multiple tiers of validations and utilized in combination for the screening of total 741543 compounds coming from multiple databases. Additional layers of stringency were applied in the screening process to test drug-likeness (using Lipinski's rule, Veber's rule, SMARTS and ADMET filtration), to rule out any toxicity (TOPKAT analysis). The interaction profiles, stabilities, and comparative analysis against the reference were carried out by flexible docking, MD simulation, and MM-GBSA analysis, which finally led to three leads as potential inhibitors of G9a.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhisek Jana
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, India
| | - Rahul Naga
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, India
| | - Sougata Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, India
| | - Christian Griñán-Ferré
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Deb Ranjan Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abondio P, Bruno F, Passarino G, Montesanto A, Luiselli D. Pangenomics: A new era in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 94:102180. [PMID: 38163518 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102180] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
A pangenome is composed of all the genetic variability of a group of individuals, and its application to the study of neurodegenerative diseases may provide valuable insights into the underlying aspects of genetic heterogenetiy for these complex ailments, including gene expression, epigenetics, and translation mechanisms. Furthermore, a reference pangenome allows for the identification of previously undetected structural commonalities and differences among individuals, which may help in the diagnosis of a disease, support the prediction of what will happen over time (prognosis) and aid in developing novel treatments in the perspective of personalized medicine. Therefore, in the present review, the application of the pangenome concept to the study of neurodegenerative diseases will be discussed and analyzed for its potential to enable an improvement in diagnosis and prognosis for these illnesses, leading to the development of tailored treatments for individual patients from the knowledge of the genomic composition of a whole population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Abondio
- Laboratory of Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121 Ravenna, Italy.
| | - Francesco Bruno
- Academy of Cognitive Behavioral Sciences of Calabria (ASCoC), Lamezia Terme, Italy; Regional Neurogenetic Centre (CRN), Department of Primary Care, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale Di Catanzaro, Viale A. Perugini, 88046 Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy; Association for Neurogenetic Research (ARN), Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Passarino
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Alberto Montesanto
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Donata Luiselli
- Laboratory of Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121 Ravenna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bellver-Sanchis A, Geng Q, Navarro G, Ávila-López PA, Companys-Alemany J, Marsal-García L, Larramona-Arcas R, Miró L, Perez-Bosque A, Ortuño-Sahagún D, Banerjee DR, Choudhary BS, Soriano FX, Poulard C, Pallàs M, Du HN, Griñán-Ferré C. G9a Inhibition Promotes Neuroprotection through GMFB Regulation in Alzheimer's Disease. Aging Dis 2024; 15:311-337. [PMID: 37307824 PMCID: PMC10796087 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0424-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic alterations are a fundamental pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Herein, we show the upregulation of G9a and H3K9me2 in the brains of AD patients. Interestingly, treatment with a G9a inhibitor (G9ai) in SAMP8 mice reversed the high levels of H3K9me2 and rescued cognitive decline. A transcriptional profile analysis after G9ai treatment revealed increased gene expression of glia maturation factor β (GMFB) in SAMP8 mice. Besides, a H3K9me2 ChIP-seq analysis after G9a inhibition treatment showed the enrichment of gene promoters associated with neural functions. We observed the induction of neuronal plasticity and a reduction of neuroinflammation after G9ai treatment, and more strikingly, these neuroprotective effects were reverted by the pharmacological inhibition of GMFB in mice and cell cultures; this was also validated by the RNAi approach generating the knockdown of GMFB/Y507A.10 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Importantly, we present evidence that GMFB activity is controlled by G9a-mediated lysine methylation as well as we identified that G9a directly bound GMFB and catalyzed the methylation at lysine (K) 20 and K25 in vitro. Furthermore, we found that the neurodegenerative role of G9a as a GMFB suppressor would mainly rely on methylation of the K25 position of GMFB, and thus G9a pharmacological inhibition removes this methylation promoting neuroprotective effects. Then, our findings confirm an undescribed mechanism by which G9a inhibition acts at two levels, increasing GMFB and regulating its function to promote neuroprotective effects in age-related cognitive decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aina Bellver-Sanchis
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Qizhi Geng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, RNA Institute, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Gemma Navarro
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
- Department Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy. Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Pedro A. Ávila-López
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
| | - Júlia Companys-Alemany
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Laura Marsal-García
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Raquel Larramona-Arcas
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, Celltec-UB, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, and Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Lluisa Miró
- Departament de Bioquímica i Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació and Institut de Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Anna Perez-Bosque
- Departament de Bioquímica i Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació and Institut de Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Daniel Ortuño-Sahagún
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación de Ciencias Biomédicas (IICB) CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco 44340, México.
| | | | - Bhanwar Singh Choudhary
- Department of Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India.
- Shree S. K. Patel College of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ganpat University, Mehsana, Gujarat, India.
| | - Francesc X Soriano
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, Celltec-UB, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, and Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Coralie Poulard
- Cancer Research Cancer Lyon, Université de Lyon, F-69000 Lyon, France.
- Inserm U1052, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, F-69000 Lyon, France.
- CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérlogie de Lyon, F-69000 Lyon, France.
| | - Mercè Pallàs
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Hai-Ning Du
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, RNA Institute, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Christian Griñán-Ferré
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Institut de Neurociències-Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jana A, Bellver-Sanchis A, Griñán-Ferré C, Banerjee DR. Repurposing of Raltitrexed as an Effective G9a/EHMT2 Inhibitor and Promising Anti-Alzheimer's Agent. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:1531-1536. [PMID: 37974951 PMCID: PMC10641905 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Herein, we report for the first time the G9a/EHMT2 inhibition and anti-Alzheimer's activities of the drug raltitrexed. G9a is a lysine methyltransferase that mainly dimethylates the H3K9 of chromatin, which triggers the repression of genes epigenetically, leading to various diseased conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). First, we demonstrate that raltitrexed inhibits G9a at 120 nM. Moreover, raltitrexed lowers the total H3K9me2/H3K9 levels in AD transgenic C. elegans CL2006 worms, indicating that raltitrexed targets G9a directly. As toxicity is the bottleneck in G9a drug discovery, we conducted detailed in silico toxicity (TOPKAT) analyses of raltitrexed and measured the food consumption by C. elegans, demonstrating that raltitrexed's toxicity/function range is safe for the worm's growth. Moreover, we demonstrate that raltitrexed enhances the locomotive function of worms dose-dependently. Finally, we show that raltitrexed reduced the Aβ aggregates in worms up to 47%, highlighting the potential of raltitrexed in AD treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhisek Jana
- Department
of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology
Durgapur, M G Avenue, Durgapur-713209 , West Bengal, India
| | - Aina Bellver-Sanchis
- Pharmacology
Section, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry,
Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat de Barcelona (NeuroUB), Av. Joan XXIII 27−31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christian Griñán-Ferré
- Pharmacology
Section, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry,
Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat de Barcelona (NeuroUB), Av. Joan XXIII 27−31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro
de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Deb Ranjan Banerjee
- Department
of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology
Durgapur, M G Avenue, Durgapur-713209 , West Bengal, India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ravanelli F, Musazzi L, Barbieri SS, Rovati G, Popoli M, Barbon A, Ieraci A. Differential Epigenetic Changes in the Dorsal Hippocampus of Male and Female SAMP8 Mice: A Preliminary Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13084. [PMID: 37685895 PMCID: PMC10488283 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disease characterized by memory loss and cognitive impairment. The causes of the disease are not well understood, as it involves a complex interaction between genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors. SAMP8 mice have been proposed as a model for studying late-onset AD, since they show age-related learning and memory deficits as well as several features of AD pathogenesis. Epigenetic changes have been described in SAMP8 mice, although sex differences have never been evaluated. Here we used western blot and qPCR analyses to investigate whether epigenetic markers are differentially altered in the dorsal hippocampus, a region important for the regulation of learning and memory, of 9-month-old male and female SAMP8 mice. We found that H3Ac was selectively reduced in male SAMP8 mice compared to male SAMR1 control mice, but not in female mice, whereas H3K27me3 was reduced overall in SAMP8 mice. Moreover, the levels of HDAC2 and JmjD3 were increased, whereas the levels of HDAC4 and Dnmt3a were reduced in SAMP8 mice compared to SAMR1. In addition, levels of HDAC1 were reduced, whereas Utx and Jmjd3 were selectively increased in females compared to males. Although our results are preliminary, they suggest that epigenetic mechanisms in the dorsal hippocampus are differentially regulated in male and female SAMP8 mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ravanelli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (G.R.); (M.P.)
| | - Laura Musazzi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy;
| | - Silvia Stella Barbieri
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, 20138 Milan, Italy;
| | - Gianenrico Rovati
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (G.R.); (M.P.)
| | - Maurizio Popoli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (G.R.); (M.P.)
| | - Alessandro Barbon
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Ieraci
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chou MY, Wong YC, Wang SY, Chi CH, Wang TH, Huang MJ, Huang PH, Li PH, Wang MF. Potential antidepressant effects of a dietary supplement from Huáng qí and its complex in aged senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 mice. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1235780. [PMID: 37575325 PMCID: PMC10421658 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1235780] [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: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthcare is an emerging industry with significant market potential in the 21st century. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the benefits of tube feeding Huáng qí and its complexes for 8 weeks on 3-month-old senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 (SAMP8) mice, 48 in total, randomly divided into 3 groups including control, Huáng qí extract [820 mg/kg Body weight (BW)/day], and Huáng qí complexes (6.2 mL /kg BW/day), where each group consisted of males (n = 8) and females (n = 8). Behavioral tests (locomotion test and aging score assessment on week 6, the single-trial passive avoidance test on week 7, and the active shuttle avoidance test on week 8) were conducted to evaluate the ability of the mice to learn and remember. In addition, after sacrificing the animals, the blood and organs were measured for antioxidant and aging bioactivities, including malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and catalase activities (CAT), and the effects on promoting aging in SAMP8 mice were investigated. The findings showed that Huáng qí enhanced locomotor performance and had anti-aging effects, with positive effects on health, learning, and memory in SAMP-8 mice (p < 0.05), whether applied as a single agent (820 mg/kg BW/day) or as a complex (6.2 mL/kg BW/day) (p < 0.05). Based on existing strengths, a more compelling platform for clinical validation of human clinical evidence will be established to enhance the development and value-added of astragalus-related products while meeting the diversified needs of the functional food market.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yu Chou
- School of Business, Qanzhou Vocational and Technical University, Jinjiang, China
- International Aging Industry Research & Development Center (AIC), Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Yue-Ching Wong
- Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Shih-Yi Wang
- International Aging Industry Research & Development Center (AIC), Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Ching-Hsin Chi
- International Aging Industry Research & Development Center (AIC), Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Teng-Hsu Wang
- PhytoHealth Corporation, Taipei city, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Mao-Jung Huang
- School of General Education, Hsiuping University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Ping-Hsiu Huang
- School of Food, Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College, Huai’an, China
| | - Po-Hsien Li
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Ming-Fu Wang
- International Aging Industry Research & Development Center (AIC), Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gómez-Oliva R, Martínez-Ortega S, Atienza-Navarro I, Domínguez-García S, Bernal-Utrera C, Geribaldi-Doldán N, Verástegui C, Ezzanad A, Hernández-Galán R, Nunez-Abades P, Garcia-Alloza M, Castro C. Rescue of neurogenesis and age-associated cognitive decline in SAMP8 mouse: Role of transforming growth factor-alpha. Aging Cell 2023:e13829. [PMID: 37177826 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathological aging is associated with memory impairment and cognitive decline, affecting several brain areas including the neurogenic niche of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (DG). In the healthy brain, homeostatic mechanisms regulate neurogenesis within the DG to facilitate the continuous generation of neurons from neural stem cells (NSC). Nevertheless, aging reduces the number of activated neural stem cells and diminishes the number of newly generated neurons. Strategies that promote neurogenesis in the DG may improve cognitive performance in the elderly resulting in the development of treatments to prevent the progression of neurological disorders in the aged population. Our work is aimed at discovering targeting molecules to be used in the design of pharmacological agents that prevent the neurological effects of brain aging. We study the effect of age on hippocampal neurogenesis using the SAMP8 mouse as a model of neuropathological aging. We show that in 6-month-old SAMP8 mice, episodic and spatial memory are impaired; concomitantly, the generation of neuroblasts and neurons is reduced and the generation of astrocytes is increased in this model. The novelty of our work resides in the fact that treatment of SAMP8 mice with a transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFα) targeting molecule prevents the observed defects, positively regulating neurogenesis and improving cognitive performance. This compound facilitates the release of TGFα in vitro and in vivo and activates signaling pathways initiated by this growth factor. We conclude that compounds of this kind that stimulate neurogenesis may be useful to counteract the neurological effects of pathological aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gómez-Oliva
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Sergio Martínez-Ortega
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Isabel Atienza-Navarro
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Samuel Domínguez-García
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carlos Bernal-Utrera
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Noelia Geribaldi-Doldán
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humanas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Cristina Verástegui
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humanas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Abdellah Ezzanad
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Rosario Hernández-Galán
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Pedro Nunez-Abades
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Monica Garcia-Alloza
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carmen Castro
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Effects of Scrophularia buergeriana Extract (Brainon ®) on Aging-Induced Memory Impairment in SAMP8 Mice. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:1287-1305. [PMID: 36826029 PMCID: PMC9955813 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45020084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a worldwide problem. Currently, there are no effective drugs for AD treatment. Scrophularia buergeriana Miquel (SB) is a traditional herbal medicine used in Korea to treat various diseases. Our previous studies have shown that ethanol extract of SB roots (SBE, Brainon®) exhibits potent anti-amnesic effects in Aβ1-42- or scopolamine-treated memory impairment mice model and neuroprotective effects in a glutamate-induced SH-SY5Y cell model. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of Brainon® and its mechanism of action in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice. Brainon® (30 or 100 mg/kg/day) was orally treated to six-month-old SAMP8 mice for 12 weeks. Results revealed that Brainon® administration effectually ameliorated cognitive deficits in Y-maze and passive avoidance tests. Following the completion of behavioral testing, western blotting was performed using the cerebral cortex. Results revealed that Brainon® suppressed Aβ1-42 accumulation, Tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, and inflammation and alleviated apoptosis in SAMP8 mice. Brainon® also promoted synaptic function by downregulating the expression of AChE and upregulating the expression of p-CREB/CREB and BDNF. Furthermore, Brainon® restored SAMP8-reduced expression of ChAT and -dephosphorylated of ERK and also decreased AChE expression in the hippocampus. Furthermore, Brainon® alleviated AD progression by promoting mitophagy/autophagy to maintain normal cellular function as a novel finding of this study. Our data suggest that Brainon® can remarkably improve cognitive deficiency with the potential to be utilized in functional food for improving brain health.
Collapse
|
11
|
Bergamini G, Massinet H, Hart A, Durkin S, Pierlot G, Steiner MA. Probing the relevance of the accelerated aging mouse line SAMP8 as a model for certain types of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1054163. [PMID: 36896346 PMCID: PMC9989166 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1054163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People with dementia (PwD) often present with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). NPS are of substantial burden to the patients, and current treatment options are unsatisfactory. Investigators searching for novel medications need animal models that present disease-relevant phenotypes and can be used for drug screening. The Senescence Accelerated Mouse-Prone 8 (SAMP8) strain shows an accelerated aging phenotype associated with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Its behavioural phenotype in relation to NPS has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Physical and verbal aggression in reaction to the external environment (e.g., interaction with the caregiver) is one of the most prevalent and debilitating NPS occurring in PwD. Reactive aggression can be studied in male mice using the Resident-Intruder (R-I) test. SAMP8 mice are known to be more aggressive than the Senescence Accelerated Mouse-Resistant 1 (SAMR1) control strain at specific ages, but the development of the aggressive phenotype over time, is still unknown. METHODS In our study, we performed a longitudinal, within-subject, assessment of aggressive behaviour of male SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice at 4, 5, 6 and 7 months of age. Aggressive behaviour from video recordings of the R-I sessions was analysed using an in-house developed behaviour recognition software. RESULTS SAMP8 mice were more aggressive relative to SAMR1 mice starting at 5 months of age, and the phenotype was still present at 7 months of age. Treatment with risperidone (an antipsychotic frequently used to treat agitation in clinical practice) reduced aggression in both strains. In a three-chamber social interaction test, SAMP8 mice also interacted more fervently with male mice than SAMR1, possibly because of their aggression-seeking phenotype. They did not show any social withdrawal. DISCUSSION Our data support the notion that SAMP8 mice might be a useful preclinical tool to identify novel treatment options for CNS disorders associated with raised levels of reactive aggression such as dementia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Bergamini
- CNS Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Helene Massinet
- CNS Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Aaron Hart
- Scientific Computing Drug Discovery, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Sean Durkin
- CNS Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Gabin Pierlot
- Scientific Computing Drug Discovery, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Allschwil, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bergamini G, Coloma P, Massinet H, Steiner MA. What evidence is there for implicating the brain orexin system in neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia? Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1052233. [PMID: 36506416 PMCID: PMC9732550 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1052233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) affect people with dementia (PwD) almost universally across all stages of the disease, and regardless of its exact etiology. NPS lead to disability and reduced quality of life of PwD and their caregivers. NPS include hyperactivity (agitation and irritability), affective problems (anxiety and depression), psychosis (delusions and hallucinations), apathy, and sleep disturbances. Preclinical studies have shown that the orexin neuropeptide system modulates arousal and a wide range of behaviors via a network of axons projecting from the hypothalamus throughout almost the entire brain to multiple, even distant, regions. Orexin neurons integrate different types of incoming information (e.g., metabolic, circadian, sensory, emotional) and convert them into the required behavioral output coupled to the necessary arousal status. Here we present an overview of the behavioral domains influenced by the orexin system that may be relevant for the expression of some critical NPS in PwD. We also hypothesize on the potential effects of pharmacological interference with the orexin system in the context of NPS in PwD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Bergamini
- CNS Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Preciosa Coloma
- Clinical Science, Global Clinical Development, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Helene Massinet
- CNS Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Allschwil, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|