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Bai X, Liu CM, Li HJ, Zhang ZP, Cui WB, An FL, Zhang ZX, Wang DS, Fei DQ. Ethyl caffeate attefnuates Aβ-induced toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans AD models via the insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathway. Bioorg Chem 2023; 139:106714. [PMID: 37454496 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a multifactorial progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with aging, is unclear. Ethyl caffeate is a plant polyphenol that has been reported to have neuroprotective effects, but the mechanisms by which it acts are unclear. In this study, for the first time, we investigated the molecular mechanism of its anti-AD properties using the Caernorhabditis elegans model. The results of our experiments showed that ethyl caffeate delayed the paralysis symptoms of CL4176 to a different extent and reduced the exogenous 5-hydroxytryptophan-induced paralysis phenotype. Further studies revealed that ethyl caffeate lowered Aβ plaques and depressed the expression of Aβ monomers and oligomers, but did not influence the mRNA levels of Aβ. Moreover, it was able to bring paraquat-induced ROS levels down to near-standard conditions. Real-time quantitative PCR experiment showed a significant upregulation of the transcript abundance of daf-16, skn-1 and hsf-1, key factors associated with the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway (IIS), and their downstream genes sod-3, gst-4 and hsp-16.2. It was further shown that ethyl caffeate activated the translocation of DAF-16 and SKN-1 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and enhanced the expression of sod-3::GFP, gst-4::GFP and hsp-16.2::GFP in transgenic nematodes. This meant that the protection against Aβ toxicity by ethyl caffeate may be partly through the IIS signaling pathway. In addition, ethyl caffeate suppressed the aggregation of polyglutamine proteins in AM141, which indicated a potential protective effect against neurodegenerative diseases based on abnormal folding and aggregation of amyloid proteins. Taken together, ethyl caffeate is expected to develop as a potential drug for the management of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Bai
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Chun-Min Liu
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Hui-Jie Li
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Zong-Ping Zhang
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Wen-Bo Cui
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Feng-Li An
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Zhan-Xin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
| | - Dong-Sheng Wang
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
| | - Dong-Qing Fei
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
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Costa MD, Maciel P. Modifier pathways in polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases: from genetic screens to drug targets. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:274. [PMID: 35503478 PMCID: PMC11071829 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04280-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases include a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders caused by unstable expansions of CAG trinucleotide repeats in the coding region of specific genes. Such genetic alterations produce abnormal proteins containing an unusually long PolyQ tract that renders them more prone to aggregate and cause toxicity. Although research in the field in the last years has contributed significantly to the knowledge of the biological mechanisms implicated in these diseases, effective treatments are still lacking. In this review, we revisit work performed in models of PolyQ diseases, namely the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, and provide a critical overview of the high-throughput unbiased genetic screens that have been performed using these systems to identify novel genetic modifiers of PolyQ diseases. These approaches have revealed a wide variety of cellular processes that modulate the toxicity and aggregation of mutant PolyQ proteins, reflecting the complexity of these disorders and demonstrating how challenging the development of therapeutic strategies can be. In addition to the unbiased large-scale genetic screenings in non-vertebrate models, complementary studies in mammalian systems, closer to humans, have contributed with novel genetic modifiers of PolyQ diseases, revealing neuronal function and inflammation as key disease modulators. A pathway enrichment analysis, using the human orthologues of genetic modifiers of PolyQ diseases clustered modifier genes into major themes translatable to the human disease context, such as protein folding and transport as well as transcription regulation. Innovative genetic strategies of genetic manipulation, together with significant advances in genomics and bioinformatics, are taking modifier genetic studies to more realistic disease contexts. The characterization of PolyQ disease modifier pathways is of extreme relevance to reveal novel therapeutic possibilities to delay disease onset and progression in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Daniela Costa
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3Bs-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
- ICVS/3Bs-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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Li H, Yu X, Li C, Ma L, Zhao Z, Guan S, Wang L. Caffeic acid protects against Aβ toxicity and prolongs lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans models. Food Funct 2021; 12:1219-1231. [DOI: 10.1039/d0fo02784g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Caffeic acid may alleviate Aβ-induced toxicity and increase lifespan by increasing signaling pathway-associated oxidative stress and regulating metabolism in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering
- the Ministry of Education
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130012
- China
| | - Xiaoxuan Yu
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering
- the Ministry of Education
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130012
- China
| | - Chenxi Li
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering
- the Ministry of Education
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130012
- China
| | - Lei Ma
- School of Life Sciences
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130012
- China
| | - Zhenyu Zhao
- School of Life Sciences
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130012
- China
| | - Shuwen Guan
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering
- the Ministry of Education
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130012
- China
| | - Liping Wang
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering
- the Ministry of Education
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130012
- China
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Fardghassemi Y, Parker JA. Overexpression of FKH-2/FOXG1 is neuroprotective in a C. elegans model of Machado-Joseph disease. Exp Neurol 2020; 337:113544. [PMID: 33290777 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), is the most common form of dominantly inherited ataxia worldwide. This disease is caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the coding region of ATXN3. Due to our incomplete understanding of mechanisms and molecular pathways related to this disease, there are no therapies that successfully treat core MJD patients. Therefore, the identification of new candidate targets related to this disease is needed. In this study, we performed a large-scale RNA interference (RNAi) screen of 387 transcription factor genes leading to the identification of several modifiers (suppressors and enhancers) of impaired motility phenotypes in a mutant ATXN3 transgenic C. elegans model. We showed that inactivation of one particular gene, fkh-2/FOXG1, enhanced the motility defect, neurodegeneration and reduced longevity in our MJD models. Opposite to genetic inactivation, the overexpression of fkh-2 rescued the impaired motility, shortened-lifespan, and neurodegeneration phenotypes of mutant ATXN3 transgenics. We found that overexpression of FKH-2/FOXG1 in ATXN3 mutant worms is neuroprotective. Using our transgenic ATXN3 C. elegans models and the screening of an RNAi library, we gained insights into the pathways contributing to neurodegeneration, and found that FKH-2/FOXG1 has neuroprotective activity. These findings may aid the development of novel therapeutic interventions for MJD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Fardghassemi
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 St-Denis Street, Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Montreal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - J Alex Parker
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 St-Denis Street, Montreal, Quebec H2X 0A9, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Montreal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, University of Montreal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada.
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5
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Besemer AS, Maus J, Ax MDA, Stein A, Vo S, Freese C, Nalbach K, von Hilchen C, Pfalzgraf IF, Koziollek-Drechsler I, Silva B, Huesmann H, Boukhallouk F, Florin L, Kern A, Behl C, Clement AM. Receptor-mediated endocytosis 8 (RME-8)/DNAJC13 is a novel positive modulator of autophagy and stabilizes cellular protein homeostasis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 78:645-660. [PMID: 32322926 PMCID: PMC7873018 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03521-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The cellular protein homeostasis (proteostasis) network responds effectively to insults. In a functional screen in C. elegans, we recently identified the gene receptor-mediated endocytosis 8 (rme-8; human ortholog: DNAJC13) as a component of the proteostasis network. Accumulation of aggregation-prone proteins, such as amyloid-β 42 (Aβ), α-synuclein, or mutant Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1), were aggravated upon the knockdown of rme-8/DNAJC13 in C. elegans and in human cell lines, respectively. DNAJC13 is involved in endosomal protein trafficking and associated with the retromer and the WASH complex. As both complexes have been linked to autophagy, we investigated the role of DNAJC13 in this degradative pathway. In knockdown and overexpression experiments, DNAJC13 acts as a positive modulator of autophagy. In contrast, the overexpression of the Parkinson’s disease-associated mutant DNAJC13(N855S) did not enhance autophagy. Reduced DNAJC13 levels affected ATG9A localization at and its transport from the recycling endosome. As a consequence, ATG9A co-localization at LC3B-positive puncta under steady-state and autophagy-induced conditions is impaired. These data demonstrate a novel function of RME-8/DNAJC13 in cellular homeostasis by modulating ATG9A trafficking and autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S Besemer
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Joanna Maus
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mirjam D A Ax
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anna Stein
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stella Vo
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian Freese
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Karsten Nalbach
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian von Hilchen
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ines F Pfalzgraf
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ingrid Koziollek-Drechsler
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Beate Silva
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Heike Huesmann
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Fatima Boukhallouk
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55101 Mainz, Germany
| | - Luise Florin
- Institute for Virology and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55101 Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Kern
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian Behl
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Albrecht M Clement
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
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Christ MG, Huesmann H, Nagel H, Kern A, Behl C. Sigma-1 Receptor Activation Induces Autophagy and Increases Proteostasis Capacity In Vitro and In Vivo. Cells 2019; 8:E211. [PMID: 30832324 PMCID: PMC6468724 DOI: 10.3390/cells8030211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of autophagy and disturbed protein homeostasis are linked to the pathogenesis of human neurodegenerative diseases and the modulation of autophagy as the protein clearance process has become one key pharmacological target. Due to the role of sigma-1 receptors (Sig-1R) in learning and memory, and the described pleiotropic neuroprotective effects in various experimental paradigms, Sig-1R activation is recognized as one potential approach for prevention and therapy of neurodegeneration and, interestingly, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis associated with mutated Sig-1R, autophagy is disturbed. Here we analyzed the effects of tetrahydro-N,N-dimethyl-2,2-diphenyl-3-furanmethanamine hydrochloride (ANAVEX2-73), a muscarinic receptor ligand and Sig-1R agonist, on autophagy and proteostasis. We describe, at the molecular level, for the first time, that pharmacological Sig-1R activation a) enhances the autophagic flux in human cells and in Caenorhabditis elegans and b) increases proteostasis capacity, ultimately ameliorating paralysis caused by protein aggregation in C. elegans. ANAVEX2-73 is already in clinical investigation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and the novel activities of this compound on autophagy and proteostasis described here may have consequences for the use and further development of the Sig-1R as a drug target in the future. Moreover, our study defines the Sig-1R as an upstream modulator of canonical autophagy, which may have further implications for various conditions with dysfunctional autophagy, besides neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian G Christ
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Heike Huesmann
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Heike Nagel
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Andreas Kern
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Christian Behl
- Institute of Pathobiochemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
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