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The transcription factor Nurr1 is upregulated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and SOD1-G93A mice.

ABSTRACT: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects both lower and upper motor neurons (MNs) in the central nervous system. ALS etiology is highly multifactorial and multifarious, and an effective treatment is still lacking. Neuroinflammation is a hallmark of ALS and could be targeted to develop new therapeutic approaches. Interestingly, the transcription factor Nurr1 has been demonstrated to have an important role in the inflammatory process in several neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. In the present paper, we demonstrate for the first time that Nurr1 expression levels are upregulated in the peripheral blood of ALS patients. Moreover, we investigated Nurr1 function in the SOD1-G93A mouse model of ALS. Nurr1 was strongly upregulated in the spinal cord during the asymptomatic and early symptomatic phases of the disease, where it promoted the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA and the repression of NF?B pro-inflammatory targets, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase. Therefore, we hypothesize that Nurr1 is activated in an early phase of the disease as a protective endogenous anti-inflammatory mechanism, although not sufficient to reverse disease progression. On the basis of these observations, Nurr1 could represent a potential biomarker for ALS and a promising target for future therapies.

SUBMITTER: Valsecchi V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7240304 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The transcription factor Nurr1 is upregulated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and SOD1-G93A mice.

Valsecchi Valeria V Boido Marina M Montarolo Francesca F Guglielmotto Michela M Perga Simona S Martire Serena S Cutrupi Santina S Iannello Andrea A Gionchiglia Nadia N Signorino Elena E Calvo Andrea A Fuda Giuseppe G Chiò Adriano A Bertolotto Antonio A Vercelli Alessandro A

Disease models & mechanisms 20200515 5

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects both lower and upper motor neurons (MNs) in the central nervous system. ALS etiology is highly multifactorial and multifarious, and an effective treatment is still lacking. Neuroinflammation is a hallmark of ALS and could be targeted to develop new therapeutic approaches. Interestingly, the transcription factor Nurr1 has been demonstrated to have an important role in the inflammatory process in several neurological d ...[more]

PMID: 32188741

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Project description:Innate neuroimmune dysfunction is a pathobiological feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, links, if any, between disease and adaptive immunity are poorly understood. Thus, the role of T cell immunity in disease was investigated in human G93A superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) transgenic (Tg) mice and subsequently in ALS patients.Quantitative and qualitative immune deficits in lymphoid cell and T cell function were seen in G93A-SOD1 Tg mice. Spleens of Tg animals showed reductions in size, weight, lymphocyte numbers, and morphological deficits at terminal stages of disease compared to their wild-type (Wt) littermates. Spleen sizes and weights of pre-symptomatic Tg mice were unchanged, but deficits were readily seen in T cell proliferation coincident with increased annexin-V associated apoptosis and necrosis of lymphocytes. These lymphoid deficits paralleled failure of Copolymer-1 (COP-1) immunization to affect longevity. In addition, among CD4(+) T cells in ALS patients, levels of CD45RA(+) (naïve) T cells were diminished, while CD45RO(+) (memory) T cells were increased compared to age-matched caregivers. In attempts to correct mutant SOD1 associated immune deficits, we reconstituted SOD1 Tg mice with unfractionated naïve lymphocytes or anti-CD3 activated CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells (Treg) or CD4(+)CD25(-) T effector cells (Teff) from Wt donor mice. While naive lymphocytes failed to enhance survival, both polyclonal-activated Treg and Teff subsets delayed loss of motor function and extended survival; however, only Treg delayed neurological symptom onset, whereas Teff increased latency between disease onset and entry into late stage.A profound and progressive immunodeficiency is operative in G93A-SOD1 mice and is linked to T cell dysfunction and the failure to elicit COP-1 neuroprotective immune responses. In preliminary studies T cell deficits were also observed in human ALS. These findings, taken together, suggest caution in ascribing vaccination outcomes when these animal models of human ALS are used for study. Nonetheless, the abilities to improve neurological function and life expectancy in G93A-SOD1 Tg mice by reconstitution with activated T cells do provide opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Project description:IntroductionAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a paralyzing, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease with limited therapeutics and no known cure. The study goal was to determine which pathophysiological treatment targets appear most beneficial.MethodsA big data approach was used to analyze high copy SOD1 G93A experimental data. The secondary data set comprised 227 published studies and 4,296 data points. Treatments were classified by pathophysiological target: apoptosis, axonal transport, cellular chemistry, energetics, neuron excitability, inflammation, oxidative stress, proteomics, or systemic function. Outcome assessment modalities included onset delay, health status (rotarod performance, body weight, grip strength), and survival duration. Pairwise statistical analysis (two-tailed t-test with Bonferroni correction) of normalized fold change (treatment/control) assessed significant differences in treatment efficacy. Cohen's d quantified pathophysiological treatment category effect size compared to "all" (e.g., all pathophysiological treatment categories combined).ResultsInflammation treatments were best at delaying onset (d = 0.42, p > 0.05). Oxidative stress treatments were significantly better for prolonging survival duration (d = 0.18, p < 0.05). Excitability treatments were significantly better for prolonging overall health status (d = 0.22, p < 0.05). However, the absolute best pathophysiological treatment category for prolonging health status varied with disease progression: oxidative stress was best for pre-onset health (d = 0.18, p > 0.05); excitability was best for prolonging function near onset (d = 0.34, p < 0.05); inflammation was best for prolonging post-onset function (d = 0.24, p > 0.05); and apoptosis was best for prolonging end-stage function (d = 0.49, p > 0.05). Finally, combination treatments simultaneously targeting multiple pathophysiological categories (e.g., polytherapy) performed significantly (p < 0.05) better than monotherapies at end-stage.DiscussionIn summary, the most effective pathophysiological treatments change as function of assessment modality and disease progression. Shifting pathophysiological treatment category efficacy with disease progression supports the homeostatic instability theory of ALS disease progression.

Project description:Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential fatty acid modulating key nervous system functions, including neuroinflammation, and regulation of pre- and postsynaptic membrane formation. DHA concentration decreases in the lumbar spinal cord (LSC) of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and murine preclinical models. Using a dietary supplementation, we increased DHA levels (2% mean increase, p?<?0.01) in the LSC of the familial ALS murine model B6SJL-Tg(SOD1*G93A)1Gur/J. This DHA-enriched diet significantly increases male mouse survival by 7% (average 10 days over 130 days of life expectancy), and delays motor dysfunction (based on stride length) and transgene-associated weight loss (p?<?0.01). DHA supplementation led to an increased anti-inflammatory fatty acid profile (ca 30%, p?<?0.01) and a lower concentration of circulating proinflammatory cytokine TNF-? (p?<?0.001 in males). Furthermore, although DHA-treated mice did not exhibit generally decreased protein oxidative markers (glutamic and aminoadipic semialdehydes, carboxyethyllysine, carboxymethyllysine, and malondialdehydelysine), dietary intake of DHA reduced immunoreactivity towards DNA oxidative damage markers (8-oxo-dG) in the LSC. In vitro we demonstrate that DHA and ?-tocopherol addition to a model of motor neuron demise (neonatal rat organotypic spinal cord model under chronic excitotoxicity) also preserves motor neuron number, in comparison with untreated spinal cords. Also, beneficial effects on cell viability were evidenced for the motor neuron cell line NSC-34 in front of H2O2 insult (p?<?0.001). Globally we show a sex-specific benefit of dietary DHA supplementation in the G93A ALS mouse model, compared with mice fed an isocaloric control or a n-3-depleted diet. These changes were associated with an increased DHA concentration in the LSC and were compatible with in vitro results showing DHA neuroprotective properties. These results suggest the need for further study on the interaction of gender-influenced biological parameters and DHA in ALS pathogenesis.

Project description:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset and fast progression neurodegenerative disease that leads to the loss of motor neurons. Mechanisms of selective motor neuron loss in ALS are unknown. The early events occurring in the spinal cord that may contribute to motor neuron death are not described, neither astrocytes participation in the pre-symptomatic phases of the disease. In order to identify ALS early events, we performed a microarray analysis employing a whole mouse genome platform to evaluate the gene expression pattern of lumbar spinal cords of transgenic SOD1(G93A) mice and their littermate controls at pre-symptomatic ages of 40 and 80 days. Differentially expressed genes were identified by means of the Bioconductor packages Agi4×44Preprocess and limma. FunNet web based tool was used for analysis of over-represented pathways. Furthermore, immunolabeled astrocytes from 40 and 80 days old mice were submitted to laser microdissection and RNA was extracted for evaluation of a selected gene by qPCR. Statistical analysis has pointed to 492 differentially expressed genes (155 up and 337 down regulated) in 40 days and 1105 (433 up and 672 down) in 80 days old ALS mice. KEGG analysis demonstrated the over-represented pathways tight junction, antigen processing and presentation, oxidative phosphorylation, endocytosis, chemokine signaling pathway, ubiquitin mediated proteolysis and glutamatergic synapse at both pre-symptomatic ages. Ube2i gene expression was evaluated in astrocytes from both transgenic ages, being up regulated in 40 and 80 days astrocytes enriched samples. Our data points to important early molecular events occurring in pre-symptomatic phases of ALS in mouse model. Early SUMOylation process linked to astrocytes might account to non-autonomous cell toxicity in ALS. Further studies on the signaling pathways presented here may provide new insights to better understand the events triggering motor neuron death in this devastating disorder.

Project description:A preclinical strategy to broaden the search of potentially effective treatments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) relies on identifying factors controlling motor neuron (MN) excitability. These partners might be part of still unknown pathogenic pathways and/or useful for the design of new interventions to affect disease progression. In this framework, the bioactive membrane-derived phospholipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) affects MN excitability through LPA receptor 1 (LPA1 ). Furthermore, LPA1 knockdown is neuroprotective in transgenic ALS SOD1-G93A mice. On this basis, we raised the hypothesis that the major LPA-synthesizing ectoenzyme, autotaxin (ATX), regulates MN excitability and is a potential target to modulate disease development in ALS mice. We show here that PF-8380, a specific ATX inhibitor, reduced intrinsic membrane excitability (IME) of hypoglossal MNs in brainstem slices, supporting that baseline ATX activity regulates MN IME. PF-8380-induced alterations were prevented by a small-interfering RNA directed against mRNA for lpa1 . These outcomes support that impact of ATX-originated lysophospholipids on MN IME engages, at least, the G-protein-coupled receptor LPA1 . Interestingly, mRNAatx levels increased in the spinal cord of pre-symptomatic (1-2 months old) SOD1-G93A mice, thus preceding MN loss. The rise in transcripts levels also occurred in cultured spinal cord MNs from SOD1-G93A embryos, suggesting that mRNAatx upregulation in MNs is an etiopathogenic event in the ALS cell model. Remarkably, chronic administration in the drinking water of the orally bioavailable ATX inhibitor PF-8380 delayed MN loss, motor deterioration and prolonged life span in ALS mice. Treatment also led to a reduction in LPA1 -immunoreactive patches in transgenic animals mostly in MNs. These outcomes support that neuroprotective effects of interfering with ATX in SOD1-G93A mice rely, at least in part, on LPA1 knockdown in MNs. Therefore, we propose ATX as a potential target and/or a biomarker in ALS and highlight ATX inhibitors as reasonable tools with therapeutic usefulness for this lethal pathology.

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The transcription factor Nurr1 is upregulated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and SOD1-G93A mice.

Publications

The transcription factor Nurr1 is upregulated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and SOD1-G93A mice.

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