Preclinical Evaluation of Celastrol, an Inducer of HSP, in alpha-Syn Tg mice

描述（由申请人提供）：虽然帕金森病的病因尚不清楚，但α-突触核蛋白（α-Syn）的遗传和生化异常直接涉及PD和其他α-突触核蛋白病的发病机制。我们已经表明，使用小鼠朊病毒蛋白启动子（mPrP）而不是野生型（WT）或A30 P表达A53 T突变体人a-Syn的转基因（Tg）小鼠发展具有导致死亡的进行性运动功能障碍的成年发病性疾病。受影响的小鼠表现出人类α-突触核蛋白病的许多特征，包括α-Syn的纤维状聚集和神经变性。虽然α-突触核蛋白病的致病机制目前尚未确定，但许多研究表明，细胞蛋白伴侣的调节可以改变与α-Syn表达/聚集相关的毒性。特别地，增加的热休克蛋白水平可以保护果蝇模型α-突触核蛋白病中的α-Syn依赖性变性的神经元。因此，药理学诱导的细胞伴侣蛋白表达可能是α-突触核蛋白病的治疗益处。HSP的药理学诱导延迟了ALS的SOD 1转基因小鼠模型中的疾病进展，这一事实支持了这一基本原理。最近，来自卫矛科植物家族的天然产物--南蛇藤甾醇已被证明是HSF-1和HSP表达的有效激活剂。我们将测试南蛇藤酚是否可以调节表达A53 T突变体Hua-Syn的转基因（Tg）小鼠中的α-突触核蛋白病和PD的慢性MPTP模型中的多巴胺能变性。该研究将提供有价值的机制见解的发病机制的α-synucleinopaty在体内。更重要的是，我们希望为进一步筛选和测试其他可以诱导HSP表达的化合物作为治疗α-突触核蛋白病的潜在治疗剂提供强有力的理论依据。帕金森病和相关的α-突触核蛋白病是致命的神经退行性疾病，在美国每年影响500，000 - 1，000，000人。目前，没有治疗方法可以减缓或阻止这些疾病的进展。在过去的几年中，研究表明，遗传和生化异常的α-突触核蛋白的发病机制。体外研究和在α-突触核蛋白依赖性神经变性的苍蝇模型中的研究表明，热休克调节的伴侣蛋白的表达增加可以提供针对α-突触核蛋白异常的神经毒性作用的神经保护。我们将确定是否增加热休克蛋白，通过管理新的化合物雷公藤红素，可以防止在哺乳动物模型中的神经退行性病变是直接相关的PD。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): While the causes of Parkinson's disease is not known, genetic and biochemical abnormalities of a-synuclein (a-Syn) are directly implicated in the pathogenesis PD and other a-synucleinopathies. We have shown that transgenic (Tg) mice expressing the A53T mutant human a-Syn using the mouse prion protein promoter (mPrP), but not wild type (WT) or A30P, develop adult-onset disease with a progressive motoric dysfunction leading to death. The affected mice exhibit many features of human a-synucleinopathies, including fibrillar aggregation of a-Syn and neurodegeneration. While the pathogenic mechanisms of a-synucleinpathy is current not settled, number of studies indicate that modulation of cellular protein chaperones can alter toxicity associated with a-Syn expression/aggregation. In particular, increased levels of heat shock protein can protect neurons for a-Syn-dependent degeneration in the Drosophila model a-synucleinopathy. Thus, pharmacological induction of cellular chaperone expression could be therapeutic benefit for a-synucleinopathy. This rationale is supported by the fact that the pharmacological induction of HSP delays disease progression in SOD1 transgenic mouse model of ALS. Recently, Celasterol, a natural product derived from the Celastraceae family of plants, has been shown to be a potent activator or HSF-1 and HSP expression. We will test whether Celastrol can modulate a-synucleinopathy in the Transgenic (Tg) mice expressing the A53T mutant Hua-Syn and Dopaminergic degeneration in a chronic MPTP model of PD. The study will provide valuable mechanistic insights about the pathogenesis of a-synucleinopaty in vivo. More important, we hope to provide a strong rational for further screening and testing of other compounds that can induce HSP expression as potential therapeutic agents for treating a-synucleinopathy. Parkinson's Disease and related alpha-synucleinopathies are fatal neurodegenerative diseases affecting 500,000-1,000,000 individuals annually in US. Currently, there are no treatment to slow or halt the progression of these diseases. In the last several years, studies have implicated genetic and biochemical abnormalities of alpha-synuclein in the pathogenesis of PD. In vitro studies and studies in a fly model of alpha-synuclein dependent neurodegeneration suggest that increased expression of heat shock regulated chaperones could provide neuroprotection from the neurotoxic effect of alpha-synuclein abnormalities. We will determine whether increase in heat shock proteins, via administration of novel compound celastrol, can prevent neurodegeneration in mammalian animal models that are directly relevant to PD.