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Nwamekang Belinga L, Espourteille J, Wepnyu Njamnshi Y, Zafack Zeukang A, Rouaud O, Kongnyu Njamnshi A, Allali G, Richetin K. Circulating Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease: Unlocking the Diagnostic Potential in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, Focusing on Africa. NEURODEGENER DIS 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38555638 DOI: 10.1159/000538623] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is emerging as a significant public health challenge in Africa, with predictions indicating a tripling in incidence by 2050. The diagnosis of AD on the African continent is notably difficult, leading to late detection that severely limits treatment options and significantly impacts the quality of life for patients and their families. SUMMARY This review focuses on the potential of high-sensitivity specific blood biomarkers as promising tools for improving AD diagnosis and management globally, particularly in Africa. These advances are particularly pertinent in the continent, where access to medical and technical resources is often limited. KEY MESSAGES Identifying precise, sensitive, and specific blood biomarkers could contribute to the biological characterization and management of AD in Africa. Such advances promise to improve patient care and pave the way for new regional opportunities in pharmaceutical research and drug trials on the continent for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Nwamekang Belinga
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jeanne Espourteille
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yembe Wepnyu Njamnshi
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ariole Zafack Zeukang
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Rouaud
- Leenaards Memory Center, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alfred Kongnyu Njamnshi
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Gilles Allali
- Leenaards Memory Center, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kevin Richetin
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Zhang N, Yan Z, Xin H, Shao S, Xue S, Cespuglio R, Wang S. Relationship among α‑synuclein, aging and inflammation in Parkinson's disease (Review). Exp Ther Med 2024; 27:23. [PMID: 38125364 PMCID: PMC10728906 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2023.12311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative pathology whose major clinical symptoms are movement disorders. The main pathological characteristics of PD are the selective death of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra and the presence of Lewy bodies containing α-synuclein (α-Syn) within these neurons. PD is associated with numerous risk factors, including environmental factors, genetic mutations and aging. In many cases, the complex interplay of numerous risk factors leads to the onset of PD. The mutated α-Syn gene, which expresses pathologicalα-Syn protein, can cause PD. Another important feature of PD is neuroinflammation, which is conducive to neuronal death. α-Syn is able to interact with certain cell types in the brain, including through phagocytosis and degradation of α-Syn by glial cells, activation of inflammatory pathways by α-Syn in glial cells, transmission of α-Syn between glial cells and neurons, and interactions between peripheral immune cells and α-Syn. In addition to the aforementioned risk factors, PD may also be associated with aging, as the prevalence of PD increases with advancing age. The aging process impairs the cellular clearance mechanism, which leads to chronic inflammation and the accumulation of intracellular α-Syn, which results in DA neuronal death. In the present review, the age-associated α-Syn pathogenicity and the interactions between α-Syn and certain types of cells within the brain are discussed to facilitate understanding of the mechanisms of PD pathogenesis, which may potentially provide insight for the future clinical treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nianping Zhang
- Postdoctoral Mobile Station, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoli Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250014, P.R. China
| | - Hua Xin
- Department of Neurology, People's Hospital of Rizhao, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P.R. China
| | - Shuai Shao
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Jingmen People's Hospital, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China
| | - Song Xue
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
| | - Raymond Cespuglio
- Neuroscience Research Center of Lyon (CNRL), Claude-Bernard Lyon-1 University, 69500 Lyon, France
| | - Shijun Wang
- Department of Pathology, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
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Eisenbaum M, Pearson A, Ortiz C, Mullan M, Crawford F, Ojo J, Bachmeier C. ApoE4 expression disrupts tau uptake, trafficking, and clearance in astrocytes. Glia 2024; 72:184-205. [PMID: 37668005 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24469] [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: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a collection of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of pathogenic aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Despite the prevalence and diversity of tau astrogliopathy in tauopathies, the interactions between astrocytes and tau in the brain, and the influence of neurodegenerative genetic risk factors like the apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) isoform, are largely unknown. Here, we leveraged primary and immortalized astrocytes expressing humanized apoE isoforms to characterize the mechanisms by which astrocytes interact with and eliminate extracellular tau, and the influence of apoE genotype on these processes. Our work indicates that astrocytes rapidly internalize, process, and release tau via an exosomal secretory mechanism under physiological conditions. However, we found that apoE4 disrupted these processes in comparison to apoE3, resulting in an astrocytic phenotype prone to intracellular tau accumulation. Furthermore, exposure to repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries exacerbated the apoE4-induced impairments in tau processing and elimination by astrocytes in apoE4 targeted-replacement mice. The diminished ability of apoE4 astrocytes to eliminate extracellular tau can lead to an accumulation of pathogenic tau, which induces mitochondrial dysfunction, as demonstrated by our studies. In total, our findings suggest that the apoE4 isoform lowers the threshold of astrocytic resilience to pathogenic tau, rendering them susceptible to bioenergetic deficits in the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases such as traumatic brain injury, potentially contributing to neurological decline.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Fiona Crawford
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, USA
- James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Joseph Ojo
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, USA
| | - Corbin Bachmeier
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, USA
- Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Bay Pines, Florida, USA
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4
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McKee CA, Polino AJ, King MW, Musiek ES. Circadian clock protein BMAL1 broadly influences autophagy and endolysosomal function in astrocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220551120. [PMID: 37155839 PMCID: PMC10194014 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220551120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
An emerging role for the circadian clock in autophagy and lysosome function has opened new avenues for exploration in the field of neurodegeneration. The daily rhythms of circadian clock proteins may coordinate gene expression programs involved not only in daily rhythms but in many cellular processes. In the brain, astrocytes are critical for sensing and responding to extracellular cues to support neurons. The core clock protein BMAL1 serves as the primary positive circadian transcriptional regulator and its depletion in astrocytes not only disrupts circadian function but also leads to a unique cell-autonomous activation phenotype. We report here that astrocyte-specific deletion of Bmal1 influences endolysosome function, autophagy, and protein degradation dynamics. In vitro, Bmal1-deficient astrocytes exhibit increased endocytosis, lysosome-dependent protein cleavage, and accumulation of LAMP1- and RAB7-positive organelles. In vivo, astrocyte-specific Bmal1 knockout (aKO) brains show accumulation of autophagosome-like structures within astrocytes by electron microscopy. Transcriptional analysis of isolated astrocytes from young and aged Bmal1 aKO mice indicates broad dysregulation of pathways involved in lysosome function which occur independently of TFEB activation. Since a clear link has been established between neurodegeneration and endolysosome dysfunction over the course of aging, this work implicates BMAL1 as a key regulator of these crucial astrocyte functions in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia A. McKee
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO63110
- Center on Biological Rhythms and Sleep, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Alexander J. Polino
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Melvin W. King
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO63110
- Center on Biological Rhythms and Sleep, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Erik S. Musiek
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO63110
- Center on Biological Rhythms and Sleep, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO63110
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Wu Y, Eisel UL. Microglia-Astrocyte Communication in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 95:785-803. [PMID: 37638434 PMCID: PMC10578295 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Microglia and astrocytes are regarded as active participants in the central nervous system under various neuropathological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Both microglia and astrocyte activation have been reported to occur with a spatially and temporarily distinct pattern. Acting as a double-edged sword, glia-mediated neuroinflammation may be both detrimental and beneficial to the brain. In a variety of neuropathologies, microglia are activated before astrocytes, which facilitates astrocyte activation. Yet reactive astrocytes can also prevent the activation of adjacent microglia in addition to helping them become activated. Studies describe changes in the genetic profile as well as cellular and molecular responses of these two types of glial cells that contribute to dysfunctional immune crosstalk in AD. In this paper, we construct current knowledge of microglia-astrocyte communication, highlighting the multifaceted functions of microglia and astrocytes and their role in AD. A thorough comprehension of microglia-astrocyte communication could hasten the creation of novel AD treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Wu
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Ulrich L.M. Eisel
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Rodríguez-Giraldo M, González-Reyes RE, Ramírez-Guerrero S, Bonilla-Trilleras CE, Guardo-Maya S, Nava-Mesa MO. Astrocytes as a Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer's Disease-Comprehensive Review and Recent Developments. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13630. [PMID: 36362415 PMCID: PMC9654484 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a frequent and disabling neurodegenerative disorder, in which astrocytes participate in several pathophysiological processes including neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism (along with a critical role in apolipoprotein E function). Current evidence shows that astrocytes have both neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects depending on the disease stage and microenvironmental factors. Furthermore, astrocytes appear to be affected by the presence of amyloid-beta (Aβ), with alterations in calcium levels, gliotransmission and proinflammatory activity via RAGE-NF-κB pathway. In addition, astrocytes play an important role in the metabolism of tau and clearance of Aβ through the glymphatic system. In this review, we will discuss novel pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments focused on astrocytes as therapeutic targets for AD. These interventions include effects on anti-inflammatory/antioxidant systems, glutamate activity, lipid metabolism, neurovascular coupling and glymphatic system, calcium dysregulation, and in the release of peptides which affects glial and neuronal function. According to the AD stage, these therapies may be of benefit in either preventing or delaying the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Mauricio O. Nava-Mesa
- Grupo de Investigación en Neurociencias (NeURos), Centro de Neurociencias Neurovitae-UR, Instituto de Medicina Traslacional (IMT), Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111711, Colombia
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7
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Schober AL, Wicki-Stordeur LE, Murai KK, Swayne LA. Foundations and implications of astrocyte heterogeneity during brain development and disease. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:692-703. [PMID: 35879116 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes play crucial roles in regulating brain circuit formation and physiology. Recent technological advances have revealed unprecedented levels of astrocyte diversity encompassing molecular, morphological, and functional differences. This diversification is initiated during embryonic specification events and (in rodents) continues into the early postnatal period where it overlaps with peak synapse development and circuit refinement. In fact, several lines of evidence suggest astrocyte diversity both influences and is a consequence of molecular crosstalk among developing astrocytes and other cell types, notably neurons and their synapses. Neurological disease states exhibit additional layers of astrocyte heterogeneity, which could help shed light on these cells' key pathological roles. This review highlights recent advances in clarifying astrocyte heterogeneity and molecular/cellular crosstalk and identifies key outstanding questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L Schober
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Keith K Murai
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; Quantitative Life Sciences Graduate Program, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Leigh Anne Swayne
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Bluhm A, Schrempel S, Schilling S, von Hörsten S, Schulze A, Roßner S, Hartlage-Rübsamen M. Immunohistochemical Demonstration of the pGlu79 α-Synuclein Fragment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Its Tg2576 Mouse Model. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12071006. [PMID: 35883562 PMCID: PMC9312983 DOI: 10.3390/biom12071006] [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: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The deposition of β-amyloid peptides and of α-synuclein proteins is a neuropathological hallmark in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) subjects, respectively. However, there is accumulative evidence that both proteins are not exclusive for their clinical entity but instead co-exist and interact with each other. Here, we investigated the presence of a newly identified, pyroglutamate79-modified α-synuclein variant (pGlu79-aSyn)—along with the enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and glutaminyl cyclase (QC) implicated in its formation—in AD and in the transgenic Tg2576 AD mouse model. In the human brain, pGlu79-aSyn was detected in cortical pyramidal neurons, with more distinct labeling in AD compared to control brain tissue. Using immunohistochemical double and triple labelings and confocal laser scanning microscopy, we demonstrate an association of pGlu79-aSyn, MMP-3 and QC with β-amyloid plaques. In addition, pGlu79-aSyn and QC were present in amyloid plaque-associated reactive astrocytes that were also immunoreactive for the chaperone heat shock protein 27 (HSP27). Our data are consistent for the transgenic mouse model and the human clinical condition. We conclude that pGlu79-aSyn can be generated extracellularly or within reactive astrocytes, accumulates in proximity to β-amyloid plaques and induces an astrocytic protein unfolding mechanism involving HSP27.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Bluhm
- Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain Research, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (A.B.); (Sa.S.); (M.H.-R.)
| | - Sarah Schrempel
- Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain Research, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (A.B.); (Sa.S.); (M.H.-R.)
| | - Stephan Schilling
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (S.S.); (A.S.)
- Faculty of Applied Biosciences and Process Engineering, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, 06366 Köthen, Germany
| | - Stephan von Hörsten
- Department for Experimental Therapy, University Clinics Erlangen and Preclinical Experimental Center, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Anja Schulze
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (S.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Steffen Roßner
- Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain Research, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (A.B.); (Sa.S.); (M.H.-R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-341-9725758
| | - Maike Hartlage-Rübsamen
- Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain Research, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (A.B.); (Sa.S.); (M.H.-R.)
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Alpha-Synuclein and Parkinson's Disease Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms: What Is New? LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12060904. [PMID: 35743935 PMCID: PMC9227580 DOI: 10.3390/life12060904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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Takahashi S, Mashima K. Neuroprotection and Disease Modification by Astrocytes and Microglia in Parkinson Disease. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11010170. [PMID: 35052674 PMCID: PMC8773262 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are common bases for disease onset and progression in many neurodegenerative diseases. In Parkinson disease, which is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons resulting in dopamine depletion, the pathogenesis differs between hereditary and solitary disease forms and is often unclear. In addition to the pathogenicity of alpha-synuclein as a pathological disease marker, the involvement of dopamine itself and its interactions with glial cells (astrocyte or microglia) have attracted attention. Pacemaking activity, which is a hallmark of dopaminergic neurons, is essential for the homeostatic maintenance of adequate dopamine concentrations in the synaptic cleft, but it imposes a burden on mitochondrial oxidative glucose metabolism, leading to reactive oxygen species production. Astrocytes provide endogenous neuroprotection to the brain by producing and releasing antioxidants in response to oxidative stress. Additionally, the protective function of astrocytes can be modified by microglia. Some types of microglia themselves are thought to exacerbate Parkinson disease by releasing pro-inflammatory factors (M1 microglia). Although these inflammatory microglia may further trigger the inflammatory conversion of astrocytes, microglia may induce astrocytic neuroprotective effects (A2 astrocytes) simultaneously. Interestingly, both astrocytes and microglia express dopamine receptors, which are upregulated in the presence of neuroinflammation. The anti-inflammatory effects of dopamine receptor stimulation are also attracting attention because the functions of astrocytes and microglia are greatly affected by both dopamine depletion and therapeutic dopamine replacement in Parkinson disease. In this review article, we will focus on the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of astrocytes and their synergism with microglia and dopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichi Takahashi
- Department of Neurology and Stroke, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka-shi 350-1298, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-42-984-4111 (ext. 7412); Fax: +81-42-984-0664
| | - Kyoko Mashima
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan;
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Saiseikai Central Hospital, 1-4-17 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan
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Lanciotti A, Brignone MS, Macioce P, Visentin S, Ambrosini E. Human iPSC-Derived Astrocytes: A Powerful Tool to Study Primary Astrocyte Dysfunction in the Pathogenesis of Rare Leukodystrophies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010274. [PMID: 35008700 PMCID: PMC8745131 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are very versatile cells, endowed with multitasking capacities to ensure brain homeostasis maintenance from brain development to adult life. It has become increasingly evident that astrocytes play a central role in many central nervous system pathologies, not only as regulators of defensive responses against brain insults but also as primary culprits of the disease onset and progression. This is particularly evident in some rare leukodystrophies (LDs) where white matter/myelin deterioration is due to primary astrocyte dysfunctions. Understanding the molecular defects causing these LDs may help clarify astrocyte contribution to myelin formation/maintenance and favor the identification of possible therapeutic targets for LDs and other CNS demyelinating diseases. To date, the pathogenic mechanisms of these LDs are poorly known due to the rarity of the pathological tissue and the failure of the animal models to fully recapitulate the human diseases. Thus, the development of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) from patient fibroblasts and their differentiation into astrocytes is a promising approach to overcome these issues. In this review, we discuss the primary role of astrocytes in LD pathogenesis, the experimental models currently available and the advantages, future evolutions, perspectives, and limitations of hiPSC to study pathologies implying astrocyte dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Lanciotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy; (A.L.); (M.S.B.); (P.M.)
| | - Maria Stefania Brignone
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy; (A.L.); (M.S.B.); (P.M.)
| | - Pompeo Macioce
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy; (A.L.); (M.S.B.); (P.M.)
| | - Sergio Visentin
- National Center for Research and Preclinical and Clinical Evaluation of Drugs, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy;
| | - Elena Ambrosini
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy; (A.L.); (M.S.B.); (P.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-064-990-2037
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