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de Vries LE, Jongejan A, Monteiro Fortes J, Balesar R, Rozemuller AJM, Moerland PD, Huitinga I, Swaab DF, Verhaagen J. Gene-expression profiling of individuals resilient to Alzheimer's disease reveals higher expression of genes related to metallothionein and mitochondrial processes and no changes in the unfolded protein response. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:68. [PMID: 38664739 PMCID: PMC11046840 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01760-9] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Some individuals show a discrepancy between cognition and the amount of neuropathological changes characteristic for Alzheimer's disease (AD). This phenomenon has been referred to as 'resilience'. The molecular and cellular underpinnings of resilience remain poorly understood. To obtain an unbiased understanding of the molecular changes underlying resilience, we investigated global changes in gene expression in the superior frontal gyrus of a cohort of cognitively and pathologically well-defined AD patients, resilient individuals and age-matched controls (n = 11-12 per group). 897 genes were significantly altered between AD and control, 1121 between resilient and control and 6 between resilient and AD. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that the expression of metallothionein (MT) and of genes related to mitochondrial processes was higher in the resilient donors. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified gene modules related to the unfolded protein response, mitochondrial processes and synaptic signaling to be differentially associated with resilience or dementia. As changes in MT, mitochondria, heat shock proteins and the unfolded protein response (UPR) were the most pronounced changes in the GSEA and/or WGCNA, immunohistochemistry was used to further validate these processes. MT was significantly increased in astrocytes in resilient individuals. A higher proportion of the mitochondrial gene MT-CO1 was detected outside the cell body versus inside the cell body in the resilient compared to the control group and there were higher levels of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and X-box-binding protein 1 spliced (XBP1s), two proteins related to heat shock proteins and the UPR, in the AD donors. Finally, we show evidence for putative sex-specific alterations in resilience, including gene expression differences related to autophagy in females compared to males. Taken together, these results show possible mechanisms involving MTs, mitochondrial processes and the UPR by which individuals might maintain cognition despite the presence of AD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luuk E de Vries
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Aldo Jongejan
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Monteiro Fortes
- Department of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rawien Balesar
- Department of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke J M Rozemuller
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC - Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Perry D Moerland
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Inge Huitinga
- Department of Neuroimmunology, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Department of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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de Vries LE, Huitinga I, Kessels HW, Swaab DF, Verhaagen J. The concept of resilience to Alzheimer's Disease: current definitions and cellular and molecular mechanisms. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:33. [PMID: 38589893 PMCID: PMC11003087 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00719-7] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Some individuals are able to maintain their cognitive abilities despite the presence of significant Alzheimer's Disease (AD) neuropathological changes. This discrepancy between cognition and pathology has been labeled as resilience and has evolved into a widely debated concept. External factors such as cognitive stimulation are associated with resilience to AD, but the exact cellular and molecular underpinnings are not completely understood. In this review, we discuss the current definitions used in the field, highlight the translational approaches used to investigate resilience to AD and summarize the underlying cellular and molecular substrates of resilience that have been derived from human and animal studies, which have received more and more attention in the last few years. From these studies the picture emerges that resilient individuals are different from AD patients in terms of specific pathological species and their cellular reaction to AD pathology, which possibly helps to maintain cognition up to a certain tipping point. Studying these rare resilient individuals can be of great importance as it could pave the way to novel therapeutic avenues for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luuk E de Vries
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Inge Huitinga
- Department of Neuroimmunology, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Department of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Nieuwenhuis B, Laperrousaz E, Tribble JR, Verhaagen J, Fawcett JW, Martin KR, Williams PA, Osborne A. Improving adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated transgene expression in retinal ganglion cells: comparison of five promoters. Gene Ther 2023:10.1038/s41434-022-00380-z. [PMID: 36635457 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-022-00380-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) are an effective system for gene transfer. AAV serotype 2 (AAV2) is commonly used to deliver transgenes to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) via intravitreal injection. The AAV serotype however is not the only factor contributing to the effectiveness of gene therapies. Promoters influence the strength and cell-selectivity of transgene expression. This study compares five promoters designed to maximise AAV2 cargo space for gene delivery: chicken β-actin (CBA), cytomegalovirus (CMV), short CMV early enhancer/chicken β-actin/short β-globulin intron (sCAG), mouse phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK), and human synapsin (SYN). The promoters driving enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) were examined in adult C57BL/6J mice eyes and tissues of the visual system. eGFP expression was strongest in the retina, optic nerves and brain when driven by the sCAG and SYN promoters. CBA, CMV, and PGK had moderate expression by comparison. The SYN promoter had almost exclusive transgene expression in RGCs. The PGK promoter had predominant expression in both RGCs and AII amacrine cells. The ubiquitous CBA, CMV, and sCAG promoters expressed eGFP in a variety of cell types across multiple retinal layers including Müller glia and astrocytes. We also found that these promoters could transduce human retina ex vivo, although expression was predominantly in glial cells due to low RGC viability. Taken together, this promoter comparison study contributes to optimising AAV-mediated transduction in the retina, and could be valuable for research in ocular disorders, particularly those with large or complex genetic cargos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Nieuwenhuis
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK.
| | - Elise Laperrousaz
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - James R Tribble
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Eye and Vision, St. Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - James W Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Centre of Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Keith R Martin
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Pete A Williams
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Eye and Vision, St. Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew Osborne
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Ikarovec Ltd, The Norwich Research Park Innovation Centre, Norwich, UK.
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Zhou L, Kong G, Palmisano I, Cencioni MT, Danzi M, De Virgiliis F, Chadwick JS, Crawford G, Yu Z, De Winter F, Lemmon V, Bixby J, Puttagunta R, Verhaagen J, Pospori C, Lo Celso C, Strid J, Botto M, Di Giovanni S. Reversible CD8 T cell-neuron cross-talk causes aging-dependent neuronal regenerative decline. Science 2022; 376:eabd5926. [PMID: 35549409 DOI: 10.1126/science.abd5926] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Aging is associated with increased prevalence of axonal injuries characterized by poor regeneration and disability. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In our experiments, RNA sequencing of sciatic dorsal root ganglia (DRG) revealed significant aging-dependent enrichment in T cell signaling both before and after sciatic nerve injury (SNI) in mice. Lymphotoxin activated the transcription factor NF-κB, which induced expression of the chemokine CXCL13 by neurons. This in turn recruited CXCR5+CD8+ T cells to injured DRG neurons overexpressing major histocompatibility complex class I. CD8+ T cells repressed the axonal regeneration of DRG neurons via caspase 3 activation. CXCL13 neutralization prevented CXCR5+CD8+ T cell recruitment to the DRG and reversed aging-dependent regenerative decline, thereby promoting neurological recovery after SNI. Thus, axonal regeneration can be facilitated by antagonizing cross-talk between immune cells and neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luming Zhou
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Guiping Kong
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ilaria Palmisano
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Maria Teresa Cencioni
- Division of Neurology, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Matt Danzi
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Francesco De Virgiliis
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jessica S Chadwick
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Greg Crawford
- Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Zicheng Yu
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Fred De Winter
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Vance Lemmon
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - John Bixby
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Radhika Puttagunta
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Constandina Pospori
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Cristina Lo Celso
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Jessica Strid
- Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Marina Botto
- Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Simone Di Giovanni
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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5
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Mason MRJ, van Erp S, Wolzak K, Behrens A, Raivich G, Verhaagen J. OUP accepted manuscript. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:1356. [PMID: 35166771 PMCID: PMC9029224 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R J Mason
- To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, 1105BA The Netherlands. Tel: +31205665500; Fax: +31205666121;
| | - Susan van Erp
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam 1105BA, The Netherlands
| | - Kim Wolzak
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam 1105BA, The Netherlands
| | - Axel Behrens
- Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK; Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Convergence Science Centre, Imperial College, London, SW7 2BU, UK
| | - Gennadij Raivich
- UCL Institute for Women's Health, Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Perinatal Brain Repair Group, London WC1E 6HX, UK
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam 1105BA, The Netherlands
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognition Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
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6
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de Vries LE, Rozemuller AJ, Huitinga I, Kessels HW, Swaab DF, Verhaagen J. Resilience in Alzheimer's disease: Gene expression patterns in individuals with a discrepancy between ante‐mortem cognition and post‐mortem pathology. Alzheimers Dement 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.050310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luuk E de Vries
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences Amsterdam Netherlands
| | | | - Inge Huitinga
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences Amsterdam Netherlands
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences Amsterdam Neuroscience University of Amsterdam Amsterdam Netherlands
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences Amsterdam Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences Amsterdam Netherlands
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7
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Mason MRJ, Erp S, Wolzak K, Behrens A, Raivich G, Verhaagen J. The Jun-dependent axon regeneration gene program: Jun promotes regeneration over plasticity. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 31:1242-1262. [PMID: 34718572 PMCID: PMC9029231 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab315] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The regeneration-associated gene (RAG) expression program is activated in injured peripheral neurons after axotomy and enables long-distance axon re-growth. Over 1000 genes are regulated, and many transcription factors are upregulated or activated as part of this response. However, a detailed picture of how RAG expression is regulated is lacking. In particular, the transcriptional targets and specific functions of the various transcription factors are unclear. Jun was the first-regeneration-associated transcription factor identified and the first shown to be functionally important. Here we fully define the role of Jun in the RAG expression program in regenerating facial motor neurons. At 1, 4 and 14 days after axotomy, Jun upregulates 11, 23 and 44% of the RAG program, respectively. Jun functions relevant to regeneration include cytoskeleton production, metabolic functions and cell activation, and the downregulation of neurotransmission machinery. In silico analysis of promoter regions of Jun targets identifies stronger over-representation of AP1-like sites than CRE-like sites, although CRE sites were also over-represented in regions flanking AP1 sites. Strikingly, in motor neurons lacking Jun, an alternative SRF-dependent gene expression program is initiated after axotomy. The promoters of these newly expressed genes exhibit over-representation of CRE sites in regions near to SRF target sites. This alternative gene expression program includes plasticity-associated transcription factors and leads to an aberrant early increase in synapse density on motor neurons. Jun thus has the important function in the early phase after axotomy of pushing the injured neuron away from a plasticity response and towards a regenerative phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R J Mason
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105, BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Susan Erp
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105, BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kim Wolzak
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105, BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Axel Behrens
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
| | - Gennadij Raivich
- UCL Institute for Women's Health, Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Perinatal Brain Repair Group, London, WC1E 6HX, United Kingdom
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105, BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Neurogenomics and Cognition Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Semaphorins, originally discovered as guidance cues for developing axons, are involved in many processes that shape the nervous system during development, from neuronal proliferation and migration to neuritogenesis and synapse formation. Interestingly, the expression of many Semaphorins persists after development. For instance, Semaphorin 3A is a component of perineuronal nets, the extracellular matrix structures enwrapping certain types of neurons in the adult CNS, which contribute to the closure of the critical period for plasticity. Semaphorin 3G and 4C play a crucial role in the control of adult hippocampal connectivity and memory processes, and Semaphorin 5A and 7A regulate adult neurogenesis. This evidence points to a role of Semaphorins in the regulation of adult neuronal plasticity. In this review, we address the distribution of Semaphorins in the adult nervous system and we discuss their function in physiological and pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Carulli
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi-Montalcini and Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Fred de Winter
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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9
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van Vliet AC, Lee J, van der Poel M, Mason MRJ, Noordermeer JN, Fradkin LG, Tannemaat MR, Malessy MJA, Verhaagen J, De Winter F. Coordinated changes in the expression of Wnt pathway genes following human and rat peripheral nerve injury. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249748. [PMID: 33848304 PMCID: PMC8043392 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249748] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A human neuroma-in continuity (NIC), formed following a peripheral nerve lesion, impedes functional recovery. The molecular mechanisms that underlie the formation of a NIC are poorly understood. Here we show that the expression of multiple genes of the Wnt family, including Wnt5a, is changed in NIC tissue from patients that underwent reconstructive surgery. The role of Wnt ligands in NIC pathology and nerve regeneration is of interest because Wnt ligands are implicated in tissue regeneration, fibrosis, axon repulsion and guidance. The observations in NIC prompted us to investigate the expression of Wnt ligands in the injured rat sciatic nerve and in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). In the injured nerve, four gene clusters were identified with temporal expression profiles corresponding to particular phases of the regeneration process. In the DRG up- and down regulation of certain Wnt receptors suggests that nerve injury has an impact on the responsiveness of injured sensory neurons to Wnt ligands in the nerve. Immunohistochemistry showed that Schwann cells in the NIC and in the injured nerve are the source of Wnt5a, whereas the Wnt5a receptor Ryk is expressed by axons traversing the NIC. Taken together, these observations suggest a central role for Wnt signalling in peripheral nerve regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie C. van Vliet
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jinhui Lee
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marlijn van der Poel
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew R. J. Mason
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Lee G. Fradkin
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Martijn R. Tannemaat
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn J. A. Malessy
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fred De Winter
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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10
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Crivelli SM, Luo Q, Stevens JA, Giovagnoni C, van Kruining D, Bode G, den Hoedt S, Hobo B, Scheithauer AL, Walter J, Mulder MT, Exley C, Mold M, Mielke MM, De Vries HE, Wouters K, van den Hove DLA, Berkes D, Ledesma MD, Verhaagen J, Losen M, Bieberich E, Martinez-Martinez P. CERT L reduces C16 ceramide, amyloid-β levels, and inflammation in a model of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther 2021; 13:45. [PMID: 33597019 PMCID: PMC7890977 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-021-00780-0] [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: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulation of ceramide and sphingomyelin levels have been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Ceramide transfer proteins (CERTs) are ceramide carriers which are crucial for ceramide and sphingomyelin balance in cells. Extracellular forms of CERTs co-localize with amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques in AD brains. To date, the significance of these observations for the pathophysiology of AD remains uncertain. METHODS A plasmid expressing CERTL, the long isoform of CERTs, was used to study the interaction of CERTL with amyloid precursor protein (APP) by co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence in HEK cells. The recombinant CERTL protein was employed to study interaction of CERTL with amyloid-β (Aβ), Aβ aggregation process in presence of CERTL, and the resulting changes in Aβ toxicity in neuroblastoma cells. CERTL was overexpressed in neurons by adeno-associated virus (AAV) in a mouse model of familial AD (5xFAD). Ten weeks after transduction, animals were challenged with behavior tests for memory, anxiety, and locomotion. At week 12, brains were investigated for sphingolipid levels by mass spectrometry, plaques, and neuroinflammation by immunohistochemistry, gene expression, and/or immunoassay. RESULTS Here, we report that CERTL binds to APP, modifies Aβ aggregation, and reduces Aβ neurotoxicity in vitro. Furthermore, we show that intracortical injection of AAV, mediating the expression of CERTL, decreases levels of ceramide d18:1/16:0 and increases sphingomyelin levels in the brain of male 5xFAD mice. CERTL in vivo over-expression has a mild effect on animal locomotion, decreases Aβ formation, and modulates microglia by decreasing their pro-inflammatory phenotype. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate a crucial role of CERTL in regulating ceramide levels in the brain, in amyloid plaque formation and neuroinflammation, thereby opening research avenues for therapeutic targets of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone M. Crivelli
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40502 USA
| | - Qian Luo
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Jo A.A. Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Caterina Giovagnoni
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Daan van Kruining
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Gerard Bode
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Sandra den Hoedt
- Department of Internal Medicine, Laboratory Vascular Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Barbara Hobo
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anna-Lena Scheithauer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jochen Walter
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Monique T. Mulder
- Department of Internal Medicine, Laboratory Vascular Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Christopher Exley
- The Birchall Centre, Lennard-Jones Laboratories, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK
| | - Matthew Mold
- The Birchall Centre, Lennard-Jones Laboratories, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK
| | - Michelle M. Mielke
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Science Research, and Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN USA
| | - Helga E. De Vries
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kristiaan Wouters
- Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Daniel L. A. van den Hove
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Dusan Berkes
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 81237 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - María Dolores Ledesma
- Department of Molecular Neuropathology, Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mario Losen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Erhard Bieberich
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40502 USA
| | - Pilar Martinez-Martinez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
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11
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Maldonado-Lasunción I, O’Neill N, Umland O, Verhaagen J, Oudega M. Macrophage-Derived Inflammation Induces a Transcriptome Makeover in Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Enhancing Their Potential for Tissue Repair. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:E781. [PMID: 33466704 PMCID: PMC7828776 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-clinical and clinical studies revealed that mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) transplants elicit tissue repair. Conditioning MSC prior to transplantation may boost their ability to support repair. We investigated macrophage-derived inflammation as a means to condition MSC by comprehensively analyzing their transcriptome and secretome. Conditioning MSC with macrophage-derived inflammation resulted in 3208 differentially expressed genes, which were annotated with significantly enriched GO terms for 1085 biological processes, 85 cellular components, and 79 molecular functions. Inflammation-mediated conditioning increased the secretion of growth factors that are key for tissue repair, including vascular endothelial growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor, nerve growth factor and glial-derived neurotrophic factor. Furthermore, we found that inflammation-mediated conditioning induces transcriptomic changes that challenge the viability and mobility of MSC. Our data support the notion that macrophage-derived inflammation stimulates MSC to augment their paracrine repair-supporting activity. The results suggest that inflammatory pre-conditioning enhances the therapeutic potential of MSC transplants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Maldonado-Lasunción
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam 1105 BA, The Netherlands;
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movements Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Nick O’Neill
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Oliver Umland
- Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam 1105 BA, The Netherlands;
| | - Martin Oudega
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movements Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA
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12
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Yang S, Gigout S, Molinaro A, Naito-Matsui Y, Hilton S, Foscarin S, Nieuwenhuis B, Tan CL, Verhaagen J, Pizzorusso T, Saksida LM, Bussey TM, Kitagawa H, Kwok JCF, Fawcett JW. Chondroitin 6-sulphate is required for neuroplasticity and memory in ageing. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:5658-5668. [PMID: 34272488 PMCID: PMC8758471 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01208-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan-containing structures on the neuronal surface that have been implicated in the control of neuroplasticity and memory. Age-related reduction of chondroitin 6-sulphates (C6S) leads to PNNs becoming more inhibitory. Here, we investigated whether manipulation of the chondroitin sulphate (CS) composition of the PNNs could restore neuroplasticity and alleviate memory deficits in aged mice. We first confirmed that aged mice (20-months) showed memory and plasticity deficits. They were able to retain or regain their cognitive ability when CSs were digested or PNNs were attenuated. We then explored the role of C6S in memory and neuroplasticity. Transgenic deletion of chondroitin 6-sulfotransferase (chst3) led to a reduction of permissive C6S, simulating aged brains. These animals showed very early memory loss at 11 weeks old. Importantly, restoring C6S levels in aged animals rescued the memory deficits and restored cortical long-term potentiation, suggesting a strategy to improve age-related memory impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujeong Yang
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Sylvain Gigout
- grid.9909.90000 0004 1936 8403School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Angelo Molinaro
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Neuroscience, CNR, Pisa, Italy
| | - Yuko Naito-Matsui
- grid.411100.50000 0004 0371 6549Department of Biochemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Sam Hilton
- grid.5335.00000000121885934John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simona Foscarin
- grid.5335.00000000121885934John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bart Nieuwenhuis
- grid.5335.00000000121885934John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,grid.419918.c0000 0001 2171 8263Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chin Lik Tan
- grid.412106.00000 0004 0621 9599Division of Neurosurgery, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- grid.419918.c0000 0001 2171 8263Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tommaso Pizzorusso
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Neuroscience, CNR, Pisa, Italy ,grid.8404.80000 0004 1757 2304Department NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Lisa M. Saksida
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Timothy M. Bussey
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Hiroshi Kitagawa
- grid.411100.50000 0004 0371 6549Department of Biochemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Jessica C. F. Kwok
- grid.9909.90000 0004 1936 8403School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK ,grid.424967.a0000 0004 0404 6946Centre for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - James W. Fawcett
- grid.5335.00000000121885934John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,grid.424967.a0000 0004 0404 6946Centre for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
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13
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Eggers R, de Winter F, Tannemaat MR, Malessy MJA, Verhaagen J. GDNF Gene Therapy to Repair the Injured Peripheral Nerve. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:583184. [PMID: 33251197 PMCID: PMC7673415 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.583184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [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: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A spinal root avulsion is the most severe proximal peripheral nerve lesion possible. Avulsion of ventral root filaments disconnects spinal motoneurons from their target muscles, resulting in complete paralysis. In patients that undergo brachial plexus nerve repair, axonal regeneration is a slow process. It takes months or even years to bridge the distance from the lesion site to the distal targets located in the forearm. Following ventral root avulsion, without additional pharmacological or surgical treatments, progressive death of motoneurons occurs within 2 weeks (Koliatsos et al., 1994). Reimplantation of the avulsed ventral root or peripheral nerve graft can act as a conduit for regenerating axons and increases motoneuron survival (Chai et al., 2000). However, this beneficial effect is transient. Combined with protracted and poor long-distance axonal regeneration, this results in permanent function loss. To overcome motoneuron death and improve functional recovery, several promising intervention strategies are being developed. Here, we focus on GDNF gene-therapy. We first introduce the experimental ventral root avulsion model and discuss its value as a proxy to study clinical neurotmetic nerve lesions. Second, we discuss our recent studies showing that GDNF gene-therapy is a powerful strategy to promote long-term motoneuron survival and improve function when target muscle reinnervation occurs within a critical post-lesion period. Based upon these observations, we discuss the influence of timing of the intervention, and of the duration, concentration and location of GDNF delivery on functional outcome. Finally, we provide a perspective on future research directions to realize functional recovery using gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Eggers
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fred de Winter
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Martijn R Tannemaat
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Martijn J A Malessy
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognition Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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14
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Warren PM, Andrews MR, Smith M, Bartus K, Bradbury EJ, Verhaagen J, Fawcett JW, Kwok JCF. Secretion of a mammalian chondroitinase ABC aids glial integration at PNS/CNS boundaries. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11262. [PMID: 32647242 PMCID: PMC7347606 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67526-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schwann cell grafts support axonal growth following spinal cord injury, but a boundary forms between the implanted cells and host astrocytes. Axons are reluctant to exit the graft tissue in large part due to the surrounding inhibitory environment containing chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs). We use a lentiviral chondroitinase ABC, capable of being secreted from mammalian cells (mChABC), to examine the repercussions of CSPG digestion upon Schwann cell behaviour in vitro. We show that mChABC transduced Schwann cells robustly secrete substantial quantities of the enzyme causing large-scale CSPG digestion, facilitating the migration and adhesion of Schwann cells on inhibitory aggrecan and astrocytic substrates. Importantly, we show that secretion of the engineered enzyme can aid the intermingling of cells at the Schwann cell-astrocyte boundary, enabling growth of neurites over the putative graft/host interface. These data were echoed in vivo. This study demonstrates the profound effect of the enzyme on cellular motility, growth and migration. This provides a cellular mechanism for mChABC induced functional and behavioural recovery shown in in vivo studies. Importantly, we provide in vitro evidence that mChABC gene therapy is equally or more effective at producing these effects as a one-time application of commercially available ChABC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippa M Warren
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK. .,Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK. .,Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK.
| | - Melissa R Andrews
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK.,Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Marc Smith
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK
| | - Katalin Bartus
- Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Bradbury
- Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - James W Fawcett
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK.,Centre for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Jessica C F Kwok
- Centre for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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15
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Nieuwenhuis B, Haenzi B, Hilton S, Carnicer-Lombarte A, Hobo B, Verhaagen J, Fawcett JW. Optimization of adeno-associated viral vector-mediated transduction of the corticospinal tract: comparison of four promoters. Gene Ther 2020; 28:56-74. [PMID: 32576975 PMCID: PMC7902269 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-020-0169-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral vectors are widely used as vehicles for gene transfer to the nervous system. The promoter and viral vector serotype are two key factors that determine the expression dynamics of the transgene. A previous comparative study has demonstrated that AAV1 displays efficient transduction of layer V corticospinal neurons, but the optimal promoter for transgene expression in corticospinal neurons has not been determined yet. In this paper, we report a side-by-side comparison between four commonly used promoters: the short CMV early enhancer/chicken β actin (sCAG), human cytomegalovirus (hCMV), mouse phosphoglycerate kinase (mPGK) and human synapsin (hSYN) promoter. Reporter constructs with each of these promoters were packaged in AAV1, and were injected in the sensorimotor cortex of rats and mice in order to transduce the corticospinal tract. Transgene expression levels and the cellular transduction profile were examined after 6 weeks. The AAV1 vectors harbouring the hCMV and sCAG promoters resulted in transgene expression in neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The mPGK and hSYN promoters directed the strongest transgene expression. The mPGK promoter did drive expression in cortical neurons and oligodendrocytes, while transduction with AAV harbouring the hSYN promoter resulted in neuron-specific expression, including perineuronal net expressing interneurons and layer V corticospinal neurons. This promoter comparison study contributes to improve transgene delivery into the brain and spinal cord. The optimized transduction of the corticospinal tract will be beneficial for spinal cord injury research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Nieuwenhuis
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK. .,Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Barbara Haenzi
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK
| | - Sam Hilton
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK
| | - Alejandro Carnicer-Lombarte
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK
| | - Barbara Hobo
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - James W Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK.,Centre of Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
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16
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Eggers R, de Winter F, Smit L, Luimens M, Muir EM, Bradbury EJ, Tannemaat MR, Verhaagen J. Combining timed GDNF and ChABC gene therapy to promote long-distance regeneration following ventral root avulsion and repair. FASEB J 2020; 34:10605-10622. [PMID: 32543730 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202000559r] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Ventral root avulsion leads to severe motoneuron degeneration and prolonged distal nerve denervation. After a critical period, a state of chronic denervation develops as repair Schwann cells lose their pro-regenerative properties and inhibitory factors such as CSPGs accumulate in the denervated nerve. In rats with ventral root avulsion injuries, we combined timed GDNF gene therapy delivered to the proximal nerve roots with the digestion of inhibitory CSPGs in the distal denervated nerve using sustained lentiviral-mediated chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) enzyme expression. Following reimplantation of lumbar ventral roots, timed GDNF-gene therapy enhanced motoneuron survival up to 45 weeks and improved axonal outgrowth, electrophysiological recovery, and muscle reinnervation. Despite a timed GDNF expression period, a subset of animals displayed axonal coils. Lentiviral delivery of ChABC enabled digestion of inhibitory CSPGs for up to 45 weeks in the chronically denervated nerve. ChABC gene therapy alone did not enhance motoneuron survival, but led to improved muscle reinnervation and modest electrophysiological recovery during later stages of the regeneration process. Combining GDNF treatment with digestion of inhibitory CSPGs did not have a significant synergistic effect. This study suggests a delicate balance exists between treatment duration and concentration in order to achieve therapeutic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Eggers
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Fred de Winter
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lotte Smit
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maruelle Luimens
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth M Muir
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Bradbury
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), London, UK
| | - Martijn R Tannemaat
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognition Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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17
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Godinho MJ, Staal JL, Krishnan VS, Hodgetts SI, Pollett MA, Goodman DP, Teh L, Verhaagen J, Plant GW, Harvey AR. Regeneration of adult rat sensory and motor neuron axons through chimeric peroneal nerve grafts containing donor Schwann cells engineered to express different neurotrophic factors. Exp Neurol 2020; 330:113355. [PMID: 32422148 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Large peripheral nerve (PN) defects require bridging substrates to restore tissue continuity and permit the regrowth of sensory and motor axons. We previously showed that cell-free PN segments repopulated ex vivo with Schwann cells (SCs) transduced with lentiviral vectors (LV) to express different growth factors (BDNF, CNTF or NT-3) supported the regeneration of axons across a 1 cm peroneal nerve defect (Godinho et al., 2013). Graft morphology, the number of regrown axons, the ratio of myelinated to unmyelinated axons, and hindlimb locomotor function differed depending on the growth factor engineered into SCs. Here we extend these observations, adding more LVs (expressing GDNF or NGF) and characterising regenerating sensory and motor neurons after injection of the retrograde tracer Fluorogold (FG) into peroneal nerve distal to grafts, 10 weeks after surgery. Counts were also made in rats with intact nerves and in animals receiving autografts, acellular grafts, or grafts containing LV-GFP transduced SCs. Counts and analysis of FG positive (+) DRG neurons were made from lumbar (L5) ganglia. Graft groups contained fewer labeled sensory neurons than non-operated controls, but this decrease was only significant in the LV-GDNF group. These grafts had a complex fascicular morphology that may have resulted in axon trapping. The proportion of FG+ sensory neurons immunopositive for calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP) varied between groups, there being a significantly higher percentage in autografts and most neurotrophic factor groups compared to the LV-CNTF, LV-GFP and acellular groups. Furthermore, the proportion of regenerating isolectin B4+ neurons was significantly greater in the LV-NT-3 group compared to other groups, including autografts and non-lesion controls. Immunohistochemical analysis of longitudinal graft sections revealed that all grafts contained a reduced number of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) positive axons, but this decrease was significant only in the GDNF and NT-3 graft groups. We also assessed the number and phenotype of regrowing lumbar FG+ motor neurons in non-lesioned animals, and in rats with autografts, acellular grafts, or in grafts containing SCs expressing GFP, CNTF, NGF or NT-3. The overall number of FG+ motor neurons per section was similar in all groups; however in tissue immunostained for NeuN (expressed in α- but not γ-motor neurons) the proportion of NeuN negative FG+ neurons ranged from about 40-50% in all groups except the NT-3 group, where the percentage was 82%, significantly more than the SC-GFP group. Immunostaining for the vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT-1 revealed occasional proprioceptive terminals in 'contact' with regenerating FG+ α-motor neurons in PN grafted animals, the acellular group having the lowest counts. In sum, while all graft types supported sensory and motor axon regrowth, there appeared to be axon trapping in SC-GDNF grafts, and data from the SC-NT-3 group revealed greater regeneration of sensory CGRP+ and IB4+ neurons, preferential regeneration of γ-motor neurons and perhaps partial restoration of monosynaptic sensorimotor relays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Godinho
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Jonas L Staal
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Vidya S Krishnan
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Stuart I Hodgetts
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Margaret A Pollett
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Douglas P Goodman
- School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Lip Teh
- Plastic Surgery Centre, St John of God Hospital, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Giles W Plant
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alan R Harvey
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
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18
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Willems J, de Jong APH, Scheefhals N, Mertens E, Catsburg LAE, Poorthuis RB, de Winter F, Verhaagen J, Meye FJ, MacGillavry HD. ORANGE: A CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing toolbox for epitope tagging of endogenous proteins in neurons. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000665. [PMID: 32275651 PMCID: PMC7176289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [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: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The correct subcellular distribution of proteins establishes the complex morphology and function of neurons. Fluorescence microscopy techniques are invaluable to investigate subcellular protein distribution, but they suffer from the limited ability to efficiently and reliably label endogenous proteins with fluorescent probes. We developed ORANGE: Open Resource for the Application of Neuronal Genome Editing, which mediates targeted genomic integration of epitope tags in rodent dissociated neuronal culture, in organotypic slices, and in vivo. ORANGE includes a knock-in library for in-depth investigation of endogenous protein distribution, viral vectors, and a detailed two-step cloning protocol to develop knock-ins for novel targets. Using ORANGE with (live-cell) superresolution microscopy, we revealed the dynamic nanoscale organization of endogenous neurotransmitter receptors and synaptic scaffolding proteins, as well as previously uncharacterized proteins. Finally, we developed a mechanism to create multiple knock-ins in neurons, mediating multiplex imaging of endogenous proteins. Thus, ORANGE enables quantification of expression, distribution, and dynamics for virtually any protein in neurons at nanoscale resolution. This study describes the development of a genome editing toolbox (ORANGE) for endogenous tagging of proteins in neurons. This open resource allows the investigation of protein localization and dynamics in neurons using live-cell and super-resolution imaging techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelmer Willems
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Arthur P. H. de Jong
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Nicky Scheefhals
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Eline Mertens
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lisa A. E. Catsburg
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rogier B. Poorthuis
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Fred de Winter
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank J. Meye
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Harold D. MacGillavry
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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19
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Eggers R, de Winter F, Hoyng SA, Hoeben RC, Malessy MJA, Tannemaat MR, Verhaagen J. Timed GDNF gene therapy using an immune-evasive gene switch promotes long distance axon regeneration. Brain 2019; 142:295-311. [PMID: 30649249 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurosurgical repair in patients with proximal nerve lesions results in unsatisfactory recovery of function. Gene therapy for neurotrophic factors is a powerful strategy to promote axon regeneration. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) gene therapy promotes motor neuron survival and axon outgrowth; however, uncontrolled delivery of GDNF results in axon entrapment. We report that time-restricted GDNF expression (1 month) using an immune-evasive doxycycline-inducible gene switch attenuated local axon entrapment in avulsed reimplanted ventral spinal roots, was sufficient to promote long-term motor neuron survival (24 weeks) and facilitated the recovery of compound muscle action potentials by 8 weeks. These improvements were associated with an increase in long-distance regeneration of motor axons. In contrast, persistent GDNF expression impaired axon regeneration by inducing axon entrapment. These findings demonstrate that timed expression can resolve the deleterious effect of uncontrolled growth factor delivery and shows that inducible growth factor gene therapy can be employed to enhance the efficacy of axon regeneration after neurosurgical repair of a proximal nerve lesion in rats. This preclinical study is an important step in the ongoing development of a neurotrophic factor gene therapy for patients with severe proximal nerve lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Eggers
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fred de Winter
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan A Hoyng
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rob C Hoeben
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn J A Malessy
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn R Tannemaat
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognition research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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20
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Boggio EM, Ehlert EM, Lupori L, Moloney EB, De Winter F, Vander Kooi CW, Baroncelli L, Mecollari V, Blits B, Fawcett JW, Verhaagen J, Pizzorusso T. Inhibition of Semaphorin3A Promotes Ocular Dominance Plasticity in the Adult Rat Visual Cortex. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:5987-5997. [PMID: 30706367 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-1499-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [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: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are condensed structures in the extracellular matrix that mainly surround GABA-ergic parvalbumin-positive interneurons in the adult brain. Previous studies revealed a parallel between PNN formation and the closure of the critical period. Moreover, ocular dominance plasticity is enhanced in response to PNN manipulations in adult animals. However, the mechanisms through which perineuronal nets modulate plasticity are still poorly understood. Recent work indicated that perineuronal nets may convey molecular signals by binding and storing proteins with important roles in cellular communication. Here we report that semaphorin3A (Sema3A), a chemorepulsive axon guidance cue known to bind to important perineuronal net components, is necessary to dampen ocular dominance plasticity in adult rats. First, we showed that the accumulation of Sema3A in PNNs in the visual cortex correlates with critical period closure, following the same time course of perineuronal nets maturation. Second, the accumulation of Sema3A in perineuronal nets was significantly reduced by rearing animals in the dark in the absence of any visual experience. Finally, we developed and characterized a tool to interfere with Sema3A signaling by means of AAV-mediated expression of receptor bodies, soluble proteins formed by the extracellular domain of the endogenous Sema3A receptor (neuropilin1) fused to a human IgG Fc fragment. By using this tool to antagonize Sema3A signaling in the adult rat visual cortex, we found that the specific inhibition of Sema3A promoted ocular dominance plasticity. Thus, Sema3A accumulates in perineuronal nets in an experience-dependent manner and its presence in the mature visual cortex inhibits plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Maria Boggio
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council CNR, Via Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Erich M Ehlert
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Leonardo Lupori
- BIO@SNS lab, Scuola Normale Superiore via Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elizabeth B Moloney
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fred De Winter
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Craig W Vander Kooi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry and Center for Structural Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Laura Baroncelli
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council CNR, Via Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128, Pisa, Italy
| | - Vasilis Mecollari
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bas Blits
- UniQure, Meibergdreef 61, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - James W Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 20 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tommaso Pizzorusso
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council CNR, Via Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
- BIO@SNS lab, Scuola Normale Superiore via Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA University of Florence, Area San Salvi - Pad. 26, 50135, Florence, Italy.
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21
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Uyaniker S, van der Spek SJF, Reinders NR, Xiong H, Li KW, Bossers K, Smit AB, Verhaagen J, Kessels HW. The Effects of Sindbis Viral Vectors on Neuronal Function. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:362. [PMID: 31440143 PMCID: PMC6694438 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral vectors are attractive tools to express genes in neurons. Transduction of neurons with a recombinant, replication-deficient Sindbis viral vector is a method of choice for studying the effects of short-term protein overexpression on neuronal function. However, to which extent Sindbis by itself may affect neurons is not fully understood. We assessed effects of neuronal transduction with a Sindbis viral vector on the transcriptome and proteome in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, and analyzed the electrophysiological properties of individual CA1 neurons, at 24 h and 72 h after viral vector injection. Whereas Sindbis caused substantial gene expression alterations, changes at the protein level were less pronounced. Alterations in transcriptome and proteome were predominantly limited to proteins involved in mediating anti-viral innate immune responses. Sindbis transduction did not affect the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of individual neurons: the membrane potential and neuronal excitability were similar between transduced and non-transduced CA1 neurons up to 72 h after Sindbis injection. Synaptic currents also remained unchanged upon Sindbis transduction, unless slices were massively infected for 72 h. We conclude that Sindbis viral vectors at low transduction rates are suitable for studying short-term effects of a protein of interest on electrophysiological properties of neurons, but not for studies on the regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seçil Uyaniker
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sophie J F van der Spek
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Niels R Reinders
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Cellular and Computational Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hui Xiong
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Cellular and Computational Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ka Wan Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Koen Bossers
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Cellular and Computational Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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22
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Burnside ER, De Winter F, Didangelos A, James ND, Andreica EC, Layard-Horsfall H, Muir EM, Verhaagen J, Bradbury EJ. Immune-evasive gene switch enables regulated delivery of chondroitinase after spinal cord injury. Brain 2019; 141:2362-2381. [PMID: 29912283 PMCID: PMC6061881 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [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: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chondroitinase ABC is a promising preclinical therapy that promotes functional neuroplasticity after CNS injury by degrading extracellular matrix inhibitors. Efficient delivery of chondroitinase ABC to the injured mammalian spinal cord can be achieved by viral vector transgene delivery. This approach dramatically modulates injury pathology and restores sensorimotor functions. However, clinical development of this therapy is limited by a lack of ability to exert control over chondroitinase gene expression. Prior experimental gene regulation platforms are likely to be incompatible with the non-resolving adaptive immune response known to occur following spinal cord injury. Therefore, here we apply a novel immune-evasive dual vector system, in which the chondroitinase gene is under a doxycycline inducible regulatory switch, utilizing a chimeric transactivator designed to evade T cell recognition. Using this novel vector system, we demonstrate tight temporal control of chondroitinase ABC gene expression, effectively removing treatment upon removal of doxycycline. This enables a comparison of short and long-term gene therapy paradigms in the treatment of clinically-relevant cervical level contusion injuries in adult rats. We reveal that transient treatment (2.5 weeks) is sufficient to promote improvement in sensory axon conduction and ladder walking performance. However, in tasks requiring skilled reaching and grasping, only long term treatment (8 weeks) leads to significantly improved function, with rats able to accurately grasp and retrieve sugar pellets. The late emergence of skilled hand function indicates enhanced neuroplasticity and connectivity and correlates with increased density of vGlut1+ innervation in spinal cord grey matter, particularly in lamina III–IV above and below the injury. Thus, our novel gene therapy system provides an experimental tool to study temporal effects of extracellular matrix digestion as well as an encouraging step towards generating a safer chondroitinase gene therapy strategy, longer term administration of which increases neuroplasticity and recovery of descending motor control. This preclinical study could have a significant impact for tetraplegic individuals, for whom recovery of hand function is an important determinant of independence, and supports the ongoing development of chondroitinase gene therapy towards clinical application for the treatment of spinal cord injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Burnside
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Fred De Winter
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Athanasios Didangelos
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Nicholas D James
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Elena-Cristina Andreica
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Hugo Layard-Horsfall
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Elizabeth M Muir
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth J Bradbury
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London, SE1 1UL, UK
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23
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Melief J, Orre M, Bossers K, van Eden CG, Schuurman KG, Mason MRJ, Verhaagen J, Hamann J, Huitinga I. Transcriptome analysis of normal-appearing white matter reveals cortisol- and disease-associated gene expression profiles in multiple sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:60. [PMID: 31023360 PMCID: PMC6485096 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0705-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Inter-individual differences in cortisol production by the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis are thought to contribute to clinical and pathological heterogeneity of multiple sclerosis (MS). At the same time, accumulating evidence indicates that MS pathogenesis may originate in the normal-appearing white matter (NAWM). Therefore, we performed a genome-wide transcriptional analysis, by Agilent microarray, of post-mortem NAWM of 9 control subjects and 18 MS patients to investigate to what extent gene expression reflects disease heterogeneity and HPA-axis activity. Activity of the HPA axis was determined by cortisol levels in cerebrospinal fluid and by numbers of corticotropin-releasing neurons in the hypothalamus, while duration of MS and time to EDSS6 served as indicator of disease severity. Applying weighted gene co-expression network analysis led to the identification of a range of gene modules with highly similar co-expression patterns that strongly correlated with various indicators of HPA-axis activity and/or severity of MS. Interestingly, molecular profiles associated with relatively mild MS and high HPA-axis activity were characterized by increased expression of genes that actively regulate inflammation and by molecules involved in myelination, anti-oxidative mechanism, and neuroprotection. Additionally, group-wise comparisons of gene expression in white matter from control subjects and NAWM from (subpopulations of) MS patients uncovered disease-associated gene expression as well as strongly up- or downregulated genes in patients with relatively benign MS and/or high HPA-axis activity, with many differentially expressed genes being previously undescribed in the context of MS. Overall, the data suggest that HPA-axis activity strongly impacts on molecular mechanisms in NAWM of MS patients, but partly also independently of disease severity.
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24
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Hu YT, Chen XL, Huang SH, Zhu QB, Yu SY, Shen Y, Sluiter A, Verhaagen J, Zhao J, Swaab D, Bao AM. Early growth response-1 regulates acetylcholinesterase and its relation with the course of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Pathol 2019; 29:502-512. [PMID: 30511454 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [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: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Our previous studies showed that the transcription factor early growth response-1 (EGR1) may play a role in keeping the brain cholinergic function intact in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In order to elucidate the mechanisms involved, we first performed data mining on our previous microarray study on postmortem human prefrontal cortex (PFC) for the changes in the expression of EGR1 and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the relationship between them during the course of AD. The study contained 49 patients, ranging from non-demented controls (Braak stage 0) to late AD patients (Braak stage VI). We found EGR1-mRNA was high in early AD and decreased in late AD stages, while AChE-mRNA was stable in preclinical AD and slightly decreased in late AD stages. A significant positive correlation was found between the mRNA levels of these two molecules. In addition, we studied the relationship between EGR1 and AChE mRNA levels in the frontal cortex of 3-12-months old triple-transgenic AD (3xTg-AD) mice. EGR1- and AChE-mRNA were lower in 3xTg-AD mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice. A significant positive correlation between these two molecules was present in the entire group and in each age group of either WT or 3xTg-AD mice. Subsequently, AChE expression was determined following up- or down-regulating EGR1 in cell lines and the EGR1 levels were found to regulate AChE at both the mRNA and protein levels. Dual-luciferase assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay in the EGR1-overexpressing cells were performed to determine the functionally effective binding sites of the EGR1 on the AChE gene promoter. We conclude that the EGR1 can upregulate AChE expression by a direct effect on its gene promoter, which may contribute significantly to the changes in cholinergic function in the course of AD. The 3xTg-AD mouse model only reflects later stage AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Hu
- Department of Neurobiology, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xin-Lu Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Shu-Han Huang
- Department of Neurobiology, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Qiong-Bin Zhu
- Department of Neurobiology, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Si-Yang Yu
- Department of Neurobiology, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yi Shen
- Department of Neurobiology, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Arja Sluiter
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Juan Zhao
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dick Swaab
- Department of Neurobiology, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China.,Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ai-Min Bao
- Department of Neurobiology, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
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25
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Fawcett JW, Verhaagen J. Intrinsic Determinants of Axon Regeneration. Dev Neurobiol 2018; 78:890-897. [PMID: 30345655 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The failure of axons to regenerate in the damaged mammalian CNS is the main impediment to functional recovery. There are many molecules and structures in the environment of the injured nervous system that can inhibit regeneration, but even when these are removed or replaced with a permissive environment, most CNS neurons exhibit little regeneration of their axons. This contrasts with the extensive and vigorous axon growth that may occur when embryonic neurons are transplanted into the adult CNS. In the peripheral nervous system, the axons usually respond to axotomy with a vigorous regenerative response accompanied by a regenerative program of gene expression, usually referred to as the regeneration-associated gene (RAG) program. These different responses to axotomy in the mature and immature CNS and the PNS lead to the concept of the intrinsic regenerative response of axons. Analysis of the many mechanisms and issues that affect the intrinsic regenerative response is the topic of this special issue of Developmental Neurobiology. The review articles highlight the control of expression of growth and regeneration-associated genes, emphasizing the role of epigenetic mechanisms. The reviews also discuss changes within axons that lead to the developmental loss of regenerative ability. This is caused by changes in axonal transport and trafficking, in the cytoskeleton and in signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, United Kingdom
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, 1105 BA, The Netherlands
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26
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Nieuwenhuis B, Haenzi B, Andrews MR, Verhaagen J, Fawcett JW. Integrins promote axonal regeneration after injury of the nervous system. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 93:1339-1362. [PMID: 29446228 PMCID: PMC6055631 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [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: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Integrins are cell surface receptors that form the link between extracellular matrix molecules of the cell environment and internal cell signalling and the cytoskeleton. They are involved in several processes, e.g. adhesion and migration during development and repair. This review focuses on the role of integrins in axonal regeneration. Integrins participate in spontaneous axonal regeneration in the peripheral nervous system through binding to various ligands that either inhibit or enhance their activation and signalling. Integrin biology is more complex in the central nervous system. Integrins receptors are transported into growing axons during development, but selective polarised transport of integrins limits the regenerative response in adult neurons. Manipulation of integrins and related molecules to control their activation state and localisation within axons is a promising route towards stimulating effective regeneration in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Nieuwenhuis
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 0PYU.K.
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor SystemsNetherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)1105 BAAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Barbara Haenzi
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 0PYU.K.
| | | | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor SystemsNetherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)1105 BAAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam NeuroscienceVrije Universiteit Amsterdam1081 HVAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - James W. Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 0PYU.K.
- Centre of Reconstructive NeuroscienceInstitute of Experimental Medicine142 20Prague 4Czech Republic
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27
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Abstract
Spinal cord injury results in destructive events that lead to tissue loss and functional impairments. A hallmark of spinal cord injury is the robust and persistent presence of inflammatory macrophages. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to benefit repair of the damaged spinal cord often associated with improved functional recovery. Transplanted MSCs immediately encounter the abundance of inflammatory macrophages in the injury site. It is known that MSCs interact closely and reciprocally with macrophages during tissue healing. Here, we will review the roles of (transplanted) MSCs and macrophages in spinal cord injury and repair. Molecular interactions between MSCs and macrophages and the deficiencies in our knowledge about the underlying mechanisms will be reviewed. We will discuss possible ways to benefit from the MSC-macrophage choreography for developing repair strategies for the spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Maldonado-Lasunción
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, 1105 BA, The Netherlands.
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, 1105 BA, The Netherlands
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Oudega
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
- Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL 33155, USA.
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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Attwell CL, van Zwieten M, Verhaagen J, Mason MRJ. The Dorsal Column Lesion Model of Spinal Cord Injury and Its Use in Deciphering the Neuron-Intrinsic Injury Response. Dev Neurobiol 2018; 78:926-951. [PMID: 29717546 PMCID: PMC6221129 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The neuron‐intrinsic response to axonal injury differs markedly between neurons of the peripheral and central nervous system. Following a peripheral lesion, a robust axonal growth program is initiated, whereas neurons of the central nervous system do not mount an effective regenerative response. Increasing the neuron‐intrinsic regenerative response would therefore be one way to promote axonal regeneration in the injured central nervous system. The large‐diameter sensory neurons located in the dorsal root ganglia are pseudo‐unipolar neurons that project one axon branch into the spinal cord, and, via the dorsal column to the brain stem, and a peripheral process to the muscles and skin. Dorsal root ganglion neurons are ideally suited to study the neuron‐intrinsic injury response because they exhibit a successful growth response following peripheral axotomy, while they fail to do so after a lesion of the central branch in the dorsal column. The dorsal column injury model allows the neuron‐intrinsic regeneration response to be studied in the context of a spinal cord injury. Here we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this model. We describe the surgical methods used to implement a lesion of the ascending fibers, the anatomy of the sensory afferent pathways and anatomical, electrophysiological, and behavioral techniques to quantify regeneration and functional recovery. Subsequently we review the results of experimental interventions in the dorsal column lesion model, with an emphasis on the molecular mechanisms that govern the neuron‐intrinsic injury response and manipulations of these after central axotomy. Finally, we highlight a number of recent advances that will have an impact on the design of future studies in this spinal cord injury model, including the continued development of adeno‐associated viral vectors likely to improve the genetic manipulation of dorsal root ganglion neurons and the use of tissue clearing techniques enabling 3D reconstruction of regenerating axon tracts. © 2018 The Authors. Developmental Neurobiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 00: 000–000, 2018
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Affiliation(s)
- Callan L Attwell
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, 1105BA, The Netherlands
| | - Mike van Zwieten
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, 1105BA, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, 1105BA, The Netherlands.,Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew R J Mason
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, 1105BA, The Netherlands
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29
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Verhaagen J, Hobo B, Ehlert EME, Eggers R, Korecka JA, Hoyng SA, Attwell CL, Harvey AR, Mason MRJ. Small Scale Production of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors for Gene Delivery to the Nervous System. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1715:3-17. [PMID: 29188502 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7522-8_1] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral vectors have numerous applications in neuroscience, including the study of gene function in health and disease, targeting of light-sensitive proteins to anatomically distinct sets of neurons to manipulate neuronal activity (optogenetics), and the delivery of fluorescent protein to study anatomical connectivity in the brain. Moreover several phase I/II clinical trials for gene therapy of eye and brain diseases with adeno-associated viral vectors have shown that these vectors are well tolerated by human patients. In this chapter we describe a detailed protocol for the small scale production of recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors. This protocol can be executed by investigators with experience in cell culture and molecular biological techniques in any well-equipped molecular neurobiology laboratory. With this protocol we typically obtain research batches of 100-200 μL that range in titer from 5 × 1012 to 2 × 1013 genomic copies/mL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joost Verhaagen
- Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Barbara Hobo
- Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erich M E Ehlert
- Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- UniQure, Meibergdreef 61, 1105BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben Eggers
- Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joanna A Korecka
- Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Neuroregeneration Research Institute, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Stefan A Hoyng
- Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Callan L Attwell
- Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alan R Harvey
- School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Perron institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Matthew R J Mason
- Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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30
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Abstract
In this review, recent studies using pharmacological treatment, cell transplantation, and gene therapy to promote regeneration of the injured spinal cord in animal models will be summarized. Pharmacological and cell transplantation treatments generally revealed some degree of effect on the regeneration of the injured ascending and descending tracts, but further improvements to achieve a more significant functional recovery are necessary. The use of gene therapy to promote repair of the injured nervous system is a relatively new concept. It is based on the development of methods for delivering therapeutic genes to neurons, glia cells, or nonneural cells. Direct in vivo gene transfer or gene transfer in combination with (neuro)transplantation (ex vivo gene transfer) appeared powerful strategies to promote neuronal survival and axonal regrowth following traumatic injury to the central nervous system. Recent advances in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth have enabled the design of experiments aimed at viral vector-mediated transfer of genes encoding neurotrophic factors, growth-associated proteins, cell adhesion molecules, and antiapoptotic genes. Central to the success of these approaches was the development of efficient, nontoxic vectors for gene delivery and the acquirement of the appropriate (genetically modified) cells for neurotransplantation. Direct gene transfer in the nervous system was first achieved with herpes viral and E1-deleted adenoviral vectors. Both vector systems are problematic in that these vectors elicit immunogenic and cytotoxic responses. Adeno-associated viral vectors and lentiviral vectors constitute improved gene delivery systems and are beginning to be applied in neuroregeneration research of the spinal cord. Ex vivo approaches were initially based on the implantation of genetically modified fibroblasts. More recently, transduced Schwann cells, genetically modified pieces of peripheral nerve, and olfactory ensheathing glia have been used as implants into the injured spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bas Blits
- Graduate School Neurosciences Amsterdam, Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Meibergdreef 33, 1105 AZ Amsterdam-ZO, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard J. Boer
- Graduate School Neurosciences Amsterdam, Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Meibergdreef 33, 1105 AZ Amsterdam-ZO, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Graduate School Neurosciences Amsterdam, Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Meibergdreef 33, 1105 AZ Amsterdam-ZO, The Netherlands
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31
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Moloney EB, Hobo B, De Winter F, Verhaagen J. Expression of a Mutant SEMA3A Protein with Diminished Signalling Capacity Does Not Alter ALS-Related Motor Decline, or Confer Changes in NMJ Plasticity after BotoxA-Induced Paralysis of Male Gastrocnemic Muscle. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170314. [PMID: 28103314 PMCID: PMC5245795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [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: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Terminal Schwann cells (TSCs) are specialized cells that envelop the motor nerve terminal, and play a role in the maintenance and regeneration of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). The chemorepulsive protein semaphorin 3A (SEMA3A) is selectively up-regulated in TSCs on fast-fatigable muscle fibers following experimental denervation of the muscle (BotoxA-induced paralysis or crush injury to the sciatic nerve) or in the motor neuron disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Re-expression of SEMA3A in this subset of TSCs is thought to play a role in the selective plasticity of nerve terminals as observed in ALS and following BotoxA-induced paralysis. Using a mouse model expressing a mutant SEMA3A with diminished signaling capacity, we studied the influence of SEMA3A signaling at the NMJ with two denervation paradigms; a motor neuron disease model (the G93A-hSOD1 ALS mouse line) and an injury model (BotoxA-induced paralysis). ALS mice that either expressed 1 or 2 mutant SEMA3A alleles demonstrated no difference in ALS-induced decline in motor behavior. We also investigated the effects of BotoxA-induced paralysis on the sprouting capacity of NMJs in the K108N-SEMA3A mutant mouse, and observed no change in the differential neuronal plasticity found at NMJs on fast-fatigable or slow muscle fibers due to the presence of the SEMA3A mutant protein. Our data may be explained by the residual repulsive activity of the mutant SEMA3A, or it may imply that SEMA3A alone is not a key component of the molecular signature affecting NMJ plasticity in ALS or BotoxA-induced paralysis. Interestingly, we did observe a sex difference in motor neuron sprouting behavior after BotoxA-induced paralysis in WT mice which we speculate may be an important factor in the sex dimorphic differences seen in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B. Moloney
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Hobo
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fred De Winter
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Huang Y, Skwarek-Maruszewska A, Horré K, Vandewyer E, Wolfs L, Snellinx A, Saito T, Radaelli E, Corthout N, Colombelli J, Lo AC, Van Aerschot L, Callaerts-Vegh Z, Trabzuni D, Bossers K, Verhaagen J, Ryten M, Munck S, D'Hooge R, Swaab DF, Hardy J, Saido TC, De Strooper B, Thathiah A. Loss of GPR3 reduces the amyloid plaque burden and improves memory in Alzheimer's disease mouse models. Sci Transl Med 2016; 7:309ra164. [PMID: 26468326 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aab3492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The orphan G protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein)-coupled receptor (GPCR) GPR3 regulates activity of the γ-secretase complex in the absence of an effect on Notch proteolysis, providing a potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, given the vast resources required to develop and evaluate any new therapy for AD and the multiple failures involved in translational research, demonstration of the pathophysiological relevance of research findings in multiple disease-relevant models is necessary before initiating costly drug development programs. We evaluated the physiological consequences of loss of Gpr3 in four AD transgenic mouse models, including two that contain the humanized murine Aβ sequence and express similar amyloid precursor protein (APP) levels as wild-type mice, thereby reducing potential artificial phenotypes. Our findings reveal that genetic deletion of Gpr3 reduced amyloid pathology in all of the AD mouse models and alleviated cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Additional three-dimensional visualization and analysis of the amyloid plaque burden provided accurate information on the amyloid load, distribution, and volume in the structurally intact adult mouse brain. Analysis of 10 different regions in healthy human postmortem brain tissue indicated that GPR3 expression was stable during aging. However, two cohorts of human AD postmortem brain tissue samples showed a correlation between elevated GPR3 and AD progression. Collectively, these studies provide evidence that GPR3 mediates the amyloidogenic proteolysis of APP in four AD transgenic mouse models as well as the physiological processing of APP in wild-type mice, suggesting that GPR3 may be a potential therapeutic target for AD drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhong Huang
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aneta Skwarek-Maruszewska
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrien Horré
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elke Vandewyer
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leen Wolfs
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - An Snellinx
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Takashi Saito
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, 351-0198 Saitama, Japan. Japan Science and Technology Agency, 332-0012 Saitama, Japan
| | - Enrico Radaelli
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nikky Corthout
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julien Colombelli
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adrian C Lo
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leen Van Aerschot
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Zsuzsanna Callaerts-Vegh
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daniah Trabzuni
- Departments of Molecular Neuroscience and Clinical Neuroscience, Reta Lila Weston Research Laboratories, Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK. Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, 11211 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Koen Bossers
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mina Ryten
- Departments of Molecular Neuroscience and Clinical Neuroscience, Reta Lila Weston Research Laboratories, Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK
| | - Sebastian Munck
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rudi D'Hooge
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - John Hardy
- Departments of Molecular Neuroscience and Clinical Neuroscience, Reta Lila Weston Research Laboratories, Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK
| | - Takaomi C Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, 351-0198 Saitama, Japan
| | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Amantha Thathiah
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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O'Neill P, Lindsay SL, Pantiru A, Guimond SE, Fagoe N, Verhaagen J, Turnbull JE, Riddell JS, Barnett SC. Sulfatase-mediated manipulation of the astrocyte-Schwann cell interface. Glia 2016; 65:19-33. [PMID: 27535874 PMCID: PMC5244676 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Schwann cell (SC) transplantation following spinal cord injury (SCI) may have therapeutic potential. Functional recovery is limited however, due to poor SC interactions with host astrocytes and the induction of astrogliosis. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are closely related to SCs, but intermix more readily with astrocytes in culture and induce less astrogliosis. We previously demonstrated that OECs express higher levels of sulfatases, enzymes that remove 6-O-sulfate groups from heparan sulphate proteoglycans, than SCs and that RNAi knockdown of sulfatase prevented OEC-astrocyte mixing in vitro. As human OECs are difficult to culture in large numbers we have genetically engineered SCs using lentiviral vectors to express sulfatase 1 and 2 (SC-S1S2) and assessed their ability to interact with astrocytes. We demonstrate that SC-S1S2s have increased integrin-dependent motility in the presence of astrocytes via modulation of NRG and FGF receptor-linked PI3K/AKT intracellular signaling and do not form boundaries with astrocytes in culture. SC-astrocyte mixing is dependent on local NRG concentration and we propose that sulfatase enzymes influence the bioavailability of NRG ligand and thus influence SC behavior. We further demonstrate that injection of sulfatase expressing SCs into spinal cord white matter results in less glial reactivity than control SC injections comparable to that of OEC injections. Our data indicate that sulfatase-mediated modification of the extracellular matrix can influence glial interactions with astrocytes, and that SCs engineered to express sulfatase may be more OEC-like in character. This approach may be beneficial for cell transplant-mediated spinal cord repair. GLIA 2016 GLIA 2017;65:19-33.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul O'Neill
- Institute of Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, 120 University Place, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Susan L Lindsay
- Institute of Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, 120 University Place, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Andreea Pantiru
- Institute of Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, 120 University Place, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Scott E Guimond
- Department of Biochemistry, Centre for Glycobiology, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, United Kingdom
| | - Nitish Fagoe
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, BA, 1105, the Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, BA, 1105, the Netherlands
| | - Jeremy E Turnbull
- Department of Biochemistry, Centre for Glycobiology, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, United Kingdom
| | - John S Riddell
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, West Medical Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Susan C Barnett
- Institute of Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, 120 University Place, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, United Kingdom
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34
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Cheah M, Andrews MR, Chew DJ, Moloney EB, Verhaagen J, Fässler R, Fawcett JW. Expression of an Activated Integrin Promotes Long-Distance Sensory Axon Regeneration in the Spinal Cord. J Neurosci 2016; 36:7283-97. [PMID: 27383601 PMCID: PMC4938867 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0901-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [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: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED After CNS injury, axon regeneration is blocked by an inhibitory environment consisting of the highly upregulated tenascin-C and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs). Tenascin-C promotes growth of axons if they express a tenascin-binding integrin, particularly α9β1. Additionally, integrins can be inactivated by CSPGs, and this inhibition can be overcome by the presence of a β1-binding integrin activator, kindlin-1. We examined the synergistic effect of α9 integrin and kindlin-1 on sensory axon regeneration in adult rat spinal cord after dorsal root crush and adeno-associated virus transgene expression in dorsal root ganglia. After 12 weeks, axons from C6-C7 dorsal root ganglia regenerated through the tenascin-C-rich dorsal root entry zone into the dorsal column up to C1 level and above (>25 mm axon length) through a normal pathway. Animals also showed anatomical and electrophysiological evidence of reconnection to the dorsal horn and behavioral recovery in mechanical pressure, thermal pain, and ladder-walking tasks. Expression of α9 integrin or kindlin-1 alone promoted much less regeneration and recovery. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The study demonstrates that long-distance sensory axon regeneration over a normal pathway and with sensory and sensory-motor recovery can be achieved. This was achieved by expressing an integrin that recognizes tenascin-C, one of the components of glial scar tissue, and an integrin activator. This enabled extensive long-distance (>25 mm) regeneration of both myelinated and unmyelinated sensory axons with topographically correct connections in the spinal cord. The extent of growth and recovery we have seen would probably be clinically significant. Restoration of sensation to hands, perineum, and genitalia would be a significant improvement for a spinal cord-injured patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menghon Cheah
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0PY, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa R Andrews
- School of Medicine, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9TF, United Kingdom,
| | - Daniel J Chew
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0PY, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth B Moloney
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and
| | - Reinhard Fässler
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - James W Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0PY, United Kingdom,
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35
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Fagoe ND, Attwell CL, Eggers R, Tuinenbreijer L, Kouwenhoven D, Verhaagen J, Mason MRJ. Evaluation of Five Tests for Sensitivity to Functional Deficits following Cervical or Thoracic Dorsal Column Transection in the Rat. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150141. [PMID: 26934672 PMCID: PMC4775041 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [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: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The dorsal column lesion model of spinal cord injury targets sensory fibres which originate from the dorsal root ganglia and ascend in the dorsal funiculus. It has the advantages that fibres can be specifically traced from the sciatic nerve, verifiably complete lesions can be performed of the labelled fibres, and it can be used to study sprouting in the central nervous system from the conditioning lesion effect. However, functional deficits from this type of lesion are mild, making assessment of experimental treatment-induced functional recovery difficult. Here, five functional tests were compared for their sensitivity to functional deficits, and hence their suitability to reliably measure recovery of function after dorsal column injury. We assessed the tape removal test, the rope crossing test, CatWalk gait analysis, and the horizontal ladder, and introduce a new test, the inclined rolling ladder. Animals with dorsal column injuries at C4 or T7 level were compared to sham-operated animals for a duration of eight weeks. As well as comparing groups at individual timepoints we also compared the longitudinal data over the whole time course with linear mixed models (LMMs), and for tests where steps are scored as success/error, using generalized LMMs for binomial data. Although, generally, function recovered to sham levels within 2–6 weeks, in most tests we were able to detect significant deficits with whole time-course comparisons. On the horizontal ladder deficits were detected until 5–6 weeks. With the new inclined rolling ladder functional deficits were somewhat more consistent over the testing period and appeared to last for 6–7 weeks. Of the CatWalk parameters base of support was sensitive to cervical and thoracic lesions while hind-paw print-width was affected by cervical lesion only. The inclined rolling ladder test in combination with the horizontal ladder and the CatWalk may prove useful to monitor functional recovery after experimental treatment in this lesion model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitish D Fagoe
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Callan L Attwell
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben Eggers
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lizz Tuinenbreijer
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dorette Kouwenhoven
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew R J Mason
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Riaz M, Raz Y, Moloney EB, van Putten M, Krom YD, van der Maarel SM, Verhaagen J, Raz V. Differential myofiber-type transduction preference of adeno-associated virus serotypes 6 and 9. Skelet Muscle 2015; 5:37. [PMID: 26561520 PMCID: PMC4641337 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-015-0064-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gene therapy strategies are promising therapeutic options for monogenic muscular dystrophies, with several currently underways. The adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector is among the most effective gene delivery systems. However, transduction efficiency in skeletal muscles varies between AAV serotypes, with the underlying factors poorly understood. We hypothesized that myofiber-specific tropism differs between AAV serotypes. Methods We developed a quantitative histology procedure and generated myofiber pattern maps for four myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isotypes. We compared myofiber pattern maps between AAV6 or AAV9 injected tibialis anterior muscle in mice. We correlated MyHC expression with AAV-derived green fluorescence protein (GFP) expression using statistical models. Results We found that MyHC-2x expressing myofibers display a significantly higher preference for AAV transduction, whereas MyHC-2b expressing myofibers negatively correlated with AAV transduction. In addition, we show that AAV9-mediated transduction is enriched in myofibers expressing MyHC-1 and MyHC-1/2a. Moreover, AAV9-mediated transduction can predominantly be predicted by the expression of MyHC isotypes. In contrast, AAV6 transduction can be predicted by myofiber size but not by myofiber types. Conclusions Our findings identify differences between AAV6 and AAV9 for myofiber-type preferences, which could be an underlying factor for mosaic transduction of skeletal muscle. Adjusting AAV serotype for specific muscle conditions can therefore improve transduction efficacy in clinical applications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13395-015-0064-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Riaz
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Building 2, Room R3-17, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yotam Raz
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Building 2, Room R3-17, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth B Moloney
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike van Putten
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Building 2, Room R3-17, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yvonne D Krom
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Building 2, Room R3-17, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Silvere M van der Maarel
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Building 2, Room R3-17, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognition Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vered Raz
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Building 2, Room R3-17, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
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Eggers R, Tannemaat MR, De Winter F, Malessy MJA, Verhaagen J. Clinical and neurobiological advances in promoting regeneration of the ventral root avulsion lesion. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 43:318-35. [PMID: 26415525 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [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: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Root avulsions due to traction to the brachial plexus causes complete and permanent loss of function. Until fairly recent, such lesions were considered impossible to repair. Here we review clinical repair strategies and current progress in experimental ventral root avulsion lesions. The current gold standard in patients with a root avulsion is nerve transfer, whereas reimplantation of the avulsed root into the spinal cord has been performed in a limited number of cases. These neurosurgical repair strategies have significant benefit for the patient but functional recovery remains incomplete. Developing new ways to improve the functional outcome of neurosurgical repair is therefore essential. In the laboratory, the molecular and cellular changes following ventral root avulsion and the efficacy of intervention strategies have been studied at the level of spinal motoneurons, the ventral spinal root and peripheral nerve, and the skeletal muscle. We present an overview of cell-based pharmacological and neurotrophic factor treatment approaches that have been applied in combination with surgical reimplantation. These interventions all demonstrate neuroprotective effects on avulsed motoneurons, often accompanied with various degrees of axonal regeneration. However, effects on survival are usually transient and robust axon regeneration over long distances has as yet not been achieved. Key future areas of research include finding ways to further extend the post-lesion survival period of motoneurons, the identification of neuron-intrinsic factors which can promote persistent and long-distance axon regeneration, and finally prolonging the pro-regenerative state of Schwann cells in the distal nerve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Eggers
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn R Tannemaat
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Fred De Winter
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn J A Malessy
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognition research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Fagoe ND, Attwell CL, Kouwenhoven D, Verhaagen J, Mason MRJ. Overexpression of ATF3 or the combination of ATF3, c-Jun, STAT3 and Smad1 promotes regeneration of the central axon branch of sensory neurons but without synergistic effects. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:6788-800. [PMID: 26385639 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral nerve injury results in the activation of a number of transcription factors (TFs) in injured neurons, some of which may be key regulators of the regeneration-associated gene (RAG) programme. Among known RAG TFs, ATF3, Smad1, STAT3 and c-Jun have all been linked to successful axonal regeneration and have known functional and physical interactions. We hypothesised that TF expression would promote regeneration of the central axon branch of DRG neurons in the absence of a peripheral nerve lesion and that simultaneous overexpression of multiple RAG TFs would lead to greater effects than delivery of a single TF. Using adeno-associated viral vectors, we overexpressed either the combination of ATF3, Smad1, STAT3 and c-Jun with farnesylated GFP (fGFP), ATF3 only with fGFP, or fGFP only, in DRG neurons and assessed axonal regeneration after dorsal root transection or dorsal column injury and functional improvement after dorsal root injury. ATF3 alone and the combination of TFs promoted faster regeneration in the injured dorsal root. Surprisingly, however, the combination did not perform better than ATF3 alone. Neither treatment was able to induce functional improvement on sensory tests after dorsal root injury or promote regeneration in a dorsal column injury model. The lack of synergistic effects among these factors indicates that while they do increase the speed of axon growth, there may be functional redundancy between these TFs. Because axon growth is considerably less than that seen after a conditioning lesion, it appears these TFs do not induce the full regeneration programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitish D Fagoe
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam 1105BA, The Netherlands and
| | - Callan L Attwell
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam 1105BA, The Netherlands and
| | - Dorette Kouwenhoven
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam 1105BA, The Netherlands and
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam 1105BA, The Netherlands and Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew R J Mason
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam 1105BA, The Netherlands and
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Vliet ACV, Tannemaat MR, Duinen SGV, Verhaagen J, Malessy MJ, Winter FD. Human Neuroma-in-Continuity Contains Focal Deficits in Myelination. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2015. [DOI: 10.1097/nen.0000000000000229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
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Hoyng SA, de Winter F, Tannemaat MR, Blits B, Malessy MJA, Verhaagen J. Gene therapy and peripheral nerve repair: a perspective. Front Mol Neurosci 2015; 8:32. [PMID: 26236188 PMCID: PMC4502351 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2015.00032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical phase I/II studies have demonstrated the safety of gene therapy for a variety of central nervous system disorders, including Canavan's, Parkinson's (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), retinal diseases and pain. The majority of gene therapy studies in the CNS have used adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV) and the first AAV-based therapeutic, a vector encoding lipoprotein lipase, is now marketed in Europe under the name Glybera. These remarkable advances may become relevant to translational research on gene therapy to promote peripheral nervous system (PNS) repair. This short review first summarizes the results of gene therapy in animal models for peripheral nerve repair. Secondly, we identify key areas of future research in the domain of PNS-gene therapy. Finally, a perspective is provided on the path to clinical translation of PNS-gene therapy for traumatic nerve injuries. In the latter section we discuss the route and mode of delivery of the vector to human patients, the efficacy and safety of the vector, and the choice of the patient population for a first possible proof-of-concept clinical study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan A Hoyng
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Fred de Winter
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Martijn R Tannemaat
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Martijn J A Malessy
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Center for Neurogenomics and Cognition Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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James ND, Shea J, Muir EM, Verhaagen J, Schneider BL, Bradbury EJ. Chondroitinase gene therapy improves upper limb function following cervical contusion injury. Exp Neurol 2015; 271:131-5. [PMID: 26044197 PMCID: PMC4590527 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [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: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are known to be important contributors to the intensely inhibitory environment that prevents tissue repair and regeneration following spinal cord injury. The bacterial enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) degrades these inhibitory molecules and has repeatedly been shown to promote functional recovery in a number of spinal cord injury models. However, when used to treat more traumatic and clinically relevant spinal contusion injuries, findings with the ChABC enzyme have been inconsistent. We recently demonstrated that delivery of mammalian-compatible ChABC via gene therapy led to sustained and widespread digestion of CSPGs, resulting in significant functional repair of a moderate thoracic contusion injury in adult rats. Here we demonstrate that chondroitinase gene therapy significantly enhances upper limb function following cervical contusion injury, with improved forelimb ladder performance and grip strength as well as increased spinal conduction through the injury site and reduced lesion pathology. This is an important addition to our previous findings as improving upper limb function is a top priority for spinal injured patients. Additionally great importance is placed on replication in the spinal cord injury field. That chondroitinase gene therapy has now been shown to be efficacious in contusion models at either thoracic or cervical level is an important step in the further development of this promising therapeutic strategy towards the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D James
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Jessie Shea
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Elizabeth M Muir
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, 1105BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bernard L Schneider
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elizabeth J Bradbury
- King's College London, Regeneration Group, The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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van der Kallen LR, Eggers R, Ehlert EM, Verhaagen J, Smit AB, van Kesteren RE. Genetic Deletion of the Transcriptional Repressor NFIL3 Enhances Axon Growth In Vitro but Not Axonal Repair In Vivo. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127163. [PMID: 25993115 PMCID: PMC4438979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Axonal regeneration after injury requires the coordinated expression of genes in injured neurons. We previously showed that either reducing expression or blocking function of the transcriptional repressor NFIL3 activates transcription of regeneration-associated genes Arg1 and Gap43 and strongly promotes axon outgrowth in vitro. Here we tested whether genetic deletion or dominant-negative inhibition of NFIL3 could promote axon regeneration and functional recovery after peripheral nerve lesion in vivo. Contrary to our expectations, we observed no changes in the expression of regeneration-associated genes and a significant delay in functional recovery following genetic deletion of Nfil3. When NFIL3 function was inhibited specifically in dorsal root ganglia prior to sciatic nerve injury, we observed a decrease in regenerative axon growth into the distal nerve segment rather than an increase. Finally, we show that deletion of Nfil3 changes sciatic nerve lesion-induced expression in dorsal root ganglia of genes that are not typically involved in regeneration, including several olfactory receptors and developmental transcription factors. Together our findings show that removal of NFIL3 in vivo does not recapitulate the regeneration-promoting effects that were previously observed in vitro, indicating that in vivo transcriptional control of regeneration is probably more complex and more robust against perturbation than in vitro data may suggest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loek R. van der Kallen
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben Eggers
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erich M. Ehlert
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - August B. Smit
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald E. van Kesteren
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Hoyng SA, De Winter F, Gnavi S, van Egmond L, Attwell CL, Tannemaat MR, Verhaagen J, Malessy MJA. Gene delivery to rat and human Schwann cells and nerve segments: a comparison of AAV 1–9 and lentiviral vectors. Gene Ther 2015; 22:767-80. [DOI: 10.1038/gt.2015.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2014] [Revised: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Hoyng SA, De Winter F, Gnavi S, de Boer R, Boon LI, Korvers LM, Tannemaat MR, Malessy MJ, Verhaagen J. A comparative morphological, electrophysiological and functional analysis of axon regeneration through peripheral nerve autografts genetically modified to overexpress BDNF, CNTF, GDNF, NGF, NT3 or VEGF. Exp Neurol 2014; 261:578-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2014.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Mecollari V, Nieuwenhuis B, Verhaagen J. A perspective on the role of class III semaphorin signaling in central nervous system trauma. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:328. [PMID: 25386118 PMCID: PMC4209881 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [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: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 09/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic injury of the central nervous system (CNS) has severe impact on the patients’ quality of life and initiates many molecular and cellular changes at the site of insult. Traumatic CNS injury results in direct damage of the axons of CNS neurons, loss of myelin sheaths, destruction of the surrounding vascular architecture and initiation of an immune response. Class III semaphorins (SEMA3s) are present in the neural scar and influence a wide range of molecules and cell types in and surrounding the injured tissue. SEMA3s and their receptors, neuropilins (NRPs) and plexins (PLXNs) were initially studied because of their involvement in repulsive axon guidance. To date, SEMA3 signaling is recognized to be of crucial importance for re-vascularization, the immune response and remyelination. The purpose of this review is to summarize and discuss how SEMA3s modulate these processes that are all crucial components of the tissue response to injury. Most of the functions for SEMA3s are achieved through their binding partners NRPs, which are also co-receptors for a variety of other molecules implicated in the above processes. The most notable ligands are members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and the transforming growth factor family. Therefore, a second aim is to highlight the overlapping or competing signaling pathways that are mediated through NRPs in the same processes. In conclusion, we show that the role of SEMA3s goes beyond inhibiting axonal regeneration, since they are also critical modulators of re-vascularization, the immune response and re-myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasil Mecollari
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bart Nieuwenhuis
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Fagoe ND, van Heest J, Verhaagen J. Spinal cord injury and the neuron-intrinsic regeneration-associated gene program. Neuromolecular Med 2014; 16:799-813. [PMID: 25269879 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-014-8329-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects millions of people worldwide and causes a significant physical, emotional, social and economic burden. The main clinical hallmark of SCI is the permanent loss of motor, sensory and autonomic function below the level of injury. In general, neurons of the central nervous system (CNS) are incapable of regeneration, whereas injury to the peripheral nervous system is followed by axonal regeneration and usually results in some degree of functional recovery. The weak neuron-intrinsic regeneration-associated gene (RAG) response upon injury is an important reason for the failure of neurons in the CNS to regenerate an axon. This response consists of the expression of many RAGs, including regeneration-associated transcription factors (TFs). Regeneration-associated TFs are potential key regulators of the RAG program. The function of some regeneration-associated TFs has been studied in transgenic and knock-out mice and by adeno-associated viral vector-mediated overexpression in injured neurons. Here, we review these studies and propose that AAV-mediated gene delivery of combinations of regeneration-associated TFs is a potential strategy to activate the RAG program in injured CNS neurons and achieve long-distance axon regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitish D Fagoe
- Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
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Moloney EB, de Winter F, Verhaagen J. ALS as a distal axonopathy: molecular mechanisms affecting neuromuscular junction stability in the presymptomatic stages of the disease. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:252. [PMID: 25177267 PMCID: PMC4132373 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 213] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [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: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is being redefined as a distal axonopathy, in that many molecular changes influencing motor neuron degeneration occur at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) at very early stages of the disease prior to symptom onset. A huge variety of genetic and environmental causes have been associated with ALS, and interestingly, although the cause of the disease can differ, both sporadic and familial forms of ALS show a remarkable similarity in terms of disease progression and clinical manifestation. The NMJ is a highly specialized synapse, allowing for controlled signaling between muscle and nerve necessary for skeletal muscle function. In this review we will evaluate the clinical, animal experimental and cellular/molecular evidence that supports the idea of ALS as a distal axonopathy. We will discuss the early molecular mechanisms that occur at the NMJ, which alter the functional abilities of the NMJ. Specifically, we focus on the role of axon guidance molecules on the stability of the cytoskeleton and how these molecules may directly influence the cells of the NMJ in a way that may initiate or facilitate the dismantling of the neuromuscular synapse in the presymptomatic stages of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B Moloney
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fred de Winter
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Allodi I, Mecollari V, González-Pérez F, Eggers R, Hoyng S, Verhaagen J, Navarro X, Udina E. Schwann cells transduced with a lentiviral vector encoding Fgf-2 promote motor neuron regeneration following sciatic nerve injury. Glia 2014; 62:1736-46. [PMID: 24989458 DOI: 10.1002/glia.22712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 02/24/2014] [Revised: 06/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) is a trophic factor expressed by glial cells and different neuronal populations. Addition of FGF-2 to spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) explants demonstrated that FGF-2 specifically increases motor neuron axonal growth. To further explore the potential capability of FGF-2 to promote axon regeneration, we produced a lentiviral vector (LV) to overexpress FGF-2 (LV-FGF2) in the injured rat peripheral nerve. Cultured Schwann cells transduced with FGF-2 and added to collagen matrix embedding spinal cord or DRG explants significantly increased motor but not sensory neurite outgrowth. LV-FGF2 was as effective as direct addition of the trophic factor to promote motor axon growth in vitro. Direct injection of LV-FGF2 into the rat sciatic nerve resulted in increased expression of FGF-2, which was localized in the basal lamina of Schwann cells. To investigate the in vivo effect of FGF-2 overexpression on axonal regeneration after nerve injury, Schwann cells transduced with LV-FGF2 were grafted in a silicone tube used to repair the resected rat sciatic nerve. Electrophysiological tests conducted for up to 2 months after injury revealed accelerated and more marked reinnervation of hindlimb muscles in the animals treated with LV-FGF2, with an increase in the number of motor and sensory neurons that reached the distal tibial nerve at the end of follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilary Allodi
- Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Bellaterra, Spain
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Roet KCD, Verhaagen J. Understanding the neural repair-promoting properties of olfactory ensheathing cells. Exp Neurol 2014; 261:594-609. [PMID: 24842489 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2014.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [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: 03/19/2014] [Revised: 05/02/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Olfactory ensheathing glial cells (OECs) are a specialized type of glia that form a continuously aligned cellular pathway that actively supports unprecedented regeneration of primary olfactory axons from the periphery into the central nervous system. Implantation of OECs stimulates neural repair in experimental models of spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerve injury and delays disease progression in animal models for neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. OECs implanted in the injured spinal cord display a plethora of pro-regenerative effects; they promote axonal regeneration, reorganize the glial scar, remyelinate axons, stimulate blood vessel formation, have phagocytic properties and modulate the immune response. Recently genome wide transcriptional profiling and proteomics analysis combined with classical or larger scale "medium-throughput" bioassays have provided novel insights into the molecular mechanism that endow OECs with their pro-regenerative properties. Here we review these studies and show that the gaps that existed in our understanding of the molecular basis of the reparative properties of OECs are narrowing. OECs express functionally connected sets of genes that can be linked to at least 10 distinct processes directly relevant to neural repair. The data indicate that OECs exhibit a range of synergistic cellular activities, including active and passive stimulation of axon regeneration (by secretion of growth factors, axon guidance molecules and basement membrane components) and critical aspects of tissue repair (by structural remodeling and support, modulation of the immune system, enhancement of neurotrophic and antigenic stimuli and by metabolizing toxic macromolecules). Future experimentation will have to further explore the newly acquired knowledge to enhance the therapeutic potential of OECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasper C D Roet
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands.
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Hoyng SA, Gnavi S, de Winter F, Eggers R, Ozawa T, Zaldumbide A, Hoeben RC, Malessy MJA, Verhaagen J. Developing a potentially immunologically inert tetracycline-regulatable viral vector for gene therapy in the peripheral nerve. Gene Ther 2014; 21:549-57. [PMID: 24694534 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2014.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Viral vector-mediated gene transfer of neurotrophic factors is an emerging and promising strategy to promote the regeneration of injured peripheral nerves. Unfortunately, the chronic exposure to neurotrophic factors results in local trapping of regenerating axons or other unwanted side effects. Therefore, tight control of therapeutic gene expression is required. The tetracycline/doxycycline-inducible system is considered to be one of the most promising systems for regulating heterologous gene expression. However, an immune response directed against the transactivator protein rtTA hampers further translational studies. Immunogenic proteins fused with the Gly-Ala repeat of the Epstein-Barr virus Nuclear Antigen-1 protein have been shown to successfully evade the immune system. In this article, we used this strategy to demonstrate that a chimeric transactivator, created by fusing the Gly-Ala repeat with rtTA and embedded in a lentiviral vector (i) retained its transactivator function in vitro, in muscle explants, and in vivo following injection into the rat peripheral nerve, (ii) exhibited a reduced leaky expression, and (iii) had an immune-evasive advantage over rtTA as shown in a novel bioassay for human antigen presentation. The current findings are an important step toward creating a clinically applicable potentially immune-evasive tetracycline-regulatable viral vector system.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Hoyng
- 1] Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands [2] Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - S Gnavi
- 1] Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands [2] Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri Ottolenghi Foundation (NICO), Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - F de Winter
- 1] Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands [2] Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - R Eggers
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - T Ozawa
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - A Zaldumbide
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - R C Hoeben
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - M J A Malessy
- 1] Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands [2] Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - J Verhaagen
- 1] Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands [2] Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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