351
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Abstract
Numerous evidences indicate that the phenotype of a neurodegenerative disease and its pathogenetic mechanism are only loosely linked. The phenotype is directly related to the topography of the lesions and is reproduced whatever the mechanism as soon as the same neurons are destroyed or deficient: the symptoms of Parkinson disease are mimicked by any destruction of the neurons of the substantia nigra, caused for instance by the toxin MPTP. This does not mean that idiopathic Parkinson disease is due to MPTP. In the same way, mouse lines such as Reeler, Weaver and Staggerer in which ataxia occurs spontaneously does not help to understand human ataxias: now that mutations responsible for these phenotypes have been identified, it appears that one is responsible for lissencephaly (mutation of the reelin gene) and the other two have no equivalent in man. Therapeutic attempts, however, rely on the understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms. Introducing a mutated human transgene in the genome of an animal has, in many instances, significantly improved this understanding. Transgenic mice have proven useful in reproducing lesions seen in neurodegenerative disease such as the plaques of Alzheimer disease (in the APP mouse which has integrated the mutated gene of the amyloid protein precursor), the tau glial and neuronal accumulation (seen in cases of frontotemporal dementias due to tau mutation), the nuclear inclusions caused by CAG triplet expansion (seen in the mutation of Huntington disease and autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxias). These recent advances have fostered numerous therapeutic attempts. Transgenesis in drosophila and in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans have opened new possibilities in the screening of protein partners, modifier genes, and potential therapeutic molecules. However, it is also becoming clear that introducing a human mutated gene in an animal does not necessarily trigger pathogenetic cascades identical to those seen in the human disease. Human diseases have to be studied in parallel with their animal models to ensure that the model mimic at least a few original mechanisms, on which new therapeutics may be tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Langui
- Laboratoire de Neuropathologie Raymond Escourolle, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, 47, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75651 Paris Cedex 13, France
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352
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Abstract
Advances in stem cell biology of the adult brain and the discovery of adult neurogenesis have raised the hope that neurodegenerative disorders might ultimately become amenable to causal therapy. Stem cells contribute to cellular plasticity during the lifespan, and in some sense, brain development never ends. However, neurodegeneration is not just a lack of neuroregeneration, and cell genesis in the adult brain does not apparently lead to successful endogenous responses to neurodegeneration. The brain heals poorly; nevertheless, the onset, severity and progression of neurodegenerative disorders show large variation and can often be influenced by cognitive training and physical activity. Rather than providing endogenous repair, cellular plasticity, including adult neurogenesis might thus contribute to the 'cognitive reserve' that determines how well an organism can compensate for neurodegeneration. From this perspective, neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Lewy body and Huntington's diseases, might share a relevant biological principle that even links them to psychiatric disorders, like depression, which are not considered 'neurodegenerative' in a classical sense. However, the integration of neuroregenerative phenomena and most notably adult neurogenesis into the concepts of neurodegeneration is not without problems and remains speculative at present. Adult neurogenesis might be part of the physiological regenerative response and might thereby alter or alleviate symptoms, but it might also become impaired by the disease mechanism and thereby contribute to the symptoms of neurodegeneration. In any case, the extent to which effects on the level of cellular plasticity, be it degenerative or regenerative, are relevant functionally remains to be determined. The present review gives an overview of what is known about cell genesis and adult neurogenesis in neurodegenerative disorders and discusses how cellular plasticity might be part of concepts that integrate aspects of development and cellular plasticity into neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Steiner
- Volkswagenstiftung Research Group, Dept of Experimental Neurology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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353
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Alvarado JC, Fuentes-Santamaria V, Franklin SR, Brunso-Bechtold JK, Henkel CK. Synaptophysin and insulin-like growth factor-1 immunostaining in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus in adult ferrets following unilateral cochlear removal: a densitometric analysis. Synapse 2007; 61:288-302. [PMID: 17318882 DOI: 10.1002/syn.20373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, unilateral cochlear ablations were performed in adult ferrets to evaluate possible time-dependent modifications of synaptophysin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (CNIC). Using densitometric analysis, synaptophysin and IGF-1 immunostaining were assessed at 1 (PA1) and 90 (PA90) days after cochlear ablation. The results demonstrated that 1 day after the lesion there was an increase in the levels of synaptophysin immunostaining bilaterally in the CNIC compared to control animals. That increase was no longer present at 90 days after the ablation. Overall levels of IGF-1 immunostaining at PA1 were increased significantly within neurons and neuropil. However, at PA90, only IGF-1 immunostaining contralateral to the lesion was elevated compared to control animals, although elevation was less than that observed at PA1. These results suggest that cochlear ablation appears to affect synaptophysin and IGF-1 protein levels bilaterally in the CNIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Alvarado
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
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354
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da Silva G, Ming LJ. Metallo-ROS in Alzheimer's Disease: Oxidation of Neurotransmitters by CuII-β-Amyloid and Neuropathology of the Disease. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2007. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.200604421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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355
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Bouchard TP, Malykhin N, Martin WRW, Hanstock CC, Emery DJ, Fisher NJ, Camicioli RM. Age and dementia-associated atrophy predominates in the hippocampal head and amygdala in Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Aging 2007; 29:1027-39. [PMID: 17368653 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2006] [Revised: 01/29/2007] [Accepted: 02/05/2007] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus (HC) and amygdala (AG) decrease in volume with age and in Parkinson's disease (PD) with (PDD) and without dementia. We compared 44 PD to 44 age, sex and education-matched subjects without PD (non-PD) and 13 PDD subjects. T1-weighted MR images were used to manually segment the head, body and tail of the HC and the AG. HC volumes, corrected to intracranial volume, were smaller in PDD than non-PD (p=0.04), reflected predominantly by head atrophy. Right AG volumes were smaller in PD compared to non-PD (p=0.03). HC volumes in older (>70), but not younger, non-demented PD differed from non-PD (HC, p=0.02; head, p=0.03). Age correlated negatively with overall HC (r=-0.43, p=0.004) and head (r=-0.48, p=0.001) in PD, but not in non-PD. In PD, left HC head volumes correlated with recall, but not recognition scores on the CVLT-II (r=0.35, p=0.02) and BVMT-R (r=0.35, p=0.02); AG volumes correlated with CVLT-II recall (r=0.35, p=0.02). No correlations were found in non-PD (p>0.4). In conclusion, functionally meaningful age-associated hippocampal and amygdala atrophy occurs in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Bouchard
- Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Alberta, 10230, 111th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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356
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Kallhoff V, Peethumnongsin E, Zheng H. Lack of alpha-synuclein increases amyloid plaque accumulation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2007; 2:6. [PMID: 17367539 PMCID: PMC1832188 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-2-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2007] [Accepted: 03/16/2007] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein is a small soluble, cytosolic protein which associates with vesicular membranes. It is a component of intracellular Lewy bodies present in Parkinson's disease and a subset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, early studies identified a fragment of α-synuclein in the amyloid plaques of AD patients. Hypothesizing that α-synuclein might modify the AD pathogenic process, we crossed the Tg2576 strain of APP transgenic mice onto an α-synuclein knockout background to determine the effects of α-synuclein on Aβ production and plaque deposition. We found that α-synuclein deficiency does not affect the Aβ levels, nor does it alter the age of onset of plaque pathology. To our surprise, however, loss of α-synuclein leads to a significant increase in plaque load in all areas of the forebrain at 18 months of age. This is associated with an increase in another synaptic protein, synaptophysin. We thus conclude that α-synuclein is not involved in seeding of the plaques, but rather suppresses the progression of plaque pathology at advanced stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Kallhoff
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Erica Peethumnongsin
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Interdepartmental Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hui Zheng
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Interdepartmental Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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357
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Papapetropoulos S, Farrer MJ, Stone JT, Milkovic NM, Ross OA, Calvo L, McQuorquodale D, Mash DC. Phenotypic associations of tau and ApoE in Parkinson's disease. Neurosci Lett 2007; 414:141-4. [PMID: 17204369 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2006.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2006] [Revised: 11/17/2006] [Accepted: 12/07/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Overlaps in clinical, pathological and molecular features of Parkinson's disease (PD), dementing and motor tauopathies have prompted association studies in search of common genetic risk factors that may predispose or modify this spectrum of disorders. To explore possible phenotypic implications, we studied common tau and ApoE gene polymorphisms, associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and PD, in a clinically and pathologically characterized cohort of PD patients and aged control subjects. Our results reveal a novel association between PD-related hallucinations and H1H1 genotype. We also report an association between PDD and the presence of the ApoE epsilon4 allele. Better determination of subsets of PD patients based upon the presence of specific phenotypic features may improve the accuracy of association studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spiridon Papapetropoulos
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, United States.
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358
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Jellinger KA. Morphological substrates of parkinsonism with and without dementia: a retrospective clinico-pathological study. JOURNAL OF NEURAL TRANSMISSION. SUPPLEMENTUM 2007:91-104. [PMID: 17982882 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-211-73574-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
A retrospective study of a 50-year autopsy series of 900 patients with the clinical diagnosis of parkinsonism (31.2% with dementia) revealed pure Lewy body disease (LBD) in 84.9%, but only 44.7% with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD); 16% were associated with cerebrovascular lesions, 14.8% with Alzheimer pathology; 8.9% were classified dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), 9.4% showed other degenerative disorders, and 5.6% other/ secondary parkinsonian syndromes. The frequency of LBD during different periods was fairly stable, with increase of DLB and PD plus Alzheimer changes, but decrease of associated cerebrovascular lesions during the last decades. Using variable clinical diagnostic criteria not only by specified neurologists, the misdiagnosis rate ranged from 11.5 to 23% and was similar to that in most previous clinico-pathological studies. The majority of cases with false clinical diagnosis of PD had a final pathological diagnosis of DLB with or without Alzheimer lesions. A postmortem series of 330 elderly patients clinically diagnosed as parkinsonism with (37.6%) and without dementia showed that IPD, Braak stages 3-5 were rarely associated with cognitive impairment, which was frequently seen in IPD with associated Alzheimer pathology (35.5%), DLB (33.9%), and in Alzheimer disease (AD) or mixed dementia (17%), whereas it almost never was associated with minor cerebrovascular lesions. Clinico-pathological studies in DBL, demented and nondemented PD, and AD cases showed a negative relation between cognitive impairment and Alzheimer changes, suggesting that these either alone or in combination with cortical Lewy body pathologies are major causes of cognitive dysfunction. Further prospective clinico-pathological studies are needed to validate the currently used clinical criteria for PD, to increase the diagnostic accuracy until effective biomarkers are available, and to clarify the impact of structural and functional changes on cognitive function in parkinsonism as an ultimate goal of early disease detection and effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Jellinger
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Vienna, Austria.
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359
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Caballol N, Martí MJ, Tolosa E. Cognitive dysfunction and dementia in Parkinson disease. Mov Disord 2007; 22 Suppl 17:S358-66. [PMID: 18175397 DOI: 10.1002/mds.21677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Caballol
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Institut Clínic de Neurociencies, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Hospital Clínic Universitari, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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360
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Buchanan DD, Silburn PA, Prince JA, Mellick GD. Association of APOE with Parkinson disease age-at-onset in women. Neurosci Lett 2006; 411:185-8. [PMID: 17113231 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2006.07.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2006] [Revised: 05/15/2006] [Accepted: 07/03/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
APOE polymorphism has received extensive attention as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), but findings have been equivocal. Analysis of APOE variants in an Australian PD case-control sample revealed a robust association between genotype and age-at-onset (AAO) of PD in women (P=0.0008). These data not only further implicate APOE in PD, but also provide a stark example of the effects that gender may play in complex disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D Buchanan
- University of Queensland, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
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361
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Abstract
On the 100th anniversary of Alzheimer's lecture describing the clinicopathological entity which bears his eponym, this article reviews the major areas of progress in our understanding of the disease and outlines the many gaps still remaining. The progress toward effective mechanistic therapy is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Hardy
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Porter Neuroscience Building, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
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362
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Carnini A, Eckenhoff MF, Eckenhoff RG. Interactions of volatile anesthetics with neurodegenerative-disease-associated proteins. Anesthesiol Clin 2006; 24:381-405. [PMID: 16927935 DOI: 10.1016/j.atc.2006.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of the neurodegenerative disorders is increasing as life expectancy lengthens, and there exists concern that environmental influences may contribute to this increase. These disorders are varied in their clinical presentation, but appear to have a common biophysical initiation. At this level, it is both plausible and now proven that anesthetics can enhance aggregation of some disease-causing proteins. Although data in support of an interaction in animal models are still lacking, data from clinical studies indicate an association, which provides further cause for concern. Many opportunities exist for rapid progress at all levels on defining whether anesthetics do indeed contribute to the pathogenesis of these progressive, debilitating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Carnini
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania Health Systems, 305 John Morgan Building, 3620 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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363
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Mandal PK, Pettegrew JW, Masliah E, Hamilton RL, Mandal R. Interaction between Abeta peptide and alpha synuclein: molecular mechanisms in overlapping pathology of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in dementia with Lewy body disease. Neurochem Res 2006; 31:1153-62. [PMID: 16947080 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-006-9140-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/08/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Amyloidogenic proteins (Abeta peptide) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and alpha-synuclein (alpha-Syn) in Parkinson's disease (PD) are typically soluble monomeric precursors, which undergo remarkable conformational changes and culminate in the form of aggregates in diseased condition. Overlap of clinical and neuropathological features of both AD and PD are observed in dementia with Lewy body (DLB) disease, the second most common form of dementia after AD. The identification of a 35-amino acid fragment of alpha-Syn in the amyloid plaques in DLB brain have raised the possibility that Abeta and alpha-Syn interact with each other. In this report, the molecular interaction of alpha-Syn with Abeta40 and/or Abeta42 are investigated using multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. NMR data in the membrane mimic environment indicate specific sites of interaction between membrane-bound alpha-Syn with Abeta peptide and vice versa. These Abeta-alpha-Syn interactions are demonstrated by reduced amide peak intensity or change in chemical shift of amide proton of the interacting proteins. Based on NMR results, the plausible molecular mechanism of overlapping pathocascade of AD and PD in DLB due to interactions between alpha-Syn and Abeta is described. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first report using multidimensional NMR spectroscopy that elucidates molecular interactions between Abeta and alpha-Syn which may lead to onset of DLB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pravat K Mandal
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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364
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Uchikado H, Lin WL, DeLucia MW, Dickson DW. Alzheimer disease with amygdala Lewy bodies: a distinct form of alpha-synucleinopathy. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2006; 65:685-97. [PMID: 16825955 PMCID: PMC5706655 DOI: 10.1097/01.jnen.0000225908.90052.07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Lewy bodies (LBs) are alpha-synuclein-immunoreactive neuronal inclusions with a predilection for specific cortical and subcortical regions, including the amygdala. In this study, the presence of LBs was assessed in 347 cases of Alzheimer disease (AD). In 87 cases, LB pathology was diagnostic of brainstem (n=3), transitional (n=32), or diffuse (n=52) Lewy body disease (LBD). The remaining 260 cases of AD were screened for amygdala LBs (AD/ALB) and 62 (24%) cases were found. If AD/LBD cases are included, LBs were detected in 149 (43%) cases of AD. The presence alpha-synuclein pathology was assessed in multiple brain regions of the 62 cases of AD/ALB and 57 randomly selected cases of AD, and only sparse alpha-synuclein pathology was detected in both. The burden of alpha-synuclein pathology in brainstem nuclei, amygdala, and neocortex was significant lower in AD/ALB than in AD/LBD. In comparison to AD/LBD, AD/ALB did not differ in age at death, disease duration, male-to-female ratio, brain weight, Braak neurofibrillary tangle stage, average senile plaque density, or apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele frequency. The results suggest that AD/ALB is pathologically different from AD/LBD, suggesting that it is a neuropathologically distinct and isolated alpha-synucleinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotake Uchikado
- Department of Pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
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365
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Freichel C, Neumann M, Ballard T, Müller V, Woolley M, Ozmen L, Borroni E, Kretzschmar HA, Haass C, Spooren W, Kahle PJ. Age-dependent cognitive decline and amygdala pathology in alpha-synuclein transgenic mice. Neurobiol Aging 2006; 28:1421-35. [PMID: 16872721 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2005] [Revised: 05/22/2006] [Accepted: 06/12/2006] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Intraneuronal alpha-synuclein (alphaSYN) inclusions constitute the hallmark lesions of a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. In a transgenic mouse model expressing mutant [A30P]alphaSYN under control of the pan-neuronal Thy1 promoter, motor impairment became significant beyond 17 months of age. Cognitive performance was measured in the Morris water maze and upon fear conditioning. At 4 months of age, transgenic mice performed like controls. However, performance in these tasks was significantly impaired in (Thy1)-h[A30P]alphaSYN mice at 12 months of age. After completion of the cognition tests, mice were sacrificed and the regional distribution of neuropathology was examined. In contrast to 4 months old animals, 12 months old transgenic mice showed alpha-synucleinopathy in several brain regions, including the central nucleus of the amygdala, which is involved in cognitive behavior of mice, and is susceptible to alphaSYN pathology in human patients. Thus, age-dependent fibrillization of alphaSYN in specific cortical regions concomitant with cognitive decline may reflect dementia with Lewy bodies in a transgenic mouse model.
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366
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Rockenstein E, Torrance M, Mante M, Adame A, Paulino A, Rose JB, Crews L, Moessler H, Masliah E. Cerebrolysin decreases amyloid-beta production by regulating amyloid protein precursor maturation in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease. J Neurosci Res 2006; 83:1252-61. [PMID: 16511867 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.20818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Cerebrolysin is a peptide mixture with neurotrophic effects that might reduce the neurodegenerative pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have previously shown in an amyloid protein precursor (APP) transgenic (tg) mouse model of AD-like neuropathology that Cerebrolysin ameliorates behavioral deficits, is neuroprotective, and decreases amyloid burden; however, the mechanisms involved are not completely clear. Cerebrolysin might reduce amyloid deposition by regulating amyloid-beta (Abeta) degradation or by modulating APP expression, maturation, or processing. To investigate these possibilities, APP tg mice were treated for 6 months with Cerebrolysin and analyzed in the water maze, followed by RNA, immunoblot, and confocal microscopy analysis of full-length (FL) APP and its fragments, beta-secretase (BACE1), and Abeta-degrading enzymes [neprilysin (Nep) and insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE)]. Consistent with previous studies, Cerebrolysin ameliorated the performance deficits in the spatial learning portion of the water maze and reduced the synaptic pathology and amyloid burden in the brains of APP tg mice. These effects were associated with reduced levels of FL APP and APP C-terminal fragments, but levels of BACE1, Notch1, Nep, and IDE were unchanged. In contrast, levels of active cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (CDK5) and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta [GSK-3beta; but not stress-activated protein kinase-1 (SAPK1)], kinases that phosphorylate APP, were reduced. Furthermore, Cerebrolysin reduced the levels of phosphorylated APP and the accumulation of APP in the neuritic processes. Taken together, these results suggest that Cerebrolysin might reduce AD-like pathology in the APP tg mice by regulating APP maturation and transport to sites where Abeta protein is generated. This study clarifies the mechanisms through which Cerebrolysin might reduce Abeta production and deposition in AD and further supports the importance of this compound in the potential treatment of early AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Rockenstein
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093-0624, USA
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367
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Bell KFS, Claudio Cuello A. Altered synaptic function in Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Pharmacol 2006; 545:11-21. [PMID: 16887118 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2006.06.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2005] [Revised: 12/30/2005] [Accepted: 06/13/2006] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly, presenting itself clinically by progressive loss of memory and learning. Since synaptic density correlates more closely with cognitive impairment than any other pathological lesion observable in the disease pathology, an increased understanding of the mechanisms behind synaptic disconnection is of vital importance. Our lab investigated the neurotransmitter-specific status of distinct cortical presynaptic bouton populations in various transgenic mouse models of the Alzheimer's-like amyloid pathology in order to assess their involvement throughout the progression of the pathology. These studies have revealed that the amyloid pathology appears to progress in a neurotransmitter-specific manner where the cholinergic terminals appear most vulnerable, followed by the glutamatergic terminals and finally by the somewhat more resilient GABAergic terminals. This review will discuss additional studies which also provide evidence of a neurotransmitter-specific pathology as well as comment on the potential explanations for the observed vulnerabilities, touching upon metabolic demand, trophic support and receptor mediated activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen F S Bell
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir William Osler Promenade, Montreal, QC, Canada H3G 1Y6
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368
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Amer DAM, Irvine GB, El-Agnaf OMA. Inhibitors of alpha-synuclein oligomerization and toxicity: a future therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Exp Brain Res 2006; 173:223-33. [PMID: 16733698 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-006-0539-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2006] [Accepted: 05/01/2006] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
An abundance of genetic, histopathological, and biochemical evidence has implicated the neuronal protein, alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) as a key player in the development of several neurodegenerative diseases, the so-called synucleinopathies, of which Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most prevalent. Development of disease appears to be linked to events that increase the intracellular concentration of alpha-syn or cause its chemical modification, either of which can accelerate the rate at which it forms aggregates. Examples of such events include increased copy number of genes, decreased rate of degradation via the proteasome or other proteases, or altered forms of alpha-syn, such as truncations, missense mutations, or chemical modifications by oxidative reactions. Aggregated forms of the protein, especially newly formed soluble aggregates, are toxic to cells, so that one therapeutic strategy would be to reduce the rate at which such oligomerization occurs. We have therefore designed several peptides and also identified small molecules that can inhibit alpha-syn oligomerization and toxicity in vitro. These compounds could serve as lead compounds for the design of new drugs for the treatment of PD and related disorders in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dena A M Amer
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, P.O.Box: 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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369
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Galpern WR, Lang AE. Interface between tauopathies and synucleinopathies: a tale of two proteins. Ann Neurol 2006; 59:449-58. [PMID: 16489609 DOI: 10.1002/ana.20819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are often classified based on the abnormal accumulation of synuclein or tau. Traditionally, these disorders have been viewed as distinct clinical and pathological entities. However, advances in molecular genetics and protein biochemistry have shown intriguing overlaps. The most common synucleinopathy, Parkinson's disease, is characterized by extrapyramidal motor dysfunction, whereas the most common tauopathy, Alzheimer's disease, is defined by dementia. Yet there is overlap of clinical features; Parkinson's disease patients frequently have dementia, and Alzheimer's disease patients often manifest parkinsonism. Dementia with Lewy bodies exemplifies the existence of a continuum among these diseases. This overlap extends to the neuropathological findings; the pathognomonic hallmark for one set of disorders, Lewy bodies or neurofibrillary tangles, is present more often than expected in the other set. Moreover, mutations in LRRK2 known to cause parkinsonism are associated not only with dopaminergic neuronal degeneration, but also with the accumulation of synuclein, tau, neither, or both proteins. Other shared genetic features between tauopathies and synucleinopathies also exist. Finally, the known protein interactions between tau and synuclein further highlight the interface. Evidence for the intersection of tauopathies and synucleinopathies indicates the need for an updated disease classification scheme and may have important implications for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy R Galpern
- Movement Disorders Center, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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370
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Ding ZT, Wang Y, Jiang YP, Hashizume Y, Yoshida M, Mimuro M, Inagaki T, Iwase T. Characteristics of alpha-synucleinopathy in centenarians. Acta Neuropathol 2006; 111:450-8. [PMID: 16520971 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-005-0015-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2005] [Revised: 10/04/2005] [Accepted: 10/04/2005] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the characteristics of alpha-synucleinopathy in the brains of centenarians, the autopsied brains and spinal cords from 23 cases were studied. Coronal slices were prepared from a section of the cerebral hemisphere, following the guidelines of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) (CERAD) and the consensus guidelines for the clinical and pathologic diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Spinal cord specimens were prepared at each segment from the third cervical to the third sacral segment. In all cases, we performed standard stainings of hematoxylin-eosin, Klüver-Barrera, and Gallyas-Braak combined with Luxol fast blue/cresyl violet, and alpha-synuclein (AS), phosphorylated tau (AT8) and beta-amyloid protein immunostainings. One-way ANOVA analysis, Chi-square or Fisher exact test were used for statistical analysis. Overall, AS-positive structures were found in 8 (34.8%) of our 23 centenarians, 6 (35.3%) of 17 demented patients, and four (40%) out of ten AD patients. The frequencies of AS lesions in the brains with senile plaque (SP) stage 0-A, B, and C were 27.7, 33, and 50%, respectively. No statistical differences were found among the frequencies of AS lesions in the subgroups of NFT stages I-II, III-IV, and V-VI (P=0.478). Most cases showed a widespread distribution of AS-positive structures except for one patient, in whose brain only the medulla was involved. The distribution pattern of AS-positive lesions was similar to that in Parkinson's disease or DLB, but the pigmented neurons in substantia nigra were relatively well preserved. Our findings indicate that there is a high frequency of alpha-synucleinopathy in centenarians, SP-positive and AS-positive lesions may involve a synergistic interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Tong Ding
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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371
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Melrose HL, Lincoln SJ, Tyndall GM, Farrer MJ. Parkinson's disease: a rethink of rodent models. Exp Brain Res 2006; 173:196-204. [PMID: 16639500 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-006-0461-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2006] [Accepted: 03/18/2006] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial disease with a complex etiology that results from genetic risk factors, environmental exposures and most likely a combination of both. Rodent models of parkinsonism aim to reproduce key pathogenic features of the syndrome including movement disorder induced by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, accompanied by the formation of alpha-synuclein containing Lewy body inclusions. Despite the creation of many excellent models, both chemically induced and genetically engineered, there is none that accurately demonstrates these features. Recent pathological staging studies in man have also emphasized the significant non-CNS component of PD that has yet to be tackled. Herein, we summarize rodent models of PD and what they offer to the field, and suggest future challenges and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Melrose
- Department of Neuroscience, Genetics of Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, Morris K. Udall Parkinson' Disease Research Center of Excellence, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
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372
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Griffin WST, Liu L, Li Y, Mrak RE, Barger SW. Interleukin-1 mediates Alzheimer and Lewy body pathologies. J Neuroinflammation 2006; 3:5. [PMID: 16542445 PMCID: PMC1435743 DOI: 10.1186/1742-2094-3-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2005] [Accepted: 03/16/2006] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Clinical and neuropathological overlap between Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) is now well recognized. Such cases of concurrent AD and Lewy body disease (AD/LBD) show neuropathological changes that include Lewy bodies (α-synuclein aggregates), neuritic amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles (hyperphosphorylated tau aggregates). The co-occurrence of these clinical and neuropathological changes suggests shared pathogenic mechanisms in these diseases, previously assumed to be distinct. Glial activation, with overexpression of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and other proinflammatory cytokines, has been increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of both AD and PD. Methods Rat primary cultures of microglia and cortical neurons were cultured either separately or as mixed cultures. Microglia or cocultures were treated with a secreted fragment (sAPPα) of the β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP). Neurons were treated with IL-1β or conditioned medium from sAPPα-activated microglia, with or without IL-1 receptor antagonist. Slow-release pellets containing either IL-1β or bovine serum albumin (control) were implanted in cortex of rats, and mRNA for various neuropathological markers was analyzed by RT-PCR. Many of the same markers were assessed in tissue sections from human cases of AD/LBD. Results Activation of microglia with sAPPα resulted in a dose-dependent increase in secreted IL-1β. Cortical neurons treated with IL-1β showed a dose-dependent increase in sAPPα release, an effect that was enhanced in the presence of microglia. IL-1β also elevated the levels of α-synuclein, activated MAPK-p38, and phosphorylated tau; a concomitant decrease in levels of synaptophysin occurred. Delivery of IL-1β by slow-release pellets elevated mRNAs encoding α-synuclein, βAPP, tau, and MAPK-p38 compared to controls. Finally, human cases of AD/LBD showed colocalization of IL-1-expressing microglia with neurons that simultaneously overexpressed βAPP and contained both Lewy bodies and neurofibrillary tangles. Conclusion Our findings suggest that IL-1 drives production of substrates necessary for formation of the major neuropathological changes characteristic of AD/LBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Sue T Griffin
- Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
- Department of Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Department of Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
- Mental Illness Research Education Center, Department of Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
| | - Ling Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
| | - Yuekui Li
- Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
| | - Robert E Mrak
- Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
- Department of Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
| | - Steven W Barger
- Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
- Department of Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Department of Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
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Perez SE, Lazarov O, Koprich JB, Chen EY, Rodriguez-Menendez V, Lipton JW, Sisodia SS, Mufson EJ. Nigrostriatal dysfunction in familial Alzheimer's disease-linked APPswe/PS1DeltaE9 transgenic mice. J Neurosci 2006; 25:10220-9. [PMID: 16267229 PMCID: PMC6725777 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2773-05.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is often accompanied by extrapyramidal signs attributed to nigrostriatal dysfunction. The association between amyloid deposition and nigrostriatal degeneration is essentially unknown. We showed previously that the striatum and the substantia nigra of transgenic mice harboring familial AD (FAD)-linked APPswe/PS1DeltaE9 mutants exhibit morphological alterations accompanied by amyloid-beta (Abeta) deposition (Perez et al., 2004). In the present study, we further investigated the interaction between Abeta deposition and dopaminergic nigrostriatal dysfunction, by correlating morphological and biochemical changes in the nigrostriatal pathway with amyloid deposition pathology in the brains of 3- to 17-month-old APPswe/PS1DeltaE9 transgenic mice and age-matched wild-type controls. We show that Abeta deposition is pronounced in the striatum of APPswe/PS1DeltaE9 mice at 6 months of age, and the extent of deposition increases in an age-dependent manner. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive dystrophic neurites with rosette or grape-like cluster disposition are observed adjacent to Abeta plaques and display multilaminar, multivesicular, and dense-core bodies as well as mitochondria. In addition, an age-dependent increase of TH protein levels are shown in nigral cells in these mutant mice. Using HPLC analysis, we found a reduction in the dopamine metabolite DOPAC in the striatum of these mice. These findings show a close association between amyloid deposition and nigrostriatal pathology and suggest that altered FAD-linked amyloid metabolism impairs, at least in part, the function of dopaminergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia E Perez
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
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374
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Shults CW, Rockenstein E, Crews L, Adame A, Mante M, Larrea G, Hashimoto M, Song D, Iwatsubo T, Tsuboi K, Masliah E. Neurological and neurodegenerative alterations in a transgenic mouse model expressing human alpha-synuclein under oligodendrocyte promoter: implications for multiple system atrophy. J Neurosci 2006; 25:10689-99. [PMID: 16291942 PMCID: PMC6725840 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3527-05.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by parkinsonism, ataxia, autonomic dysfunction, and accumulation of alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) in oligodendrocytes. To better understand the mechanisms of neurodegeneration and the role of alpha-syn accumulation in oligodendrocytes in the pathogenesis of MSA, we generated transgenic mouse lines expressing human (h) alpha-syn under the control of the murine myelin basic protein promoter. Transgenic mice expressing high levels of halpha-syn displayed severe neurological alterations and died prematurely at 6 months of age. Furthermore, mice developed progressive accumulation of halpha-syn-immunoreactive inclusions in oligodendrocytes along the axonal tracts in the brainstem, basal ganglia, cerebellum, corpus callosum, and neocortex. The inclusions also reacted with antibodies against phospho-serine (129) halpha-syn and ubiquitin, and halpha-syn was found in the detergent-insoluble fraction. In high-expresser lines, the white matter tracts displayed intense astrogliosis, myelin pallor, and decreased neurofilament immunostaining. Accumulation of halpha-syn in oligodendrocytes also leads to prominent neurodegenerative changes in the neocortex with decreased dendritic density and to loss of dopaminergic fibers in the basal ganglia. The oligodendrocytic inclusions were composed of fibrils and accompanied by mitochondrial alterations and disruption of the myelin lamina in the axons. Together, these studies support the contention that accumulation of alpha-syn in oligodendrocytes promotes neurodegeneration and recapitulates several of the key functional and neuropathological features of MSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifford W Shults
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0624, USA
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375
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Deramecourt V, Bombois S, Maurage CA, Ghestem A, Drobecq H, Vanmechelen E, Lebert F, Pasquier F, Delacourte A. Biochemical Staging of Synucleinopathy and Amyloid Deposition in Dementia With Lewy Bodies. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2006; 65:278-88. [PMID: 16651889 DOI: 10.1097/01.jnen.0000205145.54457.ea] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary feature of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the aggregation of alpha-synuclein into characteristic lesions: Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites. However, in most of DLB cases, LBs are associated with neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques (both Alzheimer disease [AD]-related lesions). We wanted to determine if this overlap of lesions is statistical, as a result of the late onset of both diseases, or results from a specific physiopathological synergy between synucleinopathy and either tauopathy or amyloid pathology. All patients with DLB from our prospective and multidisciplinary study were analyzed. These cases were compared with cases with pure AD and patients with Parkinson disease and controls. All cases were analyzed thoroughly at the neuropathologic and biochemical levels with a biochemical staging of aggregated alpha-synuclein, tau, and Abeta species. All sporadic cases of DLB were associated with abundant deposits of Abeta x-42 that were similar in quality and quantity to those of AD. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) dysfunction is a risk factor for AD as demonstrated by pathogenic mutations and Abeta accumulation. The constant and abundant Abeta x-42 deposition in sporadic DLB suggests that synucleinopathy is also promoted by APP dysfunction. Therefore, we conclude that APP is a therapeutic target for both AD and DLB.
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376
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Mukaetova-Ladinska EB, McKeith IG. Pathophysiology of synuclein aggregation in Lewy body disease. Mech Ageing Dev 2006; 127:188-202. [PMID: 16297436 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2005.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2004] [Revised: 03/15/2005] [Accepted: 09/15/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We provide an overview of synaptic pathology in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and related neurodegenerative disorders that are characterised by intraneuronal accumulation of alpha-synuclein aggregates. The review addresses the clinico-neuropathological correlates of synaptic pathology in Lewy body disease, and concentrates on: altered alpha-synuclein metabolism, mechanisms leading to alpha-synuclein fibril formation (self-polymerisation, alpha-synuclein mutations and post-translational modifications) and how these influence the axonal transport and synaptic network in ageing and disease process. Understanding the mechanisms leading to intraneuronal alpha-synuclein accumulation are crucial for the development of novel therapies for treatment of Lewy body disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeta B Mukaetova-Ladinska
- Institute for Ageing and Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6BE, UK.
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377
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HASHIMOTO MAKOTO, ROCKENSTEIN EDWARD, MASLIAH ELIEZER. Transgenic Models of α-Synuclein Pathology. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2003.tb07475.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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378
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Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. Some debate still exists as to whether PD is predominantly environmental or genetic in etiology. The genetic hypothesis of PD etiology has been driven recently by the identification of a number of PD loci. This review deals with each of these loci, discussing the latest data and evidence available. Of particular interest are the recently described mutations in the PINK1 (PARK6) and LRRK2 (PARK8) genes. We also consider the impact of these latest developments on our understanding of sporadic PD and on our everyday practice with PD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair J Lewthwaite
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
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379
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Irving AJ, Wallace L, Durakoglugil D, Harvey J. Leptin enhances NR2B-mediated N-methyl-D-aspartate responses via a mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent process in cerebellar granule cells. Neuroscience 2006; 138:1137-48. [PMID: 16413128 PMCID: PMC1613257 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.11.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2005] [Revised: 11/10/2005] [Accepted: 11/20/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
It is well documented that the hormone leptin regulates energy balance via its actions in the hypothalamus. However, evidence is accumulating that leptin plays a key role in numerous CNS functions. Indeed, leptin receptors are expressed in many extrahypothalamic brain regions, with high levels found in the hippocampus and cerebellum. In the hippocampus leptin has been shown to facilitate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor function and modulate synaptic plasticity. A role for leptin in cerebellar function is also indicated as leptin-deficient rodents display reduced mobility that is unrelated to obesity. Here we show that leptin receptor immunolabeling can be detected in cultured cerebellar granule cells, being expressed at the somatic plasma membrane and also concentrated at synapses. Furthermore, leptin facilitated NR2B N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated Ca2+ influx in cerebellar granule cells via a mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent pathway. These findings provide the first direct evidence for a cellular action of leptin in cerebellar neurons. In addition, given that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity in the cerebellum is crucial for normal locomotor function, these data also have important implications for the potential role of leptin in the control of movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Irving
- Neurosciences Institute, Division of Pathology and Neuroscience, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK
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380
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Utton MA, Noble WJ, Hill JE, Anderton BH, Hanger DP. Molecular motors implicated in the axonal transport of tau and alpha-synuclein. J Cell Sci 2005; 118:4645-54. [PMID: 16176937 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.02558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau and alpha-synuclein are both proteins implicated in the pathology of neurodegenerative disease. Here we have investigated the mechanisms of axonal transport of tau and alpha-synuclein, because failure of axonal transport has been implicated in the development of several neurodegenerative disorders. We found that the transport of both of these proteins depend on an intact microtubule- but not actin-cytoskeleton, and that tau and alpha-synuclein both move at overall slow rates of transport. We used time-lapse video microscopy to obtain images of live neurons that had been transfected with plasmids expressing proteins tagged with enhanced green fluorescent protein. We found that particulate structures containing tau or alpha-synuclein travel rapidly when moving along axons but spend the majority of the time paused, and these structures have similar characteristics to those previously observed for neurofilaments. The motile particles containing tau or alpha-synuclein colocalise with the fast-transporting molecular motor kinesin-1 in neurons. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that tau and alpha-synuclein are each associated with complexes containing kinesin-1, whereas only alpha-synuclein appears to interact with dynein-containing complexes. In vitro glutathione S-transferase-binding assays using rat brain homogenate or recombinant protein as bait reveals a direct interaction of kinesin-1 light chains 1 and 2 with tau, but not with alpha-synuclein. Our findings suggest that the axonal transport of tau occurs via a mechanism utilising fast transport motors, including the kinesin family of proteins, and that alpha-synuclein transport in neurons may involve both kinesin and dynein motor proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Utton
- Department of Neuroscience, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
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381
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McKinney M, Jacksonville MC. Brain cholinergic vulnerability: Relevance to behavior and disease. Biochem Pharmacol 2005; 70:1115-24. [PMID: 15975560 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2005.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2005] [Revised: 05/13/2005] [Accepted: 05/16/2005] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The major populations of cholinergic neurons in the brain include two "projection" systems, located in the pontine reticular formation and in the basal forebrain. These two complexes comprise, in part, the anatomical substrates for the "ascending reticular activating system" (ARAS). The pontine cholinergic system relays its rostral influences mainly through thalamic intralaminar nuclei, but it also connects to the basal forebrain and provides a minor innervation of cortex. The basal forebrain cholinergic complex (BFCC) projects directly to cortex and hippocampus, and has a minor connection with the thalamus. Recent data reveal that a parallel system of basal forebrain GABAergic projection neurons innervates cortex/hippocampus in a way that seems to complement the BFCC. Generally, the picture developed from more than 50 years of research is consistent with a "global" influence of these two ascending cholinergic projections on cortical and hippocampal regions. Seemingly, the BFCC acts in tandem or in parallel with the pontine cholinergic projection to activate the electro-encephalogram, increase cerebral blood flow, regulate sleep-wake cycling, and modulate cognitive function. There are quite a number and variety of human brain conditions, notably including Alzheimer's disease, in which degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons has been documented. Whether the corticopetal GABA system is affected by disease has not been established. Studies of degeneration of the pontine projection are limited, but the available data suggest that it is relatively preserved in Alzheimer's disease. Hypotheses of BFCC degeneration include growth factor deprivation, intracellular calcium dysfunction, amyloid excess, inflammation, and mitochondrial abnormalities/oxidative stress. But, despite considerable research conducted over several decades, the exact mechanisms underlying brain cholinergic vulnerability in human disease remain unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael McKinney
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Pharmacology, Jacksonville, FL 32224-3899, USA. mckinney@
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382
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Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder that results primarily from the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Although the etiology of PD is incompletely understood, the recent discovery of genes associated with rare monogenic forms of the disease, together with earlier studies and new experimental animal models, has provided important and novel insight into the molecular pathways involved in disease pathogenesis. Increasing evidence indicates that deficits in mitochondrial function, oxidative and nitrosative stress, the accumulation of aberrant or misfolded proteins, and ubiquitin-proteasome system dysfunction may represent the principal molecular pathways or events that commonly underlie the pathogenesis of sporadic and familial forms of PD .
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren J Moore
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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383
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Tsuang DW, Wilson RK, Lopez OL, Luedecking-Zimmer EK, Leverenz JB, DeKosky ST, Kamboh MI, Hamilton RL. Genetic association between the APOE*4 allele and Lewy bodies in Alzheimer disease. Neurology 2005; 64:509-13. [PMID: 15699383 PMCID: PMC1487185 DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000150892.81839.d1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the association between APOE*4 and pathologically confirmed cases of the Lewy body (LB) variant of Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS With use of alpha-synuclein (AS) immunohistochemistry, LBs were detected in 74 of 131 (56.5%) of the AD + LB cases; the remaining 57 cases (43.5%) did not have LBs. RESULTS There were no differences in gender or age between Caucasian subjects with AD + LB or AD alone or control subjects. The APOE*4 allele frequency was highest in the AD + LB group (47.3%; 95% CI = 37.8 to 57.0%), intermediate in the AD-alone group (35.1%; 95% CI = 25.3 to 46.3%), and lowest in the control group (14.2%; 95% CI = 10.5 to 18.9%). With use of logistic regression analysis, the odds of having AD + LB vs AD alone were 2.1-fold (95% CI = 1.0 to 4.5, p = 0.055) greater in persons with an APOE*4 allele than in those without an APOE*4 allele. CONCLUSION The APOE*4 allele is associated with the presence of concomitant Lewy bodies in Alzheimer disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- D W Tsuang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
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384
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Masliah E, Rockenstein E, Adame A, Alford M, Crews L, Hashimoto M, Seubert P, Lee M, Goldstein J, Chilcote T, Games D, Schenk D. Effects of alpha-synuclein immunization in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Neuron 2005; 46:857-68. [PMID: 15953415 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2005.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 430] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2004] [Revised: 02/03/2005] [Accepted: 05/03/2005] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal folding of alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) is thought to lead to neurodegeneration and the characteristic symptoms of Lewy body disease (LBD). Since previous studies suggest that immunization might be a potential therapy for Alzheimer's disease, we hypothesized that immunization with human (h)alpha-syn might have therapeutic effects in LBD. For this purpose, halpha-syn transgenic (tg) mice were vaccinated with halpha-syn. In mice that produced high relative affinity antibodies, there was decreased accumulation of aggregated halpha-syn in neuronal cell bodies and synapses that was associated with reduced neurodegeneration. Furthermore, antibodies produced by immunized mice recognized abnormal halpha-syn associated with the neuronal membrane and promoted the degradation of halpha-syn aggregates, probably via lysosomal pathways. Similar effects were observed with an exogenously applied FITC-tagged halpha-syn antibody. These results suggest that vaccination is effective in reducing neuronal accumulation of halpha-syn aggregates and that further development of this approach might have a potential role in the treatment of LBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliezer Masliah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
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385
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Bharali DJ, Klejbor I, Stachowiak EK, Dutta P, Roy I, Kaur N, Bergey EJ, Prasad PN, Stachowiak MK. Organically modified silica nanoparticles: a nonviral vector for in vivo gene delivery and expression in the brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102:11539-44. [PMID: 16051701 PMCID: PMC1181239 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0504926102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 503] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2005] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reports on the application of organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) nanoparticles as a nonviral vector for efficient in vivo gene delivery. Highly monodispersed, stable aqueous suspension of nanoparticles, surface-functionalized with amino groups for binding of DNA, were prepared and characterized. Stereotaxic injections of nanoparticles, complexed with plasmid DNA encoding for EGFP, into the mouse ventral midbrain and into lateral ventricle, allowed us to fluorescently visualize the extensive transfection of neuronal-like cells in substantia nigra and areas surrounding the lateral ventricle. No ORMOSIL-based toxicity was observed 4 weeks after transfection. The efficiency of transfection equaled or exceeded that obtained in studies using a viral vector. An in vivo optical imaging technique (a fiber-based confocal fluorescent imaging system) provided an effective means to show the retention of viability of the transfected cells. The ORMOSIL-mediated transfections also were used to manipulate the biology of the neural stem/progenitor cells in vivo. Transfection of a plasmid expressing the nucleus-targeting fibroblast growth factor receptor type 1 resulted in significant inhibition of the in vivo incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine into the DNA of the cells in the subventricular zone and the adjacent rostral migratory stream. This in vivo approach shows that the nuclear receptor can control the proliferation of the stem/progenitor cells in this region of the brain. The results of this nanomedicine approach using ORMOSIL nanoparticles as a nonviral gene delivery platform have a promising future direction for effective therapeutic manipulation of the neural stem/progenitor cells as well as in vivo targeted brain therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruba J Bharali
- Institute for Lasers, Photonics, and Biophotonics, Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
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386
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Wenning GK, Jellinger KA. The role of α-synuclein and tau in neurodegenerative movement disorders. Curr Opin Neurol 2005; 18:357-62. [PMID: 16003109 DOI: 10.1097/01.wco.0000168241.53853.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregor K Wenning
- Department of Neurology, Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
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387
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Schwarze-Eicker K, Keyvani K, Görtz N, Westaway D, Sachser N, Paulus W. Prion protein (PrPc) promotes β-amyloid plaque formation. Neurobiol Aging 2005; 26:1177-82. [PMID: 15917101 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2004.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2004] [Revised: 09/29/2004] [Accepted: 10/22/2004] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Prion protein (PrP) has been localized to amyloid-beta (Abeta) senile plaques in aging and Alzheimer disease, but it is unknown whether PrP is directly involved in plaque formation or represents a reaction to amyloid deposition. To evaluate possible functional effects of PrP in Abeta plaque formation, we analyzed bigenic mice (TgCRND8/Tg7), carrying mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP) 695 (APP(Swed+Ind), TgCRND8) as well as the wild-type Syrian hamster prion protein gene (sHaPrP, Tg7), showing Abeta plaques at 3 months of age as well as highly increased HaPrP(c) levels. Compared to the control group, consisting of animals carrying only mutant APP, bigenic mice showed a higher number of senile plaques in the cerebral cortex, while APP transcription and Abeta40/Abeta42 levels were unchanged. Double-labelling immunofluorescence showed co-localization of Abeta and PrP in virtually all plaques in the brains of both control and experimental animals. Our data suggest that PrP promotes plaque formation, and that this hitherto unknown functional role of PrP appears to be mediated by increased Abeta aggregation rather than by altered APP transcription or processing.
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388
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Rockenstein E, Mante M, Alford M, Adame A, Crews L, Hashimoto M, Esposito L, Mucke L, Masliah E. High beta-secretase activity elicits neurodegeneration in transgenic mice despite reductions in amyloid-beta levels: implications for the treatment of Alzheimer disease. J Biol Chem 2005; 280:32957-67. [PMID: 16027115 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m507016200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-beta peptides (Abeta) are widely presumed to play a causal role in Alzheimer disease. Release of Abeta from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) requires proteolysis by the beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE1). Although increased BACE1 activity in Alzheimer disease brains and human (h) BACE1 transgenic (tg) mice results in altered APP cleavage, the contribution of these molecular alterations to neurodegeneration is unclear. We therefore used the murine Thy1 promoter to express high levels of hBACE1, with or without hAPP, in neurons of tg mice. Compared with hAPP mice, hBACE1/hAPP doubly tg mice had increased levels of APP C-terminal fragments (C89, C83) and decreased levels of full-length APP and Abeta. In contrast to non-tg controls and hAPP mice, hBACE1 mice and hBACE1/hAPP mice showed degeneration of neurons in the neocortex and hippocampus and degradation of myelin. Neurological deficits were also more severe in hBACE1 and hBACE1/hAPP mice than in hAPP mice. These results demonstrate that high levels of BACE1 activity are sufficient to elicit neurodegeneration and neurological decline in vivo. This pathogenic pathway involves the accumulation of APP C-terminal fragments but does not depend on increased production of human Abeta. Thus, inhibiting BACE1 may block not only Abeta-dependent but also Abeta-independent pathogenic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Rockenstein
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093-0624, USA
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389
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Nieto M, Gil-Bea FJ, Dalfó E, Cuadrado M, Cabodevilla F, Sánchez B, Catena S, Sesma T, Ribé E, Ferrer I, Ramírez MJ, Gómez-Isla T. Increased sensitivity to MPTP in human alpha-synuclein A30P transgenic mice. Neurobiol Aging 2005; 27:848-56. [PMID: 16006012 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2004] [Revised: 04/15/2005] [Accepted: 04/26/2005] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In addition to genetic factors, environmental factors have long been suspected to contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated the possible interaction between genetic factors and neurotoxins by testing whether alpha-synuclein A30P Tg5093 transgenic mice show increased sensitivity to secondary toxic insults like 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) or rotenone. While sensitivity to chronic treatment with rotenone was not enhanced in the Tg5093 line, chronic treatment with 80 or 150 mg/kg MPTP resulted in increased deterioration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system as assessed by quantitation of nigral tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons and striatal dopamine (DA) levels in Tg5093 mice when compared to non-transgenic littermate controls. Thus, the results of this study demonstrate a role for the overexpression of mutant human alpha-synuclein A30P in increased vulnerability of DA neurons to MPTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Nieto
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarre, Spain
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390
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A genetic outline of the pathways to cell death in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontal dementias and related disorders. NEURODEGENER DIS 2005. [DOI: 10.1017/cbo9780511544873.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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391
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Ottem EN, Godwin JG, Krishnan S, Petersen SL. Dual-phenotype GABA/glutamate neurons in adult preoptic area: sexual dimorphism and function. J Neurosci 2005; 24:8097-105. [PMID: 15371511 PMCID: PMC6729791 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2267-04.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
It is generally assumed that the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and the stimulatory neurotransmitter glutamate are released from different neurons in adults. However, this tenet has made it difficult to explain how the same afferent signals can cause opposite changes in GABA and glutamate release. Such reciprocal release is a central mechanism in the neural control of many physiological processes including activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, the neural signal for ovulation. Activation of GnRH neurons requires simultaneous suppression of GABA and stimulation of glutamate release, each of which occurs in response to a daily photoperiodic signal, but only in the presence of estradiol (E2). In rodents, E2 and photoperiodic signals converge in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV), but it is unclear how these signals differentially regulate GABA and glutamate secretion. We now report that nearly all neurons in the AVPV of female rats express both vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2), a marker of hypothalamic glutamatergic neurons, as well as glutamic acid decarboxylase and vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT), markers of GABAergic neurons. These dual-phenotype neurons are the main targets of E2 in the region and are more than twice as numerous in females as in males. Moreover, dual-phenotype synaptic terminals contact GnRH neurons, and at the time of the surge, VGAT-containing vesicles decrease and VGLUT2-containing vesicles increase in these terminals. Thus, we propose a new model for ovulation that includes dual-phenotype GABA/glutamate neurons as central transducers of hormonal and neural signals to GnRH neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich N Ottem
- Department of Biology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002, USA
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392
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Fuentes-Santamaria V, Alvarado JC, Taylor AR, Brunso-Bechtold JK, Henkel CK. Quantitative changes in calretinin immunostaining in the cochlear nuclei after unilateral cochlear removal in young ferrets. J Comp Neurol 2005; 483:458-75. [PMID: 15700274 PMCID: PMC1913210 DOI: 10.1002/cne.20437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Neurons of the cochlear nuclei receive axosomatic endings from primary afferent fibers from the cochlea and have projections that diverge to form parallel ascending auditory pathways. These cells are characterized by neurochemical phenotypes such as levels of calretinin. To test whether or not early deafferentation results in changes in calretinin immunostaining in the cochlear nucleus, unilateral cochlear ablations were performed in ferrets soon after hearing onset (postnatal day [P]30-P40). Two months later, changes in calretinin immunostaining as well as cell size, volume, and synaptophysin immunostaining were assessed in the anteroventral (AVCN), posteroventral (PVCN), and dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). A decrease in calretinin immunostaining was evident ipsilaterally within the AVCN and PVCN but not in the DCN. Further analysis revealed a decrease both in the calretinin-immunostained neuropil and in the calretinin-immunostained area within AVCN and PVCN neurons. These declines were accompanied by significant ipsilateral decreases in volume as well as neuron area in the AVCN and PVCN compared with the contralateral cochlear nucleus and unoperated animals, but not compared with the DCN. In addition, there was a significant contralateral increase in calretinin-immunostained area within AVCN and PVCN neurons compared with control animals. Finally, a decrease in area of synaptophysin immunostaining in both the ipsilateral AVCN and PVCN without changes in the number of boutons was found. The present data demonstrate that unilateral cochlear ablation leads to 1) decreased immunostaining of the neuropil in the AVCN and PVCN ipsilaterally, 2) decreased calretinin immunostaining within AVCN and PVCN neurons ipsilaterally, 3) synaptogenesis in the AVCN and PVCN ipsilaterally, and 4) increased calretinin immunostaining within AVCN and PVCN neurons contralaterally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Fuentes-Santamaria
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1010, USA.
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393
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Geddes JW. alpha-Synuclein: a potent inducer of tau pathology. Exp Neurol 2005; 192:244-50. [PMID: 15755542 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2004.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 10/12/2004] [Accepted: 12/01/2004] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James W Geddes
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 800 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536-0230, USA.
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394
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Hashimoto M, Kawahara K, Bar-On P, Rockenstein E, Crews L, Masliah E. The Role of alpha-synuclein assembly and metabolism in the pathogenesis of Lewy body disease. J Mol Neurosci 2005; 24:343-52. [PMID: 15655259 DOI: 10.1385/jmn:24:3:343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2004] [Accepted: 04/11/2004] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are members of a family of disorders characterized by the presence of inclusion bodies, or Lewy bodies (LBs), filled with aggregates of alpha-synuclein. These diseases are a leading cause of movement disorders and dementia in the aging population, and it is crucial to understand the factors leading to the accumulation and assembly of these alpha-synuclein aggregates. Previous studies have uncovered much about the factors leading to aggregation and the mechanisms causing neurotoxicity of these inclusion bodies; however, little is known about factors that promote the degradation and prevent the aggregation of alpha-synuclein. The present article provides a review of recent efforts in the investigation of factors involved in alpha-synuclein metabolism and the mechanisms involved in preventing accumulation of alpha-synuclein and degrading this molecule. Understanding these processes might provide targets for the development of novel therapies for disorders such as DLB and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Hashimoto
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0624, USA
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395
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Mikolaenko I, Pletnikova O, Kawas CH, O'Brien R, Resnick SM, Crain B, Troncoso JC. Alpha-Synuclein Lesions in Normal Aging, Parkinson Disease, and Alzheimer Disease: Evidence from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2005; 64:156-62. [PMID: 15751230 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/64.2.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (alpha-synuclein) lesions are characteristic of idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) and other alpha-synucleinopathies. To study the frequency of alpha-synuclein lesions in normal aging and how frequently they coexist with lesions of Alzheimer disease (AD), we examined the autopsy brains from normal and demented subjects in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) (n = 117). We found that the overall frequency of alpha-synuclein lesions was 25%, with 100% in 7 cases of PD, 31.5% in 56 cases with AD lesions, and 8.3% among 36 older control brains. Among brains with AD lesions, the frequency of alpha-synuclein pathology was higher in those with higher scores for neuritic plaques, but not in those with higher scores for neurofibrillary tangles. Our observations indicate that alpha-synuclein lesions are uncommon in aged control subjects. Finally, the coexistence of Abeta amyloid and alpha-synuclein pathology in AD brains suggests that the pathogenic mechanism/s leading to the accumulation of Abeta and alpha-synuclein may be similar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Mikolaenko
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2196, USA
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396
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Broe M, Shepherd CE, Mann DMA, Milward EA, Gai WP, Thiel E, Halliday GM. Insoluble alpha-synuclein in Alzheimer's disease without Lewy body formation. Neurotox Res 2005; 7:69-76. [PMID: 15639799 DOI: 10.1007/bf03033777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Insoluble alpha-synuclein plays a central role in Lewy body diseases, with considerable controversy as to whether it plays a similar role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We assessed the tissue location and solubility of cortical alpha-synuclein in AD (without Lewy body formation) compared with controls, using sequential extraction procedures and Western immunoblotting to quantify different alpha-synuclein species in their different solubility states. Controls had no insoluble cortical alpha-synuclein and a ratio of soluble:lipid-associated alpha-synuclein of 1.2-/+0.1. Total alpha-synuclein protein was significantly increased in AD and concentrated within the lipid-associated fraction (soluble:lipid ratio 0.9-/+0.05, soluble:insoluble 1.5-/+0.1, lipid:insoluble 1.7-/+0.1) which proved difficult to localize in paraffin-embedded tissue. Tissues prepared without lipid extraction revealed alpha-synuclein-immunoreactivity in the amorphous components of mature cored AD plaques. This lipid-association of alpha-synuclein in mature AD plaques links this protein with other lipid changes thought to be important in disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Broe
- Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Sydney, 2031 Australia
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397
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Pletnikova O, West N, Lee MK, Rudow GL, Skolasky RL, Dawson TM, Marsh L, Troncoso JC. Abeta deposition is associated with enhanced cortical alpha-synuclein lesions in Lewy body diseases. Neurobiol Aging 2004; 26:1183-92. [PMID: 15917102 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2004.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2004] [Revised: 09/20/2004] [Accepted: 10/05/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In order to understand better the neuropathological substrate of dementia in Parkinson's disease (PD) and to examine its interactions with Alzheimer's disease (AD), we examined autopsy brains from 21 cases of PD and Lewy body disease (LBD) with dementia. We separated brains in two groups according to the presence of Abeta deposits. In brains without Abeta, we found few or no Lewy bodies (LB) in the cerebral cortex. By contrast, in brains with Abeta, we observed significant increases in LB in the cerebral cortex (p < 0.01) and alpha-synuclein immunoreactive lesions in the cingulate cortex (p < 0.01). Immunoblots of alpha-synuclein from cingulate cortex in brains with Abeta showed significantly higher levels of insoluble alpha-synuclein compared to brains without Abeta. Our observations indicate that in cases of PD with dementia, the neocortex is not necessarily involved by LB. Furthermore, the presence of Abeta deposits in the cerebral cortex was associated with extensive alpha-synuclein lesions and higher levels of insoluble alpha-synuclein. This suggests that Abeta enhances the development of cortical alpha-synuclein lesions in cases of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Pletnikova
- Department of Pathology (Neuropathology), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Ross Building 558, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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398
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Beyer K, Lao JI, Carrato C, Mate JL, López D, Ferrer I, Ariza A. Upregulation of amyloid precursor protein isoforms containing Kunitz protease inhibitor in dementia with Lewy bodies. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004; 131:131-5. [PMID: 15530662 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbrainres.2004.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2004] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is involved in the accumulation of alpha-synuclein, the main component of Lewy bodies. It is currently unknown, however, whether any of the APP isoforms is instrumental in alpha-synuclein deposition in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Using real-time RT-PCR, we have studied relative mRNA expression levels of APP isoforms in frozen postmortem frontal cortices of DLB patients, Alzheimer disease (AD) patients, and control subjects. Of the three main APP isoforms, the two with a Kunitz protease inhibitory (KPI) motif (APP770 and APP751) were found to be specifically overexpressed in the frontal cortices of DLB patients when compared with controls and AD patients. These findings suggest a specific role of APP isoforms containing Kunitz protease inhibitor in DLB pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Beyer
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.
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399
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Jimenez-Escrig A, Rabano A, Guerrero C, Simon J, Barquero MS, Güell I, Ginestal RC, Montero T, Orensanz L. New V272A presenilin 1 mutation with very early onset subcortical dementia and parkinsonism. Eur J Neurol 2004; 11:663-9. [PMID: 15469450 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2004.00865.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this report, we present the clinical and pathological details of a kindred of four individuals with a novel missense mutation (V272A) of the presenilin 1 gene (PSEN1) that experienced a subcortical dementia. The age of onset of symptoms ranged 26-36-year old, with an age at death of 36-46 years. Initial symptom was a marked mood disorder, with prominent parkinsonism in one case. The neuropsychological study, as well as the neuroimaging and PET in the proband were concordant with a subcortical dementia. The cerebral pathology showed in this patient, aside from the classical lesions of Alzheimer disease, Lewy bodies in cortex and substantia nigra, and widespread subcortical neuritic lesions. This clinical pattern and pathology expands the clinical spectrum of familial Alzheimer's disease and compel to include mutations of PSEN1 gene in the genetic study of subcortical dementia.
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400
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Abstract
Dementia with Lewy bodies results from the accumulation from Lewy-type pathology (Lewy bodies, Lewy neurites), secondary cellular injury, and apoptotic neurodegeneration. The severity of dementia correlates with the abundance of Lewy bodies in the cortex. Dementia with Lewy bodies co-occurs with 2 specific syndromes, one beginning with dementia complicated by visual hallucinations and parkinsonism; the other beginning with Parkinson's disease and progressing to a parkinsonian-dementia syndrome. Clinical syndromes associated with these 2 pathways to dementia share many clinical features including the type of cognitive impairment, fluctuating attentional disturbances, prominent visual hallucinations and psychosis, depression, and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. Lewy pathology results from protein misfolding and the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in the cell cytoplasm. Dementia with Lewy bodies is one of many neurodegenerative disorders linked to protein misfolding. Identification of clinical symptoms indicative of the presence of a specific protein disturbance will assist in choosing therapies when protein-specific disease-modifying treatments are available. Classification systems based on symptom complexes related to the presence of protein misfolding will assist therapeutic decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L Cummings
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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