Ana Paula De Vincenti, Fernanda Ledda, Gustavo Paratcha
{"title":"New insights into the homeostatic role of Lrig1 in different neurogenic niches: Implications for neuronal regeneration.","authors":"Ana Paula De Vincenti, Fernanda Ledda, Gustavo Paratcha","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01333","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01333","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":"21 4","pages":"1544-1545"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144528964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhenbin Cai, Hui Wu, Tao Jiang, Ao Ma, Zhichao Meng, Jiehao Zhu, Hongsheng Lin, Yaozhong Liang, Guowei Zhang, Minghui Tan
{"title":"The Cullin3-Ring E3 ubiquitin ligase complex and USP14 regulate spastin-mediated microtubule severing and promotion of neurite outgrowth.","authors":"Zhenbin Cai, Hui Wu, Tao Jiang, Ao Ma, Zhichao Meng, Jiehao Zhu, Hongsheng Lin, Yaozhong Liang, Guowei Zhang, Minghui Tan","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-25-00037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-25-00037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202604000-00044/figure1/v/2025-06-30T060627Z/r/image-tiff Post-translational modification of spastin enables precise spatiotemporal control of its microtubule severing activity. However, the detailed mechanism by which spastin turnover is regulated in the context of neurite outgrowth remains unknown. Here, we found that spastin interacted with ubiquitin and was significantly degraded by K48-mediated poly-ubiquitination. Cullin3 facilitated spastin degradation and ubiquitination. RING-box protein 1, but not RING-box protein 2, acted synergistically with Cullin3 protein to regulate spastin degradation. Overexpression of Culin3 or BRX1 markedly suppressed spastin expression, and inhibited spastin-mediated microtubule severing and promotion of neurite outgrowth. Moreover, USP14 interacted directly with spastin to mediate its de-ubiquitination. USP14 overexpression significantly increased spastin expression and suppressed its ubiquitination and degradation. Although co-expression of spastin and USP14 did not enhance microtubule severing, it did increase neurite length in hippocampal neurons. Taken together, these findings elucidate the intricate regulatory mechanisms of spastin turnover, highlighting the roles of the Cullin-3-Ring E3 ubiquitin ligase complex and USP14 in orchestrating its ubiquitination and degradation. The dynamic interplay between these factors governs spastin stability and function, ultimately influencing microtubule dynamics and neuronal morphology. These insights shed light on potential therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative disorders associated with spastin defects.</p>","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":"21 4","pages":"1641-1651"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144528966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Patrícia D Correia, Bárbara M de Sousa, Jesús Chato-Astrain, Joana Paes de Faria, Veronica Estrada, João B Relvas, Hans W Müller, Víctor Carriel, Frank Bosse, Sandra I Vieira
{"title":"Injury-induced KIF4A neural expression and its role in Schwann cell proliferation suggest a dual function for this kinesin in neural regeneration.","authors":"Patrícia D Correia, Bárbara M de Sousa, Jesús Chato-Astrain, Joana Paes de Faria, Veronica Estrada, João B Relvas, Hans W Müller, Víctor Carriel, Frank Bosse, Sandra I Vieira","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-00232","DOIUrl":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-00232","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202604000-00041/figure1/v/2025-06-30T060627Z/r/image-tiff Contrary to the adult central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system has an intrinsic ability to regenerate that relies on the expression of regeneration-associated genes, such as some kinesin family members. Kinesins contribute to nerve regeneration through the transport of specific cargo, such as proteins and membrane components, from the cell body towards the axon periphery. We show here that KIF4A, associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and previously believed to be only expressed during development, is also expressed in the adult vertebrate nervous system and up-regulated in injured peripheral nervous system cells. KIF4A is detected both in the cell bodies and regrowing axons of injured neurons, consistent with its function as an axonal transporter of cargoes such as β1-integrin and L1CAM. Our study further demonstrates that KIF4A levels are greatly increased in Schwann cells from injured distal nerve stumps, particularly at a time when they are reprogrammed into an essential proliferative repair phenotype. Moreover, Kif4a mRNA levels were approximately ~ 6-fold higher in proliferative cultured Schwann cells compared with non-proliferative ones. A hypothesized function for Kif4a in Schwann cell proliferation was further confirmed by Kif4a knockdown, as this significantly reduced Schwann cell proliferation in vitro . Our findings show that KIF4A is expressed in adult vertebrate nervous systems and is up-regulated following peripheral injury. The timing of KIF4A up-regulation, its location during regeneration, and its proliferative role, all suggest a dual role for this protein in neuroregeneration that is worth exploring in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":" ","pages":"1607-1620"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142813774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Damage and repair in retinal degenerative diseases: Molecular basis through clinical translation.","authors":"Ziting Zhang, Junfeng Ma, Wahid Shah, Xin Quan, Tao Ding, Yuan Gao","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01016","DOIUrl":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Retinal ganglion cells are the bridging neurons between the eye and the central nervous system, transmitting visual signals to the brain. The injury and loss of retinal ganglion cells are the primary pathological changes in several retinal degenerative diseases, including glaucoma, ischemic optic neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy, and optic neuritis. In mammals, injured retinal ganglion cells lack regenerative capacity and undergo apoptotic cell death within a few days of injury. Additionally, these cells exhibit limited regenerative ability, ultimately contributing to vision impairment and potentially leading to blindness. Currently, the only effective clinical treatment for glaucoma is to prevent vision loss by lowering intraocular pressure through medications or surgery; however, this approach cannot halt the effect of retinal ganglion cell loss on visual function. This review comprehensively investigates the mechanisms underlying retinal ganglion cell degeneration in retinal degenerative diseases and further explores the current status and potential of cell replacement therapy for regenerating retinal ganglion cells. As our understanding of the complex processes involved in retinal ganglion cell degeneration deepens, we can explore new treatment strategies, such as cell transplantation, which may offer more effective ways to mitigate the effect of retinal degenerative diseases on vision.</p>","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":" ","pages":"1383-1395"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143492999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"mTORC1 and mTORC2 synergy in human neural development, disease, and regeneration.","authors":"Navroop K Dhaliwal, Julien Muffat, Yun Li","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-00961","DOIUrl":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-00961","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":" ","pages":"1552-1553"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143720918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ziliang Hu, Mingyue Zhao, Hangyu Shen, Liangzhe Wei, Jie Sun, Xiang Gao, Yi Huang
{"title":"Organelle symphony: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and nuclear factor-kappa B in stroke pathobiology.","authors":"Ziliang Hu, Mingyue Zhao, Hangyu Shen, Liangzhe Wei, Jie Sun, Xiang Gao, Yi Huang","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01404","DOIUrl":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01404","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Strokes include both ischemic stroke, which is mediated by a blockade or reduction in the blood supply to the brain, and hemorrhagic stroke, which comprises intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage and is characterized by bleeding within the brain. Stroke is a life-threatening cerebrovascular condition characterized by intricate pathophysiological mechanisms, including oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuronal injury. Critical transcription factors, such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and nuclear factor kappa B, play central roles in the progression of stroke. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 is sensitive to changes in the cellular redox status and is crucial in protecting cells against oxidative damage, inflammatory responses, and cytotoxic agents. It plays a significant role in post-stroke neuroprotection and repair by influencing mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and lysosomal activity and regulating metabolic pathways and cytokine expression. Conversely, nuclear factor-kappaB is closely associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, the generation of reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress exacerbation, and inflammation. Nuclear factor-kappaB contributes to neuronal injury, apoptosis, and immune responses following stroke by modulating cell adhesion molecules and inflammatory mediators. The interplay between these pathways, potentially involving crosstalk among various organelles, significantly influences stroke pathophysiology. Advancements in single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics have greatly improved our understanding of stroke pathogenesis and offer new opportunities for the development of targeted, individualized, cell type-specific treatments. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms underlying the involvement of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and nuclear factor-kappa B in both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, with an emphasis on their roles in oxidative stress, inflammation, and neuroprotection.</p>","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":" ","pages":"1483-1496"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143720923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Inherent potential of mitochondria-targeted interventions for chronic neurodegenerative diseases.","authors":"Min Zhou, Min Zheng, Siyao Liang, Maomao Li, Jiarui Ma, Shiyu Zhang, Xinyao Song, Yonglin Hu, Yuhong Lyu, Xingkun Ou, Changwu Yue","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01507","DOIUrl":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01507","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The cure rate for chronic neurodegenerative diseases remains low, creating an urgent need for improved intervention methods. Recent studies have shown that enhancing mitochondrial function can mitigate the effects of these diseases. This paper comprehensively reviews the relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and chronic neurodegenerative diseases, aiming to uncover the potential use of targeted mitochondrial interventions as viable therapeutic options. We detail five targeted mitochondrial intervention strategies for chronic neurodegenerative diseases that act by promoting mitophagy, inhibiting mitochondrial fission, enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis, applying mitochondria-targeting antioxidants, and transplanting mitochondria. Each method has unique advantages and potential limitations, making them suitable for various therapeutic situations. Therapies that promote mitophagy or inhibit mitochondrial fission could be particularly effective in slowing disease progression, especially in the early stages. In contrast, those that enhance mitochondrial biogenesis and apply mitochondria-targeting antioxidants may offer great benefits during the middle stages of the disease by improving cellular antioxidant capacity and energy metabolism. Mitochondrial transplantation, while still experimental, holds great promise for restoring the function of damaged cells. Future research should focus on exploring the mechanisms and effects of these intervention strategies, particularly regarding their safety and efficacy in clinical settings. Additionally, the development of innovative mitochondria-targeting approaches, such as gene editing and nanotechnology, may provide new solutions for treating chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Implementing combined therapeutic strategies that integrate multiple intervention methods could also enhance treatment outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":" ","pages":"1409-1427"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144035978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns: Neuroimmunomodulators in central nervous system pathophysiology.","authors":"Noah A H Brooks, Ishvin Riar, Andis Klegeris","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01459","DOIUrl":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01459","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neuroinflammation contributes to a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and multiple sclerosis. It is driven by non-neuronal glial cells, mainly microglia and astrocytes. Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, while astrocytes are the main support cells for neuronal functions but can also participate in neuroimmune responses. Both these glial cell types can become reactive upon detection of certain endogenous intracellular molecules that appear in the extracellular space under specific circumstances; these can be pathology-associated abnormal structures, such as amyloid β proteins, or damage-associated molecular patterns released from injured cells, including their mitochondria. Once in the extracellular space, damage-associated molecular patterns act as ligands for specific pattern recognition receptors expressed by glia inducing their reactivity and neuroimmune responses. This review considers the following mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns: heme, cytochrome c, cardiolipin, adenosine triphosphate, mitochondrial DNA, mitochondrial transcription factor A, N-formyl peptides, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites: succinate, fumarate, and itaconate. We describe their well-established functions as damage-associated molecular patterns of the peripheral tissues before summarizing available evidence indicating these molecules may also play significant roles in the neuroimmune processes of the central nervous system. We highlight the pattern recognition receptors that mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns interact with and the cellular signaling mechanisms they modulate. Our review demonstrates that some mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns, such as cytochrome c, adenosine triphosphate, and mitochondrial transcription factor A, have already demonstrated significant effects on the central nervous system. In contrast, others including cardiolipin, mitochondrial DNA, N-formyl peptides, succinate, fumarate, and itaconate, will require additional studies corroborating their roles as damage-associated molecular patterns in the central nervous system. For all of the reviewed mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns, there is a shortage of studies using human cells and tissues, which is identified as a significant knowledge gap. We also assess the need for targeted research on the effects of mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns in the central nervous system pathologies where their roles are understudied. Such studies could identify novel treatment strategies for multiple neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized by chronic neuroinflammation and currently lack effective therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":" ","pages":"1322-1338"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144333571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 mediates α-synuclein transmission from the striatum to the substantia nigra in animal models of Parkinson's disease.","authors":"Hanjiang Luo, Caixia Peng, Chengli Wu, Chengwei Liu, Qinghua Li, Shun Yu, Jia Liu, Min Chen","doi":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-01965","DOIUrl":"10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-01965","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202604000-00040/figure1/v/2025-06-30T060627Z/r/image-tiff α-Synuclein accumulation and transmission are vital to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, although the mechanisms underlying misfolded α-synuclein accumulation and propagation have not been conclusively determined. The expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1, which is abundantly expressed in neurons and considered to be a multifunctional endocytic receptor, is elevated in the neurons of patients with Parkinson's disease. However, whether there is a direct link between low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 and α-synuclein aggregation and propagation in Parkinson's disease remains unclear. Here, we established animal models of Parkinson's disease by inoculating monkeys and mice with α-synuclein pre-formed fibrils and observed elevated low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 levels in the striatum and substantia nigra, accompanied by dopaminergic neuron loss and increased α-synuclein levels. However, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 knockdown efficiently rescued dopaminergic neurodegeneration and inhibited the increase in α-synuclein levels in the nigrostriatal system. In HEK293A cells overexpressing α-synuclein fragments, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 levels were upregulated only when the N-terminus of α-synuclein was present, whereas an α-synuclein fragment lacking the N-terminus did not lead to low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 upregulation. Furthermore, the N-terminus of α-synuclein was found to be rich in lysine residues, and blocking lysine residues in PC12 cells treated with α-synuclein pre-formed fibrils effectively reduced the elevated low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 and α-synuclein levels. These findings indicate that low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 regulates pathological transmission of α-synuclein from the striatum to the substantia nigra in the nigrostriatal system via lysine residues in the α-synuclein N-terminus.</p>","PeriodicalId":19113,"journal":{"name":"Neural Regeneration Research","volume":" ","pages":"1595-1606"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141893908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}