scholarly journals Effects of Different Continuous Aerobic Training Protocols in a Heterozygous Mouse Model of Niemann-Pick Type C Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Ida Cariati ◽  
Manuel Scimeca ◽  
Virginia Tancredi ◽  
Agata Grazia D’Amico ◽  
Gabriele Pallone ◽  
...  

The positive effects of physical activity on cognitive functions are widely known. Aerobic training is known to promote the expression of neurotrophins, thus inducing an increase in the development and survival of neurons, as well as enhancing synaptic plasticity. Based on this evidence, in the present study, we analyze the effects of two different types of aerobic training, progressive continuous (PC) and varying continuous (VC), on synaptic and muscular plasticity in heterozygous mice carrying the genetic mutation for Niemann-Pick type C disease. We also analyze the effects on synaptic plasticity by extracellular recordings in vitro in mouse hippocampal slices, while the morphological structure of muscle tissue was studied by transmission electron microscopy. Our results show a modulation of synaptic plasticity that varies according to the type of training protocol used, and only the VC protocol administered twice a week, has a significantly positive effect on long-term potentiation. On the contrary, ultrastructural analysis of muscle tissue shows an improvement in cellular conditions in all trained mice. These results confirm the beneficial effects of exercise on quality of life, supporting the hypothesis that physical activity could represent an alternative therapeutic strategy for patients with Niemann-Pick type C disease.

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Ida Cariati ◽  
Roberto Bonanni ◽  
Gabriele Pallone ◽  
Manuel Scimeca ◽  
Claudio Frank ◽  
...  

Aerobic training is known to influence cognitive processes, such as memory and learning, both in animal models and in humans. Particularly, in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that aerobic exercise can increase neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus, improve hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), and reduce age-related decline in mnemonic function. However, the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Based on this evidence, the aim of our study was to verify whether the application of two aerobic training protocols, different in terms of speed and speed variation, could modulate synaptic plasticity in a young murine model. Therefore, we assessed the presence of any functional changes by extracellular recordings in vitro in mouse hippocampal slices and structural alterations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our results showed that an aerobic training protocol, well designed in terms of speed and speed variation, significantly contributes to improving synaptic plasticity and hippocampal ultrastructure, optimizing its benefits in the brain. Future studies will aim to clarify the underlying biological mechanisms involved in the modulation of synaptic plasticity induced by aerobic training.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (10) ◽  
pp. 825-835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Stampanoni Bassi ◽  
Ennio Iezzi ◽  
Francesco Mori ◽  
Ilaria Simonelli ◽  
Luana Gilio ◽  
...  

Background: Synaptic plasticity helps in reducing the clinical expression of brain damage and represents a useful mechanism to compensate the negative impact of new brain lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS). Inflammation, altering synaptic plasticity, could negatively influence the disease course in relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS). Objective: In the present study, we explored whether interleukin (IL)-6, a major proinflammatory cytokine involved in MS pathogenesis, alters synaptic plasticity and affects the ability to compensate for ongoing brain damage. Methods: The effect of IL-6 incubation on long-term potentiation (LTP) induction was explored in vitro, in mice hippocampal slices. We also explored the correlation between the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of this cytokine and the LTP-like effect induced by the paired associative stimulation (PAS) in a group of RR-MS patients. Finally, we examined the correlation between the CSF levels of IL-6 at the time of diagnosis and the prospective disease activity in a cohort of 150 RR-MS patients. Results: In vitro LTP induction was abolished by IL-6. Consistently, in patients with MS, a negative correlation emerged between IL-6 CSF concentrations and the effect of PAS. In MS patients, longer disease duration before diagnosis was associated with higher IL-6 CSF concentrations. In addition, elevated CSF levels of IL-6 were associated with greater clinical expression of new inflammatory brain lesions, unlike in patients with low or absent IL-6 concentrations, who had a better disease course. Conclusions: IL-6 interfering with synaptic plasticity mechanisms may impair the ability to compensate the clinical manifestation of new brain lesions in RR-MS patients.


2015 ◽  
Vol 210 (5) ◽  
pp. 771-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norbert Bencsik ◽  
Zsófia Szíber ◽  
Hanna Liliom ◽  
Krisztián Tárnok ◽  
Sándor Borbély ◽  
...  

Actin turnover in dendritic spines influences spine development, morphology, and plasticity, with functional consequences on learning and memory formation. In nonneuronal cells, protein kinase D (PKD) has an important role in stabilizing F-actin via multiple molecular pathways. Using in vitro models of neuronal plasticity, such as glycine-induced chemical long-term potentiation (LTP), known to evoke synaptic plasticity, or long-term depolarization block by KCl, leading to homeostatic morphological changes, we show that actin stabilization needed for the enlargement of dendritic spines is dependent on PKD activity. Consequently, impaired PKD functions attenuate activity-dependent changes in hippocampal dendritic spines, including LTP formation, cause morphological alterations in vivo, and have deleterious consequences on spatial memory formation. We thus provide compelling evidence that PKD controls synaptic plasticity and learning by regulating actin stability in dendritic spines.


1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 3013-3020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Katsuki ◽  
Yukitoshi Izumi ◽  
Charles F. Zorumski

Katsuki, Hiroshi, Yukitoshi Izumi, and Charles F. Zorumski. Noradrenergic regulation of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 region. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 3013–3020, 1997. The effects of norepinephrine (NE) and related agents on long-lasting changes in synaptic efficacy induced by several patterns of afferent stimuli were investigated in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices. NE (10 μM) showed little effect on the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) triggered by theta-burst-patterned stimulation, whereas it inhibited the induction of long-term depression (LTD) triggered by 900 pulses of 1-Hz stimulation. In nontreated slices, 900 pulses of stimuli induced LTD when applied at lower frequencies (1–3 Hz), and induced LTP when applied at a higher frequency (30 Hz). NE (10 μM) caused a shift of the frequency-response relationship in the direction preferring potentiation. The effect of NE was most prominent at a stimulus frequency of 10 Hz, which induced no changes in control slices but clearly induced LTP in the presence of NE. The facilitating effect of NE on the induction of LTP by 10-Hz stimulation was blocked by theβ-adrenergic receptor antagonist timolol (50 μM), but not by the α receptor antagonist phentolamine (50 μM), and was mimicked by the β-agonist isoproterenol (0.3 μM), but not by the α1 agonist phenylephrine (10 μM). The induction of LTD by 1-Hz stimulation was prevented by isoproterenol but not by phenylephrine, indicating that the activation of β-receptors is responsible for these effects of NE. NE (10 μM) also prevented the reversal of LTP (depotentiation) by 900 pulses of 1-Hz stimulation delivered 30 min after LTP induction. In contrast to effects on naive (nonpotentiated) synapses, the effect of NE on previously potentiated synapses was only partially mimicked by isoproterenol, but fully mimicked by coapplication of phenylephrine and isoproterenol. In addition, the effect of NE was attenuated either by phentolamine or by timolol, indicating that activation of both α1 and β-receptors is required. These results show that NE plays a modulatory role in the induction of hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Althoughβ-receptor activation is essential, α1 receptor activation is also necessary in determining effects on previously potentiated synapses.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 849-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nickolay K. Isaev ◽  
Elena V. Stelmashook ◽  
Elisaveta E. Genrikhs ◽  
Galina A. Korshunova ◽  
Natalya V. Sumbatyan ◽  
...  

AbstractIn 2008, using a model of compression brain ischemia, we presented the first evidence that mitochondria-targeted antioxidants of the SkQ family, i.e. SkQR1 [10-(6′-plastoquinonyl)decylrhodamine], have a neuroprotective action. It was shown that intraperitoneal injections of SkQR1 (0.5–1 μmol/kg) 1 day before ischemia significantly decreased the damaged brain area. Later, we studied in more detail the anti-ischemic action of this antioxidant in a model of experimental focal ischemia provoked by unilateral intravascular occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. The neuroprotective action of SkQ family compounds (SkQR1, SkQ1, SkQTR1, SkQT1) was manifested through the decrease in trauma-induced neurological deficit in animals and prevention of amyloid-β-induced impairment of long-term potentiation in rat hippocampal slices. At present, most neurophysiologists suppose that long-term potentiation underlies cellular mechanisms of memory and learning. They consider inhibition of this process by amyloid-β1-42as anin vitromodel of memory disturbance in Alzheimer’s disease. Further development of the above studies revealed that mitochondria-targeted antioxidants could retard accumulation of hyperphosphorylated τ-protein, as well as amyloid-β1-42, and its precursor APP in the brain, which are involved in developing neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer’s disease.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiandong Sun ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
Guoqi Zhu ◽  
Caleb Cato ◽  
Xiaoning Hao ◽  
...  

Abstract The ubiquitin ligase, Ube3a, plays important roles in brain development and functions, since its deficiency results in Angelman Syndrome (AS) while its over-expression increases the risk for autism. We previously showed that the lack of Ube3a-mediated ubiquitination of the Ca2+-activated small conductance potassium channel, SK2, contributes to impairment of synaptic plasticity and learning in AS mice. Synaptic SK2 levels are also regulated by protein kinase A (PKA), which phosphorylates SK2 in its C-terminal domain, facilitating its endocytosis. Here, we report that PKA activation restores theta burst stimulation (TBS)-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal slices from AS mice by enhancing SK2 internalization. While TBS-induced SK2 endocytosis is facilitated by PKA activation, SK2 recycling to synaptic membranes after TBS is inhibited by Ube3a. Molecular and cellular studies confirmed that phosphorylation of SK2 in the C-terminal domain increases its ubiquitination and endocytosis. Finally, PKA activation increases SK2 phosphorylation and ubiquitination in Ube3a-overexpressing mice. Our results indicate that, although both Ube3a-mediated ubiquitination and PKA-induced phosphorylation reduce synaptic SK2 levels, phosphorylation is mainly involved in TBS-induced endocytosis, while ubiquitination predominantly inhibits SK2 recycling. Understanding the complex interactions between PKA and Ube3a in the regulation of SK2 synaptic levels might provide new platforms for developing treatments for AS and various forms of autism.


1999 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 2024-2028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyan Wang ◽  
John J. Wagner

The activity history of a given neuron has been suggested to influence its future responses to synaptic input in one prominent model of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity proposed by Bienenstock, Cooper, and Munro (BCM theory). Because plasticity of synaptic plasticity (i.e., metaplasticity) is similar in concept to aspects of the BCM proposal, we have tested the possibility that a form of metaplasticity induced by a priming stimulation protocol might exhibit BCM-like characteristics. CA1 field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) obtained from rat hippocampal slices were used to monitor synaptic responses before and after conditioning stimuli (3–100 Hz) of the Schaffer collateral inputs. A substantial rightward shift (>5-fold) in the frequency threshold between long-term depression (LTD) and long-term potentiation (LTP) was observed <1 h after priming. This change in the LTD/P crossover point occurred at both primed and unprimed synaptic pathways. These results provide new support for the existence of a rapid, heterosynaptic, experience-dependent mechanism that is capable of modifying the synaptic plasticity phenomena that are commonly proposed to be important for developmental and learning/memory processes in the brain.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung-Eun Lee ◽  
Nari Shin ◽  
Myung Geun Kook ◽  
Dasom Kong ◽  
Nam Gyo Kim ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent studies on developing three-dimensional (3D) brain organoids from stem cells have allowed the generation of in vitro models of neural disease and have enabled the screening of drugs because these organoids mimic the complexity of neural tissue. Niemann-Pick disease, type C (NPC) is a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the NPC1 or NPC2. The pathological features underlying NPC are characterized by the abnormal accumulation of cholesterol in acidic compartments, including late endosomes and lysosomes. Due to the inaccessibility of brain tissues from human NPC patients, we developed NPC brain organoids with induced neural stem cells from NPC patient-derived fibroblasts. NPC organoids exhibit significantly reduced size and proliferative ability, which are accompanied by accumulation of cholesterol, impairment in neuronal differentiation, and autophagic flux and dysfunction of lysosomes; therefore, NPC organoids can recapitulate the main phenotypes of NPC patients. Furthermore, these pathological phenotypes observed in NPC organoids were reversed by treatment with valproic acid and HPBCD, which are known to be an effective treatment for several neurodegenerative diseases. Our data present patient-specific phenotypes in 3D organoid-based models of NPC and highlight the application of this model to drug screening in vitro.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 705-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-An Chen ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Steen E Pedersen ◽  
Ayush Raman ◽  
Michelle L Seymour ◽  
...  

Abstract Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS) has been identified as an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by a complex neurological phenotype, with high prevalence of intellectual disability and optic nerve atrophy/hypoplasia. The syndrome is caused by loss-of-function mutations in NR2F1, which encodes a highly conserved nuclear receptor that serves as a transcriptional regulator. Previous investigations to understand the protein’s role in neurodevelopment have mostly used mouse models with constitutive and tissue-specific homozygous knockout of Nr2f1. In order to represent the human disease more accurately, which is caused by heterozygous NR2F1 mutations, we investigated a heterozygous knockout mouse model and found that this model recapitulates some of the neurological phenotypes of BBSOAS, including altered learning/memory, hearing defects, neonatal hypotonia and decreased hippocampal volume. The mice showed altered fear memory, and further electrophysiological investigation in hippocampal slices revealed significantly reduced long-term potentiation and long-term depression. These results suggest that a deficit or alteration in hippocampal synaptic plasticity may contribute to the intellectual disability frequently seen in BBSOAS. RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis revealed significant differential gene expression in the adult Nr2f1+/− hippocampus, including the up-regulation of multiple matrix metalloproteases, which are known to be critical for the development and the plasticity of the nervous system. Taken together, our studies highlight the important role of Nr2f1 in neurodevelopment. The discovery of impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity in the heterozygous mouse model sheds light on the pathophysiology of altered memory and cognitive function in BBSOAS.


1999 ◽  
Vol 839 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torsten Falk ◽  
William S. Garver ◽  
Robert P. Erickson ◽  
Jean M. Wilson ◽  
Andrea J. Yool
Keyword(s):  
Type C ◽  

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