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Brown JL, Hart DW, Boyle GE, Brown TG, LaCroix M, Baraibar AM, Pelzel R, Kim M, Sherman MA, Boes S, Sung M, Cole T, Lee MK, Araque A, Lesné SE. SNCA genetic lowering reveals differential cognitive function of alpha-synuclein dependent on sex. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:180. [PMID: 36517890 PMCID: PMC9749314 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01480-y] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy for neurological disease has been successful in clinical settings and its potential has generated hope for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously described that ablating SNCA encoding for α-synuclein (αSyn) in a mouse model of AD was beneficial. Here, we sought to demonstrate whether transient reduction of αSyn expression using ASOSNCA could be therapeutic in a mouse model of AD. The efficacy of the ASOSNCA was measured via immunocytochemistry, RT-qPCR and western blotting. To assess spatial learning and memory, ASOSNCA or PBS-injected APP and non-transgenic (NTG) mice, and separate groups of SNCA-null mice, were tested on the Barnes circular maze. Hippocampal slice electrophysiology and transcriptomic profiling were used to explore synaptic function and differential gene expression between groups. Reduction of SNCA transcripts alleviated cognitive deficits in male transgenic animals, but surprisingly, not in females. To determine the functional cause of this differential effect, we assessed memory function in SNCA-null mice. Learning and memory were intact in male mice but impaired in female animals, revealing that the role of αSyn on cognitive function is sex-specific. Transcriptional analyses identified a differentially expressed gene network centered around EGR1, a central modulator of learning and memory, in the hippocampi of SNCA-null mice. Thus, these novel results demonstrate that the function of αSyn on memory differs between male and female brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Brown
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
| | - Damyan W. Hart
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
| | - Gabriel E. Boyle
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
- Present Address: Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Taylor G. Brown
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
| | - Michael LaCroix
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
- Present Address: Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| | - Andrés M. Baraibar
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Present Address: Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Ross Pelzel
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
| | - Minwoo Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
| | - Mathew A. Sherman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
| | - Samuel Boes
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
| | - Michelle Sung
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
- Present Address: Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Tracy Cole
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA USA
- Present Address: n-Lorem Foundation, Carlsbad, CA 92010 USA
| | - Michael K. Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
| | - Alfonso Araque
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
| | - Sylvain E. Lesné
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414 USA
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Brown JL, Murphy KA, O'Connell TD, Lesné SE. Comment on "Activation of the Omega-3 Fatty Acid Receptor GPR120 Protects against Focal Cerebral Ischemic Injury by Preventing Inflammation and Apoptosis in Mice". J Immunol 2022; 209:1229-1233. [PMID: 36167357 PMCID: PMC9756940 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Brown
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; and
| | - Katherine A Murphy
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Timothy D O'Connell
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Sylvain E Lesné
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN;
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; and
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Kayed R, Dettmer U, Lesné SE. Soluble endogenous oligomeric α-synuclein species in neurodegenerative diseases: Expression, spreading, and cross-talk. J Parkinsons Dis 2021; 10:791-818. [PMID: 32508330 PMCID: PMC7458533 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-201965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
There is growing recognition in the field of neurodegenerative diseases that mixed proteinopathies are occurring at greater frequency than originally thought. This is particularly true for three amyloid proteins defining most of these neurological disorders, amyloid-beta (Aβ), tau, and alpha-synuclein (αSyn). The co-existence and often co-localization of aggregated forms of these proteins has led to the emergence of concepts positing molecular interactions and cross-seeding between Aβ, tau, and αSyn aggregates. Amongst this trio, αSyn has received particular attention in this context during recent years due to its ability to modulate Aβ and tau aggregation in vivo, to interact at a molecular level with Aβ and tau in vivo and to cross-seed tau in mice. Here we provide a comprehensive, critical, and accessible review about the expression, role and nature of endogenous soluble αSyn oligomers because of recent developments in the understanding of αSyn multimerization, misfolding, aggregation, cross-talk, spreading and cross-seeding in neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington's disease. We will also discuss our current understanding about the relative toxicity of endogenous αSyn oligomers in vivo and in vitro, and introduce potential opportunities to counter their deleterious effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakez Kayed
- Departments of Neurology & Neuroscience & Cell Biology & Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA,George and Cynthia Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Ulf Dettmer
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sylvain E. Lesné
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA,Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA,Correspondence to: Sylvain E. Lesné, PhD, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA. Tel.: +1 612 626 8341; E-mail: ; Website: https://lesnelab.org
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Singh B, Covelo A, Martell-Martínez H, Nanclares C, Sherman MA, Okematti E, Meints J, Teravskis PJ, Gallardo C, Savonenko AV, Benneyworth MA, Lesné SE, Liao D, Araque A, Lee MK. Tau is required for progressive synaptic and memory deficits in a transgenic mouse model of α-synucleinopathy. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 138:551-574. [PMID: 31168644 PMCID: PMC6778173 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-02032-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [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: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are clinically and neuropathologically highly related α-synucleinopathies that collectively constitute the second leading cause of neurodegenerative dementias. Genetic and neuropathological studies directly implicate α-synuclein (αS) abnormalities in PDD and DLB pathogenesis. However, it is currently unknown how αS abnormalities contribute to memory loss, particularly since forebrain neuronal loss in PDD and DLB is less severe than in Alzheimer's disease. Previously, we found that familial Parkinson's disease-linked human mutant A53T αS causes aberrant localization of the microtubule-associated protein tau to postsynaptic spines in neurons, leading to postsynaptic deficits. Thus, we directly tested if the synaptic and memory deficits in a mouse model of α-synucleinopathy (TgA53T) are mediated by tau. TgA53T mice exhibit progressive memory deficits associated with postsynaptic deficits in the absence of obvious neuropathological and neurodegenerative changes in the hippocampus. Significantly, removal of endogenous mouse tau expression in TgA53T mice (TgA53T/mTau-/-), achieved by mating TgA53T mice to mouse tau-knockout mice, completely ameliorates cognitive dysfunction and concurrent synaptic deficits without affecting αS expression or accumulation of selected toxic αS oligomers. Among the known tau-dependent effects, memory deficits in TgA53T mice were associated with hippocampal circuit remodeling linked to chronic network hyperexcitability. This remodeling was absent in TgA53T/mTau-/- mice, indicating that postsynaptic deficits, aberrant network hyperactivity, and memory deficits are mechanistically linked. Our results directly implicate tau as a mediator of specific human mutant A53T αS-mediated abnormalities related to deficits in hippocampal neurotransmission and suggest a mechanism for memory impairment that occurs as a consequence of synaptic dysfunction rather than synaptic or neuronal loss. We hypothesize that these initial synaptic deficits contribute to network hyperexcitability which, in turn, exacerbate cognitive dysfunction. Our results indicate that these synaptic changes present potential therapeutic targets for amelioration of memory deficits in α-synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balvindar Singh
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Ana Covelo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Héctor Martell-Martínez
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Carmen Nanclares
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Mathew A Sherman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Emmanuel Okematti
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Joyce Meints
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Peter J Teravskis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Christopher Gallardo
- Graduate Program in Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Alena V Savonenko
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Michael A Benneyworth
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Mouse Behavior Core, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Sylvain E Lesné
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- N. Budd Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Dezhi Liao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Alfonso Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Michael K Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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Khan SS, LaCroix M, Boyle G, Sherman MA, Brown JL, Amar F, Aldaco J, Lee MK, Bloom GS, Lesné SE. Bidirectional modulation of Alzheimer phenotype by alpha-synuclein in mice and primary neurons. Acta Neuropathol 2018; 136:589-605. [PMID: 29995210 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-018-1886-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn) histopathology defines several neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the functional link between soluble αSyn and disease etiology remains elusive, especially in AD. We, therefore, genetically targeted αSyn in APP transgenic mice modeling AD and mouse primary neurons. Our results demonstrate bidirectional modulation of behavioral deficits and pathophysiology by αSyn. Overexpression of human wild-type αSyn in APP animals markedly reduced amyloid deposition but, counter-intuitively, exacerbated deficits in spatial memory. It also increased extracellular amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs), αSyn oligomers, exacerbated tau conformational and phosphorylation variants associated with AD, and enhanced neuronal cell cycle re-entry (CCR), a frequent prelude to neuron death in AD. Conversely, ablation of the SNCA gene encoding for αSyn in APP mice improved memory retention in spite of increased plaque burden. Reminiscent of the effect of MAPT ablation in APP mice, SNCA deletion prevented premature mortality. Moreover, the absence of αSyn decreased extracellular AβOs, ameliorated CCR, and rescued postsynaptic marker deficits. In summary, this complementary, bidirectional genetic approach implicates αSyn as an essential mediator of key phenotypes in AD and offers new functional insight into αSyn pathophysiology.
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Amar F, Sherman MA, Rush T, Larson M, Boyle G, Chang L, Götz J, Buisson A, Lesné SE. The amyloid-β oligomer Aβ*56 induces specific alterations in neuronal signaling that lead to tau phosphorylation and aggregation. Sci Signal 2017; 10:10/478/eaal2021. [PMID: 28487416 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aal2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Oligomeric forms of amyloid-forming proteins are believed to be the principal initiating bioactive species in many neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers are implicated in AD-associated phosphorylation and aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. To investigate the specific molecular pathways activated by different assemblies, we isolated various forms of Aβ from Tg2576 mice, which are a model for AD. We found that Aβ*56, a 56-kDa oligomer that is detected before patients develop overt signs of AD, induced specific changes in neuronal signaling. In primary cortical neurons, Aβ*56 interacted with N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), increased NMDAR-dependent Ca2+ influx, and consequently increased intracellular calcium concentrations and the activation of Ca2+-dependent calmodulin kinase IIα (CaMKIIα). In cultured neurons and in the brains of Tg2576 mice, activated CaMKIIα was associated with increased site-specific phosphorylation and missorting of tau, both of which are associated with AD pathology. In contrast, exposure of cultured primary cortical neurons to other oligomeric Aβ forms (dimers and trimers) did not trigger these effects. Our results indicate that distinct Aβ assemblies activate neuronal signaling pathways in a selective manner and that dissecting the molecular events caused by each oligomer may inform more effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatou Amar
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Mathew A Sherman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Travis Rush
- INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, BP 170, Grenoble Cedex 9, F-38042, France
| | - Megan Larson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Gabriel Boyle
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Liu Chang
- Sydney Medical School, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales 2050, Australia
| | - Jürgen Götz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alain Buisson
- INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, BP 170, Grenoble Cedex 9, F-38042, France
| | - Sylvain E Lesné
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA. .,N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
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Alfonso SI, Callender JA, Hooli B, Antal CE, Mullin K, Sherman MA, Lesné SE, Leitges M, Newton AC, Tanzi RE, Malinow R. Gain-of-function mutations in protein kinase Cα (PKCα) may promote synaptic defects in Alzheimer's disease. Sci Signal 2016; 9:ra47. [PMID: 27165780 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aaf6209] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive dementia disorder characterized by synaptic degeneration and amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in the brain. Through whole-genome sequencing of 1345 individuals from 410 families with late-onset AD (LOAD), we identified three highly penetrant variants in PRKCA, the gene that encodes protein kinase Cα (PKCα), in five of the families. All three variants linked with LOAD displayed increased catalytic activity relative to wild-type PKCα as assessed in live-cell imaging experiments using a genetically encoded PKC activity reporter. Deleting PRKCA in mice or adding PKC antagonists to mouse hippocampal slices infected with a virus expressing the Aβ precursor CT100 revealed that PKCα was required for the reduced synaptic activity caused by Aβ. In PRKCA(-/-) neurons expressing CT100, introduction of PKCα, but not PKCα lacking a PDZ interaction moiety, rescued synaptic depression, suggesting that a scaffolding interaction bringing PKCα to the synapse is required for its mediation of the effects of Aβ. Thus, enhanced PKCα activity may contribute to AD, possibly by mediating the actions of Aβ on synapses. In contrast, reduced PKCα activity is implicated in cancer. Hence, these findings reinforce the importance of maintaining a careful balance in the activity of this enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie I Alfonso
- Department of Neurosciences and Division of Biology, Section of Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Julia A Callender
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Basavaraj Hooli
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Corina E Antal
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kristina Mullin
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Mathew A Sherman
- Department of Neuroscience, N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, and Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Sylvain E Lesné
- Department of Neuroscience, N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, and Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Michael Leitges
- Biotechnology Centre of Oslo, University of Oslo, Oslo 0317, Norway
| | - Alexandra C Newton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Rudolph E Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
| | - Roberto Malinow
- Department of Neurosciences and Division of Biology, Section of Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Abstract
A decade following the paradigm-shifting concept that endogenous forms of soluble, non-fibrillar amyloid-β (Aβ) might constitute the major bioactive entity causing synaptic loss and cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD), our understanding of these oligomeric species still remains conspicuously superficial. The current lack of direct evaluation tools for each endogenous Aβ oligomer hampers our ability to readily address crucial question such as: (i) where they form and accumulate?; (ii) when they first appear in human brains and body fluids?; (iii) what is the longitudinal expression of these putative toxins during the course of the disease?; (iv) and how do these soluble Aβ assemblies alter synaptic and neuronal function in the brain? Despite these limitations, indirect ex vivo measurement and isolation from biological specimens has been possible and have allowed parsing out intrinsic differences between putative endogenous Aβ oligomers. In this review, I integrated recent findings and extrapolated emerging hypotheses derived from these studies with the hope to provide a clarified view on the putative role of endogenous Aβ oligomers in AD, with a particular emphasis on the timing at which these soluble species might act in the aging and diseased brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain E. Lesné
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414
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Lesné SE, Sherman MA, Grant M, Kuskowski M, Schneider JA, Bennett DA, Ashe KH. Brain amyloid-β oligomers in ageing and Alzheimer's disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 136:1383-98. [PMID: 23576130 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awt062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 341] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease begins about two decades before the onset of symptoms or neuron death, and is believed to be caused by pathogenic amyloid-β aggregates that initiate a cascade of molecular events culminating in widespread neurodegeneration. The microtubule binding protein tau may mediate the effects of amyloid-β in this cascade. Amyloid plaques comprised of insoluble, fibrillar amyloid-β aggregates are the most characteristic feature of Alzheimer's disease. However, the correspondence between the distribution of plaques and the pattern of neurodegeneration is tenuous. This discrepancy has stimulated the investigation of other amyloid-β aggregates, including soluble amyloid-β oligomers. Different soluble amyloid-β oligomers have been studied in several mouse models, but not systematically in humans. Here, we measured three amyloid-β oligomers previously described in mouse models-amyloid-β trimers, Aβ*56 and amyloid-β dimers-in brain tissue from 75 cognitively intact individuals, ranging from young children to the elderly, and 58 impaired subjects with mild cognitive impairment or probable Alzheimer's disease. As in mouse models, where amyloid-β trimers appear to be the fundamental amyloid-β assembly unit of Aβ*56 and are present in young mice prior to memory decline, amyloid-β trimers in humans were present in children and adolescents; their levels rose gradually with age and were significantly above baseline in subjects in their 70s. Aβ*56 levels were negligible in children and young adults, rose significantly above baseline in subjects in their 40s and increased steadily thereafter. Amyloid-β dimers were undetectable until subjects were in their 60s; their levels then increased sharply and correlated with plaque load. Remarkably, in cognitively intact individuals we found strong positive correlations between Aβ*56 and two pathological forms of soluble tau (tau-CP13 and tau-Alz50), and negative correlations between Aβ*56 and two postsynaptic proteins (drebrin and fyn kinase), but none between amyloid-β dimers or amyloid-β trimers and tau or synaptic proteins. Comparing impaired with age-matched unimpaired subjects, we found the highest levels of amyloid-β dimers, but the lowest levels of Aβ*56 and amyloid-β trimers, in subjects with probable Alzheimer's disease. In conclusion, in cognitively normal adults Aβ*56 increased ahead of amyloid-β dimers or amyloid-β trimers, and pathological tau proteins and postsynaptic proteins correlated with Aβ*56, but not amyloid-β dimers or amyloid-β trimers. We propose that Aβ*56 may play a pathogenic role very early in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain E Lesné
- University of Minnesota, Department of Neurology 2101 Sixth Street, SE Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Abstract
For nearly 100 years following the first description of this neurological disorder by Dr Alois Alzheimer, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles have been hypothesized to cause neuronal loss. With evidence that the extent of insoluble, deposited amyloid poorly correlated with cognitive impairment, research efforts focused on soluble forms of Aβ, also referred as Aβ oligomers. Following a decade of studies, soluble oligomeric forms of Aβ are now believed to induce the deleterious cascade(s) involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we will discuss our current understanding about endogenous oligomeric Aβ production, their relative toxicity in vivo and in vitro, and explore the potential future directions needed for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Larson
- Departments of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.,N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sylvain E Lesné
- Departments of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.,N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Abstract
Since its original description in 1906 by Dr Alois Alzheimer, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles have remained the hypothetical cause of Alzheimer's disease. However, plaque burden poorly predicts cognitive status in humans, which led several groups to investigate the possibility that soluble species of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides could be playing an important pathological function in the aging brain. Through a multistep fractionation protocol, we identified a 56 kDa oligomer of Aβ, termed Aβ*56, the amount of which correlates with cognitive impairment. Here, we describe our biochemical approach to isolate this oligomeric Aβ species in brain tissue of transgenic mouse models of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew A Sherman
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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