scholarly journals Patient-Specific iPSCs-Based Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Focus on Aberrant Calcium Signaling

2022 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
Dmitriy A. Grekhnev ◽  
Elena V. Kaznacheyeva ◽  
Vladimir A. Vigont

The development of cell reprogramming technologies became a breakthrough in the creation of new models of human diseases, including neurodegenerative pathologies. The iPSCs-based models allow for the studying of both hereditary and sporadic cases of pathologies and produce deep insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. The use of the cells most vulnerable to a particular pathology makes it possible to identify specific pathological mechanisms and greatly facilitates the task of selecting the most effective drugs. To date, a large number of studies on patient-specific models of neurodegenerative diseases has been accumulated. In this review, we focused on the alterations of such a ubiquitous and important intracellular regulatory pathway as calcium signaling. Here, we reviewed and analyzed the data obtained from iPSCs-based models of different neurodegenerative disorders that demonstrated aberrant calcium signaling.

Cell Calcium ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 70 ◽  
pp. 87-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Pchitskaya ◽  
Elena Popugaeva ◽  
Ilya Bezprozvanny

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swetha E Murthy ◽  
Adrienne E Dubin ◽  
Tess Whitwam ◽  
Sebastian Jojoa-Cruz ◽  
Stuart M Cahalan ◽  
...  

Mechanically activated (MA) ion channels convert physical forces into electrical signals, and are essential for eukaryotic physiology. Despite their importance, few bona-fide MA channels have been described in plants and animals. Here, we show that various members of the OSCA and TMEM63 family of proteins from plants, flies, and mammals confer mechanosensitivity to naïve cells. We conclusively demonstrate that OSCA1.2, one of the Arabidopsis thaliana OSCA proteins, is an inherently mechanosensitive, pore-forming ion channel. Our results suggest that OSCA/TMEM63 proteins are the largest family of MA ion channels identified, and are conserved across eukaryotes. Our findings will enable studies to gain deep insight into molecular mechanisms of MA channel gating, and will facilitate a better understanding of mechanosensory processes in vivo across plants and animals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. iii16
Author(s):  
F. Lessi ◽  
C. Scopelliti ◽  
P. Aretini ◽  
M. Menicagli ◽  
S. Franceschi ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleg Yarishkin ◽  
Tam T. Phuong ◽  
Felix Vazquez-Chona ◽  
Jacques A Bertrand ◽  
Sarah Redmon ◽  
...  

Transduction of mechanical information is influenced by physical, chemical and thermal cues but the molecular mechanisms through which transducer activation shapes temporal signaling remain underexplored. In the present study, electrophysiology, histochemistry and functional imaging were combined with gene silencing and heterologous expression to gain insight into calcium signaling downstream from TRPV4 (Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4), a stretch-activated nonselective cation channel. We show that trabecular meshwork (TM) cells, which employ mechanotransduction to actively regulate intraocular pressure, respond to the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A with fluctuations in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and an increase in [Na+]i. [Ca2+]i oscillations coincided with a monovalent cation current that was suppressed by BAPTA, Ruthenium Red and 9-phenanthrol, an inhibitor of TRPM4 (Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 4) channels. Accordingly, TM cells expressed TRPM4 mRNA, protein at the expected 130-150 kDa and showed punctate TRPM4 immunoreactivity at the membrane surface. Genetic silencing of TRPM4 antagonized TRPV4-evoked oscillatory signaling whereas TRPV4 and TRPM4 co-expression in HEK-293 cells reconstituted the oscillations. Membrane potential recordings indicated that TRPM4-dependent oscillations required release of Ca2+ from internal stores. 9-phenanthrol did not affect the outflow facility in mouse eyes. Collectively, our results show that TRPV4 activity initiates dynamic calcium signaling in TM cells by stimulating TRPM4 channels and intracellular Ca2+ release. These findings provide insight into the complexity of membrane-cytosolic interactions during TRPV4 signaling and may foster strategies to promote homeostatic regulation and counter pathological remodeling within the conventional outflow pathway of the mammalian eye.


Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 1994 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 193-199
Author(s):  
Diethard Tautz ◽  
Markus Friedrich ◽  
Reinhard Schröder

The systematic genetic analysis of Drosophila development has provided us with a deep insight into the molecular pathways of early embryogenesis. The question arises now whether these insights can serve as a more general paradigm of early development, or whether they apply only to advanced insect orders. Though it is too early to give a definitive answer to this question, we suggest that there is currently no firm reason to believe that the molecular mechanisms that were elucidated in Drosophila may not also apply to other forms of insect embryogenesis. Thus, many of the Drosophila genes involved in early pattern formation may have comparable functions in other insects and possibly throughout the arthropods.


Nature ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 581 (7809) ◽  
pp. 385-386
Author(s):  
Deanna M. Church
Keyword(s):  

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 1251-1262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Octavio Binvignat ◽  
Jordi Olloquequi

: The global burden of neurodegenerative diseases is alarmingly increasing in parallel to the aging of population. Although the molecular mechanisms leading to neurodegeneration are not completely understood, excitotoxicity, defined as the injury and death of neurons due to excessive or prolonged exposure to excitatory amino acids, has been shown to play a pivotal role. The increased release and/or decreased uptake of glutamate results in dysregulation of neuronal calcium homeostasis, leading to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunctions, disturbances in protein turn-over and neuroinflammation. : Despite the anti-excitotoxic drug memantine has shown modest beneficial effects in some patients with dementia, to date, there is no effective treatment capable of halting or curing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This has led to a growing body of research focusing on understanding the mechanisms associated with the excitotoxic insult and on uncovering potential therapeutic strategies targeting these mechanisms. : In the present review, we examine the molecular mechanisms related to excitotoxic cell death. Moreover, we provide a comprehensive and updated state of the art of preclinical and clinical investigations targeting excitotoxic- related mechanisms in order to provide an effective treatment against neurodegeneration.


Author(s):  
Debanjan Kundu ◽  
Vikash Kumar Dubey

Abstract:: Various neurodegenerative disorders have molecular origin but some common molecular mechanisms. In the current scenario, there are very few treatment regimens present for advanced neurodegenerative diseases. In this context, there is an urgent need for alternate options in the form of natural compounds with an ameliorating effect on patients. There have been individual scattered experiments trying to identify potential values of various intracellular metabolites. Purines and Pyrimidines, which are vital molecules governing various aspects of cellular biochemical reactions, have been long sought as crucial candidates for the same, but there are still many questions that go unanswered. Some critical functions of these molecules associated with neuromodulation activities have been identified. They are also known to play a role in foetal neurodevelopment, but there is a lacuna in understanding their mechanisms. In this review, we have tried to assemble and identify the importance of purines and pyrimidines, connecting them with the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases. The leading cause of this class of diseases is protein misfolding and the formation of amyloids. A direct correlation between loss of balance in cellular homeostasis and amyloidosis is yet an unexplored area. This review aims at bringing the current literature available under one umbrella serving as a foundation for further extensive research in this field of drug development in neurodegenerative diseases.


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