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McMoneagle E, Zhou J, Zhang S, Huang W, Josiah SS, Ding K, Wang Y, Zhang J. Neuronal K +-Cl - cotransporter KCC2 as a promising drug target for epilepsy treatment. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024; 45:1-22. [PMID: 37704745 PMCID: PMC10770335 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-023-01149-9] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a prevalent neurological disorder characterized by unprovoked seizures. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) serves as the primary fast inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, and GABA binding to the GABAA receptor (GABAAR) regulates Cl- and bicarbonate (HCO3-) influx or efflux through the channel pore, leading to GABAergic inhibition or excitation, respectively. The neuron-specific K+-Cl- cotransporter 2 (KCC2) is essential for maintaining a low intracellular Cl- concentration, ensuring GABAAR-mediated inhibition. Impaired KCC2 function results in GABAergic excitation associated with epileptic activity. Loss-of-function mutations and altered expression of KCC2 lead to elevated [Cl-]i and compromised synaptic inhibition, contributing to epilepsy pathogenesis in human patients. KCC2 antagonism studies demonstrate the necessity of limiting neuronal hyperexcitability within the brain, as reduced KCC2 functioning leads to seizure activity. Strategies focusing on direct (enhancing KCC2 activation) and indirect KCC2 modulation (altering KCC2 phosphorylation and transcription) have proven effective in attenuating seizure severity and exhibiting anti-convulsant properties. These findings highlight KCC2 as a promising therapeutic target for treating epilepsy. Recent advances in understanding KCC2 regulatory mechanisms, particularly via signaling pathways such as WNK, PKC, BDNF, and its receptor TrkB, have led to the discovery of novel small molecules that modulate KCC2. Inhibiting WNK kinase or utilizing newly discovered KCC2 agonists has demonstrated KCC2 activation and seizure attenuation in animal models. This review discusses the role of KCC2 in epilepsy and evaluates its potential as a drug target for epilepsy treatment by exploring various strategies to regulate KCC2 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin McMoneagle
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, Streatham Campus, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Jin Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institute of Biological Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shiyao Zhang
- Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Lu, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Weixue Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Research Center of Chemical Kinomics, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Sunday Solomon Josiah
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, Streatham Campus, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Ke Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Research Center of Chemical Kinomics, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Neurology, Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institute of Biological Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, Streatham Campus, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK.
- Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Lu, Xiamen, 361102, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Research Center of Chemical Kinomics, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Zhang J, Hartmann AM, Guo J. Editorial: Chloride homeostasis in animal cell physiology. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1227565. [PMCID: PMC10277798 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1227565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jinwei Zhang
- Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, Streatham Campus, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Anna-Maria Hartmann
- Division of Neurogenetics, Faculty VI, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Center for Neurosensory Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Jiangtao Guo
- Department of Biophysics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Douceau S, Deutsch Guerrero T, Ferent J. Establishing Hedgehog Gradients during Neural Development. Cells 2023; 12:cells12020225. [PMID: 36672161 PMCID: PMC9856818 DOI: 10.3390/cells12020225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A morphogen is a signaling molecule that induces specific cellular responses depending on its local concentration. The concept of morphogenic gradients has been a central paradigm of developmental biology for decades. Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) is one of the most important morphogens that displays pleiotropic functions during embryonic development, ranging from neuronal patterning to axon guidance. It is commonly accepted that Shh is distributed in a gradient in several tissues from different origins during development; however, how these gradients are formed and maintained at the cellular and molecular levels is still the center of a great deal of research. In this review, we first explored all of the different sources of Shh during the development of the nervous system. Then, we detailed how these sources can distribute Shh in the surrounding tissues via a variety of mechanisms. Finally, we addressed how disrupting Shh distribution and gradients can induce severe neurodevelopmental disorders and cancers. Although the concept of gradient has been central in the field of neurodevelopment since the fifties, we also describe how contemporary leading-edge techniques, such as organoids, can revisit this classical model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Douceau
- INSERM UMR-S 1270, F-75005 Paris, France
- Institut du Fer à Moulin, INSERM, Sorbonne Univeristy, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Tanya Deutsch Guerrero
- INSERM UMR-S 1270, F-75005 Paris, France
- Institut du Fer à Moulin, INSERM, Sorbonne Univeristy, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Julien Ferent
- INSERM UMR-S 1270, F-75005 Paris, France
- Institut du Fer à Moulin, INSERM, Sorbonne Univeristy, F-75005 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
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Fan J, Zhao Z, Liu R, Li H, He W, Wu J, Wang Y, Chen W. A Potent Antagonist of Smoothened in Hedgehog Signaling for Epilepsy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23. [PMID: 36498832 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314505] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the common encephalopathies caused by sudden abnormal discharges of neurons in the brain. About 30% of patients with epilepsy are insensitive and refractory to existing antiseizure medications. The sonic hedgehog signaling pathway is essential to the development and homeostasis of brain. Aberrant sonic hedgehog signaling is increased in refractory epileptic lesions and may involve the etiology of epilepsy. Thus, new inhibitors of Smoothened, a key signal transducer of this signaling pathway are urgently need for refractory epilepsy. We have established a high-throughput screening platform and discovered several active small molecules targeting Smoothened including TT22. Here we show that the novel Smoothened inhibitor TT22 could block the translocation of βarrestin2-GFP to Smoothened, reduce the accumulation of Smoothened on primary cilia, displace Bodipy-cyclopamine binding to Smoothened, and inhibit the expression of downstream Gli transcription factor. Moreover, TT22 inhibits the abnormal seizure-like activity in neurons. Furthermore, we demonstrated that FDA-approved Smoothened inhibitor GDC-0449 and LDE-225 are able to inhibit abnormal seizure-like activity in neurons. Thus, our study suggests that targeting the sonic hedgehog signaling with new small-molecule Smoothened inhibitors might provide a potential new therapeutic avenue for refractory epilepsy.
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Manuel M, Tan KB, Kozic Z, Molinek M, Marcos TS, Razak MFA, Dobolyi D, Dobie R, Henderson BEP, Henderson NC, Chan WK, Daw MI, Mason JO, Price DJ. Pax6 limits the competence of developing cerebral cortical cells to respond to inductive intercellular signals. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001563. [PMID: 36067211 PMCID: PMC9481180 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of stable specialized cell types in multicellular organisms relies on mechanisms controlling inductive intercellular signals and the competence of cells to respond to such signals. In developing cerebral cortex, progenitors generate only glutamatergic excitatory neurons despite being exposed to signals with the potential to initiate the production of other neuronal types, suggesting that their competence is limited. Here, we tested the hypothesis that this limitation is due to their expression of transcription factor Pax6. We used bulk and single-cell RNAseq to show that conditional cortex-specific Pax6 deletion from the onset of cortical neurogenesis allowed some progenitors to generate abnormal lineages resembling those normally found outside the cortex. Analysis of selected gene expression showed that the changes occurred in specific spatiotemporal patterns. We then compared the responses of control and Pax6-deleted cortical cells to in vivo and in vitro manipulations of extracellular signals. We found that Pax6 loss increased cortical progenitors’ competence to generate inappropriate lineages in response to extracellular factors normally present in developing cortex, including the morphogens Shh and Bmp4. Regional variation in the levels of these factors could explain spatiotemporal patterns of fate change following Pax6 deletion in vivo. We propose that Pax6’s main role in developing cortical cells is to minimize the risk of their development being derailed by the potential side effects of morphogens engaged contemporaneously in other essential functions. The development of stable specialized cell types in multicellular organisms relies on mechanisms controlling inductive intercellular signals and the competence of cells to respond. This study shows that cortical development is stabilized by the protective actions of the transcription factor Pax6, which adjusts the ability of cortical cells to respond to potentially destabilizing signals present in their local environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Manuel
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Kai Boon Tan
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Zrinko Kozic
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Molinek
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tiago Sena Marcos
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Maizatul Fazilah Abd Razak
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Dániel Dobolyi
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ross Dobie
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Beth E. P. Henderson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Neil C. Henderson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Wai Kit Chan
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Michael I. Daw
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - John O. Mason
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Price
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Patrick Wild Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Hamze M, Medina I, Delmotte Q, Porcher C. Contribution of Smoothened Receptor Signaling in GABAergic Neurotransmission and Chloride Homeostasis in the Developing Rodent Brain. Front Physiol 2021; 12:798066. [PMID: 34955901 PMCID: PMC8703190 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.798066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the early stages of the central nervous system growth and development, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays an instructive trophic role for key events including neurogenesis, migration, synaptogenesis, and network formation. These actions are associated with increased concentration of chloride ions in immature neurons [(Cl−)i] that determines the depolarizing strength of ion currents mediated by GABAA receptors, a ligand-gated Cl− permeable ion channel. During neuron maturation the (Cl−)i progressively decreases leading to weakening of GABA induced depolarization and enforcing GABA function as principal inhibitory neurotransmitter. A neuron restricted potassium-chloride co-transporter KCC2 is a key molecule governing Cl− extrusion and determining the resting level of (Cl−)i in developing and mature mammalian neurons. Among factors controlling the functioning of KCC2 and the maturation of inhibitory circuits, is Smoothened (Smo), the transducer in the receptor complex of the developmental protein Sonic Hedgehog (Shh). Too much or too little Shh-Smo action will have mirror effects on KCC2 stability at the neuron membrane, the GABA inhibitory strength, and ultimately on the newborn susceptibility to neurodevelopmental disorders. Both canonical and non-canonical Shh-Smo signal transduction pathways contribute to the regulation of KCC2 and GABAergic synaptic activity. In this review, we discuss the recent findings of the action of Shh-Smo signaling pathways on chloride ions homeostasis through the control of KCC2 membrane trafficking, and consequently on inhibitory neurotransmission and network activity during postnatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Hamze
- Aix-Marseille University, INSERM, INMED, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France.,INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) Unité, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France.,INMED (Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée), Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Igor Medina
- Aix-Marseille University, INSERM, INMED, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France.,INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) Unité, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France.,INMED (Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée), Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Quentin Delmotte
- Aix-Marseille University, INSERM, INMED, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France.,INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) Unité, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France.,INMED (Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée), Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Porcher
- Aix-Marseille University, INSERM, INMED, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France.,INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) Unité, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France.,INMED (Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée), Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
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Abstract
The membrane responses upon activation of GABA(A) receptors critically depend on the intracellular Cl− concentration ([Cl−]i), which is maintained by a set of transmembrane transporters for Cl−. During neuronal development, but also under several pathophysiological conditions, the prevailing expression of the Cl− loader NKCC1 and the low expression of the Cl− extruder KCC2 causes elevated [Cl−]i, which result in depolarizing GABAergic membrane responses. However, depolarizing GABAergic responses are not necessarily excitatory, as GABA(A) receptors also reduces the input resistance of neurons and thereby shunt excitatory inputs. To summarize our knowledge on the effect of depolarizing GABA responses on neuronal excitability, this review discusses theoretical considerations and experimental studies illustrating the relation between GABA conductances, GABA reversal potential and neuronal excitability. In addition, evidences for the complex spatiotemporal interaction between depolarizing GABAergic and glutamatergic inputs are described. Moreover, mechanisms that influence [Cl−]i beyond the expression of Cl− transporters are presented. And finally, several in vitro and in vivo studies that directly investigated whether GABA mediates excitation or inhibition during early developmental stages are summarized. In summary, these theoretical considerations and experimental evidences suggest that GABA can act as inhibitory neurotransmitter even under conditions that maintain substantial depolarizing membrane responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner Kilb
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Delpire E. Advances in the development of novel compounds targeting cation-chloride cotransporter physiology. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2021; 320:C324-C340. [PMID: 33356948 PMCID: PMC8294628 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00566.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
For about half a century, the pharmacology of electroneutral cation-chloride cotransporters has been dominated by a few drugs that are widely used in clinical medicine. Because these diuretic drugs are so good at what they do, there has been little incentive in expanding their pharmacology. The increasing realization that cation-chloride cotransporters are involved in many other key physiological processes and the knowledge that different tissues express homologous proteins with matching transport functions have rekindled interest in drug discovery. This review summarizes the methods available to assess the function of these transporters and describe the multiple efforts that have made to identify new compounds. We describe multiple screens targeting KCC2 function and one screen designed to find compounds that discriminate between NKCC1 and NKCC2. Two of the KCC2 screens identified new inhibitors that are 3-4 orders of magnitude more potent than furosemide. Additional screens identified compounds that purportedly increase cell surface expression of the cotransporter, as well as several FDA-approved drugs that increase KCC2 transcription and expression. The technical details of each screen biased them toward specific processes in the life cycle of the transporter, making these efforts independent and complementary. In addition, each drug discovery effort contributes to our understanding of the biology of the cotransporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Delpire
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
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