Funktionelle Interaktionen von Tau mit anderen Proteinen, die bei der Alzheimer´schen Krankheit beteiligt sind

Die Alzheimer-Krankheit (AD) ist gekennzeichnet durch ein massives Absterben von Neuronen in bestimmten Gehirnregionen. Die zwei charakteristischen histopathologischen Hauptmerkmale sind extrazelluläre Amyloidplaques bestehend aus dem APP-Peptidfragment Abeta und intrazelluläre Fibrillen hyperphosphorylierten Tau-Proteins. Familiäre Formen von AD (FAD) werden verursacht durch Mutationen in den beiden sehr homologen Presenilin-Genen 1 und 2 oder dem APP-Gen. Verschiedene Studien zeigen, dass ein Zusammenhang zwischen Presenilin Mutationen, Abeta-Generierung und Tau-Phosphorylierung beim Auslösen des Neuronentods vorliegt. Immer noch ungeklärt ist, inwiefern Abeta und Presenilin die Tau-abhängige Degeneration beeinflussen. In dieser Arbeit wird gezeigt, dass eine HSV-1-vermittelte Expression von fluoreszenzmarkiertem Tau in kortikalen Primärkulturen einen neurotoxischen Effekt ausübt. Dieser ist drastisch erhöht bei Verwendung eines Konstruktes, welches die pathologische Hyperphosphorylierung von Tau simuliert (pseudohyperphosphoryliertes Tau (PHP-Tau)). Die durch PHP-Tau induzierte Neurodegeneration ist assoziiert mit einer Induktion apoptotischer Mechanismen. Die transgene Expression von wildtyp (wt), aber nicht von FAD-mutiertem PS1 (M146L), unterdrückt PHP-Tau-induzierte Neurodegeneration. Dagegen erhöht die transgene Expression mutierten APPs (SDL) die Degeneration und Phosphorylierung in der Gegenwart von wt, aber nicht von PHP-Tau. Die Daten weisen darauf hin, dass wt und FAD-mutiertes PS1 sowie Abeta die Neurodegeneration durch differentielle Mechanismen modulieren, wobei die Hyperphosphorylierung von Tau entscheidend beteiligt ist. Abeta amplifiziert die Tau-induzierte Neurodegeneration durch die erhöhte Modifikation von Tau. Während PS1 wt der Neurodegeneration durch modifiziertes Tau entgegenwirkt, besitzt FAD-mutiertes PS1 diese Funktion nicht mehr. Demnach könnte die Unterdrückung der Tau-Phosphorylierung eine effektive Therapiemöglichkeit darstellen

Stress-Related Dysfunction of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis—An Attempt for Understanding Resilience?

Newborn neurons in the adult hippocampus are regulated by many intrinsic and extrinsic cues. It is well accepted that elevated glucocorticoid levels lead to downregulation of adult neurogenesis, which this review discusses as one reason why psychiatric diseases, such as major depression, develop after long-term stress exposure. In reverse, adult neurogenesis has been suggested to protect against stress-induced major depression, and hence, could serve as a resilience mechanism. In this review, we will summarize current knowledge about the functional relation of adult neurogenesis and stress in health and disease. A special focus will lie on the mechanisms underlying the cascades of events from prolonged high glucocorticoid concentrations to reduced numbers of newborn neurons. In addition to neurotransmitter and neurotrophic factor dysregulation, these mechanisms include immunomodulatory pathways, as well as microbiota changes influencing the gut-brain axis. Finally, we discuss recent findings delineating the role of adult neurogenesis in stress resilience

Epigenetic Regulation of Cardiac Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells and Tissues.

International audienceSpecific gene transcription is a key biological process that underlies cell fate decision during embryonic development. The biological process is mediated by transcription factors which bind genomic regulatory regions including enhancers and promoters of cardiac constitutive genes. DNA is wrapped around histones that are subjected to chemical modifications. Modifications of histones further lead to repressed, activated or poised gene transcription, thus bringing another level of fine tuning regulation of gene transcription. Embryonic Stem cells (ES cells) recapitulate within embryoid bodies (i.e., cell aggregates) or in 2D culture the early steps of cardiac development. They provide in principle enough material for chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), a technology broadly used to identify gene regulatory regions. Furthermore, human ES cells represent a human cell model of cardiogenesis. At later stages of development, mouse embryonic tissues allow for investigating specific epigenetic landscapes required for determination of cell identity. Herein, we describe protocols of ChIP, sequential ChIP followed by PCR or ChIP-sequencing using ES cells, embryoid bodies and cardiac specific embryonic regions. These protocols allow to investigating the epigenetic regulation of cardiac gene transcription

ESC-Derived BDNF-Overexpressing Neural Progenitors Differentially Promote Recovery in Huntington's Disease Models by Enhanced Striatal Differentiation

Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by fatal motoric failures induced by loss of striatal medium spiny neurons. Neuronal cell death has been linked to impaired expression and axonal transport of the neurotrophin BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). By transplanting embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitors overexpressing BDNF, we combined cell replacement and BDNF supply as a potential HD therapy approach. Transplantation of purified neural progenitors was analyzed in a quinolinic acid (QA) chemical and two genetic HD mouse models (R6/2 and N171-82Q) on the basis of distinct behavioral parameters, including CatWalk gait analysis. Explicit rescue of motor function by BDNF neural progenitors was found in QA-lesioned mice, whereas genetic mouse models displayed only minor improvements. Tumor formation was absent, and regeneration was attributed to enhanced neuronal and striatal differentiation. In addition, adult neurogenesis was preserved in a BDNF-dependent manner. Our findings provide significant insight for establishing therapeutic strategies for HD to ameliorate neurodegenerative symptoms

Inverse and distinct modulation of tau-dependent neurodegeneration by presenilin 1 and amyloid-beta in cultured cortical neurons : evidence that tau phosphorylation is the limiting factor in amyloid-beta-induced cell death

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by massive neuron loss in distinct brain regions, extracellular accumulations of the amyloid precursor protein-fragment amyloid-beta (A beta) and intracellular tau fibrils containing hyperphosphorylated tau. Experimental evidence suggests a relation between presenilin (PS) mutations, A beta formation, and tau phosphorylation in triggering cell death; however, how A beta and PS affect tau-dependent degeneration is unknown. Using herpes simplex virus 1-mediated gene-transfer of fluorescent-tagged tau constructs in primary cortical neurons, we demonstrate that tau expression exerts a neurotoxic effect that is increased with a construct mimicking disease-like hyperphosphorylation [pseudohyperphosphorylated (PHP) tau]. Live imaging revealed that PHP tau expression is associated with increased perikarya suggesting the development of a 'ballooned' phenotype as a specific feature of tau-mediated cell death. Transgenic expression of PS1 suppressed tau-induced neurodegeneration. In contrast, A beta amplified degeneration in the presence of wt tau but not of PHP tau. The data indicate that PS1 and A beta inversely modulate tau-dependent neurodegeneration at distinct steps. They indicate that the mode by which PHP tau causes neurotoxicity is downstream of A beta and that tau phosphorylation is the limiting factor in A beta-induced cell death. Suppression of tau expression or inhibition of tau phosphorylation at disease-relevant sites may provide an effective therapeutic strategy to prevent neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease

A View of Bivalent Epigenetic Marks in Two Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Reveals a Different Cardiogenic Potential

Human embryonic stem (HUES) cells are derived from early individual embryos with unique genetic printing. However, how their epigenetic status might affect their potential to differentiate toward specific lineages remains a puzzling question. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)–polymerase chain reaction and ChIP-on-chip, the status of bivalent domains on gene promoters (ie, histone 3 on lysine 4 and histone 3 on lysine 27 trimethylation) was monitored for both undifferentiated and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-induced cardiac-committed cells. A marked difference in the epigenetic profile of HUES cell lines was observed and this was correlated to the pattern of gene expression induced by BMP2 as well as to their potential to generate cardiac progenitors and differentiated myocytes. Thus, the epigenetic H3trimeK4 and H3trimeK27 prints generating bivalent domains on promoters, could be used to predict a preference in their differentiation toward a specific lineage.Stem Cell and Regenerative Biolog

Targeting the histone demethylase LSD1 prevents cardiomyopathy in a mouse model of laminopathy

International audienceLMNA mutations in patients are responsible for a dilated cardiomyopathy. Molecular mechanisms underlying the origin and development of the pathology are unknown. Herein, using mouse pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and a mouse model both harboring the p.H222P Lmna mutation, we found early defects in cardiac differentiation of mutated ESCs and dilatation of mutated embryonic hearts at E13.5, pointing to a developmental origin of the disease. Using mouse ESCs, we demonstrated that cardiac differentiation of Lmna(H222P/+) was impaired at the mesodermal stage. Expression of Mesp1, a mesodermal cardiogenic gene involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of epiblast cells, as well as Snail and Twist expression, was decreased in Lmna(H222P/+) cells compared with WT cells in the course of differentiation. In turn, cardiomyocyte differentiation was impaired. ChIP assay of H3K4me1 in differentiating cells revealed a specific decrease of this histone mark on regulatory regions of Mespl and Twist in Lmna(H222P/+) cells. Downregulation or inhibition of LSD1 that specifically demethylated H3K4me1 rescued the epigenetic landscape of mesodermal Lmna(H222P/+) cells and in turn contraction of cardiomyocytes. Inhibition of LSD1 in pregnant mice or neonatal mice prevented cardiomyopathy in E13.5 Lmna(H222P/H222P) offspring and adults, respectively. Thus, LSD1 appeared to be a therapeutic target to prevent or cure dilated cardiomyopathy associated with a laminopathy

Amyloid-Beta Induced Changes in Vesicular Transport of BDNF in Hippocampal Neurons

The neurotrophin brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important growth factor in the CNS. Deficits in transport of this secretory protein could underlie neurodegenerative diseases. Investigation of disease-related changes in BDNF transport might provide insights into the cellular mechanism underlying, for example, Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To analyze the role of BDNF transport in AD, live cell imaging of fluorescently labeled BDNF was performed in hippocampal neurons of different AD model systems. BDNF and APP colocalized with low incidence in vesicular structures. Anterograde as well as retrograde transport of BDNF vesicles was reduced and these effects were mediated by factors released from hippocampal neurons into the extracellular medium. Transport of BDNF was altered at a very early time point after onset of human APP expression or after acute amyloid-beta(1-42) treatment, while the activity-dependent release of BDNF remained unaffected. Taken together, extracellular cleavage products of APP induced rapid changes in anterograde and retrograde transport of BDNF-containing vesicles while release of BDNF was unaffected by transgenic expression of mutated APP. These early transport deficits might lead to permanently impaired brain functions in the adult brain

Differentiation in vivo of cardiac committed human embryonic stem cells in postmyocardial infarcted rats.: Human ES cells in postmyocardial infarction

International audienceHuman embryonic stem (HES) cells can give rise to cardiomyocytes in vitro. However, whether undifferentiated HES cells also feature a myocardial regenerative capacity after in vivo engraftment has not been established yet. We compared two HES cell lines (HUES-1 and I6) that were specified toward a cardiac lineage by exposure to bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) and SU5402, a fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitor. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that the cardiogenic inductive factor turned on expression of mesodermal and cardiac genes (Tbx6, Isl1, FoxH1, Nkx2.5, Mef2c, and alpha-actin). Thirty immunosuppressed rats underwent coronary artery ligation and, 2 weeks later, were randomized and received in-scar injections of either culture medium (controls) or BMP2 (+/-SU5402)-treated HES cells. After 2 months, human cells were detected by anti-human lamin immunostaining, and their cardiomyocytic differentiation was evidenced by their expression of cardiac markers by reverse transcription-PCR and immunofluorescence using an anti-beta myosin antibody. No teratoma was observed in hearts or any other organ of the body. The ability of cardiac-specified HES cells to differentiate along the cardiomyogenic pathway following transplantation into infarcted myocardium raises the hope that these cells might become effective candidates for myocardial regeneration