Probes for INS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal adult onset motor neuron disease characterized by progressive denervation and subsequent motor impairment. EphA4, a negative regulator of axonal growth, was recently identified as a genetic modifier in fish and rodent models of ALS. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of EphA4 for ALS, we examined the effect of CNS-directed EphA4 reduction in preclinical mouse models of ALS, and assessed if the levels of EPHA4 mRNA in blood correlate with disease onset and progression in human ALS patients. We developed antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to specifically reduce the expression of EphA4 in the central nervous system (CNS) of adult mice. Intracerebroventricular administration of an Epha4-ASO in wild-type mice inhibited Epha4 mRNA and protein in the brain and spinal cord, and promoted re-innervation and functional recovery after sciatic nerve crush. In contrast, lowering of EphA4 in the CNS of two mouse models of ALS (SOD1G93A and PFN1G118V) did not improve their motor function or survival. Furthermore, the level of EPHA4 mRNA in human blood correlated weakly with age of disease onset, and it was not a significant predictor of disease progression as measured by ALS Functional Rating Scores (ALSFRS). Our data demonstrates that lowering EphA4 in the adult CNS may not be a stand-alone viable strategy for treating ALS.

Behavioral manifestations of drug-seeking behavior are causally linked to alterations of synaptic strength onto nucleus accumbens (NAc) medium spiny neurons (MSN). Although neuron-driven changes in physiology and behavior are well characterized, there is a lack of knowledge of the role of the immune system in mediating such effects. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a pattern recognition molecule of the innate immune system, and evidence suggests that it modulates drug-related behavior. Using TLR4 knockout (TLR4.KO) mice, we show that TLR4 plays a role in NAc synaptic physiology and behavior. In addition to differences in the pharmacological profile of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) in the NAc core, TLR4.KO animals exhibit a deficit in low-frequency stimulation-induced NMDAR-dependent long-term depression (LTD). Interestingly, the synaptic difference is region specific as no differences were found in excitatory synaptic properties in the NAc shell. Consistent with altered NAc LTD, TLR4.KO animals exhibit an attenuation in drug reward learning. Finally, we show that TLR4 in the NAc core is primarily expressed on microglia. These results suggest that TLR4 influences NAc MSN synaptic physiology and drug reward learning and behavior.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Converging evidence suggests a role for microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease (PD). Animal models of PD can serve as a platform to investigate the role of neuroinflammation in degeneration in PD. However, due to features of the previously available PD models, interpretations of the role of neuroinflammation as a contributor to or a consequence of neurodegeneration have remained elusive. In the present study, we investigated the temporal relationship of neuroinflammation in a model of synucleinopathy following intrastriatal injection of pre-formed alpha-synuclein fibrils (α-syn PFFS).

METHODS:

Male Fischer 344 rats (N = 114) received unilateral intrastriatal injections of α-syn PFFs, PBS, or rat serum albumin with cohorts euthanized at monthly intervals up to 6 months. Quantification of dopamine neurons, total neurons, phosphorylated α-syn (pS129) aggregates, major histocompatibility complex-II (MHC-II) antigen-presenting microglia, and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1 (Iba-1) immunoreactive microglial soma size was performed in the substantia nigra. In addition, the cortex and striatum were also examined for the presence of pS129 aggregates and MHC-II antigen-presenting microglia to compare the temporal patterns of pSyn accumulation and reactive microgliosis.

RESULTS:

Intrastriatal injection of α-syn PFFs to rats resulted in widespread accumulation of phosphorylated α-syn inclusions in several areas that innervate the striatum followed by significant loss (~ 35%) of substantia nigra pars compacta dopamine neurons within 5-6 months. The peak magnitudes of α-syn inclusion formation, MHC-II expression, and reactive microglial morphology were all observed in the SN 2 months following injection and 3 months prior to nigral dopamine neuron loss. Surprisingly, MHC-II immunoreactivity in α-syn PFF injected rats was relatively limited during the later interval of degeneration. Moreover, we observed a significant correlation between substantia nigra pSyn inclusion load and number of microglia expressing MHC-II. In addition, we observed a similar relationship between α-syn inclusion load and number of microglia expressing MHC-II in cortical regions, but not in the striatum.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results demonstrate that increases in microglia displaying a reactive morphology and MHC-II expression occur in the substantia nigra in close association with peak numbers of pSyn inclusions, months prior to nigral dopamine neuron degeneration, and suggest that reactive microglia may contribute to vulnerability of SNc neurons to degeneration. The rat α-syn PFF model provides an opportunity to examine the innate immune response to accumulation of pathological α-syn in the context of normal levels of endogenous α-syn and provides insight into the earliest neuroinflammatory events in PD.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by an immune system attack targeting myelin, which is produced by oligodendrocytes (OLs). We performed single-cell transcriptomic analysis of OL lineage cells from the spinal cord of mice induced with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which mimics several aspects of MS. We found unique OLs and OL precursor cells (OPCs) in EAE and uncovered several genes specifically alternatively spliced in these cells. Surprisingly, EAE-specific OL lineage populations expressed genes involved in antigen processing and presentation via major histocompatibility complex class I and II (MHC-I and -II), and in immunoprotection, suggesting alternative functions of these cells in a disease context. Importantly, we found that disease-specific oligodendroglia are also present in human MS brains and that a substantial number of genes known to be susceptibility genes for MS, so far mainly associated with immune cells, are expressed in the OL lineage cells. Finally, we demonstrate that OPCs can phagocytose and that MHC-II-expressing OPCs can activate memory and effector CD4-positive T cells. Our results suggest that OLs and OPCs are not passive targets but instead active immunomodulators in MS. The disease-specific OL lineage cells, for which we identify several biomarkers, may represent novel direct targets for immunomodulatory therapeutic approaches in MS.

The heterogeneity of multiple sclerosis is reflected by dynamic changes of different lesion types in the brain white matter (WM). To identify potential drivers of this process, we RNA-sequenced 73 WM areas from patients with progressive MS (PMS) and 25 control WM. Lesion endophenotypes were described by a computational systems medicine analysis combined with RNAscope, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. The signature of the normal-appearing WM (NAWM) was more similar to control WM than to lesions: one of the six upregulated genes in NAWM was CD26/DPP4 expressed by microglia. Chronic active lesions that become prominent in PMS had a signature that were different from all other lesion types, and were differentiated from them by two clusters of 62 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). An upcoming MS biomarker, CHI3L1 was among the top ten upregulated genes in chronic active lesions expressed by astrocytes in the rim. TGFβ-R2 was the central hub in a remyelination-related protein interaction network, and was expressed there by astrocytes. We used de novo networks enriched by unique DEGs to determine lesion-specific pathway regulation, i.e. cellular trafficking and activation in active lesions; healing and immune responses in remyelinating lesions characterized by the most heterogeneous immunoglobulin gene expression; coagulation and ion balance in inactive lesions; and metabolic changes in chronic active lesions. Because we found inverse differential regulation of particular genes among different lesion types, our data emphasize that omics related to MS lesions should be interpreted in the context of lesion pathology. Our data indicate that the impact of molecular pathways is substantially changing as different lesions develop. This was also reflected by the high number of unique DEGs that were more common than shared signatures. A special microglia subset characterized by CD26 may play a role in early lesion development, while astrocyte-derived TGFβ-R2 and TGFβ pathways may be drivers of repair in contrast to chronic tissue damage. The highly specific mechanistic signature of chronic active lesions indicates that as these lesions develop in PMS, the molecular changes are substantially skewed: the unique mitochondrial/metabolic changes and specific downregulation of molecules involved in tissue repair may reflect a stage of exhaustion.