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Cell Death & Disease May 2024Mitochondria dysfunctions and mitophagy failure have been associated with several Alzheimer's disease (AD) related molecular actors including amyloid beta (Aβ) and...
Mitochondria dysfunctions and mitophagy failure have been associated with several Alzheimer's disease (AD) related molecular actors including amyloid beta (Aβ) and recently the amyloid precursor protein-C terminal fragments (APP-CTFs). The efficacy of the mitophagy process in neurons relies on regulated mitochondrial transport along axons involving a complex molecular machinery. The contribution of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its derived fragments to the mitochondrial transport machinery alterations in AD have not been investigated before. We report herein a change of the expression of mitochondrial transport proteins (SNPH and Miro1), motor adapters (TRANK1 and TRAK2), and components of the dynein and kinesin motors (i.e., IC1,2 and Kif5 (A, B, C) isoforms) by endogenous APP and by overexpression of APP carrying the familial Swedish mutation (APPswe). We show that APP-CTFs and Aβ concomitantly regulate the expression of a set of transport proteins as demonstrated in APPswe cells treated with β- and γ-secretase inhibitors and in cells Knock-down for presenilin 1 and 2. We further report the impact of APP-CTFs on the expression of transport proteins in AAV-injected C99 mice brains. Our data also indicate that both Aβ oligomers (Aβo) and APP-CTFs impair the colocalization of mitochondria and transport proteins. This has been demonstrated in differentiated SH-SY5Y naive cells treated with Aβo and in differentiated SH-SY5Y and murine primary neurons expressing APPswe and treated with the γ-secretase inhibitor. Importantly, we uncover that the expression of a set of transport proteins is modulated in a disease-dependent manner in 3xTgAD mice and in human sporadic AD brains. This study highlights molecular mechanisms underlying mitochondrial transport defects in AD that likely contribute to mitophagy failure and disease progression.
Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; Animals; Mitochondria; Humans; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Neurons; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Mitochondrial Proteins; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; Kinesins; Biological Transport; Mitophagy; Nerve Tissue Proteins; rho GTP-Binding Proteins; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
PubMed: 38806484
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06742-2 -
Nature Communications May 2024Deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Aβs are generated through sequential proteolysis of the amyloid precursor...
Deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Aβs are generated through sequential proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein by the γ-secretase complexes (GSECs). Aβ peptide length, modulated by the Presenilin (PSEN) and APH-1 subunits of GSEC, is critical for Alzheimer's pathogenesis. Despite high relevance, mechanistic understanding of the proteolysis of Aβ, and its modulation by APH-1, remain incomplete. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of human GSEC (PSEN1/APH-1B) reconstituted into lipid nanodiscs in apo form and in complex with the intermediate Aβ46 substrate without cross-linking. We find that three non-conserved and structurally divergent APH-1 regions establish contacts with PSEN1, and that substrate-binding induces concerted rearrangements in one of the identified PSEN1/APH-1 interfaces, providing structural basis for APH-1 allosteric-like effects. In addition, the GSEC-Aβ46 structure reveals an interaction between Aβ46 and loop 1, and identifies three other H-bonding interactions that, according to functional validation, are required for substrate recognition and efficient sequential catalysis.
Topics: Humans; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; Presenilin-1; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Membrane Proteins; Endopeptidases; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; Protein Binding; Protein Isoforms; Alzheimer Disease; Peptide Fragments; Peptide Hydrolases; Models, Molecular; Proteolysis
PubMed: 38802343
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48776-2 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) can be caused by mutations in that encode presenilin-1, a component of the gamma-secretase complex that cleaves amyloid precursor...
Familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) can be caused by mutations in that encode presenilin-1, a component of the gamma-secretase complex that cleaves amyloid precursor protein. Alterations in calcium (Ca) homeostasis and glutamate signaling are implicated in the pathogenesis of FAD; however, it has been difficult to assess in humans whether or not these phenotypes are the result of amyloid or tau pathology. This study aimed to assess the early calcium and glutamate phenotypes of FAD by measuring the Ca response of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons bearing PSEN1 mutations to glutamate and the ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists NMDA, AMPA, and kainate compared to isogenic control and healthy lines. The data show that in early neurons, even in the absence of amyloid and tau phenotypes, FAD neurons exhibit increased Ca responses to glutamate and AMPA, but not NMDA or kainate. Together, this suggests that mutations alter Ca and glutamate signaling as an early phenotype of FAD.
PubMed: 38792645
DOI: 10.3390/life14050625 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Presenilin proteins (PS1 and PS2) represent the catalytic subunit of γ-secretase and play a critical role in the generation of the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide and the...
Presenilin proteins (PS1 and PS2) represent the catalytic subunit of γ-secretase and play a critical role in the generation of the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD). However, PS proteins also exert multiple functions beyond Aβ generation. In this study, we examine the individual roles of PS1 and PS2 in cellular cholesterol metabolism. Deletion of PS1 or PS2 in mouse models led to cholesterol accumulation in cerebral neurons. Cholesterol accumulation was also observed in the lysosomes of embryonic fibroblasts from Psen1-knockout (PS1-KO) and (PS2-KO) mice and was associated with decreased expression of the Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) protein involved in intracellular cholesterol transport in late endosomal/lysosomal compartments. Mass spectrometry and complementary biochemical analyses also revealed abnormal N-glycosylation of NPC1 and several other membrane proteins in PS1-KO and PS2-KO cells. Interestingly, pharmacological inhibition of N-glycosylation resulted in intracellular cholesterol accumulation prominently in lysosomes and decreased NPC1, thereby resembling the changes in PS1-KO and PS2-KO cells. In turn, treatment of PS1-KO and PS2-KO mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) with the chaperone inducer arimoclomol partially normalized NPC1 expression and rescued lysosomal cholesterol accumulation. Additionally, the intracellular cholesterol accumulation in PS1-KO and PS2-KO MEFs was prevented by overexpression of NPC1. Collectively, these data indicate that a loss of PS function results in impaired protein N-glycosylation, which eventually causes decreased expression of NPC1 and intracellular cholesterol accumulation. This mechanism could contribute to the neurodegeneration observed in PS KO mice and potentially to the pathogenesis of AD.
Topics: Animals; Niemann-Pick C1 Protein; Cholesterol; Mice; Glycosylation; Presenilin-1; Mice, Knockout; Lysosomes; Presenilin-2; Fibroblasts; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Neurons; Alzheimer Disease
PubMed: 38791456
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105417 -
Redox Biology Jul 2024Astrocytes are the major glial cells in the human brain and provide crucial metabolic and trophic support to neurons. The amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) alter the...
Astrocytes are the major glial cells in the human brain and provide crucial metabolic and trophic support to neurons. The amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) alter the morphological and functional properties of astrocytes and induce inflammation and calcium dysregulation, contributing to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Recent studies highlight the role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling in inflammation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated due to Aβ, induce apoptosis in the brain cells worsening AD progression. Astrocytic cell surface receptors, such as purinergic receptors (P2Y1 and P2Y2), metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGLUR)5, α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR), and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), have been suggested to interact with inositol trisphosphate receptor (IPR) on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to induce Ca movement from ER to cytoplasm, causing Ca dysregulation. We found that the citrus flavonoid nobiletin (NOB) protected primary astrocytes from Aβ42-induced cytotoxicity and inhibited TLR4/NF-κB signaling in Aβ42-induced primary rat astrocytes. NOB was found to regulate Aβ42-induced ROS levels through Keap1-Nrf2 pathway. The receptors P2Y1, P2Y2, mGLUR5, α7nAChR, and NMDARs induced intracellular Ca levels by activating IPR and NOB regulated them, thereby regulating intracellular Ca levels. Molecular docking analysis revealed a possible interaction between NOB and IPR in IPR regulation. Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed various NOB-mediated biological signaling pathways, such as the AD-presenilin, AD-amyloid secretase, and Wnt signaling pathway, suggesting possible neuroprotective roles of NOB. To conclude, NOB is a promising therapeutic agent for AD and works by modulating AD pathology at various levels in Aβ42-induced primary rat astrocytes.
Topics: Astrocytes; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Animals; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; Rats; Calcium; Flavones; Reactive Oxygen Species; Peptide Fragments; Neuroinflammatory Diseases; Humans; Signal Transduction; Toll-Like Receptor 4; Alzheimer Disease
PubMed: 38781730
DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103197 -
Neuropharmacology Sep 2024Currently, there are no effective therapeutic agents available to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, edaravone dexborneol (EDB), a novel composite agent used to...
Currently, there are no effective therapeutic agents available to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, edaravone dexborneol (EDB), a novel composite agent used to treat acute ischemic stroke, has recently been shown to exert efficacious neuroprotective effects. However, whether EDB can ameliorate cognitive deficits in AD currently remains unclear. To this end, we explored the effects of EDB on AD and its potential mechanisms using an AD animal model (male APP/PS1 mice) treated with EDB for 10 weeks starting at 6 months of age. Subsequent analyses revealed that EDB-treated APP/PS1 mice exhibited improved cognitive abilities compared to untreated APP/PS1 mice. Administration of EDB in APP/PS1 mice further alleviated neuropathological alterations of the hippocampus, including Aβ deposition, pyramidal cell karyopyknosis, and oxidative damage, and significantly decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and COX-2 in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice. Transcriptome sequencing analysis demonstrated the critical role of the inflammatory reaction in EDB treatment in APP/PS1 mice, indicating that the alleviation of the inflammatory reaction by EDB in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice was linked to the action of the TREM2/TLR4/MAPK signaling pathway. Further in vitro investigations showed that EDB suppressed neuroinflammation in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells by inhibiting the TLR4/MAPK signaling pathway and upregulating TREM2 expression. Thus, the findings of the present study demonstrate that EDB is a promising therapeutic agent for AD-related cognitive dysfunction.
Topics: Animals; Toll-Like Receptor 4; Mice; Male; Cognitive Dysfunction; Receptors, Immunologic; Membrane Glycoproteins; Edaravone; Up-Regulation; Mice, Transgenic; Neuroprotective Agents; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Hippocampus; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Alzheimer Disease; Disease Models, Animal; Presenilin-1
PubMed: 38763325
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110006 -
Scientific Reports May 2024We aimed to study atrophy and glucose metabolism of the cholinergic basal forebrain in non-demented mutation carriers for autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD)....
We aimed to study atrophy and glucose metabolism of the cholinergic basal forebrain in non-demented mutation carriers for autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD). We determined the level of evidence for or against atrophy and impaired metabolism of the basal forebrain in 167 non-demented carriers of the Colombian PSEN1 E280A mutation and 75 age- and sex-matched non-mutation carriers of the same kindred using a Bayesian analysis framework. We analyzed baseline MRI, amyloid PET, and FDG-PET scans of the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative ADAD Colombia Trial. We found moderate evidence against an association of carrier status with basal forebrain volume (Bayes factor (BF) = 0.182). We found moderate evidence against a difference of basal forebrain metabolism (BF = 0.167). There was only inconclusive evidence for an association between basal forebrain volume and delayed memory and attention (BF = 0.884 and 0.184, respectively), and between basal forebrain volume and global amyloid load (BF = 2.1). Our results distinguish PSEN1 E280A mutation carriers from sporadic AD cases in which cholinergic involvement of the basal forebrain is already detectable in the preclinical and prodromal stages. This indicates an important difference between ADAD and sporadic AD in terms of pathogenesis and potential treatment targets.
Topics: Humans; Alzheimer Disease; Female; Male; Presenilin-1; Middle Aged; Mutation; Heterozygote; Positron-Emission Tomography; Colombia; Basal Forebrain; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Adult; Atrophy; Aged; Bayes Theorem
PubMed: 38760448
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60799-9 -
PloS One 2024The Presenilin (Psn) gene is closely related to aging, but it is still unclear the role of Psn genes in skeletal muscle. Here, the Psn-UAS/Mhc-GAL4 system in Drosophila...
The Presenilin (Psn) gene is closely related to aging, but it is still unclear the role of Psn genes in skeletal muscle. Here, the Psn-UAS/Mhc-GAL4 system in Drosophila was used to regulate muscle Psn overexpression(MPO) and muscle Psn knockdown(MPK). Drosophila were subjected to endurance exercise from 4 weeks to 5 weeks old. The results showed that MPO and exercise significantly increased climbing speed, climbing endurance, lifespan, muscle SOD activity, Psn expression, Sirt1 expression, PGC-1α expression, and armadillo (arm) expression in aged Drosophila, and they significantly decreased muscle malondialdehyde levels. Interestingly, when the Psn gene is knockdown by 0.78 times, the PGC-1α expression and arm expression were also down-regulated, but the exercise capacity and lifespan were increased. Furthermore, exercise combined with MPO further improved the exercise capacity and lifespan. MPK combined with exercise further improves the exercise capacity and lifespan. Thus, current results confirmed that the muscle Psn gene was a vital gene that contributed to the healthy aging of skeletal muscle since whether it was overexpressed or knocked down, the aging progress of skeletal muscle structure and function was slowed down by regulating the activity homeostasis of Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway and Psn/arm pathway. Exercise enhanced the function of the Psn gene to delay skeletal muscle aging by up regulating the activity of the Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway and Psn/arm pathway.
Topics: Animals; Aging; Drosophila Proteins; Healthy Aging; Longevity; Muscle, Skeletal; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; Physical Conditioning, Animal; Signal Transduction; Sirtuin 1; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 38753634
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300787 -
Advances in Neurotoxicology 2024The existing data demonstrate that probiotic supplementation affords protective effects against neurotoxicity of exogenous (e.g., metals, ethanol, propionic acid,...
The existing data demonstrate that probiotic supplementation affords protective effects against neurotoxicity of exogenous (e.g., metals, ethanol, propionic acid, aflatoxin B1, organic pollutants) and endogenous (e.g., LPS, glucose, Aβ, phospho-tau, α-synuclein) agents. Although the protective mechanisms of probiotic treatments differ between various neurotoxic agents, several key mechanisms at both the intestinal and brain levels seem inherent to all of them. Specifically, probiotic-induced improvement in gut microbiota diversity and taxonomic characteristics results in modulation of gut-derived metabolite production with increased secretion of SFCA. Moreover, modulation of gut microbiota results in inhibition of intestinal absorption of neurotoxic agents and their deposition in brain. Probiotics also maintain gut wall integrity and inhibit intestinal inflammation, thus reducing systemic levels of LPS. Centrally, probiotics ameliorate neurotoxin-induced neuroinflammation by decreasing LPS-induced TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling and prevention of microglia activation. Neuroprotective mechanisms of probiotics also include inhibition of apoptosis and oxidative stress, at least partially by up-regulation of SIRT1 signaling. Moreover, probiotics reduce inhibitory effect of neurotoxic agents on BDNF expression, on neurogenesis, and on synaptic function. They can also reverse altered neurotransmitter metabolism and exert an antiamyloidogenic effect. The latter may be due to up-regulation of ADAM10 activity and down-regulation of presenilin 1 expression. Therefore, in view of the multiple mechanisms invoked for the neuroprotective effect of probiotics, as well as their high tolerance and safety, the use of probiotics should be considered as a therapeutic strategy for ameliorating adverse brain effects of various endogenous and exogenous agents.
PubMed: 38741946
DOI: 10.1016/bs.ant.2024.02.002 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a loss of neurons in the cortex and subcortical regions. Previously, we showed that the progressive degeneration of...
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a loss of neurons in the cortex and subcortical regions. Previously, we showed that the progressive degeneration of subcortical monoaminergic (MAergic) neurons seen in human AD is recapitulated in the (APP/PS) transgenic mouse model. Because degeneration of cholinergic (Ach) neurons is also a prominent feature of AD, we examined the integrity of the Ach system in the APP/PS model. The overall density of Ach fibers is reduced in APP/PS1 mice at 12 and 18 months of age but not at 4 months of age. Analysis of basal forebrain Ach neurons shows no loss of Ach neurons in the APP/PS model. Thus, since MAergic systems show overt cell loss at 18 months of age, the Ach system is less vulnerable to neurodegeneration in the APP/PS1 model. We also examined whether the proximity to Aβ deposition affected the degeneration of Ach and 5-HT afferents. We found that the areas closer to the edges of compact Aβ deposits exhibit a more severe loss of afferents than the areas that are more distal to Aβ deposits. Collectively, the results indicate that the APP/PS model recapitulates the degeneration of multiple subcortical neurotransmitter systems, including the Ach system. In addition, the results indicate that Aβ deposits cause global as well as local toxicity to subcortical afferents.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mice; Alzheimer Disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; Cholinergic Neurons; Disease Models, Animal; Mice, Transgenic; Plaque, Amyloid; Presenilin-1
PubMed: 38732223
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25095004