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Gauthier H, Zedet M, Wahab A, Baldé S, Bapst B, Lafont C, Créange A. Metabolic syndrome and the phenotype of multiple sclerosis. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2024:S0035-3787(24)00502-2. [PMID: 38729781 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2024.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comorbidities, particularly vascular comorbidities, have been shown to exacerbate the progression of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions including abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and vascular dysfunction, which contribute to vascular morbidity and chronic inflammation. OBJECTIVE To describe the characteristics of MetS in a cohort of MS patients and evaluate its relationship with the MS phenotype. METHODS A monocentric cohort study was conducted on MS patients, collecting demographic, clinical, radiological, and therapeutic data, as well as metabolic data including waist circumference, blood pressure, serum triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose. RESULTS Among the 84 patients included in the study, 27% were diagnosed with MetS. MetS was found to be associated with secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Patients with SPMS had a higher prevalence of MetS compared to those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), even after adjusting for disease duration. While MetS was associated with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression in the 3-year period according to univariate analysis, it did not show a significant association with disease activity. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence supporting the connection between MetS and the progression of disability in MS, independent of disease relapse activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Gauthier
- Service de neurologie, hôpital Henri-Mondor, centre hospitalier universitaire Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, 51, avenue du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, 94010 Créteil, France; CRC SEP Grand-Paris-Est, hôpital Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, Créteil, France
| | - M Zedet
- Service de neurologie, hôpital Henri-Mondor, centre hospitalier universitaire Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, 51, avenue du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, 94010 Créteil, France; CRC SEP Grand-Paris-Est, hôpital Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, Créteil, France; EA4391, université Paris-Est, Créteil, France
| | - A Wahab
- Service de neurologie, hôpital Henri-Mondor, centre hospitalier universitaire Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, 51, avenue du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, 94010 Créteil, France; CRC SEP Grand-Paris-Est, hôpital Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, Créteil, France; EA4391, université Paris-Est, Créteil, France
| | - S Baldé
- CRC SEP Grand-Paris-Est, hôpital Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, Créteil, France
| | - B Bapst
- EA4391, université Paris-Est, Créteil, France; Service de neuroradiologie, hôpital Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, Créteil, France
| | - C Lafont
- IMRB, Inserm, université Paris-Est-Créteil, 94010 Créteil, France; Service de santé publique, hôpital Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, 94010 Créteil, France
| | - A Créange
- Service de neurologie, hôpital Henri-Mondor, centre hospitalier universitaire Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, 51, avenue du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, 94010 Créteil, France; CRC SEP Grand-Paris-Est, hôpital Henri-Mondor, AP-HP, Créteil, France; EA4391, université Paris-Est, Créteil, France.
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Zhang S, Zhang M, Zhang L, Wang Z, Tang S, Yang X, Li Z, Feng J, Qin X. Identification of Y‒linked biomarkers and exploration of immune infiltration of normal-appearing gray matter in multiple sclerosis by bioinformatic analysis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28085. [PMID: 38515685 PMCID: PMC10956066 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The knowledge of normal‒appearing cortical gray matter (NAGM) in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify diagnostic biomarkers and explore the immune infiltration characteristics of NAGM in MS through bioinformatic analysis and validation in vivo. Methods Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed. Subsequently, the functional pathways of the DEGs were determined. After screening the overlapping DEGs of MS with two machine learning methods, the biomarkers' efficacy and the expression levels of overlapping DEGs were calculated. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR) identified the robust diagnostic biomarkers. Additionally, infiltrating immune cell populations were estimated and correlated with the biomarkers. Finally, the characteristics of immune infiltration of NAGM from MS were evaluated. Results A total of 98 DEGs were identified. They participated in sensory transduction of the olfactory system, synaptic signaling, and immune responses. Nine overlapping genes were screened by machine learning methods. After verified by ROC curve, four genes, namely HLA‒DRB1, RPS4Y1, EIF1AY and USP9Y, were screened as candidate biomarkers. The mRNA expression of RPS4Y1 and USP9Y was significantly lower in MS patients than that in the controls. They were selected as the robust diagnostic biomarkers for male MS patients. RPS4Y1 and USP9Y were both positively correlated with memory B cells. Moreover, naive CD4+ T cells and monocytes were increased in the NAGM of MS patients compared with those in controls. Conclusions Low expressed Y‒linked genes, RPS4Y1 and USP9Y, were identified as diagnostic biomarkers for MS in male patients. The inhomogeneity of immune cells in NAGM might exacerbate intricate interplay between the CNS and the immune system in the MS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1st Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Zijie Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1st Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Shi Tang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1st Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xiaolin Yang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1st Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Zhizhong Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1st Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jinzhou Feng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1st Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xinyue Qin
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1st Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
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Yamada J, Maeda S, Tojo M, Hayashida M, Iinuma KM, Jinno S. Altered regulation of oligodendrocytes associated with parvalbumin neurons in the ventral hippocampus underlies fear generalization in male mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1668-1679. [PMID: 37277574 PMCID: PMC10516901 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01611-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Fear generalization is a neurobiological process by which an organism interprets a novel stimulus as threatening because of its similarity to previously learned fear-inducing stimuli. Because recent studies have suggested that the communication between oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and parvalbumin (PV)-expressing GABAergic neurons (PV neurons) may play critical roles in stress-related disorders, we examined the involvement of these cells in fear generalization. We first tested the behavioral characteristics of mouse models for conventional fear conditioning (cFC) and modified FC (mFC) with severe electric foot shocks and found that fear generalization was observed in mice treated with mFC but not in mice treated with cFC. The expression levels of genes related to OPCs, oligodendrocytes (OLs), and myelin in the ventral hippocampus were lower in mFC mice than in cFC mice. The densities of OPCs and OLs were decreased in the ventral hippocampus of mFC mice compared to cFC mice. The myelination ratios of PV neurons in the ventral hippocampus were lower in mFC mice than in cFC mice. The chemogenetic activation of PV neurons in the ventral hippocampus of mFC mice reduced fear generalization. The expression levels of genes related to OPCs, OLs, and myelin were recovered following the activation of PV neurons. Finally, the myelination ratios of PV neurons were increased after the activation of PV neurons. Our results suggest that altered regulation of OLs specifically associated with axons of PV neurons in the ventral hippocampus may underlie the generalization of remote fear memory following severe stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yamada
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
| | - Shoichiro Maeda
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Miori Tojo
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Miyuki Hayashida
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Kyoko M Iinuma
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Shozo Jinno
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
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Chauhan MZ, Chacko JG, Ghaffarieh A, Moulin CM, Pelaez D, Uwaydat SH, Bhattacharya SK. Mitochondrial Triglyceride Dysregulation in Optic Nerves Following Indirect Traumatic Optic Neuropathy. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121885. [PMID: 36551313 PMCID: PMC9775509 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this work is to identify mitochondrial optic nerve (ON) lipid alterations associated with sonication-induced traumatic optic neuropathy (TON). Briefly, a mouse model of indirect TON was generated using sound energy concentrated focally at the entrance of the optic canal using a laboratory sonifier (Branson Digital Sonifier 450, Danbury, CT, USA) with a microtip probe. We performed an analysis of a previously generated dataset from high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We analyzed lipids from isolated mitochondria from the ON at 1 day, 7 days, and 14 days post-sonication compared to non-sonicated controls. Lipid abundance alterations in post-sonicated ON mitochondria were evaluated with 1-way ANOVA (FDR-adjusted significant p-value < 0.01), debiased sparse partial correlation (DSPC) network modeling, and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). We find temporal alterations in triglyceride metabolism are observed in ON mitochondria of mice following sonication-induced optic neuropathy with notable depletions of TG(18:1/18:2/18:2), TG(18:1/18:1/18:1), and TG(16:0/16:0/18:1). Depletion of mitochondrial triglycerides may mediate ON damage in indirect traumatic optic neuropathy through loss energy substrates for neuronal metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Z. Chauhan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
- Miami Integrative Metabolomics Research Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Joseph G. Chacko
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Alireza Ghaffarieh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Chloe M. Moulin
- Dr. Nasser Al-Rashid Orbital Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Daniel Pelaez
- Dr. Nasser Al-Rashid Orbital Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Sami H. Uwaydat
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
- Correspondence: (S.H.U.); (S.K.B.); Tel.: +305-482-4103 (S.K.B.)
| | - Sanjoy K. Bhattacharya
- Miami Integrative Metabolomics Research Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Correspondence: (S.H.U.); (S.K.B.); Tel.: +305-482-4103 (S.K.B.)
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Zhao JW, Wang DX, Ma XR, Dong ZJ, Wu JB, Wang F, Wu Y. Impaired metabolism of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and axons in demyelinated lesion and in the aged CNS. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2022; 64:102205. [PMID: 35344763 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The key pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS) comprises demyelination, axonal damage, and neuronal loss, and when MS develops into the progressive phase it is essentially untreatable. Identifying new targets in both axons and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and rejuvenating the aged OPCs holds promise for this unmet medical need. We summarize here the recent evidence showing that mitochondria in both axons and OPCs are impaired, and lipid metabolism of OPCs within demyelinated lesion and in the aged CNS is disturbed. Given that emerging evidence shows that rewiring cellular metabolism regulates stem cell aging, to protect axons from degeneration and promote differentiation of OPCs, we propose that restoring the impaired metabolism of both OPCs and axons in the aged CNS in a synergistic way could be a promising strategy to enhance remyelination in the aged CNS, leading to novel drug-based approaches to treat the progressive phase of MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Wei Zhao
- Department of Pathology and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, System Medicine Research Center, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Cryo-Electron Microscope Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Di-Xian Wang
- Department of Pathology and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, System Medicine Research Center, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiao-Ru Ma
- Department of Pathology and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, System Medicine Research Center, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhao-Jun Dong
- Department of Pathology and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, System Medicine Research Center, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jian-Bin Wu
- Department of Pathology and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, System Medicine Research Center, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Pathology and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, System Medicine Research Center, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yang Wu
- Department of Pathology and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, System Medicine Research Center, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Ahmad R, Chowdhury K, Kumar S, Irfan M, Reddy GS, Akter F, Jahan D, Haque M. Diabetes Mellitus: A Path to Amnesia, Personality, and Behavior Change. Biology 2022; 11:biology11030382. [PMID: 35336756 PMCID: PMC8945557 DOI: 10.3390/biology11030382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder resulting from a disturbance of insulin secretion, action, or both. Hyperglycemia and overproduction of superoxide induce the development and progression of chronic complications of DM. The impact of DM and its complication on the central nervous system (CNS) such as dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) still remain obscure. In dementia, there is a gradual decline in cognitive function. The incidence of dementia increases with age, and patient become socially, physically, and mentally more vulnerable and dependent. The symptoms often emerge decades after the onset of pathophysiology, thus impairing early therapeutic intervention. Most diabetic subjects who develop dementia are above the age of 65, but diabetes may also cause an increased risk of developing dementia before 65 years. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after AD. Type 2 DM (T2DM) increases the incidence of vascular dementia (since its covers the vascular system) and AD. The functional and structural integrity of the CNS is altered in T2DM due to increased synthesis of Aβ. Additionally, hyperphosphorylation of Tau protein also results from dysregulation of various signaling cascades in T2DM, thereby causing neuronal damage and AD. There is the prospect for development of a therapy that may help prevent or halt the progress of dementia resulting from T2DM. Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasingly being associated with cognition dysfunction. Dementia, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, is being recognized as comorbidities of this metabolic disorder. The progressive hallmarks of this cognitive dysfunction include mild impairment of cognition and cognitive decline. Dementia and mild impairment of cognition appear primarily in older patients. Studies on risk factors, neuropathology, and brain imaging have provided important suggestions for mechanisms that lie behind the development of dementia. It is a significant challenge to understand the disease processes related to diabetes that affect the brain and lead to dementia development. The connection between diabetes mellitus and dysfunction of cognition has been observed in many human and animal studies that have noted that mechanisms related to diabetes mellitus are possibly responsible for aggravating cognitive dysfunction. This article attempts to narrate the possible association between Type 2 diabetes and dementia, reviewing studies that have noted this association in vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease and helping to explain the potential mechanisms behind the disease process. A Google search for “Diabetes Mellitus and Dementia” was carried out. Search was also done for “Diabetes Mellitus”, “Vascular Dementia”, and “Alzheimer’s Disease”. The literature search was done using Google Scholar, Pubmed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and MEDLINE. Keeping in mind the increasing rate of Diabetes Mellitus, it is important to establish the Type 2 diabetes’ effect on the brain and diseases of neurodegeneration. This narrative review aims to build awareness regarding the different types of dementia and their relationship with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahnuma Ahmad
- Department of Physiology, Medical College for Women and Hospital, Dhaka 1230, Bangladesh;
| | - Kona Chowdhury
- Department of Pediatrics, Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka 1344, Bangladesh;
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Department of Periodontology and Implantology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, 907/A, Uvarsad Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382422, India;
| | - Mohammed Irfan
- Department of Forensics, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96020-010, RS, Brazil;
| | - Govindool Sharaschandra Reddy
- Department of Periodontics and Endodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
| | - Farhana Akter
- Department of Endocrinology, Chittagong Medical College, Chattogram 4203, Bangladesh;
| | - Dilshad Jahan
- Department of Hematology, Asgar Ali Hospital, 111/1/A Distillery Road, Gandaria Beside Dhupkhola, Dhaka 1204, Bangladesh;
| | - Mainul Haque
- Unit of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (National Defence University of Malaysia), Kem Perdana Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
- Correspondence: or
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Muench NA, Patel S, Maes ME, Donahue RJ, Ikeda A, Nickells RW. The Influence of Mitochondrial Dynamics and Function on Retinal Ganglion Cell Susceptibility in Optic Nerve Disease. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071593. [PMID: 34201955 PMCID: PMC8306483 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The important roles of mitochondrial function and dysfunction in the process of neurodegeneration are widely acknowledged. Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) appear to be a highly vulnerable neuronal cell type in the central nervous system with respect to mitochondrial dysfunction but the actual reasons for this are still incompletely understood. These cells have a unique circumstance where unmyelinated axons must bend nearly 90° to exit the eye and then cross a translaminar pressure gradient before becoming myelinated in the optic nerve. This region, the optic nerve head, contains some of the highest density of mitochondria present in these cells. Glaucoma represents a perfect storm of events occurring at this location, with a combination of changes in the translaminar pressure gradient and reassignment of the metabolic support functions of supporting glia, which appears to apply increased metabolic stress to the RGC axons leading to a failure of axonal transport mechanisms. However, RGCs themselves are also extremely sensitive to genetic mutations, particularly in genes affecting mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondrial clearance. These mutations, which systemically affect the mitochondria in every cell, often lead to an optic neuropathy as the sole pathologic defect in affected patients. This review summarizes knowledge of mitochondrial structure and function, the known energy demands of neurons in general, and places these in the context of normal and pathological characteristics of mitochondria attributed to RGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A. Muench
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (N.A.M.); (S.P.); (R.J.D.)
| | - Sonia Patel
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (N.A.M.); (S.P.); (R.J.D.)
| | - Margaret E. Maes
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria;
| | - Ryan J. Donahue
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (N.A.M.); (S.P.); (R.J.D.)
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Akihiro Ikeda
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Robert W. Nickells
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (N.A.M.); (S.P.); (R.J.D.)
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Correspondence:
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