GM1 structural requirements to mediate neuronal functions.

Since the 1980s, it has been known that the administration of ganglioside GM1 to cultured cells induced or enhanced neuronal differentiation. GM1 mechanism of action relies on its direct interaction and subsequent activation of the membrane tyrosine kinase receptor, TrkA, which naturally serves as NGF receptor. This process is mediated by the sole oligosaccharide portion of GM1, the pentasaccharide ß-Gal-(1-3)-ß-GalNAc-(1-4)-[α-Neu5Ac-(2-3)]-ß-Gal-(1-4)-ß-Glc. Here we detailed the minimum structural requirements of the oligosaccharide portion of GM1 for mediating the TrkA dependent neuritogenic processing. By in vitro and in silico biochemical approaches, we demonstrated that the minimal portion of GM1 required for the TrkA activation is the inner core of the ganglioside's oligosaccharide ß-Gal-(1-3)-ß-GalNAc-(1-4)-[α-Neu5Ac-(2-3)]-ß-Gal. The addition of a sialic acid residue at position 3 of the outer galactose of the GM1 oligosaccharide, which forms the oligosaccharide of GD1a, prevented the interaction with TrkA and the resulting neuritogenesis. On the contrary, the addition of a fucose residue at position 2 of the outer galactose, forming the Fucosyl-GM1 oligosaccharide, did not prevent the TrkA-mediated neuritogenesis.

Therapeutic advantages of combined gene/cell therapy strategies in a murine model of GM2 gangliosidosis.

Genetic deficiency of ß-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Hex) functionality leads to accumulation of GM2 ganglioside in Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff disease (SD), which presently lack approved therapies. Current experimental gene therapy (GT) approaches with adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) still pose safety and efficacy issues, supporting the search for alternative therapeutic strategies. Here we leveraged the lentiviral vector (LV)-mediated intracerebral (IC) GT platform to deliver Hex genes to the CNS and combined this strategy with bone marrow transplantation (BMT) to provide a timely, pervasive, and long-lasting source of the Hex enzyme in the CNS and periphery of SD mice. Combined therapy outperformed individual treatments in terms of lifespan extension and normalization of the neuroinflammatory/neurodegenerative phenotypes of SD mice. These benefits correlated with a time-dependent increase in Hex activity and a remarkable reduction in GM2 storage in brain tissues that single treatments failed to achieve. Our results highlight the synergic mode of action of LV-mediated IC GT and BMT, clarify the contribution of treatments to the therapeutic outcome, and inform on the realistic threshold of corrective enzymatic activity. These results have important implications for interpretation of ongoing experimental therapies and for design of more effective treatment strategies for GM2 gangliosidosis.

Glycosphingolipids.

Glycosphingolipids are amphiphilic plasma membrane components formed by a glycan linked to a specific lipid moiety. In this chapter we report on these compounds, on their role played in our cells to maintain the correct cell biology.In detail, we report on their structure, on their metabolic processes, on their interaction with proteins and from this, their property to modulate positively in health and negatively in disease, the cell signaling and cell biology.

The impact of multi-organ procurement surgery in the nursing team: An Italian qualitative study.

The removal of organs and tissues is characterized by a high level of stress and can be very traumatic for the nursing team. This study was informed by a grounded theory approach and was based on data drawn from two focus groups with 15 nurses. Main themes centered on factors that modulate the level of stress (first experiences, children donors, doubts about death, organizational factors), and coping strategies (including nurses' attitudes toward organ donation and training needs). There is a need to implement training for the stress management of the operating nurses and to provide supportive interventions.

APOL1 polymorphism modulates sphingolipid profile of human podocytes.

Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) wild type (G0) plays a role in the metabolism of sphingolipids, glycosphingolipids, sphingomyelin and ceramide, which constitute bioactive components of the lipid rafts (DRM). We asked whether APOL1 variants (APOL1-Vs) G1 and G2 carry the potential to alter the metabolism of sphingolipids in human podocytes. The sphingolipid pattern in HPs overexpressing either APOL1G0 or APOL1-Vs was analysed by using a thin mono- and bi-dimensional layer chromatography, mass-spectrometry and metabolic labelling with [1-3H]sphingosine. HP G0 and G1/G2-Vs exhibit a comparable decrease in lactosylceramide and an increase in the globotriaosylceramide content. An analysis of the main glycohydrolases activity involved in glycosphingolipid catabolism showed an overall decrease in the activeness of the tested enzymes, irrespective of the type of APOL1-Vs expression. Similarly, the high throughput cell live-based assay showed a comparable increased action of the plasma membrane glycosphingolipid-glycohydrolases in living cells independent of the genetic APOL1 expression profile. Importantly, the most significative modification of the sphingolipid pattern induced by APOL1-Vs occurred in DRM resulted with a drastic reduction of radioactivity associated with sphingolipids. G1/G2-Vs present a decrease amount of globotriaosylceramide and globopentaosylceramide compared to G0. Additionally, ceramide at the DRM site and lactosylceramide in general, showed a greatest fall in G1/G2 in comparison with G0. Additionally, the levels of glucosylceramide decreased only in the DRM of human podocytes overexpressing G1/G2-Vs. These findings suggest that altered sphingolipidsprofiles may contribute to the deranged functionality of the plasma membrane in APOL1 risk milieu.

Gangliosides in the differentiation process of primary neurons: the specific role of GM1-oligosaccharide.

It has been recently reported by our group that GM1-oligosaccharide added to neuroblastoma cells or administered to mouse experimental model mimics the neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties of GM1 ganglioside. In addition to this, differently from GM1, GM1-oligosaccharide is not taken up by the cells, remaining solubilized into the extracellular environment interacting with cell surface proteins. Those characteristics make GM1-oligosaccharide a good tool to study the properties of the endogenous GM1, avoiding to interfere with the ganglioside natural metabolic pathway. In this study, we show that GM1-oligosaccharide administered to mice cerebellar granule neurons by interacting with cell surface induces TrkA-MAP kinase pathway activation enhancing neuron clustering, arborization and networking. Accordingly, in the presence of GM1-oligosaccharide, neurons show a higher phosphorylation rate of FAK and Src proteins, the intracellular key regulators of neuronal motility. Moreover, treated cells express increased level of specific neuronal markers, suggesting an advanced stage of maturation compared to controls. In parallel, we found that in the presence of GM1-oligosaccharide, neurons accelerate the expression of complex gangliosides and reduce the level of the simplest ones, displaying the typical ganglioside pattern of mature neurons. Our data confirms the specific role of GM1 in neuronal differentiation and maturation, determined by its oligosaccharide portion. GM1-oligosacchairide interaction with cell surface receptors triggers the activation of intracellular biochemical pathways responsible for neuronal migration, dendrites emission and axon growth.

Novel bicistronic lentiviral vectors correct ß-Hexosaminidase deficiency in neural and hematopoietic stem cells and progeny: implications for in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy of GM2 gangliosidosis.

The favorable outcome of in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy approaches in several Lysosomal Storage Diseases suggests that these treatment strategies might equally benefit GM2 gangliosidosis. Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease (the main forms of GM2 gangliosidosis) result from mutations in either the HEXA or HEXB genes encoding, respectively, the α- or ß-subunits of the lysosomal ß-Hexosaminidase enzyme. In physiological conditions, α- and ß-subunits combine to generate ß-Hexosaminidase A (HexA, αß) and ß-Hexosaminidase B (HexB, ßß). A major impairment to establishing in vivo or ex vivo gene therapy for GM2 gangliosidosis is the need to synthesize the α- and ß-subunits at high levels and with the correct stoichiometric ratio, and to safely deliver the therapeutic products to all affected tissues/organs. Here, we report the generation and in vitro validation of novel bicistronic lentiviral vectors (LVs) encoding for both the murine and human codon optimized Hexa and Hexb genes. We show that these LVs drive the safe and coordinate expression of the α- and ß-subunits, leading to supranormal levels of ß-Hexosaminidase activity with prevalent formation of a functional HexA in SD murine neurons and glia, murine bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), and human SD fibroblasts. The restoration/overexpression of ß-Hexosaminidase leads to the reduction of intracellular GM2 ganglioside storage in transduced and in cross-corrected SD murine neural progeny, indicating that the transgenic enzyme is secreted and functional. Importantly, bicistronic LVs safely and efficiently transduce human neurons/glia and CD34+ HSPCs, which are target and effector cells, respectively, in prospective in vivo and ex vivo GT approaches. We anticipate that these bicistronic LVs may overcome the current requirement of two vectors co-delivering the α- or ß-subunits genes. Careful assessment of the safety and therapeutic potential of these bicistronic LVs in the SD murine model will pave the way to the clinical development of LV-based gene therapy for GM2 gangliosidosis.

Parkinson's disease recovery by GM1 oligosaccharide treatment in the B4galnt1+/- mouse model.

Given the recent in vitro discovery that the free soluble oligosaccharide of GM1 is the bioactive portion of GM1 for neurotrophic functions, we investigated its therapeutic potential in the B4galnt1+/- mice, a model of sporadic Parkinson's disease. We found that the GM1 oligosaccharide, systemically administered, reaches the brain and completely rescues the physical symptoms, reduces the abnormal nigral α-synuclein content, restores nigral tyrosine hydroxylase expression and striatal neurotransmitter levels, overlapping the wild-type condition. Thus, this study supports the idea that the Parkinson's phenotype expressed by the B4galnt1+/- mice is due to a reduced level of neuronal ganglioside content and lack of interactions between the oligosaccharide portion of GM1 with specific membrane proteins. It also points to the therapeutic potential of the GM1 oligosaccharide for treatment of sporadic Parkinson's disease.

Hepatitis C virus-related factors associated WITH cognitive performance in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients.

The contribution of HCV-related variables to cognitive impairment in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients has been poorly investigated. We selected HIV-HCV-coinfected patients undergoing cognitive examination (exploring memory, language, speed of mental processing and fine motor function) at three clinical centres. Cognitive performance was evaluated using Z-transformed scores. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate variables associated to cognitive impairment (defined as a composite Z-score ≤ - 1). Overall, 146 HIV-HCV-coinfected patients were enrolled. Median HCV-RNA was 6.2logU/mL. HCV genotype 1a/b was the most represented (53.4%). Liver fibrosis was mild (Fib4 ≤ 1.45) in the majority of patients (44.5%). Global cognitive impairment was diagnosed in 35 (24%) subjects. Exploring each domain, a higher proportion of impairment was observed for memory (37%) followed by speed of mental processing (32.2%), fine motor functioning (24%) and language (18.5%). Among HCV-related variables, the duration of HCV infection was independently associated with global cognitive impairment (aOR 1.13 per +1 year, p = 0.016) and abnormal speed of mental processing (aOR 1.16 per +1 year, p = 0.001), while higher HCV-RNA was independently associated to fine motor functioning impairment (aOR 1.98 per +1log, p = 0.037). HCV genotype, fibrosis stage, transaminases or bilirubin levels were not related to cognitive performance. Of note, integrase inhibitor (InSTI) use was independently associated to a pathological performance in fine motor functioning (aOR 3.34, p = 0.035) and memory (aOR 3.70, p = 0.014). In conclusion, the duration of HCV infection and HCV-RNA load showed an association with cognitive impairment, suggesting a role of hepatitis-related factors in the development of cognitive disorders in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients. The association between InSTI use and altered cognitive performance should prompt investigations about potential neurotoxicity of these drugs.

Pattern of self-injurious behavior and suicide attempts in Italian custodial inmates: A cluster analysis approach.

Self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts are more frequent in prison settings than in the general population and represent a crucial problem. The aims of this work are to assess the prevalence of self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts in an Italian prison setting, to determine whether inmates could be differentiated based on profiles of psychological distress and impulsiveness, and to assess the predictive power of the proposed profiles. A sample of 1422 male inmates of a north Italian penitentiary was assessed upon admission with a clinical interview and completed a set of self-report questionnaires to assess psychological distress and impulsiveness; the number of self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts occurring in the first year of detention was recorded. A cluster analysis approach was used. Prevalence of self-Injurious behaviors and suicide attempts is similar to what has been observed in previous work. Cluster analysis revealed four clusters: dysregulated (high impulsivity and distress), impulsive (high impulsivity and mean distress), mildly distressed (mean impulsivity and moderate distress) and well-balanced (low impulsivity and distress). The four clusters help to discriminate subjects more at risk of self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts and are confirmed by the inclusion of risk factors such as marital status and relatives'/social support. Clinical implications are discussed.

Beyond Disease: Happiness, Goals, and Meanings among Persons with Multiple Sclerosis and Their Caregivers.

The experience of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their caregivers is usually investigated in terms of emotional distress and health-related quality of life, while well-being indicators remain largely underexplored. In addition, findings are often interpreted from the clinical perspective, neglecting socio-cultural aspects that may crucially contribute to individuals' functioning. At the methodological level, most studies rely on scaled instruments, not allowing participants to freely express their needs and resources. Based on the bio-psycho-social perspective endorsed by the International Classification of Functioning, well-being indicators were investigated among 62 persons with MS (PwMS), their 62 caregivers and two control groups, matched by age and gender. Participants completed the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Eudaimonic and Hedonic Happiness Investigation instrument (EHHI). EHHI provides information on participants' happiness, goals and meanings through scaled and open-ended questions, contextualized within major life domains. No relevant differences emerged among PwMS and caregivers, compared with the respective control groups, as concerns life domains associated with happiness, goals and meaning. Participants across groups prominently mentioned family, highlighting its intrinsic value and its relevance as a sharing context; health did not represent a major theme for PwMS; community, society and religion/spirituality issues were substantially neglected by all participants. PwMS and caregivers reported lower levels of positive affect than their control groups, while no substantial differences emerged for negative affect, happiness and meaningfulness levels in life and across most domains. Results suggest that the experience of MS is associated with well-being in relevant life domains, such as family and close relationships. Although PwMS and caregivers identified a lower number of goals and meaning-related opportunities compared to control groups, they showed a positive adjustment to disease through the development of personal and family resources. These assets are often undervalued by health professionals and social institutions, while they could be fruitfully exploited through the active involvement of PwMS and their families as expert and exemplary informants in initiatives aimed at promoting the well-being of individuals and communities.

ASAH1 variant causing a mild SMA phenotype with no myoclonic epilepsy: a clinical, biochemical and molecular study.

ASAH1 gene encodes for acid ceramidase that is involved in the degradation of ceramide into sphingosine and free fatty acids within lysosomes. ASAH1 variants cause both the severe and early-onset Farber disease and rare cases of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with progressive myoclonic epilepsy (SMA-PME), phenotypically characterized by childhood onset of proximal muscle weakness and atrophy due to spinal motor neuron degeneration followed by occurrence of severe and intractable myoclonic seizures and death in the teenage years. We studied two subjects, a 30-year-old pregnant woman and her 17-year-old sister, affected with a very slowly progressive non-5q SMA since childhood. No history of seizures or myoclonus has been reported and EEG was unremarkable. The molecular study of ASAH1 gene showed the presence of the homozygote nucleotide variation c.124A>G (r.124a>g) that causes the amino acid substitution p.Thr42Ala. Biochemical evaluation of cultured fibroblasts showed both reduction in ceramidase activity and accumulation of ceramide compared with the normal control. This study describes for the first time the association between ASAH1 variants and an adult SMA phenotype with no myoclonic epilepsy nor death in early age, thus expanding the phenotypic spectrum of ASAH1-related SMA. ASAH1 molecular analysis should be considered in the diagnostic testing of non-5q adult SMA patients.

iPSC-derived neurons from GBA1-associated Parkinson's disease patients show autophagic defects and impaired calcium homeostasis.

Mutations in the acid ß-glucocerebrosidase (GBA1) gene, responsible for the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher's disease (GD), are the strongest genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD) known to date. Here we generate induced pluripotent stem cells from subjects with GD and PD harbouring GBA1 mutations, and differentiate them into midbrain dopaminergic neurons followed by enrichment using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Neurons show a reduction in glucocerebrosidase activity and protein levels, increase in glucosylceramide and α-synuclein levels as well as autophagic and lysosomal defects. Quantitative proteomic profiling reveals an increase of the neuronal calcium-binding protein 2 (NECAB2) in diseased neurons. Mutant neurons show a dysregulation of calcium homeostasis and increased vulnerability to stress responses involving elevation of cytosolic calcium. Importantly, correction of the mutations rescues such pathological phenotypes. These findings provide evidence for a link between GBA1 mutations and complex changes in the autophagic/lysosomal system and intracellular calcium homeostasis, which underlie vulnerability to neurodegeneration.

Ceramides as possible nutraceutical compounds: characterization of the ceramides of the Moro blood orange ( Citrus sinensis ).

Ceramides are presented as nutraceutical compounds for protection of colon carcinoma and as important cosmetic preparation components, increasing absorption through the skin. Therefore, the ceramide (Cer) content of Moro blood oranges was determined by mass spectrometry. A total of 114 Cer species were identified: ∼160 mg in the peels and ∼140 mg in the pulp per kilogram of oranges, expressed as "milligram equivalents of d18:1,17:0 Cer". The predominant ceramides contained 4-hydroxy-8-sphingenine (t18:1(Δ8)) and 4-hydroxysphinganine (t18:0) as long-chain bases (LCBs) and fatty acids (FAs) with different structures. In the pulp, t18:1(Δ8)- and t18:0-containing Cer species comprised 50.5 and 33.5% of the total, respectively, 11.5 and 3.5% non-hydroxylated FAs, respectively, 32.0 and 21.0% α-hydroxylated FAs, respectively, and 7.0 and 9.0% α,ß-hydroxylated FAs, respectively. In the peels, t18:1(Δ8)- and t18:0-containing species comprised 49.5 and 34.5% of the total, respectively, 16.0 and 1.5% non-hydroxylated FAs, respectively, 31.5 and 29.0% α-hydroxylated FAs, respectively, and 2.0 and 4.0% α,ß-hydroxylated FAs, respectively.

Sphingosine kinase mediates resistance to the synthetic retinoid N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide in human ovarian cancer cells.

A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells respond to treatment with the synthetic retinoid N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (HPR) with the production of dihydroceramide and with a concomitant reduction of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The derived HPR-resistant clonal cell line, A2780/HPR, is less responsive to HPR in terms of dihydroceramide generation. In this report, we show that the production of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is significantly higher in A2780/HPR versus A2780 cells due to an increased sphingosine kinase (SK) activity and SK-1 mRNA and protein levels. Treatment of A2780 and A2780/HPR cells with a potent and highly selective pharmacological SK inhibitor effectively reduced S1P production and resulted in a marked reduction of cell proliferation. Moreover, A2780/HPR cells treated with a SK inhibitor were sensitized to the cytotoxic effect of HPR, due to an increased dihydroceramide production. On the other hand, the ectopic expression of SK-1 in A2780 cells was sufficient to induce HPR resistance in these cells. Challenge of A2780 and A2780/HPR cells with agonists and antagonists of S1P receptors had no effects on their sensitivity to the drug, suggesting that the role of SK in HPR resistance in these cells is not mediated by the S1P receptors. These data clearly demonstrate a role for SK in determining resistance to HPR in ovarian carcinoma cells, due to its effect in the regulation of intracellular ceramide/S1P ratio, which is critical in the control of cell death and proliferation.

Sphingolipidomics of A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells treated with synthetic retinoids.

The dihydroceramide, ceramide, sphingomyelin, lactosylceramide, and ganglioside species of A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells treated with the synthetic retinoids N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (fenretinide, 4-HPR) and 4-oxo-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4-oxo-4-HPR) in culture were characterized by ESI-MS. We characterized 32 species of ceramide and dihydroceramide, 15 of sphingomyelin, 12 of lactosylceramide, 9 of ganglioside GM2, and 6 of ganglioside GM3 differing for the long-chain base and fatty acid structures. Our results indicated that treatment with both 4-HPR and 4-oxo-4-HPR led to a marked increase in dihydroceramide species, while only 4-oxo-4-HPR led to a minor increase of ceramide species. Dihydroceramides generated in A2780 cells in response to 4-HPR or 4-oxo-4-HPR differed for their fatty acid content, suggesting that the two drugs differentially affect the early steps of sphingolipid synthesis. Dihydroceramides produced upon treatments with the drugs were further used for the synthesis of complex dihydrosphingolipids, whose levels dramatically increased in drug-treated cells.

Alterations of myelin-specific proteins and sphingolipids characterize the brains of acid sphingomyelinase-deficient mice, an animal model of Niemann-Pick disease type A.

Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) type A is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by sphingomyelin (SM) accumulation in lysosomes relying on reduced or absent acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) activity. NPD-A patients develop progressive neurodegeneration including cerebral and cerebellar atrophy, relevant Purkinje cell and myelin deficiency with death within 3 years. ASM'knock-out' (ASMKO) mice, an animal model of NPD-A, develop a phenotype largely mimicking that of NPD-A. The mechanisms underlying myelin formation are poorly documented in ASMKO mice. In this study we determined the content of four myelin-specific proteins, myelin basic protein (MBP), 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNP), myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) and proteolipid protein (PLP), and that of myelin-enriched sphingolipids in the brains of ASMKO and wild-type mice in early stages of post-natal (pn) life. Protein and mRNA analysis revealed that in ASMKO mice beginning from 4 post-natal weeks (wk-pn), the expression levels of MAG, CNP, and MBP were below those observed in wild-type mice and the same applied to PLP at 10 wk-pn. Moreover, at 4 wk-pn the expression of SOX10, one of the transcription factors involved in oligodendrocyte development and maintenance was lower in ASMKO mice. Lipid analysis showed that SM and the gangliosides GM3 and GM2 accumulated in the brains of ASMKO mice, as opposed to galactocerebroside and galactosulfocerebroside that, in parallel with the mRNAs of UDP-galactose ceramide galactosyltransferase and galactose-3-O-sulfotransferase 1, the two transferases involved in their synthesis, decreased. Myelin lipid analysis showed a progressive sphingomyelin accumulation in ASMKO mice; noteworthy, of the two sphingomyelin species known to be resolved by TLC, only that with the lower Rf accumulated. The immunohistochemical analysis showed that the reduced expression of myelin specific proteins in ASMKO mice at 10 wk-pn was not restricted to the Purkinje layer of the cerebellar cortex but involved the cerebral cortex as well. In conclusion, reduced oligodendrocyte metabolic activity is likely to be the chief cause of myelin deficiency in ASMKO mice, thus shedding light on the molecular dysfunctions underlying neurodegeneration in NPD-A.

Neural precursor cell cultures from GM2 gangliosidosis animal models recapitulate the biochemical and molecular hallmarks of the brain pathology.

In this work we showed that genotype-related patterns of hexosaminidase activity, isoenzyme composition, gene expression and ganglioside metabolism observed during embryonic and postnatal brain development are recapitulated during the progressive stages of neural precursor cell (NPC) differentiation to mature glia and neurons in vitro. Further, by comparing NPCs and their differentiated progeny established from Tay-Sachs (TS) and Sandhoff (SD) animal models with the wild-type counterparts, we studied the events linking the accumulation of undegraded substrates to hexosaminidase activity. We showed that similarly to what observed in brain tissues in TS NPCs and progeny, the stored GM2 was partially converted by sialidase to GA2, which can be then degraded in the lysosomes to its components. The latter can be used in a salvage pathway for the formation of GM3. Interestingly, results obtained from ganglioside feeding assays and from measurement of lysosomal sialidase activity suggest that a similar pathway might work also in the SD model.