Translational Neurodegeneration最新文献

{"title":"Inflammasomes in neurodegenerative diseases.","authors":"Qianchen Wang, Songwei Yang, Xuan Zhang, Shanshan Zhang, Liping Chen, Wanxue Wang, Naihong Chen, Jiaqing Yan","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00459-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00459-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Inflammasomes represent a crucial component of the innate immune system, which respond to threats by recognizing different molecules. These are known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or host-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). In neurodegenerative diseases and neuroinflammation, the accumulation of misfolded proteins, such as beta-amyloid and alpha-synuclein, can lead to inflammasome activation, resulting in the release of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. This activation also induces pyroptosis, the release of inflammatory mediators, and exacerbates neuroinflammation. Increasing evidence suggests that inflammasomes play a pivotal role in neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, elucidating and investigating the activation and regulation of inflammasomes in these diseases is of paramount importance. This review is primarily focused on evidence indicating that inflammasomes are activated through the canonical pathway in these diseases. Inflammasomes as potential targets for treating neurodegenerative diseases are also discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11665095/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142878128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CD2AP deficiency aggravates Alzheimer's disease phenotypes and pathology through p38 MAPK activation.","authors":"Yan-Yan Xue, Zhe-Sheng Zhang, Rong-Rong Lin, Hui-Fen Huang, Ke-Qing Zhu, Dian-Fu Chen, Zhi-Ying Wu, Qing-Qing Tao","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00454-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00454-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative disorder, which is characterized by a decline in cognitive abilities. Genome-wide association and clinicopathological studies have demonstrated that the CD2-associated protein (CD2AP) gene is one of the most important genetic risk factors for AD. However, the precise mechanisms by which CD2AP is linked to AD pathogenesis remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The spatiotemporal expression pattern of CD2AP was determined. Then, we generated and characterized an APP/PS1 mouse model with neuron-specific Cd2ap deletion, using immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, electrophysiology and behavioral tests. Additionally, we established a stable CD2AP-knockdown SH-SY5Y cell line to further elucidate the specific molecular mechanisms by which CD2AP contributes to AD pathogenesis. Finally, the APP/PS1 mice with neuron-specific Cd2ap deletion were treated with an inhibitor targeting the pathway identified above to further validate our findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CD2AP is widely expressed in various regions of the mouse brain, with predominant expression in neurons and vascular endothelial cells. In APP/PS1 mice, neuronal knockout of Cd2ap significantly aggravated tau pathology, synaptic impairments and cognitive deficits. Mechanistically, the knockout of Cd2ap activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, which contributed to increased tau phosphorylation, synaptic injury, neuronal apoptosis and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, the phenotypes of neuronal Cd2ap knockout were ameliorated by a p38 MAPK inhibitor.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study presents the first in vivo evidence that CD2AP deficiency exacerbates the phenotypes and pathology of AD through the p38 MAPK pathway, identifying CD2AP/p38 MAPK as promising therapeutic targets for AD.</p>","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11657702/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142855492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recombinant SMN protein synergizes with spinal muscular atrophy therapy to counteract pathological motor neuron phenotypes.","authors":"Liliana Brambilla, Chiara F Valori, Giulia Guidotti, Francesca Martorana, Claudia Sulmona, Lisa Benedetta De Martini, Anselmo Canciani, Marco Fumagalli, Francesca Talpo, Gerardo Biella, Elisa Di Pasquale, Claudio Iacobucci, Federico Forneris, Haiyan Zhou, Daniela Rossi","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00455-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00455-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11650830/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142839264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Astrocytes contribute to toll-like receptor 2-mediated neurodegeneration and alpha-synuclein pathology in a human midbrain Parkinson's model.","authors":"Fiona Weiss, Laura Hughes, Yuhong Fu, Cedric Bardy, Glenda M Halliday, Nicolas Dzamko","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00448-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00448-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterised by degeneration of ventral midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons and abnormal deposition of α-synuclein (α-syn) in neurons. Activation of the innate immune pathogen recognition receptor toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is associated with exacerbation of α-syn pathology. TLR2 is increased on neurons in the PD brain, and its activation results in the accumulation and propagation of α-syn through autophagy inhibition in neurons. In addition to the aggregation and propagation of pathological α-syn, dysfunction of astrocytes may contribute to DA neuronal death and subsequent clinical progression of PD. However, the role of astrocytes in TLR2-mediated PD pathology is less explored but important to address, given that TLR2 is a potential therapeutic target for PD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Induced pluripotent stem cells from three controls and three PD patients were differentiated into a midbrain model comprised of neurons (including DA neurons) and astrocytes. Cells were treated with or without the TLR2 agonist Pam3CSK4, and α-syn pathology was seeded using pre-formed fibrils. Confocal imaging was used to assess lysosomal function and α-syn pathology in the different cell types, as well as DA neuron health and astrocyte activation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TLR2 activation acutely impaired the autophagy lysosomal pathway, and potentiated α-syn pathology seeded by pre-formed fibrils in PD neurons and astrocytes, leading to degeneration and loss of DA neurons. The astrocytes displayed impaired chaperone-mediated autophagy reducing their ability to clear accumulated α-syn, and increases of A1 neurotoxic phenotypic proteins SerpinG1, complement C3, PSMB8 and GBP2. Moreover, the phenotypic changes in astrocytes correlated with a specific loss of DA neurons.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Taken together, these results support a role for astrocyte dysfunction in α-syn accumulation and DA neuronal loss following TLR2 activation in PD.</p>","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"62"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11648304/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142839263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cellular senescence as a key contributor to secondary neurodegeneration in traumatic brain injury and stroke.","authors":"Zhihai Huang, Peisheng Xu, David C Hess, Quanguang Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00457-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00457-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke pose major health challenges, impacting millions of individuals globally. Once considered solely acute events, these neurological conditions are now recognized as enduring pathological processes with long-term consequences, including an increased susceptibility to neurodegeneration. However, effective strategies to counteract their devastating consequences are still lacking. Cellular senescence, marked by irreversible cell-cycle arrest, is emerging as a crucial factor in various neurodegenerative diseases. Recent research further reveals that cellular senescence may be a potential driver for secondary neurodegeneration following brain injury. Herein, we synthesize emerging evidence that TBI and stroke drive the accumulation of senescent cells in the brain. The rationale for targeting senescent cells as a therapeutic approach to combat neurodegeneration following TBI/stroke is outlined. From a translational perspective, we emphasize current knowledge and future directions of senolytic therapy for these neurological conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"61"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11636056/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extracellular vesicles: biological mechanisms and emerging therapeutic opportunities in neurodegenerative diseases.","authors":"Ling Wang, Xiaoyan Zhang, Ziyi Yang, Binquan Wang, Hongyang Gong, Ke Zhang, Yi Lin, Mingkuan Sun","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00453-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00453-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane vesicles originating from different cells within the brain. The pathophysiological role of EVs in neurodegenerative diseases is progressively acknowledged. This field has advanced from basic biological research to essential clinical significance. The capacity to selectively enrich specific subsets of EVs from biofluids via distinctive surface markers has opened new avenues for molecular understandings across various tissues and organs, notably in the brain. In recent years, brain-derived EVs have been extensively investigated as biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and drug-delivery vehicles for neurodegenerative diseases. This review provides a brief overview of the characteristics and physiological functions of the various classes of EVs, focusing on the biological mechanisms by which various types of brain-derived EVs mediate the occurrence and development of neurodegenerative diseases. Concurrently, novel therapeutic approaches and challenges for the use of EVs as delivery vehicles are delineated.</p>","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"60"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11622582/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142792531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced prefrontal nicotinic signaling as evidence of active compensation in Alzheimer's disease models.","authors":"Saige K Power, Sridevi Venkatesan, Sarah Qu, JoAnne McLaurin, Evelyn K Lambe","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00452-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00452-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cognitive reserve allows for resilience to neuropathology, potentially through active compensation. Here, we examine ex vivo electrophysiological evidence for active compensation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) focusing on the cholinergic innervation of layer 6 in prefrontal cortex. Cholinergic pathways are vulnerable to neuropathology in AD and its preclinical models, and their modulation of deep layer prefrontal cortex is essential for attention and executive function.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We functionally interrogated cholinergic modulation of prefrontal layer 6 pyramidal neurons in two preclinical models: a compound transgenic AD mouse model that permits optogenetically-triggered release of endogenous acetylcholine and a transgenic AD rat model that closely recapitulates the human trajectory of AD. We then tested the impact of therapeutic interventions to further amplify the compensated responses and preserve the typical kinetic profile of cholinergic signaling.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In two AD models, we found potentially compensatory upregulation of functional cholinergic responses above non-transgenic controls after onset of pathology. To identify the locus of this enhanced cholinergic signal, we dissected key pre- and post-synaptic components with pharmacological strategies. We identified a significant and selective increase in post-synaptic nicotinic receptor signalling on prefrontal cortical neurons. To probe the additional impact of therapeutic intervention on the adapted circuit, we tested cholinergic and nicotinic-selective pro-cognitive treatments. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase further enhanced endogenous cholinergic responses but greatly distorted their kinetics. Positive allosteric modulation of nicotinic receptors, by contrast, enhanced endogenous cholinergic responses and retained their rapid kinetics.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We demonstrate that functional nicotinic upregulation occurs within the prefrontal cortex in two AD models. Promisingly, this nicotinic signal can be further enhanced while preserving its rapid kinetic signature. Taken together, our work suggests that compensatory mechanisms are active within the prefrontal cortex that can be harnessed by nicotinic receptor positive allosteric modulation, highlighting a new direction for cognitive treatment in AD neuropathology.</p>","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"58"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11613856/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142772693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Controversies and insights into PTBP1-related astrocyte-neuron transdifferentiation: neuronal regeneration strategies for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.","authors":"Simon McDowall, Vaishali Bagda, Stuart Hodgetts, Frank Mastaglia, Dunhui Li","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00450-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00450-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Promising therapeutic strategies are being explored to replace or regenerate the neuronal populations that are lost in patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Several research groups have attempted direct reprogramming of astrocytes into neurons by manipulating the expression of polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1) and claimed putative converted neurons to be functional, which led to improved disease outcomes in animal models of several neurodegenerative disorders. However, a few other studies reported data that contradict these claims, raising doubt about whether PTBP1 suppression truly reprograms astrocytes into neurons and the therapeutic potential of this approach. This review discusses recent advances in regenerative therapeutics including stem cell transplantations for central nervous system disorders, with a particular focus on Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. We also provide a perspective on this controversy by considering that astrocyte heterogeneity may be the key to understanding the discrepancy in published studies, and that certain subpopulations of these glial cells may be more readily converted into neurons.</p>","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"59"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11613593/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142772692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aquaporin-4 as a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker of Alzheimer's disease.","authors":"Nerea Gómez de San José, Steffen Halbgebauer, Petra Steinacker, Sarah Anderl-Straub, Samir Abu-Rumeileh, Lorenzo Barba, Patrick Oeckl, Giovanni Bellomo, Lorenzo Gaetani, Andrea Toja, Sára Mravinacová, Sofia Bergström, Anna Månberg, Alberto Grassini, Innocenzo Rainero, Peter Nilsson, Lucilla Parnetti, Markus Otto","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00451-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00451-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"57"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11606142/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142755695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"α-Synuclein seeding amplification assays for diagnosing synucleinopathies: an innovative tool in clinical implementation.","authors":"Yaoyun Kuang, Hengxu Mao, Xiaoyun Huang, Minshan Chen, Wei Dai, Tingting Gan, Jiaqi Wang, Hui Sun, Hao Lin, Qin Liu, Xinling Yang, Ping-Yi Xu","doi":"10.1186/s40035-024-00449-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40035-024-00449-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The spectrum of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), is characterized by α-synuclein (αSyn) pathology, which serves as the definitive diagnostic marker. However, current diagnostic methods primarily rely on motor symptoms that manifest years after the initial neuropathological changes, thereby delaying potential treatment. The symptomatic overlap between PD and MSA further complicates the diagnosis, highlighting the need for precise and differential diagnostic methods for these overlapping neurodegenerative diseases. αSyn misfolding and aggregation occur before clinical symptoms appear, suggesting that detection of pathological αSyn could enable early molecular diagnosis of synucleinopathies. Recent advances in seed amplification assay (SAA) offer a tool for detecting neurodegenerative diseases by identifying αSyn misfolding in fluid and tissue samples, even at preclinical stages. Extensive research has validated the effectiveness and reproducibility of SAAs for diagnosing synucleinopathies, with ongoing efforts focusing on optimizing conditions for detecting pathological αSyn in more accessible samples and identifying specific αSyn species to differentiate between various synucleinopathies. This review offers a thorough overview of SAA technology, exploring its applications for diagnosing synucleinopathies, addressing the current challenges, and outlining future directions for its clinical use.</p>","PeriodicalId":23269,"journal":{"name":"Translational Neurodegeneration","volume":"13 1","pages":"56"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11580393/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142688843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}