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Fu Y, Zhang J, Qin R, Ren Y, Zhou T, Han B, Liu B. Activating autophagy to eliminate toxic protein aggregates with small molecules in neurodegenerative diseases. Pharmacol Rev 2025; 77:100053. [PMID: 40187044 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmr.2025.100053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2025] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and frontotemporal dementia, are well known to pose formidable challenges for their treatment due to their intricate pathogenesis and substantial variability among patients, including differences in environmental exposures and genetic predispositions. One of the defining characteristics of NDs is widely reported to be the buildup of misfolded proteins. For example, Alzheimer disease is marked by amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylated Tau aggregates, whereas Parkinson disease exhibits α-synuclein aggregates. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia exhibit TAR DNA-binding protein 43, superoxide dismutase 1, and fused-in sarcoma protein aggregates, and Huntington disease involves mutant huntingtin and polyglutamine aggregates. These misfolded proteins are the key biomarkers of NDs and also serve as potential therapeutic targets, as they can be addressed through autophagy, a process that removes excess cellular inclusions to maintain homeostasis. Various forms of autophagy, including macroautophagy, chaperone-mediated autophagy, and microautophagy, hold a promise in eliminating toxic proteins implicated in NDs. In this review, we focus on elucidating the regulatory connections between autophagy and toxic proteins in NDs, summarizing the cause of the aggregates, exploring their impact on autophagy mechanisms, and discussing how autophagy can regulate toxic protein aggregation. Moreover, we underscore the activation of autophagy as a potential therapeutic strategy across different NDs and small molecules capable of activating autophagy pathways, such as rapamycin targeting the mTOR pathway to clear α-synuclein and Sertraline targeting the AMPK/mTOR/RPS6KB1 pathway to clear Tau, to further illustrate their potential in NDs' therapeutic intervention. Together, these findings would provide new insights into current research trends and propose small-molecule drugs targeting autophagy as promising potential strategies for the future ND therapies. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This review provides an in-depth overview of the potential of activating autophagy to eliminate toxic protein aggregates in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. It also elucidates the fascinating interrelationships between toxic proteins and the process of autophagy of "chasing and escaping" phenomenon. Moreover, the review further discusses the progress utilizing small molecules to activate autophagy to improve the efficacy of therapies for neurodegenerative diseases by removing toxic protein aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Fu
- Institute of Precision Drug Innovation and Cancer Center, the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China; Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rui Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yueting Ren
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Department of Brain Science, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Tingting Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Metabolite Research, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
| | - Bo Liu
- Institute of Precision Drug Innovation and Cancer Center, the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China; Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Wang Y, Yang Y, Cai Y, Aobulikasimu A, Wang Y, Hu C, Miao Z, Shao Y, Zhao M, Hu Y, Xu C, Chen X, Li Z, Chen J, Wang L, Chen S. Endo-Lysosomal Network Disorder Reprograms Energy Metabolism in SorL1-Null Rat Hippocampus. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2407709. [PMID: 39225620 PMCID: PMC11538633 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202407709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Sortilin-related receptor 1 (SorL1) deficiency is a genetic predisposition to familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its pathology is poorly understood. In SorL1-null rats, a disorder of the global endosome-lysosome network (ELN) is found in hippocampal neurons. Deletion of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in SorL1-null rats could not completely rescue the neuronal abnormalities in the ELN of the hippocampus and the impairment of spatial memory in SorL1-null young rats. These in vivo observations indicated that APP is one of the cargoes of SorL1 in the regulation of the ELN, which affects hippocampal-dependent memory. When SorL1 is depleted, the endolysosome takes up more of the lysosome flux and damages lysosomal digestion, leading to pathological lysosomal storage and disturbance of cholesterol and iron homeostasis in the hippocampus. These disturbances disrupt the original homeostasis of the material-energy-subcellular structure and reprogram energy metabolism based on fatty acids in the SorL1-null hippocampus, instead of glucose. Although fatty acid oxidation increases ATP supply, it cannot reduce the levels of the harmful byproduct ROS during oxidative phosphorylation, as it does in glucose catabolism. Therefore, the SorL1-null rats exhibit hippocampal degeneration, and their spatial memory is impaired. Our research sheds light on the pathology of SorL1 deficiency in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Wang
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Yuting Yang
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Ying Cai
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Ayikaimaier Aobulikasimu
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Yuexin Wang
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Chuanwei Hu
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Zhikang Miao
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Yue Shao
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Mengna Zhao
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Yue Hu
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Chang Xu
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
| | - Xinjun Chen
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Zhiqiang Li
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Jincao Chen
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Lianrong Wang
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Institute of PediatricsShenzhen Children's HospitalShenzhen518026China
| | - Shi Chen
- Department of GastroenterologyHubei Clinical Center and Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal DiseaseZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071China
- Department of Burn and Plastic SurgeryShenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbiology in Genomic Modification & Editing and ApplicationShenzhen Institute of Translational MedicineMedical Innovation Technology Transformation CenterShenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen Second People's HospitalThe First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen518035China
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3
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Guo M, He M, Zhang Y, Liu W, Qi M, Liu Z, Yi G, Deng S, Li Y, Sun X, Zhao L, Chen T, Liu Y. Nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of 14-3-3 epsilon carrying hnRNP C promotes autophagy. Cancer Biol Ther 2023; 24:2246203. [PMID: 37599448 PMCID: PMC10443976 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2023.2246203] [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: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Translocation of 14-3-3 protein epsilon (14-3-3ε) was found to be involved in Triptolide (Tp)-induced inhibition of colorectal cancer (CRC) cell proliferation. However, the form of cell death induced by 14-3-3ε translocation and mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. This study employed label-free LC-MS/MS to identify 14-3-3ε-associated proteins in CRC cells treated with or without Tp. Our results confirmed that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins C1/C2 (hnRNP C) were exported out of the nucleus by 14-3-3ε and degraded by ubiquitination. The nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of 14-3-3ε carrying hnRNP C mediated Tp-induced proliferation inhibition, cell cycle arrest and autophagic processes. These findings have broad implications for our understanding of 14-3-3ε function, provide an explanation for the mechanism of nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of hnRNP C and provide new insights into the complex regulation of autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manlan Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery & Medical Research Center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, China
- Transformation Engineering Research Center of Chronic Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Minyi He
- Center for Clinical Medical Education, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Transformation Engineering Research Center of Chronic Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Department of Oncology, Guizhou Cancer Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Weiwen Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery & Medical Research Center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, China
| | - Min Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery & Medical Research Center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, China
| | - Zhifeng Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncologic Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guozhong Yi
- Department of Neurosurgery & Medical Research Center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, China
| | - Shengze Deng
- Department of Neurosurgery & Medical Research Center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, China
| | - Yaomin Li
- Department of Neurosurgery & Medical Research Center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, China
| | - Xuegang Sun
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncologic Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tengxiang Chen
- Transformation Engineering Research Center of Chronic Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yawei Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery & Medical Research Center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, China
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Quan M, Cao S, Wang Q, Wang S, Jia J. Genetic Phenotypes of Alzheimer's Disease: Mechanisms and Potential Therapy. PHENOMICS (CHAM, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 3:333-349. [PMID: 37589021 PMCID: PMC10425323 DOI: 10.1007/s43657-023-00098-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Years of intensive research has brought us extensive knowledge on the genetic and molecular factors involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to the mutations in the three main causative genes of familial AD (FAD) including presenilins and amyloid precursor protein genes, studies have identified several genes as the most plausible genes for the onset and progression of FAD, such as triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2, sortilin-related receptor 1, and adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter subfamily A member 7. The apolipoprotein E ε4 allele is reported to be the strongest genetic risk factor for sporadic AD (SAD), and it also plays an important role in FAD. Here, we reviewed recent developments in genetic and molecular studies that contributed to the understanding of the genetic phenotypes of FAD and compared them with SAD. We further reviewed the advancements in AD gene therapy and discussed the future perspectives based on the genetic phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meina Quan
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053 China
- National Medical Center for Neurological Disorders and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, 100053 China
| | - Shuman Cao
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053 China
| | - Qi Wang
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053 China
- National Medical Center for Neurological Disorders and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, 100053 China
| | - Shiyuan Wang
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053 China
| | - Jianping Jia
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053 China
- National Medical Center for Neurological Disorders and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, 100053 China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, Beijing, 100053 China
- Clinical Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Memory Impairment, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053 China
- Center of Alzheimer’s Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053 China
- Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100053 China
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5
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Szabo MP, Mishra S, Knupp A, Young JE. The role of Alzheimer's disease risk genes in endolysosomal pathways. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 162:105576. [PMID: 34871734 PMCID: PMC9071255 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is ample pathological and biological evidence for endo-lysosomal dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and emerging genetic studies repeatedly implicate endo-lysosomal genes as associated with increased AD risk. The endo-lysosomal network (ELN) is essential for all cell types of the central nervous system (CNS), yet each unique cell type utilizes cellular trafficking differently (see Fig. 1). Challenges ahead involve defining the role of AD associated genes in the functionality of the endo-lysosomal network (ELN) and understanding how this impacts the cellular dysfunction that occurs in AD. This is critical to the development of new therapeutics that will impact, and potentially reverse, early disease phenotypes. Here we review some early evidence of ELN dysfunction in AD pathogenesis and discuss the role of selected AD-associated risk genes in this pathway. In particular, we review genes that have been replicated in multiple genome-wide association studies(Andrews et al., 2020; Jansen et al., 2019; Kunkle et al., 2019; Lambert et al., 2013; Marioni et al., 2018) and reviewed in(Andrews et al., 2020) that have defined roles in the endo-lysosomal network. These genes include SORL1, an AD risk gene harboring both rare and common variants associated with AD risk and a role in trafficking cargo, including APP, through the ELN; BIN1, a regulator of clathrin-mediated endocytosis whose expression correlates with Tau pathology; CD2AP, an AD risk gene with roles in endosome morphology and recycling; PICALM, a clathrin-binding protein that mediates trafficking between the trans-Golgi network and endosomes; and Ephrin Receptors, a family of receptor tyrosine kinases with AD associations and interactions with other AD risk genes. Finally, we will discuss how human cellular models can elucidate cell-type specific differences in ELN dysfunction in AD and aid in therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcell P Szabo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States of America; Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States of America
| | - Swati Mishra
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States of America; Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States of America
| | - Allison Knupp
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States of America; Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States of America
| | - Jessica E Young
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States of America; Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States of America.
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6
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Longhena F, Faustini G, Brembati V, Pizzi M, Benfenati F, Bellucci A. An updated reappraisal of synapsins: structure, function and role in neurological and psychiatric disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:33-60. [PMID: 34407457 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Synapsins (Syns) are phosphoproteins strongly involved in neuronal development and neurotransmitter release. Three distinct genes SYN1, SYN2 and SYN3, with elevated evolutionary conservation, have been described to encode for Synapsin I, Synapsin II and Synapsin III, respectively. Syns display a series of common features, but also exhibit distinctive localization, expression pattern, post-translational modifications (PTM). These characteristics enable their interaction with other synaptic proteins, membranes and cytoskeletal components, which is essential for the proper execution of their multiple functions in neuronal cells. These include the control of synapse formation and growth, neuron maturation and renewal, as well as synaptic vesicle mobilization, docking, fusion, recycling. Perturbations in the balanced expression of Syns, alterations of their PTM, mutations and polymorphisms of their encoding genes induce severe dysregulations in brain networks functions leading to the onset of psychiatric or neurological disorders. This review presents what we have learned since the discovery of Syn I in 1977, providing the state of the art on Syns structure, function, physiology and involvement in central nervous system disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Longhena
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Gaia Faustini
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Viviana Brembati
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Marina Pizzi
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Italian Institute of Technology, Via Morego 30, Genova, Italy; IRCSS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy.
| | - Arianna Bellucci
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy; Laboratory for Preventive and Personalized Medicine, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
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Perdigão C, Barata MA, Araújo MN, Mirfakhar FS, Castanheira J, Guimas Almeida C. Intracellular Trafficking Mechanisms of Synaptic Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:72. [PMID: 32362813 PMCID: PMC7180223 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive memory loss. Although AD neuropathological hallmarks are extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular tau tangles, the best correlate of disease progression is synapse loss. What causes synapse loss has been the focus of several researchers in the AD field. Synapses become dysfunctional before plaques and tangles form. Studies based on early-onset familial AD (eFAD) models have supported that synaptic transmission is depressed by β-amyloid (Aβ) triggered mechanisms. Since eFAD is rare, affecting only 1% of patients, research has shifted to the study of the most common late-onset AD (LOAD). Intracellular trafficking has emerged as one of the pathways of LOAD genes. Few studies have assessed the impact of trafficking LOAD genes on synapse dysfunction. Since endocytic traffic is essential for synaptic function, we reviewed Aβ-dependent and independent mechanisms of the earliest synaptic dysfunction in AD. We have focused on the role of intraneuronal and secreted Aβ oligomers, highlighting the dysfunction of endocytic trafficking as an Aβ-dependent mechanism of synapse dysfunction in AD. Here, we reviewed the LOAD trafficking genes APOE4, ABCA7, BIN1, CD2AP, PICALM, EPH1A, and SORL1, for which there is a synaptic link. We conclude that in eFAD and LOAD, the earliest synaptic dysfunctions are characterized by disruptions of the presynaptic vesicle exo- and endocytosis and of postsynaptic glutamate receptor endocytosis. While in eFAD synapse dysfunction seems to be triggered by Aβ, in LOAD, there might be a direct synaptic disruption by LOAD trafficking genes. To identify promising therapeutic targets and biomarkers of the earliest synaptic dysfunction in AD, it will be necessary to join efforts in further dissecting the mechanisms used by Aβ and by LOAD genes to disrupt synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Perdigão
- Laboratory Neuronal Trafficking in Aging, CEDOC Chronic Diseases Research Center, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mariana A Barata
- Laboratory Neuronal Trafficking in Aging, CEDOC Chronic Diseases Research Center, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Margarida N Araújo
- Laboratory Neuronal Trafficking in Aging, CEDOC Chronic Diseases Research Center, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Farzaneh S Mirfakhar
- Laboratory Neuronal Trafficking in Aging, CEDOC Chronic Diseases Research Center, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jorge Castanheira
- Laboratory Neuronal Trafficking in Aging, CEDOC Chronic Diseases Research Center, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Guimas Almeida
- Laboratory Neuronal Trafficking in Aging, CEDOC Chronic Diseases Research Center, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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Kumar D, Sharma A, Sharma L. A Comprehensive Review of Alzheimer's Association with Related Proteins: Pathological Role and Therapeutic Significance. Curr Neuropharmacol 2020; 18:674-695. [PMID: 32172687 PMCID: PMC7536827 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x18666200203101828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's is an insidious, progressive, chronic neurodegenerative disease which causes the devastation of neurons. Alzheimer's possesses complex pathologies of heterogeneous nature counting proteins as one major factor along with enzymes and mutated genes. Proteins such as amyloid precursor protein (APP), apolipoprotein E (ApoE), presenilin, mortalin, calbindin-D28K, creactive protein, heat shock proteins (HSPs), and prion protein are some of the chief elements in the foremost hypotheses of AD like amyloid-beta (Aβ) cascade hypothesis, tau hypothesis, cholinergic neuron damage, etc. Disturbed expression of these proteins results in synaptic dysfunction, cognitive impairment, memory loss, and neuronal degradation. On the therapeutic ground, attempts of developing anti-amyloid, anti-inflammatory, anti-tau therapies are on peak, having APP and tau as putative targets. Some proteins, e.g., HSPs, which ameliorate oxidative stress, calpains, which help in regulating synaptic plasticity, and calmodulin-like skin protein (CLSP) with its neuroprotective role are few promising future targets for developing anti-AD therapies. On diagnostic grounds of AD C-reactive protein, pentraxins, collapsin response mediator protein-2, and growth-associated protein-43 represent the future of new possible biomarkers for diagnosing AD. The last few decades were concentrated over identifying and studying protein targets of AD. Here, we reviewed the physiological/pathological roles and therapeutic significance of nearly all the proteins associated with AD that addresses putative as well as probable targets for developing effective anti-AD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, H.P. India
| | - Aditi Sharma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, H.P. India
| | - Lalit Sharma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, H.P. India
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9
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Lee YJ, Ch'ng TH. RIP at the Synapse and the Role of Intracellular Domains in Neurons. Neuromolecular Med 2019; 22:1-24. [PMID: 31346933 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-019-08556-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) occurs in a cell when transmembrane proteins are cleaved by intramembrane proteases such as secretases to generate soluble protein fragments in the extracellular environment and the cytosol. In the cytosol, these soluble intracellular domains (ICDs) have local functions near the site of cleavage or in many cases, translocate to the nucleus to modulate gene expression. While the mechanism of RIP is relatively well studied, the fate and function of ICDs for most substrate proteins remain poorly characterized. In neurons, RIP occurs in various subcellular compartments including at the synapse. In this review, we summarize current research on RIP in neurons, focusing specifically on synaptic proteins where the presence and function of the ICDs have been reported. We also briefly discuss activity-driven processing of RIP substrates at the synapse and the cellular machinery that support long-distance transport of ICDs from the synapse to the nucleus. Finally, we describe future challenges in this field of research in the context of understanding the contribution of ICDs in neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Jun Lee
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Clinical Science Building, 11 Mandalay Road, 10-01-01 M, Singapore, 308232, Singapore.,Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Toh Hean Ch'ng
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Clinical Science Building, 11 Mandalay Road, 10-01-01 M, Singapore, 308232, Singapore. .,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
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10
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Mohseni Ahooyi T, Torkzaban B, Shekarabi M, Tahrir FG, Decoppet EA, Cotto B, Langford D, Amini S, Khalili K. Perturbation of synapsins homeostasis through HIV-1 Tat-mediated suppression of BAG3 in primary neuronal cells. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:473. [PMID: 31209204 PMCID: PMC6572798 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1702-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
HIV-1 Tat is known to be released by HIV infected non-neuronal cells in the brain, and after entering neurons, compromises brain homeostasis by impairing pro-survival pathways, thus contributing to the development of HIV-associated CNS disorders commonly observed in individuals living with HIV. Here, we demonstrate that synapsins, phosphoproteins that are predominantly expressed in neuronal cells and play a vital role in modulating neurotransmitter release at the pre-synaptic terminal, and neuronal differentiation become targets for Tat through autophagy and protein quality control pathways. We demonstrate that the presence of Tat in neurons results in downregulation of BAG3, a co-chaperone for heat shock proteins (Hsp70/Hsc70) that is implicated in protein quality control (PQC) processes by eliminating mis-folded and damaged proteins, and selective macroautophagy. Our results show that treatment of cells with Tat or suppression of BAG3 expression by siRNA in neuronal cells disturbs subcellular distribution of synapsins and synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1) leading to their accumulation in the neuronal soma and along axons in a punctate pattern, rather than being properly distributed at axon-terminals. Further, our results revealed that synapsins partially lost their stability and their removal via lysosomal autophagy was noticeably impaired in cells with low levels of BAG3. The observed impairment of lysosomal autophagy, under this condition, is likely caused by cells losing their ability to process LC3-I to LC3-II, in part due to a decrease in the ATG5 levels upon BAG3 knockdown. These observations ascribe a new function for BAG3 in controlling synaptic communications and illuminate a new downstream target for Tat to elicit its pathogenic effect in impacting neuronal cell function and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taha Mohseni Ahooyi
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA.
| | - Bahareh Torkzaban
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Masoud Shekarabi
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Farzaneh G Tahrir
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Emilie A Decoppet
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Bianca Cotto
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Dianne Langford
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Shohreh Amini
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Kamel Khalili
- Department of Neuroscience Center for Neurovirology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA.
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11
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Mirza FJ, Zahid S. The Role of Synapsins in Neurological Disorders. Neurosci Bull 2017; 34:349-358. [PMID: 29282612 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-017-0201-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapsins serve as flagships among the presynaptic proteins due to their abundance on synaptic vesicles and contribution to synaptic communication. Several studies have emphasized the importance of this multi-gene family of neuron-specific phosphoproteins in maintaining brain physiology. In the recent times, increasing evidence has established the relevance of alterations in synapsins as a major determinant in many neurological disorders. Here, we give a comprehensive description of the diverse roles of the synapsin family and the underlying molecular mechanisms that contribute to several neurological disorders. These physiologically important roles of synapsins associated with neurological disorders are just beginning to be understood. A detailed understanding of the diversified expression of synapsins may serve to strategize novel therapeutic approaches for these debilitating neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Javed Mirza
- Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Saadia Zahid
- Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
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