Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by expanded cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeats in the Huntingtin gene, resulting in the production of mutant huntingtin proteins (mHTT). Previous research has identified urea as a key metabolite elevated in HD animal models and postmortem tissues of HD patients. However, the relationship between disease course and urea elevations, along with the molecular mechanisms responsible for these disturbances remain unknown. Objective: To better understand the molecular disturbances and timing of urea cycle metabolism across different stages in HD. Methods: We completed a global metabolomic profile of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from individuals who were at several stages of disease: pre-manifest (PRE), manifest (MAN), and late manifest (LATE) HD participants, and compared to controls. Results: Approximately 500 metabolites were significantly altered in PRE participants compared to controls, although no significant differences in CSF urea or urea metabolites were observed. CSF urea was significantly elevated in LATE participants only. There were no changes in the urea metabolites citrulline, ornithine, and arginine. Conclusions: Overall, our study confirms that CSF elevations occur late in the HD course, and these changes may reflect accumulating deficits in cellular energy metabolism.
Source: Journal of Huntington s Disease
DOI: 10.3233/jhd-231511
Authors: Anna C. Pfalzer, Shuhei Shiino, James Silverman, Simona G. Codreanu, Stacy D. Sherrod, John A. McLean, Daniel O. Claassen
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: CHDI Foundation, Vanderbilt University, Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, University College London, National Institutes of Health, Medical Research Council, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Awards: G2615776415, Understanding metabolic changes associated with chronic manganese exposure and Alzheimer's Disease, Overall: Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center at Vanderbilt, MICA: HD-CSF: Studying cerebrospinal fluid to understand key CNS pathobiological targets in Huntington's disease, G5580019600, G659731888, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (VICTR)
OpenAlex ID: W4392454301