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Pressl C, Mätlik K, Kus L, Darnell P, Luo JD, Paul MR, Weiss AR, Liguore W, Carroll TS, Davis DA, McBride J, Heintz N. Selective vulnerability of layer 5a corticostriatal neurons in Huntington's disease. Neuron 2024; 112:924-941.e10. [PMID: 38237588 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.12.009] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The properties of the cell types that are selectively vulnerable in Huntington's disease (HD) cortex, the nature of somatic CAG expansions of mHTT in these cells, and their importance in CNS circuitry have not been delineated. Here, we employed serial fluorescence-activated nuclear sorting (sFANS), deep molecular profiling, and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of motor-cortex samples from thirteen predominantly early stage, clinically diagnosed HD donors and selected samples from cingulate, visual, insular, and prefrontal cortices to demonstrate loss of layer 5a pyramidal neurons in HD. Extensive mHTT CAG expansions occur in vulnerable layer 5a pyramidal cells, and in Betz cells, layers 6a and 6b neurons that are resilient in HD. Retrograde tracing experiments in macaque brains identify layer 5a neurons as corticostriatal pyramidal cells. We propose that enhanced somatic mHTT CAG expansion and altered synaptic function act together to cause corticostriatal disconnection and selective neuronal vulnerability in HD cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Pressl
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kert Mätlik
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura Kus
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paul Darnell
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ji-Dung Luo
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew R Paul
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison R Weiss
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - William Liguore
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Thomas S Carroll
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David A Davis
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jodi McBride
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Nathaniel Heintz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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Subramaniam S, Boregowda S. Curbing Rhes Actions: Mechanism-based Molecular Target for Huntington's Disease and Tauopathies. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets 2024; 23:21-29. [PMID: 36959146 DOI: 10.2174/1871527322666230320103518] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
A highly interconnected network of diverse brain regions is necessary for the precise execution of human behaviors, including cognitive, psychiatric, and motor functions. Unfortunately, degeneration of specific brain regions causes several neurodegenerative disorders, but the mechanisms that elicit selective neuronal vulnerability remain unclear. This knowledge gap greatly hinders the development of effective mechanism-based therapies, despite the desperate need for new treatments. Here, we emphasize the importance of the Rhes (Ras homolog-enriched in the striatum) protein as an emerging therapeutic target. Rhes, an atypical small GTPase with a SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) E3-ligase activity, modulates biological processes such as dopaminergic transmission, alters gene expression, and acts as an inhibitor of motor stimuli in the brain striatum. Mutations in the Rhes gene have also been identified in selected patients with autism and schizophrenia. Moreover, Rhes SUMOylates pathogenic form of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) and tau, enhancing their solubility and cell toxicity in Huntington's disease and tauopathy models. Notably, Rhes uses membrane projections resembling tunneling nanotubes to transport mHTT between cells and Rhes deletion diminishes mHTT spread in the brain. Thus, we predict that effective strategies aimed at diminishing brain Rhes levels will prevent or minimize the abnormalities that occur in HD and tauopathies and potentially in other brain disorders. We review the emerging technologies that enable specific targeting of Rhes in the brain to develop effective disease-modifying therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasa Subramaniam
- Department of Neuroscience, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, 130 Scripps Way, C323, Florida, Jupiter, 33458, USA
| | - Siddaraju Boregowda
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, 130 Scripps Way, C323, Florida, Jupiter, 33458, USA
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Quach TT, Stratton HJ, Khanna R, Mackey-Alfonso S, Deems N, Honnorat J, Meyer K, Duchemin AM. Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Dysproteostasis, Altered Calcium Signalosome to Selective Neuronal Vulnerability to AAV-Mediated Gene Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214188. [PMID: 36430666 PMCID: PMC9694178 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214188] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite intense research into the multifaceted etiology of neurodegenerative diseases (ND), they remain incurable. Here we provide a brief overview of several major ND and explore novel therapeutic approaches. Although the cause (s) of ND are not fully understood, the accumulation of misfolded/aggregated proteins in the brain is a common pathological feature. This aggregation may initiate disruption of Ca++ signaling, which is an early pathological event leading to altered dendritic structure, neuronal dysfunction, and cell death. Presently, ND gene therapies remain unidimensional, elusive, and limited to modifying one pathological feature while ignoring others. Considering the complexity of signaling cascades in ND, we discuss emerging therapeutic concepts and suggest that deciphering the molecular mechanisms involved in dendritic pathology may broaden the phenotypic spectrum of ND treatment. An innovative multiplexed gene transfer strategy that employs silencing and/or over-expressing multiple effectors could preserve vulnerable neurons before they are lost. Such therapeutic approaches may extend brain health span and ameliorate burdensome chronic disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tam T. Quach
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- INSERM U1217/CNRS UMR5310, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69677 Lyon, France
| | | | - Rajesh Khanna
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Sabrina Mackey-Alfonso
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Nicolas Deems
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jérome Honnorat
- INSERM U1217/CNRS UMR5310, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69677 Lyon, France
- French Reference Center on Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes and Autoimmune Encephalitis, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69677 Lyon, France
- SynatAc Team, Institut NeuroMyoGène, 69677 Lyon, France
| | - Kathrin Meyer
- The Research Institute of Nationwide Children Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pediatric, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Anne-Marie Duchemin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-614-293-5517; Fax: +1-614-293-7599
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Boccuni I, Fairless R. Retinal Glutamate Neurotransmission: From Physiology to Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Retinal Ganglion Cell Degeneration. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:638. [PMID: 35629305 PMCID: PMC9147752 DOI: 10.3390/life12050638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate neurotransmission and metabolism are finely modulated by the retinal network, where the efficient processing of visual information is shaped by the differential distribution and composition of glutamate receptors and transporters. However, disturbances in glutamate homeostasis can result in glutamate excitotoxicity, a major initiating factor of common neurodegenerative diseases. Within the retina, glutamate excitotoxicity can impair visual transmission by initiating degeneration of neuronal populations, including retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The vulnerability of RGCs is observed not just as a result of retinal diseases but has also been ascribed to other common neurodegenerative and peripheral diseases. In this review, we describe the vulnerability of RGCs to glutamate excitotoxicity and the contribution of different glutamate receptors and transporters to this. In particular, we focus on the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor as the major effector of glutamate-induced mechanisms of neurodegeneration, including impairment of calcium homeostasis, changes in gene expression and signalling, and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as the role of endoplasmic reticular stress. Due to recent developments in the search for modulators of NMDA receptor signalling, novel neuroprotective strategies may be on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Boccuni
- Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Clinic Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Richard Fairless
- Department of Neurology, University Clinic Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
- Clinical Cooperation Unit (CCU) Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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McMeekin LJ, Fox SN, Boas SM, Cowell RM. Dysregulation of PGC-1α-Dependent Transcriptional Programs in Neurological and Developmental Disorders: Therapeutic Challenges and Opportunities. Cells 2021; 10:352. [PMID: 33572179 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Substantial evidence indicates that mitochondrial impairment contributes to neuronal dysfunction and vulnerability in disease states, leading investigators to propose that the enhancement of mitochondrial function should be considered a strategy for neuroprotection. However, multiple attempts to improve mitochondrial function have failed to impact disease progression, suggesting that the biology underlying the normal regulation of mitochondrial pathways in neurons, and its dysfunction in disease, is more complex than initially thought. Here, we present the proteins and associated pathways involved in the transcriptional regulation of nuclear-encoded genes for mitochondrial function, with a focus on the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1α). We highlight PGC-1α's roles in neuronal and non-neuronal cell types and discuss evidence for the dysregulation of PGC-1α-dependent pathways in Huntington's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and developmental disorders, emphasizing the relationship between disease-specific cellular vulnerability and cell-type-specific patterns of PGC-1α expression. Finally, we discuss the challenges inherent to therapeutic targeting of PGC-1α-related transcriptional programs, considering the roles for neuron-enriched transcriptional coactivators in co-regulating mitochondrial and synaptic genes. This information will provide novel insights into the unique aspects of transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial function in neurons and the opportunities for therapeutic targeting of transcriptional pathways for neuroprotection.
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Jara JH, Sheets PL, Nigro MJ, Perić M, Brooks C, Heller DB, Martina M, Andjus PR, Ozdinler PH. The Electrophysiological Determinants of Corticospinal Motor Neuron Vulnerability in ALS. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:73. [PMID: 32508590 PMCID: PMC7248374 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is complex and heterogeneous. Even though numerous independent studies indicate cortical hyperexcitability as a potential contributor to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology, the mechanisms that are responsible for upper motor neuron (UMN) vulnerability remain elusive. To reveal the electrophysiological determinants of corticospinal motor neuron (CSMN, a.k.a UMN in mice) vulnerability, we investigated the motor cortex of hSOD1G93A mice at P30 (postnatal day 30), a presymptomatic time point. Glutamate uncaging by laser scanning photostimulation (LSPS) revealed altered dynamics especially within the inhibitory circuitry and more specifically in L2/3 of the motor cortex, whereas the excitatory microcircuits were unchanged. Observed microcircuitry changes were specific to CSMN in the motor column. Electrophysiological evaluation of the intrinsic properties in response to the microcircuit changes, as well as the exon microarray expression profiles of CSMN isolated from hSOD1G93A and healthy mice at P30, revealed the presence of a very dynamic set of events, ultimately directed to establish, maintain and retain the balance at this early stage. Also, the expression profile of key voltage-gated potassium and sodium channel subunits as well as of the inhibitory GABA receptor subunits and modulatory proteins began to suggest the challenges CSMN face at this early age. Since neurodegeneration is initiated when neurons can no longer maintain balance, the complex cellular events that occur at this critical time point help reveal how CSMN try to cope with the challenges of disease manifestation. This information is critically important for the proper modulation of UMNs and for developing effective treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier H Jara
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Patrick L Sheets
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Maximiliano José Nigro
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Mina Perić
- Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Ivan Djaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Carolyn Brooks
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Daniel B Heller
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Marco Martina
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Pavle R Andjus
- Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Ivan Djaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - P Hande Ozdinler
- Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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Sakaguchi S, Shintani S, Kamio K, Sekiya A, Kato S, Muroi Y, Horiuchi M, Furuoka H. Selective neuronal vulnerability is involved in cerebellar lesions of Guinea pigs infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prions: Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic investigations. Neuropathology 2019; 40:167-179. [PMID: 31797465 DOI: 10.1111/neup.12613] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The cerebellar lesions of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-infected guinea pigs were characterized as severe atrophy of the cerebellar cortex associated with the loss of granule cells, decrease in the width of the molecular layer, and intense protease-resistant prion protein (PrPSc ) accumulations that are similar to cerebellar lesions in kuru and the VV2 type of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The aim of this study is to assess the relationships between the distribution and localization of PrPSc and synapses expressing neurotransmitter transporters in order to reveal the pathogenesis of the disease. We used cell-type-specific immunohistochemical makers recognizing glutamatergic and γ-aminobutylic acid (GABA)ergic terminals to identify terminals impaired with PrPSc accumulations. The distribution of PrPSc accumulations and immunoreactivity of synaptic vesicles were studied throughout the neuroanatomical pathways in cerebellar lesions. Time course study demonstrated that PrPSc accumulation showed a tendency to spread from granular layer to molecular layer. The immunoreactivity of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGluT1) was localized in axon terminals of cerebellar granule cells, and decreased in association with the severity of PrPSc accumulations and loss of granule cells. Immunoreactivities of vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGluT2) and vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) that exist in axon terminals of inferior olivary neurons and GABAergic synapses of Purkinje cells, respectively, were preserved well in these lesions. In brainstem, VGluT1 immunoreactivity decreased selectively in pontine nuclei that are a component of the pontocerebellar pathway, although other neurotransmitter immunoreactivities were preserved well. Our findings suggest that the selective loss of VGluT1-immunoreactive synapses subsequent to PrPSc accumulations can contribute to the pathogenesis of cerebellar lesions of BSE-infected guinea pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoichi Sakaguchi
- Division of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Sayo Shintani
- Division of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Kyohei Kamio
- Division of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Akio Sekiya
- Division of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Satomi Kato
- Division of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Yoshikage Muroi
- Division of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Motohiro Horiuchi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Furuoka
- Division of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
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Rami A, Fekadu J, Rawashdeh O. The Hippocampal Autophagic Machinery is Depressed in the Absence of the Circadian Clock Protein PER1 that may Lead to Vulnerability During Cerebral Ischemia. Curr Neurovasc Res 2018. [PMID: 28625127 DOI: 10.2174/1567202614666170619083239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autophagy is an intracellular bulk self-degrading process in which cytoplasmic contents of abnormal proteins and excess or damaged organelles are sequestered into autophagosomes, and degraded upon fusion with lysosomes. Although autophagy is generally considered to be pro-survival, it also functions in cell death processes. We recently reported on the hippocampal, higher vulnerability to cerebral ischemia in mice lacking the circadian clock protein PERIOD1 (PER1), a phenomenon we found to be linked to a PER1-dependent modulation of the expression patterns of apoptotic/autophagic markers. METHODS To exclude the contribution of vascular or glial factors to the innate vulnerability of Per1 knockout-mice (Per1-/--mice) to cerebral ischemia in vivo, we compared the autophagic machinery between primary hippocampal cultures from wild-type (WT)- and Per1-/--mice, using the lipophilic macrolide antibiotic, Rapamycin to induce autophagy. RESULTS Development of autophagy in WT cells involved an increased LC3-II-to-LC3-I ratio (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3) and an overall increase in the level of LC3-II. In addition, immunostaining of LC3 in WT cells revealed the typical transformation of LC3 localization from a diffused staining to a dot- and ring-like pattern. In contrast, Per1-/--hippocampal cells were resistant to Rapamycin induced alterations of autophagy hallmarks. CONCLUSION Our in vitro data suggests that basal activity of autophagy seems to be modulated by PER1, and confirms the in vivo data by showing that the autophagic machinery is depressed in Per1-/--hippocampal neurons.The implication of both autophagy and circadian dysfunction in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia suggests that a functional connection between the two processes may exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelhaq Rami
- Institut für Anatomie III, Theodor- Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt/Main. Germany
| | - Julia Fekadu
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy (Anatomy III), Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Clinics of the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt/Main. Germany
| | - Oliver Rawashdeh
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy (Anatomy III), Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Clinics of the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt/Main. Germany
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Sural-Fehr T, Bongarzone ER. How membrane dysfunction influences neuronal survival pathways in sphingolipid storage disorders. J Neurosci Res 2017; 94:1042-8. [PMID: 27638590 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Sphingolipidoses are a class of inherited diseases that result from the toxic accumulation of undigested sphingolipids in lysosomes and other cellular membranes. Sphingolipids are particularly enriched in cells of the nervous system, and their excessive accumulation during disease has a significant impact on the nervous system. Neuronal dysfunction followed by neurological compromise is a common feature in many of these diseases; however, the underlying mechanisms that cause vulnerability of neurons are not fully understood. The plasma membrane plays a critical role in regulating cellular survival pathways, and its dysfunction has been implicated in neuronal failure in various adult-onset neuropathies. In the context of sphingolipidoses, we hypothesize that gradual accumulation of undigested lipids in plasma membranes causes local disruptions in lipid raft domains, leading to deregulation of multiple signaling pathways important for neuronal survival and function. We propose that defects in downstream signaling as a result of membrane dysfunction are common mechanisms underlying neuronal vulnerability in sphingolipid storage disorders with neurological compromise. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuba Sural-Fehr
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
| | - Ernesto R Bongarzone
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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Ishida K, Aoki K, Takishita T, Miyara M, Sakamoto S, Sanoh S, Kimura T, Kanda Y, Ohta S, Kotake Y. Low-Concentration Tributyltin Decreases GluR2 Expression via Nuclear Respiratory Factor-1 Inhibition. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18081754. [PMID: 28800112 PMCID: PMC5578144 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18081754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tributyltin (TBT), which has been widely used as an antifouling agent in paints, is a common environmental pollutant. Although the toxicity of high-dose TBT has been extensively reported, the effects of low concentrations of TBT are relatively less well studied. We have previously reported that low-concentration TBT decreases α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA)-type glutamate receptor subunit 2 (GluR2) expression in cortical neurons and enhances neuronal vulnerability to glutamate. However, the mechanism of this TBT-induced GluR2 decrease remains unknown. Therefore, we examined the effects of TBT on the activity of transcription factors that control GluR2 expression. Exposure of primary cortical neurons to 20 nM TBT for 3 h to 9 days resulted in a decrease in GluR2 mRNA expression. Moreover, TBT inhibited the DNA binding activity of nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), a transcription factor that positively regulates the GluR2. This result indicates that TBT inhibits the activity of NRF-1 and subsequently decreases GluR2 expression. In addition, 20 nM TBT decreased the expression of genes such as cytochrome c, cytochrome c oxidase (COX) 4, and COX 6c, which are downstream of NRF-1. Our results suggest that NRF-1 inhibition is an important molecular action of the neurotoxicity induced by low-concentration TBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keishi Ishida
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
- Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan.
| | - Kaori Aoki
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
| | - Tomoko Takishita
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
| | - Masatsugu Miyara
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
| | - Shuichiro Sakamoto
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
| | - Seigo Sanoh
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
| | - Tomoki Kimura
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Setsunan University, 17-8 Ikedanakamachi, Neyagawa 572-8508, Japan.
| | - Yasunari Kanda
- Division of Pharmacology, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1, Kamiyoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan.
| | - Shigeru Ohta
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
| | - Yaichiro Kotake
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
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Abstract
Neuromelanin (NM) is a dark pigment that accumulates linearly with aging in substantia nigra (SN) and locus coeruleus (LC). The dual protective and toxic role of NM has been hypothesized according to its intraneuronal or extraneuronal deposition. The melanized dopaminergic neurons in SN and LC seem to have special vulnerability to neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). The paramagnetic properties of NM due to its association to metals like iron induce T1 prolongation; hence the measurement of SN-sensitive contrast could be a useful diagnostic biomarker in neurodegenerative disease like PD and other atypical parkinsonisms. This paper will review NM histopathology and neurochemistry studies in health and diseases and the role of imaging targeting NM load in parkinsonian disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Martin-Bastida
- a Centre for Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation, Division of Brain Sciences , Imperial College London , London , United Kingdom
| | - Sara Pietracupa
- b Department of Neurology , IRCCS Neuromed , Pozzilli , Italy
| | - Paola Piccini
- a Centre for Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation, Division of Brain Sciences , Imperial College London , London , United Kingdom
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12
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Boneva SK, Groß TR, Schlecht A, Schmitt SI, Sippl C, Jägle H, Volz C, Neueder A, Tamm ER, Braunger BM. Cre recombinase expression or topical tamoxifen treatment do not affect retinal structure and function, neuronal vulnerability or glial reactivity in the mouse eye. Neuroscience 2016; 325:188-201. [PMID: 27026593 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 03/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Mice with a constitutive or tamoxifen-induced Cre recombinase (Cre) expression are frequently used research tools to allow the conditional deletion of target genes via the Cre-loxP system. Here we analyzed for the first time in a comprehensive and comparative way, whether retinal Cre expression or topical tamoxifen treatment itself would cause structural or functional changes, including changes in the expression profiles of molecular markers, glial reactivity and photoreceptor vulnerability. To this end, we characterized the transgenic α-Cre, Lmop-Cre and the tamoxifen-inducible CAGG-CreER™ mouse lines, all having robust Cre expression in the neuronal retina. In addition, we characterized the effects of topical tamoxifen treatment itself in wildtype mice. We performed morphometric analyses, immunohistochemical staining, in vivo ERG and angiography analyses and realtime RT-PCR analyses. Furthermore, the influence of Cre recombinase or topical tamoxifen exposure on neuronal vulnerability was studied by using light damage as a model for photoreceptor degeneration. Taken together, neither the expression of Cre, nor topical tamoxifen treatment caused detectable changes in retinal structure and function, the expression profiles of investigated molecular markers, glial reactivity and photoreceptor vulnerability. We conclude that the Cre-loxP system and its induction through tamoxifen is a safe and reliable method to delete desired target genes in the neural retina.
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Xiong J, Verkhratsky A, Toescu EC. Changes in mitochondrial status associated with altered Ca2+ homeostasis in aged cerebellar granule neurons in brain slices. J Neurosci 2002; 22:10761-71. [PMID: 12486169 PMCID: PMC6758428] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In the present work, we investigated the relationship between mitochondrial function and Ca2+ homeostasis in brain slices obtained from mice that aged normally. In acute preparations, the cerebellar neurons had similar values for intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) regardless of their age (range, 6 weeks to 24 months). However, compared with the young slices, the aged neurons (20-24 months) showed an enhanced rate of [Ca2+]i increases as a function of the time the slices were maintained in vitro. When slices were stimulated (KCl depolarization), there were significant differences in the patterns of [Ca2+]i signal displayed by the young and old cerebellar granule neurons. More importantly, the aged neurons showed a significant delay in their capacity to recover the resting [Ca2+]i. The relationship between [Ca2+]i and mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed by recording both parameters simultaneously, using fura-2 and rhodamine-123. In both young and aged neurons, the cytosolic [Ca2+]i signal was associated with a mitochondrial depolarization response. In the aged neurons, the mitochondria had a significantly longer repolarization response, and quantitative analysis showed a direct correlation between the delays in mitochondrial repolarization and [Ca2+]i recovery, indicating the causal relationship between the two parameters. Thus, the present results show that the reported changes in Ca2+ homeostasis associated with aging, which manifest principally in a decreased capacity of maintaining a stable resting [Ca2+]i or recovering the resting [Ca2+]i values after stimulation, are primarily attributable to a metabolic dysfunction in which the mitochondrial impairment plays an important role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xiong
- Department of Physiology, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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