Reduced lysosomal density in neuronal dendrites mediates deficits in synaptic plasticity in Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) usually causes cognitive disorders, including learning difficulties, that emerge before motor symptoms. Mutations related to lysosomal trafficking are linked to the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, whereas the cellular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we discover a reduction in the dendritic density of lysosomes in the hippocampus that correlates with deficits in synaptic plasticity and spatial learning in early CAG-140 HD model mice. We directly manipulate intraneuronal lysosomal positioning with light-induced CRY2:CIB1 dimerization and demonstrate that lysosomal abundance in dendrites positively modulates long-term potentiation of glutamatergic synapses onto the neuron. This modulation depends on lysosomal Ca2+ release, which further promotes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) entry into spines. Importantly, optogenetically restoring lysosomal density in dendrites rescues the synaptic plasticity deficit in hippocampal slices of CAG-140 mice. Our data reveal dendritic lysosomal density as a modulator of synaptic plasticity and suggest a role of lysosomal mispositioning in cognitive decline in HD.

Squaramide-catalysed asymmetric cascade aza-Michael/Michael addition reaction for the synthesis of chiral trisubstituted pyrrolidines.

A bifunctional squaramide catalysed aza-Michael/Michael cascade reaction between nitroalkenes and tosylaminomethyl enones or enoates has been developed. This organocatalytic cascade reaction provides easy access to highly functionalized chiral pyrrolidines with a broad substrate scope, giving the desired products in good yields (up to 99%) with good diastereoselectivities (up to 91 : 9 dr) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee) under mild conditions. This protocol provides a straightforward entry to highly functionalized chiral trisubstituted pyrrolidine derivatives from simple starting materials.