scholarly journals Fingolimod Modulates Dendritic Architecture in a BDNF-Dependent Manner

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 3079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhisarika Patnaik ◽  
Eleonora Spiombi ◽  
Angelisa Frasca ◽  
Nicoletta Landsberger ◽  
Marta Zagrebelsky ◽  
...  

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays crucial roles in both the developing and mature brain. Moreover, alterations in BDNF levels are correlated with the cognitive impairment observed in several neurological diseases. Among the different therapeutic strategies developed to improve endogenous BDNF levels is the administration of the BDNF-inducing drug Fingolimod, an agonist of the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor. Fingolimod treatment was shown to rescue diverse symptoms associated with several neurological conditions (i.e., Alzheimer disease, Rett syndrome). However, the cellular mechanisms through which Fingolimod mediates its BDNF-dependent therapeutic effects remain unclear. We show that Fingolimod regulates the dendritic architecture, dendritic spine density and morphology of healthy mature primary hippocampal neurons. Moreover, the application of Fingolimod upregulates the expression of activity-related proteins c-Fos and pERK1/2 in these cells. Importantly, we show that BDNF release is required for these actions of Fingolimod. As alterations in neuronal structure underlie cognitive impairment, we tested whether Fingolimod application might prevent the abnormalities in neuronal structure typical of two neurodevelopmental disorders, namely Rett syndrome and Cdk5 deficiency disorder. We found a significant rescue in the neurite architecture of developing cortical neurons from Mecp2 and Cdkl5 mutant mice. Our study provides insights into understanding the BDNF-dependent therapeutic actions of Fingolimod.

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 603
Author(s):  
Hyunseong Kim ◽  
Jin Young Hong ◽  
Junseon Lee ◽  
Wan-Jin Jeon ◽  
In-Hyuk Ha

Apamin is a minor component of bee venom and is a polypeptide with 18 amino acid residues. Although apamin is considered a neurotoxic compound that blocks the potassium channel, its neuroprotective effects on neurons have been recently reported. However, there is little information about the underlying mechanism and very little is known regarding the toxicological characterization of other compounds in bee venom. Here, cultured mature cortical neurons were treated with bee venom components, including apamin, phospholipase A2, and the main component, melittin. Melittin and phospholipase A2 from bee venom caused a neurotoxic effect in dose-dependent manner, but apamin did not induce neurotoxicity in mature cortical neurons in doses of up to 10 µg/mL. Next, 1 and 10 µg/mL of apamin were applied to cultivate mature cortical neurons. Apamin accelerated neurite outgrowth and axon regeneration after laceration injury. Furthermore, apamin induced the upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin nerve growth factor, as well as regeneration-associated gene expression in mature cortical neurons. Due to its neurotherapeutic effects, apamin may be a promising candidate for the treatment of a wide range of neurological diseases.


2018 ◽  
Vol 293 (47) ◽  
pp. 18242-18269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey Murphy ◽  
Killian Llewellyn ◽  
Samuel Wakser ◽  
Josef Pontasch ◽  
Natasha Samanich ◽  
...  

Oxidative stress triggers and exacerbates neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Various antioxidants reduce oxidative stress, but these agents have little efficacy due to poor blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Additionally, single-modal antioxidants are easily overwhelmed by global oxidative stress. Activating nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream antioxidant system are considered very effective for reducing global oxidative stress. Thus far, only a few BBB-permeable agents activate the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant system. Here, we discovered a BBB-bypassing Nrf2-activating polysaccharide that may attenuate AD pathogenesis. Mini-GAGR, a 0.7-kDa cleavage product of low-acyl gellan gum, increased the levels and activities of Nrf2-dependent antioxidant enzymes, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) under oxidative stress in mouse cortical neurons, and robustly protected mitochondria from oxidative insults. Moreover, mini-GAGR increased the nuclear localization and transcriptional activity of Nrf2 similarly to known Nrf2 activators. Mechanistically, mini-GAGR increased the dissociation of Nrf2 from its inhibitor, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), and induced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in a protein kinase C (PKC)- and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR1)-dependent manner. Finally, 20-day intranasal treatment of 3xTg-AD mice with 100 nmol of mini-GAGR increased nuclear p-Nrf2 and growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43) levels in hippocampal neurons, reduced p-tau and β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide–stained neurons, and improved memory. The BBB-bypassing Nrf2-activating polysaccharide reported here may be effective in reducing oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in AD.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie T. Ramírez ◽  
Eva Ramos-Fernández ◽  
Nibaldo C. Inestrosa

Mastoparan-7 (Mas-7), an analogue of the peptide mastoparan, which is derived from wasp venom, is a direct activator ofPertussis toxin-(PTX-) sensitive G proteins. Mas-7 produces several biological effects in different cell types; however, little is known about how Mas-7 influences mature hippocampal neurons. We examined the specific role of Mas-7 in the development of dendritic spines, the sites of excitatory synaptic contact that are crucial for synaptic plasticity. We report here that exposure of hippocampal neurons to a low dose of Mas-7 increases dendritic spine density and spine head width in a time-dependent manner. Additionally, Mas-7 enhances postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) clustering in neurites and activatesGαosignaling, increasing the intracellular Ca2+concentration. To define the role of signaling intermediates, we measured the levels of phosphorylated protein kinase C (PKC), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and calcium-calmodulin dependent protein kinase IIα(CaMKIIα) after Mas-7 treatment and determined that CaMKII activation is necessary for the Mas-7-dependent increase in dendritic spine density. Our results demonstrate a critical role forGαosubunit signaling in the regulation of synapse formation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-146
Author(s):  
Zhongjie Zhang ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
Songyuan Chi ◽  
Longji Cui

Background: Propofol is an intravenous drug commonly used in anesthesia procedures and intensive care in children. However, it also has neurotoxic effects on children. MicroRNA plays an important role in neurological diseases and neurotoxicity. Methods: In this study, primary rat hippocampal neurons were used to investigate the role of miR- 582-5p in propofol-induced neurotoxicity. Cell viability was monitored by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl)- 2,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while the expression of proteins was monitored by real-time quantitation polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot. TargetScan and double luciferase report assay were used to predict the targeting relationship between miR-582-5p and Rho-associated serine-threonine protein kinase 1 (ROCK1). Results: In the present study, the viability of neurons and the expression of miR-582-5p were decreased in a time-dependent manner after propofol treatment. Besides, miR-582-5p overexpression significantly reduced the toxicity of propofol on neuron cells but had no significant effect on normal nerve cells. In addition, miR-582-5p overexpression significantly reversed the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (cleaved caspase 3 and cleaved caspase 9) induced by propofol but had no significant effect in normal nerve cells. TargetScan and Dual-luciferase report assay revealed that ROCK1 was a targeted regulatory gene for miR-582-5p, and propofol treatment up-regulated ROCK1 expression by inhibiting miR-582-5p expression. Notably, miR-582-5p overexpression significantly increased cell viability, while ROCK1 overexpression reversed the effect of miR-582- 5p. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that miR-582-5p alleviated propofol-induced apoptosis of newborn rat neurons by inhibiting ROCK1.


2013 ◽  
Vol 288 (20) ◽  
pp. 14531-14543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Sun ◽  
Nuo Yu ◽  
Lu-Kai Zhai ◽  
Na Li ◽  
Chao Zhang ◽  
...  

The development of neuronal polarity is essential for the establishment of the accurate patterning of neuronal circuits in the brain. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms that control rapid axon elongation during neuronal development. Here, we report that c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)-interacting protein-3 (JIP3) is highly expressed at axon tips during the critical period for axon development. Using gain- and loss-of-function approaches, immunofluorescence analysis, and in utero electroporation, we find that JIP3 can enhance axon elongation in primary hippocampal neurons and cortical neurons in vivo. We further demonstrate that JIP3 promotes axon elongation in a kinesin- and JNK-dependent manner using several deletion mutants of JIP3. Next, we demonstrate that the successful transportation of JIP3 to axon tips by kinesin is a prerequisite for enhancing JNK phosphorylation in this area and therefore promotes axon elongation, constituting a novel mechanism for coupling JIP3 anterograde transport with JNK signaling at the distal axons and axon elongation. Finally, our immunofluorescence data suggest that the activation of JNK at axon tips facilitates axon elongation by modulating cofilin activity and actin filament dynamics. These findings may have important implications for our understanding of neuronal axon elongation during development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-25
Author(s):  
Bahareh Sadat Yousefsani ◽  
Romina Askian ◽  
Jalal Pourahmad

AbstractLithium (Li) is a widely-used medication for the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. Li causes different complications. One of the most important adverse effects of Li is neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicity is usually irreversible which may lead to very important complications. The symptoms of Li-induced neurotoxicity include tremor, delirium, seizures, coma, and death. In this study, we wanted to evaluate the exact sub-cellular mechanisms of Li-induced neurotoxicity.For this purpose, we used primary neuronal cortical culture for investigating lithium-induced neurotoxicity. We applied the postnatal rat pups for isolating the cortical neurons. After that, we evaluated neural viability, neural reactive oxygen specious (ROS), lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lysosomal membrane integrity (LMI), and reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione.Our results demonstrated that the cytotoxic effect of Li has mediated through lysosomal membrane leakage associated with ROS formation and reduction of MMP. Furthermore, the incubation of isolated neurons with Li caused rapid GSH depletion (as GSSG efflux) as another marker of cellular oxidative stress.We concluded that Li causes neurotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Besides, Li-induced neurotoxicity is a result of the generation of ROS and LP, which leads to mitochondrial/lysosomal toxic cross-talk.


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Letellier ◽  
Matthieu Lagardère ◽  
Béatrice Tessier ◽  
Harald Janovjak ◽  
Olivier Thoumine

Neuroligins (Nlgns) are adhesion proteins mediating trans-synaptic contacts in neurons. However, conflicting results around their role in synaptic differentiation arise from the various techniques used to manipulate Nlgn expression level. Orthogonally to these approaches, we triggered here the phosphorylation of endogenous Nlgn1 in CA1 mouse hippocampal neurons using a photoactivatable tyrosine kinase receptor (optoFGFR1). Light stimulation for 24 hr selectively increased dendritic spine density and AMPA-receptor-mediated EPSCs in wild-type neurons, but not in Nlgn1 knock-out neurons or when endogenous Nlgn1 was replaced by a non-phosphorylatable mutant (Y782F). Moreover, light stimulation of optoFGFR1 partially occluded LTP in a Nlgn1-dependent manner. Combined with computer simulations, our data support a model by which Nlgn1 tyrosine phosphorylation promotes the assembly of an excitatory post-synaptic scaffold that captures surface AMPA receptors. This optogenetic strategy highlights the impact of Nlgn1 intracellular signaling in synaptic differentiation and potentiation, while enabling an acute control of these mechanisms.


Author(s):  
Shalini Menon ◽  
Dennis Goldfarb ◽  
Tsungyo Ho ◽  
Erica W. Cloer ◽  
Nicholas P. Boyer ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTTRIM9 and TRIM67 are neuronally-enriched E3 ubiquitin ligases essential for appropriate morphogenesis of cortical and hippocampal neurons and fidelitous responses to the axon guidance cue netrin-1. Deletion of murine Trim9 or Trim67 results in neuroanatomical defects and striking behavioral deficits, particularly in spatial learning and memory. TRIM9 and TRIM67 interact with cytoskeletal and exocytic proteins, but the full interactome is not known. Here we performed the unbiased proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) approach to define TRIM9 and TRIM67 protein-protein proximity network in developing cortical neurons and identified neuronal putative TRIM interaction partners. Candidates included cytoskeletal regulators, cytosolic protein transporters, exocytosis and endocytosis regulators, and proteins necessary for synaptic regulation. A subset of high priority candidates was validated, including Myo16, Coro1A, SNAP47, ExoC1, GRIP1, PRG-1, and KIF1A. For a subset of validated candidates, we utilized TIRF microscopy to demonstrate dynamic colocalization with TRIM proteins at the axonal periphery, including at the tips of filopodia. Further analysis demonstrated the RNAi-based knockdown of the unconventional myosin Myo16 in cortical neurons altered axonal branching patterns in a TRIM9 and netrin-1 dependent manner. Future analysis of other validated candidates will likely identify novel proteins and mechanisms by which TRIM9 and TRIM67 regulate neuronal form and function.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-77
Author(s):  
Taygun C Uzuneser ◽  
Eva-Maria Weiss ◽  
Jana Dahlmanns ◽  
Liubov S Kalinichenko ◽  
Davide Amato ◽  
...  

Background: The therapeutic effects of antipsychotic drugs (APDs) are mainly attributed to their postsynaptic inhibitory functions on the dopamine D2 receptor, which, however, cannot explain the delayed onset of full therapeutic efficacy. It was previously shown that APDs accumulate in presynaptic vesicles during chronic treatment and are released like neurotransmitters in an activity-dependent manner triggering an auto-inhibitory feedback mechanism. Although closely mirroring therapeutic action onset, the functional consequence of the APD accumulation process remained unclear. Aims: Here we tested whether the accumulation of the APD haloperidol (HAL) is required for full therapeutic action in psychotic-like rats. Methods: We designed a HAL analog compound (HAL-F), which lacks the accumulation property of HAL, but retains its postsynaptic inhibitory action on dopamine D2 receptors. Results/outcomes: By perfusing LysoTracker fluorophore-stained cultured hippocampal neurons, we confirmed the accumulation of HAL and the non-accumulation of HAL-F. In an amphetamine hypersensitization psychosis-like model in rats, we found that subchronic intracerebroventricularly delivered HAL (0.1 mg/kg/day), but not HAL-F (0.3–1.5 mg/kg/day), attenuates psychotic-like behavior in rats. Conclusions/interpretation: These findings suggest the presynaptic accumulation of HAL may serve as an essential prerequisite for its full antipsychotic action and may explain the time course of APD action. Targeting accumulation properties of APDs may, thus, become a new strategy to improve APD action.


2020 ◽  
pp. mbc.E20-10-0622
Author(s):  
Shalini Menon ◽  
Dennis Goldfarb ◽  
Chris T. Ho ◽  
Erica W. Cloer ◽  
Nicholas P. Boyer ◽  
...  

TRIM9 and TRIM67 are neuronally-enriched E3 ubiquitin ligases essential for appropriate morphogenesis of cortical and hippocampal neurons and fidelitous responses to the axon guidance cue netrin-1. Deletion of murine Trim9 or Trim67 results in neuroanatomical defects and striking behavioral deficits, particularly in spatial learning and memory. TRIM9 and TRIM67 interact with cytoskeletal and exocytic proteins, but the full interactome is not known. Here we performed the unbiased proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) approach to define TRIM9 and TRIM67 protein-protein proximity network in developing cortical neurons and identified putative neuronal TRIM interaction partners. Candidates included cytoskeletal regulators, cytosolic protein transporters, exocytosis and endocytosis regulators, and proteins necessary for synaptic regulation. A subset of high priority candidates was validated, including Myo16, Coro1A, MAP1B, ExoC1, GRIP1, PRG-1, and KIF1A. For a subset of validated candidates, we utilized TIRF microscopy to demonstrate dynamic colocalization with TRIM proteins at the axonal periphery, including at the tips of filopodia. Further analysis demonstrated the RNAi-based knockdown of the unconventional myosin Myo16 in cortical neurons altered growth cone filopodia density and axonal branching patterns in a TRIM9 and netrin-1 dependent manner. Future analysis of other validated candidates will likely identify novel proteins and mechanisms by which TRIM9 and TRIM67 regulate neuronal form and function.


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