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Chartampila E, Elayouby KS, Leary P, LaFrancois JJ, Alcantara-Gonzalez D, Jain S, Gerencer K, Botterill JJ, Ginsberg SD, Scharfman HE. Choline supplementation in early life improves and low levels of choline can impair outcomes in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. bioRxiv 2024:2023.05.12.540428. [PMID: 37214805 PMCID: PMC10197642 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.12.540428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Maternal choline supplementation (MCS) improves cognition in Alzheimer's disease (AD) models. However, effects of MCS on neuronal hyperexcitability in AD are unknown. We investigated effects of MCS in a well-established mouse model of AD with hyperexcitability, the Tg2576 mouse. The most common type of hyperexcitability in Tg2576 mice, and many other mouse models and AD patients, are generalized EEG spikes (interictal spikes; IIS). Hyperexcitability is also reflected by elevated expression of the transcription factor ΔFosB in the granule cells (GCs) of the dentate gyrus (DG), which are the principal cell type. We also studied the hilus of the DG because hilar neurons regulate GC excitability. We found reduced expression of the neuronal marker NeuN within hilar neurons in Tg2576 mice, which other studies have shown is a sign of oxidative stress or other pathology. Tg2576 breeding pairs received a diet with a relatively low, intermediate or high concentration of choline. After weaning, all mice received the intermediate diet. In offspring of mice fed the high choline diet, IIS frequency declined, GC ΔFosB expression was reduced, and NeuN expression was restored. Spatial memory improved using the novel object location task. In contrast, offspring exposed to the relatively low choline diet had several adverse effects, such as increased mortality. They had the weakest hilar NeuN immunoreactivity and greatest GC ΔFosB. However, their IIS frequency was low, which was surprising. The results provide new evidence that a diet high in choline in early life can improve outcomes in a mouse model of AD, and relatively low choline can have mixed effects. This is the first study showing that dietary choline can regulate hyperexcitability, hilar neurons, ΔFosB and spatial memory in an animal model of AD.
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Alldred MJ, Pidikiti H, Heguy A, Roussos P, Ginsberg SD. Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons are vulnerable in a mouse model of Down syndrome and their molecular fingerprint is rescued by maternal choline supplementation. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22944. [PMID: 37191946 PMCID: PMC10292934 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202202111rr] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic neuron (BFCN) degeneration is a hallmark of Down syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current therapeutics in these disorders have been unsuccessful in slowing disease progression, likely due to poorly understood complex pathological interactions and dysregulated pathways. The Ts65Dn trisomic mouse model recapitulates both cognitive and morphological deficits of DS and AD, including BFCN degeneration and has shown lifelong behavioral changes due to maternal choline supplementation (MCS). To test the impact of MCS on trisomic BFCNs, we performed laser capture microdissection to individually isolate choline acetyltransferase-immunopositive neurons in Ts65Dn and disomic littermates, in conjunction with MCS at the onset of BFCN degeneration. We utilized single population RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to interrogate transcriptomic changes within medial septal nucleus (MSN) BFCNs. Leveraging multiple bioinformatic analysis programs on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by genotype and diet, we identified key canonical pathways and altered physiological functions within Ts65Dn MSN BFCNs, which were attenuated by MCS in trisomic offspring, including the cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic pathways. We linked differential gene expression bioinformatically to multiple neurological functions, including motor dysfunction/movement disorder, early onset neurological disease, ataxia and cognitive impairment via Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. DEGs within these identified pathways may underlie aberrant behavior in the DS mice, with MCS attenuating the underlying gene expression changes. We propose MCS ameliorates aberrant BFCN gene expression within the septohippocampal circuit of trisomic mice through normalization of principally the cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic signaling pathways, resulting in attenuation of underlying neurological disease functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa J. Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harshitha Pidikiti
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Adriana Heguy
- Genome Technology Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Psychiatry and the Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen D. Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Departments of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Powers BE, Velazquez R, Strawderman MS, Ginsberg SD, Mufson EJ, Strupp BJ. Maternal Choline Supplementation as a Potential Therapy for Down Syndrome: Assessment of Effects Throughout the Lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:723046. [PMID: 34690739 PMCID: PMC8527982 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.723046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal choline supplementation (MCS) has emerged as a promising therapy to lessen the cognitive and affective dysfunction associated with Down syndrome (DS). Choline is an essential nutrient, especially important during pregnancy due to its wide-ranging ontogenetic roles. Using the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS, our group has demonstrated that supplementing the maternal diet with additional choline (4-5 × standard levels) during pregnancy and lactation improves spatial cognition, attention, and emotion regulation in the adult offspring. The behavioral benefits were associated with a rescue of septohippocampal circuit atrophy. These results have been replicated across a series of independent studies, although the magnitude of the cognitive benefit has varied. We hypothesized that this was due, at least in part, to differences in the age of the subjects at the time of testing. Here, we present new data that compares the effects of MCS on the attentional function of adult Ts65Dn offspring, which began testing at two different ages (6 vs. 12 months of age). These data replicate and extend the results of our previous reports, showing a clear pattern indicating that MCS has beneficial effects in Ts65Dn offspring throughout life, but that the magnitude of the benefit (relative to non-supplemented offspring) diminishes with aging, possibly because of the onset of Alzheimer's disease-like neuropathology. In light of growing evidence that increased maternal choline intake during pregnancy is beneficial to the cognitive and affective functioning of all offspring (e.g., neurotypical and DS), the addition of this nutrient to a prenatal vitamin regimen would be predicted to have population-wide benefits and provide early intervention for fetuses with DS, notably including babies born to mothers unaware that they are carrying a fetus with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E. Powers
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Ramon Velazquez
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Myla S. Strawderman
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Stephen D. Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- New York University Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Departments of Translational Neuroscience and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Barbara J. Strupp
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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Warton FL, Molteno CD, Warton CMR, Wintermark P, Lindinger NM, Dodge NC, Zöllei L, van der Kouwe AJW, Carter RC, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW, Meintjes EM. Maternal choline supplementation mitigates alcohol exposure effects on neonatal brain volumes. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1762-1774. [PMID: 34342017 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with smaller regional and global brain volumes. In rats, gestational choline supplementation mitigates adverse developmental effects of ethanol exposure. Our recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled maternal choline supplementation trial showed improved somatic and functional outcomes in infants at 6.5 and 12 months postpartum. Here, we examined whether maternal choline supplementation protected the newborn brain from PAE-related volume reductions and, if so, whether these volume changes were associated with improved infant recognition memory. METHODS Fifty-two infants born to heavy-drinking women who had participated in a choline supplementation trial during pregnancy underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging with a multi-echo FLASH protocol on a 3T Siemens Allegra MRI (median age = 2.8 weeks postpartum). Subcortical regions were manually segmented. Recognition memory was assessed at 12 months on the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence (FTII). We examined the effects of choline on regional brain volumes, whether choline-related volume increases were associated with higher FTII scores, and the degree to which the regional volume increases mediated the effects of choline on the FTII. RESULTS Usable MRI data were acquired in 50 infants (choline: n = 27; placebo: n = 23). Normalized volumes were larger in six of 12 regions in the choline than placebo arm (t ≥ 2.05, p ≤ 0.05) and were correlated with the degree of maternal choline adherence (β ≥ 0.28, p ≤ 0.04). Larger right putamen and corpus callosum were related to higher FTII scores (r = 0.36, p = 0.02) with a trend toward partial mediation of the choline effect on recognition memory. CONCLUSIONS High-dose choline supplementation during pregnancy mitigated PAE-related regional volume reductions, with larger volumes associated with improved 12-month recognition memory. These results provide the first evidence that choline may be neuroprotective against PAE-related brain structural deficits in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur L Warton
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Biomedical Engineering Research Centre, Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher M R Warton
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Pia Wintermark
- Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Nadine M Lindinger
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Neil C Dodge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Lilla Zöllei
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andre J W van der Kouwe
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - R Colin Carter
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Biomedical Engineering Research Centre, Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Cape Universities Body Imaging Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Kelley CM, Ginsberg SD, Alldred MJ, Strupp BJ, Mufson EJ. Maternal Choline Supplementation Alters Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neuron Gene Expression in the Ts65Dn Mouse Model of Down Syndrome. Dev Neurobiol 2019; 79:664-683. [PMID: 31120189 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), trisomy 21, is marked by intellectual disability and a premature aging profile including degeneration of the basal forebrain cholinergic neuron (BFCN) projection system, similar to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although data indicate that perinatal maternal choline supplementation (MCS) alters the structure and function of these neurons in the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS and AD (Ts), whether MCS affects the molecular profile of vulnerable BFCNs remains unknown. We investigated the genetic signature of BFCNs obtained from Ts and disomic (2N) offspring of Ts65Dn dams maintained on a MCS diet (Ts+, 2N+) or a choline normal diet (ND) from mating until weaning, then maintained on ND until 4.4-7.5 months of age. Brains were then collected and prepared for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunohistochemistry and laser capture microdissection followed by RNA extraction and custom-designed microarray analysis. Findings revealed upregulation of select transcripts in classes of genes related to the cytoskeleton (Tubb4b), AD (Cav1), cell death (Bcl2), presynaptic (Syngr1), immediate early (Fosb, Arc), G protein signaling (Gabarap, Rgs10), and cholinergic neurotransmission (Chrnb3) in Ts compared to 2N mice, which were normalized with MCS. Moreover, significant downregulation was seen in select transcripts associated with the cytoskeleton (Dync1h1), intracellular signaling (Itpka, Gng3, and Mlst8), and cell death (Ccng1) in Ts compared to 2N mice that was normalized with MCS. This study provides insight into genotype-dependent differences and the effects of MCS at the molecular level within a key vulnerable cell type in DS and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy M Kelley
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York.,Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York, New York.,NYU Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Melissa J Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York.,Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Barbara J Strupp
- Division of Nutritional Sciences and Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
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Powers BE, Kelley CM, Velazquez R, Ash JA, Strawderman MS, Alldred MJ, Ginsberg SD, Mufson EJ, Strupp BJ. Maternal choline supplementation in a mouse model of Down syndrome: Effects on attention and nucleus basalis/substantia innominata neuron morphology in adult offspring. Neuroscience 2016; 340:501-514. [PMID: 27840230 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibits cognitive impairment and degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs). Our prior studies demonstrated that maternal choline supplementation (MCS) improves attention and spatial cognition in Ts65Dn offspring, normalizes hippocampal neurogenesis, and lessens BFCN degeneration in the medial septal nucleus (MSN). Here we determined whether (i) BFCN degeneration contributes to attentional dysfunction, and (ii) whether the attentional benefits of perinatal MCS are due to changes in BFCN morphology. Ts65Dn dams were fed either a choline-supplemented or standard diet during pregnancy and lactation. Ts65Dn and disomic (2N) control offspring were tested as adults (12-17months of age) on a series of operant attention tasks, followed by morphometric assessment of BFCNs. Ts65Dn mice demonstrated impaired learning and attention relative to 2N mice, and MCS significantly improved these functions in both genotypes. We also found, for the first time, that the number of BFCNs in the nucleus basalis of Meynert/substantia innominata (NBM/SI) was significantly increased in Ts65Dn mice relative to controls. In contrast, the number of BFCNs in the MSN was significantly decreased. Another novel finding was that the volume of BFCNs in both basal forebrain regions was significantly larger in Ts65Dn mice. MCS did not normalize any of these morphological abnormalities in the NBM/SI or MSN. Finally, correlational analysis revealed that attentional performance was inversely associated with BFCN volume, and positively associated with BFCN density. These results support the lifelong attentional benefits of MCS for Ts65Dn and 2N offspring and have profound implications for translation to human DS and pathology attenuation in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Powers
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Christy M Kelley
- Division of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Ramon Velazquez
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jessica A Ash
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Myla S Strawderman
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Melissa J Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10962, USA
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10962, USA; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Division of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Barbara J Strupp
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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