Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dynamics malfunction are linked in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Montserrat Ruiz
  • Mélina Bégou
  • Nathalie Launay
  • Ranea Robles, Pablo
  • Patrizia Bianchi
  • Jone López-Erauskin
  • Laia Morató
  • Cristina Guilera
  • Bérengère Petit
  • Catherine Vaurs-Barriere
  • Céline Guéret-Gonthier
  • Marie-Noëlle Bonnet-Dupeyron
  • Stéphane Fourcade
  • Johan Auwerx
  • Odile Boespflug-Tanguy
  • Aurora Pujol

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) is a fatal hypomyelinating disorder characterized by early impairment of motor development, nystagmus, choreoathetotic movements, ataxia and progressive spasticity. PMD is caused by variations in the proteolipid protein gene PLP1, which encodes the two major myelin proteins of the central nervous system, PLP and its spliced isoform DM20, in oligodendrocytes. Large duplications including the entire PLP1 gene are the most frequent causative mutation leading to the classical form of PMD. The Plp1 overexpressing mouse model (PLP-tg66/66 ) develops a phenotype very similar to human PMD, with early and severe motor dysfunction and a dramatic decrease in lifespan. The sequence of cellular events that cause neurodegeneration and ultimately death is poorly understood. In this work, we analyzed patient-derived fibroblasts and spinal cords of the PLP-tg66/66 mouse model, and identified redox imbalance, with altered antioxidant defense and oxidative damage to several enzymes involved in ATP production, such as glycolytic enzymes, creatine kinase and mitochondrial proteins from the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. We also evidenced malfunction of the mitochondria compartment with increased ROS production and depolarization in PMD patient's fibroblasts, which was prevented by the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine. Finally, we uncovered an impairment of mitochondrial dynamics in patient's fibroblasts which may help explain the ultrastructural abnormalities of mitochondria morphology detected in spinal cords from PLP-tg66/66 mice. Altogether, these results underscore the link between redox and metabolic homeostasis in myelin diseases, provide insight into the pathophysiology of PMD, and may bear implications for tailored pharmacological intervention.

Original languageEnglish
JournalBrain Pathology
Volume28
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)611-630
Number of pages20
ISSN1015-6305
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sep 2018
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

© 2017 The Authors. Brain Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Neuropathology.

    Research areas

  • Animals, Cells, Cultured, Child, Child, Preschool, DNA, Mitochondrial, Fibroblasts/metabolism, Glutamic Acid/metabolism, Humans, Infant, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Transgenic, Mitochondria/metabolism, Mitochondrial Dynamics, Mitochondrial Proteins/metabolism, Myelin Proteolipid Protein/genetics, Oxidative Stress, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease/metabolism, RNA, Messenger/metabolism, Spinal Cord/metabolism

ID: 340125585