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Allajbej A, Patani F, Di Biase S, Fasciolo D, Di Carlo C, Rosa C, Gasparini L, Di Francesco M, Falcone G, Quaternato G, Croce A, Di Pilla A, Trignani M, Caravatta L, Genovesi D. PO-0727 Voice outcome following radiotherapy or laser microsurgery in patients with early glottic cancer. Radiother Oncol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8140(19)31147-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Altaibej A, Patani F, Di Biase S, Fasciolo D, Di Carlo C, Rosa C, Gasparini L, Di Francesco M, Falcone G, Quaternato G, Croce A, Di Pilla A, Trignani M, Genovesi D. PO-145 Voice outcome in patients with early glottic cancer following radiotherapy versus laser microsurgery. Radiother Oncol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8140(19)30311-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Lo Martire V, Alvente S, Bastianini S, Berteotti C, Bombardi C, Calandra-Buonaura G, Capellari S, Cohen G, Cortelli P, Gasparini L, Padiath Q, Valli A, Zoccoli G, Silvani A. Mice overexpressing lamin B1 in oligodendrocytes recapitulate the age-dependent motor signs, but not the early autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction of autosomal-dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD). Exp Neurol 2018; 301:1-12. [PMID: 29262292 PMCID: PMC5809293 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD) is a rare adult-onset demyelinating disease caused by overexpression of lamin B1, a nuclear lamina filament. Early autonomic dysfunction involving the cardiovascular system before progressive somatic motor dysfunction is a striking feature of most cases of ADLD. In the Plp-FLAG-LMNB1 transgenic mouse model, lamin B1 overexpression in oligodendrocytes elicits somatic motor dysfunction and neuropathology akin to ADLD. Here, we investigate whether Plp-FLAG-LMNB1 mice also develop autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction before or after somatic motor dysfunction. We find that Plp-FLAG-LMNB1 mice have preserved cardiovascular responses to changes in wake-sleep state and ambient temperature and normal indexes of autonomic modulation at 37-42weeks of age despite a progressive somatic motor dysfunction, which includes impairments of walking ability (the ability to walk on a narrow path was impaired in 80% of mice at 34-38weeks of age) and subtle breathing derangements. Only late in the development of the disease phenotype did Plp-FLAG-LMNB1 mice develop a structural deficit of sympathetic noradrenergic fibers, with a 38% decrease in fiber profiles in the kidneys at 44-47weeks of age. We demonstrate that while the Plp-FLAG-LMNB1 mouse model recapitulates the age-dependent motor dysfunction of ADLD, it does not show signs of early autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction, raising the possibility that oligodendrocyte dysfunction may not be sufficient to cause the full spectrum of clinical features present in ADLD.
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Bartoletti-Stella A, Gasparini L, Giacomini C, Corrado P, Terlizzi R, Giorgio E, Magini P, Seri M, Baruzzi A, Parchi P, Brusco A, Cortelli P, Capellari S. Messenger RNA processing is altered in autosomal dominant leukodystrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2017; 26:3868. [PMID: 28934398 PMCID: PMC5886215 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Mahajani S, Giacomini C, Marinaro F, De Pietri Tonelli D, Contestabile A, Gasparini L. Lamin B1 levels modulate differentiation into neurons during embryonic corticogenesis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4897. [PMID: 28687747 PMCID: PMC5501862 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05078-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Lamin B1, a key component of the nuclear lamina, plays an important role in brain development. Ablation of endogenous Lamin B1 (Lmnb1) in the mouse strongly impairs embryonic brain development and corticogenesis. However, the mechanisms underlying these neurodevelopmental effects are unknown. Here, we report that Lamin B1 levels modulate the differentiation of murine neural stem cells (NSCs) into neurons and astroglial-like cells. In vitro, endogenous Lmnb1 depletion favors NSC differentiation into glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactive cells over neurons, while overexpression of human Lamin B1 (LMNB1) increases the proportion of neurons. In Lmnb1-null embryos, neurogenesis is reduced, while in vivo Lmnb1 silencing in mouse embryonic brain by in utero electroporation of a specific Lmnb1 sh-RNA results in aberrant cortical positioning of neurons and increased expression of the astrocytic marker GFAP in the cortex of 7-day old pups. Together, these results indicate that finely tuned levels of Lamin B1 are required for NSC differentiation into neurons, proper expression of the astrocytic marker GFAP and corticogenesis.
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Marafini M, Gasparini L, Mirabelli R, Pinci D, Patera V, Sciubba A, Spiriti E, Stoppa D, Traini G, Sarti A. MONDO: a neutron tracker for particle therapy secondary emission characterisation. Phys Med Biol 2017; 62:3299-3312. [PMID: 28350543 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aa623a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Tumour control is performed in particle therapy using particles and ions, whose high irradiation precision enhances the effectiveness of the treatment, while sparing the healthy tissue surrounding the target volume. Dose range monitoring devices using photons and charged particles produced by the beam interacting with the patient's body have already been proposed, but no attempt has been made yet to exploit the detection of the abundant neutron component. Since neutrons can release a significant dose far away from the tumour region, precise measurements of their flux, production energy and angle distributions are eagerly sought in order to improve the treatment planning system (TPS) software. It will thus be possible to predict not only the normal tissue toxicity in the target region, but also the risk of late complications in the whole body. The aforementioned issues underline the importance of an experimental effort devoted to the precise characterisation of neutron production, aimed at the measurement of their abundance, emission point and production energy. The technical challenges posed by a neutron detector aimed at high detection efficiency and good backtracking precision are addressed within the MONDO (monitor for neutron dose in hadrontherapy) project, whose main goal is to develop a tracking detector that can target fast and ultrafast neutrons. A full reconstruction of two consecutive elastic scattering interactions undergone by the neutrons inside the detector material will be used to measure their energy and direction. The preliminary results of an MC simulation performed using the FLUKA software are presented here, together with the DSiPM (digital SiPM) readout implementation. New detector readout implementations specifically tailored to the MONDO tracker are also discussed, and the neutron detection efficiency attainable with the proposed neutron tracking strategy are reported.
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Schierle GSK, Michel CH, Gasparini L. Advanced imaging of tau pathology in Alzheimer Disease: New perspectives from super resolution microscopy and label-free nanoscopy. Microsc Res Tech 2016; 79:677-83. [DOI: 10.1002/jemt.22698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Barini E, Antico O, Zhao Y, Asta F, Tucci V, Catelani T, Marotta R, Xu H, Gasparini L. Metformin promotes tau aggregation and exacerbates abnormal behavior in a mouse model of tauopathy. Mol Neurodegener 2016; 11:16. [PMID: 26858121 PMCID: PMC4746897 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-016-0082-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alzheimer disease (AD) and other tauopathies develop cerebral intracellular inclusions of hyperphosphorylated tau. Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests a clear link between type 2 diabetes mellitus and AD. In AD animal models, tau pathology is exacerbated by metabolic comorbidities, such as insulin resistance and diabetes. Within this context, anitidiabetic drugs, including the widely-prescribed insulin-sensitizing drug metformin, are currently being investigated for AD therapy. However, their efficacy for tauopathy in vivo has not been tested. Results Here, we report that in the P301S mutant human tau (P301S) transgenic mouse model of tauopathy, chronic administration of metformin exerts paradoxical effects on tau pathology. Despite reducing tau phosphorylation in the cortex and hippocampus via AMPK/mTOR and PP2A, metformin increases insoluble tau species (including tau oligomers) and the number of inclusions with β-sheet aggregates in the brain of P301S mice. In addition, metformin exacerbates hindlimb atrophy, increases P301S hyperactive behavior, induces tau cleavage by caspase 3 and disrupts synaptic structures. Conclusions These findings indicate that metformin pro-aggregation effects mitigate the potential benefits arising from its dephosphorylating action, possibly leading to an overall increase of the risk of tauopathy in elderly diabetic patients. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13024-016-0082-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Giacomini C, Mahajani S, Ruffilli R, Marotta R, Gasparini L. Lamin B1 protein is required for dendrite development in primary mouse cortical neurons. Mol Biol Cell 2016; 27:35-47. [PMID: 26510501 PMCID: PMC4694760 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e15-05-0307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Revised: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lamin B1, a key component of the nuclear lamina, plays an important role in brain development and function. A duplication of the human lamin B1 (LMNB1) gene has been linked to adult-onset autosomal dominant leukodystrophy, and mouse and human loss-of-function mutations in lamin B1 are susceptibility factors for neural tube defects. In the mouse, experimental ablation of endogenous lamin B1 (Lmnb1) severely impairs embryonic corticogenesis. Here we report that in primary mouse cortical neurons, LMNB1 overexpression reduces axonal outgrowth, whereas deficiency of endogenous Lmnb1 results in aberrant dendritic development. In the absence of Lmnb1, both the length and complexity of dendrites are reduced, and their growth is unresponsive to KCl stimulation. This defective dendritic outgrowth stems from impaired ERK signaling. In Lmnb1-null neurons, ERK is correctly phosphorylated, but phospho-ERK fails to translocate to the nucleus, possibly due to delocalization of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) at the nuclear envelope. Taken together, these data highlight a previously unrecognized role of lamin B1 in dendrite development of mouse cortical neurons through regulation of nuclear shuttling of specific signaling molecules and NPC distribution.
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Chegaev K, Federico A, Marini E, Rolando B, Fruttero R, Morbin M, Rossi G, Fugnanesi V, Bastone A, Salmona M, Badiola NB, Gasparini L, Cocco S, Ripoli C, Grassi C, Gasco A. NO-donor thiacarbocyanines as multifunctional agents for Alzheimer's disease. Bioorg Med Chem 2015; 23:4688-4698. [PMID: 26078011 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.05.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Some symmetrical and unsymmetrical thiacarbocyanines bearing NO-donor nitrooxy and furoxan moieties were synthesized and studied as candidate anti-Alzheimer's drugs. All products activated soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) in a dose-dependent manner, depending on the presence in their structures of NO-donor groups. None displayed toxicity when tested at concentrations below 10 μM on human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3). Some products were capable of inhibiting amyloid β-protein (Aβ) aggregation, with a potency in the low μM concentration range, and of inhibiting aggregation of human recombinant tau protein in amyloid fibrils when incubated with the protein at 1 μM concentration. Nitrooxy derivative 21 and furoxan derivative 22 were selected to investigate synaptic plasticity. Both products, tested at 2 μM concentration, counteracted the inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by Aβ42 in hippocampal brain slices.
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Giorgio E, Robyr D, Spielmann M, Ferrero E, Di Gregorio E, Imperiale D, Vaula G, Stamoulis G, Santoni F, Atzori C, Gasparini L, Ferrera D, Canale C, Guipponi M, Pennacchio LA, Antonarakis SE, Brussino A, Brusco A. A large genomic deletion leads to enhancer adoption by the lamin B1 gene: a second path to autosomal dominant adult-onset demyelinating leukodystrophy (ADLD). Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:3143-54. [PMID: 25701871 PMCID: PMC4424952 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal rearrangements with duplication of the lamin B1 (LMNB1) gene underlie autosomal dominant adult-onset demyelinating leukodystrophy (ADLD), a rare neurological disorder in which overexpression of LMNB1 causes progressive central nervous system demyelination. However, we previously reported an ADLD family (ADLD-1-TO) without evidence of duplication or other mutation in LMNB1 despite linkage to the LMNB1 locus and lamin B1 overexpression. By custom array-CGH, we further investigated this family and report here that patients carry a large (∼660 kb) heterozygous deletion that begins 66 kb upstream of the LMNB1 promoter. Lamin B1 overexpression was confirmed in further ADLD-1-TO tissues and in a postmortem brain sample, where lamin B1 was increased in the frontal lobe. Through parallel studies, we investigated both loss of genetic material and chromosomal rearrangement as possible causes of LMNB1 overexpression, and found that ADLD-1-TO plausibly results from an enhancer adoption mechanism. The deletion eliminates a genome topological domain boundary, allowing normally forbidden interactions between at least three forebrain-directed enhancers and the LMNB1 promoter, in line with the observed mainly cerebral localization of lamin B1 overexpression and myelin degeneration. This second route to LMNB1 overexpression and ADLD is a new example of the relevance of regulatory landscape modifications in determining Mendelian phenotypes.
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Bartoletti-Stella A, Gasparini L, Giacomini C, Corrado P, Terlizzi R, Giorgio E, Magini P, Seri M, Baruzzi A, Parchi P, Brusco A, Cortelli P, Capellari S. Messenger RNA processing is altered in autosomal dominant leukodystrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:2746-56. [PMID: 25637521 PMCID: PMC4406291 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult-onset autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD) is a slowly progressive neurological disorder characterized by autonomic dysfunction, followed by cerebellar and pyramidal features. ADLD is caused by duplication of the lamin B1 gene (LMNB1), which leads to its increased expression. The molecular pathways involved in the disease are still poorly understood. Hence, we analyzed global gene expression in fibroblasts and whole blood of LMNB1 duplication carriers and used Gene Set Enrichment Analysis to explore their gene signatures. We found that LMNB1 duplication is associated with dysregulation of genes involved in the immune system, neuronal and skeletal development. Genes with an altered transcriptional profile clustered in specific genomic regions. Among the dysregulated genes, we further studied the role of RAVER2, which we found to be overexpressed at mRNA and protein level. RAVER2 encodes a putative trans regulator of the splicing repressor polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) and is likely implicated in alternative splicing regulation. Functional studies demonstrated an abnormal splicing pattern of several PTB-target genes and of the myelin protein gene PLP1, previously demonstrated to be involved in ADLD. Mutant mice with different lamin B1 expression levels confirmed that Raver2 expression is dependent on lamin B1 in neural tissue and determines an altered splicing pattern of PTB-target genes and Plp1. Overall our results demonstrate that deregulation of lamin B1 expression induces modified splicing of several genes, likely driven by raver-2 overexpression, and suggest that an alteration of mRNA processing could be a pathogenic mechanism in ADLD.
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Ferrera D, Mazzaro N, Canale C, Gasparini L. Resting microglia react to Aβ42 fibrils but do not detect oligomers or oligomer-induced neuronal damage. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35:2444-2457. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Ferrera D, Canale C, Marotta R, Mazzaro N, Gritti M, Mazzanti M, Capellari S, Cortelli P, Gasparini L. Lamin B1 overexpression increases nuclear rigidity in autosomal dominant leukodystrophy fibroblasts. FASEB J 2014; 28:3906-18. [PMID: 24858279 PMCID: PMC4139899 DOI: 10.1096/fj.13-247635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2013] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The architecture and structural mechanics of the cell nucleus are defined by the nuclear lamina, which is formed by A- and B-type lamins. Recently, gene duplication and protein overexpression of lamin B1 (LB1) have been reported in pedigrees with autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD). However, how the overexpression of LB1 affects nuclear mechanics and function and how it may result in pathology remain unexplored. Here, we report that in primary human skin fibroblasts derived from ADLD patients, LB1, but not other lamins, is overexpressed at the nuclear lamina and specifically enhances nuclear stiffness. Transient transfection of LB1 in HEK293 and neuronal N2a cells mimics the mechanical phenotype of ADLD nuclei. Notably, in ADLD fibroblasts, reducing LB1 protein levels by shRNA knockdown restores elasticity values to those indistinguishable from control fibroblasts. Moreover, isolated nuclei from ADLD fibroblasts display a reduced nuclear ion channel open probability on voltage-step application, suggesting that biophysical changes induced by LB1 overexpression may alter nuclear signaling cascades in somatic cells. Overall, the overexpression of LB1 in ADLD cells alters nuclear mechanics and is linked to changes in nuclear signaling, which could help explain the pathogenesis of this disease.
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Averaimo S, Gritti M, Barini E, Gasparini L, Mazzanti M. CLIC1 functional expression is required for cAMP-induced neurite elongation in post-natal mouse retinal ganglion cells. J Neurochem 2014; 131:444-56. [PMID: 25060644 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
During neuronal differentiation, axonal elongation is regulated by both external and intrinsic stimuli, including neurotropic factors, cytoskeleton dynamics, second messengers such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and neuronal excitability. Chloride intracellular channel 1 (CLIC1) is a cytoplasmic hydrophilic protein that, upon stimulation, dimerizes and translocates to the plasma membrane, where it contributes to increase the membrane chloride conductance. Here, we investigated the expression of CLIC1 in primary hippocampal neurons and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and examined how the functional expression of CLIC1 specifically modulates neurite outgrowth of neonatal murine RGCs. Using a combination of electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry, we found that CLIC1 is expressed in hippocampal neurons and RGCs and that the chloride current mediated by CLIC1 is required for maintaining growth cone morphology and sustaining cAMP-stimulated neurite elongation in dissociated immunopurified RGCs. In cultured RGCs, inhibition of CLIC1 ionic current through the pharmacological blocker IAA94 or a specific anti-CLIC1 antibody directed against its extracellular domain prevents the neurite outgrowth induced by cAMP. CLIC1-mediated chloride current, which results from an increased open probability of the channel, is detected only when cAMP is elevated. Inhibition of protein kinase A prevents such current. These results indicate that CLIC1 functional expression is regulated by cAMP via protein kinase A and is required for neurite outgrowth modulation during neuronal differentiation. Using a combination of electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry, we found that the chloride intracellular channel 1 (CLIC1) protein modulates the speed of neurite growth. The chloride current mediated by CLIC1 is essential for maintaining growth cone morphology and is required for sustaining cAMP-stimulated neurite elongation in dissociated immunopurified neurons. The presence of either the CLIC1 current blocker IAA94 or the anti-CLIC1 antibody inhibits neurite growth of Retina Ganglion Cells cultured in the presence of 10 micromolar forskolin for 24 h.
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Tucci V, Kleefstra T, Hardy A, Heise I, Maggi S, Willemsen MH, Hilton H, Esapa C, Simon M, Buenavista MT, McGuffin LJ, Vizor L, Dodero L, Tsaftaris S, Romero R, Nillesen WN, Vissers LELM, Kempers MJ, Vulto-van Silfhout AT, Iqbal Z, Orlando M, Maccione A, Lassi G, Farisello P, Contestabile A, Tinarelli F, Nieus T, Raimondi A, Greco B, Cantatore D, Gasparini L, Berdondini L, Bifone A, Gozzi A, Wells S, Nolan PM. Dominant β-catenin mutations cause intellectual disability with recognizable syndromic features. J Clin Invest 2014; 124:1468-82. [PMID: 24614104 DOI: 10.1172/jci70372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent identification of multiple dominant mutations in the gene encoding β-catenin in both humans and mice has enabled exploration of the molecular and cellular basis of β-catenin function in cognitive impairment. In humans, β-catenin mutations that cause a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders have been identified. We identified de novo β-catenin mutations in patients with intellectual disability, carefully characterized their phenotypes, and were able to define a recognizable intellectual disability syndrome. In parallel, characterization of a chemically mutagenized mouse line that displays features similar to those of human patients with β-catenin mutations enabled us to investigate the consequences of β-catenin dysfunction through development and into adulthood. The mouse mutant, designated batface (Bfc), carries a Thr653Lys substitution in the C-terminal armadillo repeat of β-catenin and displayed a reduced affinity for membrane-associated cadherins. In association with this decreased cadherin interaction, we found that the mutation results in decreased intrahemispheric connections, with deficits in dendritic branching, long-term potentiation, and cognitive function. Our study provides in vivo evidence that dominant mutations in β-catenin underlie losses in its adhesion-related functions, which leads to severe consequences, including intellectual disability, childhood hypotonia, progressive spasticity of lower limbs, and abnormal craniofacial features in adults.
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Colombi I, Mahajani S, Frega M, Gasparini L, Chiappalone M. Effects of antiepileptic drugs on hippocampal neurons coupled to micro-electrode arrays. FRONTIERS IN NEUROENGINEERING 2013; 6:10. [PMID: 24312049 PMCID: PMC3832899 DOI: 10.3389/fneng.2013.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Hippocampal networks exhibit spontaneous electrophysiological activity that can be modulated by pharmacological manipulation and can be monitored over time using Micro-Electrode Arrays (MEAs), devices composed by a glass substrate and metal electrodes. The typical mode of activity of these dissociated cultures is the network-wide bursting pattern, which, if properly chemically modulated, can recall the ictal events of the epileptic phenotypes and is well-suited to study the effects of antiepileptic compounds. In this paper, we analyzed the changes induced by Carbamazepine (CBZ) and Valproate (VPA) on mature networks of hippocampal neurons in “control” condition (i.e., in the culturing medium) and upon treatment with the pro-convulsant bicuculline (BIC). We found that, in both control and BIC—treated networks, high doses (100 μM–1 mM) of CBZ almost completely suppressed the spiking and bursting activity of hippocampal neurons. On the contrary, VPA never completely abolish the electrophysiological activity in both experimental designs. Interestingly, VPA cultures pre-treated with BIC showed dual effects. In fact, in some cultures, at low VPA concentrations (100 nM–1 μM), we observed decreased firing/bursting levels, which returned to values comparable to BIC-evoked activity at high VPA concentrations (100 μM–1 mM). In other cultures, VPA reduced BIC-evoked activity in a concentration-independent manner. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that MEA-coupled hippocampal networks are responsive to chemical manipulations and, upon proper pharmacological modulation, might provide model systems to detect acute pharmacological effects of antiepileptic drugs.
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Mazzaro N, Barini E, Goedert M, Spillantini MG, Medini P, Gasparini L. Tauopathy-induced retinal dysfunction in the P301S mutant human tau transgenic mouse. Mol Neurodegener 2013. [PMCID: PMC3850658 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-8-s1-p57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Barini E, Mazzaro N, Spillantini MG, Goedert M, Medini P, Gasparini L. P1–046: Alterations of neurotrophin signaling in the retina of the P301S mutant human tau transgenic mouse. Alzheimers Dement 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.05.266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Mazzaro N, Barini E, Spillantini MG, Goedert M, Medini P, Gasparini L. P1–045: Neurotrophin signaling is altered in the retina of the P301S mutant human tau transgenic mouse. Alzheimers Dement 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.05.265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Columbaro M, Mattioli E, Maraldi NM, Ortolani M, Gasparini L, D'Apice MR, Postorivo D, Nardone AM, Avnet S, Cortelli P, Liguori R, Lattanzi G. Oct-1 recruitment to the nuclear envelope in adult-onset autosomal dominant leukodystrophy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2013; 1832:411-20. [PMID: 23261988 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2012.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2012] [Revised: 11/16/2012] [Accepted: 12/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Adult-onset autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD) is a slowly progressive neurological disorder characterised by pyramidal, cerebellar, and autonomic disturbances. Duplication of the LMNB1 gene is the genetic cause of ADLD, yet the pathogenetic mechanism is not defined. In this study, we analysed cells and muscle tissue from three patients affected by ADLD, carrying an extra copy of the LMNB1 gene. Lamin B1 levels were dramatically increased in ADLD nuclei, both in skin fibroblasts and skeletal muscle fibres. Since lamin B1 is known to bind Oct-1, a transcription factor involved in the oxidative stress pathway, we investigated Oct-1 fate in ADLD. Oct-1 recruitment to the nuclear periphery was increased in ADLD cells, while nucleoplasmic localisation of the transcription factor under oxidative stress conditions was reduced. Importantly, lamin B1 degradation occurring in some, but not all ADLD cell lines, slowed down lamin B1 and Oct-1 accumulation. In skeletal muscle, focal disorganisation of sarcomeres was observed, while IIB-myosin heavy chain, an Oct-1 target gene, was under-expressed and rod-containing fibres were formed. These data show that a high degree of regulation of lamin B1 expression is implicated in the different clinical phenotypes observed in ADLD and show that altered Oct-1 nuclear localisation contributes to the disease phenotype.
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Contestabile A, Greco B, Ghezzi D, Tucci V, Benfenati F, Gasparini L. Lithium rescues synaptic plasticity and memory in Down syndrome mice. J Clin Invest 2012. [PMID: 23202733 DOI: 10.1172/jci64650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) patients exhibit abnormalities of hippocampal-dependent explicit memory, a feature that is replicated in relevant mouse models of the disease. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis, which is impaired in DS and other neuropsychiatric diseases, plays a key role in hippocampal circuit plasticity and has been implicated in learning and memory. However, it remains unknown whether increasing adult neurogenesis improves hippocampal plasticity and behavioral performance in the multifactorial context of DS. We report that, in the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS, chronic administration of lithium, a clinically used mood stabilizer, promoted the proliferation of neuronal precursor cells through the pharmacological activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and restored adult neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) to physiological levels. The restoration of adult neurogenesis completely rescued the synaptic plasticity of newborn neurons in the DG and led to the full recovery of behavioral performance in fear conditioning, object location, and novel object recognition tests. These findings indicate that reestablishing a functional population of hippocampal newborn neurons in adult DS mice rescues hippocampal plasticity and memory and implicate adult neurogenesis as a promising therapeutic target to alleviate cognitive deficits in DS patients.
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Ferrera D, Canale C, Benfenati F, Gasparini L. P2‐328: Microglia discriminates β‐amyloid aggregated species and acquire different activation states. Alzheimers Dement 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2011.05.1204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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49
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Scattoni ML, Gasparini L, Alleva E, Goedert M, Calamandrei G, Spillantini MG. Early behavioural markers of disease in P301S tau transgenic mice. Behav Brain Res 2009; 208:250-7. [PMID: 20004218 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2009] [Revised: 12/01/2009] [Accepted: 12/02/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed at characterizing the early behavioural changes preceding the onset of disease in a transgenic mouse model of tauopathy. Mice transgenic for human P301S tau protein exhibit many characteristics of human tauopathies, including neurodegeneration, the formation of neuronal tau inclusions in the brain and the development of a pronounced motor phenotype by 5 months of age. In this study we analyzed the ultrasonic vocalization pattern in the first week of life and the response to nest-related olfactory stimuli on postnatal day 10 in both homozygous and heterozygous transgenic mice in comparison with the behavioural responses of C57BL/6J pups. Expression of human tau in the brain and spinal cord was evaluated by Western blot analysis. Homozygous P301S tau transgenic and C57BL/6J mice were also assessed for motor coordination in the Rotarod apparatus at 1, 2, 3 and 4 months of age, and spatial learning and spontaneous behaviour were evaluated at 2 months in the Morris water-maze and the open-field test. Results showed that P301S pups emitted more ultrasounds than C57BL/6J pups when separated from the mother. Two-month-old P301S mice displayed a hyperactive profile, as shown by increased swimming speed, enhanced locomotion and exploration of a novel object in the open field. However, the spatial task acquisition was unaltered. Decline of motor coordination capacities was evident only by the third month of age in the rotarod test. Behavioural abnormalities can be detected well before occurrence of neurodegeneration in this transgenic strain, thus representing precocious markers of pathology.
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Ferrera D, Canale C, Benfenati F, Gasparini L. P1‐167: Effects of beta‐amyloid oligomers on neuronal viability and microglial activation. Alzheimers Dement 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2009.04.173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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