Overexpression of the Cdk5 inhibitory peptide in motor neurons rescue of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis phenotype in a mouse model.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Etiological mechanisms underlying the disease remain poorly understood; recent studies suggest that deregulation of p25/Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) activity leads to the hyperphosphorylation of Tau and neurofilament (NF) proteins in ALS transgenic mouse model (SOD1G37R). A Cdk5 involvement in motor neuron degeneration is supported by analysis of three SOD1G37R mouse lines exhibiting perikaryal inclusions of NF proteins and hyperphosphorylation of Tau. Here, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of Cdk5/p25 hyperactivation in vivo is a neuroprotective factor during ALS pathogenesis by crossing the new transgenic mouse line that overexpresses Cdk5 inhibitory peptide (CIP) in motor neurons with the SOD1G37R, ALS mouse model (TriTg mouse line). The overexpression of CIP in the motor neurons significantly improves motor deficits, extends survival and delays pathology in brain and spinal cord of TriTg mice. In addition, overexpression of CIP in motor neurons significantly delays neuroinflammatory responses in TriTg mouse. Taken together, these data suggest that CIP may serve as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Cdk5-Mediated Brain Unfolded Protein Response Upregulation Associated with Cognitive Impairments in Type 2 Diabetes and Ameliorative Action of NAC.

The role of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in the normal functioning of the central nervous system and synaptic plasticity is well established. However, dysregulated kinase activity can have a significant impact on neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. Cdk5 hyperactivation is linked to diabetes-associated neurodegeneration, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Our study reveals that oxidative stress can lead to Cdk5 hyperactivity, which in turn is linked to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. Specifically, our experiments with N2A cells overexpressing Cdk5 and its activators p35 and p25 show ER stress, resulting in activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway. We identified Cdk5 as the epicenter of this regulatory process, leading to the activation of the CDK5-IRE1-XBP1 arm of UPR. Moreover, our study demonstrated that Cdk5 hyperactivation can lead to ER stress and activation of the UPR pathway, which may contribute to cognitive impairments associated with diabetes. Our findings also suggest that antioxidants such as NAC and GSH can decrease deregulated Cdk5 kinase activity and rescue cells from UPR-mediated ER stress. The accumulation of phosphorylated Tau protein in AD brain protein has been widely described earlier. Notably, we observed that oral treatment with NAC decreased Cdk5 kinase activity in the hippocampus, attenuated high levels of phospho-tau (ser396), and ameliorated memory and learning impairments in a type 2 diabetic (T2D) mouse model. Additionally, the high-fat-induced T2D model exhibits elevated phospho-tau levels, which are rescued by the NAC treatment. Taken together, these results suggest that targeting Cdk5 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating diabetes-associated cognitive impairments.

Understanding the roles and regulation of mitochondrial microRNAs (MitomiRs) in neurodegenerative diseases: Current status and advances.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a class of small non-coding RNA, roughly 21-22 nucleotides in length, which are master gene regulators. These miRNAs bind to the mRNA's 3' - untranslated region and regulate post-transcriptional gene regulation, thereby influencing various physiological and cellular processes. Another class of miRNAs known as mitochondrial miRNA (MitomiRs) has been found to either originate from the mitochondrial genome or be translocated directly into the mitochondria. Although the role of nuclear DNA encoded miRNA in the progression of various neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, etc. is well known, accumulating evidence suggests the possible role of deregulated mitomiRs in the progression of various neurodegenerative diseases with unknown mechanism. We have attempted to outline the current state of mitomiRs role in controlling mitochondrial gene expression and function through this review, paying particular attention to their contribution to neurological processes, their etiology, and their potential therapeutic use.

GPi-DBS for KMT2B-Associated Dystonia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Early evidence suggests good response to pallidal deep brain stimulation (DBS) in DYT-KMT2B. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess outcomes and identify predictors of good outcome following GPi-DBS in DYT-KMT2B. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane and MDS-abstracts databases using the MeSH terms "KMT2B and DYT28". We included studies that reported objective outcomes following GPi-DBS in DYT-KMT2B. The BFMDRS-M (Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale- Movement) total scores pre- and post-surgery were used to quantify outcomes. We calculated pooled effects using a random effects meta-analysis and used meta-regression to identify potential effect modifiers. Multiple linear regression using individual patient data was used to identify predictors of good outcome (>50% improvement from baseline on BFMDRS-M). RESULTS: Initial searches screened 132 abstracts of which 34 full-text articles were identified to be of potential interest. Ten studies reporting 42 individual patients, met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the final review. The mean age at onset was 6.4 ± 5.7 years and 40% were male. The median follow-up was 12 months (range: 1-264 months). GPi-DBS resulted in median BFMDRS-M improvement of 42.7% (range: -103.5% to 95.9%) postoperatively. Pooled proportion of patients experiencing clinical improvement >50% on BFMDRS-M was 41% (95% CI: 27%-57%). Male gender [ß: 22.6, 95% CI: 8.0-37.3, P = 0.004), and higher pre-operative BFMDRS-M score [ß: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.36-0.87, P < 0.001) were independently associated with better outcome. CONCLUSION: KMT2B-associated dystonia responds effectively to pallidal stimulation. The outcome is better in males and those with more severe dystonia at baseline.

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 Regulates cPLA2 Activity and Neuroinflammation in Parkinson's Disease.

Hyperactivation of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) by p25, contributes to neuroinflammation causing neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease. However, the mechanism by which Cdk5 induces neuroinflammation in the PD brain is largely unexplored. Here, we show that Cdk5 phosphorylates cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) at Thr-268 and Ser-505 sites lead to its activation and generation of eicosanoid products. Mutational studies using site-directed mutagenesis and molecular simulations show that the architecture of the protein changes on each single-point mutation. Interestingly, double mutations also led to a severe decline in the activity of cPLA2 and to the disruption of its translocation to the plasma membrane. Further, the brain lysates of transgenic PD mouse models show hyperactivation of Cdk5, resulting in enhanced phosphorylation of Thr-268 and Ser-505 of cPLA2 and its heightened activity, confirming the findings observed in the cell culture model of PD. These phosphorylation sites of cPLA2 and Cdk5 could be explored as the future therapeutic targets against neuroinflammation in PD. Further, conjoint transcriptomic analysis of the publicly available human PD datasets strengthens the hypothesis that genes of the arachidonic acid, prostaglandin synthesis, and inflammatory pathways are significantly upregulated in the case of PD patients compared with that of healthy control subjects.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Mitophagy Closely Cooperate in Neurological Deficits Associated with Alzheimer's Disease and Type 2 Diabetes.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are known to be correlated in terms of their epidemiology, histopathology, and molecular and biochemical characteristics. The prevalence of T2D leading to AD is approximately 50-70%. Moreover, AD is often considered type III diabetes because of the common risk factors. Uncontrolled T2D may affect the brain, leading to memory and learning deficits in patients. In addition, metabolic disorders and impaired oxidative phosphorylation in AD and T2D patients suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in both diseases. The dysregulation of pathways involved in maintaining mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis and mitophagy are responsible for exacerbating the impact of hyperglycemia on the brain and neurodegeneration under T2D conditions. The first section of this review describes the recent views on mitochondrial dysfunction that connect these two disease conditions, as the pathways are observed to overlap. The second section of the review highlights the importance of different mitochondrial miRNAs (mitomiRs) involved in the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and their association with the pathogenesis of T2D and AD. Therefore, targeting mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy pathways, along with the use of mitomiRs, could be a potent therapeutic strategy for T2D-related AD. The last section of the review highlights the known drugs targeting mitochondrial function for the treatment of both disease conditions.

WilsonGen a comprehensive clinically annotated genomic variant resource for Wilson's Disease.

Wilson disease (WD) is one of the most prevalent genetic diseases with an estimated global carrier frequency of 1 in 90 and a prevalence of 1 in 30,000. The disease owes its genesis to Kinnier Wilson who described the disease, and is caused by accumulation of Copper (Cu) in various organs including the liver, central nervous system, cornea, kidney, joints and cardiac muscle which contribute to the characteristic clinical features of WD. A number of studies have reported genetic variants in the ATP7B gene from diverse ethnic and geographical origins. The recent advent of next-generation sequencing approaches has also enabled the discovery of a large number of novel variants in the gene associated with the disease. Previous attempts have been made to compile the knowledgebase and spectrum of genetic variants from across the multitude of publications, but have been limited by the utility due to the significant differences in approaches used to qualify pathogenicity of variants in each of the publications. The recent formulation of guidelines and algorithms for assessment of the pathogenicity of variants jointly put forward by the American College of Medical Genetics and the Association of Molecular Pathologists (ACMG &) has provided a framework for evidence based and systematic assessment of pathogenicity of variants. In this paper, we describe a comprehensive resource of genetic variants in ATP7B gene manually curated from literature and data resources and systematically annotated using the ACMG & AMP guidelines for assessing pathogenicity. The resource therefore serves as a central point for clinicians and geneticists working on WD and to the best of our knowledge is the most comprehensive and only clinically annotated resource for WD. The resource is available at URL http://clingen.igib.res.in/WilsonGen/. We compiled a total of 3662 genetic variants from publications and databases associated with WD. Of these variants compiled, a total of 1458 were found to be unique entries. This is the largest WD database comprising 656 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants reported classified according to ACMG & AMP guidelines. We also mapped all the pathogenic variants corresponding to ATP7B protein from literature and other databases. In addition, geographical origin and distribution of ATP7B pathogenic variants reported are also mapped in the database.

The interaction of Munc 18 (p67) with the p10 domain of p35 protects in vivo Cdk5/p35 activity from inhibition by TFP5, a peptide derived from p35.

In a series of studies, we have identified TFP5, a truncated fragment of p35, the Cdk5 kinase regulatory protein, which inhibits Cdk5/p35 and the hyperactive Cdk5/p25 activities in test tube experiments. In cortical neurons, however, and in vivo in Alzheimer's disease (AD) model mice, the peptide specifically inhibits the Cdk5/p25 complex and not the endogenous Cdk5/p35. To account for the selective inhibition of Cdk5/p25 activity, we propose that the "p10" N-terminal domain of p35, absent in p25, spares Cdk5/p35 because p10 binds to macromolecules (e.g., tubulin and actin) as a membrane-bound multimeric complex that favors p35 binding to Cdk5 and catalysis. To test this hypothesis, we focused on Munc 18, a key synapse-associated neuronal protein, one of many proteins copurifying with Cdk5/p35 in membrane-bound multimeric complexes. Here we show that, in vitro, the addition of p67 protects Cdk5/p35 and has no effect on Cdk5/p25 activity in the presence of TFP5. In cortical neurons transfected with p67siRNA, we also show that TFP5 inhibits Cdk5/p35 activity, whereas in the presence of p67 the activity is protected. It does so without affecting any other kinases of the Cdk family of cyclin kinases. This difference may be of significant therapeutic value because the accumulation of the deregulated, hyperactive Cdk5/p25 complex in human brains has been implicated in pathology of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Cerebrospinal fluid profile of amyloid ß42 (Aß42), hTau and ubiquitin in North Indian Alzheimer's disease patients.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, and is characterized by the degeneration of neurons and their synapses, and a higher number of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) compared with that found in non-demented individuals. Amyloid-ß-peptides (Aß) are major components of amyloid plaques in AD brain whereas NFTs are composed of Tau and associated with ubiquitin. The aim of the present study was to analyze the levels of Aß42, hTau (total Tau) and ubiquitin in CSF of North Indian population. CSF Aß42, Tau and ubiquitin were measured in CSF of AD patients as well as controls using ELISA assays. Here we report low Aß42 levels in AD patients (324.24±76.38pg/ml) as compared to those in non-AD (NAD) (668.34±43.13pg/ml), neurological controls (NCs) (727.28±46.49pg/ml) and healthy controls (HCs) (976.47±124.46pg/ml). In contrast, hTau and ubiquitin levels were significantly high (568.65±48.89pg/ml and 36.82±4.34ng/ml, respectively) in AD patients compared to those in NAD, NC and HC. The hTau levels were 267.37±36.64pg/ml, 167.34±44.27pg/ml and 107.62±24.27pg/ml in NAD, NC and HC, respectively. Similarly, ubiquitin levels were 23.57±2.32ng/ml, 19.76±3.64ng/ml and 13.24±4.56ng/ml in NAD, NC and HC, respectively. In conclusion, low Aß42 and high Tau-ubiquitin levels were found in North Indian AD patients.