LINKS BETWEEN L-GLUTAMATE TRANSPORTERS, NA(+)/K+-ATPASE AND CYTOSKELETON IN ASTROCYTES: EVIDENCE FOLLOWING INHIBITION WITH ROTTLERIN

Astrocytes are plastic cells that play key roles in brain physiology and pathology, including via their glutamate transporters, excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT)1 and EAAT2, maintaining low extracellular glutamate concentrations and protecting against excitotoxic neuronal injury. Alterations in cell surface expression of EAATs and astrocytic cytoskeleton are important for regulating transporter activity. This study employed the actions of rottlerin, to interrogate the regulation of EAAT activity, expression and localization, and interfaces with Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and astrocytic morphology. EAAT activity and expression were determined in primary cultures of mouse astrocytes in the presence of and after rottlerin removal, with or without trafficking inhibitors, using uptake ([(3)H]d-aspartate, (86)Rb(+)) and molecular analyses. Astrocytic morphology and EAAT localization were investigated using Western blotting and immunocytochemistry, in concert with image analysis of glial fibrillary acidic protein, F-actin and EAAT1/2. Rottlerin induced a time-dependent inhibition of glutamate transport (Vmax). Rapid changes in cytoskeletal arrangement were observed and immunoblotting revealed increases in EAAT2 total and cell surface expression, despite reduced EAAT activity. Rottlerin-induced inhibition was reversible and its rate was increased by monensin co-treatment. Rottlerin inhibited, while monensin stimulated Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Removal of rottlerin rapidly elevated Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity beyond control levels, while co-treatment with monensin failed to stimulate the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. These data reveal inhibition of EAAT activity by rottlerin is not associated with loss of EAATs at the cell surface, but rather linked to cytoskeletal rearrangement, and inhibition of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Rapid recovery of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity, and subsequent restoration of glutamate uptake indicates that astrocytic morphology and EAAT activity are co-regulated by a tightly coupled, homeostatic relationship between l-glutamate uptake, the electrochemical gradient and the activity of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase

Rilmenidine promotes MTOR-independent autophagy in the mutant SOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis without slowing disease progression

Macroautophagy/autophagy is the main intracellular catabolic pathway in neurons that eliminates misfolded proteins, aggregates and damaged organelles associated with ageing and neurodegeneration. Autophagy is regulated by both MTOR-dependent and -independent pathways. There is increasing evidence that autophagy is compromised in neurodegenerative disorders, which may contribute to cytoplasmic sequestration of aggregation-prone and toxic proteins in neurons. Genetic or pharmacological modulation of autophagy to promote clearance of misfolded proteins may be a promising therapeutic avenue for these disorders. Here, we demonstrate robust autophagy induction in motor neuronal cells expressing SOD1 or TARDBP/TDP-43 mutants linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Treatment of these cells with rilmenidine, an anti-hypertensive agent and imidazoline-1 receptor agonist that induces autophagy, promoted autophagic clearance of mutant SOD1 and efficient mitophagy. Rilmenidine administration to mutant SOD1G93A mice upregulated autophagy and mitophagy in spinal cord, leading to reduced soluble mutant SOD1 levels. Importantly, rilmenidine increased autophagosome abundance in motor neurons of SOD1G93A mice, suggesting a direct action on target cells. Despite robust induction of autophagy in vivo, rilmenidine worsened motor neuron degeneration and symptom progression in SOD1G93A mice. These effects were associated with increased accumulation and aggregation of insoluble and misfolded SOD1 species outside the autophagy pathway, and severe mitochondrial depletion in motor neurons of rilmenidine-treated mice. These findings suggest that rilmenidine treatment may drive disease progression and neurodegeneration in this mouse model due to excessive mitophagy, implying that alternative strategies to beneficially stimulate autophagy are warranted in ALS