Overexpression of Wldsor Nmnat2 in mauthner cells by single-cell electroporation delays axon degeneration in live zebrafish

Mechanism by which Rab5 promotes regeneration and functional recovery of zebrafish Mauthner axons

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202506000-00031/figure1/v/2024-08-05T133530Z/r/image-tiff Rab5 is a GTPase protein that is involved in intracellular membrane trafficking. It functions by binding to various effector proteins and regulating cellular responses, including the formation of transport vesicles and their fusion with the cellular membrane. Rab5 has been reported to play an important role in the development of the zebrafish embryo; however, its role in axonal regeneration in the central nervous system remains unclear. In this study, we established a zebrafish Mauthner cell model of axonal injury using single-cell electroporation and two-photon axotomy techniques. We found that overexpression of Rab5 in single Mauthner cells promoted marked axonal regeneration and increased the number of intra-axonal transport vesicles. In contrast, treatment of zebrafish larvae with the Rab kinase inhibitor CID-1067700 markedly inhibited axonal regeneration in Mauthner cells. We also found that Rab5 activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) during axonal repair of Mauthner cells and promoted the recovery of zebrafish locomotor function. Additionally, rapamycin, an inhibitor of the mechanistic target of rapamycin downstream of PI3K, markedly hindered axonal regeneration. These findings suggest that Rab5 promotes the axonal regeneration of injured zebrafish Mauthner cells by activating the PI3K signaling pathway.

NMNAT2: An important metabolic enzyme affecting the disease progression

Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 2 (NMNAT2) is an evolutionarily conserved nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) synthase located in the cytoplasm and Golgi apparatus. NMNAT2 has an important role in neurodegenerative diseases, malignant tumors, and other diseases that seriously endanger human health. NMNAT2 exerts a neuroprotective function through its NAD synthase activity and chaperone function. Among them, the NMNAT2-NAD⁺-Sterile alpha and Toll/interleukin-1 receptor motif-containing 1 (SARM1) axis is closely related to Wallerian degeneration. Physical injury or pathological stimulation will cause a decrease in NMNAT2, which activates SARM1, leading to axonal degeneration and the occurrence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, peripheral neuropathy, and other neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, NMNAT2 exerts a cancer-promoting role in solid tumors, including colorectal cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and glioma, and is closely related to tumor occurrence and development. This paper reviews the chromosomal and subcellular localization of NMNAT2 and its basic biological functions. We also summarize the NMNAT2-related signal transduction pathway and the role of NMNAT2 in diseases. We aimed to provide a new perspective to comprehensively understand the relationship between NMNAT2 and its associated diseases.

Wolfram syndrome 1b mutation suppresses Mauthner-cell axon regeneration via ER stress signal pathway

Wolfram Syndrome (WS) is a fatal human inherited disease with symptoms of diabetes, vision decreasing, and neurodegeneration caused by mutations in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein WFS1. WFS1 has been reported to play an important role in glucose metabolism. However, the role of WFS1 in axonal regeneration in the central nervous system has so far remained elusive. Herein, we established a model of the wfs1b globally deficient zebrafish line. wfs1b deficiency severely impeded the Mauthner-cell (M-cell) axon regeneration, which was partly dependent on the ER stress response. The administration of ER stress inhibitor 4-Phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) promoted M-cell axon regeneration in wfs1b^-/- zebrafish larvae, while the ER stress activator Tunicamycin (TM) inhibited M-cell axon regeneration in wfs1b^+/+ zebrafish larvae. Moreover, complementation of wfs1b at the single-cell level stimulated M-cell axon regeneration in the wfs1b^-/- zebrafish larvae. Altogether, our results revealed that wfs1b promotes M-cell axon regeneration through the ER stress signal pathway and provide new evidence for a therapeutic target for WS and axon degeneration.

Loss-of-function approach using mouse retinal explants showed pivotal roles of Nmnat2 in early and middle stages of retinal development

Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (Nmnat) is a class of enzymes with three members (Nmnat1-3). Nmnat1 is in nucleus and associated with Leber congenital amaurosis, a form of early-onset retinal degeneration, while Nmnat2 is in cytoplasm and a well-characterized neuroprotective factor. The differences in their biological roles in the retina are unclear. We performed short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-based loss-of-function analysis of Nmnat2 during mouse retinal development in retinal explant cultures prepared from early (E14.5), middle (E17.5), or late (postnatal day [P]0.5) developmental stages. Nmnat2 has important roles in the survival of retinal cells in the early and middle stages of retinal development. Retinal cell death caused by Nmnat2 knockdown could be partially rescued by supplementation with NAD or nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). Survival of retinal cells in the late stage of retinal development was unaffected by Nmnat2, but differentiation of Müller glia was controlled by Nmnat2. RNA-Seq analyses showed perturbation of gene expression patterns by shRNAs specific for Nmnat1 or Nmnat2, but gene ontology analysis did not provide a rational explanation for the phenotype. This study showed that Nmnat2 has multiple developmental stage-dependent roles during mouse retinal development, which were clearly different from those of Nmnat1, suggesting specific roles for Nmnat1 and Nmnat2.

Phenotype-based drug screening: An in vivo strategy to classify and identify the chemical compounds modulating zebrafish M-cell regeneration

Several disease-modulatory FDA-approved drugs are being used in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. However, information on their toxicity-related profiles is very limited. Therefore, measurement of drug toxicity is essential to increase the knowledge of their side effects. This study aimed to identify compounds that can modulate M-cell regeneration by causing neuro-protection and -toxicity. Here, we developed a simple and efficient in vivo assay using Tg (hsp: Gal4FF62A; UAS: nfsB-mCherry) transgenic zebrafish larvae. Interestingly, via the phenotype-based drug screening approach, we rapidly investigated 1,260 compounds from the United States drug collection and validated these in large numbers, including 14 compounds, that were obstructing this regeneration process. Next, 4 FDA-approved drugs out of 14 compounds were selected as the lead hits for in silico analysis to clarify their binding patterns with PTEN and SOCS3 signaling due to their significant potential in the inhibition of axon regeneration. Molecular docking studies indicated good binding affinity of all 4 drugs with the respective signaling molecules. This may point to PTEN and SOCS3 as the signaling molecules responsible for reducing axon regeneration. Moreover, the acute effect of compounds in reducing M-cell regeneration delineated their toxic effect. In conclusion, our in vivo along with in silico screening strategy will promote the rapid translation of new therapeutics to improve knowledge of the toxicity profile of approved/non-approved drugs efficiently.

Mitochondrial behavior when things go wrong in the axon

Axonal homeostasis is maintained by processes that include cytoskeletal regulation, cargo transport, synaptic activity, ionic balance, and energy supply. Several of these processes involve mitochondria to varying degrees. As a transportable powerplant, the mitochondria deliver ATP and Ca2+-buffering capabilities and require fusion/fission to maintain proper functioning. Taking into consideration the long distances that need to be covered by mitochondria in the axons, their transport, distribution, fusion/fission, and health are of cardinal importance. However, axonal homeostasis is disrupted in several disorders of the nervous system, or by traumatic brain injury (TBI), where the external insult is translated into physical forces that damage nervous tissue including axons. The degree of damage varies and can disconnect the axon into two segments and/or generate axonal swellings in addition to cytoskeletal changes, membrane leakage, and changes in ionic composition. Cytoskeletal changes and increased intra-axonal Ca2+ levels are the main factors that challenge mitochondrial homeostasis. On the other hand, a proper function and distribution of mitochondria can determine the recovery or regeneration of the axonal physiological state. Here, we discuss the current knowledge regarding mitochondrial transport, fusion/fission, and Ca2+ regulation under axonal physiological or pathological conditions.

NMNAT2 is downregulated in glaucomatous RGCs, and RGC-specific gene therapy rescues neurodegeneration and visual function

The lack of neuroprotective treatments for retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and optic nerve (ON) is a central challenge for glaucoma management. Emerging evidence suggests that redox factor NAD+ decline is a hallmark of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Supplementation with NAD+ precursors and overexpression of NMNAT1, the key enzyme in the NAD+ biosynthetic process, have significant neuroprotective effects. We first profile the translatomes of RGCs in naive mice and mice with silicone oil-induced ocular hypertension (SOHU)/glaucoma by RiboTag mRNA sequencing. Intriguingly, only NMNAT2, but not NMNAT1 or NMNAT3, is significantly decreased in SOHU glaucomatous RGCs, which we confirm by in situ hybridization. We next demonstrate that AAV2 intravitreal injection-mediated overexpression of long half-life NMNAT2 mutant driven by RGC-specific mouse γ-synuclein (mSncg) promoter restores decreased NAD+ levels in glaucomatous RGCs and ONs. Moreover, this RGC-specific gene therapy strategy delivers significant neuroprotection of both RGC soma and axon and preservation of visual function in the traumatic ON crush model and the SOHU glaucoma model. Collectively, our studies suggest that the weakening of NMNAT2 expression in glaucomatous RGCs contributes to a deleterious NAD+ decline, and that modulating RGC-intrinsic NMNAT2 levels by AAV2-mSncg vector is a promising gene therapy for glaucomatous neurodegeneration.

NAD+-dependent mechanism of pathological axon degeneration

Pathological axon degeneration is broadly observed in neurodegenerative diseases. This unique process of axonal pathology could directly interfere with the normal functions of neurocircuitries and contribute to the onset of clinical symptoms in patients. It has been increasingly recognized that functional preservation of axonal structures is an indispensable part of therapeutic strategies for treating neurological disorders. In the past decades, the research field has witnessed significant breakthroughs in understanding the stereotyped self-destruction of axons upon neurodegenerative insults, which is distinct from all the known types of programmed cell death. In particular, the novel NAD+-dependent mechanism involving the WLDs, NMNAT2, and SARM1 proteins has emerged. This review summarizes the landmark discoveries elucidating the molecular pathway of pathological axon degeneration and highlights the evolving concept that neurodegeneration would be intrinsically linked to NAD+ and energy metabolism.

Neuronal NMNAT2 Overexpression Does Not Achieve Significant Neuroprotection in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis/Optic Neuritis

Optic neuritis, inflammation, and demyelination of the optic nerve (ON), is one of the most common clinical manifestations of multiple sclerosis; affected patients suffer persistent visual symptoms due to ON degeneration and secondary retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death. The mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model replicates optic neuritis and significant RGC soma and axon loss. Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferases (NMNATs) are NAD⁺-synthetic enzymes that have been shown to be essential for axon integrity, activation of which significantly delays axonal Wallerian degeneration. NMNAT2, which is enriched in axons, has been proposed as a promising therapeutic target for axon injury-induced neurodegeneration. We therefore investigated whether activation of NMNAT2 can be used as a gene therapy strategy for neuroprotection in EAE/optic neuritis. To avoid the confounding effects in inflammatory cells, which play important roles in EAE initiation and progression, we used an RGC-specific promoter to drive the expression of the long half-life NMNAT2 mutant in mouse RGCs in vivo. However, optical coherence tomography in vivo retina imaging did not reveal significant protection of the ganglion cell complex, and visual function assays, pattern electroretinography, and optokinetic response also showed no improvement in mice with NMNAT2 overexpression. Postmortem histological analysis of retina wholemounts and semithin sections of ON confirmed the in vivo results: NMNAT2 activation in RGCs does not provide significant neuroprotection of RGCs in EAE/optic neuritis. Our studies suggest that a different degenerative mechanism than Wallerian degeneration is involved in autoimmune inflammatory axonopathy and that NMNAT2 may not be a major contributor to this mechanism.

The Drama of Wallerian Degeneration: The Cast, Crew, and Script

Significant advances have been made in recent years in identifying the genetic components of Wallerian degeneration, the process that brings the progressive destruction and removal of injured axons. It has now been accepted that Wallerian degeneration is an active and dynamic cellular process that is well regulated at molecular and cellular levels. In this review, we describe our current understanding of Wallerian degeneration, focusing on the molecular players and mechanisms that mediate the injury response, activate the degenerative program, transduce the death signal, execute the destruction order, and finally, clear away the debris. By highlighting the starring roles and sketching out the molecular script of Wallerian degeneration, we hope to provide a useful framework to understand Wallerian and Wallerian-like degeneration and to lay a foundation for developing new therapeutic strategies to treat axon degeneration in neural injury as well as in neurodegenerative disease. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics, Volume 55 is November 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Nicotinamide provides neuroprotection in glaucoma by protecting against mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a REDOX cofactor and metabolite essential for neuronal survival. Glaucoma is a common neurodegenerative disease in which neuronal levels of NAD decline. We assess the effects of nicotinamide (a precursor to NAD) on retinal ganglion cells (the affected neuron in glaucoma) in normal physiological conditions and across a range of glaucoma relevant insults including mitochondrial stress and axon degenerative insults. We demonstrate retinal ganglion cell somal, axonal, and dendritic neuroprotection by nicotinamide in rodent models which represent isolated ocular hypertensive, axon degenerative, and mitochondrial degenerative insults. We performed metabolomics enriched for small molecular weight metabolites for the retina, optic nerve, and superior colliculus which demonstrates that ocular hypertension induces widespread metabolic disruption, including consistent changes to α-ketoglutaric acid, creatine/creatinine, homocysteine, and glycerophosphocholine. This metabolic disruption is prevented by nicotinamide. Nicotinamide provides further neuroprotective effects by increasing oxidative phosphorylation, buffering and preventing metabolic stress, and increasing mitochondrial size and motility whilst simultaneously dampening action potential firing frequency. These data support continued determination of the utility of long-term nicotinamide treatment as a neuroprotective therapy for human glaucoma.

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Nicotinamide is neuroprotective in cell and animal models that recapitulate isolated features of glaucoma.

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Systemic nicotinamide administration has limited molecular side-effects on visual system tissue under basal conditions.

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Nicotinamide provides a robust reversal in the disease metabolic profile of glaucomatous animals.

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Nicotinamide increases oxidative phosphorylation, buffers and prevents metabolic stress, and increases mitochondrial size.

Axon death signalling in Wallerian degeneration among species and in disease

Axon loss is a shared feature of nervous systems being challenged in neurological disease, by chemotherapy or mechanical force. Axons take up the vast majority of the neuronal volume, thus numerous axonal intrinsic and glial extrinsic support mechanisms have evolved to promote lifelong axonal survival. Impaired support leads to axon degeneration, yet underlying intrinsic signalling cascades actively promoting the disassembly of axons remain poorly understood in any context, making the development to attenuate axon degeneration challenging. Wallerian degeneration serves as a simple model to study how axons undergo injury-induced axon degeneration (axon death). Severed axons actively execute their own destruction through an evolutionarily conserved axon death signalling cascade. This pathway is also activated in the absence of injury in diseased and challenged nervous systems. Gaining insights into mechanisms underlying axon death signalling could therefore help to define targets to block axon loss. Herein, we summarize features of axon death at the molecular and subcellular level. Recently identified and characterized mediators of axon death signalling are comprehensively discussed in detail, and commonalities and differences across species highlighted. We conclude with a summary of engaged axon death signalling in humans and animal models of neurological conditions. Thus, gaining mechanistic insights into axon death signalling broadens our understanding beyond a simple injury model. It harbours the potential to define targets for therapeutic intervention in a broad range of human axonopathies.

The ubiquitin ligase PHR promotes directional regrowth of spinal zebrafish axons

To reconnect with their synaptic targets, severed axons need to regrow robustly and directionally along the pre-lesional trajectory. While mechanisms directing axonal regrowth are poorly understood, several proteins direct developmental axon outgrowth, including the ubiquitin ligase PHR (Mycbp2). Invertebrate PHR also limits regrowth of injured axons, whereas its role in vertebrate axonal regrowth remains elusive. Here we took advantage of the high regrowth capacity of spinal zebrafish axons and observed robust and directional regrowth following laser transection of spinal Mauthner axons. We found that PHR directs regrowing axons along the pre-lesional trajectory and across the transection site. At the transection site, initial regrowth of wild-type axons was multidirectional. Over time, misdirected sprouts were corrected in a PHR-dependent manner. Ablation of cyfip2, known to promote F-actin-polymerization and pharmacological inhibition of JNK reduced misdirected regrowth of PHR-deficient axons, suggesting that PHR controls directional Mauthner axonal regrowth through cyfip2- and JNK-dependent pathways.

Short-term tamoxifen treatment has long-term effects on metabolism in high-fat diet-fed mice with involvement of Nmnat2 in POMC neurons

Short-term tamoxifen treatment has effects on lipid and glucose metabolism in mice fed chow. However, its effects on metabolism in mice fed high-fat diet (HFD) and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we show that tamoxifen treatment for 5 days decreases fat mass for as long as 18 weeks in mice fed HFD. Tamoxifen alters mRNA levels of some genes involved in lipid metabolism in white adipose tissue and improves glucose and insulin tolerance as well as hepatic insulin signaling for 12-20 weeks. Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neuron-specific deletion of nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 2 (Nmnat2) attenuates the effects of tamoxifen on glucose and insulin tolerance. These data demonstrate that short-term injection of tamoxifen has long-term effects on lipid and glucose metabolism in HFD mice with involvement of Nmnat2 in POMC neurons.

Analysis of the neurotoxic effects of neuropathic organophosphorus compounds in adult zebrafish

Inhibition and aging of neuropathy target esterase (NTE) by exposure to neuropathic organophosphorus compounds (OPs) can result in OP-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN). In the present study we aimed to build a model of OPIDN in adult zebrafish. First, inhibition and aging of zebrafish NTE activity were characterized in the brain by using the prototypic neuropathic compounds cresyl saligenin phosphate (CBDP) and diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP). Our results show that, as in other animal models, zebrafish NTE is inhibited and aged by both neuropathic OPs. Then, a neuropathic concentration inhibiting NTE activity by at least 70% for at least 24 h was selected for each compound to analyze changes in phosphatidylcholines (PCs), lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) and glycerolphosphocholine (GPC) profiles. In spite to the strong inhibition of the NTE activity found for both compounds, only a mild increase in the LPCs level was found after 48 h of the exposure to DFP, and no effect were observed by CBDP. Moreover, histopathological evaluation and motor function outcome analyses failed to find any neurological abnormalities in the exposed fish. Thus, our results strongly suggest that zebrafish is not a suitable species for the development of an experimental model of human OPIDN.

Mechanisms of α-Synuclein Induced Synaptopathy in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by intracellular inclusions of aggregated and misfolded α-Synuclein (α-Syn), and the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the brain. The resulting motor abnormalities mark the progression of PD, while non-motor symptoms can already be identified during early, prodromal stages of disease. Recent studies provide evidence that during this early prodromal phase, synaptic and axonal abnormalities occur before the degenerative loss of neuronal cell bodies. These early phenotypes can be attributed to synaptic accumulation of toxic α-Syn. Under physiological conditions, α-Syn functions in its native conformation as a soluble monomer. However, PD patient brains are characterized by intracellular inclusions of insoluble fibrils. Yet, oligomers and protofibrils of α-Syn have been identified to be the most toxic species, with their accumulation at presynaptic terminals affecting several steps of neurotransmitter release. First, high levels of α-Syn alter the size of synaptic vesicle pools and impair their trafficking. Second, α-Syn overexpression can either misregulate or redistribute proteins of the presynaptic SNARE complex. This leads to deficient tethering, docking, priming and fusion of synaptic vesicles at the active zone (AZ). Third, α-Syn inclusions are found within the presynaptic AZ, accompanied by a decrease in AZ protein levels. Furthermore, α-Syn overexpression reduces the endocytic retrieval of synaptic vesicle membranes during vesicle recycling. These presynaptic alterations mediated by accumulation of α-Syn, together impair neurotransmitter exocytosis and neuronal communication. Although α-Syn is expressed throughout the brain and enriched at presynaptic terminals, DA neurons are the most vulnerable in PD, likely because α-Syn directly regulates dopamine levels. Indeed, evidence suggests that α-Syn is a negative modulator of dopamine by inhibiting enzymes responsible for its synthesis. In addition, α-Syn is able to interact with and reduce the activity of VMAT2 and DAT. The resulting dysregulation of dopamine levels directly contributes to the formation of toxic α-Syn oligomers. Together these data suggest a vicious cycle of accumulating α-Syn and deregulated dopamine that triggers synaptic dysfunction and impaired neuronal communication, ultimately causing synaptopathy and progressive neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.

In vivo imaging of Mauthner axon regeneration, remyelination and synapses re-establishment after laser axotomy in zebrafish larvae

Zebrafish is an excellent model to study central nervous system (CNS) axonal degeneration and regeneration since we can observe these processes in vivo and in real time in transparent larvae. Previous studies have shown that Mauthner cell (M-cell) axon regenerates poorly after mechanical spinal cord injury. Inconsistent with this result, however, we have found that M-cell possesses a great capacity for axon regeneration after two-photon laser ablation. By using ZEISS LSM 710 two-photon microscope, we performed specific unilateral axotomy of GFP labeled M-cells in the Tol-056 enhancer trap line larvae. Our results showed that distal axons almost degenerated completely at 24h after laser axotomy. After that, the proximal axons initiated a robust regeneration and many of the M-cell axons almost regenerated fully at 4days post axotomy. Furthermore, we also visualized that regenerated axons were remyelinated when we severed fluorescent dye labeled M-cells in the Tg (mbp:EGFP-CAAX) line larvae. Moreover, by single M-cell co-electroporation with Syp:EGFP and DsRed2 plasmids we observed synapses re-establishment in vivo during laser injury-induced axon re-extension which suggested re-innervation of denervated pathways. In addition, we further demonstrated that nocodazole administration could completely abolish this regeneration capacity. These results together suggested that in vivo time-lapse imaging of M-cell axon laser injury may provide a powerful analytical model for understanding the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of the CNS axon regeneration.

Screening with an NMNAT2-MSD platform identifies small molecules that modulate NMNAT2 levels in cortical neurons

Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 2 (NMNAT2) is a key neuronal maintenance factor and provides potent neuroprotection in numerous preclinical models of neurological disorders. NMNAT2 is significantly reduced in Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s diseases. Here we developed a Meso Scale Discovery (MSD)-based screening platform to quantify endogenous NMNAT2 in cortical neurons. The high sensitivity and large dynamic range of this NMNAT2-MSD platform allowed us to screen the Sigma LOPAC library consisting of 1280 compounds. This library had a 2.89% hit rate, with 24 NMNAT2 positive and 13 negative modulators identified. Western analysis was conducted to validate and determine the dose-dependency of identified modulators. Caffeine, one identified NMNAT2 positive-modulator, when systemically administered restored NMNAT2 expression in rTg4510 tauopathy mice to normal levels. We confirmed in a cell culture model that four selected positive-modulators exerted NMNAT2-specific neuroprotection against vincristine-induced cell death while four selected NMNAT2 negative modulators reduced neuronal viability in an NMNAT2-dependent manner. Many of the identified NMNAT2 positive modulators are predicted to increase cAMP concentration, suggesting that neuronal NMNAT2 levels are tightly regulated by cAMP signaling. Taken together, our findings indicate that the NMNAT2-MSD platform provides a sensitive phenotypic screen to detect NMNAT2 in neurons.

In vivo Imaging of Mitochondrial Transport in Single-Axon Regeneration of Zebrafish Mauthner Cells

Mitochondrial transport is essential for neuronal function, but the evidence of connections between mitochondrial transport and axon regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS) of living vertebrates remains limited. Here, we developed a novel model to explore mitochondrial transport in a single Mauthner axon (M axon) of zebrafish with non-invasive in vivo imaging. To confirm the feasibility of using this model, we treated labeled zebrafish with nocodazole and demonstrated that it could disrupt mitochondrial transport. We also used two-photon laser axotomy to precisely axotomize M axons and simultaneously recorded their regeneration and the process of mitochondrial transport in living zebrafish larvae. The findings showed that the injured axons with stronger regenerative capability maintain greater mitochondrial motility. Furthermore, to stimulate axon regeneration, treatment with dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (db-cAMP) could also augment mitochondrial motility. Taken together, our results provide new evidence that mitochondrial motility is positively correlated with axon regeneration in the living vertebrate CNS. This promising model will be useful for further studies on the interaction between axon regeneration and mitochondrial dynamics, using various genetic and pharmacological techniques.

N-Cadherin is Involved in Neuronal Activity-Dependent Regulation of Myelinating Capacity of Zebrafish Individual Oligodendrocytes In Vivo

Stimulating neuronal activity increases myelin sheath formation by individual oligodendrocytes, but how myelination is regulated by neuronal activity in vivo is still not fully understood. While in vitro studies have revealed the important role of N-cadherin in myelination, our understanding in vivo remains quite limited. To obtain the role of N-cadherin during activity-dependent regulation of myelinating capacity of individual oligodendrocytes, we successfully built an in vivo dynamic imaging model of the Mauthner cell at the subcellular structure level in the zebrafish central nervous system. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged N-cadherin was used to visualize the stable accumulations and mobile transports of N-cadherin by single-cell electroporation at the single-cell level. We found that pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) significantly enhanced the accumulation of N-cadherin in Mauthner axons, a response that was paralleled by enhanced sheath number per oligodendrocytes. By offsetting this phenotype using oligopeptide (AHAVD) which blocks the function of N-cadherin, we showed that PTZ regulates myelination in an N-cadherin-dependent manner. What is more, we further suggested that PTZ influences N-cadherin and myelination via a cAMP pathway. Consequently, our data indicated that N-cadherin is involved in neuronal activity-dependent regulation of myelinating capacity of zebrafish individual oligodendrocytes in vivo.

Molecular mechanisms in the initiation phase of Wallerian degeneration

Axonal degeneration is an early hallmark of nerve injury and many neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery of the Wallerian degeneration slow mutant mouse, in which axonal degeneration is delayed, revealed that Wallerian degeneration is an active progress and thereby illuminated the mechanisms underlying axonal degeneration. Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 2 and sterile alpha and armadillo motif-containing protein 1 play essential roles in the maintenance of axon integrity by regulating the level of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, which seems to be the key molecule involved in the maintenance of axonal health. However, the function of nicotinamide mononucleotide remains debatable, and we discuss two apparently conflicting roles of nicotinamide mononucleotide in Wallerian degeneration. In this article, we focus on the roles of these molecules in the initiation phase of Wallerian degeneration to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning this phenomenon.

Live Imaging of Calcium Dynamics during Axon Degeneration Reveals Two Functionally Distinct Phases of Calcium Influx

Calcium is a key regulator of axon degeneration caused by trauma and disease, but its specific spatial and temporal dynamics in injured axons remain unclear. To clarify the function of calcium in axon degeneration, we observed calcium dynamics in single injured neurons in live zebrafish larvae and tested the temporal requirement for calcium in zebrafish neurons and cultured mouse DRG neurons. Using laser axotomy to induce Wallerian degeneration (WD) in zebrafish peripheral sensory axons, we monitored calcium dynamics from injury to fragmentation, revealing two stereotyped phases of axonal calcium influx. First, axotomy triggered a transient local calcium wave originating at the injury site. This initial calcium wave only disrupted mitochondria near the injury site and was not altered by expression of the protective WD slow (WldS) protein. Inducing multiple waves with additional axotomies did not change the kinetics of degeneration. In contrast, a second phase of calcium influx occurring minutes before fragmentation spread as a wave throughout the axon, entered mitochondria, and was abolished by WldS expression. In live zebrafish, chelating calcium after the first wave, but before the second wave, delayed the progress of fragmentation. In cultured DRG neurons, chelating calcium early in the process of WD did not alter degeneration, but chelating calcium late in WD delayed fragmentation. We propose that a terminal calcium wave is a key instructive component of the axon degeneration program.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Axon degeneration resulting from trauma or neurodegenerative disease can cause devastating deficits in neural function. Understanding the molecular and cellular events that execute axon degeneration is essential for developing treatments to address these conditions. Calcium is known to contribute to axon degeneration, but its temporal requirements in this process have been unclear. Live calcium imaging in severed zebrafish neurons and temporally controlled pharmacological treatments in both zebrafish and cultured mouse sensory neurons revealed that axonal calcium influx late in the degeneration process regulates axon fragmentation. These findings suggest that temporal considerations will be crucial for developing treatments for diseases associated with axon degeneration.

The biochemical pathways of central nervous system neural degeneration in niacin deficiency

Neural degeneration is a very complicated process. In spite of all the advancements in the molecular chemistry, there are many unknown aspects of the phenomena of neurodegeneration which need to be put together. It is a common sequela of the conditions of niacin deficiency. Neural degeneration in Pellagra manifests as chromatolysis mainly in pyramidal followed by other neurons and glial cells. However, there is a gross lack of understanding of biochemical mechanisms of neurodegeneration in niacin deficiency states. Because of the necessity of niacin or its amide derivative NAD in a number of biochemical pathways, it is understandable that several of these pathways may be involved in the common outcome of neural degeneration. Here, we highlight five pathways that could be involved in the neuraldegeneration for which evidence has accumulated through several studies. These pathways are: 1) the tryptophan-kyneurenic acid pathway, 2) the mitochondrial ATP generation related pathways, 3) the poly (ADP-ibose) polymerase (PARP) pathway, 4) the BDNF-TRKB Axis abnormalities, 5) the genetic influences of niacin deficiency.

Preserve and protect: maintaining axons within functional circuits

During development, neural circuits are initially generated by exuberant innervation and are rapidly refined by selective preservation and elimination of axons. The establishment and maintenance of functional circuits therefore requires coordination of axon survival and degeneration pathways. Both developing and mature circuits rely on interdependent mitochondrial and cytoskeletal components to maintain axonal health and homeostasis; injury or diseases that impinge on these components frequently cause pathologic axon loss. Here, we review recent findings that identify mechanisms of axonal preservation in the contexts of development, injury, and disease.

Axonal transport plays a crucial role in mediating the axon-protective effects of NmNAT

Deficits in axonal transport are thought to contribute to the pathology of many neurodegenerative diseases. Expressing the slow Wallerian degeneration protein (Wld(S)) or related nicotinamide mononucleotide adenyltransferases (NmNATs) protects axons against damage from a broad range of insults, but the ability of these proteins to protect against inhibition of axonal transport has received little attention. We set out to determine whether these proteins can protect the axons of cultured hippocampal neurons from damage due to hydrogen peroxide or oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and, in particular, whether they can reduce the damage that these agents cause to the axonal transport machinery. Exposure to these insults inhibited the axonal transport of both mitochondria and of the vesicles that carry axonal membrane proteins; this inhibition occurred hours before the first signs of axonal degeneration. Expressing a cytoplasmically targeted version of NmNAT1 (cytNmNAT1) protected the axons against both insults. It also reduced the inhibition of transport when cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide and enhanced the recovery of transport following both insults. The protective effects of cytNmNAT1 depend on mitochondrial transport. When mitochondrial transport was inhibited, cytNmNAT1 was unable to protect axons against either insult. The protective effects of mitochondrially targeted NmNAT also were blocked by inhibiting mitochondrial transport. These results establish that NmNAT robustly protects the axonal transport system following exposure to OGD and reactive oxygen species and may offer similar protection in other disease models. Understanding how NmNAT protects the axonal transport system may lead to new strategies for neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases.

Zebrafish models of human motor neuron diseases: advantages and limitations

Motor neuron diseases (MNDs) are an etiologically heterogeneous group of disorders of neurodegenerative origin, which result in degeneration of lower (LMNs) and/or upper motor neurons (UMNs). Neurodegenerative MNDs include pure hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), which involves specific degeneration of UMNs, leading to progressive spasticity of the lower limbs. In contrast, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) involves the specific degeneration of LMNs, with symmetrical muscle weakness and atrophy. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common adult-onset MND, is characterized by the degeneration of both UMNs and LMNs, leading to progressive muscle weakness, atrophy, and spasticity. A review of the comparative neuroanatomy of the human and zebrafish motor systems showed that, while the zebrafish was a homologous model for LMN disorders, such as SMA, it was only partially relevant in the case of UMN disorders, due to the absence of corticospinal and rubrospinal tracts in its central nervous system. Even considering the limitation of this model to fully reproduce the human UMN disorders, zebrafish offer an excellent alternative vertebrate model for the molecular and genetic dissection of MND mechanisms. Its advantages include the conservation of genome and physiological processes and applicable in vivo tools, including easy imaging, loss or gain of function methods, behavioral tests to examine changes in motor activity, and the ease of simultaneous chemical/drug testing on large numbers of animals. This facilitates the assessment of the environmental origin of MNDs, alone or in combination with genetic traits and putative modifier genes. Positive hits obtained by phenotype-based small-molecule screening using zebrafish may potentially be effective drugs for treatment of human MNDs.

Deletions within its subcellular targeting domain enhance the axon protective capacity of Nmnat2 in vivo

The NAD-synthesising enzyme Nmnat2 is a critical survival factor for axons in vitro and in vivo. We recently reported that loss of axonal transport vesicle association through mutations in its isoform-specific targeting and interaction domain (ISTID) reduces Nmnat2 ubiquitination, prolongs its half-life and boosts its axon protective capacity in primary culture neurons. Here, we report evidence for a role of ISTID sequences in tuning Nmnat2 localisation, stability and protective capacity in vivo. Deletion of central ISTID sequences abolishes vesicle association and increases protein stability of fluorescently tagged, transgenic Nmnat2 in mouse peripheral axons in vivo. Overexpression of fluorescently tagged Nmnat2 significantly delays Wallerian degeneration in these mice. Furthermore, while mammalian Nmnat2 is unable to protect transected Drosophila olfactory receptor neuron axons in vivo, mutant Nmnat2s lacking ISTID regions substantially delay Wallerian degeneration. Together, our results establish Nmnat2 localisation and turnover as a valuable target for modulating axon degeneration in vivo.

Axonal trafficking of NMNAT2 and its roles in axon growth and survival in vivo

The NAD-synthesizing enzyme NMNAT2 is critical for axon survival in primary culture and its depletion may contribute to axon degeneration in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. Here we discuss several recent reports from our laboratory that establish a critical role for NMNAT2 in axon growth in vivo in mice and shed light on the delivery and turnover of this survival factor in axons. In the absence of NMNAT2, axons fail to extend more than a short distance beyond the cell body during embryonic development, implying a requirement for NMNAT2 in axon maintenance even during development. Furthermore, we highlight findings regarding the bidirectional trafficking of NMNAT2 in axons on a vesicle population that undergoes fast axonal transport in primary culture neurites and in mouse sciatic nerve axons in vivo. Surprisingly, loss of vesicle association boosts the axon protective capacity of NMNAT2, an effect that is at least partially mediated by a longer protein half-life of cytosolic NMNAT2 variants. Analysis of wild-type and variant NMNAT2 in mouse sciatic nerves and Drosophila olfactory receptor neuron axons supports the existence of a similar mechanism in vivo, highlighting the potential for regulation of NMNAT2 stability and turnover as a mechanism to modulate axon degeneration in vivo.

Subcellular localization determines the stability and axon protective capacity of axon survival factor Nmnat2

Modulation of the subcellular localization of the endogenous axon survival factor Nmnat2 boosts its axon protective capacity, suggesting a novel approach to delaying axon degeneration in neurodegenerative disease.

Axons require a constant supply of the labile axon survival factor Nmnat2 from their cell bodies to avoid spontaneous axon degeneration. Here we investigate the mechanism of fast axonal transport of Nmnat2 and its site of action for axon maintenance. Using dual-colour live-cell imaging of axonal transport in SCG primary culture neurons, we find that Nmnat2 is bidirectionally trafficked in axons together with markers of the trans-Golgi network and synaptic vesicles. In contrast, there is little co-migration with mitochondria, lysosomes, and active zone precursor vesicles. Residues encoded by the small, centrally located exon 6 are necessary and sufficient for stable membrane association and vesicular axonal transport of Nmnat2. Within this sequence, a double cysteine palmitoylation motif shared with GAP43 and surrounding basic residues are all required for efficient palmitoylation and stable association with axonal transport vesicles. Interestingly, however, disrupting this membrane association increases the ability of axonally localized Nmnat2 to preserve transected neurites in primary culture, while re-targeting the strongly protective cytosolic mutants back to membranes abolishes this increase. Larger deletions within the central domain including exon 6 further enhance Nmnat2 axon protective capacity to levels that exceed that of the slow Wallerian degeneration protein, Wld^S. The mechanism underlying the increase in axon protection appears to involve an increased half-life of the cytosolic forms, suggesting a role for palmitoylation and membrane attachment in Nmnat2 turnover. We conclude that Nmnat2 activity supports axon survival through a site of action distinct from Nmnat2 transport vesicles and that protein stability, a key determinant of axon protection, is enhanced by mutations that disrupt palmitoylation and dissociate Nmnat2 from these vesicles.

Neurons are polarized cells that rely on bidirectional transport to deliver thousands of cargos between the cell body and the most distal ends of their axons. One cargo that is of particular importance is the NAD-synthesising enzyme Nmnat2. This surprisingly unstable protein is produced in the cell body and its constant supply into axons is required to keep them alive. If this supply is interrupted, Nmnat2 levels in the distal axon drop below a critical threshold, leading to axon degeneration. The rapid turnover of Nmnat2 contributes critically to the time course of axon degeneration. If its half-life could be extended, axons may be able to survive transient interruptions of its supply. In this study, we find that disruption of Nmnat2 localization to axonal transport vesicles increases both its half-life and its capacity to protect injured neurites. Specifically, association of Nmnat2 with transport vesicles reduces it stability by making it vulnerable to ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation. These findings suggest that modulation of the subcellular localization of Nmnat2 on transport vesicles could serve as a potential avenue for therapeutic treatment of axon degeneration.

Diapause formation and downregulation of insulin-like signaling via DAF-16/FOXO delays axonal degeneration and neuronal loss

Axonal degeneration is a key event in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative conditions. We show here that mec-4d triggered axonal degeneration of Caenorhabditis elegans neurons and mammalian axons share mechanistical similarities, as both are rescued by inhibition of calcium increase, mitochondrial dysfunction, and NMNAT overexpression. We then explore whether reactive oxygen species (ROS) participate in axonal degeneration and neuronal demise. C. elegans dauers have enhanced anti-ROS systems, and dauer mec-4d worms are completely protected from axonal degeneration and neuronal loss. Mechanistically, downregulation of the Insulin/IGF-1-like signaling (IIS) pathway protects neurons from degenerating in a DAF-16/FOXO–dependent manner and is related to superoxide dismutase and catalase-increased expression. Caloric restriction and systemic antioxidant treatment, which decrease oxidative damage, protect C. elegans axons from mec-4d-mediated degeneration and delay Wallerian degeneration in mice. In summary, we show that the IIS pathway is essential in maintaining neuronal homeostasis under pro-degenerative stimuli and identify ROS as a key intermediate of neuronal degeneration in vivo. Since axonal degeneration represents an early pathological event in neurodegeneration, our work identifies potential targets for therapeutic intervention in several conditions characterized by axonal loss and functional impairment.

Axonal degeneration and neuronal loss are currently considered crucial pathological factors in neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, delaying or blocking these procesess is key for neuroprotection. In this work, we used an in vivo approach combining invertebrate (C. elegans) and vertebrate (mice) model systems to identify a novel and unexpected player in the mechanisms of axonal degeneration. Here, we demonstrate that both neuronal somas and axons degenerate through a step dependent on oxidative stress that can be efficiently delayed by genetic downregulation of a pathway controlling oxidative stress resistance. Impressively, we discovered that diapause formation, which is a state related to hibernating conditions, fully prevents neuronal degeneration. We uncovered new players in the degenerative mechanisms of neurons with relevance for several conditions associated to axonal degeneration, such as multiple sclerosis, motoneuron, and Parkinson diseases, offering novel potential targets for neuroprotection.

Molecular chaperones protect against JNK- and Nmnat-regulated axon degeneration in Drosophila

Axon degeneration is observed at the early stages of many neurodegenerative conditions and this often leads to subsequent neuronal loss. We previously showed that inactivating the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway leads to axon degeneration in Drosophila mushroom body (MB) neurons. To understand this process, we screened candidate suppressor genes and found that the Wallerian degeneration slow (Wld(S)) protein blocked JNK axonal degeneration. Although the nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (Nmnat1) portion of Wld(S) is required, we found that its nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) enzyme activity and the Wld(S) N-terminus (N70) are dispensable, unlike axotomy models of neurodegeneration. We suggest that Wld(S)-Nmnat protects against axonal degeneration through chaperone activity. Furthermore, ectopically expressed heat shock proteins (Hsp26 and Hsp70) also protected against JNK and Nmnat degeneration phenotypes. These results suggest that molecular chaperones are key in JNK- and Nmnat-regulated axonal protective functions.

The Highwire ubiquitin ligase promotes axonal degeneration by tuning levels of Nmnat protein

Highwire, a conserved axonal E3 ubiquitin ligase, regulates the initiation of axonal degeneration after injury in Drosophila by regulating the levels of the NAD+ biosynthetic enzyme, Nmnat, and the Wnd kinase.

Axonal degeneration is a hallmark of many neuropathies, neurodegenerative diseases, and injuries. Here, using a Drosophila injury model, we have identified a highly conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase, Highwire (Hiw), as an important regulator of axonal and synaptic degeneration. Mutations in hiw strongly inhibit Wallerian degeneration in multiple neuron types and developmental stages. This new phenotype is mediated by a new downstream target of Hiw: the NAD+ biosynthetic enzyme nicotinamide mononucleotide adenyltransferase (Nmnat), which acts in parallel to a previously known target of Hiw, the Wallenda dileucine zipper kinase (Wnd/DLK) MAPKKK. Hiw promotes a rapid disappearance of Nmnat protein in the distal stump after injury. An increased level of Nmnat protein in hiw mutants is both required and sufficient to inhibit degeneration. Ectopically expressed mouse Nmnat2 is also subject to regulation by Hiw in distal axons and synapses. These findings implicate an important role for endogenous Nmnat and its regulation, via a conserved mechanism, in the initiation of axonal degeneration. Through independent regulation of Wnd/DLK, whose function is required for proximal axons to regenerate, Hiw plays a central role in coordinating both regenerative and degenerative responses to axonal injury.

Axons degenerate after injury and during neurodegenerative diseases, but we are still searching for the cellular mechanism responsible for this degeneration. Here, using a nerve crush injury assay in the fruit fly Drosophila, we have identified a role for a conserved molecule named Highwire (Hiw) in the initiation of axonal degeneration. Hiw is an E3 ubiquitin ligase thought to regulate the levels of specific downstream proteins by targeting their destruction. We show that Hiw promotes axonal degeneration by regulating two independent downstream targets: the Wallenda (Wnd) kinase, and the NAD+ biosynthetic enzyme nicotinamide mononucleotide adenyltransferase (Nmnat). Interestingly, Nmnat has previously been implicated in a protective role in neurons. Our findings indicate that Nmnat protein is down-regulated in axons by Hiw and that this regulation plays a critical role in the degeneration of axons and synapses. The other target, the Wnd kinase, was previously known for its role in promoting new axonal growth after injury. We propose that Hiw coordinates multiple responses to regenerate damaged neuronal circuits after injury: degeneration of the distal axon via Nmnat, and new growth of the proximal axon via Wnd.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 2 (Nmnat2) regulates axon integrity in the mouse embryo

Using transposon-mediated gene-trap mutagenesis, we have generated a novel mouse mutant termed Blad (Bloated Bladder). Homozygous mutant mice die perinatally showing a greatly distended bladder, underdeveloped diaphragm and a reduction in total skeletal muscle mass. Wild type and heterozygote mice appear normal. Using PCR, we identified a transposon insertion site in the first intron of Nmnat2 (Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenyltransferase 2). Nmnat2 is expressed predominantly in the brain and nervous system and has been linked to the survival of axons. Expression of this gene is undetectable in Nmnat2^blad/blad mutants. Examination of the brains of E18.5 Nmnat2^blad/blad mutant embryos did not reveal any obvious morphological changes. In contrast, E18.5 Nmnat2^blad/blad homozygotes showed an approximate 60% reduction of spinal motoneurons in the lumbar region and a more than 80% reduction in the sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). In addition, facial motoneuron numbers were severely reduced, and there was virtually a complete absence of axons in the hind limb. Our observations suggest that during embryogenesis, Nmnat2 plays an important role in axonal growth or maintenance. It appears that in the absence of Nmnat2, major target organs and tissues (e.g., muscle) are not functionally innervated resulting in perinatal lethality. In addition, neither Nmnat1 nor 3 can compensate for the loss of Nmnat2. Whilst there have been recent suggestions that Nmnat2 may be an endogenous modulator of axon integrity, this work represents the first in vivo study demonstrating that Nmnat2 is involved in axon development or survival in a mammal.

In vivo nerve-macrophage interactions following peripheral nerve injury

In vertebrates, the peripheral nervous system has retained its regenerative capacity, enabling severed axons to reconnect with their original synaptic targets. While it is well documented that a favorable environment is critical for nerve regeneration, the complex cellular interactions between injured nerves with cells in their environment, as well as the functional significance of these interactions, have not been determined in vivo and in real time. Here we provide the first minute-by-minute account of cellular interactions between laser transected motor nerves and macrophages in live intact zebrafish. We show that macrophages arrive at the lesion site long before axon fragmentation, much earlier than previously thought. Moreover, we find that axon fragmentation triggers macrophage invasion into the nerve to engulf axonal debris, and that delaying nerve fragmentation in a Wld(s) model does not alter macrophage recruitment but induces a previously unknown 'nerve scanning' behavior, suggesting that macrophage recruitment and subsequent nerve invasion are controlled by separate mechanisms. Finally, we demonstrate that macrophage recruitment, thought to be dependent on Schwann cell-derived signals, occurs independently of Schwann cells. Thus, live cell imaging defines novel cellular and functional interactions between injured nerves and immune cells.