Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Acta Neuropathologica 1/2024

Open Access 01-06-2024 | Spastic Paraplegia | Original Paper

Neuroinflammatory disease signatures in SPG11-related hereditary spastic paraplegia patients

Authors: Laura Krumm, Tatyana Pozner, Naime Zagha, Roland Coras, Philipp Arnold, Thanos Tsaktanis, Kathryn Scherpelz, Marie Y. Davis, Johanna Kaindl, Iris Stolzer, Patrick Süß, Mukhran Khundadze, Christian A. Hübner, Markus J. Riemenschneider, Jonathan Baets, Claudia Günther, Suman Jayadev, Veit Rothhammer, Florian Krach, Jürgen Winkler, Beate Winner, Martin Regensburger

Published in: Acta Neuropathologica | Issue 1/2024

Login to get access

Abstract

Biallelic loss of SPG11 function constitutes the most frequent cause of complicated autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) with thin corpus callosum, resulting in progressive multisystem neurodegeneration. While the impact of neuroinflammation is an emerging and potentially treatable aspect in neurodegenerative diseases and leukodystrophies, the role of immune cells in SPG11–HSP patients is unknown. Here, we performed a comprehensive immunological characterization of SPG11–HSP, including examination of three human postmortem brain donations, immunophenotyping of patients’ peripheral blood cells and patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia-like cells (iMGL). We delineate a previously unknown role of innate immunity in SPG11–HSP. Neuropathological analysis of SPG11–HSP patient brain tissue revealed profound microgliosis in areas of neurodegeneration, downregulation of homeostatic microglial markers and cell-intrinsic accumulation of lipids and lipofuscin in IBA1+ cells. In a larger cohort of SPG11–HSP patients, the ratio of peripheral classical and intermediate monocytes was increased, along with increased serum levels of IL-6 that correlated with disease severity. Stimulation of patient-specific iMGLs with IFNγ led to increased phagocytic activity compared to control iMGL as well as increased upregulation and release of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as CXCL10. On a molecular basis, we identified increased STAT1 phosphorylation as mechanism connecting IFNγ-mediated immune hyperactivation and SPG11 loss of function. STAT1 expression was increased both in human postmortem brain tissue and in an Spg11–/– mouse model. Application of an STAT1 inhibitor decreased CXCL10 production in SPG11 iMGL and rescued their toxic effect on SPG11 neurons. Our data establish neuroinflammation as a novel disease mechanism in SPG11–HSP patients and constitute the first description of myeloid cell/ microglia activation in human SPG11–HSP. IFNγ/ STAT1-mediated neurotoxic effects of hyperreactive microglia upon SPG11 loss of function indicate that immunomodulation strategies may slow down disease progression.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
33.
go back to reference Grozdanov V, Bliederhaeuser C, Ruf WP, Roth V, Fundel-Clemens K, Zondler L, Brenner D, Martin-Villalba A, Hengerer B, Kassubek J, Ludolph AC, Weishaupt JH, Danzer KM (2014) Inflammatory dysregulation of blood monocytes in Parkinson’s disease patients. Acta Neuropathol 128:651–663. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00401-014-1345-4 Grozdanov V, Bliederhaeuser C, Ruf WP, Roth V, Fundel-Clemens K, Zondler L, Brenner D, Martin-Villalba A, Hengerer B, Kassubek J, Ludolph AC, Weishaupt JH, Danzer KM (2014) Inflammatory dysregulation of blood monocytes in Parkinson’s disease patients. Acta Neuropathol 128:651–663. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​S00401-014-1345-4
69.
go back to reference Panzer U, Zahner G, Wienberg U, Steinmetz OM, Peters A, Turner JE et al (2008) 15-deoxy-Delta 12,14-prostaglandin J2 inhibits INF-gamma-induced JAK/STAT1 signalling pathway activation and IP-10/CXCL10 expression in mesangial cells. Nephrol Dial Transplant 23:3776–3785. https://doi.org/10.1093/NDT/GFN361CrossRefPubMed Panzer U, Zahner G, Wienberg U, Steinmetz OM, Peters A, Turner JE et al (2008) 15-deoxy-Delta 12,14-prostaglandin J2 inhibits INF-gamma-induced JAK/STAT1 signalling pathway activation and IP-10/CXCL10 expression in mesangial cells. Nephrol Dial Transplant 23:3776–3785. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1093/​NDT/​GFN361CrossRefPubMed
108.
go back to reference Zondler L, Müller K, Khalaji S, Bliederhäuser C, Ruf WP, Grozdanov V, Thiemann M, Fundel-Clemes K, Freischmidt A, Holzmann K, Strobel B, Weydt P, Witting A, Thal DR, Helferich AM, Hengerer B, Gottschalk KE, Hill O, Kluge M, Ludolph AC, Danzer KM, Weishaupt JH (2016) Peripheral monocytes are functionally altered and invade the CNS in ALS patients. Acta Neuropathol 132:391–411. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-016-1548-y Zondler L, Müller K, Khalaji S, Bliederhäuser C, Ruf WP, Grozdanov V, Thiemann M, Fundel-Clemes K, Freischmidt A, Holzmann K, Strobel B, Weydt P, Witting A, Thal DR, Helferich AM, Hengerer B, Gottschalk KE, Hill O, Kluge M, Ludolph AC, Danzer KM, Weishaupt JH (2016) Peripheral monocytes are functionally altered and invade the CNS in ALS patients. Acta Neuropathol 132:391–411. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s00401-016-1548-y
Metadata
Title
Neuroinflammatory disease signatures in SPG11-related hereditary spastic paraplegia patients
Authors
Laura Krumm
Tatyana Pozner
Naime Zagha
Roland Coras
Philipp Arnold
Thanos Tsaktanis
Kathryn Scherpelz
Marie Y. Davis
Johanna Kaindl
Iris Stolzer
Patrick Süß
Mukhran Khundadze
Christian A. Hübner
Markus J. Riemenschneider
Jonathan Baets
Claudia Günther
Suman Jayadev
Veit Rothhammer
Florian Krach
Jürgen Winkler
Beate Winner
Martin Regensburger
Publication date
01-06-2024
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Acta Neuropathologica / Issue 1/2024
Print ISSN: 0001-6322
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0533
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-023-02675-w

Other articles of this Issue 1/2024

Acta Neuropathologica 1/2024 Go to the issue