Poble-Viure

El objetivo de este laboratorio urbano es enfocar lo “smart” en proponer soluciones a los problemas diagnosticados y recomendaciones de diseño de espacio público para las diferentes tipologías de espacio que existen en el eje de la intervención (Llacuna) pero que se repiten en calles de carácter similar en los ámbitos del 22@ y de los ejes verdes.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenible

p53-dependent control of transactivation of the Pen2 promoter by presenilins

The senile plaques found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease are mainly due to the accumulation of amyloid β-peptides (Aβ) that are liberated by γ-secretase, a high molecular weight complex including presenilins, PEN-2, APH-1 and nicastrin. The depletion of each of these proteins disrupts the complex assembly into a functional protease. Here, we describe another level of regulation of this multimeric protease. The depletion of both presenilins drastically reduces Pen2 mRNA levels and its promoter transactivation. Furthermore, overexpression of presenilin-1 lowers Pen2 promoter transactivation, a phenotype abolished by a double mutation known to prevent presenilin-dependent γ-secretase activity. PEN-2 expression is decreased by depletion of β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and increased by the APP intracellular domain (AICD). We show that AICD and APP complement for Pen2 mRNA levels in APP/APLP1-2 knockout fibroblasts. Interestingly, overexpression of presenilin-2 greatly increases Pen2 promoter transactivation. The opposite effect triggered by both presenilins was reminiscent of our previous study, which showed that these two proteins elicit antagonistic effects on p53. Therefore, we examined the contribution of p53 on Pen2 transcription. Pen2 promoter transactivation, and Pen2 mRNA and protein levels were drastically reduced in p53–/– fibroblasts. Furthermore, PEN-2 expression could be rescued by p53 complementation in p53- and APP-deficient cells. Interestingly, PEN-2 expression was also reduced in p53-deficient mouse brain. Overall, our study describes a p53-dependent regulation of PEN-2 expression by other members of the γ-secretase complex, namely presenilins

Wild-type sTREM2 blocks Aβ aggregation and neurotoxicity, but the Alzheimer's R47H mutant increases Aβ aggregation.

TREM2 is a pattern recognition receptor, expressed on microglia and myeloid cells, detecting lipids and Aβ and inducing an innate immune response. Missense mutations (e.g., R47H) of TREM2 increase risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The soluble ectodomain of wild-type TREM2 (sTREM2) has been shown to protect against AD in vivo, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We show that Aβ oligomers bind to cellular TREM2, inducing shedding of the sTREM2 domain. Wild-type sTREM2 bound to Aβ oligomers (measured by single-molecule imaging, dot blots, and Bio-Layer Interferometry) inhibited Aβ oligomerization and disaggregated preformed Aβ oligomers and protofibrils (measured by transmission electron microscopy, dot blots, and size-exclusion chromatography). Wild-type sTREM2 also inhibited Aβ fibrillization (measured by imaging and thioflavin T fluorescence) and blocked Aβ-induced neurotoxicity (measured by permeabilization of artificial membranes and by loss of neurons in primary neuronal-glial cocultures). In contrast, the R47H AD-risk variant of sTREM2 is less able to bind and disaggregate oligomeric Aβ but rather promotes Aβ protofibril formation and neurotoxicity. Thus, in addition to inducing an immune response, wild-type TREM2 may protect against amyloid pathology by the Aβ-induced release of sTREM2, which blocks Aβ aggregation and neurotoxicity. In contrast, R47H sTREM2 promotes Aβ aggregation into protofibril that may be toxic to neurons. These findings may explain how wild-type sTREM2 apparently protects against AD in vivo and why a single copy of the R47H variant gene is associated with increased AD risk.European Unio

Pyroglutamate Abeta pathology in APP/PS1KI mice, sporadic and familial Alzheimer’s disease cases

The presence of AβpE3 (N-terminal truncated Aβ starting with pyroglutamate) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has received considerable attention since the discovery that this peptide represents a dominant fraction of Aβ peptides in senile plaques of AD brains. This was later confirmed by other reports investigating AD and Down’s syndrome postmortem brain tissue. Importantly, AβpE3 has a higher aggregation propensity, and stability, and shows an increased toxicity compared to full-length Aβ. We have recently shown that intraneuronal accumulation of AβpE3 peptides induces a severe neuron loss and an associated neurological phenotype in the TBA2 mouse model for AD. Given the increasing interest in AβpE3, we have generated two novel monoclonal antibodies which were characterized as highly specific for AβpE3 peptides and herein used to analyze plaque deposition in APP/PS1KI mice, an AD model with severe neuron loss and learning deficits. This was compared with the plaque pattern present in brain tissue from sporadic and familial AD cases. Abundant plaques positive for AβpE3 were present in patients with sporadic AD and familial AD including those carrying mutations in APP (arctic and Swedish) and PS1. Interestingly, in APP/PS1KI mice we observed a continuous increase in AβpE3 plaque load with increasing age, while the density for Aβ1-x plaques declined with aging. We therefore assume that, in particular, the peptides starting with position 1 of Aβ are N-truncated as disease progresses, and that, AβpE3 positive plaques are resistant to age-dependent degradation likely due to their high stability and propensity to aggregate

Alzheimer's Aβ Peptides with Disease-Associated N-Terminal Modifications: Influence of Isomerisation, Truncation and Mutation on Cu2+ Coordination

coordination of various Aβ peptides has been widely studied. A number of disease-associated modifications involving the first 3 residues are known, including isomerisation, mutation, truncation and cyclisation, but are yet to be characterised in detail. In particular, Aβ in plaques contain a significant amount of truncated pyroglutamate species, which appear to correlate with disease progression. coordination modes between pH 6–9 with nominally the same first coordination sphere, but with a dramatically different pH dependence arising from differences in H-bonding interactions at the N-terminus. coordination of Aβ, which may be critical for alterations in aggregation propensity, redox-activity, resistance to degradation and the generation of the Aβ3–× (× = 40/42) precursor of disease-associated Aβ3[pE]–x species

TREM2 shedding by cleavage at the H157-S158 bond is accelerated for the Alzheimer’s disease-associated H157Y variant

We have characterised the proteolytic cleavage events responsible for the shedding of Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) from primary cultures of human macrophages, murine microglia and TREM2-expressing human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells. In all cell types, a soluble 17 kDa N-terminal cleavage fragment was shed into the conditioned media in a constitutive process that is inhibited by G1254023X and metalloprotease inhibitors and siRNA targeting ADAM10. Inhibitors of serine proteases and matrix metalloproteinases 2/9, and ADAM17 siRNA did not block TREM2 shedding. Peptidomimetic protease inhibitors highlighted a possible cleavage site and mass spectrometry confirmed that shedding occurred predominantly at the H157-S158 peptide bond for both wild type and H157Y human TREM2 and for the wild type murine orthologue. Crucially, we also show that the Alzheimer diseaseassociated H157Y TREM2 variant was shed more rapidly than wild type from HEK293 cells, possibly by a novel, batimastat- and ADAM10-siRNA-independent, sheddase activity. These insights offer new therapeutic targets for modulating the innate immune response in Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.Funding from the Wellcome Trust and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research contributed to the support of this study

Abnormal Intracellular Accumulation and Extracellular Aβ Deposition in Idiopathic and Dup15q11.2-q13 Autism Spectrum Disorders

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>It has been shown that amyloid ß (Aβ), a product of proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid β precursor protein (APP), accumulates in neuronal cytoplasm in non-affected individuals in a cell type–specific amount.</p> <h3>Methodology/Principal Findings</h3><p>In the present study, we found that the percentage of amyloid-positive neurons increases in subjects diagnosed with idiopathic autism and subjects diagnosed with duplication 15q11.2-q13 (dup15) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In spite of interindividual differences within each examined group, levels of intraneuronal Aβ load were significantly greater in the dup(15) autism group than in either the control or the idiopathic autism group in 11 of 12 examined regions (p<0.0001 for all comparisons; Kruskall-Wallis test). In eight regions, intraneuronal Aβ load differed significantly between idiopathic autism and control groups (p<0.0001). The intraneuronal Aβ was mainly N-terminally truncated. Increased intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ_17–40/42 in children and adults suggests a life-long enhancement of APP processing with α-secretase in autistic subjects. Aβ accumulation in neuronal endosomes, autophagic vacuoles, Lamp1-positive lysosomes and lipofuscin, as revealed by confocal microscopy, indicates that products of enhanced α-secretase processing accumulate in organelles involved in proteolysis and storage of metabolic remnants. Diffuse plaques containing Aβ_1–40/42 detected in three subjects with ASD, 39 to 52 years of age, suggest that there is an age-associated risk of alterations of APP processing with an intraneuronal accumulation of a short form of Aβ and an extracellular deposition of full-length Aβ in nonfibrillar plaques.</p> <h3>Conclusions/Significance</h3><p>The higher prevalence of excessive Aβ accumulation in neurons in individuals with early onset of intractable seizures, and with a high risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy in autistic subjects with dup(15) compared to subjects with idiopathic ASD, supports the concept of mechanistic and functional links between autism, epilepsy and alterations of APP processing leading to neuronal and astrocytic Aβ accumulation and diffuse plaque formation.</p> </div

Etude de la production et de la dégradation du peptide amyloïde dans la maladie d'Alzheimer

Amyloïd beta peptide, one of the main components of Alzheimer's disease, is derived from the proteolytic processing of its precursor beta-APP (Beta Amyloïd Precursor Protein). This amyloïdogenic pathway involves two proteolytic activities: beta- and gamma-secretase. The gamma-secretase activity is carried by a macro-molecular complex composed of at least four proteins, Aph-1, Pen-2, Nicastrin and presenilin 1 or 2 (PS1 or PS2), in which PS are thought to bear the catalytic site. Those PS are subjected to endoproteolysis by a “presenilinase” activity generating a heterodimer, the active form of the presenilins in the gamma-secretase complex. Gamma-secretase is known to process many substrates but its true nature is still highly discussed.In the first part of my work, the setup of three new fluorimetric assays brought answers to a few questions: are different PS-dependent or PS-independent activities involved in the gamma-secretase activity? Are both gamma- and epsilon-secretases activities beard by only one enzyme? Does the same enzyme account for both Notch and APP epsilon cleavages?In a second part, I established the implication of aminopeptidase A (APA) in the amyloïd beta peptide N-terminal truncation. The use of specific APA inhibitors coupled to the design of an original gamma-secretase in vitro assay was the key finding in this study.Finally, the use of APA inhibitors available as in vivo active prodrugs will be the next step to further confirm those results and examine the effects of those drugs on the disease time-course in Alzheimer's disease mice models.Au cours de la voie de maturation amyloïdogène, la βAPP subit l'action séquentielle de deux activités enzymatiques appelées sécrétases : la β-sécrétase puis la γ-sécrétase qui conditionne la longueur des peptides Aβ en C-terminal. L'activité γ-sécrétase dépendante des présénilines est portée par un complexe multi protéique composé d'au moins quatre partenaires : Aph-1, Pen-2, la nicastrine et les présénilines (PS1 ou PS2). Ces présénilines subissent une coupure protéolytique par une « présénilinase » qui génère deux fragments qui s'apparient en hétérodimère, forme biologiquement active au sein du complexe. La γ-sécrétase au sens générique du terme est impliquée dans la protéolyse de nombreux substrats et sa nature reste très discutée.Dans une première partie de ma thèse, je me suis intéressé à la production du peptide amyloïde. Dans ce but, j'ai mis au point 3 dosages enzymatiques qui permettent de mesurer des activités de type γ- et ε-sécrétase hydrolysant la βAPP et ε-sécrétase clivant Notch. Ces dosages sont un outil permettant de répondre à plusieurs questions : l'activité g sécrétase est-elle portée par plusieurs enzymes, dépendantes ou indépendantes des présénilines ? Les activités g- et ε-sécrétase sont elles portées par une seule et même enzyme ? L'activité ε-sécrétase qui clive Notch est-elle identique à celle coupant la βAPP ?Les premiers résultats obtenus avec le substrat dérivé du site γ-sécrétase sur la βAPP (JMV2660) ont permis la mise en évidence d'une activité γ-sécrétase dans un système cellulaire dépourvu de présénilines, activité qui, paradoxalement, conserve une sensibilité à un inhibiteur classique de γ-sécrétase qui interagit physiquement avec les présénilines. La mise au point des deux autres dosages a conduit à la mise en évidence de l'implication de plusieurs activités enzymatiques regroupées sous le terme générique γ-sécrétase. Au final, ces dosages, fiables et reproductibles, permettront de tester en routine et à haut débit des inhibiteurs capables de discriminer les différentes activités de type γ-sécrétase et ε-sécrétase.Un autre aspect de mon travail de thèse a concerné la dégradation du peptide amyloïde et plus particulièrement les modifications qui se produisent au niveau de son extrémité N-terminale. Dans le cadre de cette étude, j'ai pu démontrer l'implication de l'aminopeptidase A dans la dégradation de l'extrémité N-terminale du peptide amyloïde grâce à une approche utilisant des inhibiteurs spécifiques et à la mise au point un essai enzymatique de l'activité gamma-sécrétase basé sur l'hydrolyse d'un substrat recombinant in vitro.Nous disposons au laboratoire d'un inhibiteur d'aminopeptidase A sous forme de pro-drogue active in vivo, ainsi, nous pourrons confirmer ces résultats sur des modèles de souris transgéniques « alzheimerisées » mais également déterminer l'impact d'un traitement ciblant l'aminopeptidase A sur le développement de la pathologie

Étude de la production et de la dégradation du peptide amyloïde dans la maladie d'Alzheimer

La maturation amyloïdogène de la béta-APP fait intervenir séquentiellement deux activités enzymatiques appelées sécrétase : la béta- puis la gamma-sécrétase. La gamma-sécrétase dépendante des présénilines est un complexe multi protéique composé d au moins quatre partenaires : Aph-1, Pen-2, la nicastrine et les présénilines 1 ou 2. Ces présénilines sont clivées par une présénilinase qui génère deux fragments qui appariés en hétérodimère sont la forme active au sein du complexe. La gamma-sécrétase est impliquée dans la protéolyse de nombreux substrats mais sa nature reste très discutée. Une première partie de cette thèse porte sur la production du peptide amyloïde. Trois nouveaux dosages enzymatiques ont permis de répondre à plusieurs questions : l activité gamma-sécrétase est-elle portée par plusieurs enzymes, dépendantes ou indépendantes des présénilines ? Les activités gamma- et epsilon-sécrétases sont-elles portées par une seule enzyme ? L activité epsilon-sécrétase qui clive Notch est-elle identique à celle coupant la béta-APP ? Un deuxième aspect concerne la dégradation du peptide amyloïde et en particulier les modifications de son extrémité N-terminale. Dans lecadre de cette étude, j ai pu démontrer l implication de l aminopeptidase A (APP) dans la dégradation de l extrémité N-terminale du peptide amyloïde grâce à des inhibiteurs spécifiques et un essai gamma-sécrétase in vitro. Nous disposons d un inhibiteur d APA sous forme de pro-drogue active in vivo. Aussi, grâce à des souris transgéniques alzheimerisées nous pourrons confirmer ces résultats et déterminer l impact d un traitement ciblant l APA sur le développement de la pathologie.NICE-BU Sciences (060882101) / SudocSudocFranceF