1
|
Sironi F, De Marchi F, Mazzini L, Bendotti C. Cell therapy in ALS: An update on preclinical and clinical studies. Brain Res Bull 2023; 194:64-81. [PMID: 36690163 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.01.008] [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: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons and neuromuscular impairment leading to complete paralysis, respiratory failure and premature death. The pathogenesis of the disease is multifactorial and noncell-autonomous involving the central and peripheral compartments of the neuromuscular axis and the skeletal muscle. Advanced clinical trials on specific ALS-related pathways have failed to significantly slow the disease. Therapy with stem cells from different sources has provided a promising strategy to protect the motor units exerting their effect through multiple mechanisms including neurotrophic support and excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation modulation, as evidenced from preclinical studies. Several phase I and II clinical trial of ALS patients have been developed showing positive effects in terms of safety and tolerability. However, the modest results on functional improvement in ALS patients suggest that only a coordinated effort between basic and clinical researchers could solve many problems, such as selecting the ideal stem cell source, identifying their mechanism of action and expected clinical outcomes. A promising approach may be stem cells selected or engineered to deliver optimal growth factor support at multiple sites along the neuromuscular pathway. This review covers recent advances in stem cell therapies in animal models of ALS, as well as detailing the human clinical trials that have been done and are currently undergoing development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Sironi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan 20156, Italy
| | - Fabiola De Marchi
- Department of Neurology and ALS Centre, University of Piemonte Orientale, Maggiore Della Carità Hospital, Corso Mazzini 18, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Letizia Mazzini
- Department of Neurology and ALS Centre, University of Piemonte Orientale, Maggiore Della Carità Hospital, Corso Mazzini 18, Novara 28100, Italy.
| | - Caterina Bendotti
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan 20156, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Nishimune H, Stanford KG, Chen J, Odum JD, Rorie AD, Rogers RS, Wheatley JL, Geiger PC, Stanford JA. Forelimb Resistance Exercise Protects Against Neuromuscular Junction Denervation in the SOD1-G93A Rat Model of ALS. Degener Neurol Neuromuscul Dis 2022; 12:145-155. [PMID: 36444378 PMCID: PMC9700444 DOI: 10.2147/dnnd.s388455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The symptoms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) include muscle weakness and eventual paralysis. These symptoms result from denervation of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and motor neuron cell death in the brain and spinal cord. Due to the "dying back" pattern of motor neuron degeneration, protecting NMJs should be a therapeutic priority. Although exercise has the potential to protect against NMJ denervation, its use in ALS has been controversial. Most preclinical studies have focused on aerobic exercise, which report that exercise can be beneficial at moderate intensities. The effects of resistance exercise on NMJ preservation in limb muscles have not been explored. METHODS We trained male SOD1-G93A rats, which model ALS, to perform a unilateral isometric forelimb resistance exercise task. This task allows within-animal comparisons of trained and untrained forelimbs. We then determined the effects of isometric resistance exercise on NMJ denervation and AMP kinase (AMPK) activation in forelimb muscles. RESULTS Our results revealed that SOD1-G93A rats were able to learn and perform the task similarly to wildtype rats, even after loss of body weight. SOD1-G93A rats exhibited significantly greater NMJ innervation in their trained vs their untrained forelimb biceps muscles. Measures of activated (phosphorylated) AMPK (pAMPK) were also greater in the trained vs untrained forelimb triceps muscles. DISCUSSION These results demonstrate that isometric resistance exercise may protect against NMJ denervation in ALS. Future studies are required to determine the extent to which our findings generalize to female SOD1-G93A rats and to other subtypes of ALS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Nishimune
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Neurobiology of Aging, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kimberly G Stanford
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - James D Odum
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Alexander D Rorie
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Robert S Rogers
- Departments of Physiology and Basic Sciences, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Joplin, MO, USA
| | - Joshua L Wheatley
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Paige C Geiger
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - John A Stanford
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Monsour M, Garbuzova-Davis S, Borlongan CV. Patching Up the Permeability: The Role of Stem Cells in Lessening Neurovascular Damage in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Stem Cells Transl Med 2022; 11:1196-1209. [PMID: 36181767 PMCID: PMC9801306 DOI: 10.1093/stcltm/szac072] [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: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating disease with poor prognosis. The pathophysiology of ALS is commonly debated, with theories involving inflammation, glutamate excitotoxity, oxidative stress, mitochondria malfunction, neurofilament accumulation, inadequate nutrients or growth factors, and changes in glial support predominating. These underlying pathological mechanisms, however, act together to weaken the blood brain barrier and blood spinal cord barrier, collectively considered as the blood central nervous system barrier (BCNSB). Altering the impermeability of the BCNSB impairs the neurovascular unit, or interdependent relationship between the brain and advances the concept that ALS is has a significant neurovascular component contributing to its degenerative presentation. This unique categorization of ALS opens a variety of treatment options targeting the reestablishment of BCNSB integrity. This review will critically assess the evidence implicating the significant neurovascular components of ALS pathophysiology, while also offering an in-depth discussion regarding the use of stem cells to repair these pathological changes within the neurovascular unit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Molly Monsour
- Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Cesario V Borlongan
- Corresponding author: Cesar V. Borlongan, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Humoral Influence of Repeated Lineage-Negative Stem/Progenitor Cell Administration on Articulatory Functions in ALS Patients. Stem Cells Int 2020; 2020:8888271. [PMID: 33381192 PMCID: PMC7755492 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8888271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains a fatal, neurodegenerative disease frequently leading to dysarthria and impaired swallowing. Better understanding of ALS pathophysiology is prompting the use of humoral cell therapies. Hence, a repeated cellular therapy was applied to ALS patients as an attempt to prevent speech deterioration. Autologous bone marrow-derived lineage-negative (Lin−) cells were intrathecally administered three times at six-week intervals to 42 sporadic ALS patients. Patients were examined for articulatory functions using subjective (VHI) and objective (FDA) scales. Selected trophic, proinflammatory factors and expression profiles of miRNA were measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma by multiplex Luminex and q-PCR in different timepoints. Of the 42 patients who received the Lin− cells, 6 showed improvement in articulatory functions, 27 remained stable, and 9 deteriorated after 18 weeks of therapy according to FDA scale. Clinical improvement was particularly evident by the 7th day of each cell application and concerned better cough and swallow reflex, soft palate, laryngeal time, pitch, and volume. These results correlated with significant changes in the concentration of various trophic and proinflammatory factors and miRNA expression profiles. A multiple application of Lin− cells proved to be safe and feasible. The repeated procedure can potentate a humoral effect and prevent speech deterioration. A short-lasting trophic effect of each Lin− cells administration was observed on local and systemic level. However, further in-depth studies are necessary to sustain the beneficial effect.
Collapse
|
5
|
Leyton-Jaimes MF, Ivert P, Hoeber J, Han Y, Feiler A, Zhou C, Pankratova S, Shoshan-Barmatz V, Israelson A, Kozlova EN. Empty mesoporous silica particles significantly delay disease progression and extend survival in a mouse model of ALS. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20675. [PMID: 33244084 PMCID: PMC7691331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77578-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating incurable neurological disorder characterized by motor neuron (MN) death and muscle dysfunction leading to mean survival time after diagnosis of only 2-5 years. A potential ALS treatment is to delay the loss of MNs and disease progression by the delivery of trophic factors. Previously, we demonstrated that implanted mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSPs) loaded with trophic factor peptide mimetics support survival and induce differentiation of co-implanted embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived MNs. Here, we investigate whether MSP loaded with peptide mimetics of ciliary neurotrophic factor (Cintrofin), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (Gliafin), and vascular endothelial growth factor (Vefin1) injected into the cervical spinal cord of mutant SOD1 mice affect disease progression and extend survival. We also transplanted boundary cap neural crest stem cells (bNCSCs) which have been shown previously to have a positive effect on MN survival in vitro and in vivo. We show that mimetic-loaded MSPs and bNCSCs significantly delay disease progression and increase survival of mutant SOD1 mice, and also that empty particles significantly improve the condition of ALS mice. Our results suggest that intraspinal delivery of MSPs is a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of ALS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcel F Leyton-Jaimes
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Patrik Ivert
- Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative Neurobiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Hoeber
- Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative Neurobiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 815, 751 08, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yilin Han
- Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative Neurobiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Adam Feiler
- Nanologica AB, Forskargatan 20G, 151 36, Södertälje, Sweden.,Chemistry Department, KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Chunfang Zhou
- Chemistry Department, KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stanislava Pankratova
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Varda Shoshan-Barmatz
- Department of Life Sciences, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev Ltd, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Adrian Israelson
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel.
| | - Elena N Kozlova
- Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative Neurobiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang J, Hu W, Feng Z, Feng M. BDNF-overexpressing human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived motor neurons improve motor function and prolong survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice. Neurol Res 2020; 43:199-209. [PMID: 33076784 DOI: 10.1080/01616412.2020.1834775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the beneficial effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) -overexpressing human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC)-derived motor neurons in the human Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase1 (hSOD1)G93A amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mice. METHODS The BDNF gene was transfected into hUC-MSC-derived motor neurons by the lentivirus-mediated method. hSOD1G93A mice were assigned to the ALS, ALS/MN, and ALS/MN-BDNF groups, and intrathecally administrated phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), motor neurons, or motor neurons overexpressing BDNF, respectively. The control group included non-transgenic wild-type littermates administrated PBS. One month after transplantation, the motor function of the mice was assessed by the rotarod test, and the lumbar enlargements were then isolated to detect the expression of hSOD1 and BDNF by western blotting, and the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), homeobox protein 9 (HB9), major histocompatibility complex I (MHCI) and microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) by immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS After transplantation, mice in the ALS/MN-BDNF and ALS/MN groups both exhibited longer latency to fall and longer survival than those in the ALS group (P < 0.01 vs. P < 0.05), and the improvement was more significant in the former than in the latter. However, cell transplantation did not delay disease onset. In the lumbar enlargements of the ALS/MN-BDNF and ALS/MN groups, the expression of hSOD1 was slightly reduced without statistical significance (P > 0.05), but the expression of BDNF, ChAT and HB9, and the co-expression of MHCI and MAP-2 were significantly greater than in the ALS group (P < 0.01), with the differences also being more prominent in the former group than in the latter. CONCLUSIONS Transplantation of BDNF-overexpressing hUC-MSC-derived motor neurons can improve motor performance and prolong the survival of hSOD1G93A mice. Combining stem cell-derived motor neurons with BDNF might provide a new therapeutic strategy for ALS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing, China.,Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing, China
| | - Weiwei Hu
- Department of Geriatrics, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University , Nanjing, China
| | - Zehua Feng
- School of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing, China
| | - Meijiang Feng
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory for Aging & Disease, Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yablonka-Reuveni Z, Stockdale F, Nudel U, Israeli D, Blau HM, Shainberg A, Neuman S, Kessler-Icekson G, Krull EM, Paterson B, Fuchs OS, Greenberg D, Sarig R, Halevy O, Ozawa E, Katcoff DJ. Farewell to Professor David Yaffe - A pillar of the myogenesis field. Eur J Transl Myol 2020; 30:9306. [PMID: 33117511 PMCID: PMC7582454 DOI: 10.4081/ejtm.2020.9306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is with great sadness that we have learned about the passing of Professor David Yaffe (1929-2020, Israel). Yehi Zichro Baruch - May his memory be a blessing. David was a man of family, science and nature. A native of Israel, David grew up in the historic years that preceded the birth of the State of Israel. He was a member of the group that established Kibbutz Revivim in the Negev desert, and in 1948 participated in Israel's War of Independence. David and Ruth eventually joined Kibbutz Givat Brenner by Rehovot, permitting David to be both a kibbutz member and a life-long researcher at the Weizmann Institute of Science, where David received his PhD in 1959. David returned to the Institute after his postdoc at Stanford. Here, after several years of researching a number of tissues as models for studying the process of differentiation, David entered the myogenesis field and stayed with it to his last day. With his dedication to the field of myogenesis and his commitment to furthering the understanding of the People and the Land of Israel throughout the international scientific community, David organized the first ever myogenesis meeting that took place in Shoresh, Israel in 1975. This was followed by the 1980 myogenesis meeting at the same place and many more outstanding meetings, all of which brought together myogenesis, nature and scenery. Herein, through the preparation and publication of this current manuscript, we are meeting once again at a "David Yaffe myogenesis meeting". Some of us have been members of the Yaffe lab, some of us have known David as his national and international colleagues in the myology field. One of our contributors has also known (and communicates here) about David Yaffe's earlier years as a kibbutznick in the Negev. Our collective reflections are a tribute to Professor David Yaffe. We are fortunate that the European Journal of Translational Myology has provided us with tremendous input and a platform for holding this 2020 distance meeting "Farwell to Professor David Yaffe - A Pillar of the Myogenesis Field".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zipora Yablonka-Reuveni
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Uri Nudel
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Helen M Blau
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Clinical Sciences Research Center, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Asher Shainberg
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | | | - Gania Kessler-Icekson
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Cardiology, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petah-Tikva, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Bruce Paterson
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - David Greenberg
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rachel Sarig
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Orna Halevy
- Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eijiro Ozawa
- National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Don J Katcoff
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wang J, Hu WW, Jiang Z, Feng MJ. Advances in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases: Perspectives for combination of stem cells with neurotrophic factors. World J Stem Cells 2020; 12:323-338. [PMID: 32547681 PMCID: PMC7280867 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i5.323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, are a group of incurable neurological disorders, characterized by the chronic progressive loss of different neuronal subtypes. However, despite its increasing prevalence among the ever-increasing aging population, little progress has been made in the coincident immense efforts towards development of therapeutic agents. Research interest has recently turned towards stem cells including stem cells-derived exosomes, neurotrophic factors, and their combination as potential therapeutic agents in neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarize the progress in therapeutic strategies based on stem cells combined with neurotrophic factors and mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes for neurodegenerative diseases, with an emphasis on the combination therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Department of Geriatrics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210011, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211100, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wei-Wei Hu
- Department of Geriatrics, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhi Jiang
- Department of Geriatrics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210011, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Mei-Jiang Feng
- Department of Geriatrics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210011, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory for Aging & Disease, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210011, Jiangsu Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pawlukowska W, Baumert B, Gołąb-Janowska M, Pius-Sadowska E, Litwińska Z, Kotowski M, Meller A, Rotter I, Peregud-Pogorzelski J, Nowacki P. Articulation recovery in ALS patients after lineage-negative adjuvant cell therapy - preliminary report. Int J Med Sci 2020; 17:1927-1935. [PMID: 32788871 PMCID: PMC7415387 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.47002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most frequently occurring neurodegenerative diseases affecting speech and swallowing. This preliminary study aimed to investigate whether an autologous lineage-negative stem/progenitor cell therapy applied to ALS patients affects the level of selected trophic and proinflammatory factors, and subsequently improves the articulation. Methods: We enrolled 12 patients with sporadic ALS, who underwent autologous bone marrow-derived lineage negative (LIN-) cells administration into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We evaluated patients' articulation using the Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment on days 0 and 28 following the LIN- cells administration. Concentrations of various factors (BDNF, NGF, ANGP-2, VEGF, PDGF-AA, PEDF, COMP-FH, CRP, C3, C4) in CSF were quantified by multiplex fluorescent bead-based immunoassays in the samples collected on the day of LIN- cells administration and 28 days later. On top of this, we assessed levels of BDNF and NGF in the patients' plasma on the day of the injection, three, seven days and three months after the treatment. Results: Of the 12 patients who received the LIN- cell therapy 8 showed short-termed improvement in articulatory functions (group I), which was particularly noticeable in better phonation time, lips and soft palate performance, swallowing reflex and voice loudness. Four patients (group II) did not show substantial improvement. CSF concentrations of BDNF, ANGP-2 and PDGF-AA in group I decreased significantly 28 days after LIN- cells administration. The highest concentration levels of BDNF in group II and NGF in both groups in blood plasma were observed on day 3 following the injection. Conclusions: The outcomes of the LIN- cell application in ALS treatment of articulatory organs are promising. The procedure proved to be safe and feasible. A short-lasting trophic effect of autologous LIN- administration could encourage repeated cell's application in order to sustain their beneficial effects, however this approach needs further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wioletta Pawlukowska
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation and Clinical Physiotherapy, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Bartłomiej Baumert
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | | | - Ewa Pius-Sadowska
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Zofia Litwińska
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Maciej Kotowski
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Meller
- Department of Neurology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Iwona Rotter
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation and Clinical Physiotherapy, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | | | - Przemysław Nowacki
- Department of Neurology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Neuralized mesenchymal stem cells (NMSC) exhibit phenotypical, and biological evidence of neuronal transdifferentiation and suppress EAE more effectively than unmodified MSC. Immunol Lett 2019; 212:6-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
11
|
Yanagi KS, Wu Z, Amaya J, Chapkis N, Duffy AM, Hajdarovic KH, Held A, Mathur AD, Russo K, Ryan VH, Steinert BL, Whitt JP, Fallon JR, Fawzi NL, Lipscombe D, Reenan RA, Wharton KA, Hart AC. Meta-analysis of Genetic Modifiers Reveals Candidate Dysregulated Pathways in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neuroscience 2019; 396:A3-A20. [PMID: 30594291 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that has significant overlap with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Mutations in specific genes have been identified that can cause and/or predispose patients to ALS. However, the clinical variability seen in ALS patients suggests that additional genes impact pathology, susceptibility, severity, and/or progression of the disease. To identify molecular pathways involved in ALS, we undertook a meta-analysis of published genetic modifiers both in patients and in model organisms, and undertook bioinformatic pathway analysis. From 72 published studies, we generated a list of 946 genes whose perturbation (1) impacted ALS in patient populations, (2) altered defects in laboratory models, or (3) modified defects caused by ALS gene ortholog loss of function. Herein, these are all called modifier genes. We found 727 modifier genes that encode proteins with human orthologs. Of these, 43 modifier genes were identified as modifiers of more than one ALS gene/model, consistent with the hypothesis that shared genes and pathways may underlie ALS. Further, we used a gene ontology-based bioinformatic analysis to identify pathways and associated genes that may be important in ALS. To our knowledge this is the first comprehensive survey of ALS modifier genes. This work suggests that shared molecular mechanisms may underlie pathology caused by different ALS disease genes. Surprisingly, few ALS modifier genes have been tested in more than one disease model. Understanding genes that modify ALS-associated defects will help to elucidate the molecular pathways that underlie ALS and provide additional targets for therapeutic intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S Yanagi
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Zhijin Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Joshua Amaya
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Natalie Chapkis
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Amanda M Duffy
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Kaitlyn H Hajdarovic
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Aaron Held
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Arjun D Mathur
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Kathryn Russo
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Veronica H Ryan
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Beatrice L Steinert
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Department, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Joshua P Whitt
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Justin R Fallon
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Nicolas L Fawzi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Diane Lipscombe
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Robert A Reenan
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Department, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Kristi A Wharton
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Department, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| | - Anne C Hart
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Tosolini AP, Sleigh JN. Motor Neuron Gene Therapy: Lessons from Spinal Muscular Atrophy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:405. [PMID: 29270111 PMCID: PMC5725447 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are severe nervous system diseases characterized by the degeneration of lower motor neurons. They share a number of additional pathological, cellular, and genetic parallels suggesting that mechanistic and clinical insights into one disorder may have value for the other. While there are currently no clinical ALS gene therapies, the splice-switching antisense oligonucleotide, nusinersen, was recently approved for SMA. This milestone was achieved through extensive pre-clinical research and patient trials, which together have spawned fundamental insights into motor neuron gene therapy. We have thus tried to distil key information garnered from SMA research, in the hope that it may stimulate a more directed approach to ALS gene therapy. Not only must the type of therapeutic (e.g., antisense oligonucleotide vs. viral vector) be sensibly selected, but considerable thought must be applied to the where, which, what, and when in order to enhance treatment benefit: to where (cell types and tissues) must the drug be delivered and how can this be best achieved? Which perturbed pathways must be corrected and can they be concurrently targeted? What dosing regime and concentration should be used? When should medication be administered? These questions are intuitive, but central to identifying and optimizing a successful gene therapy. Providing definitive solutions to these quandaries will be difficult, but clear thinking about therapeutic testing is necessary if we are to have the best chance of developing viable ALS gene therapies and improving upon early generation SMA treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Tosolini
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James N Sleigh
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Zhou T, Ahmad TK, Gozda K, Truong J, Kong J, Namaka M. Implications of white matter damage in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Review). Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:4379-4392. [PMID: 28791401 PMCID: PMC5646997 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, which involves the progressive degeneration of motor neurons. ALS has long been considered a disease of the grey matter; however, pathological alterations of the white matter (WM), including axonal loss, axonal demyelination and oligodendrocyte death, have been reported in patients with ALS. The present review examined motor neuron death as the primary cause of ALS and evaluated the associated WM damage that is guided by neuronal‑glial interactions. Previous studies have suggested that WM damage may occur prior to the death of motor neurons, and thus may be considered an early indicator for the diagnosis and prognosis of ALS. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying early‑onset WM damage in ALS have yet to be elucidated. The present review explored the detailed anatomy of WM and identified several pathological mechanisms that may be implicated in WM damage in ALS. In addition, it associated the pathophysiological alterations of WM, which may contribute to motor neuron death in ALS, with similar mechanisms of WM damage that are involved in multiple sclerosis (MS). Furthermore, the early detection of WM damage in ALS, using neuroimaging techniques, may lead to earlier therapeutic intervention, using immunomodulatory treatment strategies similar to those used in relapsing‑remitting MS, aimed at delaying WM damage in ALS. Early therapeutic approaches may have the potential to delay motor neuron damage and thus prolong the survival of patients with ALS. The therapeutic interventions that are currently available for ALS are only marginally effective. However, early intervention with immunomodulatory drugs may slow the progression of WM damage in the early stages of ALS, thus delaying motor neuron death and increasing the life expectancy of patients with ALS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5, Canada
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Tina Khorshid Ahmad
- College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5, Canada
| | - Kiana Gozda
- College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5, Canada
| | - Jessica Truong
- College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5, Canada
| | - Jiming Kong
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Michael Namaka
- College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5, Canada
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T6, Canada
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 1R9, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Xu L, Tian D, Li J, Chen L, Tang L, Fan D. The Analysis of Two BDNF Polymorphisms G196A/C270T in Chinese Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:135. [PMID: 28539884 PMCID: PMC5423950 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an ethnically heterogeneous motor neuron disease that results from the selective death of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is widely distributed across the central and peripheral nervous systems and plays neurotrophic and other physiological roles in various brain regions. Alterations of neurotrophin availability have been proposed as a pathogenic mechanism underlying ALS neurodegeneration. Several genetic studies have shown a significant association between schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease and certain BDNF polymorphisms, specifically G196A (rs6265) and C270T (rs56164415). However, the relationship between the G196A and C270T polymorphisms and ALS has never been investigated. We hypothesized that sporadic ALS (sALS) and disease susceptibility could arise due to BDNF polymorphisms and investigated the relationship between ALS and the BDNF polymorphisms G196A and C270T in a large Chinese cohort. We demonstrate that the frequency of the CT genotype and of the C270T T allele was significantly higher in the ALS group than in controls, although G196A was not associated with sALS. These data provide the first demonstration that the BDNF C270T polymorphism may be a candidate susceptibility locus for sALS, at least in Han Chinese.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lianping Xu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third HospitalBeijing, China
| | - Danyang Tian
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third HospitalBeijing, China
| | - Jiao Li
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third HospitalBeijing, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third HospitalBeijing, China
| | - Lu Tang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third HospitalBeijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third HospitalBeijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Rao MV, Campbell J, Palaniappan A, Kumar A, Nixon RA. Calpastatin inhibits motor neuron death and increases survival of hSOD1(G93A) mice. J Neurochem 2016; 137:253-65. [PMID: 26756888 PMCID: PMC4828294 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive motor neuron disease with a poorly understood cause and no effective treatment. Given that calpains mediate neurodegeneration in other pathological states and are abnormally activated in ALS, we investigated the possible ameliorative effects of inhibiting calpain over-activation in hSOD1(G93A) transgenic (Tg) mice in vivo by neuron-specific over-expression of calpastatin (CAST), the highly selective endogenous inhibitor of calpains. Our data indicate that over-expression of CAST in hSOD1(G93A) mice, which lowered calpain activation to levels comparable to wild-type mice, inhibited the abnormal breakdown of cytoskeletal proteins (spectrin, MAP2 and neurofilaments), and ameliorated motor axon loss. Disease onset in hSOD1(G93A) /CAST mice compared to littermate hSOD1(G93A) mice is delayed, which accounts for their longer time of survival. We also find that neuronal over-expression of CAST in hSOD1(G93A) transgenic mice inhibited production of putative neurotoxic caspase-cleaved tau and activation of Cdk5, which have been implicated in neurodegeneration in ALS models, and also reduced the formation of SOD1 oligomers. Our data indicate that inhibition of calpain with CAST is neuroprotective in an ALS mouse model. CAST (encoding calpastatin) inhibits hyperactivated calpain to prevent motor neuron disease operating through a cascade of events as indicated in the schematic, with relevance to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We propose that over-expression of CAST in motor neurons of hSOD1(G93A) mice inhibits activation of CDK5, breakdown of cytoskeletal proteins (NFs, MAP2 and Tau) and regulatory molecules (Cam Kinase IV, Calcineurin A), and disease-causing proteins (TDP-43, α-Synuclein and Huntingtin) to prevent neuronal loss and delay neurological deficits. In our experiments, CAST could also inhibit cleavage of Bid, Bax, AIF to prevent mitochondrial, ER and lysosome-mediated cell death mechanisms. Similarly, CAST over-expression in neurons attenuated pathological effects of TDP-43, α-synuclein and Huntingtin. These results suggest a potential value of specific small molecule inhibitors of calpains in delaying the development of ALS. Read the Editorial Highlight for this article on page 140.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mala V Rao
- Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY
10962
- Department of Psychiatry, Langone Medical Center, NYU School of
Medicine, New York, NY 10016
| | - Jabbar Campbell
- Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY
10962
| | - Arti Palaniappan
- Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY
10962
| | - Asok Kumar
- Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY
10962
- Department of Pathology, Langone Medical Center, NYU School of
Medicine, New York, NY 10016
| | - Ralph A Nixon
- Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY
10962
- Department of Psychiatry, Langone Medical Center, NYU School of
Medicine, New York, NY 10016
- Department of Cell Biology, Langone Medical Center, NYU School of
Medicine, New York, NY 10016
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Moura MC, Novaes MRCG, Zago YSSP, Eduardo EJ, Casulari LA. Efficacy of Stem Cell Therapy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med Res 2016; 8:317-24. [PMID: 26985252 PMCID: PMC4780495 DOI: 10.14740/jocmr2495w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Published studies seeking to improve survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have poor results in humans, although there are several studies in animal models with positive results. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that were published between March 2009 and March 2015 on stem cell therapy and survival in animal models and patients with ALS. A total of 714 articles were identified, and from these, we selected preclinical in vivo studies and retrospective clinical studies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS A meta-analysis confirmed the efficacy of stem cell therapy in improving survival in preclinical trials, where a mean difference of 9.79 days (95% confidence interval: 4.45 - 15.14) in lifespan favored stem cell therapy. In contrast, the number of clinical studies is still insufficient to assess their effectiveness, and these studies only demonstrate the absence of serious adverse events. However, even this conclusion should be interpreted with caution because clinical studies are retrospective and heterogeneous and have an unsatisfactory quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirian Conceicao Moura
- Hospital Regional da Asa Norte, State Secretariat of Health of the Federal District, DF, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Haston KM, Finkbeiner S. Clinical Trials in a Dish: The Potential of Pluripotent Stem Cells to Develop Therapies for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2015; 56:489-510. [PMID: 26514199 PMCID: PMC4868344 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010715-103548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are a leading cause of death. No disease-modifying therapies are available, and preclinical animal model data have routinely failed to translate into success for therapeutics. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) biology holds great promise for human in vitro disease modeling because these cells can give rise to any cell in the human brain and display phenotypes specific to neurodegenerative diseases previously identified in postmortem and clinical samples. Here, we explore the potential and caveats of iPSC technology as a platform for drug development and screening, and the future potential to use large cohorts of disease-bearing iPSCs to perform clinical trials in a dish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Haston
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California 94158;
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California 94158;
- Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and the Hellman Family Foundation Program in Alzheimer's Disease Research, San Francisco, California 94158
- Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Glat MJ, Benninger F, Barhum Y, Ben-Zur T, Kogan E, Steiner I, Yaffe D, Offen D. Ectopic Muscle Expression of Neurotrophic Factors Improves Recovery After Nerve Injury. J Mol Neurosci 2015; 58:39-45. [PMID: 26385386 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-015-0648-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Sciatic nerve damage is a common medical problem. The main causes include direct trauma, prolonged external nerve compression, and pressure from disk herniation. Possible complications include leg numbness and the loss of motor control. In mild cases, conservative treatment is feasible. However, following severe injury, recovery may not be possible. Neuronal regeneration, survival, and maintenance can be achieved by neurotrophic factors (NTFs). In this study, we examined the potency of combining brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on the recovery of motor neuron function after crush injury of the sciatic nerve. We show that combined NTF application increases the survival of motor neurons exposed to a hypoxic environment. The ectopic expression of NTFs in the injured muscle improves the recovery of the sciatic nerve after crush injury. A significantly faster recovery of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude and conduction velocity is observed after muscle injections of viral vectors expressing a mixture of the four NTF genes. Our findings suggest a rationale for using genetic treatment with a combination of NTF-expressing vectors, as a potential therapeutic approach for severe peripheral nerve injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Micaela Johanna Glat
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Felix Benninger
- Department of Neurology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Yael Barhum
- Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Tali Ben-Zur
- Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Elena Kogan
- Department of Neurology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Israel Steiner
- Department of Neurology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - David Yaffe
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Daniel Offen
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. .,Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. .,The Neuroscience Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, 49100, Petah Tikva, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Vaughan SK, Kemp Z, Hatzipetros T, Vieira F, Valdez G. Degeneration of proprioceptive sensory nerve endings in mice harboring amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-causing mutations. J Comp Neurol 2015; 523:2477-94. [PMID: 26136049 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2015] [Revised: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that primarily targets the motor system. Although much is known about the effects of ALS on motor neurons and glial cells, little is known about its effect on proprioceptive sensory neurons. This study examines proprioceptive sensory neurons in mice harboring mutations associated with ALS, in SOD1(G93A) and TDP43(A315T) transgenic mice. In both transgenic lines, we found fewer proprioceptive sensory neurons containing fluorescently tagged cholera toxin in their soma five days after injecting this retrograde tracer into the tibialis anterior muscle. We asked whether this is due to neuronal loss or selective degeneration of peripheral nerve endings. We found no difference in the total number and size of proprioceptive sensory neuron soma between symptomatic SOD1(G93A) and control mice. However, analysis of proprioceptive nerve endings in muscles revealed early and significant alterations at Ia/II proprioceptive nerve endings in muscle spindles before the symptomatic phase of the disease. Although these changes occur alongside those at α-motor axons in SOD1(G93A) mice, Ia/II sensory nerve endings degenerate in the absence of obvious alterations in α-motor axons in TDP43(A315T) transgenic mice. We next asked whether proprioceptive nerve endings are similarly affected in the spinal cord and found that nerve endings terminating on α-motor neurons are affected during the symptomatic phase and after peripheral nerve endings begin to degenerate. Overall, we show that Ia/II proprioceptive sensory neurons are affected by ALS-causing mutations, with pathological changes starting at their peripheral nerve endings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sydney K Vaughan
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia, USA.,Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Zachary Kemp
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Theo Hatzipetros
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA
| | - Fernando Vieira
- ALS Therapy Development Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA
| | - Gregorio Valdez
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061
| |
Collapse
|