Despite the great effort of the scientific community in the field, the pathogenesis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) remains elusive. Recently, a role for autoimmunity and altered glutamatergic neurotransmission in triggering disease onset has been put forward. We reported the presence of autoantibodies recognizing the GluA3 subunit of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptors in about 25% of FTD cases. In this study, we evaluated the mechanisms involved in anti-GluA3 autoimmunity, through molecular/neurochemical analyses conducted on patients' brain specimens with frontotemporal lobar degeneration-tau neuropathology. We then corroborated these results in vivo in FTD patients with transcranial magnetic stimulation and glutamate, D-serine, and L-serine dosages in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum. We observed that GluA3 autoantibodies affect glutamatergic neurotransmission, decreasing glutamate release and altering GluA3-containing α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptor levels. These alterations were accompanied by changes of scaffolding proteins involved in receptor synaptic retention/internalization. The above results were confirmed by transcranial magnetic stimulation, suggesting a significant impairment of indirect measures of glutamatergic neurotransmission in FTD patients compared with controls, with further add-on harmful effect in those FTD patients with anti-GluA3 antibodies. Finally, FTD patients showed a significant increase of glutamate, D-serine, and L-serine levels in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Anti-GluA3 antibodies in frontotemporal dementia: effects on glutamatergic neurotransmission and synaptic failure / PALESE FRANCESCA, E. Bonomi, T. Nuzzo, A. Benussi, MELLONE MANUELA, ZIANNI ELISA, F. Cisani, A. Casamassa, A. Alberici, D. Scheggia, A. Padovani, E. Marcello, M. Di Luca, A. Pittaluga, A. Usiello, B. Borroni, F. Gardoni. - In: NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING. - ISSN 0197-4580. - 86(2020 Feb), pp. 143-155. [10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.10.015]

Anti-GluA3 antibodies in frontotemporal dementia: effects on glutamatergic neurotransmission and synaptic failure.

F. Palese
Primo
;
M. Mellone;E. Zianni;D. Scheggia;E. Marcello;M. Di Luca;F. Gardoni
Ultimo
2020

Abstract

Despite the great effort of the scientific community in the field, the pathogenesis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) remains elusive. Recently, a role for autoimmunity and altered glutamatergic neurotransmission in triggering disease onset has been put forward. We reported the presence of autoantibodies recognizing the GluA3 subunit of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptors in about 25% of FTD cases. In this study, we evaluated the mechanisms involved in anti-GluA3 autoimmunity, through molecular/neurochemical analyses conducted on patients' brain specimens with frontotemporal lobar degeneration-tau neuropathology. We then corroborated these results in vivo in FTD patients with transcranial magnetic stimulation and glutamate, D-serine, and L-serine dosages in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum. We observed that GluA3 autoantibodies affect glutamatergic neurotransmission, decreasing glutamate release and altering GluA3-containing α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptor levels. These alterations were accompanied by changes of scaffolding proteins involved in receptor synaptic retention/internalization. The above results were confirmed by transcranial magnetic stimulation, suggesting a significant impairment of indirect measures of glutamatergic neurotransmission in FTD patients compared with controls, with further add-on harmful effect in those FTD patients with anti-GluA3 antibodies. Finally, FTD patients showed a significant increase of glutamate, D-serine, and L-serine levels in the cerebrospinal fluid.
glutamate; AMPA receptors; cerebrospinal fluid; autoimmunity; synapses; dementia;
Settore BIO/14 - Farmacologia
feb-2020
1-nov-2019
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
NBA-S-19-00737.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Pre-print (manoscritto inviato all'editore)
Dimensione 5.09 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
5.09 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
1-s2.0-S0197458019303781-main.pdf

accesso riservato

Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 1.86 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.86 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/694459
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 21
  • Scopus 36
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 34
social impact