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Zhang X, Wang J, Zhang J, Jiang C, Liu X, Wang S, Zhang Z, Rastegar-Kashkooli Y, Dialameh F, Peng Q, Tao J, Ding R, Wang J, Cheng N, Wang M, Wang F, Li N, Xing N, Chen X, Fan X, Wang J, Wang J. Humanized rodent models of neurodegenerative diseases and other brain disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2025; 172:106112. [PMID: 40120962 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106112] [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: 01/13/2025] [Revised: 02/26/2025] [Accepted: 03/15/2025] [Indexed: 03/25/2025]
Abstract
Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases significantly affect human health. However, replicating the onset, progression, and pathology of these diseases in rodents is challenging. To address this issue, researchers have developed humanized animal models. These models introduce human genes or cells into rodents. As a result, rodents become more suitable for studying human CNS diseases and their therapies in vivo. This review explores the preparation protocols, pathological and behavioral characteristics, benefits, significance, and limitations of humanized rodent models in researching various CNS diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, glial cells-related CNS diseases, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor encephalitis, and others. Humanized rodent models have expanded the opportunities for in vivo exploration of human neurodegenerative diseases, other brain disorders, and their treatments. We can enhance translational research on CNS disorders by developing, investigating, and utilizing these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinru Zhang
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China; Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Jianxiang Wang
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Jiewen Zhang
- Department of Neurology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, China
| | - Chao Jiang
- Department of Neurology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, China
| | - Xuezhong Liu
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Shuaijiang Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Yousef Rastegar-Kashkooli
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China; School of International Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Fatemeh Dialameh
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China; School of International Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Qinfeng Peng
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Jin Tao
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Ruoqi Ding
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Junyang Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Nannan Cheng
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Menglu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Fushun Wang
- Department of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610060, China
| | - Nan Li
- Department of Neurology, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450014, China
| | - Na Xing
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Xuemei Chen
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Xiaochong Fan
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China.
| | - Junmin Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China.
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China; Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China.
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Godoy-Corchuelo JM, Ali Z, Brito Armas JM, Martins-Bach AB, García-Toledo I, Fernández-Beltrán LC, López-Carbonero JI, Bascuñana P, Spring S, Jimenez-Coca I, Muñoz de Bustillo Alfaro RA, Sánchez-Barrena MJ, Nair RR, Nieman BJ, Lerch JP, Miller KL, Ozdinler HP, Fisher EMC, Cunningham TJ, Acevedo-Arozena A, Corrochano S. TDP-43-M323K causes abnormal brain development and progressive cognitive and motor deficits associated with mislocalised and increased levels of TDP-43. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 193:106437. [PMID: 38367882 PMCID: PMC10988218 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106437] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
TDP-43 pathology is found in several neurodegenerative disorders, collectively referred to as "TDP-43 proteinopathies". Aggregates of TDP-43 are present in the brains and spinal cords of >97% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and in brains of ∼50% of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) patients. While mutations in the TDP-43 gene (TARDBP) are usually associated with ALS, many clinical reports have linked these mutations to cognitive impairments and/or FTD, but also to other neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinsonism (PD) or progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). TDP-43 is a ubiquitously expressed, highly conserved RNA-binding protein that is involved in many cellular processes, mainly RNA metabolism. To investigate systemic pathological mechanisms in TDP-43 proteinopathies, aiming to capture the pleiotropic effects of TDP-43 mutations, we have further characterised a mouse model carrying a point mutation (M323K) within the endogenous Tardbp gene. Homozygous mutant mice developed cognitive and behavioural deficits as early as 3 months of age. This was coupled with significant brain structural abnormalities, mainly in the cortex, hippocampus, and white matter fibres, together with progressive cortical interneuron degeneration and neuroinflammation. At the motor level, progressive phenotypes appeared around 6 months of age. Thus, cognitive phenotypes appeared to be of a developmental origin with a mild associated progressive neurodegeneration, while the motor and neuromuscular phenotypes seemed neurodegenerative, underlined by a progressive loss of upper and lower motor neurons as well as distal denervation. This is accompanied by progressive elevated TDP-43 protein and mRNA levels in cortex and spinal cord of homozygous mutant mice from 3 months of age, together with increased cytoplasmic TDP-43 mislocalisation in cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and spinal cord at 12 months of age. In conclusion, we find that Tardbp M323K homozygous mutant mice model many aspects of human TDP-43 proteinopathies, evidencing a dual role for TDP-43 in brain morphogenesis as well as in the maintenance of the motor system, making them an ideal in vivo model system to study the complex biology of TDP-43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan M Godoy-Corchuelo
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Zeinab Ali
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain; MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Jose M Brito Armas
- Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, ITB-ULL and CIBERNED, La Laguna, Spain
| | | | - Irene García-Toledo
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Luis C Fernández-Beltrán
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain; Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan I López-Carbonero
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Pablo Bascuñana
- Brain Mapping Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Shoshana Spring
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Irene Jimenez-Coca
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | | | - Maria J Sánchez-Barrena
- Department of Crystallography and Structural Biology, Institute of Physical Chemistry "Blas Cabrera", CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Remya R Nair
- MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire, UK; Nucleic Acid Therapy Accelerator (NATA), Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Karla L Miller
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hande P Ozdinler
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth M C Fisher
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL, Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Thomas J Cunningham
- MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire, UK; MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Abraham Acevedo-Arozena
- Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, ITB-ULL and CIBERNED, La Laguna, Spain.
| | - Silvia Corrochano
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain; MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire, UK.
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