1
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Mori S, Zhou H, Omura T, Tsumoto H, Miura Y, Shigemoto K. Muscle-specific kinase levels in blood are an early diagnostic biomarker for SOD1-93A mouse model of ALS. Front Neurol 2025; 16:1556120. [PMID: 40356623 PMCID: PMC12066615 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1556120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2025] [Accepted: 04/11/2025] [Indexed: 05/15/2025] Open
Abstract
Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) denervation is an early event preceding motor neuron loss in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Progressive loss of the NMJ leads to irreversible muscle weakness and atrophy. Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), locally expressed at the postsynaptic membrane of the NMJ, is activated by agrin released from motor nerve terminals and is essential for NMJ maintenance and regeneration. Here, we found that the progression of NMJ denervation prior to the onset of muscle weakness in SOD1-93A mouse model of ALS correlated with increased serum MuSK immunoreactivity and elevated MuSK expression throughout the skeletal muscle. Our results suggest that neuromuscular failure associated with the onset of muscle weakness increases MuSK expression throughout the muscle, which is subsequently cleaved by proteolytic enzymes to increase MuSK immunoreactivity in the blood. These results demonstrate that the level of serum MuSK immunoreactivity may indicate the early phase of NMJ denervation and serve as a biomarker for assessing the progression of other types of ALS and therapeutic benefits in preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuuichi Mori
- Research Team for Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Heying Zhou
- Research Team for Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuya Omura
- Research Team for Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Tsumoto
- Research Team for Mechanism of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuri Miura
- Research Team for Mechanism of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Shigemoto
- Research Team for Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
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2
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Ruggieri V, Scaricamazza S, Bracaglia A, D'Ercole C, Parisi C, D'Angelo P, Proietti D, Cappelletti C, Macone A, Lozanoska-Ochser B, Bouchè M, Latella L, Valle C, Ferri A, Giordani L, Madaro L. Polyamine metabolism dysregulation contributes to muscle fiber vulnerability in ALS. Cell Rep 2025; 44:115123. [PMID: 39932195 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2024] [Revised: 11/11/2024] [Accepted: 12/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2025] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease causing progressive paralysis due to motor neuron degeneration with no curative therapy despite extensive biomedical research. One of the primary targets of ALS is skeletal muscle, which undergoes profound functional changes as the disease progresses. To better understand how altered innervation interferes with muscle homeostasis during disease progression, we generated a spatial transcriptomics dataset of skeletal muscle in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS. Using this strategy, we identified polyamine metabolism as one of the main altered pathways in affected muscle fibers. By establishing a correlation between the vulnerability of muscle fibers and the dysregulation of this metabolic pathway, we show that disrupting polyamine homeostasis causes impairments similar to those seen in ALS muscle. Finally, we show that restoration of polyamine homeostasis rescues the muscle phenotype in SOD1G93A mice, opening new perspectives for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Ruggieri
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Sciences and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; Laboratory affiliated with Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Scaricamazza
- Laboratories of Neurochemistry and of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, IRCCS, Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Rome, Italy; National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Bracaglia
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Sciences and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; Laboratory affiliated with Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara D'Ercole
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Sciences and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; Sorbonne Université, INSERM UMRS 974, Association Institut de Myologie, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Cristina Parisi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Sciences and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; Laboratory affiliated with Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo D'Angelo
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Sciences and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; Laboratory affiliated with Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Daisy Proietti
- Cell Therapy for Myopathies Unit, Division of Neurosciences, San Raffaele Hospital, 20132 Milano, Italy
| | - Chiara Cappelletti
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Macone
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Marina Bouchè
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Sciences and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Latella
- National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Cristiana Valle
- Laboratories of Neurochemistry and of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, IRCCS, Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Rome, Italy; National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Ferri
- Laboratories of Neurochemistry and of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, IRCCS, Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Rome, Italy; National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Giordani
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM UMRS 974, Association Institut de Myologie, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, 75013 Paris, France.
| | - Luca Madaro
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Sciences and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; Laboratory affiliated with Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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3
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Moss KR, Saxena S. Schwann Cells in Neuromuscular Disorders: A Spotlight on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2025; 14:47. [PMID: 39791748 PMCID: PMC11719703 DOI: 10.3390/cells14010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2024] [Revised: 12/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/01/2025] [Indexed: 01/12/2025] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease primarily affecting motor neurons, leading to progressive muscle atrophy and paralysis. This review explores the role of Schwann cells in ALS pathogenesis, highlighting their influence on disease progression through mechanisms involving demyelination, neuroinflammation, and impaired synaptic function. While Schwann cells have been traditionally viewed as peripheral supportive cells, especially in motor neuron disease, recent evidence indicates that they play a significant role in ALS by impacting motor neuron survival and plasticity, influencing inflammatory responses, and altering myelination processes. Furthermore, advancements in understanding Schwann cell pathology in ALS combined with lessons learned from studying Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Type 1 (CMT1) suggest potential therapeutic strategies targeting these cells may support nerve repair and slow disease progression. Overall, this review aims to provide comprehensive insights into Schwann cell classification, physiology, and function, underscoring the critical pathological contributions of Schwann cells in ALS and suggests new avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions aimed at modulating Schwann cell function in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R. Moss
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- NextGen Precision Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Smita Saxena
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- NextGen Precision Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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4
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Oury J, Gamallo-Lana B, Santana L, Steyaert C, Vergoossen DLE, Mar AC, Vankerckhoven B, Silence K, Vanhauwaert R, Huijbers MG, Burden SJ. Agonist antibody to MuSK protects mice from MuSK myasthenia gravis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2408324121. [PMID: 39288173 PMCID: PMC11441477 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408324121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic and severe disease of the skeletal neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in which the effects of neurotransmitters are attenuated, leading to muscle weakness. In the most common forms of autoimmune MG, antibodies attack components of the postsynaptic membrane, including the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) or muscle-specific kinase (MuSK). MuSK, a master regulator of NMJ development, associates with the low-density lipoprotein-related receptor 4 (Lrp4) to form the signaling receptor for neuronal Agrin, a nerve-derived synaptic organizer. Pathogenic antibodies to MuSK interfere with binding between MuSK and Lrp4, inhibiting the differentiation and maintenance of the NMJ. MuSK MG can be debilitating and refractory to treatments that are effective for AChR MG. We show here that recombinant antibodies, derived from MuSK MG patients, cause severe neuromuscular disease in mice. The disease can be prevented by a MuSK agonist antibody, presented either prophylactically or after disease onset. These findings suggest a therapeutic alternative to generalized immunosuppression for treating MuSK MG by selectively and directly targeting the disease mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Oury
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Medical School, New York, NY10016
| | - Begona Gamallo-Lana
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY10016
| | - Leah Santana
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Medical School, New York, NY10016
| | | | - Dana L. E. Vergoossen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden2300 RC, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Adam C. Mar
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY10016
| | | | | | | | - Maartje G. Huijbers
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden2300 RC, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Steven J. Burden
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Medical School, New York, NY10016
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5
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Chen HH, Yeo HT, Huang YH, Tsai LK, Lai HJ, Tsao YP, Chen SL. AAV-NRIP gene therapy ameliorates motor neuron degeneration and muscle atrophy in ALS model mice. Skelet Muscle 2024; 14:17. [PMID: 39044305 PMCID: PMC11267858 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-024-00349-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by progressive motor neuron (MN) degeneration, leading to neuromuscular junction (NMJ) dismantling and severe muscle atrophy. The nuclear receptor interaction protein (NRIP) functions as a multifunctional protein. It directly interacts with calmodulin or α-actinin 2, serving as a calcium sensor for muscle contraction and maintaining sarcomere integrity. Additionally, NRIP binds with the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) for NMJ stabilization. Loss of NRIP in muscles results in progressive motor neuron degeneration with abnormal NMJ architecture, resembling ALS phenotypes. Therefore, we hypothesize that NRIP could be a therapeutic factor for ALS. METHODS We used SOD1 G93A mice, expressing human SOD1 with the ALS-linked G93A mutation, as an ALS model. An adeno-associated virus vector encoding the human NRIP gene (AAV-NRIP) was generated and injected into the muscles of SOD1 G93A mice at 60 days of age, before disease onset. Pathological and behavioral changes were measured to evaluate the therapeutic effects of AAV-NRIP on the disease progression of SOD1 G93A mice. RESULTS SOD1 G93A mice exhibited lower NRIP expression than wild-type mice in both the spinal cord and skeletal muscle tissues. Forced NRIP expression through AAV-NRIP intramuscular injection was observed in skeletal muscles and retrogradely transduced into the spinal cord. AAV-NRIP gene therapy enhanced movement distance and rearing frequencies in SOD1 G93A mice. Moreover, AAV-NRIP increased myofiber size and slow myosin expression, ameliorated NMJ degeneration and axon terminal denervation at NMJ, and increased the number of α-motor neurons (α-MNs) and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) in SOD1 G93A mice. CONCLUSIONS AAV-NRIP gene therapy ameliorates muscle atrophy, motor neuron degeneration, and axon terminal denervation at NMJ, leading to increased NMJ transmission and improved motor functions in SOD1 G93A mice. Collectively, AAV-NRIP could be a potential therapeutic drug for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Hsiung Chen
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Tung Yeo
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Hsin Huang
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Li-Kai Tsai
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Jung Lai
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Yeou-Ping Tsao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, 104, Taiwan
| | - Show-Li Chen
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
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6
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Sun S, Shen Y, Zhang X, Ding N, Xu Z, Zhang Q, Li L. The MuSK agonist antibody protects the neuromuscular junction and extends the lifespan in C9orf72-ALS mice. Mol Ther 2024; 32:2176-2189. [PMID: 38734896 PMCID: PMC11286808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The disassembly of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is an early event in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), ultimately leading to motor dysfunction and lethal respiratory paralysis. The hexanucleotide GGGGCC repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene is the most common genetic mutation, and the dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins have been shown to cause neurodegeneration. While no drugs can treat ALS patients efficiently, new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Here, we report that a MuSK agonist antibody alleviates poly-PR-induced NMJ deficits in C9orf72-ALS mice. The HB9-PRF/F mice, which express poly-PR proteins in motor neurons, exhibited impaired motor behavior and NMJ deficits. Mechanistically, poly-PR proteins interacted with Agrin to disrupt the interaction between Agrin and Lrp4, leading to attenuated activation of MuSK. Treatment with a MuSK agonist antibody rescued NMJ deficits, and extended the lifespan of C9orf72-ALS mice. Moreover, impaired NMJ transmission was observed in C9orf72-ALS patients. These findings identify the mechanism by which poly-PR proteins attenuate MuSK activation and NMJ transmission, highlighting the potential of promoting MuSK activation with an agonist antibody as a therapeutic strategy to protect NMJ function and prolong the lifespan of ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangshuang Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yihui Shen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Ning Ding
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhe Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qijie Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Institute of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, China.
| | - Lei Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
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7
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Herbst R, Huijbers MG, Oury J, Burden SJ. Building, Breaking, and Repairing Neuromuscular Synapses. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041490. [PMID: 38697654 PMCID: PMC11065174 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
A coordinated and complex interplay of signals between motor neurons, skeletal muscle cells, and Schwann cells controls the formation and maintenance of neuromuscular synapses. Deficits in the signaling pathway for building synapses, caused by mutations in critical genes or autoantibodies against key proteins, are responsible for several neuromuscular diseases, which cause muscle weakness and fatigue. Here, we describe the role that four key genes, Agrin, Lrp4, MuSK, and Dok7, play in this signaling pathway, how an understanding of their mechanisms of action has led to an understanding of several neuromuscular diseases, and how this knowledge has contributed to emerging therapies for treating neuromuscular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Herbst
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maartje G Huijbers
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre LUMC, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre LUMC, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Julien Oury
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Steven J Burden
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA
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8
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López-Erauskin J, Bravo-Hernandez M, Presa M, Baughn MW, Melamed Z, Beccari MS, Agra de Almeida Quadros AR, Arnold-Garcia O, Zuberi A, Ling K, Platoshyn O, Niño-Jara E, Ndayambaje IS, McAlonis-Downes M, Cabrera L, Artates JW, Ryan J, Hermann A, Ravits J, Bennett CF, Jafar-Nejad P, Rigo F, Marsala M, Lutz CM, Cleveland DW, Lagier-Tourenne C. Stathmin-2 loss leads to neurofilament-dependent axonal collapse driving motor and sensory denervation. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:34-47. [PMID: 37996528 PMCID: PMC10842032 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01496-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The mRNA transcript of the human STMN2 gene, encoding for stathmin-2 protein (also called SCG10), is profoundly impacted by TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) loss of function. The latter is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Using a combination of approaches, including transient antisense oligonucleotide-mediated suppression, sustained shRNA-induced depletion in aging mice, and germline deletion, we show that stathmin-2 has an important role in the establishment and maintenance of neurofilament-dependent axoplasmic organization that is critical for preserving the caliber and conduction velocity of myelinated large-diameter axons. Persistent stathmin-2 loss in adult mice results in pathologies found in ALS, including reduced interneurofilament spacing, axonal caliber collapse that drives tearing within outer myelin layers, diminished conduction velocity, progressive motor and sensory deficits, and muscle denervation. These findings reinforce restoration of stathmin-2 as an attractive therapeutic approach for ALS and other TDP-43-dependent neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jone López-Erauskin
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mariana Bravo-Hernandez
- Department of Anesthesiology and Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael W Baughn
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ze'ev Melamed
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Melinda S Beccari
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ana Rita Agra de Almeida Quadros
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Olatz Arnold-Garcia
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Karen Ling
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Oleksandr Platoshyn
- Department of Anesthesiology and Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Elkin Niño-Jara
- Department of Anesthesiology and Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - I Sandra Ndayambaje
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Melissa McAlonis-Downes
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Larissa Cabrera
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan W Artates
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Anita Hermann
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - John Ravits
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Martin Marsala
- Department of Anesthesiology and Stem Cell Program and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Don W Cleveland
- Ludwig Institute and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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9
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Qaisar R. Targeting neuromuscular junction to treat neuromuscular disorders. Life Sci 2023; 333:122186. [PMID: 37858716 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
The integrity and preservation of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the interface between the motor neuron and skeletal muscle, is critical for maintaining a healthy skeletal muscle. The structural and/or functional defects in the three cellular components of NMJ, namely the pre-synaptic terminal, synaptic cleft, and post-synaptic region, negatively affect skeletal muscle mass and/or strength. Therefore, NMJ repair appears to be an appropriate therapy for muscle disorders. Mouse models provide a detailed molecular characterization of various cellular components of NMJ with relevance to human diseases. This review discusses different molecular targets on the three cellular components of NMJ for treating muscle diseases. The potential effects of these therapies on NMJ morphology and motor performance, their therapeutic efficacy, and clinical relevance are discussed. Collectively, the available data supports targeting NMJ alone or as an adjunct therapy in treating muscle disorders. However, the potential impact of such interventions on human patients with muscle disorders requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rizwan Qaisar
- Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Space Medicine Research Group, Sharjah Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates; Cardiovascular Research Group, Sharjah Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates.
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10
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Shefner JM, Musaro A, Ngo ST, Lunetta C, Steyn FJ, Robitaille R, De Carvalho M, Rutkove S, Ludolph AC, Dupuis L. Skeletal muscle in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2023; 146:4425-4436. [PMID: 37327376 PMCID: PMC10629757 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the major adult-onset motor neuron disease, has been viewed almost exclusively as a disease of upper and lower motor neurons, with muscle changes interpreted as a consequence of the progressive loss of motor neurons and neuromuscular junctions. This has led to the prevailing view that the involvement of muscle in ALS is only secondary to motor neuron loss. Skeletal muscle and motor neurons reciprocally influence their respective development and constitute a single functional unit. In ALS, multiple studies indicate that skeletal muscle dysfunction might contribute to progressive muscle weakness, as well as to the final demise of neuromuscular junctions and motor neurons. Furthermore, skeletal muscle has been shown to participate in disease pathogenesis of several monogenic diseases closely related to ALS. Here, we move the narrative towards a better appreciation of muscle as a contributor of disease in ALS. We review the various potential roles of skeletal muscle cells in ALS, from passive bystanders to active players in ALS pathophysiology. We also compare ALS to other motor neuron diseases and draw perspectives for future research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Shefner
- Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- College of Medicine, Creighton University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Antonio Musaro
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia—Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Scuola Superiore di Studi Avanzati Sapienza (SSAS), Rome, Italy
| | - Shyuan T Ngo
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Christian Lunetta
- Neurorehabilitation Department, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Frederik J Steyn
- Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Département de neurosciences, CIRCA, Université de Montréal, Montréal H7G 1T7, Canada
| | - Mamede De Carvalho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Seward Rutkove
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Albert C Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, UMR-S1118, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, CRBS, Strasbourg, France
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11
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Ramakrishna K, Nalla LV, Naresh D, Venkateswarlu K, Viswanadh MK, Nalluri BN, Chakravarthy G, Duguluri S, Singh P, Rai SN, Kumar A, Singh V, Singh SK. WNT-β Catenin Signaling as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Status and Future Perspective. Diseases 2023; 11:89. [PMID: 37489441 PMCID: PMC10366863 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11030089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin (WβC) signaling pathway is an important signaling pathway for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis from the embryonic developmental stages to adulthood. The canonical pathway of WβC signaling is essential for neurogenesis, cell proliferation, and neurogenesis, whereas the noncanonical pathway (WNT/Ca2+ and WNT/PCP) is responsible for cell polarity, calcium maintenance, and cell migration. Abnormal regulation of WβC signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Hence, the alteration of WβC signaling is considered a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. In the present review, we have used the bibliographical information from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus to address the current prospects of WβC signaling role in the abovementioned neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kakarla Ramakrishna
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Lakshmi Vineela Nalla
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Dumala Naresh
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Kojja Venkateswarlu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, IIT BHU, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Matte Kasi Viswanadh
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Buchi N Nalluri
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Guntupalli Chakravarthy
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Sajusha Duguluri
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharathi Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600073, India
| | - Payal Singh
- Department of Zoology, Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Sachchida Nand Rai
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Ashish Kumar
- ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Veer Singh
- ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Singh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
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12
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Lim JL, Augustinus R, Plomp JJ, Roya-Kouchaki K, Vergoossen DLE, Fillié-Grijpma Y, Struijk J, Thomas R, Salvatori D, Steyaert C, Blanchetot C, Vanhauwaert R, Silence K, van der Maarel SM, Verschuuren JJ, Huijbers MG. Development and characterization of agonistic antibodies targeting the Ig-like 1 domain of MuSK. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7478. [PMID: 37156800 PMCID: PMC10167245 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32641-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) is crucial for acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering and thereby neuromuscular junction (NMJ) function. NMJ dysfunction is a hallmark of several neuromuscular diseases, including MuSK myasthenia gravis. Aiming to restore NMJ function, we generated several agonist monoclonal antibodies targeting the MuSK Ig-like 1 domain. These activated MuSK and induced AChR clustering in cultured myotubes. The most potent agonists partially rescued myasthenic effects of MuSK myasthenia gravis patient IgG autoantibodies in vitro. In an IgG4 passive transfer MuSK myasthenia model in NOD/SCID mice, MuSK agonists caused accelerated weight loss and no rescue of myasthenic features. The MuSK Ig-like 1 domain agonists unexpectedly caused sudden death in a large proportion of male C57BL/6 mice (but not female or NOD/SCID mice), likely caused by a urologic syndrome. In conclusion, these agonists rescued pathogenic effects in myasthenia models in vitro, but not in vivo. The sudden death in male mice of one of the tested mouse strains revealed an unexpected and unexplained role for MuSK outside skeletal muscle, thereby hampering further (pre-) clinical development of these clones. Future research should investigate whether other Ig-like 1 domain MuSK antibodies, binding different epitopes, do hold a safe therapeutic promise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Lim
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Roy Augustinus
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap J Plomp
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kasra Roya-Kouchaki
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dana L E Vergoossen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yvonne Fillié-Grijpma
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Josephine Struijk
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rachel Thomas
- Department PDC-Pathologie, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Daniela Salvatori
- Veterinary Faculty, Department Clinical Sciences, Universiteit Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | - Silvère M van der Maarel
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan J Verschuuren
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Maartje G Huijbers
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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13
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Prömer J, Barresi C, Herbst R. From phosphorylation to phenotype - Recent key findings on kinase regulation, downstream signaling and disease surrounding the receptor tyrosine kinase MuSK. Cell Signal 2023; 104:110584. [PMID: 36608736 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) is the key regulator of neuromuscular junction development. MuSK acts via several distinct pathways and is responsible for pre- and postsynaptic differentiation. MuSK is unique among receptor tyrosine kinases as activation and signaling are particularly tightly regulated. Initiation of kinase activity requires Agrin, a heparan sulphate proteoglycan derived from motor neurons, the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-4 (Lrp4) and the intracellular adaptor protein Dok-7. There is a great knowledge gap between MuSK activation and downstream signaling. Recent studies using omics techniques have addressed this knowledge gap, thereby greatly contributing to a better understanding of MuSK signaling. Impaired MuSK signaling causes severe muscle weakness as described in congenital myasthenic syndromes or myasthenia gravis but the underlying pathophysiology is often unclear. This review focuses on recent advances in deciphering MuSK activation and downstream signaling. We further highlight latest break-throughs in understanding and treatment of MuSK-related disorders and discuss the role of MuSK in non-muscle tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Prömer
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Cinzia Barresi
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ruth Herbst
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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14
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Tu WY, Xu W, Zhang J, Qi S, Bai L, Shen C, Zhang K. C9orf72 poly-GA proteins impair neuromuscular transmission. Zool Res 2023; 44:331-340. [PMID: 36799225 PMCID: PMC10083233 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motoneuron disease, in which lower motoneurons lose control of skeletal muscles. Degeneration of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) occurs at the initial stage of ALS. Dipeptide repeat proteins (DPRs) from G4C2 repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) translation are known to cause C9orf72-associated ALS (C9-ALS). However, DPR inclusion burdens are weakly correlated with neurodegenerative areas in C9-ALS patients, indicating that DPRs may exert cell non-autonomous effects, in addition to the known intracellular pathological mechanisms. Here, we report that poly-GA, the most abundant form of DPR in C9-ALS, is released from cells. Local administration of poly-GA proteins in peripheral synaptic regions causes muscle weakness and impaired neuromuscular transmission in vivo. The NMJ structure cannot be maintained, as evidenced by the fragmentation of postsynaptic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clusters and distortion of presynaptic nerve terminals. Mechanistic study demonstrated that extracellular poly-GA sequesters soluble Agrin ligands and inhibits Agrin-MuSK signaling. Our findings provide a novel cell non-autonomous mechanism by which poly-GA impairs NMJs in C9-ALS. Thus, targeting NMJs could be an early therapeutic intervention for C9-ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yo Tu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Department of Neurobiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
| | - Wentao Xu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Department of Neurobiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
| | - Jianmin Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Department of Neurobiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
| | - Shuyuan Qi
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Department of Neurobiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
| | - Lei Bai
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Department of Neurobiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
| | - Chengyong Shen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Department of Neurobiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
- MOE Frontier Science, Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China. E-mail:
| | - Kejing Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Department of Neurobiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China. E-mail:
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15
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DOK7 Promotes NMJ Regeneration After Nerve Injury. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:1453-1464. [PMID: 36464749 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03143-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Motor function recovery from injury requires the regeneration of not only muscle fibers, but also the neuromuscular junction-the synapse between motor nerve terminals and muscle fibers. However, unlike muscle regeneration which has been extensively studied, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of NMJ regeneration. Recognizing the critical role of agrin-LRP4-MuSK signaling in NMJ formation and maintenance, we investigated whether increasing MuSK activity promotes NMJ regeneration. To this end, we evaluated the effect of DOK7, a protein that stimulates MuSK, on NMJ regeneration. Reinnervation, AChR cluster density, and endplate area were improved, and fragmentation was reduced in the AAV9-DOK7-GFP-injected muscles compared with muscles injected with AAV9-GFP. These results demonstrated expedited NMJ regeneration associated with increased DOK7 expression and support the hypothesis that increasing agrin signaling benefits motor function recovery after injury. Our findings propose a potentially new therapeutic strategy for functional recovery after muscle and nerve injury, i.e., promoting NMJ regeneration by increasing agrin signaling.
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16
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Cao R, Chen P, Wang H, Jing H, Zhang H, Xing G, Luo B, Pan J, Yu Z, Xiong WC, Mei L. Intrafusal-fiber LRP4 for muscle spindle formation and maintenance in adult and aged animals. Nat Commun 2023; 14:744. [PMID: 36765071 PMCID: PMC9918736 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36454-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Proprioception is sensed by muscle spindles for precise locomotion and body posture. Unlike the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) for muscle contraction which has been well studied, mechanisms of spindle formation are not well understood. Here we show that sensory nerve terminals are disrupted by the mutation of Lrp4, a gene required for NMJ formation; inducible knockout of Lrp4 in adult mice impairs sensory synapses and movement coordination, suggesting that LRP4 is required for spindle formation and maintenance. LRP4 is critical to the expression of Egr3 during development; in adult mice, it interacts in trans with APP and APLP2 on sensory terminals. Finally, spindle sensory endings and function are impaired in aged mice, deficits that could be diminished by LRP4 expression. These observations uncovered LRP4 as an unexpected regulator of muscle spindle formation and maintenance in adult and aged animals and shed light on potential pathological mechanisms of abnormal muscle proprioception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rangjuan Cao
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.,Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Hongsheng Wang
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Hongyang Jing
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Hongsheng Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Guanglin Xing
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Bin Luo
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Jinxiu Pan
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Zheng Yu
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Wen-Cheng Xiong
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA. .,Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
| | - Lin Mei
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA. .,Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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17
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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: 0.3] [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.
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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
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18
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Anakor E, Duddy WJ, Duguez S. The Cellular and Molecular Signature of ALS in Muscle. J Pers Med 2022; 12:1868. [PMID: 36579600 PMCID: PMC9692882 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12111868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease affecting upper and lower motor neurons. Although motor neuron death is the core event of ALS pathology, it is increasingly recognized that other tissues and cell types are affected in the disease, making potentially major contributions to the occurrence and progression of pathology. We review here the known cellular and molecular characteristics of muscle tissue affected by ALS. Evidence of toxicity in skeletal muscle tissue is considered, including metabolic dysfunctions, impaired proteostasis, and deficits in muscle regeneration and RNA metabolism. The role of muscle as a secretory organ, and effects on the skeletal muscle secretome are also covered, including the increase in secretion of toxic factors or decrease in essential factors that have consequences for neuronal function and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephanie Duguez
- Northern Ireland Center for Personalised Medicine, School of Medicine, Ulster University, Derry-Londonderry BT47 6SB, UK
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19
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SMN controls neuromuscular junction integrity through U7 snRNP. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111393. [PMID: 36130491 PMCID: PMC9533342 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is an essential synapse whose loss is a key hallmark of the neurodegenerative disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Here, we show that activity of the SMA-determining SMN protein in the assembly of U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP)—which functions in the 3′-end processing of replication-dependent histone mRNAs—is required for NMJ integrity. Co-expression of U7-specific Lsm10 and Lsm11 proteins selectively enhances U7 snRNP assembly, corrects histone mRNA processing defects, and rescues key structural and functional abnormalities of neuromuscular pathology in SMA mice—including NMJ denervation, decreased synaptic transmission, and skeletal muscle atrophy. Furthermore, U7 snRNP dysfunction drives selective loss of the synaptic organizing protein Agrin at NMJs innervating vulnerable muscles of SMA mice. These findings reveal a direct contribution of U7 snRNP dysfunction to neuromuscular pathology in SMA and suggest a role for histone gene regulation in maintaining functional synaptic connections between motor neurons and muscles. NMJ denervation is a hallmark of SMA. Through selective restoration of U7 snRNP biogenesis in SMA mice, Tisdale et al. reveal a role for SMN-mediated U7 snRNP assembly and histone mRNA processing in controlling NMJ integrity through Agrin expression, uncovering RNA-mediated disease mechanisms and linking U7 function to neuromuscular development.
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20
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Davis LA, Fogarty MJ, Brown A, Sieck GC. Structure and Function of the Mammalian Neuromuscular Junction. Compr Physiol 2022; 12:3731-3766. [PMID: 35950651 PMCID: PMC10461538 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c210022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian neuromuscular junction (NMJ) comprises a presynaptic terminal, a postsynaptic receptor region on the muscle fiber (endplate), and the perisynaptic (terminal) Schwann cell. As with any synapse, the purpose of the NMJ is to transmit signals from the nervous system to muscle fibers. This neural control of muscle fibers is organized as motor units, which display distinct structural and functional phenotypes including differences in pre- and postsynaptic elements of NMJs. Motor units vary considerably in the frequency of their activation (both motor neuron discharge rate and duration/duty cycle), force generation, and susceptibility to fatigue. For earlier and more frequently recruited motor units, the structure and function of the activated NMJs must have high fidelity to ensure consistent activation and continued contractile response to sustain vital motor behaviors (e.g., breathing and postural balance). Similarly, for higher force less frequent behaviors (e.g., coughing and jumping), the structure and function of recruited NMJs must ensure short-term reliable activation but not activation sustained for a prolonged period in which fatigue may occur. The NMJ is highly plastic, changing structurally and functionally throughout the life span from embryonic development to old age. The NMJ also changes under pathological conditions including acute and chronic disease. Such neuroplasticity often varies across motor unit types. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12:1-36, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah A. Davis
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Matthew J. Fogarty
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alyssa Brown
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Gary C. Sieck
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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21
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Ding Q, Kesavan K, Lee KM, Wimberger E, Robertson T, Gill M, Power D, Chang J, Fard AT, Mar JC, Henderson RD, Heggie S, McCombe PA, Jeffree RL, Colditz MJ, Hilliard MA, Ng DCH, Steyn FJ, Phillips WD, Wolvetang EJ, Ngo ST, Noakes PG. Impaired signaling for neuromuscular synaptic maintenance is a feature of Motor Neuron Disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:61. [PMID: 35468848 PMCID: PMC9040261 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01360-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A central event in the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease (MND) is the loss of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), yet the mechanisms that lead to this event in MND remain to be fully elucidated. Maintenance of the NMJ relies upon neural agrin (n-agrin) which, when released from the nerve terminal, activates the postsynaptic Muscle Specific Kinase (MuSK) signaling complex to stabilize clusters of acetylcholine receptors. Here, we report that muscle from MND patients has an increased proportion of slow fibers and muscle fibers with smaller diameter. Muscle cells cultured from MND biopsies failed to form large clusters of acetylcholine receptors in response to either non-MND human motor axons or n-agrin. Furthermore, levels of expression of MuSK, and MuSK-complex components: LRP4, Caveolin-3, and Dok7 differed between muscle cells cultured from MND patients compared to those from non-MND controls. To our knowledge, this is the first time a fault in the n-agrin-LRP4-MuSK signaling pathway has been identified in muscle from MND patients. Our results highlight the n-agrin-LRP4-MuSK signaling pathway as a potential therapeutic target to prolong muscle function in MND.
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22
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Budayeva HG, Sengupta-Ghosh A, Phu L, Moffat JG, Ayalon G, Kirkpatrick DS. Phosphoproteome Profiling of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase MuSK Identifies Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Rab GTPases. Mol Cell Proteomics 2022; 21:100221. [PMID: 35227894 PMCID: PMC8972003 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) agonist antibodies were developed 2 decades ago to explore the benefits of receptor activation at the neuromuscular junction. Unlike agrin, the endogenous agonist of MuSK, agonist antibodies function independently of its coreceptor low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein 4 to delay the onset of muscle denervation in mouse models of ALS. Here, we performed dose–response and time-course experiments on myotubes to systematically compare site-specific phosphorylation downstream of each agonist. Remarkably, both agonists elicited similar intracellular responses at known and newly identified MuSK signaling components. Among these was inducible tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple Rab GTPases that was blocked by MuSK inhibition. Importantly, mutation of this site in Rab10 disrupts association with its effector proteins, molecule interacting with CasL 1/3. Together, these data provide in-depth characterization of MuSK signaling, describe two novel MuSK inhibitors, and expose phosphorylation of Rab GTPases downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase activation in myotubes. Different agonists of muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) elicit similar phosphoprofiles. MuSK activation induces tyrosine phosphorylation of several Rab GTPases. MuSK inhibitors diminish receptor signaling, including phosphorylation on Rab10 Y6. Mutation of Rab10 Y6 disrupts its association with Mical adaptor proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna G Budayeva
- Microchemistry, Proteomics, and Lipidomics Department, Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA.
| | | | - Lilian Phu
- Microchemistry, Proteomics, and Lipidomics Department, Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - John G Moffat
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology and Computational Drug Design, Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gai Ayalon
- Neuroscience Department, Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Donald S Kirkpatrick
- Microchemistry, Proteomics, and Lipidomics Department, Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA.
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23
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Combined Treatment with Bojungikgi-Tang and Riluzole Regulates Muscle Metabolism and Dysfunction in the hSOD1 G93A Mouse Model. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11030579. [PMID: 35326229 PMCID: PMC8944858 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11030579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The progressive neurodegenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is characterized by muscle weakness and atrophy owing to selective motoneuron degeneration. The anti-glutamatergic drug, riluzole (RZ), is the standard-of-care treatment for ALS. Bojungikgi-tang (BJIGT), a traditional herbal formula, improves motor function and prolongs the survival of mice with ALS. As ALS is a multicomplex disease, effective therapies must target multiple mechanisms. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a BJIGT/RZ combination (5-week treatment) in 2-month-old hSOD1G93A mice with ALS. We performed quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme activity assays. BJIGT/RZ significantly attenuated inflammation, autophagy, and metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunctions in the gastrocnemius (GC) compared with the control. It reduced the mRNA and protein levels of muscle denervation-related proteins and creatine kinase levels. The total creatine level was significantly higher in the BJIGT/RZ-treated GC. Moreover, after BJIGT/RZ treatment, the number of Nissl-stained motoneurons and choline acetyl transferase-positive neurons in the spinal cord significantly increased via the regulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Collectively, the BJIGT/RZ treatment was superior to single-drug treatments in alleviating multiple ALS-related pathological mechanisms in the ALS mouse model. Overall, BJIGT can serve as a dietary supplement and be combined with RZ to achieve superior therapeutic effects against ALS.
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24
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Verma S, Khurana S, Vats A, Sahu B, Ganguly NK, Chakraborti P, Gourie-Devi M, Taneja V. Neuromuscular Junction Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:1502-1527. [PMID: 34997540 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02658-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons leading to skeletal muscle denervation. Earlier studies have shown that motor neuron degeneration begins in motor cortex and descends to the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in a dying forward fashion. However, accumulating evidences support that ALS is a distal axonopathy where early pathological changes occur at the NMJ, prior to onset of clinical symptoms and propagates towards the motor neuron cell body supporting "dying back" hypothesis. Despite several evidences, series of events triggering NMJ disassembly in ALS are still obscure. Neuromuscular junction is a specialized tripartite chemical synapse which involves a well-coordinated communication among the presynaptic motor neuron, postsynaptic skeletal muscle, and terminal Schwann cells. This review provides comprehensive insight into the role of NMJ in ALS pathogenesis. We have emphasized the molecular alterations in cellular components of NMJ leading to loss of effective neuromuscular transmission in ALS. Further, we provide a preview into research involved in exploring NMJ as potential target for designing effective therapies for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Verma
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, India
| | - Shiffali Khurana
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
- Department of Biomedical Science, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Abhishek Vats
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bandana Sahu
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | - Vibha Taneja
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.
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25
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Poulin-Brière A, Rezaei E, Pozzi S. Antibody-Based Therapeutic Interventions for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Literature Review. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:790114. [PMID: 34912191 PMCID: PMC8667723 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.790114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a mid-life onset neurodegenerative disease that manifests its symptomatology with motor impairments and cognitive deficits overlapping with Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD). The etiology of ALS remains elusive, with various mechanisms and cellular targets implicated, and no treatment can reverse or stop the progression of the pathology. Therapeutic interventions based on passive immunization are gaining attention for neurodegenerative diseases, and FDA recently approved the first antibody-based approach for Alzheimer's disease. The present systematic review of the literature aims to highlight the efforts made over the past years at developing antibody-based strategies to cure ALS. Thirty-one original research papers have been selected where the therapeutic efficacy of antibodies were investigated and described in patients and animal models of ALS. Antibody-based interventions analyzed, target both extracellular molecules implicated in the pathology and intracellular pathogenic proteins known to drive the disease, such as SOD1, TDP-43 or C9ORF72 repeats expansions. The potentials and limitations of these therapeutic interventions have been described and discussed in the present review.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edris Rezaei
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Silvia Pozzi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Division, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec, QC, Canada
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26
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Activation of Muscle-Specific Kinase (MuSK) Reduces Neuromuscular Defects in the Delta7 Mouse Model of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158015. [PMID: 34360794 PMCID: PMC8348537 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a motor neuron disease caused by insufficient levels of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. One of the most prominent pathological characteristics of SMA involves defects of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), such as denervation and reduced clustering of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Recent studies suggest that upregulation of agrin, a crucial NMJ organizer promoting AChR clustering, can improve NMJ innervation and reduce muscle atrophy in the delta7 mouse model of SMA. To test whether the muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), part of the agrin receptor complex, also plays a beneficial role in SMA, we treated the delta7 SMA mice with an agonist antibody to MuSK. MuSK agonist antibody #13, which binds to the NMJ, significantly improved innervation and synaptic efficacy in denervation-vulnerable muscles. MuSK agonist antibody #13 also significantly increased the muscle cross-sectional area and myofiber numbers in these denervation-vulnerable muscles but not in denervation-resistant muscles. Although MuSK agonist antibody #13 did not affect the body weight, our study suggests that preservation of NMJ innervation by the activation of MuSK may serve as a complementary therapy to SMN-enhancing drugs to maximize the therapeutic effectiveness for all types of SMA patients.
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27
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Ban J, Beqaj B, Phillips WD. Vector-mediated expression of muscle specific kinase restores specific force to muscles in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Exp Physiol 2021; 106:1794-1805. [PMID: 34114278 DOI: 10.1113/ep089439] [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: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? The (dystrophin-deficient) muscles of mdx mice generate less contractile force per cross-sectional area (specific force) than those of healthy wild-type mice: what is the influence of muscle specific kinase (MuSK) upon the properties of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle in mdx mice? What is the main finding and its importance? Injection of adeno-associated viral vector encoding MuSK into the TA muscle of young mdx mice increased the specific force of the muscle, suggesting the MuSK signalling system has the potential to restore healthy growth to dystrophin-deficient muscles. ABSTRACT In the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, muscle fibres are fragile and prone to injury and degeneration. Compared to wild-type mice, muscles of mdx mice also develop less specific force (contractile force/cross-sectional area). We recently reported that injecting adeno-associated viral vector encoding muscle specific kinase (AAV-MuSK) into muscles of mdx mice increased utrophin expression and made the muscles more resistant to acute stretch-induced injury. Here we injected AAV-MuSK unilaterally into the tibialis anterior muscle of mdx mice at a younger age (4 weeks), and recorded contraction force from the muscles in situ at 12 weeks of age. Compared to contralateral empty-vector control muscles, muscles injected with AAV-MuSK produced 28% greater specific force (P = 0.0005). They did not undergo the compensatory hypertrophy that normally occurs in muscles of mdx mice. Injection of AAV encoding rapsyn (a downstream effector of MuSK signalling) caused no such improvement in muscle strength. Muscles injected with AAV-MuSK displayed a 10% reduction in the number of fibres with centralized nuclei (P = 0.0015). Our results in mdx mice suggest that elevating the expression of MuSK can reduce the incidence of muscle fibre regeneration and improve the strength of dystrophin-deficient muscles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Ban
- Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Besa Beqaj
- Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - William D Phillips
- Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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28
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Alhindi A, Boehm I, Chaytow H. Small junction, big problems: Neuromuscular junction pathology in mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). J Anat 2021; 241:1089-1107. [PMID: 34101196 PMCID: PMC9558162 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease with an extremely heterogeneous clinical and genetic phenotype. In our efforts to find therapies for ALS, the scientific community has developed a plethora of mouse models, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. The peripheral nervous system, specifically the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), is known to be affected in ALS patients and shows marked dysfunction across mouse models. Evidence of pathology at the NMJ includes denervated NMJs, changes in endplate size and loss of terminal Schwann cells. This review compares the temporal disease progression with severity of disease at the NMJ in mouse models with the most commonly mutated genes in ALS patients (SOD1, C9ORF72, TARDBP and FUS). Despite variability, early NMJ dysfunction seems to be a common factor in models with SOD1, TARDBP and FUS mutations, while C9ORF72 models do not appear to follow the same pattern of pathology. Further work into determining the timing of NMJ pathology, particularly in newer ALS mouse models, will confirm its pivotal role in ALS pathogenesis and therefore highlight the NMJ as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Alhindi
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ines Boehm
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Helena Chaytow
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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29
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Trabjerg MS, Andersen DC, Huntjens P, Oklinski KE, Bolther L, Hald JL, Baisgaard AE, Mørk K, Warming N, Kullab UB, Kroese LJ, Pritchard CEJ, Huijbers IJ, Nieland JDV. Downregulating carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 affects disease progression in the SOD1 G93A mouse model of ALS. Commun Biol 2021; 4:509. [PMID: 33931719 PMCID: PMC8087699 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02034-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motor neuron disease characterized by death of motor neurons. The etiology and pathogenesis remains elusive despite decades of intensive research. Herein, we report that dysregulated metabolism plays a central role in the SOD1 G93A mouse model mimicking ALS. Specifically, we report that the activity of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT1) lipid metabolism is associated with disease progression. Downregulation of CPT1 activity by pharmacological and genetic methods results in amelioration of disease symptoms, inflammation, oxidative stress and mitochondrial function, whereas upregulation by high-fat diet or corticosterone results in a more aggressive disease progression. Finally, we show that downregulating CPT1 shifts the gut microbiota communities towards a protective phenotype in SOD1 G93A mice. These findings reveal that metabolism, and specifically CPT1 lipid metabolism plays a central role in the SOD1 G93A mouse model and shows that CPT1 might be a therapeutic target in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pam Huntjens
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | | | - Luise Bolther
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Jonas Laugård Hald
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | | | - Kasper Mørk
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Nikolaj Warming
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Ulla Bismark Kullab
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Lona John Kroese
- Mouse Clinic for Cancer and Aging Research, Transgenic Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Colin Eliot Jason Pritchard
- Mouse Clinic for Cancer and Aging Research, Transgenic Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ivo Johan Huijbers
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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30
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Potential Roles of the WNT Signaling Pathway in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040839. [PMID: 33917816 PMCID: PMC8068170 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The WNT signaling pathway plays an important role in the physiological and pathophysiological processes of the central nervous system and the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We reviewed the literature pertinent to WNT/β–catenin signaling in ALS from cellular studies, animal models, and human clinical trials. WNT, WNT receptors, and other components of the WNT signaling pathway are expressed in both ALS patients and transgenic mice, and are involved in the pathogenesis of ALS. Studies have shown that abnormal activation of the WNT/β–catenin signaling pathway is related to neuronal degeneration and glial cell proliferation. WNT/Ca2+ signaling is associated with the pro–inflammatory phenotype of microglia; data on the muscle skeletal receptor Tyr kinase receptor in superoxide dismutase–1–G93A mice indicate that gene therapy is necessary for successful treatment of ALS. The varying profiles of lipoprotein receptor–related protein 4 antibodies in different ethnic groups suggest that individual treatment and multifactorial personalized approaches may be necessary for effective ALS therapy. In conclusion, the WNT signaling pathway is important to the ALS disease process, making it a likely therapeutic target.
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31
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Fuertes-Alvarez S, Izeta A. Terminal Schwann Cell Aging: Implications for Age-Associated Neuromuscular Dysfunction. Aging Dis 2021; 12:494-514. [PMID: 33815879 PMCID: PMC7990373 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2020.0708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Action potential is transmitted to muscle fibers through specialized synaptic interfaces called neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). These structures are capped by terminal Schwann cells (tSCs), which play essential roles during formation and maintenance of the NMJ. tSCs are implicated in the correct communication between nerves and muscles, and in reinnervation upon injury. During aging, loss of muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia and dynapenia) are due, at least in part, to the progressive loss of contacts between muscle fibers and nerves. Despite the important role of tSCs in NMJ function, very little is known on their implication in the NMJ-aging process and in age-associated denervation. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the implication of tSCs in the age-associated degeneration of NMJs. We also speculate on the possible mechanisms underlying the observed phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Fuertes-Alvarez
- 1Biodonostia, Tissue Engineering Group, Paseo Dr. Begiristain, s/n, San Sebastian 20014, Spain
| | - Ander Izeta
- 1Biodonostia, Tissue Engineering Group, Paseo Dr. Begiristain, s/n, San Sebastian 20014, Spain.,2Tecnun-University of Navarra, School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Science, Paseo Mikeletegi, 48, San Sebastian 20009, Spain
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32
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Scaricamazza S, Salvatori I, Ferri A, Valle C. Skeletal Muscle in ALS: An Unappreciated Therapeutic Opportunity? Cells 2021; 10:525. [PMID: 33801336 PMCID: PMC8000428 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the selective degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons and by the progressive weakness and paralysis of voluntary muscles. Despite intense research efforts and numerous clinical trials, it is still an incurable disease. ALS had long been considered a pure motor neuron disease; however, recent studies have shown that motor neuron protection is not sufficient to prevent the course of the disease since the dismantlement of neuromuscular junctions occurs before motor neuron degeneration. Skeletal muscle alterations have been described in the early stages of the disease, and they seem to be mainly involved in the "dying back" phenomenon of motor neurons and metabolic dysfunctions. In recent years, skeletal muscles have been considered crucial not only for the etiology of ALS but also for its treatment. Here, we review clinical and preclinical studies that targeted skeletal muscles and discuss the different approaches, including pharmacological interventions, supplements or diets, genetic modifications, and training programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Scaricamazza
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, c/o CERC, 00143 Rome, Italy; (S.S.); (I.S.)
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Illari Salvatori
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, c/o CERC, 00143 Rome, Italy; (S.S.); (I.S.)
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Ferri
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, c/o CERC, 00143 Rome, Italy; (S.S.); (I.S.)
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Cristiana Valle
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, c/o CERC, 00143 Rome, Italy; (S.S.); (I.S.)
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy
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33
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Zelada D, Bermedo-García F, Collao N, Henríquez JP. Motor function recovery: deciphering a regenerative niche at the neuromuscular synapse. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:752-766. [PMID: 33336525 PMCID: PMC7986695 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The coordinated movement of many organisms relies on efficient nerve–muscle communication at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a peripheral synapse composed of a presynaptic motor axon terminal, a postsynaptic muscle specialization, and non‐myelinating terminal Schwann cells. NMJ dysfunctions are caused by traumatic spinal cord or peripheral nerve injuries as well as by severe motor pathologies. Compared to the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system displays remarkable regenerating abilities; however, this capacity is limited by the denervation time frame and depends on the establishment of permissive regenerative niches. At the injury site, detailed information is available regarding the cells, molecules, and mechanisms involved in nerve regeneration and repair. However, a regenerative niche at the final functional step of peripheral motor innervation, i.e. at the mature neuromuscular synapse, has not been deciphered. In this review, we integrate classic and recent evidence describing the cells and molecules that could orchestrate a dynamic ecosystem to accomplish successful NMJ regeneration. We propose that such a regenerative niche must ensure at least two fundamental steps for successful NMJ regeneration: the proper arrival of incoming regenerating axons to denervated postsynaptic muscle domains, and the resilience of those postsynaptic domains, in morphological and functional terms. We here describe and combine the main cellular and molecular responses involved in each of these steps as potential targets to help successful NMJ regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Zelada
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA Bio-Bio), Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Francisca Bermedo-García
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA Bio-Bio), Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Nicolás Collao
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA Bio-Bio), Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Juan P Henríquez
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA Bio-Bio), Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
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34
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Bao Z, Cui C, Chow SKH, Qin L, Wong RMY, Cheung WH. AChRs Degeneration at NMJ in Aging-Associated Sarcopenia-A Systematic Review. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:597811. [PMID: 33362532 PMCID: PMC7759742 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.597811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcopenia is an aging process with a decline of skeletal muscle mass and function, which is a challenging public health problem with reduced quality of life in patients. The endplate, the post-synaptic part of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), occupies 0.1% of the myofiber surface area only, but is composed of millions of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) that are efficient in binding to acetylcholine (ACh) and triggering skeletal muscle contraction. This systematic review aims to examine aging-associated alterations of post-synaptic AChRs, including morphology, function and related gene expression. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science with relevant keywords by two independent reviewers. Original pre-clinical and clinical studies regarding AChRs changes during aging with available full text and written in English were included. Information was extracted from the included studies for further review. In total, 30 articles were included. Various parameters assessing AChRs alterations by radioassay, immunofluorescence, electrophysiology and mechanical test were reported. Endplate fragmentation and denervation were common in old skeletal muscles during aging. To ensure efficient NMJ transmission and force generation, type I or IIb muscle fibers tended to have increased ACh quanta releasing after electrical stimulations, while type IIa muscle fibers tended to have stronger binding between ACh and AChRs, but the overall function of AChRs was reduced during aging. Alterations of AChRs area depended on muscle type, species and the progress of muscle atrophy and type I muscles fibers tended to demonstrate enlarging AChRs areas. Myogenic regulator factors (MRFs) can regulate the expression of AChRs subunits, while decreased MRF4 may lead to expression changes of AChRs subunits during aging. Sarcoglycan-α can delay low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4) degradation. This protein was increased in old muscles but still cannot suppress the degradation of LRP4. Investigating the role of these AChRs-related genes in the process of aging may provide a potential target to treat sarcopenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyuan Bao
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Can Cui
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Simon Kwoon-Ho Chow
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,The CUHK-ACC Space Medicine Centre on Health Maintenance of Musculoskeletal System, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ling Qin
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ronald Man Yeung Wong
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wing-Hoi Cheung
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,The CUHK-ACC Space Medicine Centre on Health Maintenance of Musculoskeletal System, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
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35
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A Role of Lamin A/C in Preventing Neuromuscular Junction Decline in Mice. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7203-7215. [PMID: 32817327 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0443-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During aging, skeletal muscles become atrophic and lose contractile force. Aging can also impact the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a synapse that transmits signals from motoneurons to muscle fibers to control muscle contraction. However, in contrast to muscle aging that has been studied extensively, less is known about the molecular mechanisms of NMJ aging although its structure and function are impaired in aged animals. To this end, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to identify genes whose expression in synapse-rich region is altered. Gene ontology (GO) analysis highlighted genes relating to nuclear structure or function. In particular, lamin A/C, an intermediate filament protein critical for the interphase nuclear architecture, was reduced. Remarkably, mutation of lamin A/C in muscles or motoneurons had no effect on NMJ formation in either sex of mice, but the muscle mutation caused progressive denervation, acetylcholine receptor (AChR) cluster fragmentation, and neuromuscular dysfunction. Interestingly, rapsyn, a protein critical to AChR clustering, was reduced in mutant muscle cells; and expressing rapsyn in muscles attenuated NMJ deficits of HSA-Lmna-/- mice. These results reveal a role of lamin A/C in NMJ maintenance and suggest that nuclear dysfunction or deficiency may contribute to NMJ deficits in aged muscles.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study provides evidence that lamin A/C, a scaffolding component of the nuclear envelope, is critical to maintaining the NMJ in mice. Its muscle-specific mutation led to progressive NMJ degeneration in vivo We showed that the mutation reduced the level of rapsyn, a protein necessary for acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering; and expression of rapsyn in muscles attenuated NMJ deficits of HSA-Lmna-/- mice. These results reveal a role of lamin A/C in NMJ maintenance and suggest that nuclear dysfunction or deficiency may contribute to NMJ deficits in aged muscles.
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Ojeda J, Bermedo-García F, Pérez V, Mella J, Hanna P, Herzberg D, Tejero R, López-Manzaneda M, Tabares L, Henríquez JP. The Mouse Levator Auris Longus Muscle: An Amenable Model System to Study the Role of Postsynaptic Proteins to the Maintenance and Regeneration of the Neuromuscular Synapse. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:225. [PMID: 32848618 PMCID: PMC7405910 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the peripheral synapse that controls the coordinated movement of many organisms. The NMJ is also an archetypical model to study synaptic morphology and function. As the NMJ is the primary target of neuromuscular diseases and traumatic injuries, the establishment of suitable models to study the contribution of specific postsynaptic muscle-derived proteins on NMJ maintenance and regeneration is a permanent need. Considering the unique experimental advantages of the levator auris longus (LAL) muscle, here we present a method allowing for efficient electroporation-mediated gene transfer and subsequent detailed studies of the morphology and function of the NMJ and muscle fibers. Also, we have standardized efficient facial nerve injury protocols to analyze LAL muscle NMJ degeneration and regeneration. Our results show that the expression of a control fluorescent protein does not alter either the muscle structural organization, the apposition of the pre- and post-synaptic domains, or the functional neurotransmission parameters of the LAL muscle NMJs; in turn, the overexpression of MuSK, a major regulator of postsynaptic assembly, induces the formation of ectopic acetylcholine receptor clusters. Our NMJ denervation experiments showed complete reinnervation of LAL muscle NMJs four weeks after facial nerve injury. Together, these experimental strategies in the LAL muscle constitute effective methods to combine protein expression with accurate analyses at the levels of structure, function, and regeneration of the NMJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ojeda
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.,Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.,Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Francisca Bermedo-García
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Viviana Pérez
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Jessica Mella
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Patricia Hanna
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Daniel Herzberg
- Veterinary Sciences Clinic, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Rocío Tejero
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Mario López-Manzaneda
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Lucia Tabares
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Juan Pablo Henríquez
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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Chen A, Bai L, Zhong K, Shu X, Wang A, Xiao Y, Zhang K, Shen C. APC2
CDH1
negatively regulates agrin signaling by promoting the ubiquitination and proteolytic degradation of DOK7. FASEB J 2020; 34:12009-12023. [PMID: 32687671 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202000485r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aizhong Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital Institute of Translational Medicine School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
| | - Lei Bai
- The First Affiliated Hospital Institute of Translational Medicine School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
| | - Keke Zhong
- The First Affiliated Hospital Institute of Translational Medicine School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
| | - Xiaoqiu Shu
- The First Affiliated Hospital Institute of Translational Medicine School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
| | - Ailian Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital Institute of Translational Medicine School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
| | - Yatao Xiao
- The First Affiliated Hospital Institute of Translational Medicine School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
| | - Kejing Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital Institute of Translational Medicine School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
| | - Chengyong Shen
- The First Affiliated Hospital Institute of Translational Medicine School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
- Department of Neurobiology Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province School of Medicine Zhejiang University Zhejiang China
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38
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Vergoossen DLE, Augustinus R, Huijbers MG. MuSK antibodies, lessons learned from poly- and monoclonality. J Autoimmun 2020; 112:102488. [PMID: 32505442 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2020.102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) plays a critical role in establishing and maintaining neuromuscular synapses. Antibodies derived from immunizing animals with MuSK were important tools to help detect MuSK and its activity. The role of antibodies in MuSK-related research got an extra dimension when autoantibodies to MuSK were found to cause myasthenia gravis (MG) in 2001. Active immunization with MuSK or passive transfer of polyclonal purified IgG(4) fractions from patients reproduced myasthenic muscle weakness in a range of animal models. Polyclonal patient-purified autoantibodies were furthermore found to block agrin-Lrp4-MuSK signaling, explaining the synaptic disassembly, failure of neuromuscular transmission and ultimately muscle fatigue observed in vivo. MuSK autoantibodies are predominantly of the IgG4 subclass. Low levels of other subclass MuSK antibodies coexist, but their role in the pathogenesis is unclear. Patient-derived monoclonal antibodies revealed that MuSK antibody subclass and valency alters their functional effects and possibly their pathogenicity. Interestingly, recombinant functional bivalent MuSK antibodies might even have therapeutic potential for a variety of neuromuscular disorders, due to their agonistic nature on the MuSK signaling cascade. Thus, MuSK antibodies have proven to be helpful tools to study neuromuscular junction physiology, contributed to our understanding of the pathophysiology of MuSK MG and might be used to treat neuromuscular disorders. The source of MuSK antibodies and consequently their (mixed) polyclonal or monoclonal nature were important confounding factors in these experiments. Here we review the variety of MuSK antibodies described thus far, the insights they have given us and their potential for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana L E Vergoossen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Roy Augustinus
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Maartje G Huijbers
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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39
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The Impact of Kinases in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis at the Neuromuscular Synapse: Insights into BDNF/TrkB and PKC Signaling. Cells 2019; 8:cells8121578. [PMID: 31817487 PMCID: PMC6953086 DOI: 10.3390/cells8121578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes neuron survival in adulthood in the central nervous system. In the peripheral nervous system, BDNF is a contraction-inducible protein that, through its binding to tropomyosin-related kinase B receptor (TrkB), contributes to the retrograde neuroprotective control done by muscles, which is necessary for motor neuron function. BDNF/TrkB triggers downstream presynaptic pathways, involving protein kinase C, essential for synaptic function and maintenance. Undeniably, this reciprocally regulated system exemplifies the tight communication between nerve terminals and myocytes to promote synaptic function and reveals a new view about the complementary and essential role of pre and postsynaptic interplay in keeping the synapse healthy and strong. This signaling at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) could establish new intervention targets across neuromuscular diseases characterized by deficits in presynaptic activity and muscle contractility and by the interruption of the connection between nervous and muscular tissues, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Indeed, exercise and other therapies that modulate kinases are effective at delaying ALS progression, preserving NMJs and maintaining motor function to increase the life quality of patients. Altogether, we review synaptic activity modulation of the BDNF/TrkB/PKC signaling to sustain NMJ function, its and other kinases’ disturbances in ALS and physical and molecular mechanisms to delay disease progression.
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40
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Herbst R. MuSk function during health and disease. Neurosci Lett 2019; 716:134676. [PMID: 31811897 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase MuSK (muscle-specific kinase) is the key signaling molecule during the formation of a mature and functional neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Signal transduction events downstream of MuSK activation induce both pre- and postsynaptic differentiation, which, most prominently, includes the clustering of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at synaptic sites. MuSK activation requires a complex interplay between its co-receptor Lrp4 (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-4), the motor neuron-derived heparan-sulfate proteoglycan Agrin and the intracellular adaptor protein Dok-7. A tight regulation of MuSK kinase activity is crucial for proper NMJ development. Defects in MuSK signaling are the cause of muscle weakness as reported in congenital myasthenic syndromes and myasthenia gravis. This review focuses on recent structure-based analyses of MuSK, Agrin, Lrp4 and Dok-7 interactions and their function during MuSK activation. Conclusions about the regulation of the MuSK kinase that were derived from molecular structures will be highlighted. In addition, the role of MuSK during development and disease will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Herbst
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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41
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Trajanovska S, Ban J, Huang J, Gregorevic P, Morsch M, Allen DG, Phillips WD. Muscle specific kinase protects dystrophic mdx mouse muscles from eccentric contraction-induced loss of force-producing capacity. J Physiol 2019; 597:4831-4850. [PMID: 31340406 DOI: 10.1113/jp277839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Adeno-associated viral vector was used to elevate the expression of muscle specific kinase (MuSK) and rapsyn (a cytoplasmic MuSK effector protein) in the tibialis anterior muscle of wild-type and dystrophic (mdx) mice. In mdx mice, enhanced expression of either MuSK or rapsyn ameliorated the acute loss of muscle force associated with strain injury. Increases in sarcolemmal immunolabelling for utrophin and β-dystroglycan suggest a mechanism for the protective effect of MuSK in mdx muscles. MuSK also caused subtle changes to the structure and function of the neuromuscular junction, suggesting novel roles for MuSK in muscle physiology and pathophysiology. ABSTRACT Muscle specific kinase (MuSK) has a well-defined role in stabilizing the developing mammalian neuromuscular junction, but MuSK might also be protective in some neuromuscular diseases. In the dystrophin-deficient mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, limb muscles are especially fragile. We injected the tibialis anterior muscle of 8-week-old mdx and wild-type (C57BL10) mice with adeno-associated viral vectors encoding either MuSK or rapsyn (a cytoplasmic MuSK effector protein) fused to green fluorescent protein (MuSK-GFP and rapsyn-GFP, respectively). Contralateral muscles injected with empty vector served as controls. One month later mice were anaesthetized with isoflurane and isometric force-producing capacity was recorded from the distal tendon. MuSK-GFP caused an unexpected decay in nerve-evoked tetanic force, both in wild-type and mdx muscles, without affecting contraction elicited by direct electrical stimulation of the muscle. Muscle fragility was probed by challenging muscles with a strain injury protocol consisting of a series of four strain-producing eccentric contractions in vivo. When applied to muscles of mdx mice, eccentric contraction produced an acute 27% reduction in directly evoked muscle force output, affirming the susceptibility of mdx muscles to strain injury. mdx muscles overexpressing MuSK-GFP or rapsyn-GFP exhibited significantly milder force deficits after the eccentric contraction challenge (15% and 14%, respectively). The protective effect of MuSK-GFP in muscles of mdx mice was associated with increased immunolabelling for utrophin and β-dystroglycan in the sarcolemma. Elevating the expression of MuSK or rapsyn revealed several distinct synaptic and extrasynaptic effects, suggesting novel roles for MuSK signalling in muscle physiology and pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Trajanovska
- Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - J Ban
- Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - J Huang
- Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - P Gregorevic
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - M Morsch
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - D G Allen
- Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - W D Phillips
- Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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42
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Hoolachan JM, Sutton ER, Bowerman M. Teaching an old drug new tricks: repositioning strategies for spinal muscular atrophy. FUTURE NEUROLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2217/fnl-2019-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a childhood disorder caused by loss of the SMN gene. Pathological hallmarks are spinal cord motor neuron death, neuromuscular junction dysfunction and muscle atrophy. The first SMN genetic therapy was recently approved and other SMN-dependent treatments are not far behind. However, not all SMA patients will reap their maximal benefit due to limited accessibility, high costs and differential effects depending on timing of administration and disease severity. The repurposing of commercially available drugs is an interesting strategy to ensure more rapid and less expensive access to new treatments. In this mini-review, we will discuss the potential and relevance of repositioning drugs currently used for neurodegenerative, neuromuscular and muscle disorders for SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Hoolachan
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Emma R Sutton
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Melissa Bowerman
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
- Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, SY10 7AG, UK
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43
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Lee YI. Differences in the constituent fiber types contribute to the intermuscular variation in the timing of the developmental synapse elimination. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8694. [PMID: 31213646 PMCID: PMC6582271 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45090-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of a mature nervous system requires a significant refinement of the synaptic connections initially formed during development. Redundant synaptic connections are removed in a process known as synapse elimination. Synapse elimination has been extensively studied at the rodent neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Although several axons initially converge onto each postsynaptic muscle fiber, all redundant inputs are removed during early postnatal development until a single motor neuron innervates each NMJ. Neuronal activity as well as synaptic glia influence the course of synapse elimination. It is, however, unclear whether target muscle fibers are more than naïve substrates in this process. I examined the influence of target myofiber contractile properties on synapse elimination. The timing of redundant input removal in muscles examined correlates strongly with their proportion of slow myofibers: muscles with more slow fibers undergo elimination more slowly. Moreover, this intermuscular difference in the timing of synapse elimination appears to result from local differences in the rate of elimination on fast versus slow myofibers. These results, therefore, imply that differences in the constituent fiber types help account for the variation in the timing of the developmental synapse elimination between muscles and show that the muscle plays a role in the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Il Lee
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, Texas, USA.
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44
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Dzhashiashvili Y, Monckton CP, Shah HS, Kunjamma RB, Popko B. The UPR-PERK pathway is not a promising therapeutic target for mutant SOD1-induced ALS. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 127:527-544. [PMID: 30923003 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, characterized by motor neuron death in the brain and spinal cord. Mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene account for ~20% of all familial ALS forms, corresponding to 1%-2% of all ALS cases. One of the suggested mechanisms by which mutant SOD1 (mtSOD1) exerts its toxic effects involves intracellular accumulation of abnormal mtSOD1 aggregates, which trigger endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and activate its adaptive signal transduction pathways, including the unfolded protein response (UPR). PERK, an eIF2α kinase, is central to the UPR and is the most rapidly activated pathway in response to ER stress. Previous reports using mtSOD1 transgenic mice indicated that genetic or pharmacological enhancement of the UPR-PERK pathway may be effective in treating ALS. We investigated the response to PERK haploinsufficiency, and the response to deficiency of its downstream effectors GADD34 and CHOP, in five distinct lines of mtSOD1 mice. We demonstrate that, in contrast to a previously published study, PERK haploinsufficiency has no effect on disease in all mtSOD1 lines examined. We also show that deficiency of GADD34, which enhances the UPR by prolonging the phosphorylation of eIF2α, does not ameliorate disease in these mtSOD1 mouse lines. Finally, we demonstrate that genetic ablation of CHOP transcription factor, which is known to be pro-apoptotic, does not ameliorate disease in mtSOD1 mice. Cumulatively, our studies reveal that neither genetic inhibition of the UPR via ablation of PERK, nor genetic UPR enhancement via ablation of GADD34, is beneficial for mtSOD1-induced motor neuron disease. Therefore, the PERK pathway is not a likely target for therapeutic intervention in mtSOD1-induced ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Dzhashiashvili
- Department of Neurology, The University of Chicago Center for Peripheral Neuropathy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
| | - Chase P Monckton
- Department of Neurology, The University of Chicago Center for Peripheral Neuropathy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
| | - Harini S Shah
- Department of Neurology, The University of Chicago Center for Peripheral Neuropathy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
| | - Rejani B Kunjamma
- Department of Neurology, The University of Chicago Center for Peripheral Neuropathy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
| | - Brian Popko
- Department of Neurology, The University of Chicago Center for Peripheral Neuropathy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
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45
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Luo B, Tian L, Chen N, Ramakrishna S, Thakor N, Yang IH. Electrospun nanofibers facilitate better alignment, differentiation, and long-term culture in an in vitro model of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Biomater Sci 2019; 6:3262-3272. [PMID: 30402630 DOI: 10.1039/c8bm00720a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized synapse between motor neurons and the muscle fibers they innervate. Due to the complexity of various signalling molecules and pathways, in vivo NMJs are difficult to study. Therefore, in vitro motor neuron-muscle co-culture plays a pivotal role in studying the mechanisms of NMJ formation associated with neurodegenerative diseases. There is a growing need to develop novel methodologies that can be used to develop long-term cultures of NMJs. To date, there have been few studies on NMJ development and long-term maintenance of the system, which is also the main challenge for the current in vitro models of NMJs. In this study, we demonstrate a long-term co-culture system of primary embryonic motor neurons from Sprague-Dawley rats and C2C12 cells on both random and aligned electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibrous scaffolds. This is the first study to explore the role of electrospun nanofibers in the long-term maintenance of NMJs. PLA nanofibrous scaffolds provide better contact guidance for C2C12 cells aligning along the fibers, thus guiding myotube formation. We can only maintain the co-culture system on a conventional glass substrate for 2 weeks, whilst 55% and 70% of the cells still survived on random and aligned PLA substrates after 7 weeks. Our nanofiber-based long-term co-culture system is used as an important tool for the fundamental research of NMJs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiwen Luo
- Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, #05-COR, Singapore 119077. inhong.yang.@ku.ac.ae
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Sengupta-Ghosh A, Dominguez SL, Xie L, Barck KH, Jiang Z, Earr T, Imperio J, Phu L, Budayeva HG, Kirkpatrick DS, Cai H, Eastham-Anderson J, Ngu H, Foreman O, Hedehus M, Reichelt M, Hotzel I, Shang Y, Carano RAD, Ayalon G, Easton A. Muscle specific kinase (MuSK) activation preserves neuromuscular junctions in the diaphragm but is not sufficient to provide a functional benefit in the SOD1 G93A mouse model of ALS. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 124:340-352. [PMID: 30528255 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons, is characterized by rapid decline of motor function and ultimately respiratory failure. As motor neuron death occurs late in the disease, therapeutics that prevent the initial disassembly of the neuromuscular junction may offer optimal functional benefit and delay disease progression. To test this hypothesis, we treated the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS with an agonist antibody to muscle specific kinase (MuSK), a receptor tyrosine kinase required for the formation and maintenance of the neuromuscular junction. Chronic MuSK antibody treatment fully preserved innervation of the neuromuscular junction when compared with control-treated mice; however, no preservation of diaphragm function, motor neurons, or survival benefit was detected. These data show that anatomical preservation of neuromuscular junctions in the diaphragm via MuSK activation does not correlate with functional benefit in SOD1G93A mice, suggesting caution in employing MuSK activation as a therapeutic strategy for ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara L Dominguez
- Departments of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Luke Xie
- Departments of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kai H Barck
- Departments of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zhiyu Jiang
- Departments of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Timothy Earr
- Departments of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jose Imperio
- Departments of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lilian Phu
- Departments of Microchemistry, Proteomics, and Lipidomics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hanna G Budayeva
- Departments of Microchemistry, Proteomics, and Lipidomics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Donald S Kirkpatrick
- Departments of Microchemistry, Proteomics, and Lipidomics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hao Cai
- Departments of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Hai Ngu
- Departments of Pathology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Oded Foreman
- Departments of Pathology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maj Hedehus
- Departments of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael Reichelt
- Departments of Pathology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Isidro Hotzel
- Departments of Antibody Discovery, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yonglei Shang
- Departments of Antibody Discovery, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Richard A D Carano
- Departments of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gai Ayalon
- Departments of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amy Easton
- Departments of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Martineau É, Di Polo A, Vande Velde C, Robitaille R. Dynamic neuromuscular remodeling precedes motor-unit loss in a mouse model of ALS. eLife 2018; 7:41973. [PMID: 30320556 PMCID: PMC6234026 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being an early event in ALS, it remains unclear whether the denervation of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) is simply the first manifestation of a globally degenerating motor neuron. Using in vivo imaging of single axons and their NMJs over a three-month period, we identify that single motor-units are dismantled asynchronously in SOD1G37R mice. We reveal that weeks prior to complete axonal degeneration, the dismantling of axonal branches is accompanied by contemporaneous new axonal sprouting resulting in synapse formation onto nearby NMJs. Denervation events tend to propagate from the first lost NMJ, consistent with a contribution of neuromuscular factors extrinsic to motor neurons, with distal branches being more susceptible. These results show that NMJ denervation in ALS is a complex and dynamic process of continuous denervation and new innervation rather than a manifestation of sudden global motor neuron degeneration. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. It occurs when the neurons that control muscles – the motoneurons – disconnect from their target muscles and die. This causes the muscles to weaken and waste away. More and more muscles become affected over time until eventually the muscles that control breathing also become paralyzed. Most patients die within two to five years of diagnosis. Motoneurons consist of a cell body plus a cable-like structure called the axon. The cell body of each motoneuron sits within the spinal cord, and the axon extends out of the spinal cord to the motoneuron’s target muscle. Within the muscle the axon divides into branches, each of which connects with multiple muscle fibers. The breakdown of these connections, known as neuromuscular junctions, is one of the first signs of ALS. Does a motoneuron lose all of its connections with muscle fibers at once, or do the connections break down a few at a time? This distinction is important as it will help to identify the events that lead to muscle paralysis in ALS. To find out, Martineau et al. studied mice that had two genetic mutations: one that causes ALS and another that produces fluorescent molecules in some motoneurons. This allowed the branches of the motoneurons to be tracked over time with a fluorescence microscope. Martineau et al. found that individual neurons lose their connections to muscle fibers gradually. Moreover, motoneurons grow new branches and form new connections even while losing their old ones. This dual process of pruning and budding lasts for several weeks, until eventually the motoneuron dies. Developing drugs to stabilize neuromuscular junctions during the period when motoneurons gradually disconnect from muscles could be a promising avenue to explore to improve the quality of life of ALS patients. One advantage of this treatment strategy is that neuromuscular junctions in muscles are easier to access than motoneurons inside the spinal cord. To identify potential drugs, future studies will need to focus on the proteins and signals that cause the neuromuscular junctions to break down.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éric Martineau
- Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Adriana Di Polo
- Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Christine Vande Velde
- Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
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48
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Miyoshi S, Tezuka T, Arimura S, Tomono T, Okada T, Yamanashi Y. DOK7 gene therapy enhances motor activity and life span in ALS model mice. EMBO Mol Med 2018; 9:880-889. [PMID: 28490573 PMCID: PMC5494517 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201607298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, multifactorial motor neurodegenerative disease with severe muscle atrophy. The glutamate release inhibitor riluzole is the only medication approved by the FDA, and prolongs patient life span by a few months, testifying to a strong need for new treatment strategies. In ALS, motor neuron degeneration first becomes evident at the motor nerve terminals in neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), the cholinergic synapse between motor neuron and skeletal muscle; degeneration then progresses proximally, implicating the NMJ as a therapeutic target. We previously demonstrated that activation of muscle‐specific kinase MuSK by the cytoplasmic protein Dok‐7 is essential for NMJ formation, and forced expression of Dok‐7 in muscle activates MuSK and enlarges NMJs. Here, we show that therapeutic administration of an adeno‐associated virus vector encoding the human DOK7 gene suppressed motor nerve terminal degeneration at NMJs together with muscle atrophy in the SOD1‐G93A ALS mouse model. Ultimately, we show that DOK7 gene therapy enhanced motor activity and life span in ALS model mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadanori Miyoshi
- Division of Genetics, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tohru Tezuka
- Division of Genetics, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sumimasa Arimura
- Division of Genetics, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taro Tomono
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.,Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, Majors in Medical Sciences University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takashi Okada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuji Yamanashi
- Division of Genetics, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Cantor S, Zhang W, Delestrée N, Remédio L, Mentis GZ, Burden SJ. Preserving neuromuscular synapses in ALS by stimulating MuSK with a therapeutic agonist antibody. eLife 2018; 7:34375. [PMID: 29460776 PMCID: PMC5837562 DOI: 10.7554/elife.34375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and animal models of ALS, including SOD1-G93A mice, disassembly of the neuromuscular synapse precedes motor neuron loss and is sufficient to cause a decline in motor function that culminates in lethal respiratory paralysis. We treated SOD1-G93A mice with an agonist antibody to MuSK, a receptor tyrosine kinase essential for maintaining neuromuscular synapses, to determine whether increasing muscle retrograde signaling would slow nerve terminal detachment from muscle. The agonist antibody, delivered after disease onset, slowed muscle denervation, promoting motor neuron survival, improving motor system output, and extending the lifespan of SOD1-G93A mice. These findings suggest a novel therapeutic strategy for ALS, using an antibody format with clinical precedence, which targets a pathway essential for maintaining attachment of nerve terminals to muscle. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – often shortened to ALS – is a disease that starts with difficulties moving and progresses to paralysis of many muscles, including those used for breathing. The disease is usually lethal, with patients rarely surviving more than a few years after diagnosis. There is no cure or effective treatment for the disease. It begins with the breakdown of the connections, or synapses, between the muscles and the nerve cells that connect with them. After this, the nerve cell itself breaks down. Many therapeutic approaches have focused on attempts to prevent the nerve cells from dying, but few target the initial degeneration of the synapse. Cantor et al. asked if intervening when the synapse has already begun to break down could slow the progression of the disease in mice with ALS. Their approach involved using an antibody to bind to a receptor protein called MuSK, which plays an important role in maintaining the synapse between muscle and nerve cell. The antibody boosted the receptor’s activity, helping to preserve synapses, including those that connect nerve cells to the diaphragm muscle. The experiments showed that the antibody treatment led to fewer synapses breaking down, and kept more of the nerve cells alive. Healthier connections between the nervous system and the diaphragm improved the function of this muscle. As a result, the mice given the antibody treatment had a slightly extended lifespan, compared with those given no treatment. The findings suggest a possible new way to develop treatments for ALS, which could be used in combination with other therapies, such as those aimed at improving the health of the nerve cells. Together, this could improve quality of life for the majority of patients with ALS. Similar strategies could be used to develop treatments to preserve synapses in other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, as well as some kinds of dementia. Preserving synapses early on, before the significant loss of nerve cells, could help to slow the progression of these diseases, improve the patients' quality of life and extend their lifespans too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Cantor
- Molecular Neurobiology Program, Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Medical School, New York, United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- Molecular Neurobiology Program, Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Medical School, New York, United States
| | - Nicolas Delestrée
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease and Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology and Neurology, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Leonor Remédio
- Molecular Neurobiology Program, Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Medical School, New York, United States
| | - George Z Mentis
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease and Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology and Neurology, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Steven J Burden
- Molecular Neurobiology Program, Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Medical School, New York, United States
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50
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Wen-Cheng Xiong
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Lin Mei
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
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