Wei-na Cong

3xTgAD mice exhibit altered behavior and elevated Aβ after chronic mild social stress

Chronic stress may be a risk factor for developing Alzheimers disease (AD), but most studies of the effects of stress in models of AD utilize acute adverse stressors of questionable clinical relevance. The goal of this work was to determine how chronic psychosocial stress affects behavioral and pathological outcomes in an animal model of AD, and to elucidate underlying mechanisms. A triple-transgenic mouse model of AD (3xTgAD mice) and nontransgenic control mice were used to test for an affect of chronic mild social stress on blood glucose, plasma glucocorticoids, plasma insulin, anxiety, and hippocampal amyloid β-particle (Aβ), phosphorylated tau (ptau), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Despite the fact that both control and 3xTgAD mice experienced rises in corticosterone during episodes of mild social stress, at the end of the 6-week stress period 3xTgAD mice displayed increased anxiety, elevated levels of Aβ oligomers and intraneuronal Aβ, and decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, whereas control mice did not. Findings suggest 3xTgAD mice are more vulnerable than control mice to chronic psychosocial stress, and that such chronic stress exacerbates Aβ accumulation and impairs neurotrophic signaling.

DNA polymerase β deficiency leads to neurodegeneration and exacerbates Alzheimer disease phenotypes

We explore the role of DNA damage processing in the progression of cognitive decline by creating a new mouse model. The new model is a cross of a common Alzheimers disease (AD) mouse (3xTgAD), with a mouse that is heterozygous for the critical DNA base excision repair enzyme, DNA polymerase β. A reduction of this enzyme causes neurodegeneration and aggravates the AD features of the 3xTgAD mouse, inducing neuronal dysfunction, cell death and impairing memory and synaptic plasticity. Transcriptional profiling revealed remarkable similarities in gene expression alterations in brain tissue of human AD patients and 3xTg/Polβ+/− mice including abnormalities suggestive of impaired cellular bioenergetics. Our findings demonstrate that a modest decrement in base excision repair capacity can render the brain more vulnerable to AD-related molecular and cellular alterations.

Age-Related Changes in Mouse Taste Bud Morphology, Hormone Expression, and Taste Responsivity

Normal aging is a complex process that affects every organ system in the body, including the taste system. Thus, we investigated the effects of the normal aging process on taste bud morphology, function, and taste responsivity in male mice at 2, 10, and 18 months of age. The 18-month-old animals demonstrated a significant reduction in taste bud size and number of taste cells per bud compared with the 2- and 10-month-old animals. The 18-month-old animals exhibited a significant reduction of protein gene product 9.5 and sonic hedgehog immunoreactivity (taste cell markers). The number of taste cells expressing the sweet taste receptor subunit, T1R3, and the sweet taste modulating hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1, were reduced in the 18-month-old mice. Concordant with taste cell alterations, the 18-month-old animals demonstrated reduced sweet taste responsivity compared with the younger animals and the other major taste modalities (salty, sour, and bitter) remained intact.

Ghrelin Receptor Signaling: A Promising Therapeutic Target for Metabolic Syndrome and Cognitive Dysfunction

The neuroendocrine hormone ghrelin is an octanoylated 28-residue peptide that exerts numerous physiological functions. Ghrelin exerts its effects on the body mainly through a highly conserved G protein-coupled receptor known as the growth hormone secretagagogue receptor subtype 1a (GHS-R1a). Ghrelin and GSH-R1a are widely expressed in both peripheral and central tissues/organs, and ghrelin signaling plays a critical role in maintaining energy balance and neuronal health. The multiple orexigenic effects of ghrelin and its receptor have been studied in great detail, and GHS-R1a-mediated ghrelin signaling has long been a promising target for the treatment of metabolic disorders, such as obesity. In addition to its well-characterized metabolic effects, there is also mounting evidence that ghrelin-mediated GHS-R1a signaling exerts neuroprotective effects on the brain. In this review, we will summarize some of the effects of ghrelin-mediated GSH-R1a signaling on peripheral energy balance and cognitive function. We will also discuss the potential pharmacotherapeutic role of GSH-R1a-mediated ghrelin signaling for the treatment of complex neuroendocrine disorders.

Metabolic and hormonal signatures in pre-manifest and manifest Huntington's disease patients

Huntingtons disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder typified by involuntary body movements, and psychiatric and cognitive abnormalities. Many HD patients also exhibit metabolic changes including progressive weight loss and appetite dysfunction. Here we have investigated metabolic function in pre-manifest and manifest HD subjects to establish an HD subject metabolic hormonal plasma signature. Individuals at risk for HD who have had predictive genetic testing showing the cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) expansion causative of HD, but who do not yet present signs and symptoms sufficient for the diagnosis of manifest HD are said to be “pre-manifest.” Pre-manifest and manifest HD patients, as well as both familial and non-familial controls, were evaluated for multiple peripheral metabolism signals including circulating levels of hormones, growth factors, lipids, and cytokines. Both pre-manifest and manifest HD subjects exhibited significantly reduced levels of circulating growth factors, including growth hormone and prolactin. HD-related changes in the levels of metabolic hormones such as ghrelin, glucagon, and amylin were also observed. Total cholesterol, HDL-C, and LDL-C were significantly decreased in HD subjects. C-reactive protein was significantly elevated in pre-manifest HD subjects. The observation of metabolic alterations, even in subjects considered to be in the pre-manifest stage of HD, suggests that in addition, and prior, to overt neuronal damage, HD affects metabolic hormone secretion and energy regulation, which may shed light on pathogenesis, and provide opportunities for biomarker development.

Altered lipid and salt taste responsivity in ghrelin and GOAT null mice.

Taste perception plays an important role in regulating food preference, eating behavior and energy homeostasis. Taste perception is modulated by a variety of factors, including gastric hormones such as ghrelin. Ghrelin can regulate growth hormone release, food intake, adiposity, and energy metabolism. Octanoylation of ghrelin by ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) is a specific post-translational modification which is essential for many biological activities of ghrelin. Ghrelin and GOAT are both widely expressed in many organs including the gustatory system. In the current study, overall metabolic profiles were assessed in wild-type (WT), ghrelin knockout (ghrelin−/−), and GOAT knockout (GOAT−/−) mice. Ghrelin−/− mice exhibited decreased food intake, increased plasma triglycerides and increased ketone bodies compared to WT mice while demonstrating WT-like body weight, fat composition and glucose control. In contrast GOAT−/− mice exhibited reduced body weight, adiposity, resting glucose and insulin levels compared to WT mice. Brief access taste behavioral tests were performed to determine taste responsivity in WT, ghrelin−/− and GOAT−/− mice. Ghrelin and GOAT null mice possessed reduced lipid taste responsivity. Furthermore, we found that salty taste responsivity was attenuated in ghrelin−/− mice, yet potentiated in GOAT−/− mice compared to WT mice. Expression of the potential lipid taste regulators Cd36 and Gpr120 were reduced in the taste buds of ghrelin and GOAT null mice, while the salt-sensitive ENaC subunit was increased in GOAT−/− mice compared with WT mice. The altered expression of Cd36, Gpr120 and ENaC may be responsible for the altered lipid and salt taste perception in ghrelin−/− and GOAT−/− mice. The data presented in the current study potentially implicates ghrelin signaling activity in the modulation of both lipid and salt taste modalities.

Vismodegib, an antagonist of hedgehog signaling, directly alters taste molecular signaling in taste buds

Vismodegib, a highly selective inhibitor of hedgehog (Hh) pathway, is an approved treatment for basal‐cell carcinoma. Patients on treatment with vismodegib often report profound alterations in taste sensation. The cellular mechanisms underlying the alterations have not been studied. Sonic Hh (Shh) signaling is required for cell growth and differentiation. In taste buds, Shh is exclusively expressed in type IV taste cells, which are undifferentiated basal cells and the precursors of the three types of taste sensing cells. Thus, we investigated if vismodegib has an inhibitory effect on taste cell turnover because of its known effects on Hh signaling. We gavaged C57BL/6J male mice daily with either vehicle or 30 mg/kg vismodegib for 15 weeks. The gustatory behavior and immunohistochemical profile of taste cells were examined. Vismodegib‐treated mice showed decreased growth rate and behavioral responsivity to sweet and bitter stimuli, compared to vehicle‐treated mice. We found that vismodegib‐treated mice had significant reductions in taste bud size and numbers of taste cells per taste bud. Additionally, vismodegib treatment resulted in decreased numbers of Ki67‐ and Shh‐expressing cells in taste buds. The numbers of phospholipase Cβ2‐ and α‐gustducin‐expressing cells, which contain biochemical machinery for sweet and bitter sensing, were reduced in vismodegib‐treated mice. Furthermore, vismodegib treatment resulted in reduction in numbers of T1R3, glucagon‐like peptide‐1, and glucagon‐expressing cells, which are known to modulate sweet taste sensitivity. These results suggest that inhibition of Shh signaling by vismodegib treatment directly results in alteration of taste due to local effects in taste buds.

Long-Term Artificial Sweetener Acesulfame Potassium Treatment Alters Neurometabolic Functions in C57BL/6J Mice

With the prevalence of obesity, artificial, non-nutritive sweeteners have been widely used as dietary supplements that provide sweet taste without excessive caloric load. In order to better understand the overall actions of artificial sweeteners, especially when they are chronically used, we investigated the peripheral and central nervous system effects of protracted exposure to a widely used artificial sweetener, acesulfame K (ACK). We found that extended ACK exposure (40 weeks) in normal C57BL/6J mice demonstrated a moderate and limited influence on metabolic homeostasis, including altering fasting insulin and leptin levels, pancreatic islet size and lipid levels, without affecting insulin sensitivity and bodyweight. Interestingly, impaired cognitive memory functions (evaluated by Morris Water Maze and Novel Objective Preference tests) were found in ACK-treated C57BL/6J mice, while no differences in motor function and anxiety levels were detected. The generation of an ACK-induced neurological phenotype was associated with metabolic dysregulation (glycolysis inhibition and functional ATP depletion) and neurosynaptic abnormalities (dysregulation of TrkB-mediated BDNF and Akt/Erk-mediated cell growth/survival pathway) in hippocampal neurons. Our data suggest that chronic use of ACK could affect cognitive functions, potentially via altering neuro-metabolic functions in male C57BL/6J mice.

Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 modulate autonomic control of heart rate and energy metabolism

Toll-like receptors (TLR) are innate immune receptors typically activated by microbial-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) during infection or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) as a result of tissue injury. Recent findings suggest that TLR2 and TLR4 signaling play important roles in developmental and adult neuroplasticity, and in learning and memory. In addition, activation of TLR2 and TLR4 worsens ischemic injury to the heart and brain in animal models of myocardial infarction and stroke. TLR activation is also implicated in thermoregulation and fever in response to infection. However, it is not known whether TLRs participate in the regulation of the sympathetic and/or parasympathetic components of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Here we provide evidence that TLR2 and TLR4 influence autonomic regulation of heart rate (HR) body temperature and energy metabolism in mice. We show that mice lacking TLR2 or TLR4 exhibit reduced basal HR, which results from an increase of parasympathetic tone. In addition, thermoregulatory responses to stress are altered in TLR2-/- and TLR4-/- mice, and brown fat-dependent thermoregulation is altered in TLR4-/- mice. Moreover, TLR2-/- and TLR4-/- mice consume less food and exhibit a greater mass compared to wild type mice. Collectively, our findings suggest important roles for TLR2 and TLR4 in the ANS regulation of cardiovascular function, thermoregulation, and energy metabolism.

Euglycemic Agent-mediated Hypothalamic Transcriptomic Manipulation in the N171–82Q Model of Huntington Disease Is Related to Their Physiological Efficacy

Background: Huntington disease (HD) involves neurological and metabolic pathologies. Results: Euglycemic therapeutics that affect hypothalamic transcription ameliorate multiple aspects of HD pathology. Conclusion: Hypothalamic targeting in HD may yield enhanced HD drug efficacy. Significance: Wider consideration of the metabolic aspects of neurological disorders may be important for drug design. Our aim was to employ novel analytical methods to investigate the therapeutic treatment of the energy regulation dysfunction occurring in a Huntington disease (HD) mouse model. HD is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by progressive motor impairment and cognitive alterations. Changes in neuroendocrine function, body weight, energy metabolism, euglycemia, appetite function, and gut function can also occur. It is likely that the locus of these alterations is the hypothalamus. We determined the effects of three different euglycemic agents on HD progression using standard physiological and transcriptomic signature analyses. N171–82Q HD mice were treated with insulin, Exendin-4, and the newly developed GLP-1-Tf to determine whether these agents could improve energy regulation and delay disease progression. Blood glucose, insulin, metabolic hormone levels, and pancreatic morphology were assessed. Hypothalamic gene transcription, motor coordination, and life span were also determined. The N171–82Q mice exhibited significant alterations in hypothalamic gene transcription signatures and energy metabolism that were ameliorated, to varying degrees, by the different euglycemic agents. Exendin-4 or GLP-1-Tf (but not insulin) treatment also improved pancreatic morphology, motor coordination, and increased life span. Using hypothalamic transcription signature analyses, we found that the physiological efficacy variation of the drugs was evident in the degree of reversal of the hypothalamic HD pathological signature. Euglycemic agents targeting hypothalamic and energy regulation dysfunction in HD could potentially alter disease progression and improve quality of life in HD.