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Sameni S, Bartol TM, Corey-Bloom J, Sejnowski TJ. Computer simulations predict the impact of neuronal atrophy on the calcium dynamics in Huntington's disease. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgad443. [PMID: 38222468 PMCID: PMC10785038 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
One of the early hallmarks of Huntington's disease (HD) is neuronal cell atrophy, especially in the striatum, underlying motor dysfunction in HD. Here using a computer model, we have predicted the impact of cell shrinkage on calcium dynamics at the cellular level. Our model indicates that as cytosolic volume decreases, the amplitude of calcium transients increases and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) becomes more leaky due to calcium-induced calcium release and a "toxic" positive feedback mechanism mediated by ryanodine receptors that greatly increases calcium release into the cytosol. The excessive calcium release from ER saturates the calcium buffering capacity of calbindin and forces further accumulation of free calcium in the cytosol and cellular compartments including mitochondria. This leads to imbalance of calcium in both cytosol and ER regions. Excessive calcium accumulation in the cytosol can damage the mitochondria resulting in metabolic dysfunction in the cell consistent with the pathology of HD. Our computational model points toward potential drug targets and can accelerate and greatly help the experimental studies of HD paving the way for treatments of patients suffering from HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Sameni
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Thomas M Bartol
- Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jody Corey-Bloom
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Terrence J Sejnowski
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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2
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Jiang A, Handley RR, Lehnert K, Snell RG. From Pathogenesis to Therapeutics: A Review of 150 Years of Huntington's Disease Research. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13021. [PMID: 37629202 PMCID: PMC10455900 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241613021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative genetic disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine-coding (CAG) trinucleotide repeat in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. HD behaves as a highly penetrant dominant disorder likely acting through a toxic gain of function by the mutant huntingtin protein. Widespread cellular degeneration of the medium spiny neurons of the caudate nucleus and putamen are responsible for the onset of symptomology that encompasses motor, cognitive, and behavioural abnormalities. Over the past 150 years of HD research since George Huntington published his description, a plethora of pathogenic mechanisms have been proposed with key themes including excitotoxicity, dopaminergic imbalance, mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic defects, disruption of proteostasis, transcriptional dysregulation, and neuroinflammation. Despite the identification and characterisation of the causative gene and mutation and significant advances in our understanding of the cellular pathology in recent years, a disease-modifying intervention has not yet been clinically approved. This review includes an overview of Huntington's disease, from its genetic aetiology to clinical presentation and its pathogenic manifestation. An updated view of molecular mechanisms and the latest therapeutic developments will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Jiang
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand; (R.R.H.); (K.L.); (R.G.S.)
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3
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Martínez-Lazcano JC, González-Guevara E, Boll C, Cárdenas G. Gut dysbiosis and homocysteine: a couple for boosting neurotoxicity in Huntington disease. Rev Neurosci 2022; 33:819-827. [PMID: 35411760 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2021-0164] [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: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of the huntingtin triplet (Htt), is clinically characterized by cognitive and neuropsychiatric alterations. Although these alterations appear to be related to mutant Htt (mHtt)-induced neurotoxicity, several other factors are involved. The gut microbiota is a known modulator of brain-gut communication and when altered (dysbiosis), several complaints can be developed including gastrointestinal dysfunction which may have a negative impact on cognition, behavior, and other mental functions in HD through several mechanisms, including increased levels of lipopolysaccharide, proinflammatory cytokines and immune cell response, as well as alterations in Ca2+ signaling, resulting in both increased intestinal and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Recently, the presence of dysbiosis has been described in both transgenic mouse models and HD patients. A bidirectional influence between host brain tissues and the gut microbiota has been observed. On the one hand, the host diet influences the composition and function of microbiota; and on the other hand, microbiota products can affect BBB permeability, synaptogenesis, and the regulation of neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors, which has a direct effect on host metabolism and brain function. This review summarizes the available evidence on the pathogenic synergism of dysbiosis and homocysteine, and their role in the transgression of BBB integrity and their potential neurotoxicity of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Martínez-Lazcano
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Mexico City 14629, Mexico
| | - Edith González-Guevara
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Mexico City 14629, Mexico
| | - Catherine Boll
- Laboratorio de Investigación clínica, Clínica de Ataxias y Coreas, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas Raras, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Mexico City 14629, Mexico
| | - Graciela Cárdenas
- Departamento de Neurología y Enfermedades Neuro-Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Mexico City 14629, Mexico
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4
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Love CJ, Masson BA, Gubert C, Hannan AJ. The microbiota-gut-brain axis in Huntington's disease. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 167:141-184. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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5
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Ogilvie AC, Nopoulos PC, Schultz JL. Quantifying the Onset of Unintended Weight Loss in Huntington's Disease: A Retrospective Analysis of Enroll-HD. J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 10:485-492. [PMID: 34633327 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-210488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unintended weight loss and decreased body mass indexes (BMIs) are common symptoms of individuals with manifest HD. It is unknown at what point during disease progression weight loss starts to accelerate relative to a healthy individual's weight and when recommended interventions should be initiated to have the strongest impact on patient care. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to identify a point in time relative to age at motor onset when the decline in weight in HD starts to accelerate relative to a non-HD population. The relationship between initiation of weight loss interventions and changes in weight loss was also explored. METHODS Participants from the fifth version of the Enroll-HD study were identified for this research. Linear mixed-effects piecewise regression models were used to estimate the point in time relative to the reported age of motor onset in which BMI started to decline in participants with HD compared to healthy non-HD controls. A post-hoc descriptive analysis was performed to look at when nutritional supplements and swallow therapy were initiated in participants with HD relative to motor onset. RESULTS BMI decline in the HD group began to accelerate compared to controls approximately 5.7 years after the reported age of motor onset (95% CI: 4.7-6.9). The average initiation times of swallow therapy and nutritional supplements were 7.7 years (SD = 5.5 years) and 6.7 years (SD = 6.5 years) after motor onset, respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest a potential point for intervention of nutrition programs or therapies used to prevent future weight loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy C Ogilvie
- Department of Psychiatry, The Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, The College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Peg C Nopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry, The Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Neurology, The Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jordan L Schultz
- Department of Psychiatry, The Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Neurology, The Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Division of Pharmacy Practice and Sciences, The College of Pharmacy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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6
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Bozzi M, Sciandra F. Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Muscle Wasting in Huntington's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218314. [PMID: 33167595 PMCID: PMC7664236 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by pathogenic expansions of the triplet cytosine-adenosine-guanosine (CAG) within the Huntingtin gene. These expansions lead to a prolongation of the poly-glutamine stretch at the N-terminus of Huntingtin causing protein misfolding and aggregation. Huntingtin and its pathological variants are widely expressed, but the central nervous system is mainly affected, as proved by the wide spectrum of neurological symptoms, including behavioral anomalies, cognitive decline and motor disorders. Other hallmarks of HD are loss of body weight and muscle atrophy. This review highlights some key elements that likely provide a major contribution to muscle atrophy, namely, alteration of the transcriptional processes, mitochondrial dysfunction, which is strictly correlated to loss of energy homeostasis, inflammation, apoptosis and defects in the processes responsible for the protein quality control. The improvement of muscular symptoms has proven to slow the disease progression and extend the life span of animal models of HD, underlining the importance of a deep comprehension of the molecular mechanisms driving deterioration of muscular tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Bozzi
- Dipartimento Universitario di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Sezione di Biochimica e Biochimica Clinica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Roma, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta”– SCITEC Sede di Roma, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Francesca Sciandra
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta”– SCITEC Sede di Roma, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy;
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Valadão PAC, Santos KBS, Ferreira E Vieira TH, Macedo E Cordeiro T, Teixeira AL, Guatimosim C, de Miranda AS. Inflammation in Huntington's disease: A few new twists on an old tale. J Neuroimmunol 2020; 348:577380. [PMID: 32896821 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2020.577380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by prominent loss of neurons in the striatum and cortex. Traditionally research in HD has focused on brain changes as they cause progressive motor dysfunction, cognitive decline and psychiatric disorders. The discovery that huntingtin protein (HTT) and its mutated form (mHTT) are expressed not only in the brain but also in different organs and tissues paved the way for the hypothesis that HD might affect regions beyond the central nervous system (CNS). Besides pathological deposition of mHTT, other mechanisms, including inflammation, seem to underlie HD pathogenesis and progression. Altered inflammation can be evidenced even before the onset of classical symptoms of HD. Herein, we will discuss current pre-clinical and clinical evidence on immune/inflammatory changes in peripheral organs during HD development and progression. The understanding of the impact of inflammation on peripheral organs may open new venues for the development of novel therapeutic targets in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kívia Barretos S Santos
- Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Talita Hélen Ferreira E Vieira
- Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Departamento de Fisioterapia, Faculdade Sete Lagoas, Sete Lagoas, MG, Brazil
| | - Thiago Macedo E Cordeiro
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Antonio Lucio Teixeira
- Santa Casa BH Ensino e Pesquisa, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Neuropsychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Cristina Guatimosim
- Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Aline Silva de Miranda
- Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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8
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Wasser CI, Mercieca EC, Kong G, Hannan AJ, McKeown SJ, Glikmann-Johnston Y, Stout JC. Gut dysbiosis in Huntington's disease: associations among gut microbiota, cognitive performance and clinical outcomes. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa110. [PMID: 33005892 PMCID: PMC7519724 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is characterized by a triad of motor, cognitive and psychiatric impairments, as well as unintended weight loss. Although much of the research has focused on cognitive, motor and psychiatric symptoms, the extent of peripheral pathology and the relationship between these factors, and the core symptoms of Huntington's disease, are relatively unknown. Gut microbiota are key modulators of communication between the brain and gut, and alterations in microbiota composition (dysbiosis) can negatively affect cognition, behaviour and affective function, and may be implicated in disease progression. Furthermore, gut dysbiosis was recently reported in Huntington's disease transgenic mice. Our main objective was to characterize the gut microbiome in people with Huntington's disease and determine whether the composition of gut microbiota are significantly related to clinical indicators of disease progression. We compared 42 Huntington's disease gene expansion carriers, including 19 people who were diagnosed with Huntington's disease (Total Functional Capacity > 6) and 23 in the premanifest stage, with 36 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Participants were characterized clinically using a battery of cognitive tests and using results from 16S V3 to V4 rRNA sequencing of faecal samples to characterize the gut microbiome. For gut microbiome measures, we found significant differences in the microbial communities (beta diversity) based on unweighted UniFrac distance (P = 0.001), as well as significantly lower alpha diversity (species richness and evenness) between our combined Huntington's disease gene expansion carrier group and healthy controls (P = 0.001). We also found major shifts in the microbial community structure at Phylum and Family levels, and identified functional pathways and enzymes affected in our Huntington's disease gene expansion carrier group. Within the Huntington's disease gene expansion carrier group, we also discovered associations among gut bacteria, cognitive performance and clinical outcomes. Overall, our findings suggest an altered gut microbiome in Huntington's disease gene expansion carriers. These results highlight the importance of gut biomarkers and raise interesting questions regarding the role of the gut in Huntington's disease, and whether it may be a potential target for future therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory I Wasser
- Ageing and Neurodegeneration Program, School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Emily-Clare Mercieca
- Ageing and Neurodegeneration Program, School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Geraldine Kong
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Sonja J McKeown
- Department of Anatomy & Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Yifat Glikmann-Johnston
- Ageing and Neurodegeneration Program, School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Julie C Stout
- Ageing and Neurodegeneration Program, School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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Lakra P, Aditi K, Agrawal N. Peripheral Expression of Mutant Huntingtin is a Critical Determinant of Weight Loss and Metabolic Disturbances in Huntington's Disease. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10127. [PMID: 31300691 PMCID: PMC6626032 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46470-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Deteriorating weight loss in patients with Huntington's disease (HD) is a complicated peripheral manifestation and the cause remains poorly understood. Studies suggest that body weight strongly influences the clinical progression rate of HD and thereby offers a valuable target for therapeutic interventions. Mutant huntingtin (mHTT) is ubiquitously expressed and could induce toxicity by directly acting in the peripheral tissues. We investigated the effects of selective expression of mHTT exon1 in fat body (FB; functionally equivalent to human adipose tissue and liver) using transgenic Drosophila. We find that FB-autonomous expression of mHTT exon1 is intrinsically toxic and causes chronic weight loss in the flies despite progressive hyperphagia, and early adult death. Moreover, flies exhibit loss of intracellular lipid stores, and decline in the systemic levels of lipids and carbohydrates which aggravates over time, representing metabolic defects. At the cellular level, besides impairment, cell death also occurs with the formation of mHTT aggregates in the FB. These findings indicate that FB-autonomous expression of mHTT alone is sufficient to cause metabolic abnormalities and emaciation in vivo without any neurodegenerative cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Lakra
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Kumari Aditi
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Namita Agrawal
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India.
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10
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Costa de Miranda R, Di Lorenzo N, Andreoli A, Romano L, De Santis GL, Gualtieri P, De Lorenzo A. Body composition and bone mineral density in Huntington's disease. Nutrition 2018; 59:145-149. [PMID: 30468934 DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Understanding the body composition (BC) of patients with Huntington's disease (HD) could help to delay disease progression and improve treatment efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess BC parameters, including bone mineral density (BMD), and to find new biomarkers that can be early indicators for weight loss in patients with HD. METHODS Twenty-one age- and sex-matched patients with HD and 29 healthy controls (CT) were enrolled. For each patient, body weight (BW), height, and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. BC and BMD were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Subsamples were created according to sex and percent fat mass (FM) (obese and nonobese). All analyses were carried out using SPSS version 23. RESULTS In all comparisons, BMD and T-score were lower in the HD group, but were not correlated with lean body mass (LBM) or FM. In the HD group, LBM and truncal fat were mostly reduced, except in women with HD whose BC appeared to be less affected by the disease than men. Furthermore, LBM (r = 0.80) and truncal fat (r = 0.68) were better correlated with BW than BMI (r = 0.56). CONCLUSION Complete BC assessment can be crucial for preventive interventions and prognosis definition in patients with HD. New biomarkers such as BMD, LBM, and truncal fat can be early indicators of weight loss in patients with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Costa de Miranda
- PhD School of Applied Medical-Surgical Sciences, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Nicola Di Lorenzo
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Tor Vergata, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Andreoli
- Department of System Medicine, Human Physiology and Nutrition Unit, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Romano
- Specialisation School of Food Science, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Gemma Lou De Santis
- Specialisation School of Food Science, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Gualtieri
- PhD School of Applied Medical-Surgical Sciences, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonino De Lorenzo
- Section of Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomic, Department of Biomedicine and prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Casa di Cura Madonna dello Scoglio, Cotronei, Italy.
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11
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Emergence of breath testing as a new non-invasive diagnostic modality for neurodegenerative diseases. Brain Res 2018; 1691:75-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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12
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Brain urea increase is an early Huntington's disease pathogenic event observed in a prodromal transgenic sheep model and HD cases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E11293-E11302. [PMID: 29229845 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1711243115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD) is typically characterized by extensive loss of striatal neurons and the midlife onset of debilitating and progressive chorea, dementia, and psychological disturbance. HD is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene, translating to an elongated glutamine tract in the huntingtin protein. The pathogenic mechanism resulting in cell dysfunction and death beyond the causative mutation is not well defined. To further delineate the early molecular events in HD, we performed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) on striatal tissue from a cohort of 5-y-old OVT73-line sheep expressing a human CAG-expansion HTT cDNA transgene. Our HD OVT73 sheep are a prodromal model and exhibit minimal pathology and no detectable neuronal loss. We identified significantly increased levels of the urea transporter SLC14A1 in the OVT73 striatum, along with other important osmotic regulators. Further investigation revealed elevated levels of the metabolite urea in the OVT73 striatum and cerebellum, consistent with our recently published observation of increased urea in postmortem human brain from HD cases. Extending that finding, we demonstrate that postmortem human brain urea levels are elevated in a larger cohort of HD cases, including those with low-level neuropathology (Vonsattel grade 0/1). This elevation indicates increased protein catabolism, possibly as an alternate energy source given the generalized metabolic defect in HD. Increased urea and ammonia levels due to dysregulation of the urea cycle are known to cause neurologic impairment. Taken together, our findings indicate that aberrant urea metabolism could be the primary biochemical disruption initiating neuropathogenesis in HD.
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13
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Handley RR, Reid SJ, Patassini S, Rudiger SR, Obolonkin V, McLaughlan CJ, Jacobsen JC, Gusella JF, MacDonald ME, Waldvogel HJ, Bawden CS, Faull RLM, Snell RG. Metabolic disruption identified in the Huntington's disease transgenic sheep model. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20681. [PMID: 26864449 PMCID: PMC4749952 DOI: 10.1038/srep20681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited, progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion within exon 1 of HTT, encoding huntingtin. There are no therapies that can delay the progression of this devastating disease. One feature of HD that may play a critical role in its pathogenesis is metabolic disruption. Consequently, we undertook a comparative study of metabolites in our transgenic sheep model of HD (OVT73). This model does not display overt symptoms of HD but has circadian rhythm alterations and molecular changes characteristic of the early phase disease. Quantitative metabolite profiles were generated from the motor cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum and liver tissue of 5 year old transgenic sheep and matched controls by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Differentially abundant metabolites were evident in the cerebellum and liver. There was striking tissue-specificity, with predominantly amino acids affected in the transgenic cerebellum and fatty acids in the transgenic liver, which together may indicate a hyper-metabolic state. Furthermore, there were more strong pair-wise correlations of metabolite abundance in transgenic than in wild-type cerebellum and liver, suggesting altered metabolic constraints. Together these differences indicate a metabolic disruption in the sheep model of HD and could provide insight into the presymptomatic human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee R Handley
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Suzanne J Reid
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Stefano Patassini
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Skye R Rudiger
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development, Adelaide, SA 5350, Australia
| | - Vladimir Obolonkin
- Research &Development, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Clive J McLaughlan
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development, Adelaide, SA 5350, Australia
| | - Jessie C Jacobsen
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - James F Gusella
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02114, United States of America
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02114, United States of America
| | - Henry J Waldvogel
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - C Simon Bawden
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development, Adelaide, SA 5350, Australia
| | - Richard L M Faull
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Russell G Snell
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
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14
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Gil Polo C, Cubo Delgado E, Mateos Cachorro A, Rivadeneyra Posadas J, Mariscal Pérez N, Armesto Formoso D. Energy Balance in Huntington's Disease. ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM 2015; 67:267-73. [PMID: 26529520 DOI: 10.1159/000441328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Little is known about the energy needs in Huntington's disease (HD). The aims of this study are to analyze and compare the total energy expenditure (TEE) and energy balance (EB) in a representative sample of HD patients with healthy controls. METHODS This is an observational, case-control single-center study. Food caloric energy intake (EI) and TEE were considered for estimating EB. A dietary recall questionnaire was used to assess the EI. TEE was computed as the sum of resting energy expenditure (REE), measured by indirect calorimetry and physical activity (PA) monitored by an actigraph. RESULTS A total of 22 patients were included (36% men, mean age 50.3 ± 15.6 years, motor Unified Huntington's Disease Scale 27.9 ± 23.7, total functional capacity 11.0 (7.0-13.0), EI 38.6 ± 10.0 kcal/kg, PA 5.3 (3.0-7.4) kcal/kg, REE 30.9 ± 6.4 kcal/kg, TEE 2,023.4 (1,592.0-2,226.5) kcal/day) and 18 controls (50% men, mean age 47.4 ± 13.8 years, EI 38.6 ± 10.3 kcal/kg, PA 8.4 (5.0-13.8) kcal/kg, REE 30.8 ± 6.6 kcal/kg, TEE 2,281.0 (2,057.3-2,855.3) kcal/day). TEE was significantly lower in patients compared to controls (p = 0.03). PA was lower in patients compared to controls (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Although patients with HD appeared to have lower energy expenditure, mainly due to decreased voluntary PA, they were still able to maintain their energy needs with an adequate food intake. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Gil Polo
- Neurology Department, Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, Spain
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Abstract
Weight loss is an important complication of Huntington’s disease (HD), however the mechanism for weight loss in HD is not entirely understood. Mutant huntingtin is expressed in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and, in HD mice, mutant huntingtin inclusions are found within the enteric nervous system along the GI tract. A reduction of neuropeptides, decreased mucosal thickness and villus length, as well as gut motility impairment, have also been shown in HD mice. We therefore set out to study gastric mucosa of patients with HD, looking for abnormalities of mucosal cells using immunohistochemistry. In order to investigate possible histological differences related to gastric acid production, we evaluated the cell density of acid producing parietal cells, as well as gastrin producing cells (the endocrine cell controlling parietal cell function). In addition, we looked at chief cells and somatostatin-containing cells. In gastric mucosa from HD subjects, compared to control subject biopsies, a reduced expression of gastrin (a marker of G cells) was found. This is in line with previous HD mouse studies showing reduction of GI tract neuropeptides.
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Süssmuth SD, Müller VM, Geitner C, Landwehrmeyer GB, Iff S, Gemperli A, Orth M. Fat-free mass and its predictors in Huntington's disease. J Neurol 2015; 262:1533-40. [PMID: 25904208 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-015-7753-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Revised: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The causes of weight loss in Huntington's disease (HD) are not entirely clear. The aim was to identify risk factors that are associated with a loss of metabolically active tissues, i.e. fat-free mass. A consecutive cohort of non-diabetic HD participants (manifest HD, n = 43; CAG: mean 43.6.0 ± 3.6; preHD, n = 10; CAG: mean 41.4 ± 1.4) and 36 healthy controls was recruited. Twenty-five HD participants were early-stage HD (UHDRS Total Functional Capacity [TFC] stages I and II), 12 mid-stage HD (TFC stage III), and 6 participants were in late-stage HD (TFC stages IV and V). Food intake, basic metabolic rate and glucose homeostasis were assessed. In addition, fat-free mass was determined using bioelectric impedance analysis, and leptin, insulin and ghrelin as key metabolic regulators. Sex ratio and age were similar in HD participants (71 % women; age 50.6 ± 10.9) and controls (66 % women; age 46.4 ± 14.5). Body mass index (BMI) was lower in HD participants than controls (median 24.1 vs. 25.9, p = 0.04). However, fat-free mass and basic metabolic rate were not statistically different between groups and showed no association with disease burden. In controls and HD participants, leptin was the most important predictor of fat-free mass. While BMI was lower in HD participants, fat-free mass was similar to controls with leptin as its most important predictor. Leptin levels and fat-free mass measurements using bioelectric impedance analysis may be good screening tools to identify HD patients at risk for weight loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- S D Süssmuth
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Oberer Eselsberg 45/1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
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Ramos EM, Kovalenko M, Guide JR, St Claire J, Gillis T, Mysore JS, Sequeiros J, Wheeler VC, Alonso I, MacDonald ME. Chromosome substitution strain assessment of a Huntington's disease modifier locus. Mamm Genome 2015; 26:119-30. [PMID: 25645993 PMCID: PMC4372682 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-014-9552-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a dominant neurodegenerative disorder that is due to expansion of an unstable HTT CAG repeat for which genome-wide genetic scans are now revealing chromosome regions that contain disease-modifying genes. We have explored a novel human–mouse cross-species functional prioritisation approach, by evaluating the HD modifier 6q23–24 linkage interval. This unbiased strategy employs C57BL/6J (B6J) HdhQ111 knock-in mice, replicates of the HD mutation, and the C57BL/6J-chr10A/J/NaJ chromosome substitution strain (CSS10), in which only chromosome 10 (chr10), in synteny with the human 6q23–24 region, is derived from the A/J (AJ) strain. Crosses were performed to assess the possibility of dominantly acting chr10 AJ-B6J variants of strong effect that may modulate CAG-dependent HdhQ111/+ phenotypes. Testing of F1 progeny confirmed that a single AJ chromosome had a significant effect on the rate of body weight gain and in HdhQ111 mice the AJ chromosome was associated subtle alterations in somatic CAG instability in the liver and the formation of intra-nuclear inclusions, as well as DARPP-32 levels, in the striatum. These findings in relatively small cohorts are suggestive of dominant chr10 AJ-B6 variants that may modify effects of the CAG expansion, and encourage a larger study with CSS10 and sub-strains. This cross-species approach may therefore be suited to functional in vivo prioritisation of genomic regions harbouring genes that can modify the early effects of the HD mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Marisa Ramos
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA,
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Tereshchenko A, McHugh M, Lee JK, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Crane K, Dawson J, Nopoulos P. Abnormal Weight and Body Mass Index in Children with Juvenile Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2015; 4:231-238. [PMID: 26443925 PMCID: PMC4886713 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-150152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The hallmark clinical manifestation of Huntington's disease (HD), namely lower weight and BMI has been reported in prodromal HD (PreHD) adults and also in PreHD children. Here, we aim to evaluate anthropometric measures of growth and development (height, weight, body mass index (BMI)) in a group of children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with Juvenile Onset Huntington's Disease (JHD). METHODS Growth measures for 18 JHD patients, documented prior to or shortly after diagnosis, were obtained through medical records. JHD growth measures were compared to a large sample (n = 274) of healthy children, as well as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) growth norms. RESULTS After controlling for sex and age, the JHD subjects had no significant differences in height. However, they were an average of 10% lower than controls in weight and BMI. Using CDC norms, the JHD subjects had the same pattern of normal height but decrement in weight. Length of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeat in the huntingtin gene was significantly correlated to measures of weight with longer CAG repeats being associated with more severe weight reduction. A subset of 4 subjects had measures that pre-dated onset of any symptom and were therefore prodromal JHD (preJHD). These subjects also had a significant decrement in BMI compared to CDC norms. CONCLUSIONS Children with JHD have normal height, but significantly reduced weight and BMI, indicative of a specific deficit in body weight. As the preJHD subjects were also low in BMI, this suggests that these changes are directly due to the effect of the mutated gene on development, rather than symptom manifestation of the disease itself. Potential mechanisms of the weight decrement include energy deficiency due to mitochondrial dysfunction during development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael McHugh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
| | - Jessica K. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
| | | | - Kaitlin Crane
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa College of Public Health
| | - Jeffrey Dawson
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa College of Public Health
| | - Peg Nopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
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Reduced motivation in the BACHD rat model of Huntington disease is dependent on the choice of food deprivation strategy. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105662. [PMID: 25144554 PMCID: PMC4140820 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor, cognitive, psychiatric and metabolic symptoms. Animal models of HD show phenotypes that can be divided into similar categories, with the metabolic phenotype of certain models being characterized by obesity. Although interesting in terms of modeling metabolic symptoms of HD, the obesity phenotype can be problematic as it might confound the results of certain behavioral tests. This concerns the assessment of cognitive function in particular, as tests for such phenotypes are often based on food depriving the animals and having them perform tasks for food rewards. The BACHD rat is a recently established animal model of HD, and in order to ensure that behavioral characterization of these rats is done in a reliable way, a basic understanding of their physiology is needed. Here, we show that BACHD rats are obese and suffer from discrete developmental deficits. When assessing the motivation to lever push for a food reward, BACHD rats were found to be less motivated than wild type rats, although this phenotype was dependent on the food deprivation strategy. Specifically, the phenotype was present when rats of both genotypes were deprived to 85% of their respective free-feeding body weight, but not when deprivation levels were adjusted in order to match the rats' apparent hunger levels. The study emphasizes the importance of considering metabolic abnormalities as a confounding factor when performing behavioral characterization of HD animal models.
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Cruickshank T, Reyes A, Peñailillo L, Thompson J, Ziman M. Factors that contribute to balance and mobility impairments in individuals with Huntington's disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baga.2014.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Marder K, Gu Y, Eberly S, Tanner CM, Scarmeas N, Oakes D, Shoulson I. Relationship of Mediterranean diet and caloric intake to phenoconversion in Huntington disease. JAMA Neurol 2013; 70:1382-8. [PMID: 24000094 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2013.3487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Adherence to Mediterranean-type diet (MeDi) may delay onset of Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. Whether adherence to MeDi affects time to phenoconversion in Huntington disease (HD), a highly penetrant, single-gene disorder, is unknown. OBJECTIVES To determine if MeDi modifies the time to clinical onset of HD (phenoconversion) in premanifest carriers participating in Prospective Huntington at Risk Observational Study (PHAROS), and to examine the effects of body mass index and caloric intake on time to phenoconversion. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective cohort study of 41 Huntington study group sites in the United States and Canada involving 1001 participants enrolled in PHAROS between July 1999 and January 2004 who were followed up every 9 months until 2010. A total of 211 participants aged 26 to 57 years had an expanded CAG repeat length (≥ 37). EXPOSURE A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire was administered 33 months after baseline. We calculated daily gram intake for dairy, meat, fruit, vegetables, legumes, cereals, fish, monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids, and alcohol and constructed MeDi scores (0-9); higher scores indicate higher adherence. Demographics, medical history, body mass index, and Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) score were collected. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE Cox proportional hazards regression models to determine the association of MeDi and phenoconversion. RESULTS Age, sex, caloric intake, education status, and UHDRS motor scores did not differ among MeDi tertiles (0-3, 4-5, and 6-9). The highest body mass index was associated with the lowest adherence to MeDi. Thirty-one participants phenoconverted. In a model adjusted for age, CAG repeat length, and caloric intake, MeDi was not associated with phenoconversion (P for trend = 0.14 for tertile of MeDi, and P = .22 for continuous MeDi). When individual components of MeDi were analyzed, higher dairy consumption (hazard ratio, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.0-5.57; P = .05) and higher caloric intake (P = .04) were associated with risk of phenoconversion. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE MeDi was not associated with phenoconversion; however, higher consumption of dairy products had a 2-fold increased risk and may be a surrogate for lower urate levels (associated with faster progression in manifest HD). Studies of diet and energy expenditure in premanifest HD may provide data for interventions to modify specific components of diet that may delay the onset of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Marder
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York3Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
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Aziz NA, Roos RAC. Characteristics, pathophysiology and clinical management of weight loss in Huntington’s disease. Neurodegener Dis Manag 2013. [DOI: 10.2217/nmt.13.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the HTT gene. Clinically, the disease is characterized by motor impairment, cognitive deterioration and behavioral disturbances. Unintended weight loss is also a hallmark of the disease and frequently leads to general weakening and a decline in the quality of life of HD patients. Moreover, a higher BMI has been associated with a slower rate of disease progression. In this review, the authors first delineate the characteristics of weight loss in both HD patients and genetic models of the disease. Subsequently, they discuss the pathophysiological processes underlying weight loss in HD and highlight the implications for management and care of HD patients with, or at risk of, unintended weight loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Ahmad Aziz
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Raymund AC Roos
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Lee JK, Mathews K, Schlaggar B, Perlmutter J, Paulsen JS, Epping E, Burmeister L, Nopoulos P. Measures of growth in children at risk for Huntington disease. Neurology 2012; 79:668-74. [PMID: 22815549 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e3182648b65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The effect of mHTT on human development was examined by evaluating measures of growth in children at risk for Huntington disease (HD). METHODS Children at risk for HD with no manifest symptoms (no juvenile HD included) were enrolled and tested for gene expansion for research purposes only. Measurements of growth (height, weight, body mass index [BMI], and head circumference) in children tested as gene-expanded (n = 20, 7-18 years of age, CAG repeats ≥39) were compared to those of a large database of healthy children (n = 152, 7-18 years of age). RESULTS Gene-expanded children had significantly lower measures of head circumference, weight, and BMI. Head circumference was abnormally low even after correcting for height, suggesting a specific deficit in brain growth, rather than a global growth abnormality. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that, compared to a control population, children who were estimated to be decades from HD diagnosis have significant differences in growth. Further, they suggest that mHTT may play a role in atypical somatic, and in particular, brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica K Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, USA.
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Hannan AJ, Ransome MI. Deficits in spermatogenesis but not neurogenesis are alleviated by chronic testosterone therapy in R6/1 Huntington's disease mice. J Neuroendocrinol 2012; 24:341-56. [PMID: 21988129 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02238.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite the well established central pathophysiology of Huntington's disease (HD), less is known about systemic impairments that are emerging as significant contributors to the morbidity of this neurodegenerative condition. Given the evidence of neuroendocrine dysfunction in HD patients and the pro-neural properties of sex-hormones, we explored the therapeutic potential of hormone therapy in the HD R6/1 mouse model (HD mice). HD mice over-express exon-1 of the defective human HD gene and replicate many of the clinical behavioural, biochemical and physiological impairments. Seven-week-old HD and wild-type littermate mice had either saline (control) or testosterone (treatment; 160μg/day over 90days) pellets implanted s.c. and were subsequently subjected to behavioural, molecular and cellular analysis. Separate mice were used to establish a decrease in serum testosterone concentrations in HD mice at 12weeks of age. Baseline serum testosterone was significantly reduced in control 19-week-old HD mice, whereas treatment significantly raised serum testosterone in both wild-type and HD mice. Testosterone treatment had a limited effect on the development of rotarod deficiencies in HD mice and no effect on progressive body weight loss or the development of central mutant huntingtin-containing aggregates. Testosterone treatment induced hypo-locomotion in both genotypes. Deficits in hippocampal-dependent cognition and neurogenesis were not rescued in testosterone-treated HD mice. By contrast, wild-type-treatment mice experienced significantly increased neuronal survival and differentiation. Testosterone treatment in HD mice did rescue androgen receptor levels in the hippocampus and testes, significantly improved severe testicular atrophy and restored spermatogenesis. We conclude that chronic testosterone provides systemic efficacy in treating spermatogenesis deficits and testicular atrophy but not central cellular and behavioural pathologies in R6/1 HD mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Hannan
- Florey Neurosciences Institutes, Melbourne Brain Centre, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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van der Burg JM, Winqvist A, Aziz NA, Maat-Schieman ML, Roos RA, Bates GP, Brundin P, Björkqvist M, Wierup N. Gastrointestinal dysfunction contributes to weight loss in Huntington's disease mice. Neurobiol Dis 2011; 44:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2011.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2010] [Revised: 04/14/2011] [Accepted: 05/14/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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Hernández-Echeagaray E, González N, Ruelas A, Mendoza E, Rodríguez-Martínez E, Antuna-Bizarro R. Low doses of 3-nitropropionic acid in vivo induce damage in mouse skeletal muscle. Neurol Sci 2010; 32:241-54. [PMID: 20734097 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-010-0394-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2009] [Accepted: 07/23/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial alterations are believed to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases and in some well-described myopathies. In the present study, we evaluated muscle changes in vivo after blocking the mitochondrial complex II of the respiratory chain by using 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP). This neurotoxin has been used as a pharmacological tool in animal models to address some of the metabolic modifications that might underlie central neurodegeneration; however, changes in peripheral musculature have not been documented. We believe that skeletal muscles must be affected because their integrity highly depends on oxidative metabolism. Therefore, histochemical, ultrastructural, and biochemical changes were studied in the muscles of mice treated with low doses of 3-NP (15 mg/kg, i.p., for 5 days). 3-NP-treated mice displayed changes in alkaline phosphatase (APase), succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) levels in the gracilis and gastrocnemius muscles. These changes were statistically significant for APase and SDH in both muscles and for COX only in the gastrocnemius. No significant alterations in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) expression were observed in either muscle. Analysis of the muscle ultrastructure revealed mitochondrial atrophy as well as sarcomere and nuclei disorganization. At the biochemical level, nitric oxide (NO) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) changed in the muscles of 3-NP-treated mice, suggesting metabolic alterations due to oxidative stress. Early damage in the striatal tissue and behavioral modifications are also documented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Hernández-Echeagaray
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología del Desarrollo y la Neurodegeneración, Unidad de Biomedicina, FES-I, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. De Los Barrios # 1, Los Reyes Iztacala, C. P. 54090, Tlalnepantla, Mexico.
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Goodman AOG, Barker RA. How vital is sleep in Huntington’s disease? J Neurol 2010; 257:882-97. [DOI: 10.1007/s00415-010-5517-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2009] [Revised: 02/15/2010] [Accepted: 02/25/2010] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Marder K, Zhao H, Eberly S, Tanner CM, Oakes D, Shoulson I. Dietary intake in adults at risk for Huntington disease: analysis of PHAROS research participants. Neurology 2009; 73:385-92. [PMID: 19652143 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181b04aa2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine caloric intake, dietary composition, and body mass index (BMI) in participants in the Prospective Huntington At Risk Observational Study (PHAROS). METHODS Caloric intake and macronutrient composition were measured using the National Cancer Institute Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) in 652 participants at risk for Huntington disease (HD) who did not meet clinical criteria for HD. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between macronutrients, BMI, caloric intake, and genetic status (CAG <37 vs CAG > or =37), adjusting for age, gender, and education. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between caloric intake, BMI, and CAG repeat length. RESULTS A total of 435 participants with CAG <37 and 217 with CAG > or =37 completed the FFQ. Individuals in the CAG > or =37 group had a twofold odds of being represented in the second, third, or fourth quartile of caloric intake compared to the lowest quartile adjusted for age, gender, education, and BMI. This relationship was attenuated in the highest quartile when additionally adjusted for total motor score. In subjects with CAG > or =37, higher caloric intake, but not BMI, was associated with both higher CAG repeat length (adjusted regression coefficient = 0.26, p = 0.032) and 5-year probability of onset of HD (adjusted regression coefficient = 0.024; p = 0.013). Adjusted analyses showed no differences in macronutrient composition between groups. CONCLUSIONS Increased caloric intake may be necessary to maintain body mass index in clinically unaffected individuals with CAG repeat length > or =37. This may be related to increased energy expenditure due to subtle motor impairment or a hypermetabolic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Marder
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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van der Burg JMM, Björkqvist M, Brundin P. Beyond the brain: widespread pathology in Huntington's disease. Lancet Neurol 2009; 8:765-74. [DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(09)70178-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Phillips W, Shannon KM, Barker RA. The current clinical management of Huntington's disease. Mov Disord 2009; 23:1491-504. [PMID: 18581443 DOI: 10.1002/mds.21971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative condition, characterized by movement disorders, cognitive decline, and psychiatric disturbance. We review the pharmacological management of the various movement disorders associated with the disease, the cognitive decline and the commonly encountered behavioral disturbances. We discuss the nonclassical features of the disease, important in the management of these patients. Nonpharmacological support including genetic counseling and therapy and the importance of palliative care are also addressed. Finally, experimental approaches that may soon impact upon clinical practice are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Phillips
- Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, E.D. Adrian Building, Forvie Site, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Björkqvist M, Wild EJ, Thiele J, Silvestroni A, Andre R, Lahiri N, Raibon E, Lee RV, Benn CL, Soulet D, Magnusson A, Woodman B, Landles C, Pouladi MA, Hayden MR, Khalili-Shirazi A, Lowdell MW, Brundin P, Bates GP, Leavitt BR, Möller T, Tabrizi SJ. A novel pathogenic pathway of immune activation detectable before clinical onset in Huntington's disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 205:1869-77. [PMID: 18625748 PMCID: PMC2525598 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20080178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 449] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by both neurological and systemic abnormalities. We examined the peripheral immune system and found widespread evidence of innate immune activation detectable in plasma throughout the course of HD. Interleukin 6 levels were increased in HD gene carriers with a mean of 16 years before the predicted onset of clinical symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the earliest plasma abnormality identified in HD. Monocytes from HD subjects expressed mutant huntingtin and were pathologically hyperactive in response to stimulation, suggesting that the mutant protein triggers a cell-autonomous immune activation. A similar pattern was seen in macrophages and microglia from HD mouse models, and the cerebrospinal fluid and striatum of HD patients exhibited abnormal immune activation, suggesting that immune dysfunction plays a role in brain pathology. Collectively, our data suggest parallel central nervous system and peripheral pathogenic pathways of immune activation in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Björkqvist
- Neuronal Survival Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, S-221 00 Lund, Sweden
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Goodman AO, Murgatroyd PR, Medina-Gomez G, Wood NI, Finer N, Vidal-Puig AJ, Morton AJ, Barker RA. The metabolic profile of early Huntington's disease- a combined human and transgenic mouse study. Exp Neurol 2008; 210:691-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2007.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2007] [Revised: 12/03/2007] [Accepted: 12/28/2007] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Björkqvist M, Leavitt BR, Nielsen JE, Landwehrmeyer B, Ecker D, Mulder H, Brundin P, Petersén A. Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript is increased in Huntington disease. Mov Disord 2008; 22:1952-4. [PMID: 17722045 DOI: 10.1002/mds.21447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Weight loss and anxiety frequently occur in individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) but the underlying mechanisms are not well-understood. Peptides produced in the hypothalamus are involved in regulating energy homeostasis and emotion. Recent data suggest that changes in neuropeptide levels may be reflected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and could therefore serve as biomarkers for HD. Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is a neuropetide expressed in several brain regions such as the hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus. CART has been shown to increase anxiety and reduce food intake in rodents by as yet unknown mechanisms. Individuals with a CART mutation exhibit increased anxiety. In cross-sectional CSF samples from HD patients (n = 39), we found that levels of CART peptide were significantly increased by 23% compared to control subjects (n = 28). Increased CART levels in HD therefore hold promise as a biomarker as well as a potential pathogenic mediator of symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Björkqvist
- Neuronal Survival Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund, Sweden
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van der Burg JM, Bacos K, Wood NI, Lindqvist A, Wierup N, Woodman B, Wamsteeker JI, Smith R, Deierborg T, Kuhar MJ, Bates GP, Mulder H, Erlanson-Albertsson C, Morton AJ, Brundin P, Petersén Å, Björkqvist M. Increased metabolism in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington’s disease. Neurobiol Dis 2008; 29:41-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2007.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2007] [Revised: 07/03/2007] [Accepted: 07/29/2007] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Aziz NA, Swaab DF, Pijl H, Roos RAC. Hypothalamic dysfunction and neuroendocrine and metabolic alterations in Huntington's disease: clinical consequences and therapeutic implications. Rev Neurosci 2007; 18:223-51. [PMID: 18019608 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro.2007.18.3-4.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive, psychiatric, behavioural and motor disturbances. Although the course of HD is also frequently complicated by unintended weight loss, sleep disturbances and autonomic nervous system dysfunction, the aetiology of these signs and symptoms remains largely unknown. In recent years, many novel findings from both animal and human studies have emerged that indicate considerable hypothalamic, endocrine and metabolic alterations in HD. However, a comprehensive overview of these findings is lacking and their precise clinical significance is far from clear. Therefore, in this review we attempt to put these recent developments in the field into perspective by integrating them with previous findings in a comprehensible manner, and by discussing their clinical relevance, with a special focus on body weight, sleep and autonomic functions in HD, which will also allow for the identification of future lines of research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Aziz
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Mochel F, Charles P, Seguin F, Barritault J, Coussieu C, Perin L, Le Bouc Y, Gervais C, Carcelain G, Vassault A, Feingold J, Rabier D, Durr A. Early energy deficit in Huntington disease: identification of a plasma biomarker traceable during disease progression. PLoS One 2007; 2:e647. [PMID: 17653274 PMCID: PMC1919424 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2007] [Accepted: 06/18/2007] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, with no effective treatment. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying HD have not been elucidated, but weight loss, associated with chorea and cognitive decline, is a characteristic feature of the disease that is accessible to investigation. We, therefore, performed a multiparametric study exploring body weight and the mechanisms of its loss in 32 presymptomatic carriers and HD patients in the early stages of the disease, compared to 21 controls. We combined this study with a multivariate statistical analysis of plasma components quantified by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. We report evidence of an early hypermetabolic state in HD. Weight loss was observed in the HD group even in presymptomatic carriers, although their caloric intake was higher than that of controls. Inflammatory processes and primary hormonal dysfunction were excluded. 1H NMR spectroscopy on plasma did, however, distinguish HD patients at different stages of the disease and presymptomatic carriers from controls. This distinction was attributable to low levels of the branched chain amino acids (BCAA), valine, leucine and isoleucine. BCAA levels were correlated with weight loss and, importantly, with disease progression and abnormal triplet repeat expansion size in the HD1 gene. Levels of IGF1, which is regulated by BCAA, were also significantly lower in the HD group. Therefore, early weight loss in HD is associated with a systemic metabolic defect, and BCAA levels may be used as a biomarker, indicative of disease onset and early progression. The decreased plasma levels of BCAA may correspond to a critical need for Krebs cycle energy substrates in the brain that increased metabolism in the periphery is trying to provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Mochel
- INSERM, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, UMR 679, Paris, France
| | - Perrine Charles
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Département de génétique et cytogénétique, Paris, France
| | - François Seguin
- INSERM, Faculté de médecine et de pharmacie and Hôpital La Milêtrie, Poitiers, France
| | - Julie Barritault
- INSERM, Faculté de médecine et de pharmacie and Hôpital La Milêtrie, Poitiers, France
| | - Christiane Coussieu
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Laboratoire d'endocrinologie, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Perin
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital d'enfants Armand Trousseau, Explorations fonctionnelles endocriniennes, Paris, France
| | - Yves Le Bouc
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital d'enfants Armand Trousseau, Explorations fonctionnelles endocriniennes, Paris, France
| | - Christiane Gervais
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Service de diététique, Paris, France
| | - Guislaine Carcelain
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Laboratoire d'immunologie, Paris, France
| | - Anne Vassault
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker-Enfants malades, Laboratoire de biochimie métabolique, Paris, France
| | - Josué Feingold
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Département de génétique et cytogénétique, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Rabier
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker-Enfants malades, Laboratoire de biochimie métabolique, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Durr
- INSERM, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, UMR 679, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Département de génétique et cytogénétique, Paris, France
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Weydt P, Pineda VV, Torrence AE, Libby RT, Satterfield TF, Lazarowski ER, Gilbert ML, Morton GJ, Bammler TK, Strand AD, Cui L, Beyer RP, Easley CN, Smith AC, Krainc D, Luquet S, Sweet IR, Schwartz MW, La Spada AR. Thermoregulatory and metabolic defects in Huntington's disease transgenic mice implicate PGC-1alpha in Huntington's disease neurodegeneration. Cell Metab 2006; 4:349-62. [PMID: 17055784 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2006.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 444] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2006] [Revised: 09/20/2006] [Accepted: 10/09/2006] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal, dominantly inherited disorder caused by polyglutamine repeat expansion in the huntingtin (htt) gene. Here, we observe that HD mice develop hypothermia associated with impaired activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT). Although sympathetic stimulation of PPARgamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha) was intact in BAT of HD mice, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) induction was blunted. In cultured cells, expression of mutant htt suppressed UCP-1 promoter activity; this was reversed by PGC-1alpha expression. HD mice showed reduced food intake and increased energy expenditure, with dysfunctional BAT mitochondria. PGC-1alpha is a known regulator of mitochondrial function; here, we document reduced expression of PGC-1alpha target genes in HD patient and mouse striatum. Mitochondria of HD mouse brain show reduced oxygen consumption rates. Finally, HD striatal neurons expressing exogenous PGC-1alpha were resistant to 3-nitropropionic acid treatment. Altered PGC-1alpha function may thus link transcription dysregulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Weydt
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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