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Rajiv Gandhi G, Sharanya CS, Jayanandan A, Haridas M, Edwin Hillary V, Rajiv Gandhi S, Sridharan G, Sivasubramanian R, Silva Vasconcelos AB, Montalvão MM, Antony Ceasar S, Sousa NFD, Scotti L, Scotti MT, Gurgel RQ, Quintans-Júnior LJ. Multitargeted molecular docking and dynamics simulation studies of flavonoids and volatile components from the peel of Citrus sinensis L. (Osbeck) against specific tumor protein markers. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:3051-3080. [PMID: 37203996 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2212062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck (Rutaceae), commonly known as the sweet orange, is a popular and widely consumed fruit with several medicinal properties. The present study aimed to perform the in silico screening of 18 flavonoids and eight volatile components from the peel of C. sinensis against apoptotic and inflammatory proteins, metalloprotease, and tumor suppressor markers. Flavonoids obtained higher probabilities than volatile components against selected anti-cancer drug targets. Hence, the data from the binding energies against the essential apoptotic and cell proliferation proteins substantiate that they may be promising compounds in developing effective candidates to block cell growth, proliferation, and induced cell death by activating the apoptotic pathway. Further, the binding stability of the selected targets and the corresponding molecules were analyzed by 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Chlorogenic acid has the most binding affinity against the important anti-cancer targets iNOS, MMP-9, and p53. The congruent binding mode to different drug targets focused on cancer shown by chlorogenic acid suggests that it may be a compound with significant therapeutic potential. Moreover, the binding energy predictions indicated that the compound had stable electrostatic and van der Waal energies. Thus, our data reinforce the medicinal importance of flavonoids from C. sinensis and expand the need for more studies, seeking to optimize results and amplify the impacts of further in vitro and in vivo studies. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopalsamy Rajiv Gandhi
- Division of Phytochemistry and Drug Design, Department of Biosciences, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery, Kochi, India
| | - Chelankara Suresh Sharanya
- Division of Phytochemistry and Drug Design, Department of Biosciences, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery, Kochi, India
| | - Abhithaj Jayanandan
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Dr. Janaki Ammal Campus, Kannur University, Thalassery, Kannur, India
| | - Madathilkovilakath Haridas
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Dr. Janaki Ammal Campus, Kannur University, Thalassery, Kannur, India
| | - Varghese Edwin Hillary
- Division of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery, Kochi, India
| | - Sathiyabama Rajiv Gandhi
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Pharmacological Assays (LANEF), Department of Physiology (DFS), Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program of Health Sciences (PPGCS), University Hospital, Federal University of Sergipe (HU-UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Gurunagarajan Sridharan
- Department of Biochemistry, Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College (Autonomous), Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, India
| | - Rengaraju Sivasubramanian
- Department of Biochemistry, Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College (Autonomous), Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, India
| | - Alan Bruno Silva Vasconcelos
- Postgraduate Program of Physiological Sciences (PROCFIS), Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Monalisa Martins Montalvão
- Postgraduate Program of Health Sciences (PPGCS), University Hospital, Federal University of Sergipe (HU-UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Stanislaus Antony Ceasar
- Division of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery, Kochi, India
| | - Natália Ferreira de Sousa
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Luciana Scotti
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Marcus Tullius Scotti
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Queiroz Gurgel
- Postgraduate Program of Health Sciences (PPGCS), University Hospital, Federal University of Sergipe (HU-UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Lucindo José Quintans-Júnior
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Pharmacological Assays (LANEF), Department of Physiology (DFS), Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program of Health Sciences (PPGCS), University Hospital, Federal University of Sergipe (HU-UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
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2
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Prajapat SK, Mishra L, Khera S, Owusu SD, Ahuja K, Sharma P, Choudhary E, Chhabra S, Kumar N, Singh R, Kaushal PS, Mahajan D, Banerjee A, Motiani RK, Vrati S, Kalia M. Methotrimeprazine is a neuroprotective antiviral in JEV infection via adaptive ER stress and autophagy. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:185-217. [PMID: 38177535 PMCID: PMC10897192 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-023-00014-w] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) pathogenesis is driven by a combination of neuronal death and neuroinflammation. We tested 42 FDA-approved drugs that were shown to induce autophagy for antiviral effects. Four drugs were tested in the JE mouse model based on in vitro protective effects on neuronal cell death, inhibition of viral replication, and anti-inflammatory effects. The antipsychotic phenothiazines Methotrimeprazine (MTP) & Trifluoperazine showed a significant survival benefit with reduced virus titers in the brain, prevention of BBB breach, and inhibition of neuroinflammation. Both drugs were potent mTOR-independent autophagy flux inducers. MTP inhibited SERCA channel functioning, and induced an adaptive ER stress response in diverse cell types. Pharmacological rescue of ER stress blocked autophagy and antiviral effect. MTP did not alter translation of viral RNA, but exerted autophagy-dependent antiviral effect by inhibiting JEV replication complexes. Drug-induced autophagy resulted in reduced NLRP3 protein levels, and attenuation of inflammatory cytokine/chemokine release from infected microglial cells. Our study suggests that MTP exerts a combined antiviral and anti-inflammatory effect in JEV infection, and has therapeutic potential for JE treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra K Prajapat
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Laxmi Mishra
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Sakshi Khera
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Shadrack D Owusu
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Université de Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Kriti Ahuja
- Laboratory of Calciomics and Systemic Pathophysiology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Puja Sharma
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Eira Choudhary
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Simran Chhabra
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Niraj Kumar
- Structural Biology & Translation Regulation Laboratory, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Rajan Singh
- Advanced Technology Platform Centre, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
- Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, 201314, India
| | - Prem S Kaushal
- Structural Biology & Translation Regulation Laboratory, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Dinesh Mahajan
- Chemistry and Pharmacology Lab, Centre for Drug Design and Discovery, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Arup Banerjee
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Rajender K Motiani
- Laboratory of Calciomics and Systemic Pathophysiology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Sudhanshu Vrati
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Manjula Kalia
- Virology Research Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, 121001, India.
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Wójcik P, Jastrzębski MK, Zięba A, Matosiuk D, Kaczor AA. Caspases in Alzheimer's Disease: Mechanism of Activation, Role, and Potential Treatment. Mol Neurobiol 2023:10.1007/s12035-023-03847-1. [PMID: 38135855 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03847-1] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
With the aging of the population, treatment of conditions emerging in old age, such as neurodegenerative disorders, has become a major medical challenge. Of these, Alzheimer's disease, leading to cognitive dysfunction, is of particular interest. Neuronal loss plays an important role in the pathophysiology of this condition, and over the years, a great effort has been made to determine the role of various factors in this process. Unfortunately, until now, the exact pathomechanism of this condition remains unknown. However, the most popular theories associate AD with abnormalities in the Tau and β-amyloid (Aβ) proteins, which lead to their deposition and result in neuronal death. Neurons, like all cells, die in a variety of ways, among which pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis are associated with the activation of various caspases. It is worth mentioning that Tau and Aβ proteins are considered to be one of the caspase activators, leading to cell death. Moreover, the protease activity of caspases influences both of the previously mentioned proteins, Tau and Aβ, converting them into more toxic derivatives. Due to the variety of ways caspases impact the development of AD, drugs targeting caspases could potentially be useful in the treatment of this condition. Therefore, there is a constant need to search for novel caspase inhibitors and evaluate them in preclinical and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Wójcik
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki St., 20093, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Michał K Jastrzębski
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki St., 20093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agata Zięba
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki St., 20093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Dariusz Matosiuk
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki St., 20093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka A Kaczor
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki St., 20093, Lublin, Poland.
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
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Volik PI, Kopeina GS, Zhivotovsky B, Zamaraev AV. Total recall: the role of PIDDosome components in neurodegeneration. Trends Mol Med 2023; 29:996-1013. [PMID: 37716905 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.08.008] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
The PIDDosome is a multiprotein complex that includes p53-induced protein with a death domain 1 (PIDD1), receptor-interacting protein-associated ICH-1/CED-3 homologous protein with a death domain (RAIDD), and caspase-2, the activation of which is driven by PIDDosome assembly. In addition to the key role of the PIDDosome in the regulation of cell differentiation, tissue homeostasis, and organogenesis and regeneration, caspase-2, RAIDD and PIDD1 engagement in neuronal development was shown. Here, we focus on the involvement of PIDDosome components in neurodegenerative disorders, including retinal neuropathies, different types of brain damage, and Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), and Lewy body disease. We also discuss pathogenic variants of PIDD1, RAIDD, and caspase-2 that are associated with intellectual, behavioral, and psychological abnormalities, together with prospective PIDDosome inhibition strategies and their potential clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel I Volik
- Facuty of Medicine, MV Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia; Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, RAS, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gelina S Kopeina
- Facuty of Medicine, MV Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia; Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, RAS, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Boris Zhivotovsky
- Facuty of Medicine, MV Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia; Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, RAS, 119991 Moscow, Russia; Division of Toxicology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Alexey V Zamaraev
- Facuty of Medicine, MV Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia; Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, RAS, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
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Stelmashook EV, Voronkov DN, Stavrovskaya AV, Novikova SV, Yamshikova NG, Olshanskij AS, Guschina AS, Shedenkova MO, Genrikhs EE, Isaev NK. Neuroprotective effects of methylene blue in streptozotocin-induced model of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Res 2023; 1805:148290. [PMID: 36804486 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Methylene blue (MB) can be used as a multidirectional neuroprotector to stop the development of multiple cascades of neuron damage during neurodegenerative processes. This study assesses a protective effect of MB, using an experimental simulation of sporadic Alzheimer's disease by intracerebroventricular administration of streptozotocin (STZ) in rats. It was found that a STZ-induced impairment of memory can be partially mitigated with intravenous injections of MB after the administration of STZ. The treatment of animals with MB prevented the STZ-induced increase in the number and density of microglial and GFAP-positive cells in the brain cortex. In addition, it was shown that the expression of the LC3B protein, an indicator of autophagy, increases in the hippocampus of animals treated with STZ. In the hippocampus of animals treated with MB, an increase in the expression of the LC3B protein was prevented. Using the Griess reaction assay and immunocytochemical study was found that MB reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced NO-production and the expression of iNOS in cultured neurons. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that MB has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects and is able to prevent autophagy. These effects have important therapeutic implications, so MB could potentially play a role in the treatment of neurodegenerative processes.
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Eftekharpour E. The neuronal nucleus: a new battlefield in fight against neurodegeneration. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:898-904. [PMID: 36806186 PMCID: PMC10008506 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Aging is an inevitable fact of life which brings along a series of age-associated diseases. Although medical innovations and patient care improvement have increased our life expectancy, the rate of age-associated diseases have also increased. Nervous system is specifically prone to these diseases that cause neuronal loss in different anatomical regions. Alzheimer's disease is the best-known example of age-associated illnesses and is diagnosed by accumulation of intracellular Neurofibrillary tangles and extracellular Amyloid Plaques resulting in dementia. However, therapeutic attempts aiming at the removal of these plaques and tangles to reverse the cognitive decline have generally failed in human patients and may compromise the patient's health. We have learnt that interruption of neuronal housekeeping systems such as autophagy contributes to formation of these aggregates, and therefore understanding the underlying mechanisms that lead to failure of these endogenous protective systems may provide valuable information and novel therapies. The house keeping systems are delicately regulated through gene expression and chromatin modifications in the nucleus, however, the contribution of this largest cellular organelle in pathophysiology of the disease has been overlooked. During the last few years, a wealth of information on neuronal nucleus has emerged that provides a strong rationale for examining its contribution to the pathophysiology of the disease. In this research perspective, I have attempted to summarize the latest research on neuronal nucleus, with a special focus on nuclear lamina damage and its downstream events to rationalize the need for focusing on the neuronal nucleus as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eftekhar Eftekharpour
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Morén C, Treder N, Martínez-Pinteño A, Rodríguez N, Arbelo N, Madero S, Gómez M, Mas S, Gassó P, Parellada E. Systematic Review of the Therapeutic Role of Apoptotic Inhibitors in Neurodegeneration and Their Potential Use in Schizophrenia. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:2275. [PMID: 36421461 PMCID: PMC9686909 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11112275] [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: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a deleterious brain disorder affecting cognition, emotion and reality perception. The most widely accepted neurochemical-hypothesis is the imbalance of neurotransmitter-systems. Depleted GABAergic-inhibitory function might produce a regionally-located dopaminergic and glutamatergic-storm in the brain. The dopaminergic-release may underlie the positive psychotic-symptoms while the glutamatergic-release could prompt the primary negative symptoms/cognitive deficits. This may occur due to excessive synaptic-pruning during the neurodevelopmental stages of adolescence/early adulthood. Thus, although SZ is not a neurodegenerative disease, it has been suggested that exaggerated dendritic-apoptosis could explain the limited neuroprogression around its onset. This apoptotic nature of SZ highlights the potential therapeutic action of anti-apoptotic drugs, especially at prodromal stages. If dysregulation of apoptotic mechanisms underlies the molecular basis of SZ, then anti-apoptotic molecules could be a prodromal therapeutic option to halt or prevent SZ. In fact, risk alleles related in apoptotic genes have been recently associated to SZ and shared molecular apoptotic changes are common in the main neurodegenerative disorders and SZ. PRISMA-guidelines were considered. Anti-apoptotic drugs are commonly applied in classic neurodegenerative disorders with promising results. Despite both the apoptotic-hallmarks of SZ and the widespread use of anti-apoptotic targets in neurodegeneration, there is a strikingly scarce number of studies investigating anti-apoptotic approaches in SZ. We analyzed the anti-apoptotic approaches conducted in neurodegeneration and the potential applications of such anti-apoptotic therapies as a promising novel therapeutic strategy, especially during early stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza Morén
- Barcelona Clínic Schizophrenia Unit (BCSU), Institute of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience Area, The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- U722 Group, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nina Treder
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert Martínez-Pinteño
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natàlia Rodríguez
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Néstor Arbelo
- Barcelona Clínic Schizophrenia Unit (BCSU), Institute of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- G04 Group, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Madero
- Barcelona Clínic Schizophrenia Unit (BCSU), Institute of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- G04 Group, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Gómez
- Barcelona Clínic Schizophrenia Unit (BCSU), Institute of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- G04 Group, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry, Servizo Galego de Saúde (SERGAS), 36001 Pontevedra, Spain
| | - Sergi Mas
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience Area, The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- G04 Group, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Gassó
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience Area, The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- G04 Group, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduard Parellada
- Barcelona Clínic Schizophrenia Unit (BCSU), Institute of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience Area, The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- G04 Group, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Flores J, Fillion ML, LeBlanc AC. Caspase-1 inhibition improves cognition without significantly altering amyloid and inflammation in aged Alzheimer disease mice. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:864. [PMID: 36220815 PMCID: PMC9553979 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05290-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Human genetic and animal model studies indicate that brain microglial inflammation is a primary driver of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer Disease (AD). Inflammasome-activated Caspase-1 (Casp1) is associated with both AD microglial inflammation and neuronal degeneration. In mice, Casp1 genetic ablation or VX-765 small molecule inhibition of Casp1 given at onset of cognitive deficits strongly supports the association between microglial inflammation and cognitive impairment. Here, VX-765 significantly improved episodic and spatial memory impairment eight months after the onset of cognitive impairment in aged AD mice with significant amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) accumulation and microglial inflammation. Unexpectedly, while cognitive improvement was associated with dendritic spine density and hippocampal synaptophysin level recovery, VX-765 only slightly decreased Aβ deposition and did not alter biochemically-measured Aβ levels. Furthermore, increased hippocampal Iba1+-microglia, GFAP+-astrocytes, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels were unaltered by VX-765. These results support the hypothesis that neuronal degeneration, not Aβ or microglial inflammation, drives cognitive impairment in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Flores
- grid.414980.00000 0000 9401 2774Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research at Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Marie-Lyne Fillion
- grid.414980.00000 0000 9401 2774Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research at Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Andréa C. LeBlanc
- grid.414980.00000 0000 9401 2774Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research at Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada
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Gureev AP, Sadovnikova IS, Popov VN. Molecular Mechanisms of the Neuroprotective Effect of Methylene Blue. Biochemistry (Mosc) 2022; 87:940-956. [PMID: 36180986 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922090073] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Methylene blue (MB) is the first fully synthetic compound that had found its way into medicine over 120 years ago as a treatment against malaria. MB has been approved for the treatment of methemoglobinemia, but there are premises for its repurposing as a neuroprotective agent based on the efficacy of this compound demonstrated in the models of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, depressive disorders, etc. However, the goal of this review was not so much to focus on the therapeutic effects of MB in the treatment of various neurodegeneration diseases, but to delve into the mechanisms of direct or indirect effect of this drug on the signaling pathways. MB can act as an alternative electron carrier in the mitochondrial respiratory chain in the case of dysfunctional electron transport chain. It also displays the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS), activates signaling pathways involved in the mitochondrial pool renewal (mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagy), and prevents aggregation of misfolded proteins. Comprehensive understanding of all aspects of direct and indirect influence of MB, and not just some of its effects, can help in further research of this compound, including its clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem P Gureev
- Voronezh State University, Voronezh, 394018, Russia.
- Voronezh State University of Engineering Technologies, 394036, Voronezh, Russia
| | | | - Vasily N Popov
- Voronezh State University, Voronezh, 394018, Russia
- Voronezh State University of Engineering Technologies, 394036, Voronezh, Russia
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Blevins HM, Xu Y, Biby S, Zhang S. The NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway: A Review of Mechanisms and Inhibitors for the Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:879021. [PMID: 35754962 PMCID: PMC9226403 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.879021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The NLRP3 inflammasome is a multiprotein complex that plays a pivotal role in regulating the innate immune system and inflammatory signaling. Upon activation by PAMPs and DAMPs, NLRP3 oligomerizes and activates caspase-1 which initiates the processing and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. NLRP3 is the most extensively studied inflammasome to date due to its array of activators and aberrant activation in several inflammatory diseases. Studies using small molecules and biologics targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway have shown positive outcomes in treating various disease pathologies by blocking chronic inflammation. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in understanding the NLRP3 mechanism, its role in disease pathology, and provide a broad review of therapeutics discovered to target the NLRP3 pathway and their challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shijun Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
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11
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Flores J, Noël A, Fillion ML, LeBlanc AC. Therapeutic potential of Nlrp1 inflammasome, Caspase-1, or Caspase-6 against Alzheimer disease cognitive impairment. Cell Death Differ 2022; 29:657-69. [PMID: 34625662 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-021-00881-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The sequential activation of Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, Leucine rich Repeat and Pyrin domain containing protein 1 (Nlrp1) inflammasome, Caspase-1 (Casp1), and Caspase-6 (Casp6) is implicated in primary human neuron cultures and Alzheimer Disease (AD) neurodegeneration. To validate the Nlrp1-Casp1-Casp6 pathway in vivo, the APPSwedish/Indiana J20 AD transgenic mouse model was generated on either a Nlrp1, Casp1 or Casp6 null genetic background and mice were studied at 4-5 months of age. Episodic memory deficits assessed with novel object recognition were normalized by genetic ablation of Nlrp1, Casp1, or Casp6 in J20 mice. Spatial learning deficits, assessed with the Barnes Maze, were normalized in genetically ablated J20, whereas memory recall was normalized in J20/Casp1-/- and J20/Casp6-/-, and improved in J20/Nlrp1-/- mice. Hippocampal CA1 dendritic spine density of the mushroom subtype was reduced in J20, and normalized in genetically ablated J20 mice. Reduced J20 hippocampal dentate gyrus and CA3 synaptophysin levels were normalized in genetically ablated J20. Increased Iba1+-microglia in the hippocampus and cortex of J20 brains were normalized by Casp1 and Casp6 ablation and reduced by Nlrp1 ablation. Increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and CXCL1, in the J20 hippocampus were normalized by Nlrp1 or Casp1 genetic ablation. CXCL1 was also normalized by Casp6 genetic ablation. IFN-γ was increased and total amyloid β peptide was decreased in genetically ablated Nlrp1, Casp1 or Casp6 J20 hippocampi. We conclude that Nlrp1, Casp1, or Casp6 are implicated in AD-related cognitive impairment, inflammation, and amyloidogenesis. These results indicate that Nlrp1, Casp1, and Casp6 represent rational therapeutic targets against cognitive impairment and inflammation in AD.
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12
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Cárdenas-Tueme M, Trujillo-Villarreal LÁ, Ramírez-Amaya V, Garza-Villarreal EA, Camacho-Morales A, Reséndez-Pérez D. Fornix volumetric increase and microglia morphology contribute to spatial and recognition-like memory decline in ageing male mice. Neuroimage 2022; 252:119039. [PMID: 35227858 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing displays a low-grade pro-inflammatory profile in blood and the brain. Accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, microglia activation and volumetric changes in the brain correlate with cognitive decline in ageing models. However, the interplay between them is not totally understood. Here, we aimed to globally identify an age-dependent pro-inflammatory profile and microglia morphological plasticity that favors major volume changes in the brain associated with cognitive decline. Cluster analysis of behavioral data obtained from 2-,12- and 20-month-old male C57BL/6 mice revealed age-dependent cognitive decline after the Y-maze, Barnes maze, object recognition (NORT) and object location tests (OLT). Global magnetic resonance imageing (MRI) analysis by deformation-based morphometry (DBM) in the brain identified a volume increase in the fornix and a decrease in the left medial entorhinal cortex (MEntC) during ageing. Notably, the fornix shows an increase in the accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas the left MEntC displays a decrease. Morphological assessment of microglia also confirms an active and dystrophic phenotype in the fornix and a surveillance phenotype in the left MEntC. Finally, biological modeling revealed that age-related volume increase in the fornix was associated with dystrophic microglia and cognitive impairment, as evidenced by failure on tasks examining memory of object location and novelty. Our results propose that the morphological plasticity of microglia might contribute to volumetric changes in brain regions associated with cognitive decline during physiological ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Cárdenas-Tueme
- Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Biología Celular y Genética, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, México
| | - Luis Ángel Trujillo-Villarreal
- Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Bioquímica, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México; Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Unidad de Neurometabolismo, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
| | - Victor Ramírez-Amaya
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra INIMEC-CONICET- UNC, Friuli 2434, Colinas de Vélez Sarsfield, Córdoba 5016, Argentina
| | - Eduardo A Garza-Villarreal
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Campus Juriquilla, Querétaro, México
| | - Alberto Camacho-Morales
- Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Bioquímica, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México; Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Unidad de Neurometabolismo, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.
| | - Diana Reséndez-Pérez
- Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Biología Celular y Genética, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, México.
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Islam MI, Nagakannan P, Shcholok T, Contu F, Mai S, Albensi BC, Del Bigio MR, Wang J, Sharoar M, Yan R, Park I, Eftekharpour E. Regulatory role of cathepsin L in induction of nuclear laminopathy in Alzheimer's disease. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13531. [PMID: 34905652 PMCID: PMC8761039 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Experimental and clinical therapies in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have focused on elimination of extracellular amyloid beta aggregates or prevention of cytoplasmic neuronal fibrillary tangles formation, yet these approaches have been generally ineffective. Interruption of nuclear lamina integrity, or laminopathy, is a newly identified concept in AD pathophysiology. Unraveling the molecular players in the induction of nuclear lamina damage may lead to identification of new therapies. Here, using 3xTg and APP/PS1 mouse models of AD, and in vitro model of amyloid beta42 (Aβ42) toxicity in primary neuronal cultures and SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, we have uncovered a key role for cathepsin L in the induction of nuclear lamina damage. The applicability of our findings to AD pathophysiology was validated in brain autopsy samples from patients. We report that upregulation of cathepsin L is an important process in the induction of nuclear lamina damage, shown by lamin B1 cleavage, and is associated with epigenetic modifications in AD pathophysiology. More importantly, pharmacological targeting and genetic knock out of cathepsin L mitigated Aβ42 induced lamin B1 degradation and downstream structural and molecular changes. Affirming these findings, overexpression of cathepsin L alone was sufficient to induce lamin B1 cleavage. The proteolytic activity of cathepsin L on lamin B1 was confirmed using mass spectrometry. Our research identifies cathepsin L as a newly identified lamin B1 protease and mediator of laminopathy observed in AD. These results uncover a new aspect in the pathophysiology of AD that can be pharmacologically prevented, raising hope for potential therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Imamul Islam
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
- Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
| | - Pandian Nagakannan
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
- Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
| | - Tetiana Shcholok
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
- Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
| | - Fabio Contu
- Cell Biology Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology CancerCare Manitoba University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
| | - Sabine Mai
- Cell Biology Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology CancerCare Manitoba University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
| | - Benedict C Albensi
- Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
- St Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre Winnipeg MB Canada
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences College of Pharmacy Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale Florida USA
| | - Marc R. Del Bigio
- Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
- Department of Pathology Shared Health Manitoba University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
| | - Jun‐Feng Wang
- Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
| | - Md Golam Sharoar
- Department of Neuroscience University of Connecticut Health Farmington Connecticut USA
| | - Riqiang Yan
- Department of Neuroscience University of Connecticut Health Farmington Connecticut USA
| | - Il‐Seon Park
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine Chosun University Gwangju South Korea
| | - Eftekhar Eftekharpour
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
- Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
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14
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Abstract
The proteasome system is a large and complex molecular machinery responsible for the degradation of misfolded, damaged, and redundant cellular proteins. When proteasome function is impaired, unwanted proteins accumulate, which can lead to several diseases including age-related and neurodegenerative diseases. Enhancing proteasome-mediated substrate degradation with small molecules may therefore be a valuable strategy for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. In this review, we discuss the structure of proteasome and how proteasome's proteolytic activity is associated with aging and various neurodegenerative diseases. We also summarize various classes of compounds that are capable of enhancing, directly or indirectly, proteasome-mediated protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jetze J. Tepe
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacology & Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
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15
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de Castro Brás LE, Baccanale CL, Eccleston L, Sloan T, St Antoine JC, Verzwyvelt SML, Pittman P, O'Rourke D, Meggs WJ. Efficacy of methylene blue in a murine model of amlodipine overdose. Am J Emerg Med 2021; 45:284-289. [PMID: 33041135 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.08.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amlodipine overdoses have significant cardiac toxicity and are difficult to treat. Methylene blue has potential as a treatment for overdoses. METHODS A randomized controlled study of methylene blue as a treatment for amlodipine toxicity was conducted in C57Bl/6 mice. A baseline echocardiography was followed by gavage administration of amlodipine (90 mg/kg). Five minutes after gavage, animals received either vehicle solution (controls) or methylene blue (20 mg/kg) by intra-peritoneal injection. Animals were continuously monitored, and cardiac parameters were acquired every 15 min up to two hours. RESULTS Only 50% of control animals survived to the two-hour endpoint compared to 83% that received methylene blue. Amlodipine delivery induced significant reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), stroke volume (SV), and cardiac output (CO) in the vehicle treated animals relative to animals in the treatment group (p < 0.05 vehicle versus Methylene blue for EF, FS, SV, CO, and HR). DISCUSSION The amlodipine dose induced cardiotoxicity that were effects were more pronounced in the untreated group. 50% vehicle controls quickly progressed into heart failure (within 90 min of exposure) and did not survive the two h observation endpoint. Distinctly, only one animal from the Methylene blue treatment group did not survive (83% survival) the study. Additionally, the surviving animals from the Methylene blue group displayed significantly higher ejection fraction, fractional shortening, stroke volume, and cardiac output compared to vehicle group, indicating that methylene blue preserved cardiac function. CONCLUSION In this mouse model of amlodipine overdose, methylene blue decreased cardiac toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisandra E de Castro Brás
- Department of Physiology and Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - Cecile L Baccanale
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - Lex Eccleston
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - Trey Sloan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - Jason C St Antoine
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - Steven Matthew-Lewis Verzwyvelt
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - Peggy Pittman
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - Dorcas O'Rourke
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - William J Meggs
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States of America.
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16
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Zhou L, Nho K, Haddad MG, Cherepacha N, Tubeleviciute-Aydin A, Tsai AP, Saykin AJ, Jesper Sjöström P, LeBlanc AC. Rare CASP6N73T variant associated with hippocampal volume exhibits decreased proteolytic activity, synaptic transmission defect, and neurodegeneration. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12695. [PMID: 34135352 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91367-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Caspase-6 (Casp6) is implicated in Alzheimer disease (AD) cognitive impairment and pathology. Hippocampal atrophy is associated with cognitive impairment in AD. Here, a rare functional exonic missense CASP6 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), causing the substitution of asparagine with threonine at amino acid 73 in Casp6 (Casp6N73T), was associated with hippocampal subfield CA1 volume preservation. Compared to wild type Casp6 (Casp6WT), recombinant Casp6N73T altered Casp6 proteolysis of natural substrates Lamin A/C and α-Tubulin, but did not alter cleavage of the Ac-VEID-AFC Casp6 peptide substrate. Casp6N73T-transfected HEK293T cells showed elevated Casp6 mRNA levels similar to Casp6WT-transfected cells, but, in contrast to Casp6WT, did not accumulate active Casp6 subunits nor show increased Casp6 enzymatic activity. Electrophysiological and morphological assessments showed that Casp6N73T recombinant protein caused less neurofunctional damage and neurodegeneration in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons than Casp6WT. Lastly, CASP6 mRNA levels were increased in several AD brain regions confirming the implication of Casp6 in AD. These studies suggest that the rare Casp6N73T variant may protect against hippocampal atrophy due to its altered catalysis of natural protein substrates and intracellular instability thus leading to less Casp6-mediated damage to neuronal structure and function.
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17
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Noël A, Foveau B, LeBlanc AC. Caspase-6-cleaved Tau fails to induce Tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation, neurodegeneration, glial inflammation, and cognitive deficits. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:227. [PMID: 33649324 PMCID: PMC7921451 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03506-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Active Caspase-6 (Casp6) and Tau cleaved by Casp6 at amino acids 402 (Tau∆D402) and 421 (Tau∆D421) are present in early Alzheimer disease intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles, which are made primarily of filamentous Tau aggregates. To assess whether Casp6 cleavage of Tau contributes to Tau pathology and Casp6-mediated age-dependent cognitive impairment, we generated transgenic knock-in mouse models that conditionally express full-length human Tau (hTau) 0N4R only (CTO) or together with human Casp6 (hCasp6) (CTC). Region-specific hippocampal and cortical hCasp6 and hTau expression were confirmed with western blot and immunohistochemistry in 2-25-month-old brains. Casp6 activity was confirmed with Tau∆D421 and Tubulin cleaved by Casp6 immunopositivity in 3-25-month-old CTC, but not in CTO, brains. Immunoprecipitated Tau∆D402 was detected in both CTC and CTO brains, but was more abundant in CTC brains. Intraneuronal hippocampal Tau hyperphosphorylation at S202/T205, S422, and T231, and Tau conformational change were absent in both CTC and CTO brains. A slight accumulation of Tau phosphorylated at S396/404 and S202 was observed in Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) hippocampal neuron soma of CTC compared to CTO brains. Eighteen-month-old CTC brains showed rare argentophilic deposits that increased by 25 months, whereas CTO brains only displayed them sparsely at 25 months. Tau microtubule binding was equivalent in CTC and CTO hippocampi. Episodic and spatial memory measured with novel object recognition and Barnes maze, respectively, remained normal in 3-25-month-old CTC and CTO mice, in contrast to previously observed impairments in ACL mice expressing equivalent levels of hCasp6 only. Consistently, the CTC and CTO hippocampal CA1 region displayed equivalent dendritic spine density and no glial inflammation. Together, these results reveal that active hCasp6 co-expression with hTau generates Tau cleavage and rare age-dependent argentophilic deposits but fails to induce cognitive deficits, neuroinflammation, and Tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Noël
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Bénédicte Foveau
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andréa C LeBlanc
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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18
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Deng Y, Wang R, Li S, Zhu X, Wang T, Wu J, Zhang J. Methylene blue reduces incidence of early postoperative cognitive disorders in elderly patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery: An open-label randomized controlled clinical trial. J Clin Anesth 2020; 68:110108. [PMID: 33091706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2020.110108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether methylene blue (MB) could reduce the incidences of postoperative delirium (POD) and early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in elderly patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, open-label clinical trial. SETTING University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS Two hundred and forty-eight elderly patients scheduled for non-cardiac surgery. INTERVENTIONS Elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac major surgery were randomly assigned to MB group (n = 124), who receiving intravenous infusion of 2 mg/kg MB within 60 min immediately after anesthetic induction, or control group (n = 124), who receiving equal volume saline in the same way. MEASUREMENTS All patients were evaluated with delirium and neuropsychological batteries before and after surgery, as well as perioperative adverse events. Two plasma biomarkers superoxide dismutase (SOD) and homocysteine (HCY) were measured pre- and post-operatively. MAIN RESULTS There were total 39 cases(15.7%)experienced POD. The incidence of POD in MB group was significantly less than that in control group (7.3% vs. 24.2%, OR = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.11-0.53, p < 0.001). The incidence of early POCD at postoperative 7th day in MB group was also less than that in control group (16.1% vs. 40.2%, OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.16-0.57, p < 0.001). The adverse events were comparable in both groups. In addition, there was no significant correlation between POD/POCD and levels of SOD or HCY. CONCLUSION We conclude that intraoperative intravenous 2 mg/kg MB could significantly reduce the incidences of POD and early POCD in elderly surgical patients, while not remarkably increase incidence of perioperative adverse events, suggesting MB may be clinically effective and safe for prevention of early postoperative neurocognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixu Deng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, PR China
| | - Ruijing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Shitong Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Xiao Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Jianjun Wu
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University,Shanghai 200032, PR China.
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Flores J, Noël A, Foveau B, Beauchet O, LeBlanc AC. Pre-symptomatic Caspase-1 inhibitor delays cognitive decline in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease and aging. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4571. [PMID: 32917871 PMCID: PMC7486940 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18405-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [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: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Early therapeutic interventions are essential to prevent Alzheimer Disease (AD). The association of several inflammation-related genetic markers with AD and the early activation of pro-inflammatory pathways in AD suggest inflammation as a plausible therapeutic target. Inflammatory Caspase-1 has a significant impact on AD-like pathophysiology and Caspase-1 inhibitor, VX-765, reverses cognitive deficits in AD mouse models. Here, a one-month pre-symptomatic treatment of Swedish/Indiana mutant amyloid precursor protein (APPSw/Ind) J20 and wild-type mice with VX-765 delays both APPSw/Ind- and age-induced episodic and spatial memory deficits. VX-765 delays inflammation without considerably affecting soluble and aggregated amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) levels. Episodic memory scores correlate negatively with microglial activation. These results suggest that Caspase-1-mediated inflammation occurs early in the disease and raise hope that VX-765, a previously Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for human CNS clinical trials, may be a useful drug to prevent the onset of cognitive deficits and brain inflammation in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Flores
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anastasia Noël
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bénédicte Foveau
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Olivier Beauchet
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Sir Mortimer B. Davis - Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andréa C LeBlanc
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. .,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. .,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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20
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Abstract
The inability of individual neurons to compensate for aging-related damage leads to a gradual loss of functional plasticity in the brain accompanied by progressive impairment in learning and memory. Whereas this loss in neuroplasticity is gradual during normal aging, in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), this loss is accelerated dramatically, leading to the incapacitation of patients within a decade of onset of cognitive symptoms. The mechanisms that underlie this accelerated loss of neuroplasticity in AD are still not completely understood. While the progressively increasing proteinopathy burden, such as amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and tau tangles, definitely contribute directly to a neuron’s functional demise, the role of non-neuronal cells in controlling neuroplasticity is slowly being recognized as another major factor. These non-neuronal cells include astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, which through regulating brain homeostasis, structural stability, and trophic support, play a key role in maintaining normal functioning and resilience of the neuronal network. It is believed that chronic signaling from these cells affects the homeostatic network of neuronal and non-neuronal cells to an extent to destabilize this harmonious milieu in neurodegenerative diseases like AD. Here, we will examine the experimental evidence regarding the direct and indirect pathways through which astrocytes and microglia can alter brain plasticity in AD, specifically as they relate to the development and progression of tauopathy. In this review article, we describe the concepts of neuroplasticity and glial plasticity in healthy aging, delineate possible mechanisms underlying tau-induced plasticity dysfunction, and discuss current clinical trials as well as future disease-modifying approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Koller
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Paramita Chakrabarty
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Yang L, Youngblood H, Wu C, Zhang Q. Mitochondria as a target for neuroprotection: role of methylene blue and photobiomodulation. Transl Neurodegener 2020; 9:19. [PMID: 32475349 PMCID: PMC7262767 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-020-00197-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [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: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in the formation of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, which are important factors contributing to the development of brain disease. Ample evidence suggests mitochondria are a promising target for neuroprotection. Recently, methods targeting mitochondria have been considered as potential approaches for treatment of brain disease through the inhibition of inflammation and oxidative injury. This review will discuss two widely studied approaches for the improvement of brain mitochondrial respiration, methylene blue (MB) and photobiomodulation (PBM). MB is a widely studied drug with potential beneficial effects in animal models of brain disease, as well as limited human studies. Similarly, PBM is a non-invasive treatment that promotes energy production and reduces both oxidative stress and inflammation, and has garnered increasing attention in recent years. MB and PBM have similar beneficial effects on mitochondrial function, oxidative damage, inflammation, and subsequent behavioral symptoms. However, the mechanisms underlying the energy enhancing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of MB and PBM differ. This review will focus on mitochondrial dysfunction in several different brain diseases and the pathological improvements following MB and PBM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luodan Yang
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Hannah Youngblood
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Chongyun Wu
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Quanguang Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
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