The Physio-Pathological Role of Group I Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Expressed by Microglia in Health and Disease with a Focus on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Microglia cells are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system. They act as the first-line immune guardians of nervous tissue and central drivers of neuroinflammation. Any homeostatic alteration that can compromise neuron and tissue integrity could activate microglia. Once activated, microglia exhibit highly diverse phenotypes and functions related to either beneficial or harmful consequences. Microglia activation is associated with the release of protective or deleterious cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors that can in turn determine defensive or pathological outcomes. This scenario is complicated by the pathology-related specific phenotypes that microglia can assume, thus leading to the so-called disease-associated microglia phenotypes. Microglia express several receptors that regulate the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory features, sometimes exerting opposite actions on microglial functions according to specific conditions. In this context, group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are molecular structures that may contribute to the modulation of the reactive phenotype of microglia cells, and this is worthy of exploration. Here, we summarize the role of group I mGluRs in shaping microglia cells' phenotype in specific physio-pathological conditions, including some neurodegenerative disorders. A significant section of the review is specifically focused on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) since it represents an entirely unexplored topic of research in the field.

The Key Role of Astrocytes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Their Commitment to Glutamate Excitotoxicity.

In the last two decades, there has been increasing evidence supporting non-neuronal cells as active contributors to neurodegenerative disorders. Among glial cells, astrocytes play a pivotal role in driving amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression, leading the scientific community to focus on the "astrocytic signature" in ALS. Here, we summarized the main pathological mechanisms characterizing astrocyte contribution to MN damage and ALS progression, such as neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, energy metabolism impairment, miRNAs and extracellular vesicles contribution, autophagy dysfunction, protein misfolding, and altered neurotrophic factor release. Since glutamate excitotoxicity is one of the most relevant ALS features, we focused on the specific contribution of ALS astrocytes in this aspect, highlighting the known or potential molecular mechanisms by which astrocytes participate in increasing the extracellular glutamate level in ALS and, conversely, undergo the toxic effect of the excessive glutamate. In this scenario, astrocytes can behave as "producers" and "targets" of the high extracellular glutamate levels, going through changes that can affect themselves and, in turn, the neuronal and non-neuronal surrounding cells, thus actively impacting the ALS course. Moreover, this review aims to point out knowledge gaps that deserve further investigation.

Dopamine-Dependent Ketamine Modulation of Glutamatergic Synaptic Plasticity in the Prelimbic Cortex of Adult Rats Exposed to Acute Stress.

Traumatic stress is the main environmental risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders. We have previously shown that acute footshock (FS) stress in male rats induces rapid and long-lasting functional and structural changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which are partly reversed by acute subanesthetic ketamine. Here, we asked if acute FS may also induce any changes in glutamatergic synaptic plasticity in the PFC 24 h after stress exposure and whether ketamine administration 6 h after stress may have any effect. We found that the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in PFC slices of both control and FS animals is dependent on dopamine and that dopamine-dependent LTP is reduced by ketamine. We also found selective changes in ionotropic glutamate receptor subunit expression, phosphorylation, and localization at synaptic membranes induced by both acute stress and ketamine. Although more studies are needed to understand the effects of acute stress and ketamine on PFC glutamatergic plasticity, this first report suggests a restoring effect of acute ketamine, supporting the potential benefit of ketamine in limiting the impact of acute traumatic stress.

Functional and Molecular Changes in the Prefrontal Cortex of the Chronic Mild Stress Rat Model of Depression and Modulation by Acute Ketamine.

Stress is a primary risk factor in the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). We have previously used the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression in male rats to show that CMS induces morphological, functional, and molecular changes in the hippocampus of vulnerable animals, the majority of which were recovered using acute subanesthetic ketamine in just 24 h. Here, we focused our attention on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain area regulating emotional and cognitive functions, and asked whether vulnerability/resilience to CMS and ketamine antidepressant effects were associated with molecular and functional changes in the mPFC of rats. We found that most alterations induced by CMS in the mPFC were selectively observed in stress-vulnerable animals and were rescued by acute subanesthetic ketamine, while others were found only in resilient animals or were induced by ketamine treatment. Importantly, only a few of these modifications were also previously demonstrated in the hippocampus, while most are specific to mPFC. Overall, our results suggest that acute antidepressant ketamine rescues brain-area-specific glutamatergic changes induced by chronic stress.

Trafficking of the glutamate transporter is impaired in LRRK2-related Parkinson's disease.

The Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 (EAAT2) accounts for 80% of brain glutamate clearance and is mainly expressed in astrocytic perisynaptic processes. EAAT2 function is finely regulated by endocytic events, recycling to the plasma membrane and degradation. Noteworthy, deficits in EAAT2 have been associated with neuronal excitotoxicity and neurodegeneration. In this study, we show that EAAT2 trafficking is impaired by the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) pathogenic variant G2019S, a common cause of late-onset familial Parkinson's disease (PD). In LRRK2 G2019S human brains and experimental animal models, EAAT2 protein levels are significantly decreased, which is associated with elevated gliosis. The decreased expression of the transporter correlates with its reduced functionality in mouse LRRK2 G2019S purified astrocytic terminals and in Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing human LRRK2 G2019S. In LRRK2 G2019S knock-in mouse brain, the correct surface localization of the endogenous transporter is impaired, resulting in its interaction with a plethora of endo-vesicular proteins. Mechanistically, we report that pathogenic LRRK2 kinase activity delays the recycling of the transporter to the plasma membrane via Rabs inactivation, causing its intracellular re-localization and degradation. Taken together, our results demonstrate that pathogenic LRRK2 interferes with the physiology of EAAT2, pointing to extracellular glutamate overload as a possible contributor to neurodegeneration in PD.

MicroRNA Alteration, Application as Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Approaches in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential post-transcriptional gene regulators involved in various neuronal and non-neuronal cell functions and play a key role in pathological conditions. Numerous studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are dysregulated in major neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Huntington's disease. Hence, in the present work, we constructed a comprehensive overview of individual microRNA alterations in various models of the above neurodegenerative diseases. We also provided evidence of miRNAs as promising biomarkers for prognostic and diagnostic approaches. In addition, we summarized data from the literature about miRNA-based therapeutic applications via inhibiting or promoting miRNA expression. We finally identified the overlapping miRNA signature across the diseases, including miR-128, miR-140-5p, miR-206, miR-326, and miR-155, associated with multiple etiological cellular mechanisms. However, it remains to be established whether and to what extent miRNA-based therapies could be safely exploited in the future as effective symptomatic or disease-modifying approaches in the different human neurodegenerative disorders.

Visual Cortex Engagement in Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a family of inherited disorders caused by the progressive degeneration of retinal photoreceptors. There is no cure for RP, but recent research advances have provided promising results from many clinical trials. All these therapeutic strategies are focused on preserving existing photoreceptors or substituting light-responsive elements. Vision recovery, however, strongly relies on the anatomical and functional integrity of the visual system beyond photoreceptors. Although the retinal structure and optic pathway are substantially preserved at least in early stages of RP, studies describing the visual cortex status are missing. Using a well-established mouse model of RP, we analyzed the response of visual cortical circuits to the progressive degeneration of photoreceptors. We demonstrated that the visual cortex goes through a transient and previously undescribed alteration in the local excitation/inhibition balance, with a net shift towards increased intracortical inhibition leading to improved filtering and decoding of corrupted visual inputs. These results suggest a compensatory action of the visual cortex that increases the range of residual visual sensitivity in RP.

Nearly 30 Years of Animal Models to Study Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Historical Overview and Future Perspectives.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, multigenic, multifactorial, and non-cell autonomous neurodegenerative disease characterized by upper and lower motor neuron loss. Several genetic mutations lead to ALS development and many emerging gene mutations have been discovered in recent years. Over the decades since 1990, several animal models have been generated to study ALS pathology including both vertebrates and invertebrates such as yeast, worms, flies, zebrafish, mice, rats, guinea pigs, dogs, and non-human primates. Although these models show different peculiarities, they are all useful and complementary to dissect the pathological mechanisms at the basis of motor neuron degeneration and ALS progression, thus contributing to the development of new promising therapeutics. In this review, we describe the up to date and available ALS genetic animal models, classified by the different genetic mutations and divided per species, pointing out their features in modeling, the onset and progression of the pathology, as well as their specific pathological hallmarks. Moreover, we highlight similarities, differences, advantages, and limitations, aimed at helping the researcher to select the most appropriate experimental animal model, when designing a preclinical ALS study.

Abnormal Upregulation of GPR17 Receptor Contributes to Oligodendrocyte Dysfunction in SOD1 G93A Mice.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons (MN). Importantly, MN degeneration is intimately linked to oligodendrocyte dysfunction and impaired capacity of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) to regenerate the myelin sheath enwrapping and protecting neuronal axons. Thus, improving OPC reparative abilities represents an innovative approach to counteract MN loss. A pivotal regulator of OPC maturation is the P2Y-like G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17), whose role in ALS has never been investigated. In other models of neurodegeneration, an abnormal increase of GPR17 has been invariably associated to myelin defects and its pharmacological manipulation succeeded in restoring endogenous remyelination. Here, we analyzed GPR17 alterations in the SOD1G93A ALS mouse model and assessed in vitro whether this receptor could be targeted to correct oligodendrocyte alterations. Western-blot and immunohistochemical analyses showed that GPR17 protein levels are significantly increased in spinal cord of ALS mice at pre-symptomatic stage; this alteration is exacerbated at late symptomatic phases. Concomitantly, mature oligodendrocytes degenerate and are not successfully replaced. Moreover, OPCs isolated from spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice display defective differentiation compared to control cells, which is rescued by treatment with the GPR17 antagonist montelukast. These data open novel therapeutic perspectives for ALS management.

Altered glucose catabolism in the presynaptic and perisynaptic compartments of SOD1G93A mouse spinal cord and motor cortex indicates that mitochondria are the site of bioenergetic imbalance in ALS.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease that develops because of motor neuron death. Several mechanisms occur supporting neurodegeneration, including mitochondrial dysfunction. Recently, we demonstrated that the synaptosomes from the spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice, an in vitro model of presynapses, displayed impaired mitochondrial metabolism at early pre-symptomatic stages of the disease, whereas perisynaptic astrocyte particles, or gliosomes, were characterized by mild energy impairment only at symptomatic stages. This work aimed to understand whether mitochondrial impairment is a consequence of upstream metabolic damage. We analyzed the critical pathways involved in glucose catabolism at presynaptic and perisynaptic compartments. Spinal cord and motor cortex synaptosomes from SOD1G93A mice displayed high activity of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase, key glycolysis enzymes, and of citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase, key Krebs cycle enzymes, but did not display high lactate dehydrogenase activity, the key enzyme in lactate fermentation. This enhancement was evident in the spinal cord from the early stages of the disease and in the motor cortex at only symptomatic stages. Conversely, an increase in glycolysis and lactate fermentation activity, but not Krebs cycle activity, was observed in gliosomes from the spinal cord and motor cortex of SOD1G93A mice although only at the symptomatic stages of the disease. The cited enzymatic activities were enhanced in spinal cord and motor cortex homogenates, paralleling the time-course of the effect observed in synaptosomes and gliosomes. The observed metabolic modifications might be considered an attempt to restore altered energetic balance and indicate that mitochondria represent the ultimate site of bioenergetic impairment.

In-vivo genetic ablation of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 slows down disease progression in the SOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease due to motor neuron (MN) loss. The mechanisms causing selective MN death are largely unknown, thus prejudicing successful pharmacological treatments. Major causes of MN damage are effects downstream of the abnormal glutamate (Glu) neurotransmission. Group I metabotropic Glu receptors (mGluR1, mGluR5) actively contribute to the excitotoxicity in ALS and represent druggable molecular targets. We previously demonstrated that halving mGluR1 or mGluR5 expression in the widely studied SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS had a positive impact on disease onset, clinical progression and survival, as well as on cellular and biochemical parameters altered in ALS. Whereas these effects were similar in female and male mGluR1 heterozygous SOD1G93Amice, only male mGluR5 heterozygous SOD1G93A mice showed improved motor skills during disease progression. To further validate the role of Group I mGluRs in ALS, we generated in this study mGluR1 or mGluR5 null mice expressing the SOD1G93A mutation (SOD1G93AGrm1crv4/crv4 or SOD1G93AGrm5-/-, respectively). SOD1G93AGrm1crv4/crv4 mice showed early and progressive motor impairments and died even before SOD1G93A mice, while SOD1G93AGrm5-/- mice exhibited delayed disease onset, longer survival, and ameliorated motor skills than SOD1G93A mice. No difference between female and male SOD1G93AGrm5-/- mice were observed. These effects were associated with enhanced MN preservation and decreased astrocytic and microglial activation. Our results strongly support the assumption that constitutively lowering of mGluR5 expression has a positive impact in mice with ALS by counteracting the abnormal Glu transmission and this could be a potentially effective pharmacological target in ALS.

Enhanced Function and Overexpression of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors 1 and 5 in the Spinal Cord of the SOD1G93A Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis during Disease Progression.

Glutamate (Glu)-mediated excitotoxicity is a major cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and our previous work highlighted that abnormal Glu release may represent a leading mechanism for excessive synaptic Glu. We demonstrated that group I metabotropic Glu receptors (mGluR1, mGluR5) produced abnormal Glu release in SOD1G93A mouse spinal cord at a late disease stage (120 days). Here, we studied this phenomenon in pre-symptomatic (30 and 60 days) and early-symptomatic (90 days) SOD1G93A mice. The mGluR1/5 agonist (S)-3,5-Dihydroxyphenylglycine (3,5-DHPG) concentration dependently stimulated the release of [3H]d-Aspartate ([3H]d-Asp), which was comparable in 30- and 60-day-old wild type mice and SOD1G93A mice. At variance, [3H]d-Asp release was significantly augmented in 90-day-old SOD1G93A mice and both mGluR1 and mGluR5 were involved. The 3,5-DHPG-induced [3H]d-Asp release was exocytotic, being of vesicular origin and mediated by intra-terminal Ca2+ release. mGluR1 and mGluR5 expression was increased in Glu spinal cord axon terminals of 90-day-old SOD1G93A mice, but not in the whole axon terminal population. Interestingly, mGluR1 and mGluR5 were significantly augmented in total spinal cord tissue already at 60 days. Thus, function and expression of group I mGluRs are enhanced in the early-symptomatic SOD1G93A mouse spinal cord, possibly participating in excessive Glu transmission and supporting their implication in ALS. Please define all abbreviations the first time they appear in the abstract, the main text, and the first figure or table caption.

Genetic inactivation of mGlu5 receptor improves motor coordination in the Grm1crv4 mouse model of SCAR13 ataxia.

Deleterious mutations in the glutamate receptor metabotropic 1 gene (GRM1) cause a recessive form of cerebellar ataxia, SCAR13. GRM1 and GRM5 code for the metabotropic glutamate type 1 (mGlu1) and type 5 (mGlu5) receptors, respectively. Their different expression profiles suggest they could have distinct functional roles. In a previous study, homozygous mice lacking mGlu1 receptors (Grm1crv4/crv4) and exhibiting ataxia presented cerebellar overexpression of mGlu5 receptors, that was proposed to contribute to the mouse phenotype. To test this hypothesis, we here crossed Grm1crv4 and Grm5ko mice to generate double mutants (Grm1crv4/crv4Grm5ko/ko) lacking both mGlu1 and mGlu5 receptors. Double mutants and control mice were analyzed for spontaneous behavior and for motor activity by rotarod and footprint analyses. In the same mice, the release of glutamate from cerebellar nerve endings (synaptosomes) elicited by 12mM KCl or by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) was also evaluated. Motor coordination resulted improved in double mutants when compared to Grm1crv4/crv4 mice. Furthermore, in in vitro studies, glutamate release elicited by both KCl depolarization and activation of AMPA autoreceptors resulted reduced in Grm1crv4/crv4 mice compared to wild type mice, while it presented normal levels in double mutants. Moreover, we found that Grm1crv4/crv4 mice showed reduced expression of GluA2/3 AMPA receptor subunits in cerebellar synaptosomes, while it resulted restored to wild type level in double mutants. To conclude, blocking of mGlu5 receptor reduced the dysregulation of glutamate transmission and improved motor coordination in the Grm1crv4 mouse model of SCAR13, thus suggesting the possible usefulness of pharmacological therapies based on modulation of mGlu5 receptor activity for the treatment of this type of ataxia.

Altered mechanisms underlying the abnormal glutamate release in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at a pre-symptomatic stage of the disease.

Abnormal Glu release occurs in the spinal cord of SOD1(G93A) mice, a transgenic animal model for human ALS. Here we studied the mechanisms underlying Glu release in spinal cord nerve terminals of SOD1(G93A) mice at a pre-symptomatic disease stage (30days) and found that the basal release of Glu was more elevated in SOD1(G93A) with respect to SOD1 mice, and that the surplus of release relies on synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Exposure to high KCl or ionomycin provoked Ca(2+)-dependent Glu release that was likewise augmented in SOD1(G93A) mice. Equally, the Ca(2+)-independent hypertonic sucrose-induced Glu release was abnormally elevated in SOD1(G93A) mice. Also in this case, the surplus of Glu release was exocytotic in nature. We could determine elevated cytosolic Ca(2+) levels, increased phosphorylation of Synapsin-I, which was causally related to the abnormal Glu release measured in spinal cord synaptosomes of pre-symptomatic SOD1(G93A) mice, and increased phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 at the inhibitory sites, an event that favours SNARE protein assembly. Western blot experiments revealed an increased number of SNARE protein complexes at the nerve terminal membrane, with no changes of the three SNARE proteins and increased expression of synaptotagmin-1 and ß-Actin, but not of an array of other release-related presynaptic proteins. These results indicate that the abnormal exocytotic Glu release in spinal cord of pre-symptomatic SOD1(G93A) mice is mainly based on the increased size of the readily releasable pool of vesicles and release facilitation, supported by plastic changes of specific presynaptic mechanisms.

Exocytosis regulates trafficking of GABA and glycine heterotransporters in spinal cord glutamatergic synapses: a mechanism for the excessive heterotransporter-induced release of glutamate in experimental amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The impact of synaptic vesicle endo-exocytosis on the trafficking of nerve terminal heterotransporters was studied by monitoring membrane expression and function of the GABA transporter-1 (GAT-1) and of type-1/2 glycine (Gly) transporters (GlyT-1/2) at spinal cord glutamatergic synaptic boutons. Experiments were performed by inducing exocytosis in wild-type (WT) mice, in amphiphysin-I knockout (Amph-I KO) mice, which show impaired endocytosis, or in mice expressing high copy number of mutant human SOD1 with a Gly93Ala substitution (SOD1(G93A)), a model of human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis showing constitutively excessive Glu exocytosis. Exposure of spinal cord synaptosomes from WT mice to a 35mM KCl pulse increased the expression of GAT-1 at glutamatergic synaptosomal membranes and enhanced the GAT-1 heterotransporter-induced [(3)H]d-aspartate ([(3)H]d-Asp) release. Similar results were obtained in the case of GlyT-1/2 heterotransporters. Preventing depolarization-induced exocytosis normalized the excessive GAT-1 and GlyT-1/2 heterotransporter-induced [(3)H]d-Asp release in WT mice. Impaired endocytosis in Amph-I KO mice increased GAT-1 membrane expression and [(3)H]GABA uptake in spinal cord synaptosomes. Also the GAT-1 heterotransporter-evoked release of [(3)H]d-Asp was augmented in Amph-I KO mice. The constitutively excessive Glu exocytosis in SOD1(G93A) mice resulted in augmented GAT-1 expression at glutamatergic synaptosomal membranes and GAT-1 or GlyT-1/2 heterotransporter-mediated [(3)H]d-Asp release. Thus, endo-exocytosis regulates the trafficking of GAT-1 and GlyT-1/2 heterotransporters sited at spinal cord glutamatergic nerve terminals. As a consequence, it can be hypothesized that the excessive GAT-1 and GlyT-1/2 heterotransporter-mediated Glu release, in the spinal cord of SOD1(G93A) mice, is due to the heterotransporter over-expression at the nerve terminal membrane, promoted by the excessive Glu exocytosis.

Fluoxetine in adulthood normalizes GABA release and rescues hippocampal synaptic plasticity and spatial memory in a mouse model of Down syndrome.

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic disorder associated with mental retardation. It has been repeatedly shown that Ts65Dn mice, the major animal model for DS, have severe cognitive and synaptic plasticity dysfunctions caused by excessive inhibition in their temporal lobe structures. Here we employed a multidisciplinary approach spanning from the behavioral to the electrophysiological and molecular level to investigate the effects elicited by fluoxetine on cognitive abilities, hippocampal synaptic plasticity and GABA release in adult Ts65Dn mice. We report that a chronic treatment with fluoxetine administered in the drinking water normalizes GABA release and promotes recovery of spatial memory abilities, spatial working memory for alternation, and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in adult Ts65Dn mice. Our findings might encourage new experimental attempts aimed at investigating the potential of fluoxetine for application in the treatment of major functional deficits in adult people with DS.

Knocking down metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 improves survival and disease progression in the SOD1(G93A) mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a late-onset fatal neurodegenerative disease reflecting degeneration of upper and lower motoneurons (MNs). The cause of ALS and the mechanisms of neuronal death are still largely obscure, thus impairing the establishment of efficacious therapies. Glutamate (Glu)-mediated excitotoxicity plays a major role in MN degeneration in ALS. We recently demonstrated that the activation of Group I metabotropic Glu autoreceptors, belonging to both type 1 and type 5 receptors (mGluR1 and mGluR5), at glutamatergic spinal cord nerve terminals, produces excessive Glu release in mice over-expressing human superoxide-dismutase carrying the G93A point mutation (SOD1(G93A)), a widely used animal model of human ALS. To establish whether these receptors are implicated in ALS, we generated mice expressing half dosage of mGluR1 in the SOD1(G93A) background (SOD1(G93A)Grm1(crv4/+)), by crossing the SOD1(G93A) mutant mouse with the Grm1(crv4/+) mouse, lacking mGluR1 because of a spontaneous recessive mutation. SOD1(G93A)Grm1(crv4/+) mice showed prolonged survival probability, delayed pathology onset, slower disease progression and improved motor performances compared to SOD1(G93A) mice. These effects were associated to reduction of mGluR5 expression, enhanced number of MNs, decreased astrocyte and microglia activation, normalization of metallothionein and catalase mRNA expression, reduced mitochondrial damage, and decrease of abnormal Glu release in spinal cord of SOD1(G93A)Grm1(crv4/+)compared to SOD1(G93A) mice. These results demonstrate that a lower constitutive level of mGluR1 has a significant positive impact on mice with experimental ALS, thus providing the rationale for future pharmacological approaches to ALS by selectively blocking Group I metabotropic Glu receptors.

Montelukast improves disease outcome in SOD1G93A female mice by counteracting oligodendrocyte dysfunction and aberrant glial reactivity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor neuron (MN) loss and consequent muscle atrophy, for which no effective therapies are available. Recent findings reveal that disease progression is fuelled by early aberrant neuroinflammation and the loss of oligodendrocytes with neuroprotective and remyelinating properties. On this basis, pharmacological interventions capable of restoring a pro-regenerative local milieu and re-establish proper oligodendrocyte functions may be beneficial. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Here, we evaluated the in vivo therapeutic effects of montelukast (MTK), an antagonist of the oligodendroglial G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17) and of cysteinyl-leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT1R) receptors on microglia and astrocytes, in the SOD1G93A ALS mouse model. We chronically treated SOD1G93A mice with MTK, starting from the early symptomatic disease stage. Disease progression was assessed by behavioural and immunohistochemical approaches. KEY RESULTS: Oral MTK treatment significantly extended survival probability, delayed body weight loss and ameliorated motor functionalityonly in female SOD1G93A mice. Noteworthy, MTK significantly restored oligodendrocyte maturation and induced significant changes in the reactive phenotype and morphological features of microglia/macrophages and astrocytes in the spinal cord of female SOD1G93A mice, suggesting enhanced pro-regenerative functions. Importantly, concomitant MN preservation has been detected after MTK administration. No beneficial effects were observed in male mice, highlighting a sex-based difference in the protective activity of MTK. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Our results provide the first preclinical evidence indicating that repurposing of MTK, a safe and marketed anti-asthmatic drug, may be a promising sex-specific strategy for personalized ALS treatment.

Molecular signatures of astrocytes and microglia maladaptive responses to acute stress are rescued by a single administration of ketamine in a rodent model of PTSD.

Stress affects the brain and alters its neuroarchitecture and function; these changes can be severe and lead to psychiatric disorders. Recent evidence suggests that astrocytes and microglia play an essential role in the stress response by contributing to the maintenance of cerebral homeostasis. These cells respond rapidly to all stimuli that reach the brain, including stressors. Here, we used a recently validated rodent model of post-traumatic stress disorder in which rats can be categorized as resilient or vulnerable after acute inescapable footshock stress. We then investigated the functional, molecular, and morphological determinants of stress resilience and vulnerability in the prefrontal cortex, focusing on glial and neuronal cells. In addition, we examined the effects of a single subanesthetic dose of ketamine, a fast-acting antidepressant recently approved for the treatment of resistant depression and proposed for other stress-related psychiatric disorders. The present results suggest a prompt glial cell response and activation of the NF-κB pathway after acute stress, leading to an increase in specific cytokines such as IL-18 and TNF-α. This response persists in vulnerable individuals and is accompanied by a significant change in the levels of critical glial proteins such as S100B, CD11b, and CX43, brain trophic factors such as BDNF and FGF2, and proteins related to dendritic arborization and synaptic architecture such as MAP2 and PSD95. Administration of ketamine 24 h after the acute stress event rescued many of the changes observed in vulnerable rats, possibly contributing to support brain homeostasis. Overall, our results suggest that pivotal events, including reactive astrogliosis, changes in brain trophic factors, and neuronal damage are critical determinants of vulnerability to acute traumatic stress and confirm the therapeutic effect of acute ketamine against the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders.

Chronic treatment with agomelatine or venlafaxine reduces depolarization-evoked glutamate release from hippocampal synaptosomes.

BACKGROUND: Growing compelling evidence from clinical and preclinical studies has demonstrated the primary role of alterations of glutamatergic transmission in cortical and limbic areas in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Chronic antidepressants have been shown to dampen endogenous glutamate release from rat hippocampal synaptic terminals and to prevent the marked increase of glutamate overflow induced by acute behavioral stress in frontal/prefrontal cortex. Agomelatine, a new antidepressant endowed with MT1/MT2 agonist and 5-HT2C serotonergic antagonist properties, has shown efficacy at both preclinical and clinical levels. RESULTS: Chronic treatment with agomelatine, or with the reference drug venlafaxine, induced a marked decrease of depolarization-evoked endogenous glutamate release from purified hippocampal synaptic terminals in superfusion. No changes were observed in GABA release. This effect was accompanied by reduced accumulation of SNARE protein complexes, the key molecular effector of vesicle docking, priming and fusion at presynaptic membranes. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the novel antidepressant agomelatine share with other classes of antidepressants the ability to modulate glutamatergic transmission in hippocampus. Its action seems to be mediated by molecular mechanisms located on the presynaptic membrane and related with the size of the vesicle pool ready for release.