Nrf2/HO-1在肌萎缩侧索硬化症转基因小鼠脊髓中的表达变化

目的:检测不同疾病阶段肌萎缩侧索硬化症(ALS)转基因小鼠脊髓内Nrf2及HO-1表达变化,以探究抗氧化应激能力变化与ALS发病的关系。方法:应用免疫荧光双重标记和Western Blot技术检测Nrf2及其下游调节蛋白HO-1在ALS发病早期(95 d)、发病晚期(122 d)脊髓中的表达差异。结果:与同窝别野生型鼠相比较,免疫荧光双重标记结果显示:95 d、122 d ALS鼠脊髓腰段内Nrf2~+/GFAP~+星形胶质细胞增多;虽与同时间点同窝别野生型鼠比较,ALS转基因鼠脊髓中Nrf2蛋白表达略有升高,但差异无统计学意义。HO-1蛋白表达在ALS早期95 d趋势与Nrf2相同,前角神经元内表达较多;至122 d转基因鼠脊髓内HO-1~+表达多集中于星形胶质细胞内,且脊髓内HO-1蛋白总量较同窝别野生型鼠显著升高(P0.05)。结论:ALS运动神经元退变可能与星形胶质细胞激活后Nrf2及HO-1参与的氧化应激机制有关。     

In vivo diffusion MRI detects early spinal cord axonal pathology in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exhibits contrast that identifies macro‐ and microstructural changes in neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies have shown that MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can observe changes in spinal cord white matter in animals and humans affected with symptomatic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The goal of this preclinical work was to investigate the sensitivity of DTI for the detection of signs of tissue damage before symptoms appear. High‐field MRI data were acquired using a 9.4‐T animal scanner to examine the spinal cord of an ALS mouse model at pre‐ and post‐symptomatic stages (days 80 and 120, respectively). The MRI results were validated using yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) via optical microscopy of spinal cord tissue slices collected from the YFP,G93A‐SOD1 mouse strain. DTI maps of diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) signal intensity, mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) were computed for axial slices of the lumbar region of the spinal cord. Significant changes were observed in FA (6.7% decrease, p < 0.01), AD (19.5% decrease, p < 0.01) and RD (16.1% increase, p < 0.001) at postnatal day 80 (P80). These differences were correlated with changes in axonal fluorescence intensity and membrane cellular markers. This study demonstrates the value of DTI as a potential tool to detect the underlying pathological progression associated with ALS, and may accelerate the discovery of therapeutic strategies for patients with this disease.     

Homozygosity analysis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may appear to be familial or sporadic, with recognised dominant and recessive inheritance in a proportion of cases. Sporadic ALS may be caused by rare homozygous recessive mutations. We studied patients and controls from the UK and a multinational pooled analysis of GWAS data on homozygosity in ALS to determine any potential recessive variant leading to the disease. Six-hundred and twenty ALS and 5169 controls were studied in the UK cohort. A total of 7646 homozygosity segments with length >2 Mb were identified, and 3568 rare segments remained after filtering ‘common'' segments. The mean total of the autosomal genome with homozygosity segments was longer in ALS than in controls (unfiltered segments, P=0.05). Two-thousand and seventeen ALS and 6918 controls were studied in the pooled analysis. There were more regions of homozygosity segments per case (P=1 × 10⁻⁵), a greater proportion of cases harboured homozygosity (P=2 × 10⁻⁵), a longer average length of segment (P=1 × 10⁻⁵), a longer total genome coverage (P=1 × 10⁻⁵), and a higher rate of these segments overlapped with RefSeq gene regions (P=1 × 10⁻⁵), in ALS patients than controls. Positive associations were found in three regions. The most significant was in the chromosome 21 SOD1 region, and also chromosome 1 2.9–4.8 Mb, and chromosome 5 in the 65 Mb region. There are more than twenty potential genes in these regions. These findings point to further possible rare recessive genetic causes of ALS, which are not identified as common variants in GWAS.     

Noninvasive detection of brainstem and spinal cord axonal degeneration in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mouse model

Degeneration of motor neurons and their associated axons is a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but reliable noninvasive lesion detection is lacking. In vivo diffusion tensor imaging was performed to evaluate neurodegeneration in the brainstem and cervical spinal cord of wild-type and G93A-SOD1 transgenic mice, an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A statistically significant reduction in the apparent diffusion coefficient was observed in the motor nuclei VII and XII of G93A-SOD1 transgenic mice relative to wild-type mice. No significant difference in diffusion anisotropy was observed in dorsal white or gray matter in cervical and lumbar segments of the spinal cord. In contrast, statistically significant decreases in axial diffusivity (diffusivity parallel to the axis of the spinal cord) and apparent diffusion coefficient were found in the ventrolateral white matter of G93A-SOD1 mice in both the cervical and lumbar spinal cord. The reduction in axial diffusivity, suggestive of axonal injury, in the white matter of the spinal cord of G93A-SOD1 mice was verified by immunostaining with nonphosphorylated neurofilament. The present study demonstrates that in vivo diffusion tensor imaging-derived axial diffusivity may be used to accurately evaluate axonal degeneration in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.     

Genetic epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a late onset, rapidly progressive and ultimately fatal neurological disorder, caused by the loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Familial aggregation of ALS, with an age-dependent but high penetrance, is a major risk factor for ALS. Familial ALS (FALS) is clinically and genetically heterogeneous. Three genes and linkage to four additional gene loci have been identified so far and may either predominantly lead to ALS (ALSI-ALS6) or cause multisystem neurodegeneration with ALS as an occasional symptom (tauopathies, ALS-dementia complex). This review presents a tentative classification of the "major" ALS genes and ALS "susceptibility" genes, that may act as susceptibility factors for neurodegeneration in interaction with other genetic or environmental risk factors. Considering that mutations in ALS genes explain approximately 10% of familial as well as sporadic ALS, and most remaining cases of the discase are thought to result form the interaction of several genes and environmental factors, ALS is a paradigm for multifactorial discases.     

Low percentage of Tμ cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The percentage of Tμ cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients is markedly reduced. The Tγ population appears normal.     

Neurogenin1在肌萎缩脊髓侧索硬化症转基因鼠脊髓中的表达变化

目的:研究neurogenin 1 (Ngn1)转录因子在成年肌萎缩脊髓侧索硬化症(ALS)转基因模型鼠脊髓内的表达变化,探讨其在ALS转基因鼠发病中的作用.方法:选取ALS转基因鼠和同窝野生型鼠各18只,分别于95、108 d和122 d取材,部分鼠经4％多聚甲醛心灌注固定,分离脊髓、制备冷冻切片;部分鼠分离脊髓、提取蛋白和RNA,分别应用免疫荧光显色、免疫印迹和RT-PCR检测Ngnl蛋白及mRNA在ALS转基因鼠发病中的变化.结果:与同窝野生型鼠比较,ALS转基因鼠Ngnl mRNA和蛋白表达在95、108 d和122 d均降低.免疫荧光实验结果显示,Ngnl阳性细胞主要分布在脊髓灰质前角,与同窝野生型鼠比较,ALS转基因鼠Ngnl阳性细胞光密度值明显减小.结论:在ALS转基因鼠发病脊髓中Ngnl阳性细胞光密度值明显减少,mRNA和蛋白表达降低,表明Ngnl与ALS的发生密切相关.     

成年肌萎缩脊髓侧索硬化症转基因鼠脊髓增殖细胞的分化

目的 探讨成年肌萎缩脊髓侧索硬化症(ALS)转基因模型鼠脊髓内增殖细胞的类型及分化情况. 方法 对ALS转基因鼠发病期进行BrdU标记,分别于不同时间点取材,冷冻切片,应用免疫荧光双标及三标染色技术检测ALS转基因鼠病变进展过程中脊髓内增殖细胞的分化情况. 结果 成年ALS转基因鼠发病期脊髓的中央管、灰质、白质均未检测到BrdU/DCX双标记阳性细胞和BrdU/NeuN双标记阳性细胞.灰质、白质和中央管周围检测到大量NG2阳性细胞,阳性细胞数量随病变进展逐渐减少,NG2阳性细胞多呈BrdU阳性表达;可检测到少量BrdU/A2B5双标记阳性细胞;ALS转基因鼠发病期脊髓BrdU/GFAP双标记阳性细胞较多,部分双阳性细胞呈Nestin阳性,而野生型鼠脊髓内未检测到BrdU/GFAP双标记阳性细胞.结论 神经退行性病变激活ALS转基因鼠脊髓内源性增殖细胞向神经胶质细胞方向分化,未检测到向神经元方向分化,内源性增殖细胞尚不能有效地促进退行性病变的修复.     

Cytogenetic analysis of 23 Japanese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The cytogenetic analysis of 23 Japanese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is reported. G-banded chromosomes of cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes of one subject had a constitutional chromosomal translocation, t(7;13)(p22;q21). No constitutional chromosome abnormality was found in any of the other 22 Japanese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis tested.     

Dysfunction of the oligodendrocytes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by irreversible deterioration of upper and lower motor neurons(MNs). Previously, studies on the involvement of glial cells in the pathogenic process of ALS have mainly revolved around astrocytes and microglia. And oligodendrocytes(OLs)have only recently been highlighted. Grey matter demyelination within the motor cortex and proliferation of the oligodendrocyte precursor cells(OPCs) was observed in ALS patients...     

Gene therapy of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Two-year experiments were performed to evaluate the neurotrophic effect of hypoxia-inducible factors (vascular endothelial growth factor and angiogenin) expressed in recombinant human adenoviruses in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Randomized placebo-controlled trial demonstrated safety and good tolerability of the recombinant antiviral drugs. The life span of patients under conditions of hypoxia increased after treatment with the test drug, which was probably related to improved resistance of motoneurons. The presence of virus-neutralizing antibodies decreases the effectiveness of adenoviral vectors, which necessitates differential approach to the selection of patients and continuous monitoring of gene therapy. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 4, pp. 467–470, April, 2008     

Absence of serological evidence for foamy virus infection in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Foamy virus (FV) infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of sporadic motor neuron disease (MND) by means of serological assays. To confirm these results we tested serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 23 cases of clinically verified non-familial MND and 11 cases of suspected non-familial MND for the presence of FV infection as determined by Western blot (WB) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Using the same tests we also screened sera from 87 healthy chimpanzees for the presence of FV antibodies. None of the human samples in question tested positive. However, the testing revealed that 84 of 87 chimpanzees (96.6%) were seropositive for FV, indicating that combined WB and IFA are suitable methods for the serodiagnosis of FV infection. Given these results an association of FV infection and sporadic MND is highly improbable. Furthermore a suggested therapeutic trial with anti-retroviral drugs appears unjustified. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Autophagy dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Autophagy is an intracellular lysosomal degradation process, which plays an important role in cell growth and development, and keeping cellular homeostasis in all eukaryotes. Autophagy has multiple physiological functions, including protein degradation, organelle turnover and response to stress. Emerging evidences support the notion that dysregulation of autophagy might be critical for pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The autophagy dysregulation in motor neurons of ALS may occur in different steps of the autophagic process. Recent studies have shown that two ALS associated proteins, TDP-43 and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), are involved in the abnormal autophagy regulation. Furthermore, it is reported that several genetic mutations in ALS disturb the autophagic process in the motor neurons. This review will provide new evidence of autophagy dysregulation as a critical pathogenic process leading to ALS, and will discuss the prospect of future therapeutic targets using autophagic regulation to treat this disease.     

Gut microbiota links with cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A multi-omics study

Recently, cognitive impairments (CI) and behavioral abnormalities in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been reported. However, the underlying mechanisms have been poorly understood. In the current study, we explored the role of gut microbiota in CI of ALS patients. We collected fecal samples from 35 ALS patients and 35 healthy controls. The cognitive function of the ALS patients was evaluated using the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen. We analyzed these samples by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing as well as both untargeted and targeted (bile acids) metabolite mapping between patients with CI and patients with normal cognition (CN). We found altered gut microbial communities and a lower ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in the CI group, compared with the CN group. In addition, the untargeted metabolite mapping revealed that 26 and 17 metabolites significantly increased and decreased, respectively, in the CI group, compared with the CN group. These metabolites were mapped to the metabolic pathways associated with bile acids. We further found that cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid were significantly lower in the CI group than in the CN group. In conclusion, we found that the gut microbiota and its metabolome profile differed between ALS patients with and without CI and that the altered bile acid profile in fecal samples was significantly associated with CI in ALS patients. These results need to be replicated in larger studies in the future.     

TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism in Turkish patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Recently, Eve et al. (2007) reported that the expression of TP53 (NM_000546) was increased by 2.1-fold in whole spinal cord and 2.7-fold in the ventral horn of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Based on this particular observation, we decided to evaluate whether the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism (rs1042522) (C215G) was implicated in the etiopathology of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS). Therefore, we genotyped 394 Turkish SALS patients and 439 matched healthy controls by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). We did not find any association between overall SALS patients with the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and controls (χ² = 2.674; p = 0.263). Consequently the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism was not associated with SALS.     

Lack of involvement of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the pathogenesis of a transgenic mouse model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

A subset of familial cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are linked to missense mutations in copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1. Patients with missense mutations in copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 develop a paralytic disease indistinguishable from sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis through an unknown toxic gain of function. Nitric oxide reacts with the superoxide anion to form the strong oxidant, peroxynitrite, which participates in neuronal injury in a variety of model systems. Peroxynitrite is an alternate substrate for copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1, causing catalytic nitration of tyrosine residues in other proteins. Mutations in copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 may disrupt the active site of the enzyme and permit greater access of peroxynitrite to copper, leading to increased nitration by peroxynitrite of critical cellular targets. To investigate whether neuronal-derived nitric oxide plays a role in the pathogenesis of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, we examined the effects of three different nitric oxide synthase inhibitors: a non-selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, nitro-L-arginine methyl ester; a relatively selective inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase, 7-nitroindazole; and a novel highly selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, AR-R 17,477, in transgenic mice expressing a familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked mutant human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 (Gly-->Ala at position 93; G93A) containing a high transgene copy number and a low transgene copy number. AR-R 17,477, but not nitro-L-arginine methyl ester or 7-nitroindazole, significantly prolonged survival in both the high and low transgene transgenic mice. To determine whether neuronal nitric oxide synthase is involved in the pathogenesis resulting from the familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 mutation, we produced mice with the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 mutation which lack the neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene. The transgenic mice expressing a familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked mutant human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 on neuronal nitric oxide synthase null background do not live significantly longer than transgenic mice expressing a familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked mutant human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1. Western blot analysis indicates the presence of two neuronal nitric oxide synthase-like immunoreactive bands in spinal cord homogenates of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase null mice, and residual neuronal nitric oxide synthase catalytic activity ( > 7%) is detected in the spinal cord of the transgenic mice expressing a familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked mutant human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 on neuronal nitric oxide synthase null background. This amount of residual activity probably does not account for lack of protection afforded by the disrupted neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene in the familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked mutant human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 mice. Immunological nitric oxide synthase is not detected in the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 mutant mice at several different ages, thus excluding immunological nitric oxide synthase as a contributor to the pathogenesis of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Levels of neuronal nitric oxide synthase as well as Ca2+-dependent nitric oxide synthase catalytic activity in the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 mutant mice do not differ from wild type mice. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase levels may be decreased in the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase type 1 mutant mice. Together, these results do not support a significant role for neuronal-derived nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis transgenic mice.     

1H MRS of basal ganglia and thalamus in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Previous studies have evaluated motor and extramotor cerebral cortical regions in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using (1) H MRS, but none have evaluated the thalamus or basal ganglia. The objective of this exploratory study was to evaluate the subclinical involvement of the basal ganglia and thalamus in patients with ALS using (1) H MRS. Fourteen patients (52±7 years) with sporadic definite ALS and 17 age-matched controls were studied using volumetric MRSI on a 3-T scanner. The concentration of the metabolites N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and their ratio (NAA/Cho) were obtained bilaterally from the basal ganglia (lentiform nucleus, caudate) and thalamus. The maximum rates of finger and foot tap and lip and tongue movements were obtained to assess extrapyramidal and pyramidal tract function. In patients with ALS, relative to controls, the NAA concentration was significantly lower (p<0.02) in the basal ganglia and thalamus, and the Cho concentration was higher (p<0.01) in these structures, except in the caudate (p=0.04). Correspondingly, the NAA/Cho ratio was significantly lower (p<0.01) in these structures, except in the caudate (p=0.03), in patients than in controls. There were mild to strong correlations (r=0.4-0.7) between the metabolites of the basal ganglia and finger tap, foot tap and lip and tongue movement rates. In conclusion, decreased NAA in the basal ganglia and thalamus and increased Cho and decreased NAA/Cho in the lentiform nucleus and thalamus are indicative of neuronal loss or dysfunction and alterations in choline-containing membranes in these structures.     

The genotype–phenotype landscape of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Australia

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous fatal neurodegenerative disease. Around 10% of ALS cases are hereditary. ALS gene discoveries have provided most of our understanding of disease pathogenesis. We aimed to describe the genetic landscape of ALS in Australia by assessing 1013 Australian ALS patients for known ALS mutations by direct sequencing, whole exome sequencing or repeat primed polymerase chain reaction. Age of disease onset and disease duration were used for genotype–phenotype correlations. We report 60.8% of Australian ALS families in this cohort harbour a known ALS mutation. Hexanucleotide repeat expansions in C9orf72 accounted for 40.6% of families and 2.9% of sporadic patients. We also report ALS families with mutations in SOD1 (13.7%), FUS (2.4%), TARDBP (1.9%), UBQLN2 (.9%), OPTN (.5%), TBK1 (.5%) and CCNF (.5%). We present genotype–phenotype correlations between these genes as well as between gene mutations. Notably, C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion positive patients experienced significantly later disease onset than ALS mutation patients. Among SOD1 families, p.I114T positive patients had significantly later onset and longer survival. Our report highlights a unique spectrum of ALS gene frequencies among patients from the Australian population, and further, provides correlations between specific ALS mutations with disease onset and/or duration.     

The investigation of genetic and clinical features in Chinese patients with juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (JALS) occurs at an age of onset below 25 years with a heterogeneous disease onset location, variable progression and survival time. To investigate whether an ALS gene profile could resolve any aspects of clinical symptom heterogeneity, we have used targeted sequencing technology in a cohort of 12 JALS patients of Chinese descent. We detected 5 likely pathogenic mutations, 2 in familial probands and 3 in sporadic patients. One was a known TARDBP mutation (p.G348V) and 4 were FUS frameshift mutations including a known p.Gln519Ilefs*9 mutation and 3 novel mutations, p.Gly515Valfs*14, p.Gly486Profs*30, and p.Arg498Alafs*32. Of the 4 FUS mutations, 2 were able to be confirmed as de novo mutations. The TARDBP mutation carrier showed a classic ALS phenotype. All patients with FUS mutations experienced limb weakness at an early age and developed bulbar symptoms during the disease course. FUS mutations have previously been associated with increased JALS disease progression, however, we found a large range 12 to 84 months in disease survival (mean 58.2 months). Our results justify future screening for variants in FUS as it remains the most frequent genetic determinant of early onset, JALS (found in 30% of our patients).     

铁转运相关蛋白在肌萎缩性侧索硬化症转基因鼠脊髓中的表达变化

目的探讨肌萎缩性侧索硬化症(ALS)转基因鼠脊髓内铁转运相关蛋白表达变化与铁稳态失衡的关联。方法选取h SOD1G93A转基因鼠(ALS鼠)和同窝野生型鼠(WT鼠),分别于生后70、95和122 d分离脊髓,每时间点每组各9只实验动物。Western blotting检测脊髓组织内铁转运蛋白二价金属转运蛋白-1(DMT1)、铁转运蛋白-1(FPN1)及调节蛋白铁调节蛋白-1(IRP1)的表达;免疫荧光双重标记检测脊髓腰段前角内细胞共定位情况。结果 Western blotting显示,与WT鼠比较,各时间点ALS鼠脊髓内DMT1表达均显著降低(P<0.05,P<0.01);70 d FPN1表达升高(P<0.05),95 d和122 d表达下降(P<0.01); 95 d、122 d IRP1表达降低(P<0.01)。免疫荧光双重标记显示,在70 d WT鼠和ALS鼠腰段脊髓中DMT1主要与β-微管蛋白Ⅲ(β-tubulinⅢ)共表达。与WT组相比,95 d ALS鼠脊髓腰段前角神经元内DMT1免疫反应强,而FPN1荧光强度减弱。随疾病进展,DMT1、FP...