Impaired aldehyde detoxification exacerbates motor deficits in an alpha-synuclein mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: The discovery of biogenic aldehydes in the postmortem parkinsonian brain and the ability of these aldehydes to modify and cross-link proteins has called attention to their possible role in Parkinson's disease. For example, many in vitro studies have found that the aldehyde metabolite of dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), induces the formation of stable, neurotoxic alpha-synuclein oligomers. METHODS: To study this in vivo, mice deficient in the two aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes (Aldh1a1 and Aldh2, DKO) primarily responsible for detoxification of DOPAL in the nigrostriatal pathway were crossed with mice that overexpress human wild-type alpha-synuclein. DKO overexpressing human wild-type alpha-synuclein (DKO/ASO) offspring were evaluated for impairment on motor tasks associated with Parkinsonism. RESULTS: DKO/ASO mice developed severe motor deficits greater than that of mice overexpressing human wild-type alpha-synuclein alone. CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence to support the idea that biogenic aldehydes such as DOPAL interact with human wild-type alpha-synuclein, directly or indirectly, in vivo to exacerbate locomotor deficits in Parkinson's disease.

DOPAL initiates αSynuclein-dependent impaired proteostasis and degeneration of neuronal projections in Parkinson's disease.

Dopamine dyshomeostasis has been acknowledged among the determinants of nigrostriatal neuron degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). Several studies in experimental models and postmortem PD patients underlined increasing levels of the dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), which is highly reactive towards proteins. DOPAL has been shown to covalently modify the presynaptic protein αSynuclein (αSyn), whose misfolding and aggregation represent a major trait of PD pathology, triggering αSyn oligomerization in dopaminergic neurons. Here, we demonstrated that DOPAL elicits αSyn accumulation and hampers αSyn clearance in primary neurons. DOPAL-induced αSyn buildup lessens neuronal resilience, compromises synaptic integrity, and overwhelms protein quality control pathways in neurites. The progressive decline of neuronal homeostasis further leads to dopaminergic neuron loss and motor impairment, as showed in in vivo models. Finally, we developed a specific antibody which detected increased DOPAL-modified αSyn in human striatal tissues from idiopathic PD patients, corroborating the translational relevance of αSyn-DOPAL interplay in PD neurodegeneration.

Cardiolipin remodeling by ALCAT1 links mitochondrial dysfunction to Parkinson's diseases.

Cardiolipin (CL) is a mitochondrial signature phospholipid that is required for membrane structure, respiration, dynamics, and mitophagy. Oxidative damage of CL by reactive oxygen species is implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), but the underlying cause remains elusive. This work investigated the role of ALCAT1, an acyltransferase that catalyzes pathological remodeling of CL in various aging-related diseases, in a mouse model of PD induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,4,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). We show that MPTP treatment caused oxidative stress, mtDNA mutations, and mitochondrial dysfunction in the midbrain. In contrast, ablation of the ALCAT1 gene or pharmacological inhibition of ALCAT1 prevented MPTP-induced neurotoxicity, apoptosis, and motor deficits. ALCAT1 deficiency also mitigated mitochondrial dysfunction by modulating DRP1 translocation to the mitochondria. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of ALCAT1 significantly improved mitophagy by promoting the recruitment of Parkin to dysfunctional mitochondria. Finally, ALCAT1 expression was upregulated by MPTP and by α-synucleinopathy, a key hallmark of PD, whereas ALCAT1 deficiency prevented α-synuclein oligomerization and S-129 phosphorylation, implicating a key role of ALCAT1 in the etiology of mouse models of PD. Together, these findings identify ALCAT1 as a novel drug target for the treatment of PD.

Neurochemical and motor changes in mice with combined mutations linked to Parkinson's disease.

Considerable evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative movement disorder. Reduced expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH1) and glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1), enzymes that function to detoxify aldehydes and hydroxyl radicals, respectively, has been reported in the substantia nigra of patients who died with PD. To determine whether deficiency in these two genes contributes to the pathogenesis of PD, mice were generated with homozygous null mutations of both Aldh1a1 (the murine homolog of ALDH1) and Gpx1 genes [knockout (KO) mice]. At 6 and 18 months of age, KO mice showed a significantly decreased latency to fall in the automated accelerating rotarod test and increased time to complete the pole test opamine levels were not altered; however, the dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and the DOPAC/dopamine ratio were significantly reduced at 18 months of age. Proteins adducted with 4-hydroxynonenal, the end-product of lipid peroxidation, were increased in the. midbrain and striatum of KO mice at 6 and 18 months. In conclusion, dual mutations in Gpx1 and Aldh1a1 genes are associated with motor deficits and increased lipid peroxidation in adult mice.

Longer lifespan in male mice treated with a weakly estrogenic agonist, an antioxidant, an α-glucosidase inhibitor or a Nrf2-inducer.

The National Institute on Aging Interventions Testing Program (ITP) evaluates agents hypothesized to increase healthy lifespan in genetically heterogeneous mice. Each compound is tested in parallel at three sites, and all results are published. We report the effects of lifelong treatment of mice with four agents not previously tested: Protandim, fish oil, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and metformin - the latter with and without rapamycin, and two drugs previously examined: 17-α-estradiol and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), at doses greater and less than used previously. 17-α-estradiol at a threefold higher dose robustly extended both median and maximal lifespan, but still only in males. The male-specific extension of median lifespan by NDGA was replicated at the original dose, and using doses threefold lower and higher. The effects of NDGA were dose dependent and male specific but without an effect on maximal lifespan. Protandim, a mixture of botanical extracts that activate Nrf2, extended median lifespan in males only. Metformin alone, at a dose of 0.1% in the diet, did not significantly extend lifespan. Metformin (0.1%) combined with rapamycin (14 ppm) robustly extended lifespan, suggestive of an added benefit, based on historical comparison with earlier studies of rapamycin given alone. The α-glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose, at a concentration previously tested (1000 ppm), significantly increased median longevity in males and 90th percentile lifespan in both sexes, even when treatment was started at 16 months. Neither fish oil nor UDCA extended lifespan. These results underscore the reproducibility of ITP longevity studies and illustrate the importance of identifying optimal doses in lifespan studies.

Neurodegeneration and motor dysfunction in mice lacking cytosolic and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenases: implications for Parkinson's disease.

Previous studies have reported elevated levels of biogenic aldehydes in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). In the brain, aldehydes are primarily detoxified by aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH). Reduced ALDH1 expression in surviving midbrain dopamine neurons has been reported in brains of patients who died with PD. In addition, impaired complex I activity, which is well documented in PD, reduces the availability of the NAD(+) co-factor required by multiple ALDH isoforms to catalyze the removal of biogenic aldehydes. We hypothesized that chronically decreased function of multiple aldehyde dehydrogenases consequent to exposure to environmental toxins and/or reduced ALDH expression, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of PD. To address this hypothesis, we generated mice null for Aldh1a1 and Aldh2, the two isoforms known to be expressed in substantia nigra dopamine neurons. Aldh1a1(-/-)×Aldh2(-/-) mice exhibited age-dependent deficits in motor performance assessed by gait analysis and by performance on an accelerating rotarod. Intraperitoneal administration of L-DOPA plus benserazide alleviated the deficits in motor performance. We observed a significant loss of neurons immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the substantia nigra and a reduction of dopamine and metabolites in the striatum of Aldh1a1(-/-)×Aldh2(-/-) mice. We also observed significant increases in biogenic aldehydes reported to be neurotoxic, including 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and the aldehyde intermediate of dopamine metabolism, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL). These results support the hypothesis that impaired detoxification of biogenic aldehydes may be important in the pathophysiology of PD and suggest that Aldh1a1(-/-)×Aldh2(-/-) mice may be a useful animal model of PD.