1
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He D, Yang X, Liu L, Shen D, Liu Q, Liu M, Zhang X, Cui L. Dysregulated N 6-methyladenosine modification in peripheral immune cells contributes to the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front Med 2024; 18:285-302. [PMID: 38491210 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-023-1035-5] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurogenerative disorder with uncertain origins. Emerging evidence implicates N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in ALS pathogenesis. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were utilized for m6A profiling in peripheral immune cells and serum proteome analysis, respectively, in patients with ALS (n = 16) and controls (n = 6). The single-cell transcriptomic dataset (GSE174332) of primary motor cortex was further analyzed to illuminate the biological implications of differentially methylated genes and cell communication changes. Analysis of peripheral immune cells revealed extensive RNA hypermethylation, highlighting candidate genes with differential m6A modification and expression, including C-X3-C motif chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1). In RAW264.7 macrophages, disrupted CX3CR1 signaling affected chemotaxis, potentially influencing immune cell migration in ALS. Serum proteome analysis demonstrated the role of dysregulated immune cell migration in ALS. Cell type-specific expression variations of these genes in the central nervous system (CNS), particularly microglia, were observed. Intercellular communication between neurons and glial cells was selectively altered in ALS CNS. This integrated approach underscores m6A dysregulation in immune cells as a potential ALS contributor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di He
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xunzhe Yang
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Liyang Liu
- Medical Doctor Program, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
- McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Dongchao Shen
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Mingsheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
- Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
| | - Liying Cui
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
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2
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Allison RL, Ebert AD. ALS iPSC-derived microglia and motor neurons respond to astrocyte-targeted IL-10 and CCL2 modulation. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:530-542. [PMID: 38129120 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). The loss of MNs in ALS leads to muscle weakness and wasting, respiratory failure, and death often within two years of diagnosis. Glial cells in ALS show aberrant expression of pro-inflammatory and neurotoxic proteins associated with activation and have been proposed as ideal therapeutic targets. In this study, we examined astrocyte-targeted treatments to reduce glial activation and neuron pathology using cells differentiated from ALS patient-derived iPSC carrying SOD1 and C9ORF72 mutations. Specifically, we tested the ability of increasing interleukin 10 (IL-10) and reducing C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2/MCP-1) signaling targeted to astrocytes to reduce activation phenotypes in both astrocytes and microglia. Overall, we found IL10/CCL2NAb treated astrocytes to support anti-inflammatory phenotypes and reduce neurotoxicity, through different mechanisms in SOD1 and C9ORF72 cultures. We also found altered responses of microglia and motor neurons to astrocytic influences when cells were cultured together rather than in isolation. Together these data support IL-10 and CCL2 as non-mutation-specific therapeutic targets for ALS and highlight the role of glial-mediated pathology in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reilly L Allison
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States
| | - Allison D Ebert
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States
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3
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He D, Xu Y, Liu M, Cui L. The Inflammatory Puzzle: Piecing together the Links between Neuroinflammation and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Aging Dis 2024; 15:96-114. [PMID: 37307819 PMCID: PMC10796096 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0519] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that has a complex genetic basis. Through advancements in genetic screening, researchers have identified more than 40 mutant genes associated with ALS, some of which impact immune function. Neuroinflammation, with abnormal activation of immune cells and excessive production of inflammatory cytokines in the central nervous system, significantly contributes to the pathophysiology of ALS. In this review, we examine recent evidence on the involvement of ALS-associated mutant genes in immune dysregulation, with a specific focus on the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway and N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-mediated immune regulation in the context of neurodegeneration. We also discuss the perturbation of immune cell homeostasis in both the central nervous system and peripheral tissues in ALS. Furthermore, we explore the advancements made in the emerging genetic and cell-based therapies for ALS. This review underscores the complex relationship between ALS and neuroinflammation, highlighting the potential to identify modifiable factors for therapeutic intervention. A deeper understanding of the connection between neuroinflammation and the risk of ALS is crucial for advancing effective treatments for this debilitating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di He
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Mingsheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Liying Cui
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
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4
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Pelaez MC, Desmeules A, Gelon PA, Glasson B, Marcadet L, Rodgers A, Phaneuf D, Pozzi S, Dutchak PA, Julien JP, Sephton CF. Neuronal dysfunction caused by FUSR521G promotes ALS-associated phenotypes that are attenuated by NF-κB inhibition. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:182. [PMID: 37974279 PMCID: PMC10652582 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01671-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are related neurodegenerative diseases that belong to a common disease spectrum based on overlapping clinical, pathological and genetic evidence. Early pathological changes to the morphology and synapses of affected neuron populations in ALS/FTD suggest a common underlying mechanism of disease that requires further investigation. Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a DNA/RNA-binding protein with known genetic and pathological links to ALS/FTD. Expression of ALS-linked FUS mutants in mice causes cognitive and motor defects, which correlate with loss of motor neuron dendritic branching and synapses, in addition to other pathological features of ALS/FTD. The role of ALS-linked FUS mutants in causing ALS/FTD-associated disease phenotypes is well established, but there are significant gaps in our understanding of the cell-autonomous role of FUS in promoting structural changes to motor neurons, and how these changes relate to disease progression. Here we generated a neuron-specific FUS-transgenic mouse model expressing the ALS-linked human FUSR521G variant, hFUSR521G/Syn1, to investigate the cell-autonomous role of FUSR521G in causing loss of dendritic branching and synapses of motor neurons, and to understand how these changes relate to ALS-associated phenotypes. Longitudinal analysis of mice revealed that cognitive impairments in juvenile hFUSR521G/Syn1 mice coincide with reduced dendritic branching of cortical motor neurons in the absence of motor impairments or changes in the neuromorphology of spinal motor neurons. Motor impairments and dendritic attrition of spinal motor neurons developed later in aged hFUSR521G/Syn1 mice, along with FUS cytoplasmic mislocalisation, mitochondrial abnormalities and glial activation. Neuroinflammation promotes neuronal dysfunction and drives disease progression in ALS/FTD. The therapeutic effects of inhibiting the pro-inflammatory nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway with an analog of Withaferin A, IMS-088, were assessed in symptomatic hFUSR521G/Syn1 mice and were found to improve cognitive and motor function, increase dendritic branches and synapses of motor neurons, and attenuate other ALS/FTD-associated pathological features. Treatment of primary cortical neurons expressing FUSR521G with IMS-088 promoted the restoration of dendritic mitochondrial numbers and mitochondrial activity to wild-type levels, suggesting that inhibition of NF-κB permits the restoration of mitochondrial stasis in our models. Collectively, this work demonstrates that FUSR521G has a cell-autonomous role in causing early pathological changes to dendritic and synaptic structures of motor neurons, and that these changes precede motor defects and other well-known pathological features of ALS/FTD. Finally, these findings provide further support that modulation of the NF-κB pathway in ALS/FTD is an important therapeutic approach to attenuate disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Carmen Pelaez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Antoine Desmeules
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Pauline A Gelon
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Bastien Glasson
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Laetitia Marcadet
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Alicia Rodgers
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel Phaneuf
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Silvia Pozzi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Paul A Dutchak
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Julien
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Chantelle F Sephton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
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5
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Richardson PJ, Smith DP, de Giorgio A, Snetkov X, Almond-Thynne J, Cronin S, Mead RJ, McDermott CJ, Shaw PJ. Janus kinase inhibitors are potential therapeutics for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:47. [PMID: 37828541 PMCID: PMC10568794 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00380-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a poorly treated multifactorial neurodegenerative disease associated with multiple cell types and subcellular organelles. As with other multifactorial diseases, it is likely that drugs will need to target multiple disease processes and cell types to be effective. We review here the role of Janus kinase (JAK)/Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signalling in ALS, confirm the association of this signalling with fundamental ALS disease processes using the BenevolentAI Knowledge Graph, and demonstrate that inhibitors of this pathway could reduce the ALS pathophysiology in neurons, glia, muscle fibres, and blood cells. Specifically, we suggest that inhibition of the JAK enzymes by approved inhibitors known as Jakinibs could reduce STAT3 activation and modify the progress of this disease. Analysis of the Jakinibs highlights baricitinib as a suitable candidate due to its ability to penetrate the central nervous system and exert beneficial effects on the immune system. Therefore, we recommend that this drug be tested in appropriately designed clinical trials for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Sara Cronin
- BenevolentAI, 15 MetroTech Centre, 8th FL, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA
| | - Richard J Mead
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Christopher J McDermott
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
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6
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Li J, Jaiswal MK, Chien JF, Kozlenkov A, Jung J, Zhou P, Gardashli M, Pregent LJ, Engelberg-Cook E, Dickson DW, Belzil VV, Mukamel EA, Dracheva S. Divergent single cell transcriptome and epigenome alterations in ALS and FTD patients with C9orf72 mutation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5714. [PMID: 37714849 PMCID: PMC10504300 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41033-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A repeat expansion in the C9orf72 (C9) gene is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here we investigate single nucleus transcriptomics (snRNA-seq) and epigenomics (snATAC-seq) in postmortem motor and frontal cortices from C9-ALS, C9-FTD, and control donors. C9-ALS donors present pervasive alterations of gene expression with concordant changes in chromatin accessibility and histone modifications. The greatest alterations occur in upper and deep layer excitatory neurons, as well as in astrocytes. In neurons, the changes imply an increase in proteostasis, metabolism, and protein expression pathways, alongside a decrease in neuronal function. In astrocytes, the alterations suggest activation and structural remodeling. Conversely, C9-FTD donors have fewer high-quality neuronal nuclei in the frontal cortex and numerous gene expression changes in glial cells. These findings highlight a context-dependent molecular disruption in C9-ALS and C9-FTD, indicating unique effects across cell types, brain regions, and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Li
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, US
| | - Manoj K Jaiswal
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US
| | - Jo-Fan Chien
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, US
| | - Alexey Kozlenkov
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US
| | - Jinyoung Jung
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US
| | - Ping Zhou
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US
| | | | - Luc J Pregent
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, US
| | | | - Dennis W Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, US
| | | | - Eran A Mukamel
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, US.
| | - Stella Dracheva
- Friedman Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, US.
- Research & Development and VISN2 MIREC, James J, Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10468, US.
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7
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Genç B, Nho B, Seung H, Helmold B, Park H, Gözütok Ö, Kim S, Park J, Ye S, Lee H, Lee N, Yu SS, Kim S, Lee J, Özdinler H. Novel rAAV vector mediated intrathecal HGF delivery has an impact on neuroimmune modulation in the ALS motor cortex with TDP-43 pathology. Gene Ther 2023; 30:560-574. [PMID: 36823441 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-023-00383-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-based gene therapies offer an immense opportunity for rare diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is defined by the loss of the upper and the lower motor neurons. Here, we describe generation, characterization, and utilization of a novel vector system, which enables expression of the active form of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) under EF-1α promoter with bovine growth hormone (bGH) poly(A) sequence and is effective with intrathecal injections. HGF's role in promoting motor neuron survival had been vastly reported. Therefore, we investigated whether intrathecal delivery of HGF would have an impact on one of the most common pathologies of ALS: the TDP-43 pathology. Increased astrogliosis, microgliosis and progressive upper motor neuron loss are important consequences of ALS in the motor cortex with TDP-43 pathology. We find that cortex can be modulated via intrathecal injection, and that expression of HGF reduces astrogliosis, microgliosis in the motor cortex, and help restore ongoing UMN degeneration. Our findings not only introduce a novel viral vector for the treatment of ALS, but also demonstrate modulation of motor cortex by intrathecal viral delivery, and that HGF treatment is effective in reducing astrogliosis and microgliosis in the motor cortex of ALS with TDP-43 pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barış Genç
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Boram Nho
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Hana Seung
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Benjamin Helmold
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Huiwon Park
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Öge Gözütok
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Seunghyun Kim
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinil Park
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyun Ye
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Haneul Lee
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Nayeon Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Shin Yu
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunyoung Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea
| | - Junghun Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- Helixmith Co., Ltd., R&D Center, 21, Magokjungang 8-ro 7-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 07794, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hande Özdinler
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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8
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Bye LJ, Finol-Urdaneta RK, Tae HS, Adams DJ. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: Key targets for attenuating neurodegenerative diseases. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2023; 157:106387. [PMID: 36754161 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2023.106387] [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: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are master regulators of immune functions via the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and are expressed in microglia, the brain's resident immune cells. There is an extensive dialogue between the neurons and the glial cells around them from which microglia are tasked with monitoring, nurturing, and defending their microenvironment. Dysregulation of any of these processes can have devastating and long-lasting consequences involving microglia-mediated neuroinflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, amongst others. Disease-associated microglia acquire a distinguishing phenotype that emphasizes scavenging and defence functions while nurturing and repairing functions become muted. Attempts to resolve this critical imbalance remain a key focus of research. Furthermore, cholinergic modulation of neuroinflammation represents a promising avenue for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia J Bye
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Rocio K Finol-Urdaneta
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Han-Shen Tae
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - David J Adams
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.
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9
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Gautam M, Genç B, Helmold B, Ahrens A, Kuka J, Makrecka-Kuka M, Günay A, Koçak N, Aguilar-Wickings IR, Keefe D, Zheng G, Swaminathan S, Redmon M, Zariwala HA, Özdinler PH. SBT-272 improves TDP-43 pathology in ALS upper motor neurons by modulating mitochondrial integrity, motility, and function. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 178:106022. [PMID: 36716828 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial defects are one of the common underlying causes of neuronal vulnerability in neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and TDP-43 pathology is the most commonly observed proteinopathy. Disrupted inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) reported in the upper motor neurons (UMNs) of ALS patients with TDP-43 pathology is recapitulated in the UMNs of well-characterized hTDP-43 mouse model of ALS. The construct validity, such as shared and common cellular pathology in mice and human, offers a unique opportunity to test treatment strategies that may translate to patients. SBT-272 is a well-tolerated brain-penetrant small molecule that stabilizes cardiolipin, a phospholipid found in IMM, thereby restoring mitochondrial structure and respiratory function. We investigated whether SBT-272 can improve IMM structure and health in UMNs diseased with TDP-43 pathology in our well-characterized UMN reporter line for ALS. We found that SBT-272 significantly improved mitochondrial structural integrity and restored mitochondrial motility and function. This led to improved health of diseased UMNs in vitro. In comparison to edaravone and AMX0035, SBT-272 appeared more effective in restoring health of diseased UMNs. Chronic treatment of SBT-272 for sixty days starting at an early symptomatic stage of the disease in vivo led to a significant reduction in astrogliosis, microgliosis, and TDP-43 pathology in the ALS motor cortex. Our results underscore the therapeutic potential of SBT-272, especially within the context of TDP-43 pathology and mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukesh Gautam
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Barış Genç
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Benjamin Helmold
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Angela Ahrens
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Janis Kuka
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (LIOS), Aizkraukles Street 21, LV-2006 Riga, Latvia
| | - Marina Makrecka-Kuka
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (LIOS), Aizkraukles Street 21, LV-2006 Riga, Latvia
| | - Aksu Günay
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Nuran Koçak
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Izaak R Aguilar-Wickings
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Dennis Keefe
- Stealth BioTherapeutics, 140 Kendrick St Building C, Needham, MA 02494, USA
| | - Guozhu Zheng
- Stealth BioTherapeutics, 140 Kendrick St Building C, Needham, MA 02494, USA
| | - Suchitra Swaminathan
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 420 E Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Research Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 675 N St Clair Fl 21 Ste 100, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Martin Redmon
- Stealth BioTherapeutics, 140 Kendrick St Building C, Needham, MA 02494, USA
| | - Hatim A Zariwala
- Stealth BioTherapeutics, 140 Kendrick St Building C, Needham, MA 02494, USA
| | - P Hande Özdinler
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Research Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 675 N St Clair Fl 21 Ste 100, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, 2205 Tech Dr, Evanston, IL 60208, USA..
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10
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Mead RJ, Shan N, Reiser HJ, Marshall F, Shaw PJ. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a neurodegenerative disorder poised for successful therapeutic translation. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:185-212. [PMID: 36543887 PMCID: PMC9768794 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00612-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 79.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease caused by degeneration of motor neurons. As with all major neurodegenerative disorders, development of disease-modifying therapies has proven challenging for multiple reasons. Nevertheless, ALS is one of the few neurodegenerative diseases for which disease-modifying therapies are approved. Significant discoveries and advances have been made in ALS preclinical models, genetics, pathology, biomarkers, imaging and clinical readouts over the last 10-15 years. At the same time, novel therapeutic paradigms are being applied in areas of high unmet medical need, including neurodegenerative disorders. These developments have evolved our knowledge base, allowing identification of targeted candidate therapies for ALS with diverse mechanisms of action. In this Review, we discuss how this advanced knowledge, aligned with new approaches, can enable effective translation of therapeutic agents from preclinical studies through to clinical benefit for patients with ALS. We anticipate that this approach in ALS will also positively impact the field of drug discovery for neurodegenerative disorders more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Mead
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Keapstone Therapeutics, The Innovation Centre, Broomhall, Sheffield, UK
| | - Ning Shan
- Aclipse Therapeutics, Radnor, PA, US
| | | | - Fiona Marshall
- MSD UK Discovery Centre, Merck, Sharp and Dohme (UK) Limited, London, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Keapstone Therapeutics, The Innovation Centre, Broomhall, Sheffield, UK.
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11
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Vidovic M, Müschen LH, Brakemeier S, Machetanz G, Naumann M, Castro-Gomez S. Current State and Future Directions in the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050736. [PMID: 36899872 PMCID: PMC10000757 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in progressive weakness of all voluntary muscles and eventual respiratory failure. Non-motor symptoms, such as cognitive and behavioral changes, frequently occur over the course of the disease. Considering its poor prognosis with a median survival time of 2 to 4 years and limited causal treatment options, an early diagnosis of ALS plays an essential role. In the past, diagnosis has primarily been determined by clinical findings supported by electrophysiological and laboratory measurements. To increase diagnostic accuracy, reduce diagnostic delay, optimize stratification in clinical trials and provide quantitative monitoring of disease progression and treatment responsivity, research on disease-specific and feasible fluid biomarkers, such as neurofilaments, has been intensely pursued. Advances in imaging techniques have additionally yielded diagnostic benefits. Growing perception and greater availability of genetic testing facilitate early identification of pathogenic ALS-related gene mutations, predictive testing and access to novel therapeutic agents in clinical trials addressing disease-modified therapies before the advent of the first clinical symptoms. Lately, personalized survival prediction models have been proposed to offer a more detailed disclosure of the prognosis for the patient. In this review, the established procedures and future directions in the diagnostics of ALS are summarized to serve as a practical guideline and to improve the diagnostic pathway of this burdensome disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Vidovic
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (S.C.-G.)
| | | | - Svenja Brakemeier
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Gerrit Machetanz
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Marcel Naumann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Sergio Castro-Gomez
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Geriatric Psychiatry/Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neuroimmunology, Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (S.C.-G.)
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12
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Steinruecke M, Lonergan RM, Selvaraj BT, Chandran S, Diaz-Castro B, Stavrou M. Blood-CNS barrier dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Proposed mechanisms and clinical implications. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2023; 43:642-654. [PMID: 36704819 PMCID: PMC10108188 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x231153281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
There is strong evidence for blood-brain and blood-spinal cord barrier dysfunction at the early stages of many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Since impairment of the blood-central nervous system barrier (BCNSB) occurs during the pre-symptomatic stages of ALS, the mechanisms underlying this pathology are likely also involved in the ALS disease process. In this review, we explore how drivers of ALS disease, particularly mitochondrial dysfunction, astrocyte pathology and neuroinflammation, may contribute to BCNSB impairment. Mitochondria are highly abundant in BCNSB tissue and mitochondrial dysfunction in ALS contributes to motor neuron death. Likewise, astrocytes adopt key physical, transport and metabolic functions at the barrier, many of which are impaired in ALS. Astrocytes also show raised expression of inflammatory markers in ALS and ablating ALS-causing transgenes in astrocytes slows disease progression. In addition, key drivers of neuroinflammation, including TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) pathology, matrix metalloproteinase activation and systemic inflammation, affect BCNSB integrity in ALS. Finally, we discuss the translational implications of BCNSB dysfunction in ALS, including the development of biomarkers for disease onset and progression, approaches aimed at restoring BCNSB integrity and in vitro modelling of the neurogliovascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Steinruecke
- Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Bhuvaneish T Selvaraj
- Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Siddharthan Chandran
- Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Blanca Diaz-Castro
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Maria Stavrou
- Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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13
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Younger DS. Neurogenetic motor disorders. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 195:183-250. [PMID: 37562870 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-98818-6.00003-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Advances in the field of neurogenetics have practical applications in rapid diagnosis on blood and body fluids to extract DNA, obviating the need for invasive investigations. The ability to obtain a presymptomatic diagnosis through genetic screening and biomarkers can be a guide to life-saving disease-modifying therapy or enzyme replacement therapy to compensate for the deficient disease-causing enzyme. The benefits of a comprehensive neurogenetic evaluation extend to family members in whom identification of the causal gene defect ensures carrier detection and at-risk counseling for future generations. This chapter explores the many facets of the neurogenetic evaluation in adult and pediatric motor disorders as a primer for later chapters in this volume and a roadmap for the future applications of genetics in neurology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Younger
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Neuroscience, CUNY School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine and Neurology, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY, United States.
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14
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Abstract
The scientific landscape surrounding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has shifted immensely with a number of well-defined ALS disease-causing genes, each with related phenotypical and cellular motor neuron processes that have come to light. Yet in spite of decades of research and clinical investigation, there is still no etiology for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and treatment options even for those with well-defined familial syndromes are still limited. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the genetic basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, highlighting factors that contribute to its heritability and phenotypic manifestations, and an overview of past, present, and upcoming therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Younger
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Neuroscience, CUNY School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine and Neurology, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY, United States.
| | - Robert H Brown
- Department of Neurology, UMass Chan Medical School, Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Neurosciences and Director in Neurotherapeutics, Worcester, MA, United States
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15
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Lépine S, Castellanos-Montiel MJ, Durcan TM. TDP-43 dysregulation and neuromuscular junction disruption in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Transl Neurodegener 2022; 11:56. [PMID: 36575535 PMCID: PMC9793560 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00331-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease characterized by upper and lower motor neuron (MN) loss with a signature feature of cytoplasmic aggregates containing TDP-43, which are detected in nearly all patients. Mutations in the gene that encodes TDP-43 (TARBDP) are known to result in both familial and sporadic ALS. In ALS, disruption of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) constitutes a critical event in disease pathogenesis, leading to denervation atrophy, motor impairments and disability. Morphological defects and impaired synaptic transmission at NMJs have been reported in several TDP-43 animal models and in vitro, linking TDP-43 dysregulation to the loss of NMJ integrity in ALS. Through the lens of the dying-back and dying-forward hypotheses of ALS, this review discusses the roles of TDP-43 related to synaptic function, with a focus on the potential molecular mechanisms occurring within MNs, skeletal muscles and glial cells that may contribute to NMJ disruption in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lépine
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, 3605 De La Montagne, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1 Canada
| | - Maria José Castellanos-Montiel
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada
| | - Thomas Martin Durcan
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada
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16
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Jiang Z, Wang Z, Wei X, Yu XF. Inflammatory checkpoints in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: From biomarkers to therapeutic targets. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1059994. [PMID: 36618399 PMCID: PMC9815501 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1059994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor neuron damage. Due to the complexity of the ALS, so far the etiology and underlying pathogenesis of sporadic ALS are not completely understood. Recently, many studies have emphasized the role of inflammatory networks, which are comprised of various inflammatory molecules and proteins in the pathogenesis of ALS. Inflammatory molecules and proteins may be used as independent predictors of patient survival and might be used in patient stratification and in evaluating the therapeutic response in clinical trials. This review article describes the latest advances in various inflammatory markers in ALS and its animal models. In particular, this review discusses the role of inflammatory molecule markers in the pathogenesis of the disease and their relationship with clinical parameters. We also highlight the advantages and disadvantages of applying inflammatory markers in clinical manifestations, animal studies, and drug clinical trials. Further, we summarize the potential application of some inflammatory biomarkers as new therapeutic targets and therapeutic strategies, which would perhaps expand the therapeutic interventions for ALS.
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17
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Chakraborty A, Diwan A. Biomarkers and molecular mechanisms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. AIMS Neurosci 2022; 9:423-443. [PMID: 36660079 PMCID: PMC9826749 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2022023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in adults involving non-demyelinating motor disorders. About 90% of ALS cases are sporadic, while 10-12% of cases are due to some genetic reasons. Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), TAR, c9orf72 (chromosome 9 open reading frame 72) and VAPB genes are commonly found in ALS patients. Therefore, the mechanism of ALS development involves oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, glutamate excitotoxicity and aggregation of proteins, neuro-inflammation and defective RNA function. Cholesterol and LDL/HDL levels are also associated with ALS development. As a result, sterols could be a suitable biomarker for this ailment. The main mechanisms of ALS development are reticulum stress, neuroinflammation and RNA metabolism. The multi-nature development of ALS makes it more challenging to pinpoint a treatment.
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18
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Hussain H, Djurin T, Rodriguez J, Daneelian L, Sundi S, Fadel A, Saadoon Z. Transactivation Response DNA-Binding Protein of 43 (TDP-43) and Glial Cell Roles in Neurological Disorders. Cureus 2022; 14:e30639. [DOI: 10.7759/cureus.30639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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19
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Quek H, White AR. Patient-specific monocyte-derived microglia as a screening tool for neurodegenerative diseases. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:955-958. [PMID: 36254974 PMCID: PMC9827786 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.355740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia, the main driver of neuroinflammation, play a central role in the initiation and exacerbation of various neurodegenerative diseases and are now considered a promising therapeutic target. Previous studies on in vitro human microglia and in vivo rodent models lacked scalability, consistency, or physiological relevance, which deterred successful therapeutic outcomes for the past decade. Here we review human blood monocyte-derived microglia-like cells as a robust and consistent approach to generate a patient-specific microglia-like model that can be used in extensive cohort studies for drug testing. We will highlight the strength and applicability of human blood monocyte-derived microglia-like cells to increase translational outcomes by reviewing the advantages of human blood monocyte-derived microglia-like cells in addressing patient heterogeneity and stratification, the basis of personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazel Quek
- Mental Health and Neuroscience, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,School of Biomedical Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,Correspondence to: Hazel Quek, .
| | - Anthony R. White
- Mental Health and Neuroscience, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,School of Biomedical Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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20
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Nuovo GJ, Suster D, Sawant D, Mishra A, Michaille JJ, Tili E. The amplification of CNS damage in Alzheimer's disease due to SARS-CoV2 infection. Ann Diagn Pathol 2022; 61:152057. [PMID: 36334414 PMCID: PMC9616485 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2022.152057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Pre-existing Alzheimer's disease is a risk factor for severe/fatal COVID-19 and infection by SARS-CoV2 virus has been associated with an increased incidence of un-masked Alzheimer's disease. The molecular basis whereby SARS-CoV2 may amplify Alzheimer's disease is not well understood. This study analyzed the molecular changes in autopsy brain tissues from people with pre-existing dementia who died of COVID-19 (n = 5) which was compared to equivalent tissues of people who died of COVID-19 with no history of dementia (n = 8), Alzheimer's disease pre-COVID-19 (n = 10) and aged matched controls (n = 10) in a blinded fashion. Immunohistochemistry analyses for hyperphosphorylated tau protein, α-synuclein, and β-amyloid-42 confirmed the diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease (n = 4), and Lewy body dementia (n = 1) in the COVID-19 group. The brain tissues from patients who died of COVID-19 with no history of dementia showed a diffuse microangiopathy marked by endocytosis of spike subunit S1 and S2 in primarily CD31+ endothelia with strong co-localization with ACE2, Caspase-3, IL6, TNFα, and Complement component 6 that was not associated with SARS-CoV2 RNA. Microglial activation marked by increased TMEM119 and MCP1 protein expression closely paralleled the endocytosed spike protein. The COVID-19 tissues from people with no pre-existing dementia showed, compared to controls, 5-10× fold increases in expression of neuronal NOS and NMDAR2 as well as a marked decrease in the expression of proteins whose loss is associated with worsening Alzheimer's disease: MFSD2a, SHIP1, BCL6, BCL10, and BACH1. In COVID-19 tissues from people with dementia the widespread spike-induced microencephalitis with the concomitant microglial activation co-existed in the same areas where neurons had hyperphosphorylated tau protein suggesting that the already dysfunctional neurons were additionally stressed by the SARS-CoV2 induced microangiopathy. ACE2+ human brain endothelial cells treated with high dose (but not vaccine equivalent low dose) spike S1 protein demonstrated each of the molecular changes noted in the in vivo COVID-19 and COVID-19/Alzheimer's disease brain tissues. It is concluded that fatal COVID-19 induces a diffuse microencephalitis and microglial activation in the brain due to endocytosis of circulating viral spike protein that amplifies pre-existing dementia in at least two ways: 1) modulates the expression of proteins that may worsen Alzheimer's disease and 2) stresses the already dysfunctional neurons by causing an acute proinflammatory/hypercoagulable/hypoxic microenvironment in areas with abundant hyperphosphorylated tau protein and/or βA-42.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard J Nuovo
- Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA; GnomeDX, Powell, OH, USA.
| | - David Suster
- Rutgers University Hospital Department of Pathology, Newark, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Jean-Jacques Michaille
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Esmerina Tili
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
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21
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Camacho-Morales A. Glycolytic metabolism supports microglia training during age-related neurodegeneration. Pharmacol Rep 2022; 74:818-831. [DOI: 10.1007/s43440-022-00363-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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22
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NU-9 improves health of hSOD1 G93A mouse upper motor neurons in vitro, especially in combination with riluzole or edaravone. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5383. [PMID: 35354901 PMCID: PMC8967818 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09332-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease of the upper and lower motor neurons, to date none of the compounds in clinical trials have been tested for improving the health of diseased upper motor neurons (UMNs). There is an urgent need to develop preclinical assays that include UMN health as a readout. Since ALS is a complex disease, combinatorial treatment strategies will be required to address the mechanisms perturbed in patients. Here, we describe a novel in vitro platform that takes advantage of an UMN reporter line in which UMNs are genetically labeled with fluorescence and have misfolded SOD1 toxicity. We report that NU-9, an analog of the cyclohexane-1,3-dione family of compounds, improves the health of UMNs with misfolded SOD1 toxicity more effectively than riluzole or edaravone, -the only two FDA-approved ALS drugs to date-. Interestingly, when NU-9 is applied in combination with riluzole or edaravone, there is an additive effect on UMN health, as they extend longer axons and display enhanced branching and arborization, two important characteristics of healthy UMNs in vitro.
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23
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Wang R, Wu Y, Liu R, Liu M, Li Q, Ba Y, Huang H. Deciphering therapeutic options for neurodegenerative diseases: insights from SIRT1. J Mol Med (Berl) 2022; 100:537-553. [PMID: 35275221 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-022-02187-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD +)-dependent protein deacetylase that exerts biological effects through nucleoplasmic transfer. Recent studies have highlighted that SIRT1 deacetylates protein substrates to exert its neuroprotective effects, including decreased oxidative stress and inflammatory, increases autophagy, increases levels of nerve growth factors (correlated with behavioral changes), and maintains neural integrity (affects neuronal development and function) in aging or neurological disorder. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective role of SIRT1 in modulating neurodegeneration, focusing on protein homeostasis, aging-related signaling pathways, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity. Meanwhile, the potential of targeting SIRT1 to block the occurrence and progression of neurodegenerative diseases is also discussed. Taken together, this review provides an up-to-date evaluation of our current understanding of the neuroprotective mechanisms of SIRT1 and also be involved in the potential therapeutic opportunities of AD and related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruike Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Avenue, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.,Environment and Health Innovation Team, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yingying Wu
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Avenue, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.,Environment and Health Innovation Team, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Rundong Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Avenue, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.,Environment and Health Innovation Team, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Mengchen Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Avenue, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.,Environment and Health Innovation Team, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Qiong Li
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Avenue, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.,Environment and Health Innovation Team, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yue Ba
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Avenue, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.,Environment and Health Innovation Team, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Hui Huang
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Avenue, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China. .,Environment and Health Innovation Team, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Henan province, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
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24
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Rossi S, Cozzolino M. Dysfunction of RNA/RNA-Binding Proteins in ALS Astrocytes and Microglia. Cells 2021; 10:cells10113005. [PMID: 34831228 PMCID: PMC8616248 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a neurological disease that primarily affects motor neurons in the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. The process that leads to motor neuron degeneration is strongly influenced by non-motor neuronal events that occur in a variety of cell types. Among these, neuroinflammatory processes mediated by activated astrocytes and microglia play a relevant role. In recent years, it has become clear that dysregulation of essential steps of RNA metabolism, as a consequence of alterations in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), is a central event in the degeneration of motor neurons. Yet, a causal link between dysfunctional RNA metabolism and the neuroinflammatory processes mediated by astrocytes and microglia in ALS has been poorly defined. In this review, we will discuss the available evidence showing that RBPs and associated RNA processing are affected in ALS astrocytes and microglia, and the possible mechanisms involved in these events.
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25
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Ica R, Munteanu CV, Vukelic Z, Zamfir AD. High-resolution mass spectrometry reveals a complex ganglioside pattern and novel polysialylated structures associated with the human motor cortex. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY (CHICHESTER, ENGLAND) 2021; 27:205-214. [PMID: 34516313 DOI: 10.1177/14690667211040912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We have developed here a superior methodology based on high-resolution mass spectrometry for screening and fragmentation analysis of gangliosides extracted and purified from the human motor cortex . The experiments, conducted on a nanoelectrospray Orbitrap mass spectroscope in the negative ion mode, allowed the discrimination in the native mixture extracted from human motor cortex of no less than 83 different gangliosides, which represents the highest number of structures identified so far in this brain region. The spectral data, acquired in high-resolution mass spectrometry mode with a remarkable sensitivity and an average mass accuracy of 4.48 ppm, also show that the gangliosidome of motor cortex is generally characterized by species exhibiting a much higher degree of sialylation than previously known. Motor cortex was found dominated by complex structures with a sialylation degree ≥3, exhibiting long saccharide chains, in the G1 class. Fucogangliosides and species with the glycan chain elongated by either O-acetylation and/or acetate anion attachments were also detected; the later modification was for the first time discovered in this brain region. Of major significance is the identification of hepta and octasialylated species of GS1 and GO1 type, which are among the structures with the longest oligosaccharide chain discovered so far in the human brain. In the last stage of research, tandem mass spectrometry performed by higher energy collision dissociation provided structural data documenting the occurrence of GT1b (d18:1/20:0) isomer in the human motor cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raluca Ica
- National Institute for Research and Development in Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter, Romania
- Faculty of Physics, 124255West University of Timisoara, Romania
| | | | - Zeljka Vukelic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb Medical School, Croatia
| | - Alina D Zamfir
- National Institute for Research and Development in Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter, Romania
- "Aurel Vlaicu"University of Arad, Romania
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Schiel KA. A beneficial role for elevated extracellular glutamate in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and cerebral ischemia. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100127. [PMID: 34585427 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100127] [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] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This hypothesis proposes that increased extracellular glutamate in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and cerebral ischemia, currently viewed as a trigger for excitotoxicity, is actually beneficial as it stimulates the utilization of glutamate as metabolic fuel. Renewed appreciation of glutamate oxidation by ischemic neurons has raised questions regarding the role of extracellular glutamate in ischemia. Is it detrimental, as suggested by excitotoxicity in early in vitro studies, or beneficial, as suggested by its oxidation in later in vivo studies? The answer may depend on the activity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors. Early in vitro procedures co-activated NMDA receptors (NMDARs) containing 2A (GluN2A) and 2B (GluN2B) subunits, an event now believed to trigger excitotoxicity; however, during in vivo ischemia D-serine and zinc molecules are released and these ensure only GluN2B receptors are stimulated. This not only prevents excitotoxicity but also initiates signaling cascades that allow ischemic neurons to import and oxidize glutamate.
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Ramirez AI, de Hoz R, Rojas P, Salazar JJ. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative motor neuron disease with retinal involvement. Neural Regen Res 2021; 17:1011-1012. [PMID: 34558524 PMCID: PMC8552863 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.324841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ana I Ramirez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo; Facultad de Óptica y Optometría. Departamento de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa de Hoz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo; Facultad de Óptica y Optometría. Departamento de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Rojas
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de Madrid; Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto Oftálmico de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan J Salazar
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo; Facultad de Óptica y Optometría. Departamento de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Advances in Gene Delivery Methods to Label and Modulate Activity of Upper Motor Neurons: Implications for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11091112. [PMID: 34573134 PMCID: PMC8471472 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11091112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The selective degeneration of both upper motor neurons (UMNs) and lower motor neurons (LMNs) is the pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Unlike the simple organisation of LMNs in the brainstem and spinal cord, UMNs are embedded in the complex cytoarchitecture of the primary motor cortex, which complicates their identification. UMNs therefore remain a challenging neuronal population to study in ALS research, particularly in the early pre-symptomatic stages of animal models. A better understanding of the mechanisms that lead to selective UMN degeneration requires unequivocal visualization and cellular identification of vulnerable UMNs within the heterogeneous cortical neuronal population and circuitry. Here, we review recent novel gene delivery methods developed to cellularly identify vulnerable UMNs and modulate their activity in various mouse models. A critical overview of retrograde tracers, viral vectors encoding reporter genes and transgenic reporter mice used to visualize UMNs in mouse models of ALS is provided. Functional targeting of UMNs in vivo with the advent of optogenetic and chemogenetic technology is also discussed. These exciting gene delivery techniques will facilitate improved anatomical mapping, cell-specific gene expression profiling and targeted manipulation of UMN activity in mice. These advancements in the field pave the way for future work to uncover the precise role of UMNs in ALS and improve future therapeutic targeting of UMNs.
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Non-neuronal cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - from pathogenesis to biomarkers. Nat Rev Neurol 2021; 17:333-348. [PMID: 33927394 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-021-00487-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The prevailing motor neuron-centric view of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathogenesis could be an important factor in the failure to identify disease-modifying therapy for this neurodegenerative disorder. Non-neuronal cells have crucial homeostatic functions within the CNS and evidence of involvement of these cells in the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative disorders, including ALS, is accumulating. Microglia and astrocytes, in crosstalk with peripheral immune cells, can exert both neuroprotective and adverse effects, resulting in a highly nuanced range of neuronal and non-neuronal cell interactions. This Review provides an overview of the diverse roles of non-neuronal cells in relation to the pathogenesis of ALS and the emerging potential of non-neuronal cell biomarkers to advance therapeutic development.
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Mutations and Protein Interaction Landscape Reveal Key Cellular Events Perturbed in Upper Motor Neurons with HSP and PLS. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050578. [PMID: 33947096 PMCID: PMC8146506 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) are rare motor neuron diseases, which affect mostly the upper motor neurons (UMNs) in patients. The UMNs display early vulnerability and progressive degeneration, while other cortical neurons mostly remain functional. Identification of numerous mutations either directly linked or associated with HSP and PLS begins to reveal the genetic component of UMN diseases. Since each of these mutations are identified on genes that code for a protein, and because cellular functions mostly depend on protein-protein interactions, we hypothesized that the mutations detected in patients and the alterations in protein interaction domains would hold the key to unravel the underlying causes of their vulnerability. In an effort to bring a mechanistic insight, we utilized computational analyses to identify interaction partners of proteins and developed the protein-protein interaction landscape with respect to HSP and PLS. Protein-protein interaction domains, upstream regulators and canonical pathways begin to highlight key cellular events. Here we report that proteins involved in maintaining lipid homeostasis and cytoarchitectural dynamics and their interactions are of great importance for UMN health and stability. Their perturbation may result in neuronal vulnerability, and thus maintaining their balance could offer therapeutic interventions.
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Li AM, Hill RA, Grutzendler J. Intravital Imaging of Neocortical Heterotopia Reveals Aberrant Axonal Pathfinding and Myelination around Ectopic Neurons. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:4340-4356. [PMID: 33877363 PMCID: PMC8328209 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neocortical heterotopia consist of ectopic neuronal clusters that are frequently found in individuals with cognitive disability and epilepsy. However, their pathogenesis remains poorly understood due in part to a lack of tractable animal models. We have developed an inducible model of focal cortical heterotopia that enables their precise spatiotemporal control and high-resolution optical imaging in live mice. Here, we report that heterotopia are associated with striking patterns of circumferentially projecting axons and increased myelination around neuronal clusters. Despite their aberrant axonal patterns, in vivo calcium imaging revealed that heterotopic neurons remain functionally connected to other brain regions, highlighting their potential to influence global neural networks. These aberrant patterns only form when heterotopia are induced during a critical embryonic temporal window, but not in early postnatal development. Our model provides a new way to investigate heterotopia formation in vivo and reveals features suggesting the existence of developmentally modulated, neuron-derived axon guidance and myelination factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Li
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.,Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Robert A Hill
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Jaime Grutzendler
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.,Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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32
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Källstig E, McCabe BD, Schneider BL. The Links between ALS and NF-κB. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22083875. [PMID: 33918092 PMCID: PMC8070122 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease wherein motor neuron degeneration leads to muscle weakness, progressive paralysis, and death within 3–5 years of diagnosis. Currently, the cause of ALS is unknown but, as with several neurodegenerative diseases, the potential role of neuroinflammation has become an increasingly popular hypothesis in ALS research. Indeed, upregulation of neuroinflammatory factors have been observed in both ALS patients and animal models. One such factor is the inflammatory inducer NF-κB. Besides its connection to inflammation, NF-κB activity can be linked to several genes associated to familial forms of ALS, and many of the environmental risk factors of the disease stimulate NF-κB activation. Collectively, this has led many to hypothesize that NF-κB proteins may play a role in ALS pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the genetic and environmental connections between NF-κB and ALS, as well as how this pathway may affect different CNS cell types, and finally how this may lead to motor neuron degeneration.
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33
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Genç B, Gautam M, Gözütok Ö, Dervishi I, Sanchez S, Goshu GM, Koçak N, Xie E, Silverman RB, Özdinler PH. Improving mitochondria and ER stability helps eliminate upper motor neuron degeneration that occurs due to mSOD1 toxicity and TDP-43 pathology. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e336. [PMID: 33634973 PMCID: PMC7898037 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Upper motor neurons (UMNs) are a key component of motor neuron circuitry. Their degeneration is a hallmark for diseases, such as hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently there are no preclinical assays investigating cellular responses of UMNs to compound treatment, even for diseases of the UMNs. The basis of UMN vulnerability is not fully understood, and no compound has yet been identified to improve the health of diseased UMNs: two major roadblocks for building effective treatment strategies. METHODS Novel UMN reporter models, in which UMNs that are diseased because of misfolded superoxide dismutase protein (mSOD1) toxicity and TDP-43 pathology are labeled with eGFP expression, allow direct assessment of UMN response to compound treatment. Electron microscopy reveals very precise aspects of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrial damage. Administration of NU-9, a compound initially identified based on its ability to reduce mSOD1 toxicity, has profound impact on improving the health and stability of UMNs, as identified by detailed cellular and ultrastructural analyses. RESULTS Problems with mitochondria and ER are conserved in diseased UMNs among different species. NU-9 has drug-like pharmacokinetic properties. It lacks toxicity and crosses the blood brain barrier. NU-9 improves the structural integrity of mitochondria and ER, reduces levels of mSOD1, stabilizes degenerating UMN apical dendrites, improves motor behavior measured by the hanging wire test, and eliminates ongoing degeneration of UMNs that become diseased both because of mSOD1 toxicity and TDP-43 pathology, two distinct and important overarching causes of motor neuron degeneration. CONCLUSIONS Mechanism-focused and cell-based drug discovery approaches not only addressed key cellular defects responsible for UMN loss, but also identified NU-9, the first compound to improve the health of diseased UMNs, neurons that degenerate in ALS, HSP, PLS, and ALS/FTLD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barış Genç
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Mukesh Gautam
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Öge Gözütok
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Ina Dervishi
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Santana Sanchez
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Gashaw M. Goshu
- Department of ChemistryNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
| | - Nuran Koçak
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Edward Xie
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Richard B. Silverman
- Department of ChemistryNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Center for Developmental TherapeuticsNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Chemistry of Life Processes InstituteNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIL60208
| | - P. Hande Özdinler
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Center for Developmental TherapeuticsNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Chemistry of Life Processes InstituteNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIL60208
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's DiseaseNorthwestern University, Feinberg School of MedicineChicagoIL60611
- Les Turner ALS CenterNorthwestern University, Feinberg School of MedicineChicagoIL60611
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Cihankaya H, Theiss C, Matschke V. Little Helpers or Mean Rogue-Role of Microglia in Animal Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22030993. [PMID: 33498186 PMCID: PMC7863915 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22030993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, causing degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). ALS patients suffer from hyperreflexia, spasticity, paralysis and muscle atrophy and typically die due to respiratory failure 1–5 years after disease onset. In addition to the degeneration of motor neurons on the cellular level, ALS has been associated with neuroinflammation, such as microgliosis. Microglial activation in ALS can either be protective or degenerative to the neurons. Among others, mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9Orf72), transactive response DNA binding protein (TDP) 43 and vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 54 (VPS54) genes have been associated with ALS. Here, we describe the dual role and functionality of microglia in four different in vivo ALS models and search for the lowest common denominator with respect to the role of microglia in the highly heterogeneous disease of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilal Cihankaya
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany; (H.C.); (C.T.)
- International Graduate School of Neuroscience (IGSN), Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Carsten Theiss
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany; (H.C.); (C.T.)
- International Graduate School of Neuroscience (IGSN), Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Veronika Matschke
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany; (H.C.); (C.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-234-32-25018
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Giordano KR, Denman CR, Dubisch PS, Akhter M, Lifshitz J. An update on the rod microglia variant in experimental and clinical brain injury and disease. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcaa227. [PMID: 33501429 PMCID: PMC7811762 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Contemporary microglia morphologies include ramified, activated and amoeboid, with the morphology of microglia considered highly coupled to the cellular function. Rod microglia are an additional activated microglia variant observed in the ageing, injured and diseased brain. Rod microglia were reported frequently in the early 1900s by neuropathologists in post-mortem cases of general paresis, Alzheimer's disease and encephalitis, and then remained largely ignored for almost 100 years. Recent reports have renewed interest in rod microglia, most notably after experimental traumatic brain injury. Rod microglia are formed by the narrowing of the soma and retraction of planar processes, which results in the appearance of an elongated, rod-shaped cell. Rod microglia are most commonly observed in the cortex, aligned perpendicular to the dural surface and adjacent to neuronal processes; in the hippocampus, they are aligned perpendicular to hippocampal layers. Furthermore, rod microglia form trains with one another, apical end to basal end. By replicating the process of sketching microscopic observation, rod microglia are re-defined by circumnutation around the long axis. In this update, we summarize the rod microglia variant in clinical and experimental literature and advocate for investigation into mechanisms of rod microglia origin and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R Giordano
- BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Charlotte R Denman
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | | | - Murtaza Akhter
- BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Maricopa Integrated Healthcare System, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jonathan Lifshitz
- BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Lin J, Huang P, Chen W, Ye C, Su H, Yao X. Key Molecules and Pathways Underlying Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Integrated Analysis on Gene Expression Profiles of Motor Neurons. Front Genet 2020; 11:578143. [PMID: 33240324 PMCID: PMC7680998 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.578143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons. The complex mechanisms underlying ALS are yet to be elucidated, while the lack of disease biomarkers and therapeutic options are associated with the poor prognosis of ALS patients. In this study, we performed bioinformatics analysis to clarify potential mechanisms in sporadic ALS (sALS). We compared three gene expression profiles (GSE18920, GSE56500, and GSE68605) of motor neurons obtained from sALS patients and healthy controls to discover differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and then performed integrated bioinformatics analyses to identify key molecules and pathways underlying sALS. We found that these DEGs were mainly enriched in the structure and functions of extracellular matrix (ECM), while functional enrichment in blood vessel morphogenesis was less correlated with motor neurons. The clustered subnetworks of the constructed protein-protein interaction network for DEGs and the group of selected hub genes were more significantly involved in the organization of collagen-containing ECM. The transcriptional factors database proposed RelA and NF-κB1 from NF-κB family as the key regulators of these hub genes. These results mainly demonstrated the alternations in ECM-related gene expression in motor neurons and suggested the role of NF-κB regulatory pathway in the pathogenesis of sALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianing Lin
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pian Huang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weineng Chen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chenghui Ye
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huanxing Su
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Xiaoli Yao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangzhou, China
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Özdinler PH. Help from peripheral macrophages in ALS? Nat Neurosci 2020; 23:1311-1312. [PMID: 33077945 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00727-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P Hande Özdinler
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
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38
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Huang F, Zhu Y, Hsiao-Nakamoto J, Tang X, Dugas JC, Moscovitch-Lopatin M, Glass JD, Brown RH, Ladha SS, Lacomis D, Harris JM, Scearce-Levie K, Ho C, Bowser R, Berry JD. Longitudinal biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2020; 7:1103-1116. [PMID: 32515902 PMCID: PMC7359115 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate neurodegenerative and inflammatory biomarkers in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS), evaluate their predictive value for ALS progression rates, and assess their utility as pharmacodynamic biomarkers for monitoring treatment effects. METHODS De-identified, longitudinal plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from PALS (n = 108; 85 with samples from ≥2 visits) and controls without neurological disease (n = 41) were obtained from the Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) Biofluid Repository. Seventeen of 108 PALS had familial ALS, of whom 10 had C9orf72 mutations. Additional healthy control CSF samples (n = 35) were obtained from multiple sources. We stratified PALS into fast- and slow-progression subgroups using the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised change rate. We compared cytokines/chemokines and neurofilament (NF) levels between PALS and controls, among progression subgroups, and in those with C9orf72 mutations. RESULTS We found significant elevations of cytokines, including MCP-1, IL-18, and neurofilaments (NFs), indicators of neurodegeneration, in PALS versus controls. Among PALS, these cytokines and NFs were significantly higher in fast-progression and C9orf72 mutation subgroups versus slow progressors. Analyte levels were generally stable over time, a key feature for monitoring treatment effects. We demonstrated that CSF/plasma neurofilament light chain (NFL) levels may predict disease progression, and stratification by NFL levels can enrich for more homogeneous patient groups. INTERPRETATION Longitudinal stability of cytokines and NFs in PALS support their use for monitoring responses to immunomodulatory and neuroprotective treatments. NFs also have prognostic value for fast-progression patients and may be used to select similar patient subsets in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Huang
- Denali Therapeutics, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yuda Zhu
- Denali Therapeutics, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Xinyan Tang
- Denali Therapeutics, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jason C Dugas
- Denali Therapeutics, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Jonathan D Glass
- Department of Neurology and Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Robert H Brown
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shafeeq S Ladha
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Gregory W. Fulton ALS Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - David Lacomis
- Live Like Lou Center for ALS Research, Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | - Carole Ho
- Denali Therapeutics, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Robert Bowser
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Gregory W. Fulton ALS Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.,Iron Horse Diagnostics, Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - James D Berry
- Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Dourado NS, Souza CDS, de Almeida MMA, Bispo da Silva A, Dos Santos BL, Silva VDA, De Assis AM, da Silva JS, Souza DO, Costa MDFD, Butt AM, Costa SL. Neuroimmunomodulatory and Neuroprotective Effects of the Flavonoid Apigenin in in vitro Models of Neuroinflammation Associated With Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:119. [PMID: 32499693 PMCID: PMC7243840 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders (ND) are characterized by the progressive and irreversible loss of neurons. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most incident age-related ND, in which the presence of a chronic inflammatory compound seems to be related to its pathogenesis. Different stimuli in the central nervous system (CNS) can induce activation, proliferation, and changes in phenotype and glial function, which can be modulated by anti-inflammatory agents. Apigenin (4,5,7–trihydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid found in abundance in many fruits and vegetables, that has shown important effects upon controlling the inflammatory response. This study evaluated the neuroprotective and neuroimmunomodulatory potential of apigenin using in vitro models of neuroinflammation associated with AD. Co-cultures of neurons and glial cells were obtained from the cortex of newborn and embryonic Wistar rats. After 26 days in vitro, cultures were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 μg/ml), or IL-1β (10 ng/ml) for 24 h, or to Aβ oligomers (500 nM) for 4 h, and then treated with apigenin (1 μM) for further 24 h. It was observed that the treatment with apigenin preserved neurons and astrocytes integrity, determined by Rosenfeld’s staining and immunocytochemistry for β-tubulin III and GFAP, respectively. Moreover, it was observed by Fluoro-Jade-B and caspase-3 immunostaining that apigenin was not neurotoxic and has a neuroprotective effect against inflammatory damage. Additionally, apigenin reduced microglial activation, characterized by inhibition of proliferation (BrdU+ cells) and modulation of microglia morphology (Iba-1 + cells), and decreased the expression of the M1 inflammatory marker CD68. Moreover, as determined by RT-qPCR, inflammatory stimuli induced by IL-1β increased the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and CCL5, and decreased the mRNA expression of IL-10. Contrary, after treatment with apigenin in inflammatory stimuli (IL-1β or LPS) there was a modulation of the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, and reduced expression of OX42, IL-6 and gp130. Moreover, apigenin alone and after an inflammatory stimulus with IL-1β also induced the increase in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an effect that may be associated with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Together these data demonstrate that apigenin presents neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and might represent an important neuroimmunomodulatory agent for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara Silva Dourado
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Cellular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon S/N, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Cleide Dos Santos Souza
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Cellular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon S/N, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil.,Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Monique Marylin Alves de Almeida
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Cellular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon S/N, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Bispo da Silva
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Cellular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon S/N, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Balbino Lino Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Cellular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon S/N, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil.,College of Nursing, Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina, Brazil
| | - Victor Diogenes Amaral Silva
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Cellular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon S/N, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil.,INCT for Excitotoxicity and Neuroprotection (INCT-EN, BR), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Adriano Martimbianco De Assis
- INCT for Excitotoxicity and Neuroprotection (INCT-EN, BR), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Postgraduate in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas (UCPEL), Pelotas, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jussemara Souza da Silva
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Diogo Onofre Souza
- INCT for Excitotoxicity and Neuroprotection (INCT-EN, BR), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Maria de Fatima Dias Costa
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Cellular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon S/N, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Excitotoxicidade e Neuroproteção (INCT)-Translational Neuroscience (INCT-TN, BR), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Arthur Morgan Butt
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Lima Costa
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Cellular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon S/N, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil.,INCT for Excitotoxicity and Neuroprotection (INCT-EN, BR), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Excitotoxicidade e Neuroproteção (INCT)-Translational Neuroscience (INCT-TN, BR), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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CCR2 is localized in microglia and neurons, as well as infiltrating monocytes, in the lumbar spinal cord of ALS mice. Mol Brain 2020; 13:64. [PMID: 32349774 PMCID: PMC7191738 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00607-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
It remains controversial whether circulating monocytes expressing CCR2 infiltrate the central nervous system (CNS) and contribute to pathogenicity of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A previous report used conventional immunohistochemistry to show that CCR2 is exclusively expressed by astrocytes, but not infiltrating monocytes/microglia or neurons, in the spinal cords of ALS model mice. In this study, we assessed the cellular distribution of CCR2 in the CNS of ALS mice using CCR2-reporter mice (Ccr2rfp/+-Cx3cr1gfp/+-SOD1G93A Tg mice), a more sophisticated method for directly detecting the distribution of CCR2 protein. We found that infiltration of CCR2+ monocytes in the lumbar spinal cord increased over the course of disease progression. Moreover, from the middle stage of disease, CCR2 was partially distributed in microglia and neurons, but not astrocytes, in striking contrast to the previous findings. These novel observations suggested that CCR2+ monocyte infiltration leads to CNS environmental deterioration due to toxic conversion of microglia and neurons, creating a vicious cycle of neuroinflammation and leading to acceleration of ALS pathology. Our findings also show that this reporter mouse is a useful and powerful tool for obtaining new insights into the pathomechanisms of ALS.
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Glial Cells-The Strategic Targets in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Treatment. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9010261. [PMID: 31963681 PMCID: PMC7020059 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9010261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disease, which is characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons in the motor cortex and the spinal cord and subsequently by muscle atrophy. To date, numerous gene mutations have been linked to both sporadic and familial ALS, but the effort of many experimental groups to develop a suitable therapy has not, as of yet, proven successful. The original focus was on the degenerating motor neurons, when researchers tried to understand the pathological mechanisms that cause their slow death. However, it was soon discovered that ALS is a complicated and diverse pathology, where not only neurons, but also other cell types, play a crucial role via the so-called non-cell autonomous effect, which strongly deteriorates neuronal conditions. Subsequently, variable glia-based in vitro and in vivo models of ALS were established and used for brand-new experimental and clinical approaches. Such a shift towards glia soon bore its fruit in the form of several clinical studies, which more or less successfully tried to ward the unfavourable prognosis of ALS progression off. In this review, we aimed to summarize current knowledge regarding the involvement of each glial cell type in the progression of ALS, currently available treatments, and to provide an overview of diverse clinical trials covering pharmacological approaches, gene, and cell therapies.
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