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Karagas NE, Gupta R, Rastegari E, Tan KL, Leung HH, Bellen HJ, Venkatachalam K, Wong CO. Loss of Activity-Induced Mitochondrial ATP Production Underlies the Synaptic Defects in a Drosophila Model of ALS. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8019-8037. [PMID: 36261266 PMCID: PMC9617612 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2456-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding vesicle-associated membrane protein B (VAPB) cause a familial form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Expression of an ALS-related variant of vapb (vapbP58S ) in Drosophila motor neurons results in morphologic changes at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) characterized by the appearance of fewer, but larger, presynaptic boutons. Although diminished microtubule stability is known to underlie these morphologic changes, a mechanism for the loss of presynaptic microtubules has been lacking. By studying flies of both sexes, we demonstrate the suppression of vapbP58S -induced changes in NMJ morphology by either a loss of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ release channels or the inhibition Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-activated kinase II (CaMKII). These data suggest that decreased stability of presynaptic microtubules at vapbP58S NMJs results from hyperactivation of CaMKII because of elevated cytosolic [Ca2+]. We attribute the Ca2+ dyshomeostasis to delayed extrusion of cytosolic Ca2+ Suggesting that this defect in Ca2+ extrusion arose from an insufficient response to the bioenergetic demand of neural activity, depolarization-induced mitochondrial ATP production was diminished in vapbP58S neurons. These findings point to bioenergetic dysfunction as a potential cause for the synaptic defects in vapbP58S -expressing motor neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Whether the synchrony between the rates of ATP production and demand is lost in degenerating neurons remains poorly understood. We report that expression of a gene equivalent to an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-causing variant of vesicle-associated membrane protein B (VAPB) in fly neurons decouples mitochondrial ATP production from neuronal activity. Consequently, levels of ATP in mutant neurons are unable to keep up with the bioenergetic burden of neuronal activity. Reduced rate of Ca2+ extrusion, which could result from insufficient energy to power Ca2+ ATPases, results in the accumulation of residual Ca2+ in mutant neurons and leads to alterations in synaptic vesicle (SV) release and synapse development. These findings suggest that synaptic defects in a model of ALS arise from the loss of activity-induced ATP production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E Karagas
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas 77030
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center and University of Texas Health Sciences Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030
| | - Richa Gupta
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Elham Rastegari
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kai Li Tan
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Graduate Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Ho Hang Leung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey 07102
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Graduate Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kartik Venkatachalam
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas 77030
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center and University of Texas Health Sciences Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, MD Anderson Cancer Center and University of Texas Health Sciences Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030
| | - Ching-On Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey 07102
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Meier M, Borst A. Extreme Compartmentalization in a Drosophila Amacrine Cell. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1545-1550.e2. [PMID: 31031119 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.03.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A neuron is conventionally regarded as a single processing unit. It receives input from one or several presynaptic cells, transforms these signals, and transmits one output signal to its postsynaptic partners. Exceptions exist: amacrine cells in the mammalian retina [1-3] or interneurons in the locust mesothoracic ganglion [4] are thought to represent many electrically isolated microcircuits within one neuron. An extreme case of such an amacrine cell has recently been described in the Drosophila visual system. This cell, called CT1, reaches into two neuropils of the optic lobe, where it visits each of 700 repetitive columns, thereby covering the whole visual field [5, 6]. Due to its unusual morphology, CT1 has been suspected to perform local computations [6, 7], but this has never been proven. Using 2-photon calcium imaging and visual stimulation, we find highly compartmentalized retinotopic response properties in neighboring terminals of CT1, with each terminal acting as an independent functional unit. Model simulations demonstrate that this extreme case of compartmentalization is at the biophysical limit of neural computation.
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