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Smies CW, Bellfy L, Wright DS, Bennetts SS, Urban MW, Brunswick CA, Shu G, Kwapis JL. Pharmacological HDAC3 inhibition alters memory updating in young and old mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.08.593015. [PMID: 38766057 PMCID: PMC11100699 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.08.593015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Long-term memories are not stored in a stable state but must be flexible and dynamic to maintain relevance in response to new information. Existing memories are thought to be updated through the process of reconsolidation, in which memory retrieval initiates destabilization and updating to incorporate new information. Memory updating is impaired in old age, yet little is known about the mechanisms that go awry. One potential mechanism is the repressive histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), which is a powerful negative regulator of memory formation that contributes to age-related impairments in memory formation. Here, we tested whether HDAC3 also contributes to age-related impairments in memory updating using the Objects in Updated Locations (OUL) paradigm. We show that blocking HDAC3 immediately after updating with the pharmacological inhibitor RGFP966 ameliorated age-related impairments in memory updating in 18-m.o. mice. Surprisingly, we found that post-update HDAC3 inhibition in young (3-m.o.) mice had no effect on memory updating but instead impaired memory for the original information, suggesting that the original and updated information may compete for expression at test and HDAC3 helps regulate which information is expressed. To test this idea, we next assessed whether HDAC3 inhibition would improve memory updating in young mice given a weak, subthreshold update. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found that HDAC3 blockade strengthened the subthreshold update without impairing memory for the original information, enabling balanced expression of the original and updated information. Together, this research suggests that HDAC3 may contribute to age-related impairments in memory updating and may regulate the strength of a memory update in young mice, shifting the balance between the original and updated information at test.
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Scognamiglio S, Aljohani YM, Olson TT, Forcelli PA, Dezfuli G, Kellar KJ. Restoration of norepinephrine release, cognitive performance, and dendritic spines by amphetamine in aged rat brain. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14087. [PMID: 38332648 PMCID: PMC11019150 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related dysfunctions in specific neurotransmitter systems likely play an important role in cognitive decline even in its most subtle forms. Therefore, preservation or improvement of cognition via augmentation of neurotransmission is a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent further cognitive deficits. Here we identified a particular neuronal vulnerability in the aged Fischer 344 rat brain, an animal model of neurocognitive aging. Specifically, we demonstrated a marked impairment in glutamate-stimulated release of norepinephrine (NE) in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of aged rats, and established that this release was mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Further, we also demonstrated that this decrease in NE release is fully rescued by the psychostimulant drug amphetamine (AMPH). Moreover, we showed that AMPH increases dendritic spine maturation, and importantly shows preclinical efficacy in restoring memory deficits in the aged rat through its actions to potentiate NE neurotransmission at β-adrenergic receptors. Taken together, our results suggest that deficits in glutamate-stimulated release of NE may contribute to and possibly be a determinant of neuronal vulnerability underlying cognitive decline during aging, and that these deficits can be corrected with currently available drugs. Overall these studies suggest that repurposing of psychostimulants for age-associated cognitive deficits is a potential avenue to delay or prevent cognitive decline and/or frank dementia later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Scognamiglio
- Department of Pharmacology & PhysiologyGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashington, DCUSA
| | - Yousef M. Aljohani
- Department of Pharmacology & PhysiologyGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashington, DCUSA
| | - Thao T. Olson
- Department of Pharmacology & PhysiologyGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashington, DCUSA
| | - Patrick A. Forcelli
- Department of Pharmacology & PhysiologyGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashington, DCUSA
| | - Ghazaul Dezfuli
- Department of Pharmacology & PhysiologyGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashington, DCUSA
| | - Kenneth J. Kellar
- Department of Pharmacology & PhysiologyGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashington, DCUSA
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Fernández-Albarral JA, Ramírez AI, de Hoz R, Matamoros JA, Salobrar-García E, Elvira-Hurtado L, López-Cuenca I, Sánchez-Puebla L, Salazar JJ, Ramírez JM. Glaucoma: from pathogenic mechanisms to retinal glial cell response to damage. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1354569. [PMID: 38333055 PMCID: PMC10850296 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1354569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease of the retina characterized by the irreversible loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) leading to visual loss. Degeneration of RGCs and loss of their axons, as well as damage and remodeling of the lamina cribrosa are the main events in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Different molecular pathways are involved in RGC death, which are triggered and exacerbated as a consequence of a number of risk factors such as elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), age, ocular biomechanics, or low ocular perfusion pressure. Increased IOP is one of the most important risk factors associated with this pathology and the only one for which treatment is currently available, nevertheless, on many cases the progression of the disease continues, despite IOP control. Thus, the IOP elevation is not the only trigger of glaucomatous damage, showing the evidence that other factors can induce RGCs death in this pathology, would be involved in the advance of glaucomatous neurodegeneration. The underlying mechanisms driving the neurodegenerative process in glaucoma include ischemia/hypoxia, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. In glaucoma, like as other neurodegenerative disorders, the immune system is involved and immunoregulation is conducted mainly by glial cells, microglia, astrocytes, and Müller cells. The increase in IOP produces the activation of glial cells in the retinal tissue. Chronic activation of glial cells in glaucoma may provoke a proinflammatory state at the retinal level inducing blood retinal barrier disruption and RGCs death. The modulation of the immune response in glaucoma as well as the activation of glial cells constitute an interesting new approach in the treatment of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A. Fernández-Albarral
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana I. Ramírez
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa de Hoz
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José A. Matamoros
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Salobrar-García
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lorena Elvira-Hurtado
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Inés López-Cuenca
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lidia Sánchez-Puebla
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan J. Salazar
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M. Ramírez
- Ramon Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Grupo UCM 920105, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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4
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Dejanovic B, Sheng M, Hanson JE. Targeting synapse function and loss for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:23-42. [PMID: 38012296 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00823-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Synapse dysfunction and loss are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases that correlate with cognitive decline. However, the mechanisms and therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse synaptic damage remain elusive. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the molecular and cellular pathways that impair synapses in neurodegenerative diseases, including the effects of protein aggregation and neuroinflammation. We also highlight emerging therapeutic approaches that aim to restore synaptic function and integrity, such as enhancing synaptic plasticity, preventing synaptotoxicity, modulating neuronal network activity and targeting immune signalling. We discuss the preclinical and clinical evidence for each strategy, as well as the challenges and opportunities for developing effective synapse-targeting therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morgan Sheng
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jesse E Hanson
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Adams JM, Rege SV, Liu AT, Vu NV, Raina S, Kirsher DY, Nguyen AL, Harish R, Szoke B, Leone DP, Czirr E, Braithwaite S, Kerrisk Campbell M. Leukotriene A4 hydrolase inhibition improves age-related cognitive decline via modulation of synaptic function. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf8764. [PMID: 37976357 PMCID: PMC10656077 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf8764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Leukotrienes, a class of inflammatory bioactive lipids, are well studied in the periphery, but less is known of their importance in the brain. We identified that the enzyme leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H) is expressed in healthy mouse neurons, and inhibition of LTA4H in aged mice improves hippocampal dependent memory. Single-cell nuclear RNA sequencing of hippocampal neurons after inhibition reveals major changes to genes important for synaptic organization, structure, and activity. We propose that LTA4H inhibition may act to improve cognition by directly inhibiting the enzymatic activity in neurons, leading to improved synaptic function. In addition, LTA4H plasma levels are increased in both aging and Alzheimer's disease and correlated with cognitive impairment. These results identify a role for LTA4H in the brain, and we propose that LTA4H inhibition may be a promising therapeutic strategy to treat cognitive decline in aging related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M. Adams
- Alkahest Inc., 125 Shoreway Road, Suite D, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | - Sanket V. Rege
- Alkahest Inc., 125 Shoreway Road, Suite D, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | | | - Ninh V. Vu
- Alkahest Inc., 125 Shoreway Road, Suite D, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | - Sharda Raina
- Alkahest Inc., 125 Shoreway Road, Suite D, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | | | - Amy L. Nguyen
- Alkahest Inc., 125 Shoreway Road, Suite D, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | | | - Balazs Szoke
- Alkahest Inc., 125 Shoreway Road, Suite D, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | - Dino P. Leone
- Alkahest Inc., 125 Shoreway Road, Suite D, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
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6
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Brito DVC, Esteves F, Rajado AT, Silva N, Araújo I, Bragança J, Castelo-Branco P, Nóbrega C. Assessing cognitive decline in the aging brain: lessons from rodent and human studies. NPJ AGING 2023; 9:23. [PMID: 37857723 PMCID: PMC10587123 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-023-00120-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
As life expectancy continues to increase worldwide, age-related dysfunction will largely impact our societies in the future. Aging is well established to promote the deterioration of cognitive function and is the primary risk factor for the development of prevalent neurological disorders. Even in the absence of dementia, age-related cognitive decline impacts specific types of memories and brain structures in humans and animal models. Despite this, preclinical and clinical studies that investigate age-related changes in brain physiology often use largely different methods, which hinders the translational potential of findings. This review seeks to integrate what is known about age-related changes in the brain with analogue cognitive tests used in humans and rodent studies, ranging from "pen and paper" tests to virtual-reality-based paradigms. Finally, we draw parallels between the behavior paradigms used in research compared to the enrollment into clinical trials that aim to study age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- D V C Brito
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
| | - F Esteves
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
| | - A T Rajado
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
| | - N Silva
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
| | - I Araújo
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J Bragança
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - P Castelo-Branco
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - C Nóbrega
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal.
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal.
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal.
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
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7
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Chou MY, Wong YC, Wang SY, Chi CH, Wang TH, Huang MJ, Huang PH, Li PH, Wang MF. Potential antidepressant effects of a dietary supplement from Huáng qí and its complex in aged senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 mice. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1235780. [PMID: 37575325 PMCID: PMC10421658 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1235780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthcare is an emerging industry with significant market potential in the 21st century. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the benefits of tube feeding Huáng qí and its complexes for 8 weeks on 3-month-old senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 (SAMP8) mice, 48 in total, randomly divided into 3 groups including control, Huáng qí extract [820 mg/kg Body weight (BW)/day], and Huáng qí complexes (6.2 mL /kg BW/day), where each group consisted of males (n = 8) and females (n = 8). Behavioral tests (locomotion test and aging score assessment on week 6, the single-trial passive avoidance test on week 7, and the active shuttle avoidance test on week 8) were conducted to evaluate the ability of the mice to learn and remember. In addition, after sacrificing the animals, the blood and organs were measured for antioxidant and aging bioactivities, including malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and catalase activities (CAT), and the effects on promoting aging in SAMP8 mice were investigated. The findings showed that Huáng qí enhanced locomotor performance and had anti-aging effects, with positive effects on health, learning, and memory in SAMP-8 mice (p < 0.05), whether applied as a single agent (820 mg/kg BW/day) or as a complex (6.2 mL/kg BW/day) (p < 0.05). Based on existing strengths, a more compelling platform for clinical validation of human clinical evidence will be established to enhance the development and value-added of astragalus-related products while meeting the diversified needs of the functional food market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yu Chou
- School of Business, Qanzhou Vocational and Technical University, Jinjiang, China
- International Aging Industry Research & Development Center (AIC), Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Yue-Ching Wong
- Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Shih-Yi Wang
- International Aging Industry Research & Development Center (AIC), Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Ching-Hsin Chi
- International Aging Industry Research & Development Center (AIC), Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Teng-Hsu Wang
- PhytoHealth Corporation, Taipei city, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Mao-Jung Huang
- School of General Education, Hsiuping University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Ping-Hsiu Huang
- School of Food, Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College, Huai’an, China
| | - Po-Hsien Li
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Ming-Fu Wang
- International Aging Industry Research & Development Center (AIC), Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
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8
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Samudra N, Lane-Donovan C, VandeVrede L, Boxer AL. Tau pathology in neurodegenerative disease: disease mechanisms and therapeutic avenues. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e168553. [PMID: 37317972 PMCID: PMC10266783 DOI: 10.1172/jci168553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are disorders associated with tau protein dysfunction and insoluble tau accumulation in the brain at autopsy. Multiple lines of evidence from human disease, as well as nonclinical translational models, suggest that tau has a central pathologic role in these disorders, historically thought to be primarily related to tau gain of toxic function. However, a number of tau-targeting therapies with various mechanisms of action have shown little promise in clinical trials in different tauopathies. We review what is known about tau biology, genetics, and therapeutic mechanisms that have been tested in clinical trials to date. We discuss possible reasons for failures of these therapies, such as use of imperfect nonclinical models that do not predict human effects for drug development; heterogeneity of human tau pathologies which may lead to variable responses to therapy; and ineffective therapeutic mechanisms, such as targeting of the wrong tau species or protein epitope. Innovative approaches to human clinical trials can help address some of the difficulties that have plagued our field's development of tau-targeting therapies thus far. Despite limited clinical success to date, as we continue to refine our understanding of tau's pathogenic mechanism(s) in different neurodegenerative diseases, we remain optimistic that tau-targeting therapies will eventually play a central role in the treatment of tauopathies.
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9
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Cade S, Zhou XF, Bobrovskaya L. An Imbalance in the Pro/mature BDNF Ratio Occurs in Multiple Brain Regions During Normal Ageing in Wild-Type Mice. J Mol Neurosci 2023; 73:469-484. [PMID: 37314606 PMCID: PMC10432372 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-023-02131-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The early transition to Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a period of accelerated brain atrophy that exceeds normal ageing. Identifying the molecular basis of this atrophy could facilitate the discovery of novel drug targets. The precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a well characterized neurotrophin, is increased in the hippocampus of aged rodents, while its mature isoform is relatively stable. This imbalance could increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease by precipitating its pathological hallmarks. However, less is known about how relative levels of these isoforms change in middle-aged mice. In addition, the underlying mechanisms that might cause an imbalance are unknown. The main aim of this study was to determine how precursor brain-derived neurotrophic factor changes relative to its mature isoform with normal brain ageing in wild type mice. A secondary aim was to determine if signaling through the neurotrophin receptor, p75 influences this ratio. An increasing ratio was identified in several brain regions, except the hippocampus, suggesting a neurotrophic imbalance occurs as early as middle age. Some changes in receptors that mediate the isoforms effects were also identified, but these did not correspond with trends in the isoforms. Relative amounts of precursor brain-derived neurotrophic factor were mostly unchanged in mutant p75 mice. The lack of changes suggested that signaling through the receptor had no influence on the ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun Cade
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Xin-Fu Zhou
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Larisa Bobrovskaya
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
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10
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He F, Sun Y, Jin Y, Yin R, Zhu H, Rathore H, Xie C, Luan L. Longitudinal neural and vascular recovery following ultraflexible neural electrode implantation in aged mice. Biomaterials 2022; 291:121905. [PMID: 36403326 PMCID: PMC9701172 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121905] [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: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Flexible neural electrodes improve the recording longevity and quality of individual neurons by promoting tissue-electrode integration. However, the intracortical implantation of flexible electrodes inevitably induces tissue damage. Understanding the longitudinal neural and vascular recovery following the intracortical implantation is critical for the ever-growing applications of flexible electrodes in both healthy and disordered brains. Aged animals are of particular interest because they play a key role in modeling neurological disorders, but their tissue-electrode interface remains mostly unstudied. Here we integrate in-vivo two-photon imaging and electrophysiological recording to determine the time-dependent neural and vascular dynamics after the implantation of ultraflexible neural electrodes in aged mice. We find heightened angiogenesis and vascular remodeling in the first two weeks after implantation, which coincides with the rapid increase in local field potentials and unit activities detected by electrophysiological recordings. Vascular remodeling in shallow cortical layers preceded that in deeper layers, which often lasted longer than the recovery of neural signals. By six weeks post-implantation vascular abnormalities had subsided, resulting in normal vasculature and microcirculation. Putative cell classification based on firing pattern and waveform shows similar recovery time courses in fast-spiking interneurons and pyramidal neurons. These results elucidate how structural damages and remodeling near implants affecting recording efficacy, and support the application of ultraflexible electrodes in aged animals at minimal perturbations to endogenous neurophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei He
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Yingchu Sun
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Yifu Jin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Rongkang Yin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Hanlin Zhu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Haad Rathore
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA; Applied Physics Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Chong Xie
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Lan Luan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, USA.
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11
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Lee B, Choi GM, Hong JP, Cho DE, Kim Y, Yeom M, Han JJ, Kim SR, Hahm DH. Menaquinone-7 ameliorates cerebrovascular calcification-associated memory decline in aged mice. Life Sci 2022; 307:120912. [PMID: 36037872 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120912] [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: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Menaquinone (MK)-7 is a vitamin K2 analog that functions as a cofactor of γ-glutamyl carboxylase involved in the activation of vitamin K (VK)-dependent proteins. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of MK-7 on memory and cognitive function in aged C57BL/6 mice. Eighteen-month-old mice were raised for a further 4 months, fed on a standard or calcium-rich diet (3 % [w/w]), and were orally given MK-7 (40 and 400 μg/day/mouse) five times per week during the same period. The Morris water maze (MWM) test was performed at 19 and 22 months. The aged mice showed noticeable memory declines in the MWM test at all time points compared with 6-week-old mice, and this memory loss was significantly restored by the daily administration of high-dose MK-7 for 4 months. MK-7 administration also improved micro-computed tomography-based cerebrovascular calcification and aging-associated declines in growth arrest-specific 6, total and carboxylated matrix Gla proteins, and ganglioside levels in the brain of aged mice. It serologically reduced phosphorous levels in the blood, but not the urea, cholesterol, and calcium. Taken together, the long-term administration of MK-7 significantly improved age-related memory and cognitive impairments, possibly through inhibition of cerebrovascular calcification in aged mice, indicating that it can be used to develop new drugs for improving memory and cognitive function in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bombi Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Gwang-Muk Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon-Pyo Hong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Eun Cho
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoongeun Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Mijung Yeom
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Jun Han
- GF Fermentech, Geumhoseonmal-gil, Bugang-myeon, Sejong-si 30077, Republic of Korea
| | - Song-Rae Kim
- Chuncheon Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Hyun Hahm
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; BioNanocomposite Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
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12
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del Pozo A, Lehmann L, Knox KM, Barker-Haliski M. Can Old Animals Reveal New Targets? The Aging and Degenerating Brain as a New Precision Medicine Opportunity for Epilepsy. Front Neurol 2022; 13:833624. [PMID: 35572927 PMCID: PMC9096090 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.833624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Older people represent the fastest growing group with epilepsy diagnosis. For example, cerebrovascular disease may underlie roughly 30-50% of epilepsy in older adults and seizures are also an underrecognized comorbidity of Alzheimer's disease (AD). As a result, up to 10% of nursing home residents may take antiseizure medicines (ASMs). Despite the greater incidence of epilepsy in older individuals and increased risk of comorbid seizures in people with AD, aged animals with seizures are strikingly underrepresented in epilepsy drug discovery practice. Increased integration of aged animals into preclinical epilepsy drug discovery could better inform the potential tolerability and pharmacokinetic interactions in aged individuals as the global population becomes increasingly older. Quite simply, the ASMs on the market today were brought forth based on efficacy in young adult, neurologically intact rodents; preclinical information concerning the efficacy and safety of promising ASMs is not routinely evaluated in aged animals. Integrating aged animals more often into basic epilepsy research may also uncover novel treatments for hyperexcitability. For example, cannabidiol and fenfluramine demonstrated clear efficacy in syndrome-specific pediatric models that led to a paradigm shift in the perceived value of pediatric models for ASM discovery practice; aged rodents with seizures or rodents with aging-related neuropathology represent an untapped resource that could similarly change epilepsy drug discovery. This review, therefore, summarizes how aged rodent models have thus far been used for epilepsy research, what studies have been conducted to assess ASM efficacy in aged rodent seizure and epilepsy models, and lastly to identify remaining gaps to engage aging-related neurological disease models for ASM discovery, which may simultaneously reveal novel mechanisms associated with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Melissa Barker-Haliski
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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13
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Pilarzyk K, Farmer R, Porcher L, Kelly MP. The Role of PDE11A4 in Social Isolation-Induced Changes in Intracellular Signaling and Neuroinflammation. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:749628. [PMID: 34887755 PMCID: PMC8650591 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.749628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphodiesterase 11A (PDE11A), an enzyme that degrades cyclic nucleotides (cAMP and cGMP), is the only PDE whose mRNA expression in brain is restricted to the hippocampal formation. Previously, we showed that chronic social isolation changes subsequent social behaviors in adult mice by reducing expression of PDE11A4 in the membrane fraction of the ventral hippocampus (VHIPP). Here we seek extend these findings by determining 1) if isolation-induced decreases in PDE11A4 require chronic social isolation or if they occur acutely and are sustained long-term, 2) if isolation-induced decreases occur uniquely in adults (i.e., not adolescents), and 3) how the loss of PDE11 signaling may increase neuroinflammation. Both acute and chronic social isolation decrease PDE11A4 expression in adult but not adolescent mice. This decrease in PDE11A4 is specific to the membrane compartment of the VHIPP, as it occurs neither in the soluble nor nuclear fractions of the VHIPP nor in any compartment of the dorsal HIPP. The effect of social isolation on membrane PDE11A4 is also selective in that PDE2A and PDE10A expression remain unchanged. Isolation-induced decreases in PDE11A4 expression appear to be functional as social isolation elicited changes in PDE11A-relevant signal transduction cascades (i.e., decreased pCamKIIα and pS6-235/236) and behavior (i.e., increased remote long-term memory for social odor recognition). Interestingly, we found that isolation-induced decreases in membrane PDE11A4 correlated with increased expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the soluble fraction, suggesting pro-inflammatory signaling for this cytokine. This effect on IL-6 is consistent with the fact that PDE11A deletion increased microglia activation, although it left astrocytes unchanged. Together, these data suggest that isolation-induced decreases in PDE11A4 may alter subsequent social behavior via increased neuroinflammatory processes in adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katy Pilarzyk
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Reagan Farmer
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Latarsha Porcher
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Michy P Kelly
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Center for Aging Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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14
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Venkatesh A, Daugherty AM, Bennett IJ. Neuroimaging measures of iron and gliosis explain memory performance in aging. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:5761-5770. [PMID: 34520095 PMCID: PMC8559505 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence from animal and histological studies has indicated that accumulation of iron in the brain results in reactive gliosis that contributes to cognitive deficits. The current study extends these findings to human cognitive aging and suggests that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques like quantitative relaxometry can be used to study iron and its effects in vivo. The effects of iron on microstructure and memory performance were examined using a combination of quantitative relaxometry and multicompartment diffusion imaging in 35 young (21.06 ± 2.18 years) and 28 older (72.58 ± 6.47 years) adults, who also completed a memory task. Replicating past work, results revealed age‐related increases in iron content (R2*) and diffusion, and decreases in memory performance. Independent of age group, iron content was significantly related to restricted (intracellular) diffusion in regions with low‐moderate iron (hippocampus, caudate) and to all diffusion metrics in regions with moderate‐high iron (putamen, globus pallidus). This pattern is consistent with different stages of iron‐related gliosis, ranging from astrogliosis that may influence intracellular diffusion to microglial proliferation and increased vascular permeability that may influence all sources of diffusion. Further, hippocampal restricted diffusion was significantly related to memory performance, with a third of this effect related to iron content; consistent with the hypothesis that higher iron‐related astrogliosis in the hippocampus is associated with poorer memory performance. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of MRI to iron‐related gliosis and extend our understanding of its impact on cognition by showing that this relationship also explains individual differences in memory performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anu Venkatesh
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Ana M Daugherty
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Ilana J Bennett
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
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15
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Alam NM, Douglas RM, Prusky GT. Treatment of age-related visual impairment with a mitochondrial-acting peptide. Dis Model Mech 2021; 15:274438. [PMID: 34766182 PMCID: PMC8891924 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.048256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related visual decline and disease due to neural dysfunction are major sources of disability that have resisted effective treatment. In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it. Impaired photopic acuity measured by using a virtual optokinetic system emerged near 18 months and declined to ∼40% below normal by 34 months. Daily application of the synthetic peptide elamipretide, which has high selectivity for mitochondrial membranes that contain cardiolipin and promotes efficient electron transfer, was able to mitigate visual decline from 18 months onwards. Daily application from 24 months onwards, i.e. when acuity had reduced by ∼16%, reversed visual decline and normalized function within 2 months. Recovered function persisted for at least 3 months after treatment was withdrawn and a single treatment at 24 months delayed subsequent visual decline. Elamipretide applied daily from 32 months onwards took longer to take effect, but substantial improvement was found within 2 months. The effects of age and elamipretide treatment on contrast sensitivity were similar to those on acuity, systemic and eye drop applications of elamipretide had comparable effects, scotopic spatial visual function was largely unaffected by age or treatment, and altered function was independent of variation in optical clarity. These data indicate that elamipretide treatment adaptively alters the aging visual system. They also provide a rationale to investigate whether mitochondrial dysfunction is a treatable pathophysiology of human visual aging and age-related visual disease. Summary: Age-related decline in vision in mice is substantially prevented or restored in response to treatment with a peptide that comprises mitochondrial affinity and improves mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- N M Alam
- Burke Neurological Institute, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, New York 10605, USA
| | - R M Douglas
- University of British Columbia, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, 2550 Willow Street, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3N9, Canada
| | - G T Prusky
- Burke Neurological Institute, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, New York 10605, USA.,Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
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16
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Porcher L, Bruckmeier S, Burbano SD, Finnell JE, Gorny N, Klett J, Wood SK, Kelly MP. Aging triggers an upregulation of a multitude of cytokines in the male and especially the female rodent hippocampus but more discrete changes in other brain regions. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:219. [PMID: 34551810 PMCID: PMC8459490 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02252-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite widespread acceptance that neuroinflammation contributes to age-related cognitive decline, studies comparing protein expression of cytokines in the young versus old brains are surprisingly limited in terms of the number of cytokines and brain regions studied. Complicating matters, discrepancies abound-particularly for interleukin 6 (IL-6)-possibly due to differences in sex, species/strain, and/or the brain regions studied. METHODS As such, we clarified how cytokine expression changes with age by using a Bioplex and Western blot to measure multiple cytokines across several brain regions of both sexes, using 2 mouse strains bred in-house as well as rats obtained from NIA. Parametric and nonparametric statistical tests were used as appropriate. RESULTS In the ventral hippocampus of C57BL/6J mice, we found age-related increases in IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17, eotaxin, G-CSF, interfeuron δ, KC, MIP-1a, MIP-1b, rantes, and TNFα that are generally more pronounced in females, but no age-related change in IL-5, MCP-1, or GM-CSF. We also find aging is uniquely associated with the emergence of a module (a.k.a. network) of 11 strongly intercorrelated cytokines, as well as an age-related shift from glycosylated to unglycosylated isoforms of IL-10 and IL-1β in the ventral hippocampus. Interestingly, age-related increases in extra-hippocampal cytokine expression are more discreet, with the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and cerebellum of male and female C57BL/6J mice demonstrating robust age-related increase in IL-6 expression but not IL-1β. Importantly, we found this widespread age-related increase in IL-6 also occurs in BALB/cJ mice and Brown Norway rats, demonstrating conservation across species and rearing environments. CONCLUSIONS Thus, age-related increases in cytokines are more pronounced in the hippocampus compared to other brain regions and can be more pronounced in females versus males depending on the brain region, genetic background, and cytokine examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Latarsha Porcher
- Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 6439 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA
| | - Sophie Bruckmeier
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSFII Rm 216, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Steven D Burbano
- Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 6439 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA
| | - Julie E Finnell
- Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 6439 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA
| | - Nicole Gorny
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSFII Rm 216, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Jennifer Klett
- Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 6439 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA
| | - Susan K Wood
- Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 6439 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA
| | - Michy P Kelly
- Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 6439 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA. .,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSFII Rm 216, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA. .,Center for Research on Aging, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSFII Rm 216, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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17
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Rivera DS, Lindsay CB, Oliva CA, Bozinovic F, Inestrosa NC. A Multivariate Assessment of Age-Related Cognitive Impairment in Octodon degus. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:719076. [PMID: 34526882 PMCID: PMC8437396 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.719076] [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: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a progressive functional decline characterized by a gradual deterioration in physiological function and behavior. The most important age-related change in cognitive function is decline in cognitive performance (i.e., the processing or transformation of information to make decisions that includes speed of processing, working memory, and learning). The purpose of this study is to outline the changes in age-related cognitive performance (i.e., short-term recognition memory and long-term learning and memory) in long-lived Octodon degus. The strong similarity between degus and humans in social, metabolic, biochemical, and cognitive aspects makes it a unique animal model for exploring the mechanisms underlying the behavioral and cognitive deficits related to natural aging. In this study, we examined young adult female degus (12- and 24-months-old) and aged female degus (38-, 56-, and 75-months-old) that were exposed to a battery of cognitive-behavioral tests. Multivariate analyses of data from the Social Interaction test or Novel Object/Local Recognition (to measure short-term recognition memory), and the Barnes maze test (to measure long-term learning and memory) revealed a consistent pattern. Young animals formed a separate group of aged degus for both short- and long-term memories. The association between the first component of the principal component analysis (PCA) from short-term memory with the first component of the PCA from long-term memory showed a significant negative correlation. This suggests age-dependent differences in both memories, with the aged degus having higher values of long-term memory ability but poor short-term recognition memory, whereas in the young degus an opposite pattern was found. Approximately 5% of the young and 80% of the aged degus showed an impaired short-term recognition memory; whereas for long-term memory about 32% of the young degus and 57% of the aged degus showed decreased performance on the Barnes maze test. Throughout this study, we outlined age-dependent cognitive performance decline during natural aging in degus. Moreover, we also demonstrated that the use of a multivariate approach let us explore and visualize complex behavioral variables, and identified specific behavioral patterns that allowed us to make powerful conclusions that will facilitate further the study on the biology of aging. In addition, this study could help predict the onset of the aging process based on behavioral performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela S Rivera
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology and Environment, Facultad de Estudios Interdisciplinarios, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina B Lindsay
- Center of Aging and Regeneration UC (CARE-UC), Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina A Oliva
- Center of Aging and Regeneration UC (CARE-UC), Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Bozinovic
- Center for Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nibaldo C Inestrosa
- Center of Aging and Regeneration UC (CARE-UC), Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de Excelencia en Biomedicina de Magallanes (CEBIMA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
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18
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Brendza R, Lin H, Stark K, Foreman O, Tao J, Pierce A, Ngu H, Shen K, Easton AE, Bhangale T, Chang D, Bingol B, Friedman BA. Genetic ablation of Gpnmb does not alter synuclein-related pathology. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 159:105494. [PMID: 34464706 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The gene GPNMB is known to play roles in phagocytosis and tissue repair, and is upregulated in microglia in many mouse models of neurodegenerative disease as well as in human patients. Nearby genomic variants are associated with both elevated Parkinson's disease (PD) risk and higher expression of this gene, suggesting that inhibiting GPNMB activity might be protective in Parkinson's disease. We tested this hypothesis in three different mouse models of neurological diseases: a remyelination model and two models of alpha-synuclein pathology. We found that Gpnmb deletion had no effect on histological, cellular, behavioral, neurochemical or gene expression phenotypes in any of these models. These data suggest that Gpnmb does not play a major role in the development of pathology or functional defects in these models and that further work is necessary to study its role in the development or progression of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Brendza
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Han Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kimberly Stark
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Oded Foreman
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Janet Tao
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Pierce
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hai Ngu
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kimberle Shen
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amy E Easton
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tushar Bhangale
- Department of Human Genetics, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Diana Chang
- Department of Human Genetics, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Baris Bingol
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Brad A Friedman
- Department of OMNI Bioinformatics, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.
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19
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Yanai S, Endo S. Functional Aging in Male C57BL/6J Mice Across the Life-Span: A Systematic Behavioral Analysis of Motor, Emotional, and Memory Function to Define an Aging Phenotype. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:697621. [PMID: 34408644 PMCID: PMC8365336 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.697621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is characterized generally by progressive and overall physiological decline of functions and is observed in all animals. A long line of evidence has established the laboratory mouse as the prime model of human aging. However, relatively little is known about the detailed behavioral and functional changes that occur across their lifespan, and how this maps onto the phenotype of human aging. To better understand age-related changes across the life-span, we characterized functional aging in male C57BL/6J mice of five different ages (3, 6, 12, 18, and 22 months of age) using a multi-domain behavioral test battery. Spatial memory and physical activities, including locomotor activity, gait velocity, and grip strength progressively declined with increasing age, although at different rates; anxiety-like behaviors increased with aging. Estimated age-related patterns showed that these functional alterations across ages are non-linear, and the patterns are unique for each behavioral trait. Physical function progressively declines, starting as early as 6 months of age in mice, while cognitive function begins to decline later, with considerable impairment present at 22 months of age. Importantly, functional aging of male C57BL/6J mouse starts at younger relative ages compared to when it starts in humans. Our study suggests that human-equivalent ages of mouse might be better determined on the basis of its functional capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuichi Yanai
- Aging Neuroscience Research Team, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shogo Endo
- Aging Neuroscience Research Team, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
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20
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Carvalho-Paulo D, Bento Torres Neto J, Filho CS, de Oliveira TCG, de Sousa AA, dos Reis RR, dos Santos ZA, de Lima CM, de Oliveira MA, Said NM, Freitas SF, Sosthenes MCK, Gomes GF, Henrique EP, Pereira PDC, de Siqueira LS, de Melo MAD, Guerreiro Diniz C, Magalhães NGDM, Diniz JAP, Vasconcelos PFDC, Diniz DG, Anthony DC, Sherry DF, Brites D, Picanço Diniz CW. Microglial Morphology Across Distantly Related Species: Phylogenetic, Environmental and Age Influences on Microglia Reactivity and Surveillance States. Front Immunol 2021; 12:683026. [PMID: 34220831 PMCID: PMC8250867 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.683026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglial immunosurveillance of the brain parenchyma to detect local perturbations in homeostasis, in all species, results in the adoption of a spectrum of morphological changes that reflect functional adaptations. Here, we review the contribution of these changes in microglia morphology in distantly related species, in homeostatic and non-homeostatic conditions, with three principal goals (1): to review the phylogenetic influences on the morphological diversity of microglia during homeostasis (2); to explore the impact of homeostatic perturbations (Dengue virus challenge) in distantly related species (Mus musculus and Callithrix penicillata) as a proxy for the differential immune response in small and large brains; and (3) to examine the influences of environmental enrichment and aging on the plasticity of the microglial morphological response following an immunological challenge (neurotropic arbovirus infection). Our findings reveal that the differences in microglia morphology across distantly related species under homeostatic condition cannot be attributed to the phylogenetic origin of the species. However, large and small brains, under similar non-homeostatic conditions, display differential microglial morphological responses, and we argue that age and environment interact to affect the microglia morphology after an immunological challenge; in particular, mice living in an enriched environment exhibit a more efficient immune response to the virus resulting in earlier removal of the virus and earlier return to the homeostatic morphological phenotype of microglia than it is observed in sedentary mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Carvalho-Paulo
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - João Bento Torres Neto
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Faculdade de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Carlos Santos Filho
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Thais Cristina Galdino de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Aline Andrade de Sousa
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Renata Rodrigues dos Reis
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Zaire Alves dos Santos
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Camila Mendes de Lima
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Marcus Augusto de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Nivin Mazen Said
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Sinara Franco Freitas
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Marcia Consentino Kronka Sosthenes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Giovanni Freitas Gomes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Ediely Pereira Henrique
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Patrick Douglas Côrrea Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva de Siqueira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Mauro André Damasceno de Melo
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Nara Gyzely de Morais Magalhães
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos
- Dep. de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Brazil
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - David Francis Sherry
- Department of Psychology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Dora Brites
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
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21
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Cariati I, Bonanni R, Annino G, Scimeca M, Bonanno E, D'Arcangelo G, Tancredi V. Dose-Response Effect of Vibratory Stimulus on Synaptic and Muscle Plasticity in a Middle-Aged Murine Model. Front Physiol 2021; 12:678449. [PMID: 34177622 PMCID: PMC8226218 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.678449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole body vibration plays a central role in many work categories and can represent a health risk to the musculoskeletal system and peripheral nervous system. However, studies in animal and human models have shown that vibratory training, experimentally and/or therapeutically induced, can exert beneficial effects on the whole body, as well as improve brain functioning and reduce cognitive decline related to the aging process. Since the effects of vibratory training depend on several factors, such as vibration frequency and vibration exposure time, in this work, we investigated whether the application of three different vibratory protocols could modulate synaptic and muscle plasticity in a middle-aged murine model, counteracting the onset of early symptoms linked to the aging process. To this end, we performed in vitro electrophysiological recordings of the field potential in the CA1 region of mouse hippocampal slices, as well as histomorphometric and ultrastructural analysis of muscle tissue by optic and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Our results showed that protocols characterized by a low vibration frequency and/or a longer recovery time exert positive effects at both hippocampal and muscular level, and that these effects improve significantly by varying both parameters, with an action comparable with a dose-response effect. Thus, we suggested that vibratory training may be an effective strategy to counteract cognitive impairment, which is already present in the early stages of the aging process, and the onset of sarcopenia, which is closely related to a sedentary lifestyle. Future studies are needed to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms and to determine an optimal vibratory training protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Cariati
- Ph.D. in Medical-Surgical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Bonanni
- Department of Systems Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Annino
- Department of Systems Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Centre of Space Bio-Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuel Scimeca
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Bonanno
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,"Diagnostica Medica" and "Villa dei Platani", Neuromed Group, Avellino, Italy
| | - Giovanna D'Arcangelo
- Department of Systems Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Centre of Space Bio-Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Virginia Tancredi
- Department of Systems Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Centre of Space Bio-Medicine, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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22
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Hannestad J, Duclos T, Chao W, Koborsi K, Klutzaritz V, Beck B, Patel AK, Scott J, Thein SG, Cummings JL, Kay G, Braithwaite S, Nikolich K. Safety and Tolerability of GRF6019 Infusions in Severe Alzheimer's Disease: A Phase II Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 81:1649-1662. [PMID: 33967047 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The plasma fraction GRF6019 shows multiple benefits on brain aging in mice, including enhanced cognition, neurogenesis, and synaptic density, as well as reduced neuroinflammation. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of GRF6019 in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS A phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with severe AD (Mini-Mental State Examination score 0-10). Patients were randomized 2 : 1 to GRF6019 (N = 18) or placebo (N = 8) and received daily 250 mL intravenous infusions over 5 days. The primary endpoints were the rates of adverse events (AEs) and the tolerability of GRF6019 as assessed by the number of patients completing the study. Change from baseline in cognitive and functional assessments was also evaluated. RESULTS All patients completed 100%of study visits and infusions. The rate of AEs was similar in the GRF6019 (8/18 patients [44.4%]) and placebo (3/8 patients [37.5%]) groups, and there were no deaths or serious AEs. The most common AEs considered related to treatment were mild, transient changes in blood pressure in the GRF6019 group (hypotension: 2 patients [11.1%]; hypertension: 1 patient [5.6%]); there were no related AEs in the placebo group. The trial was not powered to detect statistically significant differences between treatment groups. At the end of the study, patients in both treatment groups remained stable or improved on all cognitive and functional endpoints. CONCLUSION GRF6019 demonstrated excellent safety, feasibility, and tolerability. Future trials designed to characterize the potential functional benefits of GRF6019 and related plasma fractions in severe AD are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - James Scott
- Riverside Clinical Research, Edgewater, FL, USA
| | - Stephen G Thein
- Pacific Research Network -an ERG Portfolio Company, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Cummings
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Gary Kay
- Cognitive Research Corporation, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
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23
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Chen Y, Hong T, Chen F, Sun Y, Wang Y, Cui L. Interplay Between Microglia and Alzheimer's Disease-Focus on the Most Relevant Risks: APOE Genotype, Sex and Age. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:631827. [PMID: 33897406 PMCID: PMC8060487 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.631827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As the main immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), microglia regulates normal development, homeostasis and general brain physiology. These functions put microglia at the forefront of CNS repair and recovery. Uncontrolled activation of microglia is related to the course of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. It is clear that the classic pathologies of amyloid β (Aβ) and Tau are usually accompanied by the activation of microglia, and the activation of microglia also serves as an early event in the pathogenesis of AD. Therefore, during the occurrence and development of AD, the key susceptibility factors for AD—apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, sex and age—may further interact with microglia to exacerbate neurodegeneration. In this review, we discuss the role of microglia in the progression of AD related to the three risk factors for AD: APOE genotype, sex and aging. APOE-expressing microglia accumulates around Aβ plaques, and the presence of APOE4 may disrupt the phagocytosis of Aβ aggregates and aggravate neurodegeneration in Tau disease models. In addition, females have a high incidence of AD, and normal female microglia and estrogen have protective effects under normal conditions. However, under the influence of AD, female microglia seem to lose their protective effect and instead accelerate the course of AD. Aging, another major risk factor, may increase the sensitivity of microglia, leading to the exacerbation of microglial dysfunction in elderly AD. Obviously, in the role of microglia in AD, the three main risk factors of APOE, sex, and aging are not independent and have synergistic effects that contribute to the risk of AD. Moreover, new microglia can replace dysfunctional microglia after microglial depletion, which is a new promising strategy for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanting Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Tingting Hong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yuanhong Sun
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States
| | - Yan Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Lili Cui
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
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24
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McQuail JA, Dunn AR, Stern Y, Barnes CA, Kempermann G, Rapp PR, Kaczorowski CC, Foster TC. Cognitive Reserve in Model Systems for Mechanistic Discovery: The Importance of Longitudinal Studies. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 12:607685. [PMID: 33551788 PMCID: PMC7859530 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.607685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of this review article is to provide a resource for longitudinal studies, using animal models, directed at understanding and modifying the relationship between cognition and brain structure and function throughout life. We propose that forthcoming longitudinal studies will build upon a wealth of knowledge gleaned from prior cross-sectional designs to identify early predictors of variability in cognitive function during aging, and characterize fundamental neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the vulnerability to, and the trajectory of, cognitive decline. Finally, we present examples of biological measures that may differentiate mechanisms of the cognitive reserve at the molecular, cellular, and network level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McQuail
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Amy R Dunn
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Carol A Barnes
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Gerd Kempermann
- CRTD-Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers (HZ), Dresden, Germany
| | - Peter R Rapp
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurocognitive Aging Section, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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25
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Modulation of Synaptic Plasticity by Vibratory Training in Young and Old Mice. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11010082. [PMID: 33435131 PMCID: PMC7827198 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11010082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past 40 years, scientific research has shown how Whole Body Vibration concept represents a strong stimulus for the whole organism. Low (<30 Hz), medium (30–80 Hz), and high (>80 Hz) frequency vibrations can have both positive and negative effects, depending on the oscillation type and duration of exposure to which the body is subjected. However, very little is known about the effects of vibratory training on the brain. In this regard, we verified whether three vibratory training protocols, differing in terms of vibration frequency and exposure time to vibration, could modulate synaptic plasticity in an experimental mouse model, by extracellular recordings in vitro in hippocampal slices of mice of 4 and 24 months old. Our results showed that vibratory training can modulate synaptic plasticity differently, depending on the protocol used, and that the best effects are related to the training protocol characterized by a low vibration frequency and a longer recovery time. Future studies will aim to understand the brain responses to various types of vibratory training and to explore the underlying mechanisms, also evaluating the presence of any structural and functional changes due to vibratory training.
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26
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Currenti W, Godos J, Castellano S, Caruso G, Ferri R, Caraci F, Grosso G, Galvano F. Association between Time Restricted Feeding and Cognitive Status in Older Italian Adults. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13010191. [PMID: 33435416 PMCID: PMC7827225 DOI: 10.3390/nu13010191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Due to the increased life expectancy, the prevalence of aging-related health conditions, such as cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is increasing. Among the modifiable risk factors, dietary factors have proved to be of primary importance in preserving and improving mental health and cognitive status in older adults, possibly through the modulation of adult neurogenesis, neuronal plasticity and brain signaling. Feeding/fasting timing manipulation has emerged as an innovative strategy to counteract and treat cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the timing of the feeding period and cognitive status in a cross-sectional cohort of adults living in the Mediterranean area. Methods: Demographic and dietary characteristics of 883 adults living in Southern Italy (Sicily) were analyzed. Food frequency questionnaires were used to calculate the time window between the first and the last meal of an average day. Participants with an eating time window duration of more than 10 h were then identified, as well as those with eating time restricted to less than 10 h (TRF). Results: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, individuals adherent to TRF were less likely to have cognitive impairment, compared to those with no eating time restrictions [odds ratio (OR) = 0.28; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.07–0.90]; a similar association was found for individuals having breakfast (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16–0.89), but not for those having dinner. Conclusions: The results of this study reveal that time restricted eating may be positively associated with cognitive status, and thus exert plausible effects on brain health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Currenti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (W.C.); (F.G.)
| | - Justyna Godos
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (J.G.); (R.F.); (F.C.)
| | - Sabrina Castellano
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Caruso
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Raffaele Ferri
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (J.G.); (R.F.); (F.C.)
| | - Filippo Caraci
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (J.G.); (R.F.); (F.C.)
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Grosso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (W.C.); (F.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0954-781-187
| | - Fabio Galvano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (W.C.); (F.G.)
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27
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Kulikova EA, Moskaliuk VS, Rodnyy AY, Bazovkina DV. Effect of Aging on the Behavior and Brain Expression of Genes Encoding Kaiso, BDNF, CREB, and STEP Proteins in Mice. ADVANCES IN GERONTOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s2079057021010410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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28
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Distinct physical condition and social behavior phenotypes of CD157 and CD38 knockout mice during aging. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0244022. [PMID: 33326496 PMCID: PMC7743928 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of CD38 and CD157 to utilize nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) has received much attention because the aging-induced elevation of CD38 expression plays a role in the senescence-related decline in NAD levels. Therefore, it is of interest to examine and compare the effects of age-associated changes on the general health and brain function impairment of Cd157 and Cd38 knockout (CD157 KO and CD38 KO) mice. The body weight and behaviors were measured in 8-week-old (young adult) or 12-month-old (middle-aged) male mice of both KO strains. The locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, and social behavior of the mice were measured in the open field and three-chamber tests. The middle-aged CD157 KO male mice gained more body weight than young adult KO mice, while little or no body weight gain was observed in the middle-aged CD38 KO mice. Middle-aged CD157 KO mice displayed increased anxiety-like behavior and decreased sociability and interaction compared with young adult KO mice. Middle-aged CD38 KO mice showed less anxiety and hyperactivity than CD157 KO mice, similar to young adult CD38 KO mice. The results reveal marked age-dependent changes in male CD157 KO mice but not in male CD38 KO mice. We discuss the distinct differences in aging effects from the perspective of inhibition of NAD metabolism in CD157 and CD38 KO mice, which may contribute to differential behavioral changes during aging.
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29
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Hannestad J, Koborsi K, Klutzaritz V, Chao W, Ray R, Páez A, Jackson S, Lohr S, Cummings JL, Kay G, Nikolich K, Braithwaite S. Safety and tolerability of GRF6019 in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease dementia. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2020; 6:e12115. [PMID: 33344754 PMCID: PMC7744029 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This phase 2 trial evaluated the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of repeated infusions of the plasma fraction GRF6019 in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, dose-comparison trial, 47 patients were randomized 1:1 to receive daily infusions of 100 mL (n = 24) or 250 mL (n = 23) of GRF6019 for 5 consecutive days over two dosing periods separated by a treatment-free interval of 3 months. RESULTS The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of the enrolled patients was 74.3 (6.9), and 62% were women. Most adverse events (55%) were mild, with no clinically significant differences in safety or tolerability between the two dose levels. The mean (SD) baseline Mini-Mental State Examination score was 20.6 (3.7) in the 100 mL group and 19.6 (3.7) in the 250 mL group; at 24 weeks, the within-patient mean change from baseline was -1.0 points (95% confidence interval [CI], -3.1 to 1.1) in the 100 mL group and +1.5 points (95% CI, -0.4 to 3.3) in the 250 mL group. The within-patient mean change from baseline on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale was -0.4 points (95% CI, -2.9 to 2.2) in the 100 mL group, while in the 250 mL group it was -0.9 points (95% CI, -3.0 to 1.2). The within-patient mean change from baseline on the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living was -0.7 points in the 100 mL group (95% CI, -4.3 to 3.0) and -1.3 points (95% CI, -3.4 to 0.7) in the 250 mL group. The mean change from baseline on the Category Fluency Test, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale-Sum of Boxes, Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change, and Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire was similar for both treatment groups and did not show any worsening. DISCUSSION GRF6019 was safe and well tolerated, and patients experienced no cognitive decline and minimal functional decline. These results support further development of GRF6019.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rebecca Ray
- Alkahest Inc.San CarlosCaliforniaUSA
- Arcus Biosciences (present affiliation)HaywardCaliforniaUSA
| | - Antonio Páez
- Bioscience DivisionGrifols, S.A., Parque Empresarial Can Sant Joan, Avinguda de la GeneralitatBarcelonaSpain
| | - Sam Jackson
- Alkahest Inc.San CarlosCaliforniaUSA
- Alector, Inc. (present affiliation)South San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Jeffrey L. Cummings
- Chambers‐Grundy Center for Transformative NeuroscienceDepartment of Brain HealthSchool of Integrated Health SciencesUniversity of Nevada Las VegasLas VegasNevadaUSA
- Lou Ruvo Center for Brain HealthCleveland ClinicLas VegasNevadaUSA
| | - Gary Kay
- Cognitive Research CorporationSt. PetersburgFloridaUSA
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30
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Whiteley AM, Prado MA, de Poot SAH, Paulo JA, Ashton M, Dominguez S, Weber M, Ngu H, Szpyt J, Jedrychowski MP, Easton A, Gygi SP, Kurz T, Monteiro MJ, Brown EJ, Finley D. Global proteomics of Ubqln2-based murine models of ALS. J Biol Chem 2020; 296:100153. [PMID: 33277362 PMCID: PMC7873701 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.015960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Familial neurodegenerative diseases commonly involve mutations that result in either aberrant proteins or dysfunctional components of the proteolytic machinery that act on aberrant proteins. UBQLN2 is a ubiquitin receptor of the UBL/UBA family that binds the proteasome through its ubiquitin-like domain and is thought to deliver ubiquitinated proteins to proteasomes for degradation. UBQLN2 mutations result in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/frontotemporal dementia in humans through an unknown mechanism. Quantitative multiplexed proteomics was used to provide for the first time an unbiased and global analysis of the role of Ubqln2 in controlling the composition of the proteome. We studied several murine models of Ubqln2-linked ALS and also generated Ubqln2 null mutant mice. We identified impacts of Ubqln2 on diverse physiological pathways, most notably serotonergic signaling. Interestingly, we observed an upregulation of proteasome subunits, suggesting a compensatory response to diminished proteasome output. Among the specific proteins whose abundance is linked to UBQLN2 function, the strongest hits were the ubiquitin ligase TRIM32 and two retroelement-derived proteins, PEG10 and CXX1B. Cycloheximide chase studies using induced human neurons and HEK293 cells suggested that PEG10 and TRIM32 are direct clients. Although UBQLN2 directs the degradation of multiple proteins via the proteasome, it surprisingly conferred strong protection from degradation on the Gag-like protein CXX1B, which is expressed from the same family of retroelement genes as PEG10. In summary, this study charts the proteomic landscape of ALS-related Ubqln2 mutants and identifies candidate client proteins that are altered in vivo in disease models and whose degradation is promoted by UBQLN2.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miguel A Prado
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Joao A Paulo
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marissa Ashton
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sara Dominguez
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Martin Weber
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Hai Ngu
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - John Szpyt
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark P Jedrychowski
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amy Easton
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Steven P Gygi
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thimo Kurz
- Henry Wellcome Lab of Cell Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Mervyn J Monteiro
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eric J Brown
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Daniel Finley
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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31
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D'Amato A, Di Cesare Mannelli L, Lucarini E, Man AL, Le Gall G, Branca JJV, Ghelardini C, Amedei A, Bertelli E, Regoli M, Pacini A, Luciani G, Gallina P, Altera A, Narbad A, Gulisano M, Hoyles L, Vauzour D, Nicoletti C. Faecal microbiota transplant from aged donor mice affects spatial learning and memory via modulating hippocampal synaptic plasticity- and neurotransmission-related proteins in young recipients. MICROBIOME 2020; 8:140. [PMID: 33004079 PMCID: PMC7532115 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00914-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut-brain axis and the intestinal microbiota are emerging as key players in health and disease. Shifts in intestinal microbiota composition affect a variety of systems; however, evidence of their direct impact on cognitive functions is still lacking. We tested whether faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) from aged donor mice into young adult recipients altered the hippocampus, an area of the central nervous system (CNS) known to be affected by the ageing process and related functions. RESULTS Young adult mice were transplanted with the microbiota from either aged or age-matched donor mice. Following transplantation, characterization of the microbiotas and metabolomics profiles along with a battery of cognitive and behavioural tests were performed. Label-free quantitative proteomics was employed to monitor protein expression in the hippocampus of the recipients. We report that FMT from aged donors led to impaired spatial learning and memory in young adult recipients, whereas anxiety, explorative behaviour and locomotor activity remained unaffected. This was paralleled by altered expression of proteins involved in synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission in the hippocampus. Also, a strong reduction of bacteria associated with short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production (Lachnospiraceae, Faecalibaculum, and Ruminococcaceae) and disorders of the CNS (Prevotellaceae and Ruminococcaceae) was observed. Finally, the detrimental effect of FMT from aged donors on the CNS was confirmed by the observation that microglia cells of the hippocampus fimbria, acquired an ageing-like phenotype; on the contrary, gut permeability and levels of systemic and local (hippocampus) cytokines were not affected. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that age-associated shifts of the microbiota have an impact on protein expression and key functions of the CNS. Furthermore, these results highlight the paramount importance of the gut-brain axis in ageing and provide a strong rationale to devise therapies aiming to restore a young-like microbiota to improve cognitive functions and the declining quality of life in the elderly. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elena Lucarini
- NEUROFARBA Department., University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Gwenaelle Le Gall
- Norwich Medical School, Biomedical Research Centre, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Jacopo J V Branca
- Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Amedeo Amedei
- Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Eugenio Bertelli
- Dept. of Developmental and Molecular Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Mari Regoli
- Dept. of Developmental and Molecular Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Alessandra Pacini
- Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Giulia Luciani
- Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Pasquale Gallina
- NEUROFARBA Department., University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Neurosurgery Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Annalisa Altera
- Dept. of Developmental and Molecular Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Massimo Gulisano
- Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Lesley Hoyles
- Dept. of Biosciences, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - David Vauzour
- Norwich Medical School, Biomedical Research Centre, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Claudio Nicoletti
- Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy.
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Vanhunsel S, Beckers A, Moons L. Designing neuroreparative strategies using aged regenerating animal models. Ageing Res Rev 2020; 62:101086. [PMID: 32492480 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In our ever-aging world population, the risk of age-related neuropathies has been increasing, representing both a social and economic burden to society. Since the ability to regenerate in the adult mammalian central nervous system is very limited, brain trauma and neurodegeneration are often permanent. As a consequence, novel scientific challenges have emerged and many research efforts currently focus on triggering repair in the damaged or diseased brain. Nevertheless, stimulating neuroregeneration remains ambitious. Even though important discoveries have been made over the past decades, they did not translate into a therapy yet. Actually, this is not surprising; while these disorders mainly manifest in aged individuals, most of the research is being performed in young animal models. Aging of neurons and their environment, however, greatly affects the central nervous system and its capacity to repair. This review provides a detailed overview of the impact of aging on central nervous system functioning and regeneration potential, both in non-regenerating and spontaneously regenerating animal models. Additionally, we highlight the need for aging animal models with regenerative capacities in the search for neuroreparative strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Vanhunsel
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - An Beckers
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Singhal G, Morgan J, Jawahar MC, Corrigan F, Jaehne EJ, Toben C, Breen J, Pederson SM, Manavis J, Hannan AJ, Baune BT. Effects of aging on the motor, cognitive and affective behaviors, neuroimmune responses and hippocampal gene expression. Behav Brain Res 2020; 383:112501. [PMID: 31987935 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The known effects of aging on the brain and behavior include impaired cognition, increases in anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, and reduced locomotor activity. Environmental exposures and interventions also influence brain functions during aging. We investigated the effects of normal aging under controlled environmental conditions and in the absence of external interventions on locomotor activity, cognition, anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, immune function and hippocampal gene expression in C57BL/6 mice. Healthy mice at 4, 9, and 14 months of age underwent behavioral testing using an established behavioral battery, followed by cellular and molecular analysis using flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative PCR. We found that 14-month-old mice showed significantly reduced baseline locomotion, increased anxiety, and impaired spatial memory compared to younger counterparts. However, no significant differences were observed for depressive-like behavior in the forced-swim test. Microglia numbers in the dentate gyrus, as well as CD8+ memory T cells increased towards late middle age. Aging processes exerted a significant effect on the expression of 43 genes of interest in the hippocampus. We conclude that aging is associated with specific changes in locomotor activity, cognition, anxiety-like behaviors, neuroimmune responses and hippocampal gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Singhal
- Psychiatric Neuroscience Lab, Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - Julie Morgan
- Psychiatric Neuroscience Lab, Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - Magdalene C Jawahar
- Psychiatric Neuroscience Lab, Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - Frances Corrigan
- Division of Health Sciences, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - Emily J Jaehne
- Psychiatric Neuroscience Lab, Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; School of Psychology and Public Health, LIMS2, Room 204, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.
| | - Catherine Toben
- Psychiatric Neuroscience Lab, Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - James Breen
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia; Bioinformatics Hub, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - Stephen M Pederson
- Bioinformatics Hub, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - Jim Manavis
- Centre for Neurological Diseases, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Bernhard T Baune
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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Mimicking Age-Associated Gadd45γ Dysregulation Results in Memory Impairments in Young Adult Mice. J Neurosci 2019; 40:1197-1210. [PMID: 31826946 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1621-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related memory loss is observed across multiple mammalian species and preferentially affects hippocampus-dependent memory. Memory impairments are characterized by accelerated decay of spatial memories. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying these deficits are still largely unknown. Here, we investigated the expression and function of the growth arrest DNA damage (Gadd45) family during aging and cognition, respectively. We report that aging impairs the expression of Gadd45γ in the hippocampus of cognitively impaired male mice. Mimicking this decrease in young adult male mice led to age-like memory deficits in hippocampus-dependent memory tasks. Gadd45γ reduction impaired the activity of key components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway (p38 and JNK) in mouse hippocampal cultures. Furthermore, we found that activation of downstream targets, such as ATF-2, c-Jun, and CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein), was disrupted. Finally, we showed that Gadd45γ is required for induction of key early- and late-response genes that have been associated with aging. Together, these findings indicate that Gadd45γ expression regulates cognitive abilities and synapse-to-nucleus communication and suggest Gadd45γ dysfunction as a potential mechanism contributing to age-related cognitive impairments.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A high percentage of subjects experience age-related memory loss that burdens daily performance. Although many advances have been made, the precise changes in the brain governing these deficits are unclear. Identifying molecular processes that are required for cognition and are altered during old age is crucial to develop preventive or therapeutic strategies. Here, we show that baseline and learning-induced expression of the growth arrest DNA damage (Gadd45) γ is selectively impaired in the hippocampus of aged mice with cognitive deficits. Next, we show that modeling this impairment in young adult mice with normal cognitive performance disrupts long- and short-term memories in an age-like manner. Finally, we demonstrate that Gadd45γ regulates synapse-to-nucleus communication processes that are needed for plasticity-associated gene expression.
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Joseph DJ, Liu C, Peng J, Liang G, Wei H. Isoflurane mediated neuropathological and cognitive impairments in the triple transgenic Alzheimer's mouse model are associated with hippocampal synaptic deficits in an age-dependent manner. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223509. [PMID: 31600350 PMCID: PMC6786564 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many in vivo studies suggest that inhalational anesthetics can accelerate or prevent the progression of neuropathology and cognitive impairments in Alzheimer Disease (AD), but the synaptic mechanisms mediating these ambiguous effects are unclear. Here, we show that repeated exposures of neonatal and old triple transgenic AD (3xTg) and non-transgenic (NonTg) mice to isoflurane (Iso) distinctly increased neurodegeneration as measured by S100β levels, intracellular Aβ, Tau oligomerization, and apoptotic markers. Spatial cognition measured by reference and working memory testing in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) were altered in young NonTg and 3xTg. Field recordings in the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) hippocampus showed that neonatal control 3xTg mice exhibited hypo-excitable synaptic transmission, reduced paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and normal long-term potentiation (LTP) compared to NonTg controls. By contrast, the old control 3xTg mice exhibited hyper-excitable synaptic transmission, enhanced PPF, and unstable LTP compared to NonTg controls. Repeated Iso exposures reduced synaptic transmission and PPF in neonatal NonTg and old 3xTg mice. LTP was normalized in old 3xTg mice, but reduced in neonates. By contrast, LTP was reduced in old but not neonatal NonTg mice. Our results indicate that Iso-mediated neuropathologic and cognitive defects in AD mice are associated with synaptic pathologies in an age-dependent manner. Based on these findings, the extent of this association with age and, possibly, treatment paradigms warrant further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald J. Joseph
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Chunxia Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Peng
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology, sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ge Liang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Huafeng Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Quirion JG, Parsons MP. The Onset and Progression of Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity Deficits in the Q175FDN Mouse Model of Huntington Disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:326. [PMID: 31379510 PMCID: PMC6650530 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by a clinical triad of motor, psychiatric and cognitive symptoms. HD is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the gene encoding the huntingtin protein. Homozygosity for the HD-causing mutation is extremely rare; thus, the majority of HD patients express the mutant huntingtin protein in addition to reduced levels of the non-pathogenic huntingtin protein. Deficits in synaptic plasticity, including hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), have been identified in various mouse models of HD and are thought to contribute to the debilitating cognitive symptoms associated with the disease. However, the bulk of these studies used N-terminal fragment or homozygous knock-in mouse models of HD at symptomatic ages, and our understanding of the onset and progression of synaptic plasticity deficits in the HD brain is lacking. To better understand the time-course of synaptic plasticity deficits in HD, as well as the impact of heterozygous and homozygous huntingtin mutations, we quantified basal synaptic connectivity, presynaptic release probability, presynaptically mediated post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) and postsynaptically mediated LTP at presymptomatic, early symptomatic and late symptomatic ages in heterozygous and homozygous Q175FDN knock-in HD mice. Our results demonstrate clear age-dependent effects of the HD-causing mutation on both short and long-term plasticity that generally emerge earlier in homozygous mice. Interestingly, deficits in presynaptic short-term plasticity were more closely linked to disease progression than deficits in postsynaptic LTP, and heterozygous mice were more susceptible to an LTP deficit when induced by high frequency stimulation compared to theta burst stimulation. To the best of our knowledge, the present study represents the most thorough characterization to date of the onset and progression of hippocampal synaptic plasticity deficits in a mouse model of HD, and should prove valuable to future studies exploring cellular mechanisms underlying the debilitating cognitive decline in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade G Quirion
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Matthew P Parsons
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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Bruinenberg VM, van Vliet D, van der Goot E, Counotte DS, Kuhn M, van Spronsen FJ, van der Zee EA. Long-term dietary intervention with low Phe and/or a specific nutrient combination improve certain aspects of brain functioning in phenylketonuria (PKU). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213391. [PMID: 30875376 PMCID: PMC6420157 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In phenylketonuria (PKU), a gene mutation in the phenylalanine metabolic pathway causes accumulation of phenylalanine (Phe) in blood and brain. Although early introduction of a Phe-restricted diet can prevent severe symptoms from developing, patients who are diagnosed and treated early still experience deficits in cognitive functioning indicating shortcomings of current treatment. In the search for new and/or additional treatment strategies, a specific nutrient combination (SNC) was postulated to improve brain function in PKU. In this study, a long-term dietary intervention with a low-Phe diet, a specific combination of nutrients designed to improve brain function, or both concepts together was investigated in male and female BTBR PKU and WT mice. MATERIAL & METHODS 48 homozygous wild-types (WT, +/+) and 96 PKU BTBRPah2 (-/-) male and female mice received dietary interventions from postnatal day 31 till 10 months of age and were distributed in the following six groups: high Phe diet (WT C-HP, PKU C-HP), high Phe plus specific nutrient combination (WT SNC-HP, PKU SNC-HP), PKU low-Phe diet (PKU C-LP), and PKU low-Phe diet plus specific nutrient combination (PKU SNC- LP). Memory and motor function were tested at time points 3, 6, and 9 months after treatment initiation in the open field (OF), novel object recognition test (NOR), spatial object recognition test (SOR), and the balance beam (BB). At the end of the experiments, brain neurotransmitter concentrations were determined. RESULTS In the NOR, we found that PKU mice, despite being subjected to high Phe conditions, could master the task on all three time points when supplemented with SNC. Under low Phe conditions, PKU mice on control diet could master the NOR at all three time points, while PKU mice on the SNC supplemented diet could master the task at time points 6 and 9 months. SNC supplementation did not consistently influence the performance in the OF, SOR or BB in PKU mice. The low Phe diet was able to normalize concentrations of norepinephrine and serotonin; however, these neurotransmitters were not influenced by SNC supplementation. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that both a long-lasting low Phe diet, the diet enriched with SNC, as well as the combined diet was able to ameliorate some, but not all of these PKU-induced abnormalities. Specifically, this study is the first long-term intervention study in BTBR PKU mice that shows that SNC supplementation can specifically improve novel object recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibeke M. Bruinenberg
- Molecular Neurobiology, GELIFES, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Danique van Vliet
- Division of Metabolic Diseases, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center of Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Els van der Goot
- Molecular Neurobiology, GELIFES, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Francjan J. van Spronsen
- Division of Metabolic Diseases, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center of Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eddy A. van der Zee
- Molecular Neurobiology, GELIFES, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Pang S, Li Y, Chen W, Li Y, Yang M, Zhao L, Shen Q, Cheng N, Wang Y, Lin X, Ma J, Wu H, Zhu G. Pb exposure reduces the expression of SNX6 and Homer1 in offspring rats and PC12 cells. Toxicology 2019; 416:23-29. [PMID: 30738087 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a widespread environmental heavy metal toxicant and chronic Pb exposure can have irreversible effects on memory and cognitive function, which is closely related to dendritic spines. Studies have shown that SNX6 and Homer1 can regulate the growth of dendritic spines. We aimed to investigate the effect of Pb exposure on the dendritic spines in hippocampus, the expression of SNX6 and Homer1 in rats and PC12 cells. The animals were randomly divided to three groups: control group, low lead group and high lead group. PC12 cells were divided into 3 groups: 0 μM, 1 μM and 100 μM Pb acetate. The results showed that the Pb levels in blood and hippocampus of all exposure groups were significantly higher than that of the control group. The morphology of dendritic spines in hippocampus after Pb treatment was changed and the density of dendritic spines was reduced. The expression of SNX6 and Homer1 was decreased in Pb exposed groups compared with the control group. Furthermore, up-regulation of SNX6 expression could reverse the down-regulation of Pb exposure on Homer1. These results indicate that Pb exposure can reduce the expression of SNX6 and lead to a decrease in Homer1 expression, which affects the changes in dendritic spines causing learning and memory impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimin Pang
- Second Clinical Collage, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Yanshu Li
- Jiangxi Supervision and Inspection Center for Medical Devices, Nanchang 330029, PR China
| | - Wei Chen
- Laboratory Animal Science Center, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Yaobin Li
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Meiyuan Yang
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Lijuan Zhao
- Second Clinical Collage, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Qiwei Shen
- Second Clinical Collage, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Nuo Cheng
- Queen Marry Collage, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Ying Wang
- Queen Marry Collage, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Xuequn Lin
- Faculty of Nursing, Nanchang Insitude of technology, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Jianmin Ma
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Honghao Wu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Gaochun Zhu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China.
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Astrocyte activation and altered metabolism in normal aging, age-related CNS diseases, and HAND. J Neurovirol 2019; 25:722-733. [PMID: 30671779 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-019-00721-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes regulate local cerebral blood flow, maintain ion and neurotransmitter homeostasis, provide metabolic support, regulate synaptic activity, and respond to brain injury, insults, and infection. Because of their abundance, extensive connectivity, and multiple roles in the brain, astrocytes are intimately involved in normal functioning of the CNS and their dysregulation can lead to neuronal dysfunction. In normal aging, decreased biological functioning and reduced cognitive abilities are commonly experienced in individuals free of overt neurological disease. Moreover, in several age-related CNS diseases, chronic inflammation and altered metabolism have been reported. Since people with HIV (PWH) are reported to experience rapid aging with chronic inflammation, altered brain metabolism is likely to be exacerbated. In fact, many studies report altered metabolism in astrocytes in diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and HIV. This review will address the roles of astrocyte activation and altered metabolism in normal aging, in age-related CNS disease, and in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
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Hudson MR, Hannan AJ, O’Brien TJ, Jones NC. High-Frequency Neuronal Oscillatory Abnormalities in the Phospholipase C-β1 Knockout Mouse Model of Schizophrenia. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 22:221-231. [PMID: 30517689 PMCID: PMC6403088 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by psychoses, socioaffective disturbances, and cognitive deficits. The phosphodiesterase enzyme phospholipase C-β1 has been reported to be reduced in postmortem tissue of schizophrenia patients. Dysregulation of neuronal oscillations, particularly those in the higher frequency range such as beta (12-30 Hz) and gamma (30-80 Hz), are also associated with this disorder. We investigated the influence of phospholipase C-β1 gene deletion on cortical oscillatory activity and sensorimotor gating behavior. METHODS Adult phospholipase C-β1 knockout and wild-type C57Bl/6J control mice (total n = 26) underwent surgical implantation of extradural electrodes to allow electrocorticography recordings. Electrocorticography was recorded during prepulse inhibition behavior sessions to measure ongoing and auditory-evoked electrophysiological responses. Mice were also pretreated with antipsychotic drugs haloperidol (0.25 mg/kg), clozapine (2.5 mg/kg), and olanzapine (5 mg/kg). RESULTS Phospholipase C-β1 knockout mice exhibited reduced prepulse inhibition and diminished power and phase synchrony of beta and gamma oscillatory responses to auditory stimuli as well as elevated ongoing beta oscillations. Reductions in prepulse inhibition were highly correlated with the power and phase synchrony of evoked oscillations. Clozapine and olanzapine ameliorated the prepulse inhibition deficit in phospholipase C-β1 knockout mice, but not the electrophysiology abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS Phospholipase C-β1 reduction leads to disturbances to beta and gamma oscillatory dynamics and prepulse inhibition behavior. The strong relationships between these measures demonstrate the importance of event-related oscillatory activity to sensorimotor gating behavior. However, dissociation of these measures observed in the drug studies suggests that abnormalities in neuronal networks may not necessarily need to be corrected for behavioral improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Hudson
- Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), University of Melbourne, Melbourne Brain Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne Brain Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Terence J O’Brien
- Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), University of Melbourne, Melbourne Brain Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia,Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University and Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nigel C Jones
- Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), University of Melbourne, Melbourne Brain Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia,Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University and Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,Correspondence: Nigel C. Jones, PhD, Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia ()
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Guerra-Gomes S, Viana JF, Nascimento DSM, Correia JS, Sardinha VM, Caetano I, Sousa N, Pinto L, Oliveira JF. The Role of Astrocytic Calcium Signaling in the Aged Prefrontal Cortex. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:379. [PMID: 30455631 PMCID: PMC6230990 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is a lifelong process characterized by cognitive decline putatively due to structural and functional changes of neural circuits of the brain. Neuron-glial signaling is a fundamental component of structure and function of circuits of the brain, and yet its possible role in aging remains elusive. Significantly, neuron-glial networks of the prefrontal cortex undergo age-related alterations that can affect cognitive function, and disruption of glial calcium signaling has been linked with cognitive performance. Motivated by these observations, we explored the possible role of glia in cognition during aging, considering a mouse model where astrocytes lacked IP3R2-dependent Ca2+ signaling. Contrarily to aged wild-type animals that showed significant impairment in a two-trial place recognition task, aged IP3R2 KO mice did not. Consideration of neuronal and astrocytic cell densities in the prefrontal cortex, revealed that aged IP3R2 KO mice present decreased densities of NeuN+ neurons and increased densities of S100β+ astrocytes. Moreover, aged IP3R2 KO mice display refined dendritic trees in this region. These findings suggest a novel role for astrocytes in the aged brain. Further evaluation of the neuron-glial interactions in the aged brain will disclose novel strategies to handle healthy cognitive aging in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sónia Guerra-Gomes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - João Filipe Viana
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Diana Sofia Marques Nascimento
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Sofia Correia
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Vanessa Morais Sardinha
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Inês Caetano
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Luísa Pinto
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - João Filipe Oliveira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal.,IPCA-EST-2Ai, Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Campus of IPCA, Barcelos, Portugal
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42
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Insensitivity to Pain upon Adult-Onset Deletion of Nav1.7 or Its Blockade with Selective Inhibitors. J Neurosci 2018; 38:10180-10201. [PMID: 30301756 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1049-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Strong human genetic evidence points to an essential contribution of the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7 to pain sensation: loss of Nav1.7 function leads to congenital insensitivity to pain, whereas gain-of-function mutations in the SCN9A gene that encodes Nav1.7 cause painful neuropathies, such as inherited erythromelalgia, a syndrome characterized by episodic spontaneous pain. Selective Nav1.7 channel blockers thus hold promise as potential painkillers with improved safety and reduced unwanted side effects compared with existing therapeutics. To determine the maximum effect of a theoretically perfectly selective Nav1.7 inhibitor, we generated a tamoxifen-inducible KO mouse model enabling genetic deletion of Nav1.7 from adult mice. Electrophysiological recordings of sensory neurons from these mice following tamoxifen injection demonstrated the loss of Nav1.7 channel current and the resulting decrease in neuronal excitability of small-diameter neurons. We found that behavioral responses to most, but surprisingly not all, modalities of noxious stimulus are abolished following adult deletion of Nav1.7, pointing toward indications where Nav1.7 blockade should be efficacious. Furthermore, we demonstrate that isoform-selective acylsulfonamide Nav1.7 inhibitors show robust analgesic and antinociceptive activity acutely after a single dose in mouse pain models shown to be Nav1.7-dependent. All experiments were done with both male and female mice. Collectively, these data expand the depth of knowledge surrounding Nav1.7 biology as it relates to pain, and provide preclinical proof of efficacy that lays a clear path toward translation for the therapeutic use of Nav1.7-selective inhibitors in humans.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Loss-of-function mutations in the sodium channel Nav1.7 cause congenital insensitivity to pain in humans, making Nav1.7 a top target for novel pain drugs. Targeting Nav1.7 selectively has been challenging, however, in part due to uncertainties in which rodent pain models are dependent on Nav1.7. We have developed and characterized an adult-onset Nav1.7 KO mouse model that allows us to determine the expected effects of a theoretically perfect Nav1.7 blocker. Importantly, many commonly used pain models, such as mechanical allodynia after nerve injury, appear to not be dependent on Nav1.7 in the adult. By defining which models are Nav1.7 dependent, we demonstrate that selective Nav1.7 inhibitors can approximate the effects of genetic loss of function, which previously has not been directly established.
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Environmental Enrichment Induces Changes in Long-Term Memory for Social Transmission of Food Preference in Aged Mice through a Mechanism Associated with Epigenetic Processes. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:3725087. [PMID: 30123245 PMCID: PMC6079387 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3725087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Decline in declarative learning and memory performance is a typical feature of normal aging processes. Exposure of aged animals to an enriched environment (EE) counteracts this decline, an effect correlated with reduction of age-related changes in hippocampal dendritic branching, spine density, neurogenesis, gliogenesis, and neural plasticity, including its epigenetic underpinnings. Declarative memories depend on the medial temporal lobe system, including the hippocampus, for their formation, but, over days to weeks, they become increasingly dependent on other brain regions such as the neocortex and in particular the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a process known as system consolidation. Recently, it has been shown that early tagging of cortical networks is a crucial neurobiological process for remote memory formation and that this tagging involves epigenetic mechanisms in the recipient orbitofrontal (OFC) areas. Whether EE can enhance system consolidation in aged animals has not been tested; in particular, whether the early tagging mechanisms in OFC areas are deficient in aged animals and whether EE can ameliorate them is not known. This study aimed at testing whether EE could affect system consolidation in aged mice using the social transmission of food preference paradigm, which involves an ethologically based form of associative olfactory memory. We found that only EE mice successfully performed the remote memory recall task, showed neuronal activation in OFC, assessed with c-fos immunohistochemistry and early tagging of OFC, assessed with histone H3 acetylation, suggesting a defective system consolidation and early OFC tagging in aged mice which are ameliorated by EE.
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44
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Fan WJ, Yan MC, Wang L, Sun YZ, Deng JB, Deng JX. Synaptic aging disrupts synaptic morphology and function in cerebellar Purkinje cells. Neural Regen Res 2018; 13:1019-1025. [PMID: 29926829 PMCID: PMC6022458 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.233445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are key structures in neural networks, and are involved in learning and memory in the central nervous system. Investigating synaptogenesis and synaptic aging is important in understanding neural development and neural degeneration in diseases such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson's disease. Our previous study found that synaptogenesis and synaptic maturation were harmonized with brain development and maturation. However, synaptic damage and loss in the aging cerebellum are not well understood. This study was designed to investigate the occurrence of synaptic aging in the cerebellum by observing the ultrastructural changes of dendritic spines and synapses in cerebellar Purkinje cells of aging mice. Immunocytochemistry, DiI diolistic assays, and transmission electron microscopy were used to visualize the morphological characteristics of synaptic buttons, dendritic spines and synapses of Purkinje cells in mice at various ages. With synaptic aging in the cerebellum, dendritic spines and synaptic buttons were lost, and the synaptic ultrastructure was altered, including a reduction in the number of synaptic vesicles and mitochondria in presynaptic termini and smaller thin specialized zones in pre- and post-synaptic membranes. These findings confirm that synaptic morphology and function is disrupted in aging synapses, which may be an important pathological cause of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Juan Fan
- Institute of Neurobiology, School of Life Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China
| | - Ming-Chao Yan
- Institute of Neurobiology, School of Life Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China
| | - Lai Wang
- Institute of Neurobiology, School of Life Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China
| | - Yi-Zheng Sun
- Institute of Neurobiology, School of Life Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China
| | - Jin-Bo Deng
- Institute of Neurobiology, School of Life Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China
| | - Jie-Xin Deng
- Institute of Neurobiology, School of Life Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China
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45
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Age-dependent changes in brain hydration and synaptic plasticity. Brain Res 2017; 1680:46-53. [PMID: 29246764 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Aging in humans and animals is associated with gradual and variable changes in some cognitive functions, but what causes them and explains individual variations remains unclear. Hydration decreases with aging but whether dehydration contributes to cognitive dysfunction is not known. The brain hydration of aging mice was determined by colloidosmotic-pressure titration. Dehydration increased with age from ∼76 mmHg at 6 weeks to ∼105 mmHg at 40 weeks, or a progressive ∼10 percent loss of brain water but seemed to level off afterward. When we adjusted dehydration in hippocampal slices of <8-week-old mice to the levels seen in mice 40 weeks and older, their basal synaptic responses were amplified at all stimulus voltages tested, but induction of late-phase long-term potentiation was impaired. Our results document progressive brain dehydration with age in inbred mice to levels at which in vitro synaptic plasticity appears dysregulated. They also suggest that dehydration contributes to some of the changes in synaptic plasticity observed with aging, possibly due to adjustments in neuronal excitation mechanisms.
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46
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Pinto JM, Wroblewski KE, Huisingh-Scheetz M, Correia C, Lopez KJ, Chen RC, Kern DW, Schumm PL, Dale W, McClintock MK. Global Sensory Impairment Predicts Morbidity and Mortality in Older U.S. Adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2017; 65:2587-2595. [PMID: 28942611 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.15031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate global sensory impairment (GSI, an integrated measure of sensory dysfunction) as a predictor of physical function, cognition, overall health, and mortality. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING The National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. PARTICIPANTS A national probability sample of 3,005 home-dwelling older U.S. adults assessed at baseline (2005-06) and 5-year follow-up (2010-11). MEASUREMENTS Gait speed, activity, disability, cognition, overall health, 5-year mortality. RESULTS At baseline, older adults with worse GSI were slower (Timed Up and Go times: odds ratio (OR) = 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.17-1.50) and had more activity of daily living deficits (≥2: OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.10-1.46). Five years later, they were still slower (timed walk: OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.05-1.42), had more disabilities (≥2 instrumental activities of daily living; OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.23-1.70), were less active (daytime activity according to accelerometry: β = -2.7, 95% CI = -5.2 to -0.2), had worse cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment; β = -0.64, 95% CI = -0.84 to -0.44), more likely to have poorer overall health (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.03-1.31) and lose weight (>10%: OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.04-1.64), and have died (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.19-1.76). All analyses were adjusted for relevant confounders at baseline, including age, sex, race and ethnicity, education, smoking, problem drinking, body mass index, comorbidities, and cognitive function. CONCLUSION GSI predicts impaired physical function, cognitive dysfunction, significant weight loss, and mortality 5 years later in older U.S. adults. Multisensory evaluation may identify vulnerable individuals, offering the opportunity for early intervention to mitigate adverse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayant M Pinto
- Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Center on Demography and Economics of Aging, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | - Megan Huisingh-Scheetz
- Center on Demography and Economics of Aging, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Camil Correia
- Center on Demography and Economics of Aging, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kevin J Lopez
- Center on Demography and Economics of Aging, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Rachel C Chen
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - David W Kern
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Philip L Schumm
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - William Dale
- Center on Demography and Economics of Aging, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Martha K McClintock
- Center on Demography and Economics of Aging, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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47
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Yeh FL, Hansen DV, Sheng M. TREM2, Microglia, and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Trends Mol Med 2017; 23:512-533. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2017.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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48
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BACE1 across species: a comparison of the in vivo consequences of BACE1 deletion in mice and rats. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44249. [PMID: 28281673 PMCID: PMC5345047 DOI: 10.1038/srep44249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing BACE1 (β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1) knockout mice for general health and neurological function may be useful in predicting risks associated with prolonged pharmacological BACE1 inhibition, a treatment approach currently being developed for Alzheimer’s disease. To determine whether BACE1 deletion-associated effects in mice generalize to another species, we developed a novel Bace1−/− rat line using zinc-finger nuclease technology and compared Bace1−/− mice and rats with their Bace1+/+ counterparts. Lack of BACE1 was confirmed in Bace1−/− animals from both species. Removal of BACE1 affected startle magnitude, balance beam performance, pain response, and nerve myelination in both species. While both mice and rats lacking BACE1 have shown increased mortality, the increase was smaller and restricted to early developmental stages for rats. Bace1−/− mice and rats further differed in body weight, spontaneous locomotor activity, and prepulse inhibition of startle. While the effects of species and genetic background on these phenotypes remain difficult to distinguish, our findings suggest that BACE1’s role in myelination and some sensorimotor functions is consistent between mice and rats and may be conserved in other species. Other phenotypes differ between these models, suggesting that some effects of BACE1 inhibition vary with the biological context (e.g. species or background strain).
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49
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Wahl D, Cogger VC, Solon-Biet SM, Waern RVR, Gokarn R, Pulpitel T, Cabo RD, Mattson MP, Raubenheimer D, Simpson SJ, Le Couteur DG. Nutritional strategies to optimise cognitive function in the aging brain. Ageing Res Rev 2016; 31:80-92. [PMID: 27355990 PMCID: PMC5035589 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2016.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Old age is the greatest risk factor for most neurodegenerative diseases. During recent decades there have been major advances in understanding the biology of aging, and the development of nutritional interventions that delay aging including calorie restriction (CR) and intermittent fasting (IF), and chemicals that influence pathways linking nutrition and aging processes. CR influences brain aging in many animal models and recent findings suggest that dietary interventions can influence brain health and dementia in older humans. The role of individual macronutrients in brain aging also has been studied, with conflicting results about the effects of dietary protein and carbohydrates. A new approach known as the Geometric Framework (GF) has been used to unravel the complex interactions between macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrate) and total energy on outcomes such as aging. These studies have shown that low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diets are optimal for lifespan in ad libitum fed animals, while total calories have minimal effect once macronutrients are taken into account. One of the primary purposes of this review is to explore the notion that macronutrients may have a more translational potential than CR and IF in humans, and therefore there is a pressing need to use GF to study the impact of diet on brain aging. Furthermore, given the growing recognition of the role of aging biology in dementia, such studies might provide a new approach for dietary interventions for optimizing brain health and preventing dementia in older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Wahl
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia; Aging and Alzheimers Institute, ANZAC Research Institute, Concord Clinical School/Sydney Medical School, Concord, 2139 Australia
| | - Victoria C Cogger
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia; Aging and Alzheimers Institute, ANZAC Research Institute, Concord Clinical School/Sydney Medical School, Concord, 2139 Australia
| | - Samantha M Solon-Biet
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia; Aging and Alzheimers Institute, ANZAC Research Institute, Concord Clinical School/Sydney Medical School, Concord, 2139 Australia
| | - Rosilene V R Waern
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - Rahul Gokarn
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia; Aging and Alzheimers Institute, ANZAC Research Institute, Concord Clinical School/Sydney Medical School, Concord, 2139 Australia
| | - Tamara Pulpitel
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia
| | - Rafael de Cabo
- Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Mark P Mattson
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia; Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - Stephen J Simpson
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - David G Le Couteur
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006 Australia; Aging and Alzheimers Institute, ANZAC Research Institute, Concord Clinical School/Sydney Medical School, Concord, 2139 Australia.
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50
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Rivera DS, Lindsay C, Codocedo JF, Morel I, Pinto C, Cisternas P, Bozinovic F, Inestrosa N. Andrographolide recovers cognitive impairment in a natural model of Alzheimer's disease (Octodon degus). Neurobiol Aging 2016; 46:204-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2016] [Revised: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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