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Linsley JW, Reisine T, Finkbeiner S. Three dimensional (3D) and four dimensional (4D) live imaging to study mechanisms of progressive neurodegeneration. J Biol Chem 2024:107433. [PMID: 38825007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are complex and progressive, posing challenges to their study and understanding. Recent advances in microscopy imaging technologies have enabled the exploration of neurons in three spatial dimensions (3D) over time (4D). When applied to 3D cultures, tissues or animals, these technologies can provide valuable insights into the dynamic and spatial nature of neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on the use of imaging techniques and neurodegenerative disease models to study neurodegeneration in 4D. Imaging techniques such as confocal microscopy, two-photon microscopy, miniscope imaging, light sheet microscopy, and robotic microscopy offer powerful tools to visualize and analyze neuronal changes over time in 3D tissue. Application of these technologies to in vitro models of neurodegeneration such as mouse organotypic culture systems and human organoid models provide versatile platforms to study neurodegeneration in a physiologically relevant context. Additionally, use of 4D imaging in vivo, including in mouse and zebrafish models of neurodegenerative diseases, allows for the investigation of early dysfunction and behavioral changes associated with neurodegeneration. We propose that these studies have the power to overcome the limitations of two-dimensional (2D) monolayer neuronal cultures, and pave the way for improved understanding of the dynamics of neurodegenerative diseases and the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy W Linsley
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Operant Biopharma, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Terry Reisine
- Independent scientific consultant, Santa Cruz CA, USA
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Operant Biopharma, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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Li A, Yi J, Li X, Dong L, Ostrow LW, Ma J, Zhou J. Distinct transcriptomic profile of satellite cells contributes to preservation of neuromuscular junctions in extraocular muscles of ALS mice. eLife 2024; 12:RP92644. [PMID: 38661532 PMCID: PMC11045223 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92644] [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] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neuromuscular disorder characterized by progressive weakness of almost all skeletal muscles, whereas extraocular muscles (EOMs) are comparatively spared. While hindlimb and diaphragm muscles of end-stage SOD1G93A (G93A) mice (a familial ALS mouse model) exhibit severe denervation and depletion of Pax7+satellite cells (SCs), we found that the pool of SCs and the integrity of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are maintained in EOMs. In cell sorting profiles, SCs derived from hindlimb and diaphragm muscles of G93A mice exhibit denervation-related activation, whereas SCs from EOMs of G93A mice display spontaneous (non-denervation-related) activation, similar to SCs from wild-type mice. Specifically, cultured EOM SCs contain more abundant transcripts of axon guidance molecules, including Cxcl12, along with more sustainable renewability than the diaphragm and hindlimb counterparts under differentiation pressure. In neuromuscular co-culture assays, AAV-delivery of Cxcl12 to G93A-hindlimb SC-derived myotubes enhances motor neuron axon extension and innervation, recapitulating the innervation capacity of EOM SC-derived myotubes. G93A mice fed with sodium butyrate (NaBu) supplementation exhibited less NMJ loss in hindlimb and diaphragm muscles. Additionally, SCs derived from G93A hindlimb and diaphragm muscles displayed elevated expression of Cxcl12 and improved renewability following NaBu treatment in vitro. Thus, the NaBu-induced transcriptomic changes resembling the patterns of EOM SCs may contribute to the beneficial effects observed in G93A mice. More broadly, the distinct transcriptomic profile of EOM SCs may offer novel therapeutic targets to slow progressive neuromuscular functional decay in ALS and provide possible 'response biomarkers' in pre-clinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ang Li
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonUnited States
| | - Jianxun Yi
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonUnited States
| | - Xuejun Li
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonUnited States
| | - Li Dong
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonUnited States
| | - Lyle W Ostrow
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Jianjie Ma
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, University of VirginiaCharlottesvilleUnited States
| | - Jingsong Zhou
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonUnited States
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3
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Tziortzouda P, Steyaert J, Scheveneels W, Sicart A, Stoklund Dittlau K, Barbosa Correia AM, Burg T, Pal A, Hermann A, Van Damme P, Moens TG, Van Den Bosch L. PP2A and GSK3 act as modifiers of FUS-ALS by modulating mitochondrial transport. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:41. [PMID: 38363426 PMCID: PMC10873455 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02689-y] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease which currently lacks effective treatments. Mutations in the RNA-binding protein FUS are a common cause of familial ALS, accounting for around 4% of the cases. Understanding the mechanisms by which mutant FUS becomes toxic to neurons can provide insight into the pathogenesis of both familial and sporadic ALS. We have previously observed that overexpression of wild-type or ALS-mutant FUS in Drosophila motor neurons is toxic, which allowed us to screen for novel genetic modifiers of the disease. Using a genome-wide screening approach, we identified Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3) as novel modifiers of FUS-ALS. Loss of function or pharmacological inhibition of either protein rescued FUS-associated lethality in Drosophila. Consistent with a conserved role in disease pathogenesis, pharmacological inhibition of both proteins rescued disease-relevant phenotypes, including mitochondrial trafficking defects and neuromuscular junction failure, in patient iPSC-derived spinal motor neurons (iPSC-sMNs). In FUS-ALS flies, mice, and human iPSC-sMNs, we observed reduced GSK3 inhibitory phosphorylation, suggesting that FUS dysfunction results in GSK3 hyperactivity. Furthermore, we found that PP2A acts upstream of GSK3, affecting its inhibitory phosphorylation. GSK3 has previously been linked to kinesin-1 hyperphosphorylation. We observed this in both flies and iPSC-sMNs, and we rescued this hyperphosphorylation by inhibiting GSK3 or PP2A. Moreover, increasing the level of kinesin-1 expression in our Drosophila model strongly rescued toxicity, confirming the relevance of kinesin-1 hyperphosphorylation. Our data provide in vivo evidence that PP2A and GSK3 are disease modifiers, and reveal an unexplored mechanistic link between PP2A, GSK3, and kinesin-1, that may be central to the pathogenesis of FUS-ALS and sporadic forms of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paraskevi Tziortzouda
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Steyaert
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wendy Scheveneels
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adria Sicart
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katarina Stoklund Dittlau
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adriana Margarida Barbosa Correia
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Instituto Superior Técnico-Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Thibaut Burg
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Arun Pal
- Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf, 01328, Dresden, Germany
- Division of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Division of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, 18147, Rostock, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Fur Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, 18147, Rostock, Germany
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, 18147, Rostock, Germany
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas G Moens
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N5, Herestraat 49, PB 602, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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4
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Yamaguchi T, Kouzaki K, Sasaki K, Nakazato K. Alterations in neuromuscular junction morphology with ageing and endurance training modulate neuromuscular transmission and myofibre composition. J Physiol 2024. [PMID: 38173183 DOI: 10.1113/jp285143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Both ageing and exercise training affect the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) structure. Morphological alterations in the NMJ have been considered to influence neuromuscular transmission and myofibre properties, but the direct link between the morphology and function has yet to be established. We measured the neuromuscular transmission, myofibre composition and NMJ structure of 5-month-old (young) and 24-month-old untrained (aged control) and trained (aged trained) mice. Aged trained mice were subjected to 2 months of endurance training before the measurement. Neuromuscular transmission was evaluated in vivo as the ratio of ankle plantar flexion torque evoked by the sciatic nerve stimulation to that by direct muscle stimulation. The torque ratio was significantly lower in aged mice than in young and aged trained mice at high-frequency stimulations, showing a significant positive correlation with voluntary grip strength. The degree of pre- to post-synaptic overlap of the NMJ was also significantly lower in aged mice and positively correlated with the torque ratio. We also found that the proportion of fast-twitch fibres in the soleus muscle decreased with age, and that age-related denervation occurred preferentially in fast-twitch fibres. Age-related denervation and a shift in myofibre composition were partially prevented by endurance training. These results suggest that age-related deterioration of the NMJ structure impairs neuromuscular transmission and alters myofibre composition, but these alterations can be prevented by structural amelioration of NMJ with endurance training. Our findings highlight the importance of the NMJ as a major determinant of age-related deterioration of skeletal muscles and the clinical significance of endurance training as a countermeasure. KEY POINTS: The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) plays an essential role in neuromuscular transmission and the maintenance of myofibre properties. We show that neuromuscular transmission is impaired with ageing but recovered by endurance training, which contributes to alterations in voluntary strength. Neuromuscular transmission is associated with the degree of pre- to post-synaptic overlap of the NMJ. Age-related denervation of fast-twitch fibres and a shift in myofibre composition toward a slower phenotype are partially prevented by endurance training. Our study provides substantial evidence that age-related and exercise-induced alterations in neuromuscular transmission and myofibre properties are associated with morphological changes in the NMJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuhiro Yamaguchi
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Karina Kouzaki
- Graduate School of Health and Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazushige Sasaki
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Nakazato
- Graduate School of Health and Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, Tokyo, Japan
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Stella R, Bonadio RS, Cagnin S, Andreotti R, Massimino ML, Bertoli A, Peggion C. Secreted Metabolome of ALS-Related hSOD1(G93A) Primary Cultures of Myocytes and Implications for Myogenesis. Cells 2023; 12:2751. [PMID: 38067180 PMCID: PMC10706027 DOI: 10.3390/cells12232751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron (MN) disease associated with progressive muscle atrophy, paralysis, and eventually death. Growing evidence demonstrates that the pathological process leading to ALS is the result of multiple altered mechanisms occurring not only in MNs but also in other cell types inside and outside the central nervous system. In this context, the involvement of skeletal muscle has been the subject of a few studies on patients and ALS animal models. In this work, by using primary myocytes derived from the ALS transgenic hSOD1(G93A) mouse model, we observed that the myogenic capability of such cells was defective compared to cells derived from control mice expressing the nonpathogenic hSOD1(WT) isoform. The correct in vitro myogenesis of hSOD1(G93A) primary skeletal muscle cells was rescued by the addition of a conditioned medium from healthy hSOD1(WT) myocytes, suggesting the existence of an in trans activity of secreted factors. To define a dataset of molecules participating in such safeguard action, we conducted comparative metabolomic profiling of a culture medium collected from hSOD1(G93A) and hSOD1(WT) primary myocytes and report here an altered secretion of amino acids and lipid-based signaling molecules. These findings support the urgency of better understanding the role of the skeletal muscle secretome in the regulation of the myogenic program and mechanisms of ALS pathogenesis and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Stella
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Cagnin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy (S.C.)
- CIR-Myo Myology Center, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Roberta Andreotti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy (A.B.)
| | - Maria Lina Massimino
- Neuroscience Institute, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 35131 Padova, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Bertoli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy (A.B.)
- Neuroscience Institute, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 35131 Padova, Italy;
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Caterina Peggion
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy (S.C.)
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6
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Shefner JM, Musaro A, Ngo ST, Lunetta C, Steyn FJ, Robitaille R, De Carvalho M, Rutkove S, Ludolph AC, Dupuis L. Skeletal muscle in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2023; 146:4425-4436. [PMID: 37327376 PMCID: PMC10629757 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the major adult-onset motor neuron disease, has been viewed almost exclusively as a disease of upper and lower motor neurons, with muscle changes interpreted as a consequence of the progressive loss of motor neurons and neuromuscular junctions. This has led to the prevailing view that the involvement of muscle in ALS is only secondary to motor neuron loss. Skeletal muscle and motor neurons reciprocally influence their respective development and constitute a single functional unit. In ALS, multiple studies indicate that skeletal muscle dysfunction might contribute to progressive muscle weakness, as well as to the final demise of neuromuscular junctions and motor neurons. Furthermore, skeletal muscle has been shown to participate in disease pathogenesis of several monogenic diseases closely related to ALS. Here, we move the narrative towards a better appreciation of muscle as a contributor of disease in ALS. We review the various potential roles of skeletal muscle cells in ALS, from passive bystanders to active players in ALS pathophysiology. We also compare ALS to other motor neuron diseases and draw perspectives for future research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Shefner
- Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- College of Medicine, Creighton University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Antonio Musaro
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia—Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Scuola Superiore di Studi Avanzati Sapienza (SSAS), Rome, Italy
| | - Shyuan T Ngo
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Christian Lunetta
- Neurorehabilitation Department, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Frederik J Steyn
- Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Département de neurosciences, CIRCA, Université de Montréal, Montréal H7G 1T7, Canada
| | - Mamede De Carvalho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Seward Rutkove
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Albert C Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, UMR-S1118, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, CRBS, Strasbourg, France
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Theme 04 - In Vivo Experimetal Models. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2023; 24:128-139. [PMID: 37966319 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2260194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
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8
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Theme 07 - Pre-Clinical Therapeutic Strategies. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2023; 24:173-191. [PMID: 37966323 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2260198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
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9
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Duranti E, Villa C. Muscle Involvement in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Understanding the Pathogenesis and Advancing Therapeutics. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1582. [PMID: 38002264 PMCID: PMC10669302 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111582] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal condition characterized by the selective loss of motor neurons in the motor cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. Muscle involvement, muscle atrophy, and subsequent paralysis are among the main features of this disease, which is defined as a neuromuscular disorder. ALS is a persistently progressive disease, and as motor neurons continue to degenerate, individuals with ALS experience a gradual decline in their ability to perform daily activities. Ultimately, muscle function loss may result in paralysis, presenting significant challenges in mobility, communication, and self-care. While the majority of ALS research has traditionally focused on pathogenic pathways in the central nervous system, there has been a great interest in muscle research. These studies were carried out on patients and animal models in order to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved and to develop therapies aimed at improving muscle function. This review summarizes the features of ALS and discusses the role of muscle, as well as examines recent studies in the development of treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chiara Villa
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy;
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10
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Kovyazina IV, Khamidullina AA. Muscarinic Cholinoreceptors in Skeletal Muscle: Localization and Functional Role. Acta Naturae 2023; 15:44-55. [PMID: 38234599 PMCID: PMC10790362 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.25259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The review focuses on the modern concepts of the functions of muscarinic cholinoreceptors in skeletal muscles, particularly, in neuromuscular contacts, and that of the signaling pathways associated with the activation of various subtypes of muscarinic receptors in the skeletal muscles of cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals. Despite the long history of research into the involvement of muscarinic receptors in the modulation of neuromuscular transmission, many aspects of such regulation and the associated intracellular mechanisms remain unclear. Now it is obvious that the functions of muscarinic receptors in skeletal muscle are not limited to the autoregulation of neurosecretion from motor nerve endings but also extend to the development and morphological rearrangements of the synaptic apparatus, coordinating them with the degree of activity. The review discusses various approaches to the study of the functions of muscarinic receptors in motor synapses, as well as the problems arising when interpreting experimental data. The final part of the review is devoted to an analysis of some of the intracellular mechanisms and signaling pathways that mediate the effects of muscarinic agents on neuromuscular transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. V. Kovyazina
- Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, 420012 Russian Federation
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, Kazan, 420111 Russian Federation
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11
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Whiddon ZD, Marshall JB, Alston DC, McGee AW, Krimm RF. Rapid structural remodeling of peripheral taste neurons is independent of taste cell turnover. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002271. [PMID: 37651406 PMCID: PMC10499261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Taste bud cells are constantly replaced in taste buds as old cells die and new cells migrate into the bud. The perception of taste relies on new taste bud cells integrating with existing neural circuitry, yet how these new cells connect with a taste ganglion neuron is unknown. Do taste ganglion neurons remodel to accommodate taste bud cell renewal? If so, how much of the structure of taste axons is fixed and how much remodels? Here, we measured the motility and branching of individual taste arbors (the portion of the axon innervating taste buds) in mice over time with two-photon in vivo microscopy. Terminal branches of taste arbors continuously and rapidly remodel within the taste bud. This remodeling is faster than predicted by taste bud cell renewal, with terminal branches added and lost concurrently. Surprisingly, blocking entry of new taste bud cells with chemotherapeutic agents revealed that remodeling of the terminal branches on taste arbors does not rely on the renewal of taste bud cells. Although terminal branch remodeling was fast and intrinsically controlled, no new arbors were added to taste buds, and few were lost over 100 days. Taste ganglion neurons maintain a stable number of arbors that are each capable of high-speed remodeling. We propose that terminal branch plasticity permits arbors to locate new taste bud cells, while stability of arbor number supports constancy in the degree of connectivity and function for each neuron over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary D. Whiddon
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Jaleia B. Marshall
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - David C. Alston
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Aaron W. McGee
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Robin F. Krimm
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
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12
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Suzuki N, Nishiyama A, Warita H, Aoki M. Genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: seeking therapeutic targets in the era of gene therapy. J Hum Genet 2023; 68:131-152. [PMID: 35691950 PMCID: PMC9968660 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-022-01055-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable disease that causes respiratory failure leading to mortality. The main locus of ALS is motor neurons. The success of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease, has triggered a paradigm shift in developing ALS therapies. The causative genes of ALS and disease-modifying genes, including those of sporadic ALS, have been identified one after another. Thus, the freedom of target choice for gene therapy has expanded by ASO strategy, leading to new avenues for therapeutic development. Tofersen for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was a pioneer in developing ASO for ALS. Improving protocols and devising early interventions for the disease are vital. In this review, we updated the knowledge of causative genes in ALS. We summarized the genetic mutations identified in familial ALS and their clinical features, focusing on SOD1, fused in sarcoma (FUS), and transacting response DNA-binding protein. The frequency of the C9ORF72 mutation is low in Japan, unlike in Europe and the United States, while SOD1 and FUS are more common, indicating that the target mutations for gene therapy vary by ethnicity. A genome-wide association study has revealed disease-modifying genes, which could be the novel target of gene therapy. The current status and prospects of gene therapy development were discussed, including ethical issues. Furthermore, we discussed the potential of axonal pathology as new therapeutic targets of ALS from the perspective of early intervention, including intra-axonal transcription factors, neuromuscular junction disconnection, dysregulated local translation, abnormal protein degradation, mitochondrial pathology, impaired axonal transport, aberrant cytoskeleton, and axon branching. We simultaneously discuss important pathological states of cell bodies: persistent stress granules, disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cryptic splicing. The development of gene therapy based on the elucidation of disease-modifying genes and early intervention in molecular pathology is expected to become an important therapeutic strategy in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Ayumi Nishiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
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13
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Li A, Yi J, Li X, Dong L, Ostrow LW, Ma J, Zhou J. Deficient Sarcolemma Repair in ALS: A Novel Mechanism with Therapeutic Potential. Cells 2022; 11:cells11203263. [PMID: 36291129 PMCID: PMC9600524 DOI: 10.3390/cells11203263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The plasma membrane (sarcolemma) of skeletal muscle myofibers is susceptible to injury caused by physical and chemical stresses during normal daily movement and/or under disease conditions. These acute plasma membrane disruptions are normally compensated by an intrinsic membrane resealing process involving interactions of multiple intracellular proteins including dysferlin, annexin, caveolin, and Mitsugumin 53 (MG53)/TRIM72. There is new evidence for compromised muscle sarcolemma repair mechanisms in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Mitochondrial dysfunction in proximity to neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) increases oxidative stress, triggering MG53 aggregation and loss of its function. Compromised membrane repair further worsens sarcolemma fragility and amplifies oxidative stress in a vicious cycle. This article is to review existing literature supporting the concept that ALS is a disease of oxidative-stress induced disruption of muscle membrane repair that compromise the integrity of the NMJs and hence augmenting muscle membrane repair mechanisms could represent a viable therapeutic strategy for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ang Li
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Jianxun Yi
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Xuejun Li
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Li Dong
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Lyle W. Ostrow
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
- Correspondence: (L.W.O.); (J.M.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jianjie Ma
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
- Correspondence: (L.W.O.); (J.M.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jingsong Zhou
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
- Correspondence: (L.W.O.); (J.M.); (J.Z.)
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14
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Gelon PA, Dutchak PA, Sephton CF. Synaptic dysfunction in ALS and FTD: anatomical and molecular changes provide insights into mechanisms of disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1000183. [PMID: 36263379 PMCID: PMC9575515 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1000183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic loss is a pathological feature of all neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). ALS is a disease of the cortical and spinal motor neurons resulting in fatal paralysis due to denervation of muscles. FTD is a form of dementia that primarily affects brain regions controlling cognition, language and behavior. Once classified as two distinct diseases, ALS and FTD are now considered as part of a common disease spectrum based on overlapping clinical, pathological and genetic evidence. At the cellular level, aggregation of common proteins and overlapping gene susceptibilities are shared in both ALS and FTD. Despite the convergence of these two fields of research, the underlying disease mechanisms remain elusive. However, recent discovers from ALS and FTD patient studies and models of ALS/FTD strongly suggests that synaptic dysfunction is an early event in the disease process and a unifying hallmark of these diseases. This review provides a summary of the reported anatomical and cellular changes that occur in cortical and spinal motor neurons in ALS and FTD tissues and models of disease. We also highlight studies that identify changes in the proteome and transcriptome of ALS and FTD models and provide a conceptual overview of the processes that contribute to synaptic dysfunction in these diseases. Due to space limitations and the vast number of publications in the ALS and FTD fields, many articles have not been discussed in this review. As such, this review focuses on the three most common shared mutations in ALS and FTD, the hexanucleuotide repeat expansion within intron 1 of chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72), transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TARDBP or TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS), with the intention of highlighting common pathways that promote synaptic dysfunction in the ALS-FTD disease spectrum.
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15
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Cahalan SD, Perkins JD, Boehm I, Jones RA, Gillingwater TH, Piercy RJ. A method to identify, dissect and stain equine neuromuscular junctions for morphological analysis. J Anat 2022; 241:1133-1147. [PMID: 36087283 PMCID: PMC9558161 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphological study of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a specialised peripheral synapse formed between a lower motor neuron and skeletal muscle fibre, has significantly contributed to the understanding of synaptic biology and neuromuscular disease pathogenesis. Rodent NMJs are readily accessible, and research into conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has relied heavily on experimental work in these small mammals. However, given that nerve length dependency is an important feature of many peripheral neuropathies, these rodent models have clear shortcomings; large animal models might be preferable, but their size presents novel anatomical challenges. Overcoming these constraints to study the NMJ morphology of large mammalian distal limb muscles is of prime importance to increase cross‐species translational neuromuscular research potential, particularly in the study of long motor units. In the past, NMJ phenotype analysis of large muscle bodies within the equine distal pelvic limb, such as the tibialis cranialis, or within muscles of high fibrous content, such as the soleus, has posed a distinct experimental hurdle. We optimised a technique for NMJ location and dissection from equine pelvic limb muscles. Using a quantification method validated in smaller species, we demonstrate their morphology and show that equine NMJs can be reliably dissected, stained and analysed. We reveal that the NMJs within the equine soleus have distinctly different morphologies when compared to the extensor digitorum longus and tibialis cranialis muscles. Overall, we demonstrate that equine distal pelvic limb muscles can be regionally dissected, with samples whole‐mounted and their innervation patterns visualised. These methods will allow the localisation and analysis of neuromuscular junctions within the muscle bodies of large mammals to identify neuroanatomical and neuropathological features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D Cahalan
- Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Justin D Perkins
- Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Ines Boehm
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ross A Jones
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Thomas H Gillingwater
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Richard J Piercy
- Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
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16
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Tosolini AP, Sleigh JN, Surana S, Rhymes ER, Cahalan SD, Schiavo G. BDNF-dependent modulation of axonal transport is selectively impaired in ALS. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:121. [PMID: 35996201 PMCID: PMC9396851 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01418-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Axonal transport ensures long-range delivery of essential cargoes between proximal and distal compartments, and is needed for neuronal development, function, and survival. Deficits in axonal transport have been detected at pre-symptomatic stages in the SOD1G93A and TDP-43M337V mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), suggesting that impairments in this critical process are fundamental for disease pathogenesis. Strikingly, in ALS, fast motor neurons (FMNs) degenerate first whereas slow motor neurons (SMNs) are more resistant, and this is a currently unexplained phenomenon. The main aim of this investigation was to determine the effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on in vivo axonal transport in different α-motor neuron (MN) subtypes in wild-type (WT) and SOD1G93A mice. We report that despite displaying similar basal transport speeds, stimulation of wild-type MNs with BDNF enhances in vivo trafficking of signalling endosomes specifically in FMNs. This BDNF-mediated enhancement of transport was also observed in primary ventral horn neuronal cultures. However, FMNs display selective impairment of axonal transport in vivo in symptomatic SOD1G93A mice, and are refractory to BDNF stimulation, a phenotype that was also observed in primary embryonic SOD1G93A neurons. Furthermore, symptomatic SOD1G93A mice display upregulation of the classical non-pro-survival truncated TrkB and p75NTR receptors in muscles, sciatic nerves, and Schwann cells. Altogether, these data indicate that cell- and non-cell autonomous BDNF signalling is impaired in SOD1G93A MNs, thus identifying a new key deficit in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Tosolini
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK. .,UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - James N Sleigh
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Sunaina Surana
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Elena R Rhymes
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Stephen D Cahalan
- Comparative Neuromuscular Disease Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Services, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, NW1 0TU, UK
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK. .,UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK. .,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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17
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Davis LA, Fogarty MJ, Brown A, Sieck GC. Structure and Function of the Mammalian Neuromuscular Junction. Compr Physiol 2022; 12:3731-3766. [PMID: 35950651 PMCID: PMC10461538 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c210022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian neuromuscular junction (NMJ) comprises a presynaptic terminal, a postsynaptic receptor region on the muscle fiber (endplate), and the perisynaptic (terminal) Schwann cell. As with any synapse, the purpose of the NMJ is to transmit signals from the nervous system to muscle fibers. This neural control of muscle fibers is organized as motor units, which display distinct structural and functional phenotypes including differences in pre- and postsynaptic elements of NMJs. Motor units vary considerably in the frequency of their activation (both motor neuron discharge rate and duration/duty cycle), force generation, and susceptibility to fatigue. For earlier and more frequently recruited motor units, the structure and function of the activated NMJs must have high fidelity to ensure consistent activation and continued contractile response to sustain vital motor behaviors (e.g., breathing and postural balance). Similarly, for higher force less frequent behaviors (e.g., coughing and jumping), the structure and function of recruited NMJs must ensure short-term reliable activation but not activation sustained for a prolonged period in which fatigue may occur. The NMJ is highly plastic, changing structurally and functionally throughout the life span from embryonic development to old age. The NMJ also changes under pathological conditions including acute and chronic disease. Such neuroplasticity often varies across motor unit types. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12:1-36, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah A. Davis
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Matthew J. Fogarty
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alyssa Brown
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Gary C. Sieck
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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18
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ALS mutations in both human skeletal muscle and motoneurons differentially affects neuromuscular junction integrity and function. Biomaterials 2022; 289:121752. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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19
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Dissanayake KN, Redman RR, Mackenzie H, Eddleston M, Ribchester RR. "Calcium bombs" as harbingers of synaptic pathology and their mitigation by magnesium at murine neuromuscular junctions. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:937974. [PMID: 35959105 PMCID: PMC9361872 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.937974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitotoxicity is thought to be an important factor in the onset and progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Evidence from human and animal studies also indicates that early signs of ALS include degeneration of motor nerve terminals at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), before degeneration of motor neuron cell bodies. Here we used a model of excitotoxicity at NMJs in isolated mouse muscle, utilizing the organophosphorus (OP) compound omethoate, which inhibits acetylcholinesterase activity. Acute exposure to omethoate (100 μM) induced prolonged motor endplate contractures in response to brief tetanic nerve stimulation at 20-50 Hz. In some muscle fibers, Fluo-4 fluorescence showed association of these contractures with explosive increases in Ca2+ ("calcium bombs") localized to motor endplates. Calcium bombs were strongly and selectively mitigated by increasing Mg2+ concentration in the bathing medium from 1 to 5 mM. Overnight culture of nerve-muscle preparations from WldS mice in omethoate or other OP insecticide components and their metabolites (dimethoate, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexanol) induced degeneration of NMJs. This degeneration was also strongly mitigated by increasing [Mg2+] from 1 to 5 mM. Thus, equivalent increases in extracellular [Mg2+] mitigated both post-synaptic calcium bombs and degeneration of NMJs. The data support a link between Ca2+ and excitotoxicity at NMJs and suggest that elevating extracellular [Mg2+] could be an effective intervention in treatment of synaptic pathology induced by excitotoxic triggers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosala N. Dissanayake
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Robert R. Redman
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Harry Mackenzie
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Eddleston
- Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Richard R. Ribchester
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Richard R. Ribchester,
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20
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Coleman MP. Axon Biology in ALS: Mechanisms of Axon Degeneration and Prospects for Therapy. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:1133-1144. [PMID: 36207571 PMCID: PMC9587191 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01297-6] [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] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This review addresses the longstanding debate over whether amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a 'dying back' or 'dying forward' disorder in the light of new gene identifications and the increased understanding of mechanisms of action for previously identified ALS genes. While the topological pattern of pathology in animal models, and more anecdotally in patients is indeed 'dying back', this review discusses how this fits with the fact that many of the major initiating events are thought to occur within the soma. It also discusses how widely varying ALS risk factors, including some impacting axons directly, may combine to drive a common pathway involving TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) denervation. The emerging association between sterile alpha and TIR motif-containing 1 (SARM1), a protein so far mostly associated with axon degeneration, and sporadic ALS is another major theme. The strengths and limitations of the current evidence supporting an association are considered, along with ways in which SARM1 could become activated in ALS. The final section addresses SARM1-based therapies along with the prospects for targeting other axonal steps in ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Coleman
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK.
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21
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Perez-Gonzalez AP, Provost F, Rousse I, Piovesana R, Benzina O, Darabid H, Lamoureux B, Wang YS, Arbour D, Robitaille R. Functional adaptation of glial cells at neuromuscular junctions in response to injury. Glia 2022; 70:1605-1629. [PMID: 35474470 PMCID: PMC9543218 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic elements from neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) undergo massive morphological and functional changes upon nerve injury. While morphological changes of NMJ‐associated glia in response to injury has been investigated, their functional properties remain elusive. Perisynaptic Schwann cells (PSCs), glial cells at the NMJ, are essential for NMJ maintenance and repair, and are involved in synaptic efficacy and plasticity. Importantly, these functions are regulated by PSCs ability to detect synaptic transmission through, notably, muscarinic (mAChRs) and purinergic receptors' activation. Using Ca2+ imaging and electrophysiological recordings of synaptic transmission at the mouse NMJ, we investigated PSC receptors activation following denervation and during reinnervation in adults and at denervated NMJs in an ALS mouse model (SOD1G37R). We observed reduced PSCs mAChR‐mediated Ca2+ responses at denervated and reinnervating NMJs. Importantly, PSC phenotypes during denervation and reinnervation were distinct than the one observed during NMJ maturation. At denervated NMJs, exogenous activation of mAChRs greatly diminished galectin‐3 expression, a glial marker of phagocytosis. PSCs Ca2+ responses at reinnervating NMJs did not correlate with the number of innervating axons or process extensions. Interestingly, we observed an extended period of reduced PSC mAChRs activation after the injury (up to 60 days), suggesting a glial memory of injury. PSCs associated with denervated NMJs in an ALS model (SOD1G37R mice) did not show any muscarinic adaptation, a phenotype incompatible with NMJ repair. Understanding functional mechanisms that underlie this glial response to injury may contribute to favor complete NMJ and motor recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna P Perez-Gonzalez
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Frédéric Provost
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Rousse
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Roberta Piovesana
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ouafa Benzina
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Houssam Darabid
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Benoit Lamoureux
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yu Shi Wang
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Danielle Arbour
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Richard Robitaille
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l'apprentissage, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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22
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Neuroprotective effects of violacein in a model of inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4439. [PMID: 35292673 PMCID: PMC8924276 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06470-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive death of motor neurons and muscle atrophy, with defective neuron-glia interplay and emergence of aberrant glial phenotypes having a role in disease pathology. Here, we have studied if the pigment violacein with several reported protective/antiproliferative properties may control highly neurotoxic astrocytes (AbAs) obtained from spinal cord cultures of symptomatic hSOD1G93A rats, and if it could be neuroprotective in this ALS experimental model. At concentrations lower than those reported as protective, violacein selectively killed aberrant astrocytes. Treatment of hSOD1G93A rats with doses equivalent to the concentrations that killed AbAs caused a marginally significant delay in survival, partially preserved the body weight and soleus muscle mass and improved the integrity of the neuromuscular junction. Reduced motor neuron death and glial reactivity was also found and likely related to decreased inflammation and matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9. Thus, in spite that new experimental designs aimed at extending the lifespan of hSOD1G93A rats are needed, improvements observed upon violacein treatment suggest a significant therapeutic potential that deserves further studies.
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23
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Verma S, Khurana S, Vats A, Sahu B, Ganguly NK, Chakraborti P, Gourie-Devi M, Taneja V. Neuromuscular Junction Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:1502-1527. [PMID: 34997540 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02658-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons leading to skeletal muscle denervation. Earlier studies have shown that motor neuron degeneration begins in motor cortex and descends to the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in a dying forward fashion. However, accumulating evidences support that ALS is a distal axonopathy where early pathological changes occur at the NMJ, prior to onset of clinical symptoms and propagates towards the motor neuron cell body supporting "dying back" hypothesis. Despite several evidences, series of events triggering NMJ disassembly in ALS are still obscure. Neuromuscular junction is a specialized tripartite chemical synapse which involves a well-coordinated communication among the presynaptic motor neuron, postsynaptic skeletal muscle, and terminal Schwann cells. This review provides comprehensive insight into the role of NMJ in ALS pathogenesis. We have emphasized the molecular alterations in cellular components of NMJ leading to loss of effective neuromuscular transmission in ALS. Further, we provide a preview into research involved in exploring NMJ as potential target for designing effective therapies for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Verma
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.,Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, India
| | - Shiffali Khurana
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.,Department of Biomedical Science, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Abhishek Vats
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bandana Sahu
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | - Vibha Taneja
- Department of Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.
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24
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Negro S, Pirazzini M, Rigoni M. Models and methods to study Schwann cells. J Anat 2022; 241:1235-1258. [PMID: 34988978 PMCID: PMC9558160 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Schwann cells (SCs) are fundamental components of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) of all vertebrates and play essential roles in development, maintenance, function, and regeneration of peripheral nerves. There are distinct populations of SCs including: (1) myelinating SCs that ensheath axons by a specialized plasma membrane, called myelin, which enhances the conduction of electric impulses; (2) non‐myelinating SCs, including Remak SCs, which wrap bundles of multiple axons of small caliber, and perysinaptic SCs (PSCs), associated with motor axon terminals at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). All types of SCs contribute to PNS regeneration through striking morphological and functional changes in response to nerve injury, are affected in peripheral neuropathies and show abnormalities and a diminished plasticity during aging. Therefore, methodological approaches to study and manipulate SCs in physiological and pathophysiological conditions are crucial to expand the present knowledge on SC biology and to devise new therapeutic strategies to counteract neurodegenerative conditions and age‐derived denervation. We present here an updated overview of traditional and emerging methodologies for the study of SCs for scientists approaching this research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Negro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Marco Pirazzini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,CIR-Myo, Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca di Miologia, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Michela Rigoni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,CIR-Myo, Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca di Miologia, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
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25
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Gonçalves LMN, Siéssere S, Cecilio FA, Hallak JEC, de Vasconcelos PB, Júnior WM, Regalo IH, Palinkas M, Regalo SCH. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Analysis of the Electromyographic Fatigue of the Masticatory Muscles. Prague Med Rep 2022; 123:258-265. [DOI: 10.14712/23362936.2022.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a chronic degenerative disease that affects motor neurons, thereby promoting functional changes in the human body. The study evaluated the electromyographic fatigue threshold of the masseter and temporal muscles of subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A total of eighteen subjects were divided into two groups: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n=9) and disease-free control (n=9). The groups were equally divided according to gender (7 males, 2 females). The fatigue threshold was analysed using median frequencies obtained during the 5-second window (initial [IP], mid [MP], and final [FP] periods) of electromyographic signalling of the masseter and temporal muscles bilaterally, with reduction in muscle force during maximal voluntary dental clenching. Significant difference (p<0.05) in the left temporal muscle: IP (p=0.05) and MP (p=0.05) periods was demonstrated. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis group showed a decrease in median frequency of the electromyographic signal of the masseter and temporal muscles compared to the control group. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis promotes functional impairment of the stomatognathic system, especially at the electromyographic fatigue threshold of the masticatory muscles.
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26
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Lotti F, Przedborski S. Motoneuron Diseases. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 28:323-352. [PMID: 36066831 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-07167-6_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Motoneuron diseases (MNDs) represent a heterogeneous group of progressive paralytic disorders, mainly characterized by the loss of upper (corticospinal) motoneurons, lower (spinal) motoneurons or, often both. MNDs can occur from birth to adulthood and have a highly variable clinical presentation, even within gene-positive forms, suggesting the existence of environmental and genetic modifiers. A combination of cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous mechanisms contributes to motoneuron degeneration in MNDs, suggesting multifactorial pathogenic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Lotti
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology & Cell Biology, and Neuroscience, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Serge Przedborski
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology & Cell Biology, and Neuroscience, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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27
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Bączyk M, Manuel M, Roselli F, Zytnicki D. From Physiological Properties to Selective Vulnerability of Motor Units in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 28:375-394. [PMID: 36066833 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-07167-6_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Spinal alpha-motoneurons are classified in several types depending on the contractile properties of the innervated muscle fibers. This diversity is further displayed in different levels of vulnerability of distinct motor units to neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). We summarize recent data suggesting that, contrary to the excitotoxicity hypothesis, the most vulnerable motor units are hypoexcitable and experience a reduction in their firing prior to symptoms onset in ALS. We suggest that a dysregulation of activity-dependent transcriptional programs in these motoneurons alter crucial cellular functions such as mitochondrial biogenesis, autophagy, axonal sprouting capability and re-innervation of neuromuscular junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Bączyk
- Department of Neurobiology, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marin Manuel
- SPPIN - Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France.
| | - Francesco Roselli
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)-Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Neurozentrum Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Zytnicki
- SPPIN - Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
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28
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Chan Y, Alix JJP, Neuwirth C, Barkhaus PE, Castro J, Jenkins TM, McDermott CJ, Shaw PJ, de Carvalho M, Nandedkar S, Stålberg E, Weber M. Reinnervation as measured by the motor unit size index is associated with preservation of muscle strength in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but not all muscles reinnervate. Muscle Nerve 2021; 65:203-210. [PMID: 34687220 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS The motor unit size index (MUSIX) may provide insight into reinnervation patterns in diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, it is not known whether MUSIX detects clinically relevant changes in reinnervation, or if all muscles manifest changes in MUSIX in response to reinnervation after motor unit loss. METHODS Fifty-seven patients with ALS were assessed at 3-month intervals for 12 months in four centers. Muscles examined were abductor pollicis brevis, abductor digiti minimi, biceps brachii, and tibialis anterior. Results were split into two groups: muscles with increases in MUSIX and those without increases. Longitudinal changes in MUSIX, motor unit number index (MUNIX), compound muscle action potential amplitude, and Medical Research Council strength score were investigated. RESULTS One hundred thirty-three muscles were examined. Fifty-nine percent of the muscles exhibited an increase in MUSIX during the study. Muscles with MUSIX increases lost more motor units (58% decline in MUNIX at 12 months, P < .001) than muscles that did not increase MUSIX (34.6% decline in MUNIX at 12 months, P < .001). However, longitudinal changes in muscle strength were similar. When motor unit loss was similar, the absence of a MUSIX increase was associated with a significantly greater loss of muscle strength (P = .002). DISCUSSION MUSIX increases are associated with greater motor unit loss but relative preservation of muscle strength. Thus, MUSIX appears to be measuring a clinically relevant response that can provide a quantitative outcome measure of reinnervation in clinical trials. Furthermore, MUSIX suggests that reinnervation may play a major role in determining the progression of weakness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Chan
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - James J P Alix
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Christoph Neuwirth
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | | | - José Castro
- Department of Neurosciences, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte-Hospital de Santa Maria, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Thomas M Jenkins
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mamede de Carvalho
- Department of Neurosciences, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte-Hospital de Santa Maria, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Erik Stålberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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29
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Roesl C, Evans ER, Dissanayake KN, Boczonadi V, Jones RA, Jordan GR, Ledahawsky L, Allen GCC, Scott M, Thomson A, Wishart TM, Hughes DI, Mead RJ, Shone CC, Slater CR, Gillingwater TH, Skehel PA, Ribchester RR. Confocal Endomicroscopy of Neuromuscular Junctions Stained with Physiologically Inert Protein Fragments of Tetanus Toxin. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1499. [PMID: 34680132 PMCID: PMC8534034 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Live imaging of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in situ has been constrained by the suitability of ligands for inert vital staining of motor nerve terminals. Here, we constructed several truncated derivatives of the tetanus toxin C-fragment (TetC) fused with Emerald Fluorescent Protein (emGFP). Four constructs, namely full length emGFP-TetC (emGFP-865:TetC) or truncations comprising amino acids 1066-1315 (emGFP-1066:TetC), 1093-1315 (emGFP-1093:TetC) and 1109-1315 (emGFP-1109:TetC), produced selective, high-contrast staining of motor nerve terminals in rodent or human muscle explants. Isometric tension and intracellular recordings of endplate potentials from mouse muscles indicated that neither full-length nor truncated emGFP-TetC constructs significantly impaired NMJ function or transmission. Motor nerve terminals stained with emGFP-TetC constructs were readily visualised in situ or in isolated preparations using fibre-optic confocal endomicroscopy (CEM). emGFP-TetC derivatives and CEM also visualised regenerated NMJs. Dual-waveband CEM imaging of preparations co-stained with fluorescent emGFP-TetC constructs and Alexa647-α-bungarotoxin resolved innervated from denervated NMJs in axotomized WldS mouse muscle and degenerating NMJs in transgenic SOD1G93A mouse muscle. Our findings highlight the region of the TetC fragment required for selective binding and visualisation of motor nerve terminals and show that fluorescent derivatives of TetC are suitable for in situ morphological and physiological characterisation of healthy, injured and diseased NMJs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Roesl
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Elizabeth R. Evans
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, UK; (E.R.E.); (C.C.S.)
| | - Kosala N. Dissanayake
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Veronika Boczonadi
- Applied Neuromuscular Junction Facility, Bio-Imaging Unit, Biosciences Institute, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4HH, UK; (V.B.); (C.R.S.)
| | - Ross A. Jones
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Graeme R. Jordan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Leire Ledahawsky
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Guy C. C. Allen
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Molly Scott
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Alanna Thomson
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Thomas M. Wishart
- The Roslin Institute, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK;
| | - David I. Hughes
- Spinal Cord Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;
| | - Richard J. Mead
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK;
| | - Clifford C. Shone
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, UK; (E.R.E.); (C.C.S.)
| | - Clarke R. Slater
- Applied Neuromuscular Junction Facility, Bio-Imaging Unit, Biosciences Institute, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4HH, UK; (V.B.); (C.R.S.)
| | - Thomas H. Gillingwater
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Paul A. Skehel
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
| | - Richard R. Ribchester
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; (C.R.); (K.N.D.); (R.A.J.); (G.R.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.C.A.); (M.S.); (A.T.); (T.H.G.)
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30
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Gromova A, La Spada AR. Harmony Lost: Cell-Cell Communication at the Neuromuscular Junction in Motor Neuron Disease. Trends Neurosci 2021; 43:709-724. [PMID: 32846148 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized synapse that is the point of connection between motor neurons and skeletal muscle. Although developmental studies have established the importance of cell-cell communication at the NMJ for the integrity and full functionality of this synapse, the contribution of this structure as a primary driver in motor neuron disease pathogenesis remains uncertain. Here, we consider the biology of the NMJ and review emerging lines of investigation that are highlighting the importance of cell-cell interaction at the NMJ in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Ongoing research may reveal NMJ targets and pathways whose therapeutic modulation will help slow the progression of motor neuron disease, offering a novel treatment paradigm for ALS, SBMA, SMA, and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Gromova
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Department of Neurology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Albert R La Spada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Department of Neurology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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31
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Larouche JA, Mohiuddin M, Choi JJ, Ulintz PJ, Fraczek P, Sabin K, Pitchiaya S, Kurpiers SJ, Castor-Macias J, Liu W, Hastings RL, Brown LA, Markworth JF, De Silva K, Levi B, Merajver SD, Valdez G, Chakkalakal JV, Jang YC, Brooks SV, Aguilar CA. Murine muscle stem cell response to perturbations of the neuromuscular junction are attenuated with aging. eLife 2021; 10:e66749. [PMID: 34323217 PMCID: PMC8360658 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
During aging and neuromuscular diseases, there is a progressive loss of skeletal muscle volume and function impacting mobility and quality of life. Muscle loss is often associated with denervation and a loss of resident muscle stem cells (satellite cells or MuSCs); however, the relationship between MuSCs and innervation has not been established. Herein, we administered severe neuromuscular trauma to a transgenic murine model that permits MuSC lineage tracing. We show that a subset of MuSCs specifically engraft in a position proximal to the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the synapse between myofibers and motor neurons, in healthy young adult muscles. In aging and in a mouse model of neuromuscular degeneration (Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase knockout - Sod1-/-), this localized engraftment behavior was reduced. Genetic rescue of motor neurons in Sod1-/- mice reestablished integrity of the NMJ in a manner akin to young muscle and partially restored MuSC ability to engraft into positions proximal to the NMJ. Using single cell RNA-sequencing of MuSCs isolated from aged muscle, we demonstrate that a subset of MuSCs are molecularly distinguishable from MuSCs responding to myofiber injury and share similarity to synaptic myonuclei. Collectively, these data reveal unique features of MuSCs that respond to synaptic perturbations caused by aging and other stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline A Larouche
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Mahir Mohiuddin
- Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- Wallace Coulter Departmentof Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
| | - Jeongmoon J Choi
- Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- Wallace Coulter Departmentof Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
| | - Peter J Ulintz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Internal Medicine-Hematology/Oncology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Paula Fraczek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Kaitlyn Sabin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | | | - Sarah J Kurpiers
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Jesus Castor-Macias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Wenxuan Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, and The Rochester Aging Research Center, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Robert Louis Hastings
- Departmentof Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | - Lemuel A Brown
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - James F Markworth
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Kanishka De Silva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Benjamin Levi
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas SouthwesternDallasUnited States
- Childrens Research Institute and Center for Mineral MetabolismDallasUnited States
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Sofia D Merajver
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Internal Medicine-Hematology/Oncology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Gregorio Valdez
- Departmentof Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | - Joe V Chakkalakal
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, and The Rochester Aging Research Center, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Young C Jang
- Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- Wallace Coulter Departmentof Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
| | - Susan V Brooks
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Carlos A Aguilar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Childrens Research Institute and Center for Mineral MetabolismDallasUnited States
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
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32
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Pikatza-Menoio O, Elicegui A, Bengoetxea X, Naldaiz-Gastesi N, López de Munain A, Gerenu G, Gil-Bea FJ, Alonso-Martín S. The Skeletal Muscle Emerges as a New Disease Target in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Pers Med 2021; 11:671. [PMID: 34357138 PMCID: PMC8307751 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11070671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that leads to progressive degeneration of motor neurons (MNs) and severe muscle atrophy without effective treatment. Most research on ALS has been focused on the study of MNs and supporting cells of the central nervous system. Strikingly, the recent observations of pathological changes in muscle occurring before disease onset and independent from MN degeneration have bolstered the interest for the study of muscle tissue as a potential target for delivery of therapies for ALS. Skeletal muscle has just been described as a tissue with an important secretory function that is toxic to MNs in the context of ALS. Moreover, a fine-tuning balance between biosynthetic and atrophic pathways is necessary to induce myogenesis for muscle tissue repair. Compromising this response due to primary metabolic abnormalities in the muscle could trigger defective muscle regeneration and neuromuscular junction restoration, with deleterious consequences for MNs and thereby hastening the development of ALS. However, it remains puzzling how backward signaling from the muscle could impinge on MN death. This review provides a comprehensive analysis on the current state-of-the-art of the role of the skeletal muscle in ALS, highlighting its contribution to the neurodegeneration in ALS through backward-signaling processes as a newly uncovered mechanism for a peripheral etiopathogenesis of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oihane Pikatza-Menoio
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Amaia Elicegui
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Xabier Bengoetxea
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
| | - Neia Naldaiz-Gastesi
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Adolfo López de Munain
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Neurology, Donostialdea Integrated Health Organization, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursery, University of the Basque Country UPV-EHU, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Gorka Gerenu
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Physiology, University of the Basque Country UPV-EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Gil-Bea
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Alonso-Martín
- Neuromuscular Diseases Group, Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain; (O.P.-M.); (A.E.); (X.B.); (N.N.-G.); (A.L.d.M.); (G.G.); (F.J.G.-B.)
- CIBERNED, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness, 28031 Madrid, Spain
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Villarroel-Campos D, Schiavo G, Sleigh JN. Dissection, in vivo imaging and analysis of the mouse epitrochleoanconeus muscle. J Anat 2021; 241:1108-1119. [PMID: 34121181 PMCID: PMC9558155 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of rodent muscles affords an opportunity to glean key insights into neuromuscular development and the detrimental impact of disease‐causing genetic mutations. Muscles of the distal leg, for instance the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior, are commonly used in such studies with mice and rats. However, thin and flat muscles, which can be dissected, processed and imaged without major disruption to muscle fibres and nerve‐muscle contacts, are more suitable for accurate and detailed analyses of the peripheral motor nervous system. One such wholemount muscle is the predominantly fast twitch epitrochleoanconeus (ETA), which is located in the upper forelimb, innervated by the radial nerve, and contains relatively large and uniformly flat neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). To facilitate incorporation of the ETA into the experimental toolkit of the neuromuscular disease field, here, we describe a simple method for its rapid isolation (<5 min), supported by high‐resolution videos and step‐by‐step images. Furthermore, we outline how the ETA can be imaged in live, anaesthetised mice, to enable examination of dynamic cellular processes occurring at the NMJ and within intramuscular axons, including transport of organelles, such as mitochondria and signalling endosomes. Finally, we present reference data on wild‐type ETA fibre‐type composition in young adult, male C57BL6/J mice. Comparative neuroanatomical studies of different muscles in rodent models of disease can generate critical insights into pathogenesis and pathology; dissection of the wholemount ETA provides the possibility to diversify the repertoire of muscles analysed for this endeavour.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Villarroel-Campos
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - James N Sleigh
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
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34
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NMJ-Analyser identifies subtle early changes in mouse models of neuromuscular disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12251. [PMID: 34112844 PMCID: PMC8192785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91094-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the peripheral synapse formed between a motor neuron axon terminal and a muscle fibre. NMJs are thought to be the primary site of peripheral pathology in many neuromuscular diseases, but innervation/denervation status is often assessed qualitatively with poor systematic criteria across studies, and separately from 3D morphological structure. Here, we describe the development of ‘NMJ-Analyser’, to comprehensively screen the morphology of NMJs and their corresponding innervation status automatically. NMJ-Analyser generates 29 biologically relevant features to quantitatively define healthy and aberrant neuromuscular synapses and applies machine learning to diagnose NMJ degeneration. We validated this framework in longitudinal analyses of wildtype mice, as well as in four different neuromuscular disease models: three for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and one for peripheral neuropathy. We showed that structural changes at the NMJ initially occur in the nerve terminal of mutant TDP43 and FUS ALS models. Using a machine learning algorithm, healthy and aberrant neuromuscular synapses are identified with 95% accuracy, with 88% sensitivity and 97% specificity. Our results validate NMJ-Analyser as a robust platform for systematic and structural screening of NMJs, and pave the way for transferrable, and cross-comparison and high-throughput studies in neuromuscular diseases.
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35
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Alhindi A, Boehm I, Chaytow H. Small junction, big problems: Neuromuscular junction pathology in mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). J Anat 2021; 241:1089-1107. [PMID: 34101196 PMCID: PMC9558162 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease with an extremely heterogeneous clinical and genetic phenotype. In our efforts to find therapies for ALS, the scientific community has developed a plethora of mouse models, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. The peripheral nervous system, specifically the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), is known to be affected in ALS patients and shows marked dysfunction across mouse models. Evidence of pathology at the NMJ includes denervated NMJs, changes in endplate size and loss of terminal Schwann cells. This review compares the temporal disease progression with severity of disease at the NMJ in mouse models with the most commonly mutated genes in ALS patients (SOD1, C9ORF72, TARDBP and FUS). Despite variability, early NMJ dysfunction seems to be a common factor in models with SOD1, TARDBP and FUS mutations, while C9ORF72 models do not appear to follow the same pattern of pathology. Further work into determining the timing of NMJ pathology, particularly in newer ALS mouse models, will confirm its pivotal role in ALS pathogenesis and therefore highlight the NMJ as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Alhindi
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ines Boehm
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Helena Chaytow
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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36
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Stoklund Dittlau K, Krasnow EN, Fumagalli L, Vandoorne T, Baatsen P, Kerstens A, Giacomazzi G, Pavie B, Rossaert E, Beckers J, Sampaolesi M, Van Damme P, Van Den Bosch L. Human motor units in microfluidic devices are impaired by FUS mutations and improved by HDAC6 inhibition. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:2213-2227. [PMID: 33891869 PMCID: PMC8452598 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) ensure communication between motor neurons (MNs) and muscle; however, in MN disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), NMJs degenerate resulting in muscle atrophy. The aim of this study was to establish a versatile and reproducible in vitro model of a human motor unit to investigate the effects of ALS-causing mutations. Therefore, we generated a co-culture of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived MNs and human primary mesoangioblast-derived myotubes in microfluidic devices. A chemotactic and volumetric gradient facilitated the growth of MN neurites through microgrooves resulting in the interaction with myotubes and the formation of NMJs. We observed that ALS-causing FUS mutations resulted in reduced neurite outgrowth as well as an impaired neurite regrowth upon axotomy. NMJ numbers were likewise reduced in the FUS-ALS model. Interestingly, the selective HDAC6 inhibitor, Tubastatin A, improved the neurite outgrowth, regrowth, and NMJ morphology, prompting HDAC6 inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy for ALS. Human motor units with functional NMJs can be generated using microfluidic devices FUS-ALS motor units display impaired neurite regrowth, outgrowth and NMJ numbers HDAC6 inhibition alleviate FUS-ALS motor unit pathology in vitro
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Stoklund Dittlau
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emily N Krasnow
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Fumagalli
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tijs Vandoorne
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Baatsen
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Research Group Molecular Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven - University of Leuven, VIB Bio Imaging Core, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Axelle Kerstens
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Research Group Molecular Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven - University of Leuven, VIB Bio Imaging Core, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Giorgia Giacomazzi
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Pavie
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Research Group Molecular Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven - University of Leuven, VIB Bio Imaging Core, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elisabeth Rossaert
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jimmy Beckers
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maurilio Sampaolesi
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip Van Damme
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium; University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Neurology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.
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37
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de Jongh R, Spijkers XM, Pasteuning-Vuhman S, Vulto P, Pasterkamp RJ. Neuromuscular junction-on-a-chip: ALS disease modeling and read-out development in microfluidic devices. J Neurochem 2021; 157:393-412. [PMID: 33382092 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and lower motor neurons with no cure available. Clinical and animal studies reveal that the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a synaptic connection between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers, is highly vulnerable in ALS and suggest that NMJ defects may occur at the early stages of the disease. However, mechanistic insight into how NMJ dysfunction relates to the onset and progression of ALS is incomplete, which hampers therapy development. This is, in part, caused by a lack of robust in vitro models. The ability to combine microfluidic and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies has opened up new avenues for studying molecular and cellular ALS phenotypes in vitro. Microfluidic devices offer several advantages over traditional culture approaches when modeling the NMJ, such as the spatial separation of different cell types and increased control over the cellular microenvironment. Moreover, they are compatible with 3D cell culture, which enhances NMJ functionality and maturity. Here, we review how microfluidic technology is currently being employed to develop more reliable in vitro NMJ models. To validate and phenotype such models, various morphological and functional read-outs have been developed. We describe and discuss the relevance of these read-outs and specifically illustrate how these read-outs have enhanced our understanding of NMJ pathology in ALS. Finally, we share our view on potential future directions and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rianne de Jongh
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Xandor M Spijkers
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Mimetas B.V., Organ-on-a-chip Company, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Svetlana Pasteuning-Vuhman
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Vulto
- Mimetas B.V., Organ-on-a-chip Company, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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38
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Madruga E, Maestro I, Martínez A. Mitophagy Modulation, a New Player in the Race against ALS. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020740. [PMID: 33450997 PMCID: PMC7828440 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal neurodegenerative disease that usually results in respiratory paralysis in an interval of 2 to 4 years. ALS shows a multifactorial pathogenesis with an unknown etiology, and currently lacks an effective treatment. The vast majority of patients exhibit protein aggregation and a dysfunctional mitochondrial accumulation in their motoneurons. As a result, autophagy and mitophagy modulators may be interesting drug candidates that mitigate key pathological hallmarks of the disease. This work reviews the most relevant evidence that correlate mitophagy defects and ALS, and discusses the possibility of considering mitophagy as an interesting target in the search for an effective treatment for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Madruga
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas-CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (E.M.); (I.M.)
| | - Inés Maestro
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas-CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (E.M.); (I.M.)
| | - Ana Martínez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas-CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (E.M.); (I.M.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-918373112
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39
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Marshall KL, Farah MH. Axonal regeneration and sprouting as a potential therapeutic target for nervous system disorders. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:1901-1910. [PMID: 33642358 PMCID: PMC8343323 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.308077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Nervous system disorders are prevalent health issues that will only continue to increase in frequency as the population ages. Dying-back axonopathy is a hallmark of many neurologic diseases and leads to axonal disconnection from their targets, which in turn leads to functional impairment. During the course of many of neurologic diseases, axons can regenerate or sprout in an attempt to reconnect with the target and restore synapse function. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), distal motor axons retract from neuromuscular junctions early in the disease-course before significant motor neuron death. There is evidence of compensatory motor axon sprouting and reinnervation of neuromuscular junctions in ALS that is usually quickly overtaken by the disease course. Potential drugs that enhance compensatory sprouting and encourage reinnervation may slow symptom progression and retain muscle function for a longer period of time in ALS and in other diseases that exhibit dying-back axonopathy. There remain many outstanding questions as to the impact of distinct disease-causing mutations on axonal outgrowth and regeneration, especially in regards to motor neurons derived from patient induced pluripotent stem cells. Compartmentalized microfluidic chambers are powerful tools for studying the distal axons of human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived motor neurons, and have recently been used to demonstrate striking regeneration defects in human motor neurons harboring ALS disease-causing mutations. Modeling the human neuromuscular circuit with human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived motor neurons will be critical for developing drugs that enhance axonal regeneration, sprouting, and reinnervation of neuromuscular junctions. In this review we will discuss compensatory axonal sprouting as a potential therapeutic target for ALS, and the use of compartmentalized microfluidic devices to find drugs that enhance regeneration and axonal sprouting of motor axons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohamed H Farah
- Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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40
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Dierick F, Vandevoorde C, Chantraine F, White O, Buisseret F. Benefits of nonlinear analysis indices of walking stride interval in the evaluation of neurodegenerative diseases. Hum Mov Sci 2020; 75:102741. [PMID: 33310379 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2020.102741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Indices characterising the long-range temporal structure of walking stride interval (SI) variability such as Hurst exponent (H) and fractal dimension (D) may be used in addition to indices measuring the amount of variability like the coefficient of variation (CV). We assess the added value of the former indices in a clinical neurological context. Our aim is to demonstrate that they provide a clinical significance in aging and in frequent neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Indices assessing the temporal structure of variability are mainly dependent on SI time series length and algorithms used, making quantitative comparisons between different studies difficult or even impossible. Here, we recompute these indices from available SI time series, either from our lab or from online databases. More precisely, we recompute CV, H, and D in a unified way. The average SI is also added to the measured parameters. We confirm that variability indices are relevant indicators of aging process and neurodegenerative diseases. While CV is sensitive to aging process and pathology, it does not discriminate between specific neurodegenerative diseases. H, which measures predictability of SI, significantly decreases with age but increases in patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. D, catching complexity of SI, is correlated with total functional capacity in patients with Huntington's disease. We conclude that the computation of H complements the clinical diagnosis of walking in patients with neurodegenerative diseases and we recommend it as a relevant supplement to classical CV or averaged SI. Since H and D indices did not lead to the same observations, suggesting the multi-fractal nature of SI dynamics, we recommend to open clinical gait analysis to the evaluation of more parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Dierick
- Centre National de Rééducation Fonctionnelle et de Réadaptation - Rehazenter, Laboratoire d'Analyse du Mouvement et de la Posture (LAMP), 2674 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Centre de recherche et de formation (CeREF Technique), Haute Ecole Louvain en Hainaut, 7000 Mons, Belgium; Faculté des Sciences de la Motricité, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Charlotte Vandevoorde
- Laboratoire Forme et Fonctionnement Humain (FFH), Haute Ecole Louvain en Hainaut, 6061 Montignies-sur-Sambre, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Chantraine
- Centre National de Rééducation Fonctionnelle et de Réadaptation - Rehazenter, Laboratoire d'Analyse du Mouvement et de la Posture (LAMP), 2674 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Olivier White
- Université de Bourgogne INSERM-U1093 Cognition, Action, and Sensorimotor Plasticity, Campus Universitaire, BP 27877, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - Fabien Buisseret
- Centre de recherche et de formation (CeREF Technique), Haute Ecole Louvain en Hainaut, 7000 Mons, Belgium; Laboratoire Forme et Fonctionnement Humain (FFH), Haute Ecole Louvain en Hainaut, 6061 Montignies-sur-Sambre, Belgium; Service de Physique Nucléaire et Subnucléaire, Université de Mons, UMONS Research Institute for Complex Systems, 7000 Mons, Belgium
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41
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Guo X, Smith V, Jackson M, Tran M, Thomas M, Patel A, Lorusso E, Nimbalkar S, Cai Y, McAleer CW, Wang Y, Long CJ, Hickman JJ. A Human-Based Functional NMJ System for Personalized ALS Modeling and Drug Testing. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2020; 3:2000133. [PMID: 33709015 PMCID: PMC7942691 DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202000133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Loss of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is an early and critical hallmark in all forms of ALS. The study design was to develop a functional NMJ disease model by integrating motoneurons (MNs) differentiated from multiple ALS-patients' induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and primary human muscle into a chambered system. NMJ functionality was tested by recording myotube contractions while stimulating MNs by field electrodes and a set of clinically relevant parameters were defined to characterize the NMJ function. Three ALS lines were analyzed, 2 with SOD1 mutations and 1 with a FUS mutation. The ALS-MNs reproduced pathological phenotypes, including increased axonal varicosities, reduced axonal branching and elongation and increased excitability. These MNs formed functional NMJs with wild type muscle, but with significant deficits in NMJ quantity, fidelity and fatigue index. Furthermore, treatment with the Deana protocol was found to correct the NMJ deficits in all the ALS mutant lines tested. Quantitative analysis also revealed the variations inherent in each mutant lines. This functional NMJ system provides a platform for the study of both fALS and sALS and has the capability of being adapted into subtype-specific or patient-specific models for ALS etiological investigation and patient stratification for drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiufang Guo
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Virginia Smith
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Max Jackson
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - My Tran
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Michael Thomas
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Aakash Patel
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Eric Lorusso
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Siddharth Nimbalkar
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Yunqing Cai
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Christopher W. McAleer
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, 305 Weill Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Christopher J. Long
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - James J. Hickman
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
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42
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Agudelo A, St Amand V, Grissom L, Lafond D, Achilli T, Sahin A, Reenan R, Stilwell G. Age-dependent degeneration of an identified adult leg motor neuron in a Drosophila SOD1 model of ALS. Biol Open 2020; 9:bio049692. [PMID: 32994185 PMCID: PMC7595701 DOI: 10.1242/bio.049692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in humans. ALS is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor neuron loss leading to paralysis and inevitable death in affected individuals. Using a gene replacement strategy to introduce disease mutations into the orthologous Drosophila sod1 (dsod1) gene, here, we characterize changes at the neuromuscular junction using longer-lived dsod1 mutant adults. Homozygous dsod1H71Y/H71Y or dsod1null/null flies display progressive walking defects with paralysis of the third metathoracic leg. In dissected legs, we assessed age-dependent changes in a single identified motor neuron (MN-I2) innervating the tibia levitator muscle. At adult eclosion, MN-I2 of dsod1H71Y/H71Y or sod1null/null flies is patterned similar to wild-type flies indicating no readily apparent developmental defects. Over the course of 10 days post-eclosion, MN-I2 shows an overall reduction in arborization with bouton swelling and loss of the post-synaptic marker discs-large (dlg) in mutant dsod1 adults. In addition, increases in polyubiquitinated proteins correlate with the timing and extent of MN-I2 changes. Because similar phenotypes are observed between flies homozygous for either dsod1H71Y or dsod1null alleles, we conclude these NMJ changes are mainly associated with sod loss-of-function. Together these studies characterize age-related morphological and molecular changes associated with axonal retraction in a Drosophila model of ALS that recapitulate an important aspect of the human disease.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Agudelo
- Department of Biology, Rhode Island College, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence, RI, 02908 USA
| | - Victoria St Amand
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912 USA
| | - Lindsey Grissom
- Department of Biology, Rhode Island College, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence, RI, 02908 USA
| | - Danielle Lafond
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912 USA
| | - Toni Achilli
- Department of Biology, Rhode Island College, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence, RI, 02908 USA
| | - Asli Sahin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912 USA
| | - Robert Reenan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912 USA
| | - Geoff Stilwell
- Department of Biology, Rhode Island College, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence, RI, 02908 USA
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Wnt antagonist FRZB is a muscle biomarker of denervation atrophy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16679. [PMID: 33028902 PMCID: PMC7541525 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73845-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle and the neuromuscular junction are the earliest sites to manifest pathological changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Based on prior studies, we have identified a molecular signature in muscle that develops early in ALS and parallels disease progression. This signature represents an intersection of signaling pathways including Smads, TGF-β, and vitamin D. Here, we show that the Wnt antagonist, Frizzled Related Protein (FRZB), was increased in ALS muscle samples and to a variable extent other denervating disease but only minimally in acquired myopathies. In the SOD1G93A mouse, FRZB was upregulated in the early stages of disease (between 40 and 60 days) until end-stage. By immunohistochemistry, FRZB was predominantly localized to endomysial connective tissue and to a lesser extent muscle membrane. There was a significant increase in immunoreactivity surrounding atrophied myofibers. Because FRZB is a Wnt antagonist, we assessed β-catenin, the canonical transducer of Wnt signaling, and found increased levels mainly at the muscle membrane. In summary, we show that FRZB is part of a molecular signature of muscle denervation that may reflect disease progression in ALS. Our findings open up avenues for future investigation as to what roles FRZB and Wnt signaling might be playing in muscle denervation/reinnervation.
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Goldshtein H, Muhire A, Petel Légaré V, Pushett A, Rotkopf R, Shefner JM, Peterson RT, Armstrong GAB, Russek‐ Blum N. Efficacy of Ciprofloxacin/Celecoxib combination in zebrafish models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2020; 7:1883-1897. [PMID: 32915525 PMCID: PMC7545590 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of a fixed-dose combination of two approved drugs, Ciprofloxacin and Celecoxib, as a potential therapeutic treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS Toxicity and efficacy of Ciprofloxacin and Celecoxib were tested, each alone and in distinct ratio combinations in SOD1 G93R transgenic zebrafish model for ALS. Quantification of swimming measures following stimuli, measurements of axonal projections from the spinal cord, neuromuscular junction structure and morphometric analysis of microglia cells were performed in the combination- treated vs nontreated mutant larvae. Additionally, quantifications of touch-evoked locomotor escape response were conducted in treated vs nontreated zebrafish expressing the TARDBP G348C ALS variant. RESULTS When administered individually, Ciprofloxacin had a mild effect and Celecoxib had no therapeutic effect. However, combined Ciprofloxacin and Celecoxib (Cipro/Celecox) treatment caused a significant increase of ~ 84% in the distance the SOD1 G93R transgenic larvae swam. Additionally, Cipro/Celecox elicited recovery of impaired motor neurons morphology and abnormal neuromuscular junction structure and preserved the ramified morphology of microglia cells in the SOD1 mutants. Furthermore, larvae expressing the TDP-43 mutation displayed evoked touch responses that were significantly longer in swim distance (110% increase) and significantly higher in maximal swim velocity (~44% increase) when treated with Cipro/Celecox combination. INTERPRETATION Cipro/Celecox combination improved locomotor and cellular deficits of ALS zebrafish models. These results identify this novel combination as effective, and may prove promising for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagit Goldshtein
- The Dead Sea Arava Science CenterAuspices of Ben Gurion UniversityCentral Arava86815Israel
| | - Alexandre Muhire
- The Dead Sea Arava Science CenterAuspices of Ben Gurion UniversityCentral Arava86815Israel
| | - Virginie Petel Légaré
- Department of Neurology and NeurosurgeryMontreal Neurological InstituteFaculty of MedicineMcGill UniversityMontrealQCH3A 0G4Canada
| | - Avital Pushett
- NeuroSense Therapeutics LtdMedinat Hayehudim 85Herzeliya4676670Israel
| | - Ron Rotkopf
- Bioinformatics and Biological Computing UnitLife Sciences Core FacilitiesWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovot7610001Israel
| | - Jeremy M. Shefner
- Barrow Neurological Institute, University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, Creighton University College of Medicine PhoenixPhoenixAZ85013USA
| | | | - Gary A. B. Armstrong
- Department of Neurology and NeurosurgeryMontreal Neurological InstituteFaculty of MedicineMcGill UniversityMontrealQCH3A 0G4Canada
| | - Niva Russek‐ Blum
- The Dead Sea Arava Science CenterAuspices of Ben Gurion UniversityCentral Arava86815Israel
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Badu-Mensah A, Guo X, McAleer CW, Rumsey JW, Hickman JJ. Functional skeletal muscle model derived from SOD1-mutant ALS patient iPSCs recapitulates hallmarks of disease progression. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14302. [PMID: 32868812 PMCID: PMC7459299 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70510-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent findings suggest a pathologic role of skeletal muscle in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) onset and progression. However, the exact mechanism by which this occurs remains elusive due to limited human-based studies. To this end, phenotypic ALS skeletal muscle models were developed from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from healthy individuals (WT) and ALS patients harboring mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene. Although proliferative, SOD1 myoblasts demonstrated delayed and reduced fusion efficiency compared to WT. Additionally, SOD1 myotubes exhibited significantly reduced length and cross-section. Also, SOD1 myotubes had loosely arranged myosin heavy chain and reduced acetylcholine receptor expression per immunocytochemical analysis. Functional analysis indicated considerably reduced contractile force and synchrony in SOD1 myotubes. Mitochondrial assessment indicated reduced inner mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and metabolic plasticity in the SOD1-iPSC derived myotubes. This work presents the first well-characterized in vitro iPSC-derived muscle model that demonstrates SOD1 toxicity effects on human muscle regeneration, contractility and metabolic function in ALS. Current findings align with previous ALS patient biopsy studies and suggest an active contribution of skeletal muscle in NMJ dysfunction. Further, the results validate this model as a human-relevant platform for ALS research and drug discovery studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Badu-Mensah
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL, 32826, USA.,College of Medicine, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Xiufang Guo
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL, 32826, USA
| | | | - John W Rumsey
- Hesperos Inc., 12501 Research Pkwy, Suite 100, Orlando, FL, 32826, USA
| | - James J Hickman
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, FL, 32826, USA. .,Hesperos Inc., 12501 Research Pkwy, Suite 100, Orlando, FL, 32826, USA.
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Properties of Glial Cell at the Neuromuscular Junction Are Incompatible with Synaptic Repair in the SOD1G37R ALS Mouse Model. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7759-7777. [PMID: 32859714 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1748-18.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting motoneurons (MNs) in a motor-unit (MU)-dependent manner. Glial dysfunction contributes to numerous aspects of the disease. At the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), early alterations in perisynaptic Schwann cell (PSC), glial cells at this synapse, may impact their ability to regulate NMJ stability and repair. Indeed, muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) regulate the repair phenotype of PSCs and are overactivated at disease-resistant NMJs [soleus muscle (SOL)] in SOD1G37R mice. However, it remains unknown whether this is the case at disease-vulnerable NMJs and whether it translates into an impairment of PSC-dependent repair mechanisms. We used SOL and sternomastoid (STM) muscles from SOD1G37R mice and performed Ca2+-imaging to monitor PSC activity and used immunohistochemistry to analyze their repair and phagocytic properties. We show that PSC mAChR-dependent activity was transiently increased at disease-vulnerable NMJs (STM muscle). Furthermore, PSCs from both muscles extended disorganized processes from denervated NMJs and failed to initiate or guide nerve terminal sprouts at disease-vulnerable NMJs, a phenomenon essential for compensatory reinnervation. This was accompanied by a failure of numerous PSCs to upregulate galectin-3 (MAC-2), a marker of glial axonal debris phagocytosis, on NMJ denervation in SOD1 mice. Finally, differences in these PSC-dependent NMJ repair mechanisms were MU type dependent, thus reflecting MU vulnerability in ALS. Together, these results reveal that neuron-glia communication is ubiquitously altered at the NMJ in ALS. This appears to prevent PSCs from adopting a repair phenotype, resulting in a maladapted response to denervation at the NMJ in ALS.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding how the complex interplay between neurons and glial cells ultimately lead to the degeneration of motor neurons and loss of motor function is a fundamental question to comprehend amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). An early and persistent alteration of glial cell activity takes place at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the output of motor neurons, but its impact on NMJ repair remains unknown. Here, we reveal that glial cells at disease-vulnerable NMJs often fail to guide compensatory nerve terminal sprouts and to adopt a phagocytic phenotype on denervated NMJs in SOD1G37R mice. These results show that glial cells at the NMJ elaborate an inappropriate response to NMJ degeneration in a manner that reflects motor-unit (MU) vulnerability and potentially impairs compensatory reinnervation.
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47
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Castets P, Ham DJ, Rüegg MA. The TOR Pathway at the Neuromuscular Junction: More Than a Metabolic Player? Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:162. [PMID: 32982690 PMCID: PMC7485269 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the chemical synapse connecting motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers. NMJs allow all voluntary movements, and ensure vital functions like breathing. Changes in the structure and function of NMJs are hallmarks of numerous pathological conditions that affect muscle function including sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to the morphological and functional perturbations in the pre- and post-synaptic compartments of the NMJ remain poorly understood. Here, we discuss the role of the metabolic pathway associated to the kinase TOR (Target of Rapamycin) in the development, maintenance and alterations of the NMJ. This is of particular interest as the TOR pathway has been implicated in aging, but its role at the NMJ is still ill-defined. We highlight the respective functions of the two TOR-associated complexes, TORC1 and TORC2, and discuss the role of localized protein synthesis and autophagy regulation in motor neuron terminals and sub-synaptic regions of muscle fibers and their possible effects on NMJ maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perrine Castets
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Ojeda J, Bermedo-García F, Pérez V, Mella J, Hanna P, Herzberg D, Tejero R, López-Manzaneda M, Tabares L, Henríquez JP. The Mouse Levator Auris Longus Muscle: An Amenable Model System to Study the Role of Postsynaptic Proteins to the Maintenance and Regeneration of the Neuromuscular Synapse. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:225. [PMID: 32848618 PMCID: PMC7405910 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the peripheral synapse that controls the coordinated movement of many organisms. The NMJ is also an archetypical model to study synaptic morphology and function. As the NMJ is the primary target of neuromuscular diseases and traumatic injuries, the establishment of suitable models to study the contribution of specific postsynaptic muscle-derived proteins on NMJ maintenance and regeneration is a permanent need. Considering the unique experimental advantages of the levator auris longus (LAL) muscle, here we present a method allowing for efficient electroporation-mediated gene transfer and subsequent detailed studies of the morphology and function of the NMJ and muscle fibers. Also, we have standardized efficient facial nerve injury protocols to analyze LAL muscle NMJ degeneration and regeneration. Our results show that the expression of a control fluorescent protein does not alter either the muscle structural organization, the apposition of the pre- and post-synaptic domains, or the functional neurotransmission parameters of the LAL muscle NMJs; in turn, the overexpression of MuSK, a major regulator of postsynaptic assembly, induces the formation of ectopic acetylcholine receptor clusters. Our NMJ denervation experiments showed complete reinnervation of LAL muscle NMJs four weeks after facial nerve injury. Together, these experimental strategies in the LAL muscle constitute effective methods to combine protein expression with accurate analyses at the levels of structure, function, and regeneration of the NMJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ojeda
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.,Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.,Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Francisca Bermedo-García
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Viviana Pérez
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Jessica Mella
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Patricia Hanna
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Daniel Herzberg
- Veterinary Sciences Clinic, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Rocío Tejero
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Mario López-Manzaneda
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Lucia Tabares
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Juan Pablo Henríquez
- Neuromuscular Studies Laboratory (NeSt Lab), Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Center for Advanced Microscopy (CMA BioBio), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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Tosolini AP, Sleigh JN. Intramuscular Delivery of Gene Therapy for Targeting the Nervous System. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:129. [PMID: 32765219 PMCID: PMC7379875 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-mediated gene therapy has the potential to deliver exogenous genetic material into specific cell types to promote survival and counteract disease. This is particularly enticing for neuronal conditions, as the nervous system is renowned for its intransigence to therapeutic targeting. Administration of gene therapy viruses into skeletal muscle, where distal terminals of motor and sensory neurons reside, has been shown to result in extensive transduction of cells within the spinal cord, brainstem, and sensory ganglia. This route is minimally invasive and therefore clinically relevant for gene therapy targeting to peripheral nerve soma. For successful transgene expression, viruses administered into muscle must undergo a series of processes, including host cell interaction and internalization, intracellular sorting, long-range retrograde axonal transport, endosomal liberation, and nuclear import. In this review article, we outline key characteristics of major gene therapy viruses—adenovirus, adeno-associated virus (AAV), and lentivirus—and summarize the mechanisms regulating important steps in the virus journey from binding at peripheral nerve terminals to nuclear delivery. Additionally, we describe how neuropathology can negatively influence these pathways, and conclude by discussing opportunities to optimize the intramuscular administration route to maximize gene delivery and thus therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Tosolini
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James N Sleigh
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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CYP1A2 rs762551 polymorphism and risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurol Sci 2020; 42:175-182. [PMID: 32592103 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04535-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic variability is considered to confer susceptibility to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Oxidative stress is a significant contributor to ALS-related neurodegeneration, and it is regulated by cytochromes P450 (CYPs), such as CYP1A2; these are responsible for the oxidative metabolism of both exogenous and endogenous substrates in the brain, subsequently impacting ALS. The function of CYP1A2 is largely affected by genetic variability; however, the impact of CYP1A2 polymorphisms in ALS remains underinvestigated. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine the possible association of ALS with the CYP1A2 rs762551 polymorphism, which codes for the high inducibility form of the enzyme. METHODS One hundred and fifty-five patients with sporadic ALS and 155 healthy controls were genotyped for the CYP1A2 rs762551. Statistical testing for the association of CYP1A2 rs762551 with risk for ALS was performed using SNPstats. RESULTS The CYP1A2 rs762551 C allele was associated with a decreased risk of ALS development. In the subgroup analysis according to the ALS site of onset, an association between CYP1A2 rs762551 and limb and bulbar onset of ALS was shown. Cox proportional-hazard regression analyses revealed a significant effect of the CYP1A2 rs762551 on the age of onset of ALS. CONCLUSIONS Based on our results, a primarily potential link between the CYP1A2 rs762551 polymorphism and ALS risk could exist.
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