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Dickson E, Dwijesha AS, Andersson N, Lundh S, Björkqvist M, Petersén Å, Soylu-Kucharz R. Microarray profiling of hypothalamic gene expression changes in Huntington's disease mouse models. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1027269. [PMID: 36408416 PMCID: PMC9671106 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1027269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Structural changes and neuropathology in the hypothalamus have been suggested to contribute to the non-motor manifestations of Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeat in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. In this study, we investigated whether hypothalamic HTT expression causes transcriptional changes. Hypothalamic RNA was isolated from two different HD mouse models and their littermate controls; BACHD mice with ubiquitous expression of full-length mutant HTT (mHTT) and wild-type mice with targeted hypothalamic overexpression of either wild-type HTT (wtHTT) or mHTT fragments. The mHTT and wtHTT groups showed the highest number of differentially expressed genes compared to the BACHD mouse model. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) with leading-edge analysis showed that suppressed sterol- and cholesterol metabolism were shared between hypothalamic wtHTT and mHTT overexpression. Most distinctive for mHTT overexpression was the suppression of neuroendocrine networks, in which qRT-PCR validation confirmed significant downregulation of neuropeptides with roles in feeding behavior; hypocretin neuropeptide precursor (Hcrt), tachykinin receptor 3 (Tacr3), cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (Cart) and catecholamine-related biological processes; dopa decarboxylase (Ddc), histidine decarboxylase (Hdc), tyrosine hydroxylase (Th), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (Vip). In BACHD mice, few hypothalamic genes were differentially expressed compared to age-matched WT controls. However, GSEA indicated an enrichment of inflammatory- and gonadotropin-related processes at 10 months. In conclusion, we show that both wtHTT and mHTT overexpression change hypothalamic transcriptome profile, specifically mHTT, altering neuroendocrine circuits. In contrast, the ubiquitous expression of full-length mHTT in the BACHD hypothalamus moderately affects the transcriptomic profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elna Dickson
- Biomarkers in Brain Disease, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Amoolya Sai Dwijesha
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Natalie Andersson
- Pathways of Cancer Cell Evolution, Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sofia Lundh
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Maria Björkqvist
- Biomarkers in Brain Disease, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Åsa Petersén
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rana Soylu-Kucharz
- Biomarkers in Brain Disease, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Alpaugh M, Galleguillos D, Forero J, Morales LC, Lackey SW, Kar P, Di Pardo A, Holt A, Kerr BJ, Todd KG, Baker GB, Fouad K, Sipione S. Disease-modifying effects of ganglioside GM1 in Huntington's disease models. EMBO Mol Med 2018; 9:1537-1557. [PMID: 28993428 PMCID: PMC5666311 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201707763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive and psychiatric problems. Previous studies indicated that levels of brain gangliosides are lower than normal in HD models and that administration of exogenous ganglioside GM1 corrects motor dysfunction in the YAC128 mouse model of HD In this study, we provide evidence that intraventricular administration of GM1 has profound disease-modifying effects across HD mouse models with different genetic background. GM1 administration results in decreased levels of mutant huntingtin, the protein that causes HD, and in a wide array of beneficial effects that include changes in levels of DARPP32, ferritin, Iba1 and GFAP, modulation of dopamine and serotonin metabolism, and restoration of normal levels of glutamate, GABA, L-Ser and D-Ser. Treatment with GM1 slows down neurodegeneration, white matter atrophy and body weight loss in R6/2 mice. Motor functions are significantly improved in R6/2 mice and restored to normal in Q140 mice, including gait abnormalities that are often resistant to treatments. Psychiatric-like and cognitive dysfunctions are also ameliorated by GM1 administration in Q140 and YAC128 mice. The widespread benefits of GM1 administration, at molecular, cellular and behavioural levels, indicate that this ganglioside has strong therapeutic and disease-modifying potential in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Alpaugh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Danny Galleguillos
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Juan Forero
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | | | - Preeti Kar
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alba Di Pardo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Andrew Holt
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Bradley J Kerr
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Kathryn G Todd
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Glen B Baker
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Karim Fouad
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Simonetta Sipione
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada .,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Laprairie RB, Petr GT, Sun Y, Fischer KD, Denovan-Wright EM, Rosenberg PA. Huntington's disease pattern of transcriptional dysregulation in the absence of mutant huntingtin is produced by knockout of neuronal GLT-1. Neurochem Int 2018; 123:85-94. [PMID: 29709465 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2018.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
GLT-1 is the major glutamate transporter in the brain, and is expressed in astrocytes and in axon terminals in the hippocampus, cortex, and striatum. Neuronal GLT-1 accounts for only 5-10% of total brain GLT-1 protein, and its function is uncertain. In HD, synaptic dysfunction of the corticostriate synapse is well-established. Transcriptional dysregulation is a key feature of HD. We hypothesized that deletion of neuronal GLT-1, because it is expressed in axon terminals in the striatum, might produce a synaptopathy similar to that present in HD. If true, then some of the gene expression changes observed in HD might also be observed in the neuronal GLT-1 knockout. In situ hybridization using 33P labeled oligonucleotide probes was carried out to assess localization and expression of a panel of genes known to be altered in expression in HD. We found changes in the expression of cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2, preproenkaphalin, and PDE10A in the striatum of mice in which the GLT-1 gene was inactivated in neurons by expression of synapsin-Cre, compared to wild-type littermates. These changes in expression were observed at 12 weeks of age but not at 6 weeks of age. No changes in DARPP-32, PDE1B, NGFIA, or β-actin expression were observed. In addition, we found widespread alteration in expression of the dynamin 1 gene. The changes in expression in the neuronal GLT-1 knockout of genes thought to exemplify HD transcriptional dysregulation suggest an overlap in the synaptopathy caused by neuronal GLT-1 deletion and HD. These data further suggest that specific changes in expression of cannabinoid receptors, preproenkephalin, and PDE10A, considered to be the hallmark of HD transcriptional dysregulation, may be produced by an abnormality of glutamate homeostasis under the regulation of neuronal GLT-1, or a synaptic disturbance caused by that abnormality, independently of mutation in huntingtin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B Laprairie
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3M 4R2, Canada
| | - Geraldine T Petr
- Department of Neurology and the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Neurology and the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kathryn D Fischer
- Department of Neurology and the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Paul A Rosenberg
- Department of Neurology and the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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