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Geisinger D, Elyoseph Z, Zaltzman R, Mintz M, Gordon CR. Functional impact of bilateral vestibular loss and the unexplained complaint of oscillopsia. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1365369. [PMID: 38711564 PMCID: PMC11070540 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1365369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) stabilizes vision during head movements. VOR disorders lead to symptoms such as imbalance, dizziness, and oscillopsia. Despite similar VOR dysfunction, patients display diverse complaints. This study analyses saccades, balance, and spatial orientation in chronic peripheral and central VOR disorders, specifically examining the impact of oscillopsia. Methods Participants involved 15 patients with peripheral bilateral vestibular loss (pBVL), 21 patients with clinically and genetically confirmed Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) who also have bilateral vestibular deficit, and 22 healthy controls. All pBVL and MJD participants were tested at least 9 months after the onset of symptoms and underwent a detailed clinical neuro-otological evaluation at the Dizziness and Eye Movements Clinic of the Meir Medical Center. Results Among the 15 patients with pBVL and 21 patients with MJD, only 5 patients with pBVL complained of chronic oscillopsia while none of the patients with MJD reported this complaint. Comparison between groups exhibited significant differences in vestibular, eye movements, balance, and spatial orientation. When comparing oscillopsia with no-oscillopsia subjects, significant differences were found in the dynamic visual acuity test, the saccade latency of eye movements, and the triangle completion test. Discussion Even though there is a significant VOR gain impairment in MJD with some subjects having less VOR gain than pBVL with reported oscillopsia, no individuals with MJD reported experiencing oscillopsia. This study further supports that subjects experiencing oscillopsia present a real impairment to stabilize the image on the retina, whereas those without oscillopsia may utilize saccade strategies to cope with it and may also rely on visual information for spatial orientation. Finding objective differences will help to understand the causes of the oscillopsia experience and develop coping strategies to overcome it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Geisinger
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychology and Educational Counseling, The Center for Psychobiological Research, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Yezreel Valley, Israel
| | - Zohar Elyoseph
- Department of Psychology and Educational Counseling, The Center for Psychobiological Research, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Yezreel Valley, Israel
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Roy Zaltzman
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
| | - Matti Mintz
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Carlos R. Gordon
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Shorrock HK, Lennon CD, Aliyeva A, Davey EE, DeMeo CC, Pritchard CE, Planco L, Velez JM, Mascorro-Huamancaja A, Shin DS, Cleary JD, Berglund JA. Widespread alternative splicing dysregulation occurs presymptomatically in CAG expansion spinocerebellar ataxias. Brain 2024; 147:486-504. [PMID: 37776516 PMCID: PMC10834251 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of dominantly inherited neurodegenerative diseases, several of which are caused by CAG expansion mutations (SCAs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 12) and more broadly belong to the large family of over 40 microsatellite expansion diseases. While dysregulation of alternative splicing is a well defined driver of disease pathogenesis across several microsatellite diseases, the contribution of alternative splicing in CAG expansion SCAs is poorly understood. Furthermore, despite extensive studies on differential gene expression, there remains a gap in our understanding of presymptomatic transcriptomic drivers of disease. We sought to address these knowledge gaps through a comprehensive study of 29 publicly available RNA-sequencing datasets. We identified that dysregulation of alternative splicing is widespread across CAG expansion mouse models of SCAs 1, 3 and 7. These changes were detected presymptomatically, persisted throughout disease progression, were repeat length-dependent, and were present in brain regions implicated in SCA pathogenesis including the cerebellum, pons and medulla. Across disease progression, changes in alternative splicing occurred in genes that function in pathways and processes known to be impaired in SCAs, such as ion channels, synaptic signalling, transcriptional regulation and the cytoskeleton. We validated several key alternative splicing events with known functional consequences, including Trpc3 exon 9 and Kcnma1 exon 23b, in the Atxn1154Q/2Q mouse model. Finally, we demonstrated that alternative splicing dysregulation is responsive to therapeutic intervention in CAG expansion SCAs with Atxn1 targeting antisense oligonucleotide rescuing key splicing events. Taken together, these data demonstrate that widespread presymptomatic dysregulation of alternative splicing in CAG expansion SCAs may contribute to disease onset, early neuronal dysfunction and may represent novel biomarkers across this devastating group of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia D Lennon
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Asmer Aliyeva
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Emily E Davey
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Cristina C DeMeo
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | | | - Lori Planco
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Jose M Velez
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | | | - Damian S Shin
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - John D Cleary
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - J Andrew Berglund
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
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Tsay JS, Schuck L, Ivry RB. Cerebellar Degeneration Impairs Strategy Discovery but Not Strategy Recall. Cerebellum 2023; 22:1223-1233. [PMID: 36464710 PMCID: PMC10239782 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01500-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The cerebellum is recognized to play a critical role in the automatic and implicit process by which movement errors are used to keep the sensorimotor system precisely calibrated. However, its role in other learning processes frequently engaged during sensorimotor adaptation tasks remains unclear. In the present study, we tested the performance of individuals with cerebellar degeneration on a variant of a visuomotor adaptation task in which learning requires the use of strategic re-aiming, a process that can nullify movement errors in a rapid and volitional manner. Our design allowed us to assess two components of this learning process, the discovery of an appropriate strategy and the recall of a learned strategy. Participants were exposed to a 60° visuomotor rotation twice, with the initial exposure block assessing strategy discovery and the re-exposure block assessing strategy recall. Compared to age-matched controls, individuals with cerebellar degeneration were slower to derive an appropriate aiming strategy in the initial Discovery block but exhibited similar recall of the aiming strategy during the Recall block. This dissociation underscores the multi-faceted contributions of the cerebellum to sensorimotor learning, highlighting one way in which this subcortical structure facilitates volitional action selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S Tsay
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Lauren Schuck
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Richard B Ivry
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Chen YS, Harn HJ, Hong ZX, Huang YC, Lin YT, Zheng HX, Chen PY, Yang HH, Chen PR, Tsai HC, Lin SZ, Ho TJ, Chiou TW. Preconditioning of exosomes derived from human olfactory ensheathing cells improved motor coordination and balance in an SCA3/MJD mouse model: A new therapeutic approach. Eur J Pharm Sci 2023; 191:106608. [PMID: 37832855 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2023.106608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Exosome therapy is a novel trend in regeneration medicine. However, identifying a suitable biomarker that can associate the therapeutic efficacy of exosomes with SCA3/MJD is essential. In this study, parental cells were preconditioned with butylidenephthalide (Bdph) for exosome preparation to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SCA3/MJD. The therapeutic agent hsa-miRNA-6780-5p was enriched up to 98-fold in exosomes derived from butylidenephthalide (Bdph)-preconditioned human olfactory ensheathing cells (hOECs) compared with that in naïve hOECs exosomes. The particle sizes of exosomes derived from naïve hOECs and those derived from hOECs preconditioned with Bdph were approximately 113.0 ± 3.5 nm and 128.9 ± 0.7 nm, respectively. A liposome system was used to demonstrate the role of hsa-miRNA-6780-5p, wherein hsa-miRNA-6780-5p was found to enhance autophagy and inhibit the expression of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) disease proteins with the polyglutamine (polyQ) tract. Exosomes with enriched hsa-miRNA-6780-5p were further applied to HEK-293-84Q cells, leading to decreased expression of polyQ and increased autophagy. The results were reversed when 3MA, an autophagy inhibitor, was added to the cells treated with hsa-miRNA-6780-5p-enriched exosomes, indicating that the decreased polyQ expression was modulated via autophagy. SCA3 mice showed improved motor coordination behavior when they intracranially received exosomes enriched with hsa-miRNA-6780-5p. SCA3 mouse cerebellar tissues treated with hsa-miRNA-6780-5p-enriched exosomes showed decreased expression of polyQ and increased expression of LC3II/I, an autophagy marker. In conclusion, our findings can serve as a basis for developing an alternative therapeutic strategy for SCA3 disease treatment using miRNA-enriched exosomes derived from chemically preconditioned cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Shuan Chen
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC; Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Jyh Harn
- Department of Pathology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Tzu Chi University, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Zhen-Xiang Hong
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Chen Huang
- Department of Life Science, National Dong Hwa University, No. 1, Sec. 2, Da Hsueh Rd, Shoufeng, Hualien 974301, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Tung Lin
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hui-Xuan Zheng
- Department of Life Science, National Dong Hwa University, No. 1, Sec. 2, Da Hsueh Rd, Shoufeng, Hualien 974301, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pei-Yu Chen
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsueh-Hui Yang
- Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Peir-Rong Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsieh-Chih Tsai
- Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shinn-Zong Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tsung-Jung Ho
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, 707, Sec. 3, Chung-Yang Rd., Hualien, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Tzyy-Wen Chiou
- Department of Life Science, National Dong Hwa University, No. 1, Sec. 2, Da Hsueh Rd, Shoufeng, Hualien 974301, Taiwan, ROC.
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Locci S, Nidiaci V, De Stefano N, Leoni V, Mignarri A. 24S-Hydroxycholesterol and Cerebellar Degeneration: Insights from SCA2. Cerebellum 2023; 22:1020-1022. [PMID: 35851639 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01448-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Locci
- Unit of Neurology and Neurometabolic Diseases, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Valentina Nidiaci
- Unit of Neurology and Neurometabolic Diseases, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Nicola De Stefano
- Unit of Neurology and Neurometabolic Diseases, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Valerio Leoni
- Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, ASST-Brianza and Department of Medicine and Surgery, Hospital of Desio, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Mignarri
- Unit of Neurology and Neurometabolic Diseases, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy.
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Elyoseph Z, Geisinger D, Zaltzman R, Mintz M, Gordon CR. The vestibular symptomatology of Machado-Joseph Disease. J Vestib Res 2023:VES230038. [PMID: 37661905 DOI: 10.3233/ves-230038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Machado Joseph Disease (MJD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease. In previous studies, we described significant bilateral horizontal Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR) deficit within this population without any reference to the presence of vestibular symptomatology. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether, beyond cerebellar ataxia complaints, MJD patients have typical vestibular symptomatology corresponding to the accepted diagnostic criteria of Bilateral Vestibulopathy (BVP) according to the definition of the International Barany Society of Neuro-Otology. METHODS Twenty-one MJD, 12 clinically stable chronic Unilateral Vestibulopathy (UVP), 15 clinically stable chronic BVP, and 22 healthy Controls underwent the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) evaluating VOR gain and filled out the following questionnaires related to vestibular symptomatology: The Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), the Vertigo Visual Scale (VVS) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). RESULTS The MJD group demonstrated significant bilateral vestibular impairment with horizontal gain less than 0.6 in 71% of patients (0.54±0.17). Similar to UVP and BVP, MJD patients reported a significantly higher level of symptoms than Controls in the DHI, ABC, VVS, and BAI questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS MJD demonstrated significant VOR impairment and clinical symptoms typical of BVP. We suggest that in a future version of the International Classification of Vestibular Disorders (ICVD), MJD should be categorized under a separate section of central vestibulopathy with the heading of bilateral vestibulopathy. The present findings are of importance regarding the clinical diagnosis process and possible treatment based on vestibular rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohar Elyoseph
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel
- The Center for Psychobiological Research, Department of Psychology and Educational Counseling, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Israel
- Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London
| | | | - Roy Zaltzman
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
| | - Matti Mintz
- Department of Psychology, Ashkelon Academic College, Israel
| | - Carlos R Gordon
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Israel
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Cunha-Garcia D, Monteiro-Fernandes D, Correia JS, Neves-Carvalho A, Vilaça-Ferreira AC, Guerra-Gomes S, Viana JF, Oliveira JF, Teixeira-Castro A, Maciel P, Duarte-Silva S. Genetic Ablation of Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor Type 2 (IP 3R2) Fails to Modify Disease Progression in a Mouse Model of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10606. [PMID: 37445783 PMCID: PMC10341520 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a rare neurodegenerative disease caused by an abnormal polyglutamine expansion within the ataxin-3 protein (ATXN3). This leads to neurodegeneration of specific brain and spinal cord regions, resulting in a progressive loss of motor function. Despite neuronal death, non-neuronal cells, including astrocytes, are also involved in SCA3 pathogenesis. Astrogliosis is a common pathological feature in SCA3 patients and animal models of the disease. However, the contribution of astrocytes to SCA3 is not clearly defined. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 2 (IP3R2) is the predominant IP3R in mediating astrocyte somatic calcium signals, and genetically ablation of IP3R2 has been widely used to study astrocyte function. Here, we aimed to investigate the relevance of IP3R2 in the onset and progression of SCA3. For this, we tested whether IP3R2 depletion and the consecutive suppression of global astrocytic calcium signalling would lead to marked changes in the behavioral phenotype of a SCA3 mouse model, the CMVMJD135 transgenic line. This was achieved by crossing IP3R2 null mice with the CMVMJD135 mouse model and performing a longitudinal behavioral characterization of these mice using well-established motor-related function tests. Our results demonstrate that IP3R2 deletion in astrocytes does not modify SCA3 progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Cunha-Garcia
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Daniela Monteiro-Fernandes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Joana Sofia Correia
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Andreia Neves-Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Catarina Vilaça-Ferreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Sónia Guerra-Gomes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - João Filipe Viana
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - João Filipe Oliveira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- IPCA-EST-2Ai, Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Campus of IPCA, 4750-810 Barcelos, Portugal
| | - Andreia Teixeira-Castro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Sara Duarte-Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
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Brás J, Henriques D, Moreira R, Santana MM, Silva-pedrosa R, Adão D, Braz S, Álvaro AR, de Almeida LP, Mendonça LS. Establishment and characterization of human pluripotent stem cells-derived brain organoids to model cerebellar diseases. Sci Rep 2022; 12. [PMID: 35869235 PMCID: PMC9307606 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16369-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of robust human brain organoids to model cerebellar diseases is essential to study new therapeutic strategies for cerebellum-associated disorders. Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is a cerebellar hereditary neurodegenerative disease, without therapeutic options able to prevent the disease progression. In the present work, control and MJD induced-pluripotent stem cells were used to establish human brain organoids. These organoids were characterized regarding brain development, cell type composition, and MJD-associated neuropathology markers, to evaluate their value for cerebellar diseases modeling. Our data indicate that the organoids recapitulated, to some extent, aspects of brain development, such as astroglia emerging after neurons and the presence of ventricular-like zones surrounded by glia and neurons that are found only in primate brains. Moreover, the brain organoids presented markers of neural progenitors proliferation, neuronal differentiation, inhibitory and excitatory synapses, and firing neurons. The established brain organoids also exhibited markers of cerebellar neurons progenitors and mature cerebellar neurons. Finally, MJD brain organoids showed higher ventricular-like zone numbers, an indication of lower maturation, and an increased number of ataxin-3-positive aggregates, compared with control organoids. Altogether, our data indicate that the established organoids recapitulate important characteristics of human brain development and exhibit cerebellar features, constituting a resourceful tool for testing therapeutic approaches for cerebellar diseases.
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Correia JS, Duarte-Silva S, Salgado AJ, Maciel P. Cell-based therapeutic strategies for treatment of spinocerebellar ataxias: an update. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1203-1212. [PMID: 36453395 PMCID: PMC9838137 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.355981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxias are heritable neurodegenerative diseases caused by a cytosine-adenine-guanine expansion, which encodes a long glutamine tract (polyglutamine) in the respective wild-type protein causing misfolding and protein aggregation. Clinical features of polyglutamine spinocerebellar ataxias include neuronal aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, decreased proteasomal activity, and autophagy impairment. Mutant polyglutamine protein aggregates accumulate within neurons and cause neural dysfunction and death in specific regions of the central nervous system. Spinocerebellar ataxias are mostly characterized by progressive ataxia, speech and swallowing problems, loss of coordination and gait deficits. Over the past decade, efforts have been made to ameliorate disease symptoms in patients, yet no cure is available. Previous studies have been proposing the use of stem cells as promising tools for central nervous system tissue regeneration. So far, pre-clinical trials have shown improvement in various models of neurodegenerative diseases following stem cell transplantation, including animal models of spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 2, and 3. However, contrasting results can be found in the literature, depending on the animal model, cell type, and route of administration used. Nonetheless, clinical trials using cellular implants into degenerated brain regions have already been applied, with the expectation that these cells would be able to differentiate into the specific neuronal subtypes and re-populate these regions, reconstructing the affected neural network. Meanwhile, the question of how feasible it is to continue such treatments remains unanswered, with long-lasting effects being still unknown. To establish the value of these advanced therapeutic tools, it is important to predict the actions of the transplanted cells as well as to understand which cell type can induce the best outcomes for each disease. Further studies are needed to determine the best route of administration, without neglecting the possible risks of repetitive transplantation that these approaches so far appear to demand. Despite the challenges ahead of us, cell-transplantation therapies are reported to have transient but beneficial outcomes in spinocerebellar ataxias, which encourages efforts towards their improvement in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Sofia Correia
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Sara Duarte-Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - António José Salgado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal,Correspondence to: Patrícia Maciel, .
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10
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Liu B, Yang A, Gao W, Chen Y, Wang Y, Liu X, Lv K, Zhang L, Ma G. Altered cerebral blood flow in patients with spinocerebellar degeneration. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:977145. [PMID: 36177360 PMCID: PMC9513175 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.977145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD) comprises a multitude of disorders with sporadic and hereditary forms, including spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). Except for progressive cerebellar ataxia and structural atrophy, hemodynamic changes have also been observed in SCD. This study aimed to explore the whole-brain patterns of altered cerebral blood flow (CBF) and its correlations with disease severity and psychological abnormalities in SCD via arterial spin labeling (ASL). Methods Thirty SCD patients and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were prospectively recruited and underwent ASL examination on a 3.0T MR scanner. The Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) scores were used to evaluate the disease severity in SCD patients. Additionally, the status of anxiety, depression and sleep among all patients were, respectively, evaluated by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self-Rating Scale of Sleep (SRSS). We compared the whole-brain CBF value between SCD group and HC group at the voxel level. Then, the correlation analyses between CBF and disease severity, and psychological abnormalities were performed on SCD group. Results Compared with HC, SCD patients demonstrated decreased CBF value in two clusters (FWE corrected P < 0.05), covering bilateral dentate and fastigial nuclei, bilateral cerebellar lobules I-IV, V and IX, left lobule VI, right lobule VIIIb, lobules IX and X of the vermis in the cerebellar Cluster 1 and the dorsal part of raphe nucleus in the midbrain Cluster 2. The CBF of cerebellar Cluster 1 was negatively correlated with SARA scores (Spearman’s rho = –0.374, P = 0.042) and SDS standard scores (Spearman’s rho = –0.388, P = 0.034), respectively. And, the CBF of midbrain Cluster 2 also had negative correlations with SARA scores (Spearman’s rho = –0.370, P = 0.044) and ICARS scores (Pearson r = –0.464, P = 0.010). Conclusion The SCD-related whole-brain CBF changes mainly involved in the cerebellum and the midbrain of brainstem, which are partially overlapped with the related function cerebellar areas of hand, foot and tongue movement. Decreased CBF was related to disease severity and depression status in SCD. Therefore, CBF may be a promising neuroimaging biomarker to reflect the severity of SCD and suggest mental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Liu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Aocai Yang
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wenwen Gao
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Radiology, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Radiology, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yige Wang
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiuxiu Liu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Radiology, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Kuan Lv
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Radiology, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Linwei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Linwei Zhang,
| | - Guolin Ma
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Guolin Ma,
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11
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Siciliano L, Olivito G, Urbini N, Silveri MC, Leggio M. “Mens Sana in Corpore Sano”: The Emerging Link of Motor Reserve with Motor and Cognitive Abilities and Compensatory Brain Networks in SCA2 Patients. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092166. [PMID: 36140267 PMCID: PMC9496032 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to resiliently cope with neuropathological lesions is a key scientific concern. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate whether motor reserve (MR), likely to be boosted by exercise engagement in a lifetime, affects motor symptom severity, cognitive functioning, and functional brain networks in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2)—a cerebellar neurodegenerative disease. The MR of 12 SCA2 patients was assessed using the Motor Reserve Index Questionnaire (MRIq), developed ad hoc for estimating lifespan MR. The International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale was used to assess clinical motor features, and neuropsychological tests were used to evaluate cognitive functioning. Patients underwent an MRI examination, and network-based statistics (NBS) analysis was carried out to detect patterns of functional connectivity (FC). Significant correlations were found between MRIq measures and the severity of motor symptoms, educational and intellectual levels, executive function, and processing speed. NBS analysis revealed a higher FC within subnetworks consisting of specific cerebellar and cerebral areas. FC patterns were positively correlated with MRIq measures, likely indicating the identification of an MR network. The identified network might reflect a biomarker likely to underlie MR, influenced by education and cognitive functioning, and impacting the severity of motor symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libera Siciliano
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Ataxia Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Giusy Olivito
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Ataxia Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Nicole Urbini
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Ataxia Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Leggio
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Ataxia Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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12
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Iwabuchi K, Koyano S, Yagishita S. Simple and clear differentiation of spinocerebellar degenerations: Overview of macroscopic and low-power view findings. Neuropathology 2022; 42:379-393. [PMID: 35859519 DOI: 10.1111/neup.12823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar degenerations (SCDs) are a diverse group of rare and slowly progressive neurological diseases that include spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, SCA7, dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). They are often inherited, and affect the cerebellum and related pathways. The combination of clinical findings and lesion distribution has been the gold-standard for classifying SCDs. This conventional approach has not been very successful in providing a solid framework shared among researchers because their points of views have been quite variable. After identification of genetic abnormalities, classification was overwhelmed by genotyping, replacing the conventional approach far behind. In this review, we describe a stepwise operational approach that we constructed based only on macroscopic findings without microscopy to classify SCDs into three major groups: pure cerebellar type for SCA6 and SCA31; olivopontocerebellar (OPC) type for SCA1, SCA2, SCA7 and MSA; and dentatorubral-pallidoluysian (DRPL) type for SCA1, SCA3, DRPLA and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Spinocerebellar tract involvement distinguishes SCA1 and SCA3 from DRPLA. Degeneration of the internal segment of the pallidum is accentuated in SCA3 and PSP, while degeneration of the external segment is accentuated in SCA1 and DRPLA. These contrasts are helpful in subdividing OPC and DRPL types to predict their genotypes. Lesion distribution represents disease-specific selective vulnerability, which is readily differentiated macroscopically using our stepwise operational approach. Precise prediction of the major genotypes will provide a basis to understand how genetic abnormalities lead to corresponding phenotypes through disease-specific selective vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shigeru Koyano
- Department of Neurology, Yokohama Minami Kyosai Hospital, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Saburo Yagishita
- Department of Pathology, Sagamihara National Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan
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13
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Sobana SA, Huda F, Hermawan R, Sribudiani Y, Koan TS, Dian S, Ong PA, Dahlan NL, Utami N, Pusparini I, Gamayani U, Mohamed Ibrahim N, Achmad TH. Brain MRI Volumetry Analysis in an Indonesian Family of SCA 3 Patients: A Case-Based Study. Front Neurol 2022; 13:912592. [PMID: 35847233 PMCID: PMC9277061 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.912592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Spinocerebellar ataxia type-3 (SCA3) is an adult-onset autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease. It is caused by expanding of CAG repeat in ATXN3 gene that later on would affect brain structures. This brain changes could be evaluated using brain MRI volumetric. However, findings across published brain volumetric studies have been inconsistent. Here, we report MRI brain volumetric analysis in a family of SCA 3 patients, which included pre-symptomatic and symptomatic patients. Methodology The study included affected and unaffected members from a large six-generation family of SCA 3, genetically confirmed using PolyQ/CAG repeat expansion analysis, Sanger sequencing, and PCR. Clinical evaluation was performed using Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). Subjects' brains were scanned using 3.0-T MRI with a 3D T1 BRAVO sequence. Evaluations were performed by 2 independent neuroradiologists. An automated volumetric analysis was performed using FreeSurfer and CERES (for the cerebellum). Result We evaluated 7 subjects from this SCA3 family, including 3 subjects with SCA3 and 4 unaffected subjects. The volumetric evaluation revealed smaller brain volumes (p < 0.05) in the corpus callosum, cerebellar volume of lobules I-II, lobule IV, lobule VIIB and lobule IX; and in cerebellar gray matter volume of lobule IV, and VIIIA; in the pathologic/expanded CAG repeat group (SCA3). Conclusion Brain MRI volumetry of SCA3 subjects showed smaller brain volumes in multiple brain regions including the corpus callosum and gray matter volumes of several cerebellar lobules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Aminah Sobana
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital/Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Research Center of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Doctoral Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Siti Aminah Sobana
| | - Fathul Huda
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital/Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Research Center of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- *Correspondence: Fathul Huda
| | - Robby Hermawan
- Department of Radiology, Saint Borromeus Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Yunia Sribudiani
- Research Center of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Tan Siauw Koan
- Department of Radiology, Saint Borromeus Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Sofiati Dian
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital/Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Paulus Anam Ong
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital/Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Nushrotul Lailiyya Dahlan
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital/Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Nastiti Utami
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital/Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Iin Pusparini
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital/Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Uni Gamayani
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital/Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Norlinah Mohamed Ibrahim
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Tri Hanggono Achmad
- Research Center of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
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14
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Coelho P, Fão L, Mota S, Rego AC. Mitochondrial function and dynamics in neural stem cells and neurogenesis: Implications for neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 80:101667. [PMID: 35714855 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria have been largely described as the powerhouse of the cell and recent findings demonstrate that this organelle is fundamental for neurogenesis. The mechanisms underlying neural stem cells (NSCs) maintenance and differentiation are highly regulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Mitochondrial-mediated switch from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation, accompanied by mitochondrial remodeling and dynamics are vital to NSCs fate. Deregulation of mitochondrial proteins, mitochondrial DNA, function, fission/fusion and metabolism underly several neurodegenerative diseases; data show that these impairments are already present in early developmental stages and NSC fate decisions. However, little is known about mitochondrial role in neurogenesis. In this Review, we describe the recent evidence covering mitochondrial role in neurogenesis, its impact in selected neurodegenerative diseases, for which aging is the major risk factor, and the recent advances in stem cell-based therapies that may alleviate neurodegenerative disorders-related neuronal deregulation through improvement of mitochondrial function and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Coelho
- CNC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Polo 1, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Lígia Fão
- CNC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Polo 1, Coimbra, Portugal; FMUC- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra Polo 3, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Sandra Mota
- CNC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Polo 1, Coimbra, Portugal; III, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - A Cristina Rego
- CNC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Polo 1, Coimbra, Portugal; FMUC- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra Polo 3, Coimbra, Portugal.
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15
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Jansen-West K, Todd TW, Daughrity LM, Yue M, Tong J, Carlomagno Y, Del Rosso G, Kurti A, Jones CY, Dunmore JA, Castanedes-Casey M, Dickson DW, Wszolek ZK, Fryer JD, Petrucelli L, Prudencio M. Plasma PolyQ-ATXN3 Levels Associate With Cerebellar Degeneration and Behavioral Abnormalities in a New AAV-Based SCA3 Mouse Model. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:863089. [PMID: 35386195 PMCID: PMC8977414 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.863089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a dominantly inherited cerebellar ataxia caused by the expansion of a polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat in the gene encoding ATXN3. The polyQ expansion induces protein inclusion formation in the neurons of patients and results in neuronal degeneration in the cerebellum and other brain regions. We used adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology to develop a new mouse model of SCA3 that recapitulates several features of the human disease, including locomotor defects, cerebellar-specific neuronal loss, polyQ-expanded ATXN3 inclusions, and TDP-43 pathology. We also found that neurofilament light is elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the SCA3 animals, and the expanded polyQ-ATXN3 protein can be detected in the plasma. Interestingly, the levels of polyQ-ATXN3 in plasma correlated with measures of cerebellar degeneration and locomotor deficits in 6-month-old SCA3 mice, supporting the hypothesis that this factor could act as a biomarker for SCA3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Jansen-West
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Tiffany W. Todd
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | | | - Mei Yue
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Jimei Tong
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Yari Carlomagno
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Giulia Del Rosso
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Aishe Kurti
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Caroline Y. Jones
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Judith A. Dunmore
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | | | - Dennis W. Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | | | - John D. Fryer
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, United States
| | - Leonard Petrucelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Mercedes Prudencio
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
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16
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Deistung A, Jäschke D, Draganova R, Pfaffenrot V, Hulst T, Steiner KM, Thieme A, Giordano IA, Klockgether T, Tunc S, Münchau A, Minnerop M, Göricke SL, Reichenbach JR, Timmann D. Quantitative susceptibility mapping reveals alterations of dentate nuclei in common types of degenerative cerebellar ataxias. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcab306. [PMID: 35291442 PMCID: PMC8914888 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellar nuclei are a brain region with high iron content. Surprisingly,
little is known about iron content in the cerebellar nuclei and its possible
contribution to pathology in cerebellar ataxias, with the only exception of
Friedreich’s ataxia. In the present exploratory cross-sectional study,
quantitative susceptibility mapping was used to investigate volume, iron
concentration and total iron content of the dentate nuclei in common types of
hereditary and non-hereditary degenerative ataxias. Seventy-nine patients with
spinocerebellar ataxias of types 1, 2, 3 and 6; 15 patients with
Friedreich’s ataxia; 18 patients with multiple system atrophy, cerebellar
type and 111 healthy controls were also included. All underwent 3 T MRI
and clinical assessments. For each specific ataxia subtype, voxel-based and
volumes-of-interest-based group analyses were performed in comparison with a
corresponding age- and sex-matched control group, both for volume, magnetic
susceptiblity (indicating iron concentration) and susceptibility mass
(indicating total iron content) of the dentate nuclei. Spinocerebellar ataxia of
type 1 and multiple system atrophy, cerebellar type patients showed higher
susceptibilities in large parts of the dentate nucleus but unaltered
susceptibility masses compared with controls. Friedreich’s ataxia
patients and, only on a trend level, spinocerebellar ataxia of type 2 patients
showed higher susceptibilities in more circumscribed parts of the dentate. In
contrast, spinocerebellar ataxia of type 6 patients revealed lower
susceptibilities and susceptibility masses compared with controls throughout the
dentate nucleus. Spinocerebellar ataxia of type 3 patients showed no significant
changes in susceptibility and susceptibility mass. Lower volume of the dentate
nuclei was found to varying degrees in all ataxia types. It was most pronounced
in spinocerebellar ataxia of type 6 patients and least prominent in
spinocerebellar ataxia of type 3 patients. The findings show that alterations in
susceptibility revealed by quantitative susceptibility mapping are common in the
dentate nuclei in different types of cerebellar ataxias. The most striking
changes in susceptibility were found in spinocerebellar ataxia of type 1,
multiple system atrophy, cerebellar type and spinocerebellar ataxia of type 6.
Because iron content is known to be high in glial cells but not in neurons of
the cerebellar nuclei, the higher susceptibility in spinocerebellar ataxia of
type 1 and multiple system atrophy, cerebellar type may be explained by a
reduction of neurons (increase in iron concentration) and/or an increase in
iron-rich glial cells, e.g. microgliosis. Hypomyelination also leads to higher
susceptibility and could also contribute. The lower susceptibility in SCA6
suggests a loss of iron-rich glial cells. Quantitative susceptibility maps
warrant future studies of iron content and iron-rich cells in ataxias to gain a
more comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Deistung
- University Clinic and Outpatient Clinic for Radiology, Department for Radiation Medicine, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Halle (Saale), Germany
- Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Dominik Jäschke
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Rossitza Draganova
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Viktor Pfaffenrot
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Thomas Hulst
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
- Erasmus University College, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Katharina M. Steiner
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Andreas Thieme
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Ilaria A. Giordano
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Klockgether
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Sinem Tunc
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Alexander Münchau
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Martina Minnerop
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Center for Movement Disorders and Neuromodulation, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Sophia L. Göricke
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Jürgen R. Reichenbach
- Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Dagmar Timmann
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
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17
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Li M, Chen X, Xu HL, Huang Z, Chen N, Tu Y, Gan S, Hu J. Brain structural abnormalities in the preclinical stage of Machado-Joseph disease/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (MJD/SCA3): evaluation by MRI morphometry, diffusion tensor imaging and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging. J Neurol 2021; 269:2989-2998. [PMID: 34783886 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-021-10890-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) could provide the added value for detecting brain microstructural alterations in the preclinical stage of Machado-Joseph disease/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (MJD/SCA3) compared with MRI morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). METHODS Twenty preclinical MJD/SCA3 patients and 21 healthy controls were enrolled. Three b values DWI and 3D T1-weighted images were acquired at 3.0 T. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) approach was used to investigate the white matter (WM) alterations in the DTI metrics and NODDI metrics. Gray matter-based spatial statistics (GBSS) approach was used to investigate the grey matter (GM) alterations in the NODDI metrics. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach was performed on the 3D T1-weighted images. The relationship between the cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeat length and brain microstructural alterations of preclinical MJD/SCA3 was identified. RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, the preclinical MJD/SCA3 patients showed decreased FA and NDI as well as increased MD, AD, and RD in the WM of cerebellum and brainstem (corrected P < 0.05), and decreased NDI in the GM of cerebellar vermis (corrected P < 0.05). The CAG repeat length in preclinical MJD/SCA3 patients was negatively correlated with the reduced FA and NDI of the infratentorial WM and the reduced NDI of the cerebellum, and positively with the increased MD and RD of the infratentorial WM. CONCLUSIONS NOODI can provide novel quantitative microstructural changes in MJD/SCA3 carriers, expanding our understanding of the gray and white matter (axons and dendrites) degeneration in this frequent ataxia syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengcheng Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyuan Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao-Ling Xu
- Department of Neurology, 900th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ziqiang Huang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Naping Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqing Tu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Shirui Gan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, People's Republic of China. .,Fujian Institute of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianping Hu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, People's Republic of China.
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18
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Haas E, Incebacak RD, Hentrich T, Huridou C, Schmidt T, Casadei N, Maringer Y, Bahl C, Zimmermann F, Mills JD, Aronica E, Riess O, Schulze-Hentrich JM, Hübener-Schmid J. A Novel SCA3 Knock-in Mouse Model Mimics the Human SCA3 Disease Phenotype Including Neuropathological, Behavioral, and Transcriptional Abnormalities Especially in Oligodendrocytes. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 59:495-522. [PMID: 34716557 PMCID: PMC8786755 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02610-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 is the most common autosomal dominant inherited ataxia worldwide, caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the Ataxin-3 gene resulting in a polyglutamine (polyQ)-expansion in the corresponding protein. The disease is characterized by neuropathological, phenotypical, and specific transcriptional changes in affected brain regions. So far, there is no mouse model available representing all the different aspects of the disease, yet highly needed for a better understanding of the disease pathomechanisms. Here, we characterized a novel Ataxin-3 knock-in mouse model, expressing a heterozygous or homozygous expansion of 304 CAACAGs in the murine Ataxin-3 locus using biochemical, behavioral, and transcriptomic approaches. We compared neuropathological, and behavioral features of the new knock-in model with the in SCA3 research mostly used YAC84Q mouse model. Further, we compared transcriptional changes found in cerebellar samples of the SCA3 knock-in mice and post-mortem human SCA3 patients. The novel knock-in mouse is characterized by the expression of a polyQ-expansion in the murine Ataxin-3 protein, leading to aggregate formation, especially in brain regions known to be vulnerable in SCA3 patients, and impairment of Purkinje cells. Along these neuropathological changes, the mice showed a reduction in body weight accompanied by gait and balance instability. Transcriptomic analysis of cerebellar tissue revealed age-dependent differential expression, enriched for genes attributed to myelinating oligodendrocytes. Comparing these changes with those found in cerebellar tissue of SCA3 patients, we discovered an overlap of differentially expressed genes pointing towards similar gene expression perturbances in several genes linked to myelin sheaths and myelinating oligodendrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Haas
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rana D Incebacak
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Hentrich
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Chrisovalantou Huridou
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thorsten Schmidt
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Casadei
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,DFG NGS Competence Center Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yacine Maringer
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Carola Bahl
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Frank Zimmermann
- Interfaculty Biomedical Facility (IBF) Biotechnology lab, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - James D Mills
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Olaf Riess
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,DFG NGS Competence Center Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia M Schulze-Hentrich
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jeannette Hübener-Schmid
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. .,Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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19
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Hu J, Chen X, Li M, Xu HL, Huang Z, Chen N, Tu Y, Chen Q, Gan S, Cao D. Pattern of cerebellar grey matter loss associated with ataxia severity in spinocerebellar ataxias type 3: a multi-voxel pattern analysis. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:379-388. [PMID: 34417969 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00511-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxias type 3 (SCA3) patients are clinically characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia combined with degeneration of the cerebellum. Previous neuroimaging studies have indicated ataxia severity associated with cerebellar atrophy using univariate methods. However, whether cerebellar atrophy patterns can be used to quantitatively predict ataxia severity in SCA3 patients at the individual level remains largely unexplored. In this study, a group of 66 SCA3 patients and 58 healthy controls were included. Disease duration and ataxia assessment, including the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS), were collected for SCA3 patients. The high-resolution T1-weighted MRI was obtained, and cerebellar grey matter (GM) was extracted using a spatially unbiased infratentorial template toolbox for all participants. We investigated the association between the pattern of cerebellar grey matter (GM) loss and ataxia assessment in SCA3 by using a multivariate machine learning technique. We found that the application of RVR allowed quantitative prediction of both SARA scores (leave-one-subject-out cross-validation: correlation = 0.56, p-value = 0.001; mean squared error (MSE) = 20.51, p-value = 0.001; ten-fold cross-validation: correlation = 0.52, p-value = 0.001; MSE = 21.00, p-value = 0.001) and ICARS score (leave-one-subject-out cross-validation: correlation = 0.59, p-value = 0.001; MSE = 139.69, p-value = 0.001; ten-fold cross-validation: correlation = 0.57, p-value = 0.001; MSE = 145.371, p-value = 0.001) with statistically significant accuracy. These results provide proof-of-concept that ataxia severity in SCA3 patients can be predicted by the alteration pattern of cerebellar GM using multi-voxel pattern analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianping Hu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyuan Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengcheng Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao-Ling Xu
- Department of Neurology, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ziqiang Huang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Naping Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqing Tu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Qunlin Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Shirui Gan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China. .,Fujian Institute of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Dairong Cao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People's Republic of China. .,Fujian Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Cancer, the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology of Fujian Higher Education Institutions, the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, 20 ChaZhong Rd, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, China.
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20
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Abstract
Essential tremor (ET) has recently been reconceptualized by many as a degenerative disease of the cerebellum. Until now, though, there has been no attempt to frame it within the context of these diseases. Here, we compare the clinical and postmortem features of ET with other cerebellar degenerations, thereby placing it within the broader context of these diseases. Action tremor is the hallmark feature of ET. Although often underreported in the spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), action tremors occur, and it is noteworthy that in SCA12 and 15, they are highly prevalent, often severe, and can be the earliest disease manifestation, resulting in an initial diagnosis of ET in many cases. Intention tremor, sometimes referred to as "cerebellar tremor," is a common feature of ET and many SCAs. Other features of cerebellar dysfunction, gait ataxia and eye motion abnormalities, are seen to a mild degree in ET and more markedly in SCAs. Several SCAs (e.g., SCA5, 6, 14, and 15), like ET, follow a milder and more protracted disease course. In ET, numerous postmortem changes have been localized to the cerebellum and are largely confined to the cerebellar cortex, preserving the cerebellar nuclei. Purkinje cell loss is modest. Similarly, in SCA3, 12, and 15, Purkinje cell loss is limited, and in SCA12 and 15, there is preservation of cerebellar nuclei and relative sparing of other central nervous system regions. Both clinically and pathologically, there are numerous similarities and intersection points between ET and other disorders of cerebellar degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elan D Louis
- Department of Neurology and Therapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Phyllis L Faust
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
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21
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Geisinger D, Elyoseph Z, Zaltzman R, Mintz M, Gordon CR. Angular vestibulo ocular reflex loss with preserved saccular function in Machado-Joseph disease. J Neurol Sci 2021; 424:117393. [PMID: 33780779 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2021.117393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide a comprehensive evaluation of the vestibular function in Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD). METHODS 21 MJD patients and 19 healthy Controls underwent a detailed clinical neuro-otological evaluation including VOR gain of all six semicircular canals by video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), remaining horizontal VOR function by Suppression Head Impulse test (SHIMP), and saccular function by cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (cVEMP). RESULTS All MJD had significantly lower VOR gain in all six semicircular canals (p < 0.001) with a mean ± SEM of horizontal gain of 0.52 ± 0.04 and vertical gain of 0.57 ± 0.03 versus Controls' gain of 0.95 ± 0.01 and 0.81 ± 0.02, respectively (p < 0.001). MJD showed also a significantly lower VOR gain on the SHIMP test with left gain of 0.51 ± 0.04 and right gain of 0.46 ± 0.03 versus Controls' gain of 0.79 ± 0.01 and 0.83 ± 0.03, respectively (p < 0.001). In contrast, MJD had normal saccular function reflected by the presence of cVEMP response in 18/20 patients and in 12/17 of Controls, with a non-significant difference between MJD and Controls of P13 and N23 peaks latency and normalized peak-to-peak amplitude. ROC analysis of horizontal VOR gain resulted in an area under the curve of 0.993 making the average lateral canals' VOR gain an excellent classifier of MJD vs Controls. CONCLUSIONS Horizontal and vertical VOR impairment with preserved sacculo-collic function seems to be a distinctive feature of MJD and could be explained by selective, mostly medial and superior vestibular nuclei degeneration. This study further supports the idea that horizontal VOR gain measured by vHIT could be a potential neurophysiological biomarker of MJD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zohar Elyoseph
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Roy Zaltzman
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Matti Mintz
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Carlos R Gordon
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
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22
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Clausi S, Olivito G, Siciliano L, Lupo M, Bozzali M, Masciullo M, Molinari M, Romano S, Leggio M. The neurobiological underpinning of the social cognition impairments in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. Cortex 2021; 138:101-12. [PMID: 33677324 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Clinical studies described emotional and social behaviour alterations in patients with cerebellar diseases, proposing a role of specific cerebello-cerebral circuits in social cognition. However, for a long time these difficulties were underestimated, and no studies have addressed the correlation between social cognition deficits and topography of the cerebellar damage. The present study aims to investigate the social cognition impairment and the neuroanatomical alterations in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) and to analyze their relationship. To this purpose a social cognition battery composed by three tests, and a MRI protocol were administered to 13 SCA2 patients and 26 healthy subjects. The pattern of gray matter (GM) atrophy was analyzed by voxel-based morphometry, and the GM volumes of each altered area were correlated with the behavioral scores to investigate anatomo-functional relationships. In addition, we investigated the relationship between social deficits and damage to the cerebellar peduncles using DTI diffusivity indices. Our patients showed impairment of the immediate perceptual component of the mental state recognition (i.e., to recognize feelings and thoughts from the eyes expression), and difficulties in anger attribution, and in the understanding of false or mistaken beliefs. They showed a pattern of GM reduction in cerebellar regions, including lobules IX and VIIIb and Crus II, all of which are involved in specific components of the mentalizing process. Interestingly, the behavioral performance, in which SCA2 patients showed impairments compared to controls, correlated with the degree of cerebellar GM reduction and with the presence of microstructural abnormalities in the cerebellar peduncles. The present study provides the first characterization of the social cognition deficits in a homogenous cohort SCA2 patients and demonstrates that alterations in specific cerebellar regions should represent the neurobiological underpinning of their social behavior difficulties. Our results offer a new point of view in considering these aspects in the clinical practice.
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23
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Canet-Pons J, Sen NE, Arsović A, Almaguer-Mederos LE, Halbach MV, Key J, Döring C, Kerksiek A, Picchiarelli G, Cassel R, René F, Dieterlé S, Fuchs NV, König R, Dupuis L, Lütjohann D, Gispert S, Auburger G. Atxn2-CAG100-KnockIn mouse spinal cord shows progressive TDP43 pathology associated with cholesterol biosynthesis suppression. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 152:105289. [PMID: 33577922 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Large polyglutamine expansions in Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) cause multi-system nervous atrophy in Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 2 (SCA2). Intermediate size expansions carry a risk for selective motor neuron degeneration, known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Conversely, the depletion of ATXN2 prevents disease progression in ALS. Although ATXN2 interacts directly with RNA, and in ALS pathogenesis there is a crucial role of RNA toxicity, the affected functional pathways remain ill defined. Here, we examined an authentic SCA2 mouse model with Atxn2-CAG100-KnockIn for a first definition of molecular mechanisms in spinal cord pathology. Neurophysiology of lower limbs detected sensory neuropathy rather than motor denervation. Triple immunofluorescence demonstrated cytosolic ATXN2 aggregates sequestrating TDP43 and TIA1 from the nucleus. In immunoblots, this was accompanied by elevated CASP3, RIPK1 and PQBP1 abundance. RT-qPCR showed increase of Grn, Tlr7 and Rnaset2 mRNA versus Eif5a2, Dcp2, Uhmk1 and Kif5a decrease. These SCA2 findings overlap well with known ALS features. Similar to other ataxias and dystonias, decreased mRNA levels for Unc80, Tacr1, Gnal, Ano3, Kcna2, Elovl5 and Cdr1 contrasted with Gpnmb increase. Preterminal stage tissue showed strongly activated microglia containing ATXN2 aggregates, with parallel astrogliosis. Global transcriptome profiles from stages of incipient motor deficit versus preterminal age identified molecules with progressive downregulation, where a cluster of cholesterol biosynthesis enzymes including Dhcr24, Msmo1, Idi1 and Hmgcs1 was prominent. Gas chromatography demonstrated a massive loss of crucial cholesterol precursor metabolites. Overall, the ATXN2 protein aggregation process affects diverse subcellular compartments, in particular stress granules, endoplasmic reticulum and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling. These findings identify new targets and potential biomarkers for neuroprotective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlia Canet-Pons
- Experimental Neurology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nesli-Ece Sen
- Experimental Neurology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Faculty of Biosciences, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Aleksandar Arsović
- Experimental Neurology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Luis-Enrique Almaguer-Mederos
- Experimental Neurology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Center for Investigation and Rehabilitation of Hereditary Ataxias (CIRAH), Holguín, Cuba
| | - Melanie V Halbach
- Experimental Neurology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jana Key
- Experimental Neurology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Faculty of Biosciences, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Claudia Döring
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anja Kerksiek
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Gina Picchiarelli
- UMRS-1118 INSERM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Raphaelle Cassel
- UMRS-1118 INSERM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Frédérique René
- UMRS-1118 INSERM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Stéphane Dieterlé
- UMRS-1118 INSERM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Nina V Fuchs
- Host-Pathogen Interactions, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Renate König
- Host-Pathogen Interactions, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Luc Dupuis
- UMRS-1118 INSERM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Dieter Lütjohann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Suzana Gispert
- Experimental Neurology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Georg Auburger
- Experimental Neurology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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24
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Lin J, Zhang L, Cao B, Wei Q, Ou R, Hou Y, Xu X, Liu K, Gu X, Shang H. Establish a Nomogram to Predict Falls in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3. Front Neurol 2021; 11:602003. [PMID: 33584500 PMCID: PMC7873475 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.602003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Falls are common and are frequently accompanied by injuries in patients with spinocerebellar ataxias type 3 (SCA3). We explored which factors could predict falls in a cohort of patients with SCA3 and developed a nomogram model to predict the first fall in non-fallen patients with SCA3. Method: We conducted a prospective cohort study. Forty-four non-fallen patients with SCA3 were followed up until the first fall or November 5, 2020, whichever came first. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were applied to explore the predictive factors of falls in patients with SCA3. A nomogram model predicting the no-fall probabilities at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months was formulated based on the results of the multivariate Cox analysis. Internal validation was conducted to assess the discrimination and calibration of the final model using bootstrapping with 1,000 resamples. Results: Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression showed that the presence of dystonia, hyperreflexia, urinary incontinence, and hidrosis and the number of abnormal eye movements predicted a more rapid progression to falls in patients with SCA3. The nomogram model showed good discrimination with a concordance index of 0.83 and good calibration. Conclusion: Patients with dystonia, hyperreflexia, urinary incontinence, and hidrosis, and more types of abnormal eye movement had a more rapid progression to falls in SCA3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Lin
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bei Cao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinran Xu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kuncheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaojing Gu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Lin J, Zhang L, Cao B, Wei Q, Ou R, Hou Y, Xu X, Liu K, Gu X, Shang H. Abnormal eye movements in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3. BMC Neurol 2021; 21:28. [PMID: 33468086 PMCID: PMC7814728 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-021-02057-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Abnormal eye movements are common in spinocerebellar ataxias Type 3 (SCA3). We conducted the research to explore the frequency of abnormal eye movements in Chinese patients with SCA3, to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics between SCA3 patients with and without each type of abnormal eye movement, and to explore the correlation between abnormal eye movements and the severity of ataxia. Methods Seventy-four patients with SCA3 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Six types of abnormal eye movements including impaired smooth pursuit, increased square-wave jerks (SWJ), gaze-evoked nystagmus (GEN), slowing of saccades, saccadic hypo/hypermetria and supranuclear gaze palsy were evaluated by experienced neurologists. The severity of ataxia was evaluated by Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). Results The prevalence of impaired smooth pursuit, increased SWJ, GEN, slowing of saccades, saccadic hypo/hypermetria and supranuclear gaze palsy in Chinese SCA3 patients was 28.4, 13.5, 78.4, 41.9, 23.0, and 5.4%, respectively. SCA3 patients with GEN had higher scores of International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS-IV) and total ICARS, and longer length of CAG repeat than patients without GEN. SCA3 patients with slowing of saccades had a longer disease duration, higher scores of ICARS-I, ICARS-II, total ICARS and SARA than patients without slowing of saccades. SCA3 patients with saccadic hypo/hypermetria had higher scores of ICARS-III, ICARS-IV, and SARA than patients without saccadic hypo/hypermetria. The demographic and clinical characteristics did not differ significantly between SCA3 patients with and without impaired smooth pursuit, increased SWJ, or supranuclear gaze palsy. Multivariate linear regression showed that the number of abnormal eye movements (0–6), disease duration, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 (HDRS-24) score, and CAG repeat length were positively correlated with SARA score, whereas Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score was negatively correlated with SARA score in SCA3. Conclusions An increased number of abnormal eye movement types correlated with the severity of ataxia in SCA3. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12883-021-02057-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Lin
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bei Cao
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinran Xu
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Kuncheng Liu
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaojing Gu
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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Lemos J, Novo A, Duque C, Cunha I, Ribeiro J, Castelhano J, Januário C. Static and Dynamic Ocular Motor Abnormalities as Potential Biomarkers in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3. Cerebellum 2020; 20:402-409. [PMID: 33215370 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-020-01217-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
While dynamic ocular motor abnormalities (e.g., gaze-evoked nystagmus (GEN), low optokinetic nystagmus (OKN), pursuit and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gains, and dysmetric saccades) have been shown to be potential biomarkers in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), the value of static abnormalities (e.g., convergent [esodeviation] and divergent strabismus [exodeviation]) is unknown. Moreover, studies on dynamic abnormalities in SCA3 usually do not take into account the existence of potential abduction-adduction asymmetries in patients with degenerative ataxia. Thirty-eight patients with genetically confirmed SCA3 (24 females; mean age ± SD, 49.8± 12.2 years) and 22 healthy controls (12 females, p = 0.589; mean age ± SD, 50.7± 12.5 years, p = 0.651) underwent clinical and video-oculographic assessment. A p value < 0.002 (between- and within-group analyses) and < 0.001 (correlation analysis) was considered significant. Patients showed larger esodeviation at distance (p < 0.001), became more esodeviated in lateral gaze (p < 0.001), and their near exodeviation correlated with scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) score (p = 0.004). Pursuit, OKN, and VOR gains were lower in patients, both for their adducting and abducting components (p < 0.001). Saccades showed higher velocities (p < 0.001), abducting saccades showed lower amplitude (p < 0.001), and adducting saccades tended to show greater vertical bias (p = 0.018) in patients. Abducting saccades showed relatively lower velocity (p < 0.001) and lower amplitude (p = 0.015) than abducting saccades within patients. All dynamic ocular motor abnormalities except saccades correlated with SARA score, CAG repeat number, and/or disease duration (p < 0.001). Static and dynamic ocular motor abnormalities are potential biomarkers in SCA3. SCA3 studies using saccades should take into account the existence of potential abduction-adduction asymmetries.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Lemos
- Neurology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3000-135, Coimbra, Portugal. .,Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra University, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Ana Novo
- Neurology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3000-135, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cristina Duque
- Neurology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3000-135, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Inês Cunha
- Neurology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3000-135, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joana Ribeiro
- Neurology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3000-135, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Castelhano
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra University, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cristina Januário
- Neurology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3000-135, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra University, Coimbra, Portugal
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Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3/Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD) is a progressive autosomal dominantly inherited cerebellar ataxia characterized by the aggregation of polyglutamine-expanded protein within neuronal nuclei in the brain, which can lead to brain damage that precedes the onset of clinical manifestations. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques such as morphometric MRI, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have gained increasing attention as non-invasive and quantitative methods for the assessment of structural and functional alterations in clinical SCA3/MJD patients as well as preclinical carriers. Morphometric MRI has demonstrated typical patterns of atrophy or volume loss in the cerebellum and brainstem with extensive lesions in some supratentorial areas. DTI has detected widespread microstructural alterations in brain white matter, which indicate disrupted brain anatomical connectivity. Task-related fMRI has presented unusual brain activation patterns within the cerebellum and some extracerebellar tissue, reflecting the decreased functional connectivity of these brain regions in SCA3/MJD subjects. MRS has revealed abnormal neurochemical profiles, such as the levels or ratios of N-acetyl aspartate, choline, and creatine, in both clinical cases and preclinical cases before the alterations in brain anatomical structure. Moreover, a number of studies have reported correlations of MR imaging alterations with clinical and genetic features. The utility of these MR imaging techniques can help to identify preclinical SCA3/MJD carriers, monitor disease progression, evaluate response to therapeutic interventions, and illustrate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the occurrence, development, and prognosis of SCA3/MJD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Wan
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhao Chen
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Linlin Wan
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Beisha Tang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, China
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28
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Mendonça LS, Nóbrega C, Tavino S, Brinkhaus M, Matos C, Tomé S, Moreira R, Henriques D, Kaspar BK, Pereira de Almeida L. Ibuprofen enhances synaptic function and neural progenitors proliferation markers and improves neuropathology and motor coordination in Machado-Joseph disease models. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:3691-3703. [PMID: 31127937 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Machado-Joseph disease or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 is an inherited neurodegenerative disease associated with an abnormal glutamine over-repetition within the ataxin-3 protein. This mutant ataxin-3 protein affects several cellular pathways, leading to neuroinflammation and neuronal death in specific brain regions resulting in severe clinical manifestations. Presently, there is no therapy able to modify the disease progression. Nevertheless, anti-inflammatory pharmacological intervention has been associated with positive outcomes in other neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, the present work aimed at investigating whether ibuprofen treatment would alleviate Machado-Joseph disease. We found that ibuprofen-treated mouse models presented a significant reduction in the neuroinflammation markers, namely Il1b and TNFa mRNA and IKB-α protein phosphorylation levels. Moreover, these mice exhibited neuronal preservation, cerebellar atrophy reduction, smaller mutant ataxin-3 inclusions and motor performance improvement. Additionally, neural cultures of Machado-Joseph disease patients' induced pluripotent stem cells-derived neural stem cells incubated with ibuprofen showed increased levels of neural progenitors proliferation and synaptic markers such as MSI1, NOTCH1 and SYP. These findings were further confirmed in ibuprofen-treated mice that display increased neural progenitor numbers (Ki67 positive) in the subventricular zone. Furthermore, interestingly, ibuprofen treatment enhanced neurite total length and synaptic function of human neurons. Therefore, our results indicate that ibuprofen reduces neuroinflammation and induces neuroprotection, alleviating Machado-Joseph disease-associated neuropathology and motor impairments. Thus, our findings demonstrate that ibuprofen treatment has the potential to be used as a neuroprotective therapeutic approach in Machado-Joseph disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana S Mendonça
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Silvia Tavino
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maximilian Brinkhaus
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carlos Matos
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sandra Tomé
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Moreira
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Daniel Henriques
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Brian K Kaspar
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ohio State University School of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio 43205, USA
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- Vectors and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
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29
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You HJ, Fang SB, Wu TT, Zhang H, Feng YK, Li XJ, Yang HH, Li G, Li XH, Wu C, Fu QL, Pei Z. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes improve motor function and attenuate neuropathology in a mouse model of Machado-Joseph disease. Stem Cell Res Ther 2020; 11:222. [PMID: 32513306 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-020-01727-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Machado-Joseph disease is the most common autosomal dominant hereditary ataxia worldwide without effective treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could slow the disease progression, but side effects limited their clinical application. Besides, MSC-derived exosomes exerted similar efficacy and have many advantages over MSCs. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of MSC-derived exosomes in YACMJD84.2 mice. Methods Rotarod performance was evaluated every 2 weeks after a presymptomatic administration of intravenous MSC-derived exosomes twice in YACMJD84.2 mice. Loss of Purkinje cells, relative expression level of Bcl-2/Bax, cerebellar myelin loss, and neuroinflammation were assessed 8 weeks following treatment. Results MSC-derived exosomes were isolated and purified through anion exchange chromatography. Better coordination in rotarod performance was maintained for 6 weeks in YACMJD84.2 mice with exosomal treatment, compared with those without exosomal treatment. Neuropathological changes including loss of Purkinje cells, cerebellar myelin loss, and neuroinflammation were also attenuated 8 weeks after exosomal treatment. The higher relative ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was consistent with the attenuation of loss of Purkinje cells. Conclusions MSC-derived exosomes could promote rotarod performance and attenuate neuropathology, including loss of Purkinje cells, cerebellar myelin loss, and neuroinflammation. Therefore, MSC-derived exosomes have a great potential in the treatment of Machado-Joseph disease.
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30
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Rosini F, Pretegiani E, Battisti C, Dotti MT, Federico A, Rufa A. Eye movement changes in autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxias. Neurol Sci 2020; 41:1719-1734. [PMID: 32130555 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04318-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Oculomotor abnormalities are common findings in spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), a clinically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. Usually, cerebellar impairment accounts for most of the eye movement changes encountered; as the disease progresses, the involvement of extracerebellar structures typically seen in later stages may modify the oculomotor progression. However, ocular movement changes are rarely specific. In this regard, some important exceptions include the prominent slowing of horizontal eye movements in SCA2 and, to a lesser extent, in SCA3, SCA4, and SCA28, or the executive deficit in SCA2 and SCA17. Here, we report the eye movement abnormalities and neurological pictures of SCAs through a review of the literature. Genetic and neuropathological/neuroimaging aspects are also briefly discussed. Overall, the findings reported indicate that oculomotor analysis could be of help in differential diagnosis among SCAs and contribute to clarify the role of brain structures, particularly the cerebellum, in oculomotor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Rosini
- Department of Medicine Surgery and Neuroscience, Eye Tracking& Visual Application Lab EVALAB, Neurology and Neurometabolic Unit, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Elena Pretegiani
- Department of Medicine Surgery and Neuroscience, Eye Tracking& Visual Application Lab EVALAB, Neurology and Neurometabolic Unit, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Carla Battisti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Neurometabolic Unit, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Dotti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Neurometabolic Unit, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Antonio Federico
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Neurometabolic Unit, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Alessandra Rufa
- Department of Medicine Surgery and Neuroscience, Eye Tracking& Visual Application Lab EVALAB, Neurology and Neurometabolic Unit, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy.
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Neurometabolic Unit, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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31
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Lai RY, Tomishon D, Figueroa KP, Pulst SM, Perlman S, Wilmot G, Gomez CM, Schmahmann JD, Paulson H, Shakkottai VG, Ying SH, Zesiewicz T, Bushara K, Geschwind M, Xia G, Subramony SH, Ashizawa T, Kuo SH. Tremor in the Degenerative Cerebellum: Towards the Understanding of Brain Circuitry for Tremor. Cerebellum 2019; 18:519-526. [PMID: 30830673 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-019-01016-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cerebellar degenerative pathology has been identified in tremor patients; however, how the degenerative pathology could contribute to tremor remains unclear. If the cerebellar degenerative pathology can directly drive tremor, one would hypothesize that tremor is likely to occur in the diseases of cerebellar ataxia and follows the disease progression in such disorders. To further test this hypothesis, we studied the occurrence of tremor in different disease stages of classical cerebellar degenerative disorders: spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). We further separately analyzed postural tremor and rest tremor, two forms of tremor that both involve the cerebellum. We also explored tremor in different subtypes of SCAs. We found that 18.1% of SCA patients have tremor. Interestingly, SCA patients with tremor have worse ataxia than those without tremor. When stratifying patients into mild, moderate, and severe disease stages according to the severity of ataxia, moderate and severe SCA patients more commonly have tremor than those with mild ataxia, the effect most prominently observed in postural tremor of SCA3 and SCA6 patients. Finally, tremor can independently contribute to worse functional status in SCA2 patients, even after adjusting for ataxia severity. Tremor is more likely to occur in the severe stage of cerebellar degeneration when compared to mild stages. Our results partially support the cerebellar degenerative model of tremor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Yah Lai
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Darya Tomishon
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karla P Figueroa
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Stefan M Pulst
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Susan Perlman
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - George Wilmot
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Jeremy D Schmahmann
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Henry Paulson
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Sarah H Ying
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Theresa Zesiewicz
- Department of Neurology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Khalaf Bushara
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Michael Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Guangbin Xia
- Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - S H Subramony
- Department of Neurology and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Sheng-Han Kuo
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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Jao CW, Soong BW, Huang CW, Duan CA, Wu CC, Wu YT, Wang PS. Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Differentiating Multiple System Atrophy Cerebellar Type and Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3. Brain Sci 2019; 9:E354. [PMID: 31817016 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9120354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple system atrophy cerebellar type (MSA-C) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) demonstrate similar manifestations, including ataxia, pyramidal and extrapyramidal signs, as well as atrophy and signal intensity changes in the cerebellum and brainstem. MSA-C and SCA3 cannot be clinically differentiated through T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alone; therefore, clinical consensus criteria and genetic testing are also required. Here, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure water molecular diffusion of white matter and investigate the difference between MSA-C and SCA3. Four measurements were calculated from DTI images, including fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD). Fifteen patients with MSA-C, 15 patients with SCA3, and 30 healthy individuals participated in this study. Both patient groups demonstrated a significantly decreased FA but a significantly increased AD, RD, and MD in the cerebello-ponto-cerebral tracts. Moreover, patients with SCA3 demonstrated a significant decrease in FA but more significant increases in AD, RD, and MD in the cerebello-cerebral tracts than patients with MSAC. Our results may suggest that FA and MD can be effectively used for differentiating SCA3 and MSA-C, both of which are cerebellar ataxias and have many common atrophied regions in the cerebral and cerebellar cortex.
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33
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Sen NE, Arsovic A, Meierhofer D, Brodesser S, Oberschmidt C, Canet-Pons J, Kaya ZE, Halbach MV, Gispert S, Sandhoff K, Auburger G. In Human and Mouse Spino-Cerebellar Tissue, Ataxin-2 Expansion Affects Ceramide-Sphingomyelin Metabolism. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E5854. [PMID: 31766565 PMCID: PMC6928749 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20235854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ataxin-2 (human gene symbol ATXN2) acts during stress responses, modulating mRNA translation and nutrient metabolism. Ataxin-2 knockout mice exhibit progressive obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Conversely, the progressive ATXN2 gain of function due to the fact of polyglutamine (polyQ) expansions leads to a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative process named spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) with early adipose tissue loss and late muscle atrophy. We tried to understand lipid dysregulation in a SCA2 patient brain and in an authentic mouse model. Thin layer chromatography of a patient cerebellum was compared to the lipid metabolome of Atxn2-CAG100-Knockin (KIN) mouse spinocerebellar tissue. The human pathology caused deficits of sulfatide, galactosylceramide, cholesterol, C22/24-sphingomyelin, and gangliosides GM1a/GD1b despite quite normal levels of C18-sphingomyelin. Cerebellum and spinal cord from the KIN mouse showed a consistent decrease of various ceramides with a significant elevation of sphingosine in the more severely affected spinal cord. Deficiency of C24/26-sphingomyelins contrasted with excess C18/20-sphingomyelin. Spinocerebellar expression profiling revealed consistent reductions of CERS protein isoforms, Sptlc2 and Smpd3, but upregulation of Cers2 mRNA, as prominent anomalies in the ceramide-sphingosine metabolism. Reduction of Asah2 mRNA correlated to deficient S1P levels. In addition, downregulations for the elongase Elovl1, Elovl4, Elovl5 mRNAs and ELOVL4 protein explain the deficit of very long-chain sphingomyelin. Reduced ASMase protein levels correlated to the accumulation of long-chain sphingomyelin. Overall, a deficit of myelin lipids was prominent in SCA2 nervous tissue at prefinal stage and not compensated by transcriptional adaptation of several metabolic enzymes. Myelination is controlled by mTORC1 signals; thus, our human and murine observations are in agreement with the known role of ATXN2 yeast, nematode, and mouse orthologs as mTORC1 inhibitors and autophagy promoters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nesli-Ece Sen
- Experimental Neurology, Building 89, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.-E.S.); (A.A.); (C.O.); (J.C.-P.); (Z.-E.K.); (M.-V.H.); (S.G.)
- Faculty of Biosciences, Goethe-University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Aleksandar Arsovic
- Experimental Neurology, Building 89, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.-E.S.); (A.A.); (C.O.); (J.C.-P.); (Z.-E.K.); (M.-V.H.); (S.G.)
| | - David Meierhofer
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 63-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Susanne Brodesser
- Membrane Biology and Lipid Biochemistry Unit, Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Carola Oberschmidt
- Experimental Neurology, Building 89, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.-E.S.); (A.A.); (C.O.); (J.C.-P.); (Z.-E.K.); (M.-V.H.); (S.G.)
| | - Júlia Canet-Pons
- Experimental Neurology, Building 89, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.-E.S.); (A.A.); (C.O.); (J.C.-P.); (Z.-E.K.); (M.-V.H.); (S.G.)
| | - Zeynep-Ece Kaya
- Experimental Neurology, Building 89, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.-E.S.); (A.A.); (C.O.); (J.C.-P.); (Z.-E.K.); (M.-V.H.); (S.G.)
- Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34098 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Melanie-Vanessa Halbach
- Experimental Neurology, Building 89, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.-E.S.); (A.A.); (C.O.); (J.C.-P.); (Z.-E.K.); (M.-V.H.); (S.G.)
| | - Suzana Gispert
- Experimental Neurology, Building 89, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.-E.S.); (A.A.); (C.O.); (J.C.-P.); (Z.-E.K.); (M.-V.H.); (S.G.)
| | - Konrad Sandhoff
- Membrane Biology and Lipid Biochemistry Unit, Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Georg Auburger
- Experimental Neurology, Building 89, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.-E.S.); (A.A.); (C.O.); (J.C.-P.); (Z.-E.K.); (M.-V.H.); (S.G.)
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Louis ED, Kerridge CA, Chatterjee D, Martuscello RT, Diaz DT, Koeppen AH, Kuo SH, Vonsattel JG, Sims PA, Faust PL. Contextualizing the pathology in the essential tremor cerebellar cortex: a patholog-omics approach. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 138:859-76. [PMID: 31317229 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-02043-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Several morphological changes, centered in/around Purkinje cells (PCs), have been identified in the cerebellum of essential tremor (ET) patients. These changes have not been contextualized within a broader degenerative disease spectrum, limiting their interpretability. To address this, we compared the severity and patterning of degenerative changes within the cerebellar cortex in patients with ET, other neurodegenerative disorders of the cerebellum (spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), multiple system atrophy (MSA)], and other disorders that may involve the cerebellum [Parkinson's disease (PD), dystonia]. Using a postmortem series of 156 brains [50 ET, 23 SCA (6 SCA3; 17 SCA 1, 2 or 6), 15 MSA, 29 PD, 14 dystonia, 25 controls], we generated data on 37 quantitative morphologic metrics, which were grouped into 8 broad categories: (1) PC loss, (2) heterotopic PCs, (3) PC dendritic changes, (4) PC axonal changes (torpedoes), (5) PC axonal changes (other than torpedoes), (6) PC axonal changes (torpedo-associated), (7) basket cell axonal hypertrophy, (8) climbing fiber-PC synaptic changes. Our analyses used z scored raw data for each metric across all diagnoses (5772 total data items). Principal component analysis revealed that diagnostic groups were not uniform with respect to cerebellar pathology. Dystonia and PD each differed from controls in only 2/37 metrics, whereas ET differed in 21, SCA3 in 8, MSA in 19, and SCA1/2/6 in 26 metrics. Comparing ET with primary disorders of cerebellar degeneration (i.e., SCAs), we observed a spectrum of changes reflecting differences of degree, being generally mild in ET and SCA3 and more severe in SCA1/2/6. Comparative analyses across morphologic categories demonstrated differences in relative expression, defining distinctive patterns of changes in these groups. Thus, the degree of cerebellar degeneration in ET aligns it with a milder end in the spectrum of cerebellar degenerative disorders, and a somewhat distinctive signature of degenerative changes marks each of these disorders.
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Nóbrega C, Mendonça L, Marcelo A, Lamazière A, Tomé S, Despres G, Matos CA, Mechmet F, Langui D, den Dunnen W, de Almeida LP, Cartier N, Alves S. Restoring brain cholesterol turnover improves autophagy and has therapeutic potential in mouse models of spinocerebellar ataxia. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 138:837-858. [PMID: 31197505 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-02019-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are devastating neurodegenerative disorders for which no curative or preventive therapies are available. Deregulation of brain cholesterol metabolism and impaired brain cholesterol turnover have been associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. SCA3 or Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is the most prevalent ataxia worldwide. We show that cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CYP46A1), the key enzyme allowing efflux of brain cholesterol and activating brain cholesterol turnover, is decreased in cerebellar extracts from SCA3 patients and SCA3 mice. We investigated whether reinstating CYP46A1 expression would improve the disease phenotype of SCA3 mouse models. We show that administration of adeno-associated viral vectors encoding CYP46A1 to a lentiviral-based SCA3 mouse model reduces mutant ataxin-3 accumulation, which is a hallmark of SCA3, and preserves neuronal markers. In a transgenic SCA3 model with a severe motor phenotype we confirm that cerebellar delivery of AAVrh10-CYP46A1 is strongly neuroprotective in adult mice with established pathology. CYP46A1 significantly decreases ataxin-3 protein aggregation, alleviates motor impairments and improves SCA3-associated neuropathology. In particular, improvement in Purkinje cell number and reduction of cerebellar atrophy are observed in AAVrh10-CYP46A1-treated mice. Conversely, we show that knocking-down CYP46A1 in normal mouse brain impairs cholesterol metabolism, induces motor deficits and produces strong neurodegeneration with impairment of the endosomal-lysosomal pathway, a phenotype closely resembling that of SCA3. Remarkably, we demonstrate for the first time both in vitro, in a SCA3 cellular model, and in vivo, in mouse brain, that CYP46A1 activates autophagy, which is impaired in SCA3, leading to decreased mutant ataxin-3 deposition. More broadly, we show that the beneficial effect of CYP46A1 is also observed with mutant ataxin-2 aggregates. Altogether, our results confirm a pivotal role for CYP46A1 and brain cholesterol metabolism in neuronal function, pointing to a key contribution of the neuronal cholesterol pathway in mechanisms mediating clearance of aggregate-prone proteins. This study identifies CYP46A1 as a relevant therapeutic target not only for SCA3 but also for other SCAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clévio Nóbrega
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Liliana Mendonça
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Adriana Marcelo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Antonin Lamazière
- INSERM, Saint-Antoine Research Center, Sorbonne Université, Faculté de Médecine, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Département PM2, Paris, France
| | - Sandra Tomé
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Gaetan Despres
- INSERM, Saint-Antoine Research Center, Sorbonne Université, Faculté de Médecine, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Département PM2, Paris, France
| | - Carlos A Matos
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Fatich Mechmet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Dominique Langui
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, INSERM U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47 bd de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Wilfred den Dunnen
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Luis Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Nathalie Cartier
- INSERM U1169 92265 Fontenay aux Roses and Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France.
- INSERM U1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47 bd de l'hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Sandro Alves
- Brainvectis, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47 boulevard de l'Hôpital Paris, 75646, Paris, CEDEX 13, France.
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Martier R, Sogorb-Gonzalez M, Stricker-Shaver J, Hübener-Schmid J, Keskin S, Klima J, Toonen LJ, Juhas S, Juhasova J, Ellederova Z, Motlik J, Haas E, van Deventer S, Konstantinova P, Nguyen HP, Evers MM. Development of an AAV-Based MicroRNA Gene Therapy to Treat Machado-Joseph Disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2019; 15:343-358. [PMID: 31828177 PMCID: PMC6889651 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2019.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), or Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the ATXN3 gene. The expanded CAG repeat is translated into a prolonged polyglutamine repeat in the ataxin-3 protein and accumulates within inclusions, acquiring toxic properties, which results in degeneration of the cerebellum and brain stem. In the current study, a non-allele-specific ATXN3 silencing approach was investigated using artificial microRNAs engineered to target various regions of the ATXN3 gene (miATXN3). The miATXN3 candidates were screened in vitro based on their silencing efficacy on a luciferase (Luc) reporter co-expressing ATXN3. The three best miATXN3 candidates were further tested for target engagement and potential off-target activity in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) differentiated into frontal brain-like neurons and in a SCA3 knockin mouse model. Besides a strong reduction of ATXN3 mRNA and protein, small RNA sequencing revealed efficient guide strand processing without passenger strands being produced. We used different methods to predict alteration of off-target genes upon AAV5-miATXN3 treatment and found no evidence for unwanted effects. Furthermore, we demonstrated in a large animal model, the minipig, that intrathecal delivery of AAV5 can transduce the main areas affected in SCA3 patients. These results proved a strong basis to move forward to investigate distribution, efficacy, and safety of AAV5-miATXN3 in large animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raygene Martier
- Department of Research & Development, uniQure Biopharma B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Marina Sogorb-Gonzalez
- Department of Research & Development, uniQure Biopharma B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Janice Stricker-Shaver
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Sonay Keskin
- Department of Research & Development, uniQure Biopharma B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jiri Klima
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Lodewijk J Toonen
- Department of Research & Development, uniQure Biopharma B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan Juhas
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Juhasova
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Ellederova
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Motlik
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Haas
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sander van Deventer
- Department of Research & Development, uniQure Biopharma B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Pavlina Konstantinova
- Department of Research & Development, uniQure Biopharma B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Department of Human Genetics, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Melvin M Evers
- Department of Research & Development, uniQure Biopharma B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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McLoughlin HS, Moore LR, Paulson HL. Pathogenesis of SCA3 and implications for other polyglutamine diseases. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 134:104635. [PMID: 31669734 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tandem repeat diseases include the neurodegenerative disorders known as polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, caused by CAG repeat expansions in the coding regions of the respective disease genes. The nine known polyQ disease include Huntington's disease (HD), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), and six spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, SCA7, and SCA17). The underlying disease mechanism in the polyQ diseases is thought principally to reflect dominant toxic properties of the disease proteins which, when harboring a polyQ expansion, differentially interact with protein partners and are prone to aggregate. Among the polyQ diseases, SCA3 is the most common SCA, and second to HD in prevalence worldwide. Here we summarize current understanding of SCA3 disease mechanisms within the broader context of the broader polyQ disease field. We emphasize properties of the disease protein, ATXN3, and new discoveries regarding three potential pathogenic mechanisms: 1) altered protein homeostasis; 2) DNA damage and dysfunctional DNA repair; and 3) nonneuronal contributions to disease. We conclude with an overview of the therapeutic implications of recent mechanistic insights.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren R Moore
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Henry L Paulson
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Da Silva JD, Teixeira-Castro A, Maciel P. From Pathogenesis to Novel Therapeutics for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3: Evading Potholes on the Way to Translation. Neurotherapeutics 2019; 16:1009-1031. [PMID: 31691128 PMCID: PMC6985322 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00798-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), also known as Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the ATXN3 gene. In spite of the identification of a clear monogenic cause 25 years ago, the pathological process still puzzles researchers, impairing prospects for an effective therapy. Here, we propose the disruption of protein homeostasis as the hub of SCA3 pathogenesis, being the molecular mechanisms and cellular pathways that are deregulated in SCA3 downstream consequences of the misfolding and aggregation of ATXN3. Moreover, we attempt to provide a realistic perspective on how the translational/clinical research in SCA3 should evolve. This was based on molecular findings, clinical and epidemiological characteristics, studies of proposed treatments in other conditions, and how that information is essential for their (re-)application in SCA3. This review thus aims i) to critically evaluate the current state of research on SCA3, from fundamental to translational and clinical perspectives; ii) to bring up the current key questions that remain unanswered in this disorder; and iii) to provide a frame on how those answers should be pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Diogo Da Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Andreia Teixeira-Castro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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Sen NE, Canet-Pons J, Halbach MV, Arsovic A, Pilatus U, Chae WH, Kaya ZE, Seidel K, Rollmann E, Mittelbronn M, Meierhofer D, De Zeeuw CI, Bosman LWJ, Gispert S, Auburger G. Generation of an Atxn2-CAG100 knock-in mouse reveals N-acetylaspartate production deficit due to early Nat8l dysregulation. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 132:104559. [PMID: 31376479 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG-expansion mutations in the ATXN2 gene, mainly affecting motor neurons in the spinal cord and Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum. While the large expansions were shown to cause SCA2, the intermediate length expansions lead to increased risk for several atrophic processes including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson variants, e.g. progressive supranuclear palsy. Intense efforts to pioneer a neuroprotective therapy for SCA2 require longitudinal monitoring of patients and identification of crucial molecular pathways. The ataxin-2 (ATXN2) protein is mainly involved in RNA translation control and regulation of nutrient metabolism during stress periods. The preferential mRNA targets of ATXN2 are yet to be determined. In order to understand the molecular disease mechanism throughout different prognostic stages, we generated an Atxn2-CAG100-knock-in (KIN) mouse model of SCA2 with intact murine ATXN2 expression regulation. Its characterization revealed somatic mosaicism of the expansion, with shortened lifespan, a progressive spatio-temporal pattern of pathology with subsequent phenotypes, and anomalies of brain metabolites such as N-acetylaspartate (NAA), all of which mirror faithfully the findings in SCA2 patients. Novel molecular analyses from stages before the onset of motor deficits revealed a strong selective effect of ATXN2 on Nat8l mRNA which encodes the enzyme responsible for NAA synthesis. This metabolite is a prominent energy store of the brain and a well-established marker for neuronal health. Overall, we present a novel authentic rodent model of SCA2, where in vivo magnetic resonance imaging was feasible to monitor progression and where the definition of earliest transcriptional abnormalities was possible. We believe that this model will not only reveal crucial insights regarding the pathomechanism of SCA2 and other ATXN2-associated disorders, but will also aid in developing gene-targeted therapies and disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nesli-Ece Sen
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Júlia Canet-Pons
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Melanie V Halbach
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Aleksandar Arsovic
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ulrich Pilatus
- Institute of Neuroradiology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Woon-Hyung Chae
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Zeynep-Ece Kaya
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Neurology, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34098 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Kay Seidel
- Department of Anatomy II, Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ewa Rollmann
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Michel Mittelbronn
- Neurological Institute (Edinger Institute), Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Luxembourg Centre of Neuropathology (LCNP), Luxembourg; Department of Pathology, Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), Dudelange, Luxembourg; Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; Department of Oncology, NORLUX Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Luxembourg
| | - David Meierhofer
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Chris I De Zeeuw
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Laurens W J Bosman
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Suzana Gispert
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Georg Auburger
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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Abstract
Background Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is an autosomal dominant disorder with progressive degeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells and selective loss of neurons in the brainstem. This neurodegenerative disorder is caused by the expansion of a polyglutamine domain in ataxin-2. Ataxin-2 is composed of 1312 amino acids, has a predicted molecular weight of 150-kDa and is widely expressed in neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. To date, the putative functions of ataxin-2 on mRNA translation and endocytosis remain ill-defined. Differential splicing with a lack of exons 10 and 21 was described in humans, and additional splicing of exon 11 in mice. In this study, we observed that the molecular size of transfected full-length wild-type ataxin-2 (22 glutamines) is different from endogenous ataxin-2 and that this variation could not be explained by the previously published splice variants alone. Methods Quantitative immunoblots and qualitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) were used to characterize isoform variants, before sequencing was employed for validation. Results We report the characterization of further splice variants of ataxin-2 in different human cell lines and in mouse and human brain. Using RT-PCR from cell lines HeLa, HEK293 and COS-7 throughout the open reading frame of ataxin-2 together with PCR-sequencing, we found novel splice variants lacking exon 12 and exon 24. These findings were corroborated in murine and human brain. The splice variants were also found in human skin fibroblasts from SCA2 patients and controls, indicating that the polyglutamine expansion does not abolish the splicing. Conclusions Given that Ataxin-2 interacts with crucial splice modulators such as TDP-43 and modulates the risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, its own splice isoforms may become relevant in brain tissue to monitor the RNA processing during disease progression and neuroprotective therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Lastres-Becker
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Building 89, 3rd floor, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Present address: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Nonis
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Building 89, 3rd floor, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Joachim Nowock
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Building 89, 3rd floor, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Georg Auburger
- Experimental Neurology, Goethe University Medical Faculty, Building 89, 3rd floor, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Abstract
The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a genetically heterogeneous group of autosomal dominantly inherited progressive disorders, the clinical hallmark of which is loss of balance and coordination accompanied by slurred speech; onset is most often in adult life. Genetically, SCAs are grouped as repeat expansion SCAs, such as SCA3/Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), and rare SCAs that are caused by non-repeat mutations, such as SCA5. Most SCA mutations cause prominent damage to cerebellar Purkinje neurons with consecutive cerebellar atrophy, although Purkinje neurons are only mildly affected in some SCAs. Furthermore, other parts of the nervous system, such as the spinal cord, basal ganglia and pontine nuclei in the brainstem, can be involved. As there is currently no treatment to slow or halt SCAs (many SCAs lead to premature death), the clinical care of patients with SCA focuses on managing the symptoms through physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Intense research has greatly expanded our understanding of the pathobiology of many SCAs, revealing that they occur via interrelated mechanisms (including proteotoxicity, RNA toxicity and ion channel dysfunction), and has led to the identification of new targets for treatment development. However, the development of effective therapies is hampered by the heterogeneity of the SCAs; specific therapeutic approaches may be required for each disease.
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Wu YT, Huang SR, Jao CW, Soong BW, Lirng JF, Wu HM, Wang PS. Impaired Efficiency and Resilience of Structural Network in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3. Front Neurosci 2019; 12:935. [PMID: 30618564 PMCID: PMC6304428 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Recent studies have shown that the patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) may not only have disease involvement in the cerebellum and brainstem but also in the cerebral regions. However, the relations between the widespread degenerated brain regions remains incompletely explored. Methods: In the present study, we investigate the topological properties of the brain networks of SCA3 patients (n = 40) constructed based on the correlation of three-dimensional fractal dimension values. Random and targeted attacks were applied to measure the network resilience of normal and SCA3 groups. Results: The SCA3 networks had significantly smaller clustering coefficients (P < 0.05) and global efficiency (P < 0.05) but larger characteristic path length (P < 0.05) than the normal controls networks, implying loss of small-world features. Furthermore, the SCA3 patients were associated with reduced nodal betweenness (P < 0.001) in the left supplementary motor area, bilateral paracentral lobules, and right thalamus, indicating that the motor control circuit might be compromised. Conclusions: The SCA3 networks were more vulnerable to targeted attacks than the normal controls networks because of the effects of pathological topological organization. The SCA3 revealed a more sparsity and disrupted structural network with decreased values in the largest component size, mean degree, mean density, clustering coefficient, and global efficiency and increased value in characteristic path length. The cortico-cerebral circuits in SCA3 were disrupted and segregated into occipital-parietal (visual-spatial cognition) and frontal-pre-frontal (motor control) clusters. The cerebellum of SCA3 were segregated from cerebellum-temporal-frontal circuits and clustered into a frontal-temporal cluster (cognitive control). Therefore, the disrupted structural network presented in this study might reflect the clinical characteristics of SCA3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Te Wu
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Biophotonics and Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shang-Ran Huang
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wen Jao
- Institute of Biophotonics and Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Wen Soong
- Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital and Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiing-Feng Lirng
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Mei Wu
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Shan Wang
- Institute of Biophotonics and Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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van Gaalen J, Maas RPPWM, Ippel EF, Elting MW, van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, Vermeer S, Verschuuren-Bemelmans C, Timmann D, van de Warrenburg BP. Abnormal eyeblink conditioning is an early marker of cerebellar dysfunction in preclinical SCA3 mutation carriers. Exp Brain Res 2018; 237:427-433. [PMID: 30430184 PMCID: PMC6373441 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5424-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of autosomal dominantly inherited degenerative diseases. As the pathological process probably commences years before the first appearance of clinical symptoms, preclinical carriers of a SCA mutation offer the opportunity to study the earliest stages of cerebellar dysfunction and degeneration. Eyeblink classical conditioning (EBCC) is a motor learning paradigm, crucially dependent on the integrity of the olivocerebellar circuit, and has been shown to be able to detect subtle alterations of cerebellar function, which might already be present in preclinical carriers. Methods In order to acquire conditioned responses, we performed EBCC, delay paradigm, in 18 preclinical carriers of a SCA3 mutation and 16 healthy, age-matched controls by presenting repeated pairings of an auditory tone with a supraorbital nerve stimulus with a delay interval of 400 ms. Results Preclinical carriers acquired significantly less conditioned eyeblink responses than controls and learning rates were significantly reduced. This motor learning defect was, however, not associated with the predicted time to onset. Conclusions EBCC is impaired in preclinical carriers of a SCA3 mutation, as a result of impaired motor learning capacities of the cerebellum and is thus suggestive of cerebellar dysfunction. EBCC can be used to detect but probably not monitor preclinical cerebellar dysfunction in genetic ataxias, such as SCA3. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00221-018-5424-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- J van Gaalen
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - R P P W M Maas
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - E F Ippel
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - M W Elting
- Department of Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - S Vermeer
- Family Cancer Clinic, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C Verschuuren-Bemelmans
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - D Timmann
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Bart P van de Warrenburg
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Abstract
Abstract Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are rare types of cerebellar ataxia with a dominant mode of inheritance. To date, 47 SCA subtypes have been identified, and the number of genes implicated in SCAs is continually increasing. Polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion diseases (
ATXN1/SCA1,
ATXN2/SCA2,
ATXN3/SCA3,
CACNA1A/SCA6,
ATXN7/SCA7,
TBP/SCA17, and
ATN1/DRPLA) are the most common group of SCAs. No preventive or curative treatments are currently available, but various therapeutic approaches, including RNA-targeting treatments, such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), are being developed. Clinical trials of ASOs in SCA patients are already planned. There is, therefore, a need to identify valid outcome measures for such studies. In this review, we describe recent advances towards identifying appropriate biomarkers, which are essential for monitoring disease progression and treatment efficacy. Neuroimaging biomarkers are the most powerful markers identified to date, making it possible to reduce sample sizes for clinical trials. Changes on brain MRI are already evident at the premanifest stage in SCA1 and SCA2 carriers and are correlated with CAG repeat size. Other potential biomarkers have also been developed, based on neurological examination, oculomotor study, cognitive assessment, and blood and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Longitudinal studies based on multimodal approaches are required to establish the relationships between parameters and to validate the biomarkers identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Coarelli
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Department of Neurology, Avicenne Hospital, Paris 13 University, Bobigny, 93000, France.,Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne University, Paris, 75013, France
| | - Alexis Brice
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne University, Paris, 75013, France.,Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Genetic department, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, 75013, France
| | - Alexandra Durr
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne University, Paris, 75013, France.,Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Genetic department, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, 75013, France
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45
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Matos CA, de Almeida LP, Nóbrega C. Machado-Joseph disease/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3: lessons from disease pathogenesis and clues into therapy. J Neurochem 2018; 148:8-28. [PMID: 29959858 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), is an incurable disorder, widely regarded as the most common form of spinocerebellar ataxia in the world. MJD/SCA3 arises from mutation of the ATXN3 gene, but this simple monogenic cause contrasts with the complexity of the pathogenic mechanisms that are currently admitted to underlie neuronal dysfunction and death. The aberrantly expanded protein product - ataxin-3 - is known to aggregate and generate toxic species that disrupt several cell systems, including autophagy, proteostasis, transcription, mitochondrial function and signalling. Over the years, research into putative therapeutic approaches has often been devoted to the development of strategies that counteract disease at different stages of cellular pathogenesis. Silencing the pathogenic protein, blocking aggregation, inhibiting toxic proteolytic processing and counteracting dysfunctions of the cellular systems affected have yielded promising ameliorating results in studies with cellular and animal models. The current review analyses the available studies dedicated to the investigation of MJD/SCA3 pathogenesis and the exploration of possible therapeutic strategies, focusing primarily on gene therapy and pharmacological approaches rooted on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Matos
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Coimbra, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, Coimbra, Portugal.,Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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Ashraf NS, Duarte-Silva S, Shaw ED, Maciel P, Paulson HL, Teixeira-Castro A, Costa MDC. Citalopram Reduces Aggregation of ATXN3 in a YAC Transgenic Mouse Model of Machado-Joseph Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 56:3690-3701. [PMID: 30187384 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1331-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Machado-Joseph disease, also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, is a fatal polyglutamine disease with no disease-modifying treatment. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram was shown in nematode and mouse models to be a compelling repurposing candidate for Machado-Joseph disease therapeutics. We sought to confirm the efficacy of citalopram to decrease ATXN3 aggregation in an unrelated mouse model of Machado-Joseph disease. Four-week-old YACMJD84.2 mice and non-transgenic littermates were given citalopram 8 mg/kg in drinking water or water for 10 weeks. At the end of treatment, brains were collected for biochemical and pathological analyses. Brains of citalopram-treated YACMJD84.2 mice showed an approximate 50% decrease in the percentage of cells containing ATXN3-positive inclusions in the substantia nigra and three examined brainstem nuclei compared to controls. No differences in ATXN3 inclusion load were observed in deep cerebellar nuclei of mice. Citalopram effect on ATXN3 aggregate burden was corroborated by immunoblotting analysis. While lysates from the brainstem and cervical spinal cord of citalopram-treated mice showed a decrease in all soluble forms of ATXN3 and a trend toward reduction of insoluble ATXN3, no differences in ATXN3 levels were found between cerebella of citalopram-treated and vehicle-treated mice. Citalopram treatment altered levels of select components of the cellular protein homeostatic machinery that may be expected to enhance the capacity to refold and/or degrade mutant ATXN3. The results here obtained in a second independent mouse model of Machado-Joseph disease further support citalopram as a potential drug to be repurposed for this fatal disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naila S Ashraf
- Department of Neurology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Sciences Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2200, USA
| | - Sara Duarte-Silva
- School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Emily D Shaw
- Department of Neurology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Sciences Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2200, USA
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Henry L Paulson
- Department of Neurology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Sciences Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2200, USA
| | - Andreia Teixeira-Castro
- School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Braga, Portugal. .,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal. .,Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| | - Maria do Carmo Costa
- Department of Neurology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Sciences Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2200, USA.
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Lupo M, Olivito G, Iacobacci C, Clausi S, Romano S, Masciullo M, Molinari M, Cercignani M, Bozzali M, Leggio M. The cerebellar topography of attention sub-components in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. Cortex 2018; 108:35-49. [PMID: 30121445 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive cerebellar syndrome and multiple-domain cognitive impairments. The cerebellum is known to contribute to distinct functional networks related to higher-level functions. The aims of the present study were to investigate the different sub-components of attention and to analyse possible correlations between attention deficits and specific cerebellar regions in SCA2 patients. To this purpose, 11 SCA2 patients underwent an exhaustive attention battery that evaluated several attention sub-components. The SCA2 group performed below the normal range in tasks assessing selective attention, divided attention, and sustained attention, obtaining negative Z-scores. These results were confirmed by non-parametric Mann-Whitney U tests that showed significant differences between SCA2 and control subjects in the same sub-components of the attention battery, allowing us to speculate on cerebellar involvement when a high cognitive demand is required (i.e., multisensory integration, sequencing, prediction of events, and inhibition of inappropriate response behaviours). The voxel-based morphometry analysis showed a pattern of significantly reduced grey matter volume in specific cerebellar lobules. In particular, the SCA2 patients showed significant grey matter loss in bilateral regions of the anterior cerebellar hemisphere (IV) and in the posterior lobe (VI-IX) and posterior vermis (VI-IX). Statistical analysis found significant correlations between grey matter reductions in the VIIb/VIIIa cerebellar lobules and impairments in Sustained and Divided Attention tasks and between grey matter reduction in the vermal VI lobule and impairment in the Go/NoGo task. For the first time, the study demonstrated the involvement of specific cerebellar lobules in different sub-components of the attention domain, giving further support to the inclusion of the cerebellum within the attention network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Lupo
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giusy Olivito
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Neuroimaging Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Iacobacci
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; PhD Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Clausi
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Romano
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), "Sapienza" University of Rome, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Marco Molinari
- Neurorehabilitation 1 and Spinal Center, Robotic Neurorehabilitation Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Mara Cercignani
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Clinical Imaging Science Center, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Marco Bozzali
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Clinical Imaging Science Center, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Maria Leggio
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Hsieh J, Liu JW, Harn HJ, Hsueh KW, Rajamani K, Deng YC, Chia CM, Shyu WC, Lin SZ, Chiou TW. Human Olfactory Ensheathing Cell Transplantation Improves Motor Function in a Mouse Model of Type 3 Spinocerebellar Ataxia. Cell Transplant 2018; 26:1611-1621. [PMID: 29251109 PMCID: PMC5753984 DOI: 10.1177/0963689717732578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the cerebellum and spinal cord. Among the 40 types of SCA, SCA type 3 (SCA3), also referred to as Machado–Joseph disease, is the most common. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of intracranial transplantation of human olfactory ensheathing cells (hOECs) in the ATXN3-84Q mouse model of SCA3. Motor function begins to decline in ATXN3-84Q transgenic mice at approximately 13 weeks of age. ATXN3-84Q mice that received intracranial hOEC transplantation into the dorsal raphe nucleus of the brain exhibited significant improvements in motor function, as measured by the rotarod performance test and footprint pattern analysis. In addition, intracranial hOEC transplantation alleviated cerebellar inflammation, prohibited Purkinje cells from dying, and enhanced the neuroplasticity of cerebellar Purkinje cells. The protein levels of tryptophan hydroxylase 2, the rate-limiting enzyme for serotonin synthesis in the cerebellum, and ryanodine receptor (RYR) increased in mice that received intracranial hOEC transplantation. Because both serotonin and RYR can enhance Purkinje cell maturation, these effects may account for the therapeutic benefits mediated by intracranial hOEC transplantation in SCA3 mice. These results indicate that intracranial hOEC transplantation has potential value as a novel strategy for treating SCA3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Hsieh
- 1 Molecular Medicine Program, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.,2 Everfront Biotech Inc., New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Jen-Wei Liu
- 2 Everfront Biotech Inc., New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China.,3 Department of Life Science and Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong-Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Horng-Jyh Harn
- 4 Bioinnovation center, Buddhist Tzu Chi foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China.,5 Department of Pathology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General hospital, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Kuo-Wei Hsueh
- 4 Bioinnovation center, Buddhist Tzu Chi foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China.,6 Department of Department of Medical Research, Buddhist Hualien Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Karthyayani Rajamani
- 3 Department of Life Science and Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong-Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Chen Deng
- 2 Everfront Biotech Inc., New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chih-Min Chia
- 2 Everfront Biotech Inc., New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Woei-Cheang Shyu
- 7 Center for Neuropsychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Shinn-Zong Lin
- 4 Bioinnovation center, Buddhist Tzu Chi foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China.,8 Department of Neurosurgery, Buddhist Tzu Chi General hospital, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Tzyy-Wen Chiou
- 3 Department of Life Science and Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong-Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China
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Sittler A, Muriel MP, Marinello M, Brice A, den Dunnen W, Alves S. Deregulation of autophagy in postmortem brains of Machado-Joseph disease patients. Neuropathology 2017; 38:113-124. [PMID: 29218765 DOI: 10.1111/neup.12433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy, the major pathway for protein turnover, is critical to maintain cellular homeostasis and has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this research was to analyze the expression of autophagy markers in postmortem brains from Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) patients. The expression of autophagy markers in the cerebellum and the oculomotor nucleus from MJD patients and age-matched controls with no signs of neuropathology was inspected postmortem by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot. Furthermore, autophagy was examined by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Western blot and IHC revealed nuclear accumulation of misfolded ataxin-3 (ATXN3) and the presence of ubiquitin- and p62-positive aggregates in MJD patients as compared to controls. Moreover, the autophagic proteins, autophagy-related gene (Atg) protein (ATG)-7, ATG-12, ATG16L2 and autophagosomal microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) were significantly increased in MJD brains relative to controls, while beclin-1 levels were reduced in MJD patients. Increase in the levels of lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP-2) and of the endosomal markers (Rab7 and Rab1A) were observed in MJD patients relatively to controls. In addition, these findings were further confirmed by TEM in brain tissue where large vesicles accumulating electron-dense materials were highly enriched in MJD patients. Postmortem brains with MJD exhibit increased markers of autophagy relative to age-matched control brains, therefore suggesting strong dysregulation of autophagy that may have an important role in the course of MJD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Sittler
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne University UPMC, Univ Paris 06 UMR_S 1127, ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Marie-Paule Muriel
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne University UPMC, Univ Paris 06 UMR_S 1127, ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Martina Marinello
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne University UPMC, Univ Paris 06 UMR_S 1127, ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Alexis Brice
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne University UPMC, Univ Paris 06 UMR_S 1127, ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, 75013 Paris, France.,Department of Genetics and Cytogenetics, AP-HP, G-H Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Wilfred den Dunnen
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sandro Alves
- INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne University UPMC, Univ Paris 06 UMR_S 1127, ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, 75013 Paris, France
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50
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Wang PS, Yeh CL, Lu CF, Wu HM, Soong BW, Wu YT. The involvement of supratentorial white matter in multiple system atrophy: a diffusion tensor imaging tractography study. Acta Neurol Belg 2017; 117:213-220. [PMID: 27878764 DOI: 10.1007/s13760-016-0724-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
It has been assumed that cognitive disorder and visual-spatial disturbance in multiple system atrophy of the predominantly cerebellar type (MSA-C) are attributable to degradation of cerebellar function. The purpose of this study was to use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography to determine if patients with MSA-C characterized in part by visual-spatial disorders and cognitive disorders have changes of the structural connectivity network of nerve fibers, and to further describe the structural connectivity network. The study included 20 patients with MSA-C and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. A 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner was used to obtain images for DTI tractography. Image preprocessing was done by large deformation diffeomorphic metric mapping. Whole-brain connectivity analysis was carried out. The patients had decreased numbers of long association fibers connecting the right parietal lobe to the frontal lobe. The commissural fibers and short association fibers connecting the bilateral frontal and occipital lobes and the number of short association fibers at the bilateral frontal and occipital region were also decreased significantly. The patients had a significant decrease in fiber density in the cerebellum compared to the healthy subjects. Our results provide DTI evidence suggesting that frontal and occipital white matter is involved in patients with MSA-C. This finding may correlate with their clinical symptoms such as cognitive disturbance as well as visual-spatial impairment. Therefore, cognitive disturbance and visual-spatial deficits in MSA-C might not be due to cerebellar lesions only as is widely believed but also involve cerebral lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Shan Wang
- Insitute of Biophotonics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- The Neurological Institute, Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Li Yeh
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Feng Lu
- Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Medical Image Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Mei Wu
- Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Wen Soong
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Te Wu
- Insitute of Biophotonics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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