A M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-specific positive allosteric modulator VU0486846 reduces neurogliosis in female Alzheimer's mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent type of dementia, disproportionately affecting females, who make up nearly 60% of diagnosed cases. In AD patients, the accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aß) in the brain triggers a neuroinflammatory response driven by neuroglia, worsening the condition. We have previously demonstrated that VU0486846, an orally available positive allosteric modulator (PAM) targeting M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, enhances cognitive function and reduces Aß pathology in female APPswe/PSEN1ΔE9 (APP/PS1) mice. However, it remained unclear whether these improvements were linked to a decrease in neuroglial activation. To investigate, we treated nine-month-old APP/PS1 and wildtype mice with VU0486846 for 8 weeks and analyzed brain slices for markers of microglial activation (ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1, Iba1) and astrocyte activation (Glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP). We find that VU0486846 reduces the presence of Iba1-positive microglia and GFAP-positive astrocytes in the hippocampus of female APP/PS1 mice and limits the recruitment of these cells to remaining Aß plaques. This study sheds light on an additional mechanism through which novel M1 mAChR PAMs exhibit disease-modifying effects by reducing neuroglial activation and underscore the potential of these ligands for the treatment of AD, especially in females.

Author Guide for Addressing Animal Methods Bias in Publishing.

There is growing recognition that animal methods bias, a preference for animal-based methods where they are not necessary or where nonanimal-based methods may already be suitable, can impact the likelihood or timeliness of a manuscript being accepted for publication. Following April 2022 workshop about animal methods bias in scientific publishing, a coalition of scientists and advocates formed a Coalition to Illuminate and Address Animal Methods Bias (COLAAB). The COLAAB has developed this guide to be used by authors who use nonanimal methods to avoid and respond to animal methods bias from manuscript reviewers. It contains information that researchers may use during 1) study design, including how to find and select appropriate nonanimal methods and preregister a research plan, 2) manuscript preparation and submission, including tips for discussing methods and choosing journals and reviewers that may be more receptive to nonanimal methods, and 3) the peer review process, providing suggested language and literature to aid authors in responding to biased reviews. The author's guide for addressing animal methods bias in publishing is a living resource also available online at animalmethodsbias.org, which aims to help ensure fair dissemination of research that uses nonanimal methods and prevent unnecessary experiments on animals.

The Role of Neuroglial Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Alzheimer's Disease.

Glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain exerts its effects via both ionotropic glutamate receptors and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). There are three subgroups of mGluRs, pre-synaptic Group II and Group III mGluRs and post-synaptic Group I mGluRs. mGluRs are ubiquitously expressed in the brain and their activation is poised upstream of a myriad of signaling pathways, resulting in their implication in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including, Alzheimer's Disease (AD). While the exact mechanism of AD etiology remains elusive, ß-amyloid (Aß) plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau tangles remain the histopathological hallmarks of AD. Though less electrically excitable, neuroglia are a major non-neuronal cell type in the brain and are composed of astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. Astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes provide structural and metabolic support, active immune defence, and axonal support and sheathing, respectively. Interestingly, Aß and hyperphosphorylated tau are known to disrupt the neuroglial homeostasis in the brain, pushing them towards a more neurotoxic state. In this review, we discuss what is currently known regarding the expression patterns of various mGluRs in neuroglia and how Aß and tau alter the normal mGluR function in the neuroglia and contribute to the pathophysiology of AD.

A positive allosteric modulator for the muscarinic receptor (M1 mAChR) improves pathology and cognitive deficits in female APPswe/PSEN1ΔE9 mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline, and women account for 60% of diagnosed cases. ß-Amyloid (Aß) oligomers are considered the principal neurotoxic species in AD brains. The M1 muscarinic ACh receptor (M1 mAChR) plays a key role in memory and learning. M1 mAChR agonists show pro-cognitive activity but cause many adverse off-target effects. A new orally bioavailable M1 mAChR positive allosteric modulator (PAM), VU0486846, is devoid of direct agonist activity or adverse effects but was not tested for disease-modifying efficacy in female AD mice. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Nine-month-old female APPswe/PSEN1ΔE9 (APPswe) and wildtype mice were treated with VU0486846 in drinking water (10 mg·kg-1 ·day-1 ) for 4 or 8 weeks. Cognitive function of mice was assessed after treatment, and brains were harvested for biochemical and immunohistochemical assessment. KEY RESULTS: VU0486846 improved cognitive function of APPswe mice when tested in novel object recognition and Morris water maze. This was paralleled by a significant reduction in Aß oligomers and plaques and neuronal loss in the hippocampus. VU0486846 reduced Aß oligomer production in APPswe mice by increasing M1 mAChR expression and shifting the processing of amyloid precursor protein from amyloidogenic cleavage to non-amyloidogenic cleavage. Specifically, VU0486846 reduced the expression of ß-secretase 1 (BACE1), whereas it enhanced the expression of the α-secretase ADAM10 in APPswe hippocampus. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Using M1 mAChR PAMs can be a viable disease-modifying approach that should be exploited clinically to slow AD in women.

Increased mitochondrial calcium uptake and concomitant mitochondrial activity by presenilin loss promotes mTORC1 signaling to drive neurodegeneration.

Metabolic dysfunction and protein aggregation are common characteristics that occur in age-related neurodegenerative disease. However, the mechanisms underlying these abnormalities remain poorly understood. We have found that mutations in the gene encoding presenilin in Caenorhabditis elegans, sel-12, results in elevated mitochondrial activity that drives oxidative stress and neuronal dysfunction. Mutations in the human presenilin genes are the primary cause of familial Alzheimer's disease. Here, we demonstrate that loss of SEL-12/presenilin results in the hyperactivation of the mTORC1 pathway. This hyperactivation is caused by elevated mitochondrial calcium influx and, likely, the associated increase in mitochondrial activity. Reducing mTORC1 activity improves proteostasis defects and neurodegenerative phenotypes associated with loss of SEL-12 function. Consistent with high mTORC1 activity, we find that SEL-12 loss reduces autophagosome formation, and this reduction is prevented by limiting mitochondrial calcium uptake. Moreover, the improvements of proteostasis and neuronal defects in sel-12 mutants due to mTORC1 inhibition require the induction of autophagy. These results indicate that mTORC1 hyperactivation exacerbates the defects in proteostasis and neuronal function in sel-12 mutants and demonstrate a critical role of presenilin in promoting neuronal health.

Corrupted ER-mitochondrial calcium homeostasis promotes the collapse of proteostasis.

Aging and age-related diseases are associated with a decline of protein homeostasis (proteostasis), but the mechanisms underlying this decline are not clear. In particular, decreased proteostasis is a widespread molecular feature of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Familial AD is largely caused by mutations in the presenilin encoding genes; however, their role in AD is not understood. In this study, we investigate the role of presenilins in proteostasis using the model system Caenorhabditis elegans. Previously, we found that mutations in C. elegans presenilin cause elevated ER to mitochondria calcium signaling, which leads to an increase in mitochondrial generated oxidative stress. This, in turn, promotes neurodegeneration. To understand the cellular mechanisms driving neurodegeneration, using several molecular readouts of protein stability in C. elegans, we find that presenilin mutants have widespread defects in proteostasis. Markedly, we demonstrate that these defects are independent of the protease activity of presenilin and that reduction in ER to mitochondrial calcium signaling can significantly prevent the proteostasis defects observed in presenilin mutants. Furthermore, we show that supplementing presenilin mutants with antioxidants suppresses the proteostasis defects. Our findings indicate that defective ER to mitochondria calcium signaling promotes proteostatic collapse in presenilin mutants by increasing oxidative stress.

Measurement of Oxygen Consumption Rates in Intact Caenorhabditis elegans.

Optimal mitochondrial function is critical for healthy cellular activity, particularly in cells that have high energy demands like those in the nervous system and muscle. Consistent with this, mitochondrial dysfunction has been associated with a myriad of neurodegenerative diseases and aging in general. Caenorhabditis elegans have been a powerful model system for elucidating the many intricacies of mitochondrial function. Mitochondrial respiration is a strong indicator of mitochondrial function and recently developed respirometers offer a state-of-the-art platform to measure respiration in cells. In this protocol, we provide a technique to analyze live, intact C. elegans. This protocol spans a period of ~7 days and includes steps for (1) growing and synchronization of C. elegans, (2) preparation of compounds to be injected and hydration of probes, (3) drug loading and cartridge equilibration, (4) preparation of worm assay plate and assay run, and (5) post-experiment data analysis.

Role of Presenilin in Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) are poised to become a global health crisis, and therefore understanding the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis is critical for the development of therapeutic strategies. Mutations in genes encoding presenilin (PSEN) occur in most familial Alzheimer's disease but the role of PSEN in AD is not fully understood. In this review, the potential modes of pathogenesis of AD are discussed, focusing on calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial function. Moreover, research using Caenorhabditis elegans to explore the effects of calcium dysregulation due to presenilin mutations on mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and neurodegeneration is explored.

Presenilin mutations deregulate mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis and metabolic activity causing neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent metabolic deregulation is observed in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Mutations in the presenilin (PSEN) encoding genes (PSEN1 and PSEN2) cause most cases of familial Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the underlying mechanism of pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we show that mutations in the C. elegans gene encoding a PSEN homolog, sel-12 result in mitochondrial metabolic defects that promote neurodegeneration as a result of oxidative stress. In sel-12 mutants, elevated endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling leads to an increase in mitochondrial Ca2+ content which stimulates mitochondrial respiration resulting in an increase in mitochondrial superoxide production. By reducing ER Ca2+ release, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake or mitochondrial superoxides in sel-12 mutants, we demonstrate rescue of the mitochondrial metabolic defects and prevent neurodegeneration. These data suggest that mutations in PSEN alter mitochondrial metabolic function via ER to mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling and provide insight for alternative targets for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Measurement of ROS in Caenorhabditis elegans Using a Reduced Form of Fluorescein.

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Oxidative stress is a result of a disruption of the equilibrium between antioxidants and oxidants, in favor of oxidants. Since mitochondria are major sites of production and reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), measurement of ROS levels can help us determine if mitochondrial functional integrity has been compromised. In this protocol, we describe a method to measure the level of ROS in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, using chloromethyl-2,7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (CM-H2DCFDA).

Analysis of Mitochondrial Structure in the Body Wall Muscle of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Mitochondrial function is altered in various pathologies, highlighting the crucial role mitochondria plays in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Mitochondrial structure undergoes constant fission and fusion in response to changing cellular environment. Due to this, analyzing mitochondrial structure could provide insight into the physiological state of the cell. In this protocol, we describe a method to analyze mitochondrial structure in body wall muscles in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, using both transgenic and dye-based approaches.

A γ-Secretase Independent Role for Presenilin in Calcium Homeostasis Impacts Mitochondrial Function and Morphology in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Mutations in the presenilin (PSEN) encoding genes (PSEN1 and PSEN2) occur in most early onset familial Alzheimer's Disease. Despite the identification of the involvement of PSEN in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) ∼20 years ago, the underlying role of PSEN in AD is not fully understood. To gain insight into the biological function of PSEN, we investigated the role of the PSEN homolog SEL-12 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Using genetic, cell biological, and pharmacological approaches, we demonstrate that mutations in sel-12 result in defects in calcium homeostasis, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, consistent with mammalian PSEN, we provide evidence that SEL-12 has a critical role in mediating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium release. Furthermore, we found that in SEL-12-deficient animals, calcium transfer from the ER to the mitochondria leads to fragmentation of the mitochondria and mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, we show that the impact that SEL-12 has on mitochondrial function is independent of its role in Notch signaling, γ-secretase proteolytic activity, and amyloid plaques. Our results reveal a critical role for PSEN in mediating mitochondrial function by regulating calcium transfer from the ER to the mitochondria.