Atf6α deficiency suppresses microglial activation and ameliorates pathology of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Accumulating evidence suggests a critical role for the unfolded protein response in multiple sclerosis (MS) and in its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this study, we investigated the relevance of activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α), an upstream regulator of part of the unfolded protein response, in EAE. The expressions of ATF6α-target molecular chaperones such as glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94) were enhanced in the acute inflammatory phase after induction of EAE. Deletion of Atf6α suppressed the accumulation of T cells and microglia/macrophages in the spinal cord, and ameliorated the clinical course and demyelination after EAE induction. In contrast to the phenotypes in the spinal cord, activation status of T cells in the peripheral tissues or in the culture system was not different between two genotypes. Bone marrow transfer experiments and adoptive transfer of autoimmune CD4+ T cells to recipient mice (passive EAE) also revealed that CNS-resident cells are responsible for the phenotypes observed in Atf6α-/- mice. Further experiments with cultured cells indicated that inflammatory response was reduced in Atf6α-/- microglia, but not in Atf6α-/- astrocytes, and was associated with proteasome-dependent degradation of NF-κB p65. Thus, our results demonstrate a novel role for ATF6α in microglia-mediated CNS inflammation. We investigated the relevance of ATF6α, an upstream regulator of part of the UPR, in EAE. Deletion of Atf6α suppressed inflammation, and ameliorated demyelination after EAE. Bone marrow transfer experiments and adoptive transfer of autoimmune CD4+ T cells revealed that CNS-resident cells are responsible for the phenotypes in Atf6α-/- mice. Furthermore, inflammatory response was reduced in Atf6α-/- microglia, and was associated with degradation of NF-κB p65. Our results demonstrate a novel role for ATF6α in microglia-mediated inflammation. Cover image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.13346.

Deletion of Herpud1 Enhances Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Herp is an endoplasmic reticulum- (ER-) resident membrane protein that plays a role in ER-associated degradation. We studied the expression of Herp and its effect on neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD), in which both the oxidative stress and the ER stress are evoked. Eight hours after administering a PD-related neurotoxin, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), to mice, the expression of Herp increased at both the mRNA and the protein levels. Experiments using Herpud1 (+/+) and Herpud1 (-/-) mice revealed that the status of acute degeneration of nigrostriatal neurons and reactive astrogliosis was comparable between two genotypes after MPTP injection. However, the expression of a potent antioxidant, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), was detected to a higher degree in the astrocytes of Herpud1 (-/-) mice than in the astrocytes of Herpud1 (+/+) mice 24 h after MPTP administration. Further experiments using cultured astrocytes revealed that the stress response against MPP(+), an active form of MPTP, and hydrogen peroxide, both of which cause oxidative stress, was comparable between the two genotypes. These results suggest that deletion of Herpud1 may cause a slightly higher level of initial damage in the nigrastrial neurons after MPTP administration but is compensated for by higher induction of antioxidants such as HO-1 in astrocytes.

Deletion of Atf6α impairs astroglial activation and enhances neuronal death following brain ischemia in mice.

To dissect the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response in brain ischemia, we investigated the relevance of activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α), a master transcriptional factor in the unfolded protein response, after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice. Enhanced expression of glucose-regulated protein78, a downstream molecular chaperone of ATF6α, was observed in both neurons and glia in the peri-infarct region of wild-type mice after MCAO. Analysis using wild-type and Atf6α(-/-) mice revealed a larger infarct volume and increased cell death in the peri-ischemic region of Atf6α(-/-) mice 5 days after MCAO. These phenotypes in Atf6α(-/-) mice were associated with reduced levels of astroglial activation/glial scar formation, and a spread of tissue damage into the non-infarct area. Further analysis in mice and cultured astrocytes revealed that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)-glial fibrillary acidic protein signaling were diminished in Atf6α(-/-) astrocytes. A chemical chaperone, 4-phenylbutyrate, restored STAT3-glial fibrillary acidic protein signaling, while ER stressors, such as tunicamycin and thapsigargin, almost completely abolished signaling in cultured astrocytes. Furthermore, ER stress-induced deactivation of STAT3 was mediated, at least in part, by the ER stress-responsive tyrosine phosphatase, TC-PTP/PTPN2. These results suggest that ER stress plays critical roles in determining the level of astroglial activation and neuronal survival after brain ischemia.

Anxiety- and depression-like behavior in mice lacking the CD157/BST1 gene, a risk factor for Parkinson's disease.

CD157, known as bone marrow stromal cell antigen-1, is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored ADP-ribosyl cyclase that supports the survival and function of B-lymphocytes and hematopoietic or intestinal stem cells. Although CD157/Bst1 is a risk locus in Parkinson's disease (PD), little is known about the function of CD157 in the nervous system and contribution to PD progression. Here, we show that no apparent motor dysfunction was observed in young knockout (CD157 (-/-)) male mice under less aging-related effects on behaviors. CD157 (-/-) mice exhibited anxiety-related and depression-like behaviors compared with wild-type mice. These behaviors were rescued through treatment with anti-psychiatric drugs and oxytocin. CD157 was weakly expressed in the amygdala and c-Fos immunoreactivity in the amygdala was less evident in CD157 (-/-) mice than in wild-type mice. These results demonstrate for the first time that CD157 plays a role as a neuro-regulator and suggest a potential role in pre-motor symptoms in PD.

3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone protects against Parkinson's disease-related neurotoxin 6-OHDA through Akt/Nrf2/glutathione pathway.

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD). 3,4-Dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL) is a small catechol-containing compound isolated from Chaga (Inonotus obliquus [persoon] Pilat), and has been reported to have beneficial bioactivities, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic activities, with a relatively low toxicity to normal cells. We, therefore, investigated the neuroprotective activity of DBL against the PD-related neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Pretreatment of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with DBL, but not with another Chaga-derived catechol-containing compound, caffeic acid, dose-dependently improved the survival of 6-OHDA-treated cells. Although DBL did not reduce 6-OHDA-induced reactive oxygen species in the cell-free system, it promoted the translocation of Nrf2 to the nucleus, activated the transcription of Nrf2-dependent antioxidative genes, and increased glutathione synthesis in the cells. Buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, but not Sn-mesoporphyrin IX, a heme oxygenase-1 inhibitor, or dicoumarol, an NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 inhibitor, abolished the protective effect of DBL against 6-OHDA. Furthermore, DBL activated stress-associated kinases such as Akt, ERK, and p38 MAPK, and PI3K or Akt inhibitors, but not ERK, p38, or JNK inhibitors, diminished DBL-induced glutathione synthesis and protection against 6-OHDA. These results suggest that DBL activates the Nrf2/glutathione pathway through PI3K/Akt, and improves survival of SH-SY5Y cells against 6-OHDA toxicity.

ATF6alpha promotes astroglial activation and neuronal survival in a chronic mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Accumulating evidence suggests a crucial role for the unfolded protein response (UPR) in Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we investigated the relevance of the UPR in a mouse model of chronic MPTP/probenecid (MPTP/P) injection, which causes severe and persistent degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Enhanced activation of the UPR branches, including ATF6α and PERK/eIF2α/ATF4, was observed after MPTP/P injections into mice. Deletion of the ATF6α gene accelerated neuronal degeneration and ubiquitin accumulation relatively early in the MPTP/P injection course. Surprisingly, astroglial activation was strongly suppressed, and production of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and anti-oxidative genes, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and xCT, in astrocytes were reduced in ATF6α -/- mice after MPTP/P injections. Decreased BDNF expression in ATF6α -/- mice was associated with decreased expression of GRP78, an ATF6α-dependent molecular chaperone in the ER. Decreased HO-1 and xCT levels were associated with decreased expression of the ATF4-dependent pro-apoptotic gene CHOP. Consistent with these results, administration of the UPR-activating reagent tangeretin (5,6,7,8,4'-pentamethoxyflavone; IN19) into mice enhanced the expression of UPR-target genes in both dopaminergic neurons and astrocytes, and promoted neuronal survival after MPTP/P injections. These results suggest that the UPR is activated in a mouse model of chronic MPTP/P injection, and contributes to the survival of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, in part, through activated astrocytes.

α-Lipoic acid (LA) enantiomers protect SH-SY5Y cells against glutathione depletion.

Growing evidence suggests that α-lipoic acid (LA) has neuroprotective effects in various pathological conditions including brain ischemia and neurodegeneration. While anti-oxidative activity has been thought to play a central role in LA-mediated neuroprotection, the precise mechanism and the effect of LA enantiomers (R- and S-LA) are not fully clarified. We, therefore, estimated the neuroprotective effects of LA against different cellular stresses including oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and proteolytic stress using human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. All types of LAs (racemate, R-LA and S-LA) most effectively prevented cell death induced by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) which depletes intracellular glutathione. Although direct effects of LA on glutathione depletion or generation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) were relatively small upon BSO treatment, LA enhanced expressions of anti-oxidative genes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and phase II detoxification enzymes such as NAD(P)H:Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). An inhibitor of NQO1, but not that of HO-1, suppressed LA-mediated protection against BSO. Further experiments revealed that all types of LAs activated cell survival-associated kinase Akt, and an inhibitor of PI3K, LY294002, suppressed both LA-induced upregulation of NQO1 and cell protection against BSO. Our results suggest an important role of PI3K/Akt-mediated upregulation of genes including phase II enzymes such as NQO1 in LA-mediated neuroprotection.

The effect of Ndrg2 expression on astroglial activation.

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (Ndrg2) is a differentiation- and stress-associated molecule predominantly expressed in astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). To study the expression and possible role of Ndrg2 in quiescent and activated astrocytes, mice were administrated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropypridine (MPTP), a Parkinson disease (PD)-related neurotoxin which causes both neurodegeneration and glial activation. Immunohistological analysis revealed that Ndrg2 was highly expressed in both types of astrocytes, but less so in astrocytes during the early process of activation. Ndrg2 was also expressed in astrocyte-like cells, but not in neurons, in human brains from PD and Cortico-basal degeneration (CBD) patients. In cultured astrocytes, gene silencing of Ndrg2 significantly enhanced the numbers of 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine (BrdU)-incorporated and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive cells, and reduced the length of cell processes and the amount of F-actin. In contrast, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Ndrg2 significantly reduced the numbers of BrdU-incorporated and PCNA-positive cells, and enhanced the amount of F-actin. Fractionation and immunocytochemical analysis further revealed that Ndrg2 was located in different cellular fractions including the cytosol and cell surface membranes. These results suggest that Ndrg2 may regulate astroglial activation through the suppression of cell proliferation and stabilization of cell morphology.

Ascorbic acid partly antagonizes resveratrol mediated heme oxygenase-1 but not paraoxonase-1 induction in cultured hepatocytes - role of the redox-regulated transcription factor Nrf2.

BACKGROUND: Both resveratrol and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) are frequently used in complementary and alternative medicine. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms for potential health benefits of resveratrol and its interactions with ascorbic acid. METHODS: The antioxidant enzymes heme oxygenase-1 and paraoxonase-1 were analysed for their mRNA and protein levels in HUH7 liver cells treated with 10 and 25 µmol/l resveratrol in the absence and presence of 100 and 1000 µmol/l ascorbic acid. Additionally the transactivation of the transcription factor Nrf2 and paraoxonase-1 were determined by reporter gene assays. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrate that resveratrol induces the antioxidant enzymes heme oxygenase-1 and paraoxonase-1 in cultured hepatocytes. Heme oxygenase-1 induction by resveratrol was accompanied by an increase in Nrf2 transactivation. Resveratrol mediated Nrf2 transactivation as well as heme oxygenase-1 induction were partly antagonized by 1000 µmol/l ascorbic acid. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike heme oxygenase-1 (which is highly regulated by Nrf2) paraoxonase-1 (which exhibits fewer ARE/Nrf2 binding sites in its promoter) induction by resveratrol was not counteracted by ascorbic acid. Addition of resveratrol to the cell culture medium produced relatively low levels of hydrogen peroxide which may be a positive hormetic redox-signal for Nrf2 dependent gene expression thereby driving heme oxygenase-1 induction. However, high concentrations of ascorbic acid manifold increased hydrogen peroxide production in the cell culture medium which may be a stress signal thereby disrupting the Nrf2 signalling pathway.

Deletion of Herp facilitates degradation of cytosolic proteins.

Although intracellular stresses are believed to be involved in the process of neurodegeneration, it is not fully understood how one stress/stress response affects another. Herp is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-located membrane protein proposed to function in ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Herp is strongly induced by ER stress but rapidly degraded by proteasome. To elucidate the effect of Herp expression on proteolytic stress caused by impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), we utilized 293T Herp knockdown (KD) cells and F9 Herp knockout cells. Knockdown of Herp gene unexpectedly facilitated the degradation of Parkinson's disease-associated cytosolic proteins such as alpha-synuclein and its binding partner, synphilin-1, and improved cell viability during proteasomal inhibition. A similar tendency was observed in F9 Herp knockout cells transfected with synphilin-1. Herp temporarily bound to alpha-synuclein, synphilin-1 and the E3 ligase SIAH1a during proteolytic stress but not during ER stress. Furthermore, deletion of Herp enhanced the amount of ubiquitinated protein in the cytosol during proteasomal inhibition, although it did not affect the activity or expression of proteasome. These results suggest that ERAD molecule Herp may delay the degradation of cytosolic proteins at the ubiquitination step.