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Edler MK, Munger EL, Maycon H, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Raghanti MA. The association of astrogliosis and microglial activation with aging and Alzheimer's disease pathology in the chimpanzee brain. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:881-900. [PMID: 36647571 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Aging and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), trigger an immune response known as glial activation in the brain. Recent evidence indicates species differences in inflammatory responses to AD pathology, highlighting the need for additional comparative studies to further understand human-specific neuropathologies. In the present study, we report on the occurrence of astrogliosis, microglial activation, and their relationship with age and AD-like pathology in a cohort of male and female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Chimpanzees with severe astrogliosis exhibited widespread upregulation of hypertrophic astrocytes immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) throughout all layers of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and a loss of the interlaminar palisade. In addition, extreme astrogliosis was associated with increased astrocyte density in the absence of significant microglial activation and AD lesions. A shift from decreased resting to increased phagocytotic microglia occurred with aging, although proliferation was absent and no changes in astrogliosis was observed. Vascular amyloid correlated with decreased astrocyte and microglia densities, while tau lesions were associated with morphological changes in microglia and greater total glia density and glia: neuron ratio. These results further our understanding of inflammatory processes within the chimpanzee brain and provide comparative data to improve our understanding of human aging and neuropathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa K Edler
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Emily L Munger
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Hannah Maycon
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
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2
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Frankle L, Riley A, Tomor R, Lee H, Jarzembak K, Benedict O, Sternbach S, Shelestak J, McDonough J, Clements R. Changes to Astrocyte-associated Protein Expression at Different Timepoints of Cuprizone Treatment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.20.537627. [PMID: 37131767 PMCID: PMC10153238 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.20.537627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Glial cells, including astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, are brain cells that support and dynamically interact with neurons and each other. These intercellular dynamics undergo changes during stress and disease states. In response to most forms of stress, astrocytes will undergo some variation of activation, meaning upregulation in certain proteins expressed and secreted and either upregulations or downregulations to various constitutive and normal functions. While types of activation are many and contingent on the particular disturbance that triggers these changes, there are two main overarching categories that have been delineated thus far: A1 and A2. Named in the convention of microglial activation subtypes, and with the acknowledgement that the types are not completely distinct or completely comprehensive, the A1 subtype is generically associated with toxic and pro-inflammatory factors, and the A2 phenotype is broadly associated with anti-inflammatory and neurogenic factors. The present study served to measure and document dynamic changes in these subtypes at multiple timepoints using an established experimental model of cuprizone toxic demyelination. The authors found increases in proteins associated with both cell types at different timepoints, with protein increases in the A1 marker C3d and the A2 marker Emp1 in the cortex at one week and protein increases in Emp1 in the corpus callosum at three days and four weeks. There were also increases in Emp1 staining specifically colocalized with astrocyte staining in the corpus callosum at the same timepoints as the protein increases, and in the cortex weeks later at four weeks. C3d colocalization with astrocytes also increased most at four weeks. This indicates simultaneous increases of both types of activation as well as the likely existence of astrocytes expressing both markers. The authors also found the increase in two A1 associated proteins (TNF alpha and C3d) did not show a linear relationship in line with findings from other research and indicating a more complex relationship between cuprizone toxicity and astrocyte activation. The increases in TNF alpha and IFN gamma did not occur at timepoints preceding increases in C3d and Emp1, showing that other factors also precipitate the subtypes associated (A1 for C3d and A2 for Emp1). These findings add to the body of research showing the specific early timepoints at which A1 and A2 markers are most increased during the course of cuprizone treatment, including the fact that these increases can be non-linear in the case of Emp1. This provides additional information on optimal times for targeted interventions during the cuprizone model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Frankle
- Kent State University Biological Sciences Department
| | - Amanda Riley
- Kent State University Biological Sciences Department
| | - Riely Tomor
- Kent State University Biological Sciences Department
| | - Hannah Lee
- Kent State University Biological Sciences Department
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3
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Ranolazine Attenuates Brain Inflammation in a Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416160. [PMID: 36555798 PMCID: PMC9782607 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest a pathogenetic association between metabolic disturbances, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and cognitive decline and indicate that T2DM may represent a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). There are a number of experimental studies presenting evidence that ranolazine, an antianginal drug, acts as a neuroprotective drug. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of ranolazine on hippocampal neurodegeneration and astrocytes activation in a T2DM rat model. Diabetes was induced by a high fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Animals were divided into the following groups: HFD/STZ + Ranolazine, HFD/STZ + Metformin, HFD/STZ + Vehicle, NCD + Vehicle, NCD + Ranolazine and NCD + Metformin. The presence of neurodegeneration was evaluated in the hippocampal cornus ammonis 1 (CA1) region by cresyl violet staining histological methods, while astrocyte activation was assessed by western blot analysis. Staining with cresyl violet highlighted a decrease in neuronal density and cell volume in the hippocampal CA1 area in diabetic HFD/STZ + Vehicle rats, while ranolazine and metformin both improved T2DM-induced neuronal loss and neuronal damage. Moreover, there was an increased expression of GFAP in the HFD/STZ + Vehicle group compared to the treated diabetic groups. In conclusion, in the present study, we obtained additional evidence supporting the potential use of ranolazine to counteract T2DM-associated cognitive decline.
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Munger EL, Edler MK, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Raghanti MA. Comparative analysis of astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex of primates: Insights into the evolution of human brain energetics. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:3106-3125. [PMID: 35859531 PMCID: PMC9588662 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the main homeostatic cell of the brain involved in many processes related to cognition, immune response, and energy expenditure. It has been suggested that the distribution of astrocytes is associated with brain size, and that they are specialized in humans. To evaluate these, we quantified astrocyte density, soma volume, and total glia density in layer I and white matter in Brodmann's area 9 of humans, chimpanzees, baboons, and macaques. We found that layer I astrocyte density, soma volume, and ratio of astrocytes to total glia cells were highest in humans and increased with brain size. Overall glia density in layer I and white matter were relatively invariant across brain sizes, potentially due to their important metabolic functions on a per volume basis. We also quantified two transporters involved in metabolism through the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle, excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). We expected these transporters would be increased in human brains due to their high rate of metabolic consumption and associated gene activity. While humans have higher EAAT2 cell density, GLUT1 vessel volume, and GLUT1 area fraction compared to baboons and chimpanzees, they did not differ from macaques. Therefore, EAAT2 and GLUT1 are not related to increased energetic demands of the human brain. Taken together, these data provide evidence that astrocytes play a unique role in both brain expansion and evolution among primates, with an emphasis on layer I astrocytes having a potentially significant role in human-specific metabolic processing and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L. Munger
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
| | - Melissa K. Edler
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
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5
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Zheng Y, Yang M, Chen X, Zhang G, Wan S, Zhang B, Huo J, Liu H. Decreased tubulin-binding cofactor B was involved in the formation disorder of nascent astrocyte processes by regulating microtubule plus-end growth through binding with end-binding proteins 1 and 3 after chronic alcohol exposure. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:989945. [PMID: 36385945 PMCID: PMC9641617 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.989945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a neurological disease caused by excessive drinking during pregnancy and characterized by congenital abnormalities in the structure and function of the fetal brain. This study was proposed to provide new insights into the pathogenesis of FAS by revealing the possible mechanisms of alcohol-induced astrocyte injury. First, a chronic alcohol exposure model of astrocytes was established, and the formation disorder was found in astrocyte processes where tubulin-binding cofactor B (TBCB) was decreased or lost, accompanied by disorganized microtubules (MT). Second, to understand the relationship between TBCB reduction and the formation disorder of astrocyte processes, TBCB was silenced or overexpressed. It caused astrocyte processes to retract or lose after silencing, while the processes increased with expending basal part and obtuse tips after overexpressing. It confirmed that TBCB was one of the critical factors for the formation of astrocyte processes through regulating MT plus-end and provided a new view on the pathogenesis of FAS. Third, to explore the mechanism of TBCB regulating MT plus-ends, we first proved end-binding proteins 1 and 3 (EB1/3) were bound at MT plus-ends in astrocytes. Then, through interference experiments, we found that both EB1 and EB3, which formed in heterodimers, were necessary to mediate TBCB binding to MT plus-ends and thus regulated the formation of astrocyte processes. Finally, the regulatory mechanism was studied and the ERK1/2 signaling pathway was found as one of the main pathways regulating the expression of TBCB in astrocytes after alcohol injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Zheng
- Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Chongqing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Mei Yang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoqiao Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Gaoli Zhang
- Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shanshan Wan
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Chengdu, China
| | - Bingqiu Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiechao Huo
- Fujian Province University Engineering Research Center of Mindong She Medicine, Medical College, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Hui Liu
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6
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August I, Semendeferi K, Marchetto MC. Brain aging, Alzheimer's disease, and the role of stem cells in primate comparative studies. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:2940-2953. [PMID: 35929189 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is ultimately fatal. Currently, millions of Americans are living with AD, and this number is predicted to grow with increases in the aging population. Interestingly, despite the prevalence of AD in human populations, the full AD phenotype has not been observed in any nonhuman primate (NHP) species, and it has been suggested that NHPs are immune to neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. Here, we review the typical age-related changes and pathologies in humans along with the neuropathologic changes associated with AD, and we place this information in the context of the comparative neuropathology of NHPs. We further propose the use of induced pluripotent stem cell technology as a way of addressing initial molecular processes and changes that occur in neurons and glia (in both humans and NHPs) when exposed to AD-inducing pathology prior to cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel August
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Katerina Semendeferi
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.,Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), San Diego, California, USA
| | - Maria Carolina Marchetto
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.,Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), San Diego, California, USA
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de Siqueira Mendes FDCC, de Almeida MNF, Falsoni M, Andrade MLF, Felício APG, da Paixão LTVB, Júnior FLDA, Anthony DC, Brites D, Diniz CWP, Sosthenes MCK. The Sedentary Lifestyle and Masticatory Dysfunction: Time to Review the Contribution to Age-Associated Cognitive Decline and Astrocyte Morphotypes in the Dentate Gyrus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116342. [PMID: 35683023 PMCID: PMC9180988 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
As aging and cognitive decline progresses, the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on the appearance of environment-dependent cellular morphologies in the brain becomes more apparent. Sedentary living is also associated with poor oral health, which is known to correlate with the rate of cognitive decline. Here, we will review the evidence for the interplay between mastication and environmental enrichment and assess the impact of each on the structure of the brain. In previous studies, we explored the relationship between behavior and the morphological features of dentate gyrus glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes during aging in contrasting environments and in the context of induced masticatory dysfunction. Hierarchical cluster and discriminant analysis of GFAP-positive astrocytes from the dentate gyrus molecular layer revealed that the proportion of AST1 (astrocyte arbors with greater complexity phenotype) and AST2 (lower complexity) are differentially affected by environment, aging and masticatory dysfunction, but the relationship is not straightforward. Here we re-evaluated our previous reconstructions by comparing dorsal and ventral astrocyte morphologies in the dentate gyrus, and we found that morphological complexity was the variable that contributed most to cluster formation across the experimental groups. In general, reducing masticatory activity increases astrocyte morphological complexity, and the effect is most marked in the ventral dentate gyrus, whereas the effect of environment was more marked in the dorsal dentate gyrus. All morphotypes retained their basic structural organization in intact tissue, suggesting that they are subtypes with a non-proliferative astrocyte profile. In summary, the increased complexity of astrocytes in situations where neuronal loss and behavioral deficits are present is counterintuitive, but highlights the need to better understand the role of the astrocyte in these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabíola de Carvalho Chaves de Siqueira Mendes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
- Curso de Medicina, Centro Universitário do Estado do Pará, Belém 66613-903, PA, Brazil
| | - Marina Negrão Frota de Almeida
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Manoela Falsoni
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Marcia Lorena Ferreira Andrade
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - André Pinheiro Gurgel Felício
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Luisa Taynah Vasconcelos Barbosa da Paixão
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Fábio Leite do Amaral Júnior
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Daniel Clive Anthony
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK;
| | - Dora Brites
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Marcia Consentino Kronka Sosthenes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
- Correspondence:
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8
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Guevara EE, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Ely JJ, Bradley BJ, Sherwood CC. Epigenetic aging of the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum in humans and chimpanzees. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1774-1785. [PMID: 35603816 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2080993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic age has emerged as an important biomarker of biological aging. It has revealed that some tissues age faster than others, which is vital to understanding the complex phenomenon of aging and developing effective interventions. Previous studies have demonstrated that humans exhibit heterogeneity in pace of epigenetic aging among brain structures that are consistent with differences in structural and microanatomical deterioration. Here, we add comparative data on epigenetic brain aging for chimpanzees, humans' closest relatives. Such comparisons can further our understanding of which aspects of human aging are evolutionarily conserved or specific to our species, especially given that humans are distinguished by a long lifespan, large brain, and, potentially, more severe neurodegeneration with age. Specifically, we investigated epigenetic aging of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cerebellum, of humans and chimpanzees by generating genome-wide CpG methylation data and applying established epigenetic clock algorithms to produce estimates of biological age for these tissues. We found that both species exhibit relatively slow epigenetic aging in the brain relative to blood. Between brain structures, humans show a faster rate of epigenetic aging in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to the cerebellum, which is consistent with previous findings. Chimpanzees, in contrast, show comparable rates of epigenetic aging in the two brain structures. Greater epigenetic change in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to the cerebellum may reflect both the protracted development of this structure in humans and its greater age-related vulnerability to neurodegenerative pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine E Guevara
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA.,Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10124, USA
| | - John J Ely
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,MAEBIOS, Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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9
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del Pozo A, Lehmann L, Knox KM, Barker-Haliski M. Can Old Animals Reveal New Targets? The Aging and Degenerating Brain as a New Precision Medicine Opportunity for Epilepsy. Front Neurol 2022; 13:833624. [PMID: 35572927 PMCID: PMC9096090 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.833624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Older people represent the fastest growing group with epilepsy diagnosis. For example, cerebrovascular disease may underlie roughly 30-50% of epilepsy in older adults and seizures are also an underrecognized comorbidity of Alzheimer's disease (AD). As a result, up to 10% of nursing home residents may take antiseizure medicines (ASMs). Despite the greater incidence of epilepsy in older individuals and increased risk of comorbid seizures in people with AD, aged animals with seizures are strikingly underrepresented in epilepsy drug discovery practice. Increased integration of aged animals into preclinical epilepsy drug discovery could better inform the potential tolerability and pharmacokinetic interactions in aged individuals as the global population becomes increasingly older. Quite simply, the ASMs on the market today were brought forth based on efficacy in young adult, neurologically intact rodents; preclinical information concerning the efficacy and safety of promising ASMs is not routinely evaluated in aged animals. Integrating aged animals more often into basic epilepsy research may also uncover novel treatments for hyperexcitability. For example, cannabidiol and fenfluramine demonstrated clear efficacy in syndrome-specific pediatric models that led to a paradigm shift in the perceived value of pediatric models for ASM discovery practice; aged rodents with seizures or rodents with aging-related neuropathology represent an untapped resource that could similarly change epilepsy drug discovery. This review, therefore, summarizes how aged rodent models have thus far been used for epilepsy research, what studies have been conducted to assess ASM efficacy in aged rodent seizure and epilepsy models, and lastly to identify remaining gaps to engage aging-related neurological disease models for ASM discovery, which may simultaneously reveal novel mechanisms associated with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Melissa Barker-Haliski
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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10
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Bouvier DS, Fixemer S, Heurtaux T, Jeannelle F, Frauenknecht KBM, Mittelbronn M. The Multifaceted Neurotoxicity of Astrocytes in Ageing and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Translational Perspective. Front Physiol 2022; 13:814889. [PMID: 35370777 PMCID: PMC8969602 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.814889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In a healthy physiological context, astrocytes are multitasking cells contributing to central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis, defense, and immunity. In cell culture or rodent models of age-related neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), numerous studies have shown that astrocytes can adopt neurotoxic phenotypes that could enhance disease progression. Chronic inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, unbalanced phagocytosis, or alteration of their core physiological roles are the main manifestations of their detrimental states. However, if astrocytes are directly involved in brain deterioration by exerting neurotoxic functions in patients with NDDs is still controversial. The large spectrum of NDDs, with often overlapping pathologies, and the technical challenges associated with the study of human brain samples complexify the analysis of astrocyte involvement in specific neurodegenerative cascades. With this review, we aim to provide a translational overview about the multi-facets of astrocyte neurotoxicity ranging from in vitro findings over mouse and human cell-based studies to rodent NDDs research and finally evidence from patient-related research. We also discuss the role of ageing in astrocytes encompassing changes in physiology and response to pathologic stimuli and how this may prime detrimental responses in NDDs. To conclude, we discuss how potentially therapeutic strategies could be adopted to alleviate or reverse astrocytic toxicity and their potential to impact neurodegeneration and dementia progression in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S. Bouvier
- National Center of Pathology (NCP), Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), Dudelange, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Center of Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg (UL), Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Center of Neuropathology (LCNP), Dudelange, Luxembourg
- *Correspondence: David S. Bouvier,
| | - Sonja Fixemer
- Luxembourg Center of Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg (UL), Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Center of Neuropathology (LCNP), Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Tony Heurtaux
- Luxembourg Center of Neuropathology (LCNP), Dudelange, Luxembourg
- Systems Biology Group, Department of Life Sciences and Medicine (DLSM), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Félicia Jeannelle
- National Center of Pathology (NCP), Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), Dudelange, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Center of Neuropathology (LCNP), Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Katrin B. M. Frauenknecht
- National Center of Pathology (NCP), Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), Dudelange, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Center of Neuropathology (LCNP), Dudelange, Luxembourg
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michel Mittelbronn
- National Center of Pathology (NCP), Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), Dudelange, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Center of Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg (UL), Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Center of Neuropathology (LCNP), Dudelange, Luxembourg
- Department of Cancer Research (DOCR), Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology, and Medicine (FSTM), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Department of Life Sciences and Medicine (DLSM), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Michel Mittelbronn,
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11
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Zhou Y, Liu X, Ma S, Zhang N, Yang D, Wang L, Ye S, Zhang Q, Ruan J, Ma J, Wang S, Jiang N, Zhao Z, Zhao S, Zheng C, Fan X, Gong Y, Abdoul Razak MY, Hu W, Pan J, Wang X, Fan J, Li J, Liu R, Shentu Y. ChK1 activation induces reactive astrogliosis through CIP2A/PP2A/STAT3 pathway in Alzheimer's disease. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22209. [PMID: 35195302 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202101625r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancerous Inhibitor of PP2A (CIP2A), an endogenous PP2A inhibitor, is upregulated and causes reactive astrogliosis, synaptic degeneration, and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanism underlying the increased CIP2A expression in AD brains remains unclear. We here demonstrated that the DNA damage-related Checkpoint kinase 1 (ChK1) is activated in AD human brains and 3xTg-AD mice. ChK1-mediated CIP2A overexpression drives inhibition of PP2A and activates STAT3, then leads to reactive astrogliosis and neurodegeneration in vitro. Infection of mouse brain with GFAP-ChK1-AAV induced AD-like cognitive deficits and exacerbated AD pathologies in vivo. In conclusion, we showed that ChK1 activation induces reactive astrogliosis, degeneration of neurons, and exacerbation of AD through the CIP2A-PP2A-STAT3 pathway, and inhibiting ChK1 may be a potential therapeutic approach for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | | | - Shuqing Ma
- Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | | | - Ling Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Simin Ye
- Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qiongying Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Ruan
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jun Ma
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shiyi Wang
- Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | | | | | - Chenfei Zheng
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaofang Fan
- Institute of Hypoxia Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yongsheng Gong
- Institute of Hypoxia Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Mahaman Yacoubou Abdoul Razak
- Cognitive Impairment Ward of Neurology Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenting Hu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingye Pan
- Key Laboratory of Critical Emergency and Artificial Intelligence of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaochuan Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Junming Fan
- Institute of Hypoxia Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jianmin Li
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Rong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yangping Shentu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Critical Emergency and Artificial Intelligence of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, China
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12
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Freire-Cobo C, Edler MK, Varghese M, Munger E, Laffey J, Raia S, In SS, Wicinski B, Medalla M, Perez SE, Mufson EJ, Erwin JM, Guevara EE, Sherwood CC, Luebke JI, Lacreuse A, Raghanti MA, Hof PR. Comparative neuropathology in aging primates: A perspective. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23299. [PMID: 34255875 PMCID: PMC8551009 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
While humans exhibit a significant degree of neuropathological changes associated with deficits in cognitive and memory functions during aging, non-human primates (NHP) present with more variable expressions of pathological alterations among individuals and species. As such, NHP with long life expectancy in captivity offer an opportunity to study brain senescence in the absence of the typical cellular pathology caused by age-related neurodegenerative illnesses commonly seen in humans. Age-related changes at neuronal population, single cell, and synaptic levels have been well documented in macaques and marmosets, while age-related and Alzheimer's disease-like neuropathology has been characterized in additional species including lemurs as well as great apes. We present a comparative overview of existing neuropathologic observations across the primate order, including classic age-related changes such as cell loss, amyloid deposition, amyloid angiopathy, and tau accumulation. We also review existing cellular and ultrastructural data on neuronal changes, such as dendritic attrition and spine alterations, synaptic loss and pathology, and axonal and myelin pathology, and discuss their repercussions on cellular and systems function and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Freire-Cobo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Melissa K Edler
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Merina Varghese
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emily Munger
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Jessie Laffey
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sophia Raia
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Selena S In
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Bridget Wicinski
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Maria Medalla
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sylvia E Perez
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Joseph M Erwin
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Elaine E Guevara
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Jennifer I Luebke
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Agnès Lacreuse
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mary A Raghanti
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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13
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Fernandes S, Klein D, Marchetto MC. Unraveling Human Brain Development and Evolution Using Organoid Models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:737429. [PMID: 34692694 PMCID: PMC8529117 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.737429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain organoids are proving to be physiologically relevant models for studying human brain development in terms of temporal transcriptional signature recapitulation, dynamic cytoarchitectural development, and functional electrophysiological maturation. Several studies have employed brain organoid technologies to elucidate human-specific processes of brain development, gene expression, and cellular maturation by comparing human-derived brain organoids to those of non-human primates (NHPs). Brain organoids have been established from a variety of NHP pluripotent stem cell (PSC) lines and many protocols are now available for generating brain organoids capable of reproducibly representing specific brain region identities. Innumerous combinations of brain region specific organoids derived from different human and NHP PSCs, with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing techniques and strategies to promote advanced stages of maturation, will successfully establish complex brain model systems for the accurate representation and elucidation of human brain development. Identified human-specific processes of brain development are likely vulnerable to dysregulation and could result in the identification of therapeutic targets or disease prevention strategies. Here, we discuss the potential of brain organoids to successfully model human-specific processes of brain development and explore current strategies for pinpointing these differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Fernandes
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Davis Klein
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Maria C. Marchetto
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Anthropology, Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
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14
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Guevara EE, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Ely JJ, Bradley BJ, Sherwood CC. Comparative analysis reveals distinctive epigenetic features of the human cerebellum. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009506. [PMID: 33956822 PMCID: PMC8101944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the molecular underpinnings of the neural specializations that underlie human cognitive and behavioral traits has long been of considerable interest. Much research on human-specific changes in gene expression and epigenetic marks has focused on the prefrontal cortex, a brain structure distinguished by its role in executive functions. The cerebellum shows expansion in great apes and is gaining increasing attention for its role in motor skills and cognitive processing, including language. However, relatively few molecular studies of the cerebellum in a comparative evolutionary context have been conducted. Here, we identify human-specific methylation in the lateral cerebellum relative to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, in a comparative study with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Specifically, we profiled genome-wide methylation levels in the three species for each of the two brain structures and identified human-specific differentially methylated genomic regions unique to each structure. We further identified which differentially methylated regions (DMRs) overlap likely regulatory elements and determined whether associated genes show corresponding species differences in gene expression. We found greater human-specific methylation in the cerebellum than the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, with differentially methylated regions overlapping genes involved in several conditions or processes relevant to human neurobiology, including synaptic plasticity, lipid metabolism, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, and neurodevelopment, including developmental disorders. Moreover, our results show some overlap with those of previous studies focused on the neocortex, indicating that such results may be common to multiple brain structures. These findings further our understanding of the cerebellum in human brain evolution. Humans are distinguished from other species by several aspects of cognition. While much comparative evolutionary neuroscience has focused on the neocortex, increasing recognition of the cerebellum’s role in cognition and motor processing has inspired considerable new research. Comparative molecular studies, however, generally continue to focus on the neocortex. We sought to characterize potential genetic regulatory traits distinguishing the human cerebellum by undertaking genome-wide epigenetic profiling of the lateral cerebellum, and compared this to the prefrontal cortex of humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaque monkeys. We found that humans showed greater differential CpG methylation–an epigenetic modification of DNA that can reflect past or present gene expression–in the cerebellum than the prefrontal cortex, highlighting the importance of this structure in human brain evolution. Humans also specifically show methylation differences at genes involved in neurodevelopment, neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, and lipid metabolism. These differences are relevant for understanding processes specific to humans, such as extensive plasticity, as well as pronounced and prevalent neurodegenerative conditions associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine E. Guevara
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - John J. Ely
- MAEBIOS, Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Brenda J. Bradley
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
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15
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Mulholland MM, Sherwood CC, Schapiro SJ, Raghanti MA, Hopkins WD. Age- and cognition-related differences in the gray matter volume of the chimpanzee brain (Pan troglodytes): A voxel-based morphometry and conjunction analysis. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23264. [PMID: 33899958 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Several primate species have been shown to exhibit age-related changes in cognition, brain, and behavior. However, severe neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), were once thought to be uniquely human. Recently, some chimpanzees naturally were documented to develop both neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques, the main characteristics of AD pathology. In addition, like humans and other primates, chimpanzees show similar declines in cognition and motor function with age. Here, we used voxel-based morphometry to examine the relationships among gray matter volume, age, and cognition using magnetic resonance imaging scans previously acquired from chimpanzees (N = 216). We first determined the relationship between age and gray matter volume, identifying the regions that declined with age. With a subset of our sample (N = 103), we also determined differences in gray matter volume between older chimpanzees with higher cognition scores than expected for their age, and older chimpanzees with lower than expected scores. Finally, we ran a conjunction analysis to determine any overlap in brain regions between these two analyses. We found that as chimpanzees age, they lose gray matter in regions associated with cognition. In addition, cognitively healthy older chimpanzees (those performing better for their age) have greater gray matter volume in many brain regions compared with chimpanzees who underperform for their age. Finally, the conjunction analysis revealed that regions of age-related decline overlap with the regions that differ between cognitively healthy chimpanzees and those who underperform. This study provides further evidence that chimpanzees are an important model for research on the neurobiology of aging. Future studies should investigate the effects of cognitive stimulation on both cognitive performance and brain structure in aging nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele M Mulholland
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA.,Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
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16
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Ovsepian SV, O'Leary VB, Hoschl C, Zaborszky L. Integrated phylogeny of the human brain and pathobiology of Alzheimer's disease: A unifying hypothesis. Neurosci Lett 2021; 755:135895. [PMID: 33862141 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The disproportionate evolutionary expansion of the human cerebral cortex with reinforcement of cholinergic innervations warranted a major rise in the functional and metabolic load of the conserved basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic system. Given that acetylcholine (ACh) regulates properties of the microtubule-associated protein (MAP) tau and promotes non-amyloidogenic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP), growing neocortex predicts higher demands for ACh, while the emerging role of BF cholinergic projections in Aβ clearance infers greater exposure of source neurons and their innervation fields to amyloid pathology. The higher exposure of evolutionary most recent cortical areas to the amyloid pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with synaptic impairments and atrophy, therefore, might involve attenuated homeostatic effects of BF cholinergic projections, in addition to fall-outs of inherent processes of expanding association areas. This unifying model, thus, views amyloid pathology and loss of cholinergic cells as a quid pro quo of the allometric evolution of the human brain, which in combination with increase in life expectancy overwhelm the fine homeostatic balance and trigger the disease process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saak V Ovsepian
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67, Klecany, Czech Republic.
| | - Valerie B O'Leary
- Department of Medical Genetics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 87, 100 00, Praha 10, Czech Republic
| | - Cyril Hoschl
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67, Klecany, Czech Republic; Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 87, 100 00, Prague 10, Czech Republic
| | - Laszlo Zaborszky
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
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17
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Cicognola C, Janelidze S, Hertze J, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Mattsson-Carlgren N, Hansson O. Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein detects Alzheimer pathology and predicts future conversion to Alzheimer dementia in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimers Res Ther 2021; 13:68. [PMID: 33773595 PMCID: PMC8005231 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-021-00804-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a marker of astroglial activation and astrocytosis. We assessed the ability of plasma GFAP to detect Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in the form of AD-related amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology and conversion to AD dementia in a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) cohort. METHOD One hundred sixty MCI patients were followed for 4.7 years (average). AD pathology was defined using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ42/40 and Aβ42/total tau (T-tau). Plasma GFAP was measured at baseline and follow-up using Simoa technology. RESULTS Baseline plasma GFAP could detect abnormal CSF Aβ42/40 and CSF Aβ42/T-tau with an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI 0.72-0.86) and 0.80 (95% CI 0.72-0.86), respectively. When also including APOE ε4 status as a predictor, the accuracy of the model to detect abnormal CSF Aβ42/40 status improved (AUC = 0.86, p = 0.02). Plasma GFAP predicted subsequent conversion to AD dementia with an AUC of 0.84 (95% CI 0.77-0.91), which was not significantly improved when adding APOE ε4 or age as predictors to the model. Longitudinal GFAP slopes for Aβ-positive and MCI who progressed to dementia (AD or other) were significantly steeper than those for Aβ-negative (p = 0.007) and stable MCI (p < 0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSION Plasma GFAP can detect AD pathology in patients with MCI and predict conversion to AD dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Cicognola
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Shorena Janelidze
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Joakim Hertze
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Niklas Mattsson-Carlgren
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
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18
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Sah E, Krishnamurthy S, Ahmidouch MY, Gillispie GJ, Milligan C, Orr ME. The Cellular Senescence Stress Response in Post-Mitotic Brain Cells: Cell Survival at the Expense of Tissue Degeneration. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11030229. [PMID: 33799628 PMCID: PMC7998276 DOI: 10.3390/life11030229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In 1960, Rita Levi-Montalcini and Barbara Booker made an observation that transformed neuroscience: as neurons mature, they become apoptosis resistant. The following year Leonard Hayflick and Paul Moorhead described a stable replicative arrest of cells in vitro, termed "senescence". For nearly 60 years, the cell biology fields of neuroscience and senescence ran in parallel, each separately defining phenotypes and uncovering molecular mediators to explain the 1960s observations of their founding mothers and fathers, respectively. During this time neuroscientists have consistently observed the remarkable ability of neurons to survive. Despite residing in environments of chronic inflammation and degeneration, as occurs in numerous neurodegenerative diseases, often times the neurons with highest levels of pathology resist death. Similarly, cellular senescence (hereon referred to simply as "senescence") now is recognized as a complex stress response that culminates with a change in cell fate. Instead of reacting to cellular/DNA damage by proliferation or apoptosis, senescent cells survive in a stable cell cycle arrest. Senescent cells simultaneously contribute to chronic tissue degeneration by secreting deleterious molecules that negatively impact surrounding cells. These fields have finally collided. Neuroscientists have begun applying concepts of senescence to the brain, including post-mitotic cells. This initially presented conceptual challenges to senescence cell biologists. Nonetheless, efforts to understand senescence in the context of brain aging and neurodegenerative disease and injury emerged and are advancing the field. The present review uses pre-defined criteria to evaluate evidence for post-mitotic brain cell senescence. A closer interaction between neuro and senescent cell biologists has potential to advance both disciplines and explain fundamental questions that have plagued their fields for decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Sah
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; (E.S.); (S.K.); (M.Y.A.); (G.J.G.)
| | - Sudarshan Krishnamurthy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; (E.S.); (S.K.); (M.Y.A.); (G.J.G.)
- Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Mohamed Y. Ahmidouch
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; (E.S.); (S.K.); (M.Y.A.); (G.J.G.)
- Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Gregory J. Gillispie
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; (E.S.); (S.K.); (M.Y.A.); (G.J.G.)
- Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Carol Milligan
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA;
| | - Miranda E. Orr
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; (E.S.); (S.K.); (M.Y.A.); (G.J.G.)
- Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
- Salisbury VA Medical Center, Salisbury, NC 28144, USA
- Correspondence:
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Hopkins WD, Mareno MC, Webb SJN, Schapiro SJ, Raghanti MA, Sherwood CC. Age-related changes in chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) cognition: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23214. [PMID: 33169860 PMCID: PMC7904603 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Chimpanzees are the species most closely related to humans, yet age-related changes in brain and cognition remain poorly understood. The lack of studies on age-related changes in cognition in chimpanzees is particularly unfortunate in light of the recent evidence demonstrating that this species naturally develops Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. Here, we tested 213 young, middle-aged, and elderly captive chimpanzees on the primate cognitive test battery (PCTB), a set of 13 tasks that assess physical and social cognition in nonhuman primates. A subset of these chimpanzees (n = 146) was tested a second time on a portion of the PCTB tasks as a means of evaluating longitudinal changes in cognition. Cross-sectional analyses revealed a significant quadratic association between age and cognition with younger and older chimpanzees performing more poorly than middle-aged individuals. Longitudinal analyses showed that the oldest chimpanzees at the time of the first test showed the greatest decline in cognition, although the effect was mild. The collective data show that chimpanzees, like other nonhuman primates, show age-related decline in cognition. Further investigations into whether the observed cognitive decline is associated with AD pathologies in chimpanzees would be invaluable in understanding the comparative biology of aging and neuropathology in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Sarah J Neal Webb
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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20
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Edler MK, Munger EL, Meindl RS, Hopkins WD, Ely JJ, Erwin JM, Mufson EJ, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Raghanti MA. Neuron loss associated with age but not Alzheimer's disease pathology in the chimpanzee brain. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190619. [PMID: 32951541 PMCID: PMC7540958 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In the absence of disease, ageing in the human brain is accompanied by mild cognitive dysfunction, gradual volumetric atrophy, a lack of significant cell loss, moderate neuroinflammation, and an increase in the amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau proteins. Conversely, pathologic age-related conditions, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD), result in extensive neocortical and hippocampal atrophy, neuron death, substantial Aβ plaque and tau-associated neurofibrillary tangle pathologies, glial activation and severe cognitive decline. Humans are considered uniquely susceptible to neurodegenerative disorders, although recent studies have revealed Aβ and tau pathology in non-human primate brains. Here, we investigate the effect of age and AD-like pathology on cell density in a large sample of postmortem chimpanzee brains (n = 28, ages 12-62 years). Using a stereologic, unbiased design, we quantified neuron density, glia density and glia:neuron ratio in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and CA1 and CA3 hippocampal subfields. Ageing was associated with decreased CA1 and CA3 neuron densities, while AD pathologies were not correlated with changes in neuron or glia densities. Differing from cerebral ageing and AD in humans, these data indicate that chimpanzees exhibit regional neuron loss with ageing but appear protected from the severe cell death found in AD. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution of the primate ageing process'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa K. Edler
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - Emily L. Munger
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - Richard S. Meindl
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Joseph M. Erwin
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Departments of Neurobiology and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- New York Consortium for Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
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21
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Rogers Flattery CN, Rosen RF, Farberg AS, Dooyema JM, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Walker LC, Preuss TM. Quantification of neurons in the hippocampal formation of chimpanzees: comparison to rhesus monkeys and humans. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:2521-2531. [PMID: 32909100 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02139-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampal formation is important for higher brain functions such as spatial navigation and the consolidation of memory, and it contributes to abilities thought to be uniquely human, yet little is known about how the human hippocampal formation compares to that of our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees. To gain insight into the comparative organization of the hippocampal formation in catarrhine primates, we quantified neurons stereologically in its major subdivisions-the granular layer of the dentate gyrus, CA4, CA2-3, CA1, and the subiculum-in archival brain tissue from six chimpanzees ranging from 29 to 43 years of age. We also sought evidence of Aβ deposition and hyperphosphorylated tau in the hippocampus and adjacent neocortex. A 42-year-old animal had moderate cerebral Aβ-amyloid angiopathy and tauopathy, but Aβ was absent and tauopathy was minimal in the others. Quantitatively, granule cells of the dentate gyrus were most numerous, followed by CA1, subiculum, CA4, and CA2-3. In the context of prior investigations of rhesus monkeys and humans, our findings indicate that, in the hippocampal formation as a whole, the proportions of neurons in CA1 and the subiculum progressively increase, and the proportion of dentate granule cells decreases, from rhesus monkeys to chimpanzees to humans. Because CA1 and the subiculum engender key hippocampal projection pathways to the neocortex, and because the neocortex varies in volume and anatomical organization among these species, these findings suggest that differences in the proportions of neurons in hippocampal subregions of catarrhine primates may be linked to neocortical evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca F Rosen
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Aaron S Farberg
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Jeromy M Dooyema
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Lary C Walker
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.,Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Todd M Preuss
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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22
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Han X, Zhang T, Liu H, Mi Y, Gou X. Astrocyte Senescence and Alzheimer's Disease: A Review. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:148. [PMID: 32581763 PMCID: PMC7297132 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the largest group of glial cells in the brain and participate in several essential functions of the central nervous system (CNS). Disruption of their normal physiological function can lead to metabolism disequilibrium and the pathology of CNS. As an important mechanism of aging, cellular senescence has been considered as a primary inducing factor of age-associated neurodegenerative disorders. Senescent astrocytes showed decreased normal physiological function and increased secretion of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors, which contribute to Aβ accumulation, tau hyperphosphorylation, and the deposition of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Astrocyte senescence also leads to a number of detrimental effects, including induced glutamate excitotoxicity, impaired synaptic plasticity, neural stem cell loss, and blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction. In this review article, we have summarized the growing findings regarding astrocyte senescence and its putative role in the pathologic progress of AD. Additionally, we also focus on the significance of targeting astrocyte senescence as a novel and feasible therapeutic approach for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojuan Han
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tianying Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Huanhuan Liu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yajing Mi
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xingchun Gou
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders & Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
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23
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Fossel M. A unified model of dementias and age-related neurodegeneration. Alzheimers Dement 2020; 16:365-383. [PMID: 31943780 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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24
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Chamera K, Trojan E, Szuster-Głuszczak M, Basta-Kaim A. The Potential Role of Dysfunctions in Neuron-Microglia Communication in the Pathogenesis of Brain Disorders. Curr Neuropharmacol 2020; 18:408-430. [PMID: 31729301 PMCID: PMC7457436 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x17666191113101629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The bidirectional communication between neurons and microglia is fundamental for the proper functioning of the central nervous system (CNS). Chemokines and clusters of differentiation (CD) along with their receptors represent ligand-receptor signalling that is uniquely important for neuron - microglia communication. Among these molecules, CX3CL1 (fractalkine) and CD200 (OX-2 membrane glycoprotein) come to the fore because of their cell-type-specific localization. They are principally expressed by neurons when their receptors, CX3CR1 and CD200R, respectively, are predominantly present on the microglia, resulting in the specific axis which maintains the CNS homeostasis. Disruptions to this balance are suggested as contributors or even the basis for many neurological diseases. In this review, we discuss the roles of CX3CL1, CD200 and their receptors in both physiological and pathological processes within the CNS. We want to underline the critical involvement of these molecules in controlling neuron - microglia communication, noting that dysfunctions in their interactions constitute a key factor in severe neurological diseases, such as schizophrenia, depression and neurodegeneration-based conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Chamera
- Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St. 31-343Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewa Trojan
- Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St. 31-343Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Szuster-Głuszczak
- Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St. 31-343Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Basta-Kaim
- Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St. 31-343Kraków, Poland
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25
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Escartin C, Guillemaud O, Carrillo-de Sauvage MA. Questions and (some) answers on reactive astrocytes. Glia 2019; 67:2221-2247. [PMID: 31429127 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are key cellular partners for neurons in the central nervous system. Astrocytes react to virtually all types of pathological alterations in brain homeostasis by significant morphological and molecular changes. This response was classically viewed as stereotypical and is called astrogliosis or astrocyte reactivity. It was long considered as a nonspecific, secondary reaction to pathological conditions, offering no clues on disease-causing mechanisms and with little therapeutic value. However, many studies over the last 30 years have underlined the crucial and active roles played by astrocytes in physiology, ranging from metabolic support, synapse maturation, and pruning to fine regulation of synaptic transmission. This prompted researchers to explore how these new astrocyte functions were changed in disease, and they reported alterations in many of them (sometimes beneficial, mostly deleterious). More recently, cell-specific transcriptomics revealed that astrocytes undergo massive changes in gene expression when they become reactive. This observation further stressed that reactive astrocytes may be very different from normal, nonreactive astrocytes and could influence disease outcomes. To make the picture even more complex, both normal and reactive astrocytes were shown to be molecularly and functionally heterogeneous. Very little is known about the specific roles that each subtype of reactive astrocytes may play in different disease contexts. In this review, we have interrogated researchers in the field to identify and discuss points of consensus and controversies about reactive astrocytes, starting with their very name. We then present the emerging knowledge on these cells and future challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Escartin
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département de la Recherche Fondamentale, Institut de Biologie François Jacob, MIRCen, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Univ. Paris Sud, Univ. Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Océane Guillemaud
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département de la Recherche Fondamentale, Institut de Biologie François Jacob, MIRCen, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Univ. Paris Sud, Univ. Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Maria-Angeles Carrillo-de Sauvage
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département de la Recherche Fondamentale, Institut de Biologie François Jacob, MIRCen, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Univ. Paris Sud, Univ. Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
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