Alpha-Synuclein: The Spark That Flames Dopaminergic Neurons, In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence.

Mitochondria, α-syn fibrils and the endo-lysosomal system are key players in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease. The toxicity of α-syn is amplified by cell-to-cell transmission and aggregation of endogenous species in newly invaded neurons. Toxicity of α-syn PFF was investigated using primary cultures of dopaminergic neurons or on aged mice after infusion in the SNpc and combined with mild inhibition of GBA. In primary dopaminergic neurons, application of α-syn PFF induced a progressive cytotoxicity associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and accumulation of lysosomes suggesting that exogenous α-syn reached the lysosome (from the endosome). Counteracting the α-syn endocytosis with a clathrin inhibitor, dopaminergic neuron degeneration was prevented. In vivo, α-syn PFF induced progressive neurodegeneration of dopaminergic neurons associated with motor deficits. Histology revealed progressive aggregation of α-syn and microglial activation and accounted for the seeding role of α-syn, injection of which acted as a spark suggesting a triggering of cell-to-cell toxicity. We showed for the first time that a localized SNpc α-syn administration combined with a slight lysosomal deficiency and aging triggered a progressive lesion. The cellular and animal models described could help in the understanding of the human disease and might contribute to the development of new therapies.

Glutamate protects neuromuscular junctions from deleterious effects of ß-amyloid peptide and conversely: an in vitro study in a nerve-muscle coculture.

Murine models of Alzheimer's disease with elevated levels of amyloid-ß (Aß) peptide present motor axon defects and neuronal death. Aß1-42 accumulation is observed in motor neurons and spinal cords of sporadic and familial cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Motor neurons are highly susceptible to glutamate, which has a role in ALS neuronal degeneration. The current study investigates the link between Aß and glutamate in this neurodegenerative process. Primary rat nerve and human muscle cocultures were intoxicated with glutamate or Aß. Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) mean size and neurite length were evaluated. The role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) was investigated by using MK801. Glutamate and Aß production were evaluated in culture supernatant. The current study shows that NMJs are highly sensitive to Aß peptide, that the toxic pathway involves glutamate and NMDAR, and that glutamate and Aß act in an interlinked manner. Some motor diseases (e.g., ALS), therefore, could be considered from a new point of view related to these balance disturbances.

Operational dissection of ß-amyloid cytopathic effects on cultured neurons.

Alzheimer disease (AD) affects mainly people over the age of 65 years, suffering from different clinical symptoms such as progressive decline in memory, thinking, language, and learning capacity. The toxic role of ß-amyloid peptide (Aß) has now shifted from insoluble Aß fibrils to smaller, soluble oligomeric Aß aggregates. The urgent need for efficient new therapies is high; robust models dissecting the physiopathological aspects of the disease are needed. We present here a model allowing study of four cytopathic effects of Aß oligomers (AßO): oxidative stress, loss of synapses, disorganization of the neurite network, and cellular death. By generating a solution of AßO and playing on the concentration of and time of exposure to AßO, we have shown that it was possible to reproduce early effects (oxidative stress) and the long-term development of structural alterations (death of neurons). We have shown that 1) all toxic events were linked to AßO according to a specific timing and pathway and 2) AßO were probably the key intermediates in AD pathogenesis. The present model, using Aß peptide solution containing AßO, reproduced essential neuropathological features of AD; the effects involved were similar whatever the kind of neurons tested (cortical vs. hippocampal). By using a single system, it was possible to embrace all toxic mechanisms at defined times and concentrations, to study each involved pathway, and to study the effects of new molecules on the different neurotoxic pathways responsible for development of AD.

A new long term in vitro model of myelination.

Besides in vivo models, co-cultures systems making use of Rat dorsal root ganglion explants/Schwann cells (SC) are widely used to essentially study myelination in vitro. In the case of animal models of demyelinating diseases, it is expected to reproduce a pathological process; conversely the co-cultures are primarily developed to study the myelination process and in the aim to use them to replace animals in experiences of myelin destruction or functional disturbances. We describe (in terms of protein expression kinetic) a new in vitro model of sensory neurons/SC co-cultures presenting the following advantages: both sensory neurons and SC originate from the same individual; sensory neurons and SC being dissociated, they can be co-cultured in monolayer, allowing an easier microscope observation; the co-culture can be maintained in a serum-free medium for at less three months, allowing kinetic studies of myelin formation both at a molecular and cellular level. Optimizing culture conditions permits to use 96-well culture plates; image analyses conducted with an automatic image analyzer allows rapid, accurate and quantitative expression of results. Finally, this system was proved by measuring the apparition of myelin protein to mimic in vitro the physiological process of in vivo myelination.

Necrosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, three modes of action of dopaminergic neuron neurotoxins.

Most of the Parkinson's disease (PD) cases are sporadic, although several genes are directly related to PD. Several pathways are central in PD pathogenesis: protein aggregation linked to proteasomal impairments, mitochondrial dysfunctions and impairment in dopamine (DA) release. Here we studied the close crossing of mitochondrial dysfunction and aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) and in the extension in the dopaminergic neuronal death. Here, using rat primary cultures of mesencephalic neurons, we induced the mitochondrial impairments using "DA-toxins" (MPP+, 6OHDA, rotenone). We showed that the DA-Toxins induced dopaminergic cell death through different pathways: caspase-dependent cell death for 6OHDA; MPP+ stimulated caspase-independent cell death, and rotenone activated both pathways. In addition, a decrease in energy production and/or a development of oxidative stress were observed and were linked to α-syn aggregation with generation of Lewy body-like inclusions (found inside and outside the dopaminergic neurons). We demonstrated that any of induced mitochondrial disturbances and processes of death led to α-syn protein aggregation and finally to cell death. Our study depicts the cell death mechanisms taking place in in vitro models of Parkinson's disease and how mitochondrial dysfunctions is at the cross road of the pathologies of this disease.

The difficult-to-cultivate coxsackieviruses A can productively multiply in primary culture of mouse skeletal muscle.

Coxsackieviruses A (CVA) are associated with several clinical manifestations such as aseptic meningitis and paralytic syndromes in humans. Most CVA are difficult-to-cultivate, which impedes their propagation and isolation from clinical material. Here, we tested the ability of cultivable (CVA-13, CVA-14), and difficult-to-cultivate (CVA-6, CVA-22) strains to infect primary cultures of skeletal muscle cells established from newborn mice. We found that such cultures sustained the multiplication of these CVA, as evidenced by the development of a cytopathic effect, already in the initial preparation or after passaging once. Cultures established for no more than 24h were sensitive to infection whereas older preparations were resistant. Using confocal microscopy after double-immunolabeling of the VP1 capsid protein and the muscle cell marker myosin, we demonstrated that only the myoblasts were infected, resulting in VP1 expression throughout their cytoplasm. Inoculation of infected cultures to suckling mice resulted in paralysis indicating that infection was productive. The nature of candidate receptors for virus entry in such cultures and the influence of cell culture conditions on the expression of these putative receptors are discussed. This work suggests that primary cultures of skeletal muscle cells could be used to propagate and isolate any CVA strain.

Comparing reagents for efficient transfection of human primary myoblasts: FuGENE 6, Effectene and ExGen 500.

This study compared three different synthetic reagents (FuGENE 6, Effectene and ExGen 500) for the transfection of human primary myoblasts. We examined the efficiency, cytotoxicity and size of the complexes formed in the presence of different amounts of vector and DNA and with variable amounts of serum. Transfection rates were relatively high for primary cells, especially with FuGENE 6 (20%), which appeared to be the best transfection reagent for these cells, even in the presence of 10% serum. Cultured human myoblasts are an interesting tool for studying neuromuscular diseases and are potentially useful for myoblast transfer therapy studies. Moreover, the efficiency of these transfection reagents in a medium containing 10% serum is promising for possible gene therapy protocols for muscle diseases.

Uptake of Abeta 1-40- and Abeta 1-42-coated yeast by microglial cells: a role for LRP.

Artificial diffuse and amyloid core of neuritic plaques [beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) deposits] could be prepared using heat-killed yeast particles opsonized with Abeta 1-40 or Abeta 1-42 peptides. Interaction and fate of these artificial deposits with microglial cells could be followed using a method of staining that allows discrimination of adherent and internalized, heat-killed yeast particles. Using this system, it was possible to show that nonfibrillar or fibrillar (f)Abeta peptides, formed in solution upon heating (aggregates), could not impair the internalization of heat-killed yeast particles opsonized with fAbeta 1-40 or fAbeta 1-42. This indicated that depending on their physical state, Abeta peptide(s) do not recognize the same receptors and probably do not follow the same internalization pathway. Using competitive ligands of class A scavenger receptors (SR-A) or low-density lipoprotein-related receptor protein (LRP), it has been shown that SR-A were not involved in the recognition of amyloid peptide deposits, whereas LRP specifically recognized deposits of fAbeta 1-42 (but not fAbeta 1-40) and mediated their phagocytosis.

Reduction of macrophage activation after antioxidant enzymes gene transfer to rat insulinoma INS-1 cells.

BACKGROUND: After transplantation, islet damage occurs through oxidative stress and host immune rejection mediated in part by macrophage activation. We investigated the influence of the overexpression of catalase (CAT) and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) by rat insulinoma INS-1 beta cells exposed to oxidative stress on their viability and murine macrophage activation. METHODS: INS-1 cells were infected with adenoviral vectors containing CAT (AdCAT) or Cu/Zn SOD (AdSOD) genes. After 72 hours, noninfected and infected INS-1 cells were exposed to oxidative stress and their viability was assessed using a colorimetric assay. Murine peritoneal exudate macrophages (mPEM) incubated with the supernatant of infected and stressed INS-1 cells were tested for chemotaxis and cytokine release (TNF-alpha, IL-alpha and IFN-gamma). RESULTS: After infection, AdCAT and AdSOD gene transfer protected INS-1 cells from the toxicity of different oxidative reagents. The exposure of non-infected INS-1 cells to oxidative stress stimulated mPEM chemotaxis. INS-1 cells infection with AdCAT or AdSOD reduced significantly mPEM chemotaxis from 2.41 +/- 0.31 to 1.61 +/- 0.17 and from 2.53 +/- 0.24 to 1.27 +/- 0.14 respectively (n = 5; p < 0.05). Cytokine release by mPEM was stimulated after exposure to stressed noninfected INS-1 cell supernatant. CAT and Cu/Zn SOD overexpression by infected INS-1 cells decreased significantly the release of TNF-alpha from 268.18 +/- 30.18 to 81.40 +/- 23.58 pg/ml and from 446.96 +/- 75.47 to 20.37 +/- 2.38 pg/ml respectively (n = 6; p < 0.001). The overexpression of these enzymes also reduced significantly the release of IL-1beta and IFN-gamma. CONCLUSIONS: CAT or Cu/Zn SOD gene transfer to INS-1 cells preserved them from oxidative damage and reduced the macrophage activation induced by these pancreatic cells. Therefore, protection of pancreatic beta cells against oxidative injury by antioxidant enzymes gene transfer is an effective approach to overcome the deleterious actions of macrophages in pancreatic islet transplantation.

Complement receptor 3 (CD11b/CD18) is implicated in the elimination of ß-amyloid peptides.

Microglia are the professional phagocytes of the brain and express phagocytic receptors such as complement receptor 3 (CR3 or CD11b/CD18). Using mimics of the amyloid deposit made of heat-killed yeasts coated with either Aß 1-40 or Aß 1-42, we were able to study how microglia interacted with and ingested these particles in vitro. We have shown previously that the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) is largely implied in the phagocytosis of Aß 1-42-opsonized heat-killed yeasts and partly in that of Aß 1-40-opsonized heat-killed yeasts. Here, we report that antibodies against CD11b or CD18 reduced the uptake of the artificial amyloid deposit by microglial cell showing that CR3 is involved in the mechanism. Moreover, a concomitant inhibition of LRP and CR3 completely blocked the ingestion of both kinds of particles suggesting that no other receptors participate to this mechanism.

Functional maturation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors as an indicator of murine muscular differentiation in a new nerve-muscle co-culture system.

Under normal conditions in situ, muscle fibers and motoneurons, the main partners of motor units, are strongly dependent on each other. This interdependence hinders ex vivo studies of neuromuscular disorders where nervous or muscular components are considered separately. To allow in vitro access to complex nerve-muscle relationships, we developed a novel nerve-muscle co-culture system where mouse muscle innervation is assured by rat spinal cord explants. The degree of muscular maturation during co-culture was evaluated using the distribution of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and their electrophysiological characteristics before and after innervation. In myotubes from non-innervated cultures, AChRs were diffusely distributed over the entire myotube surface. Their single-channel conductance (33.5+/-0.6 pS) and mean open time (8.1+/-0.7 ms) are characteristic of AChRs described in embryonic or denervated skeletal muscles. In innervated muscle fibers from co-cultures, AChRs appear as discrete aggregates and co-localize with synaptotagmin. In addition to the embryonic type currents, in innervated fibers AChR currents having high conductance (53.3+/-5.9 pS) and short mean open time (2.6+/-0.1 ms), characteristic of AChRs at mature neuromuscular junctions, were observed. Our data support the use of this new nerve-muscle co-culture system as a reliable model for the study of murine muscular differentiation and function.

Reduced expression of nicotinic AChRs in myotubes from spinal muscular atrophy I patients.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by degeneration of motoneurons and skeletal muscle atrophy. In its most severe form, it leads to death before the age of 2 years. While primary degeneration of motor neurons is well established in this disease, and this results in neurogenic atrophy of skeletal muscle, we have previously reported evidence for a primary muscle defect. In this study, we used primary cultures of embryonic human skeletal muscle cells from patients with SMA and from controls to examine the effects of muscle fiber differentiation in the absence of a nerve component. Cultured SMA skeletal muscle cells are unable to fuse correctly to form multinuclear myotubes, the precursors of the myofibers. We also show that agrin-induced aggregates of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, one of the earliest steps of neuromuscular junction formation, cannot be visualized by confocal microscopy on cells from SMA patients. In binding experiments, we demonstrate that this lack of clustering is due to defective expression of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the myotubes of SMA patients whereas the affinity of alpha-bungarotoxin for its receptor remains unchanged regardless of muscle cell type (SMA or control). These observations suggest that muscle cells from SMA patients have intrinsic abnormalities that may affect proper formation of the neuromuscular junction.

Construction of a plasmid containing human SMN, the SMA determining gene, coupled to EGFP.

We describe here the construction of plasmid pEGFP-C3/SMN, bearing the human SMN gene coupled to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) sequence. The mutation of the SMN gene is responsible for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a frequent human infantile genetic disease. We introduced the SMN cDNA into the multiple cloning site of pEGFP-C3. This plasmid bears the neomycin-resistance sequence and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). It results in the expression of a fusion protein bearing SMN coupled to a carboxy-terminal GFP tag, used for fluorescence localization studies. Transfection of primary human myoblasts with pEGFP-C3 or pEGFP-C3/SMN revealed that EGFP is intracellularly localized within the cytosol as well as in the nucleus, while the fusion protein EGFP-SMN localized within the nucleus in prominent dot-like structures termed "gems." These data demonstrate that human primary muscle cells can be efficiently transfected and may have important implications for the development of therapeutic strategies in SMA.

Possible pathogenic role of muscle cell dysfunction in motor neuron death in spinal muscular atrophy.

We have previously shown that myofibers formed by fusion of muscle satellite cells from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) I or II undergo degeneration 1 to 3 weeks after innervation by rat embryonic spinal cord explants, whereas normal myofibers survive for several months. In the "muscle component" of the coculture, the only cells responsible for the degeneration are the SMA muscle satellite cells. Moreover, SMA muscle satellite cells do not fuse as rapidly as do normal muscle satellite cells. To determine whether death of muscle cells precedes that of motor neurons, we studied the origin and kinetics of release of apoptotic microparticles. In SMA cocultures, motor neuron apoptosis occurred before myofiber degeneration becomes visible, indicating that SMA myofibers were unable to sustain survival of motor neurons. In normal cocultures, motor neuron apoptosis occurred 4 days after innervation. However, it did not continue beyond 2 days. These results strengthen the hypothesis that SMA is due to a defect in neurotrophic muscle cell function.