title: VGF and striatal cell damage in in vitro and in vivo models of Huntington's disease.
abstract: Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited genetic disorder, characterized by cognitive dysfunction and abnormal body movements, and at present there is no effective treatment for HD. Therapeutic options for HD are limited to symptomatic treatment approaches and there is no cure for this devastating disease. Here, we examined whether SUN N8075, (2S)-1-(4-amino-2,3,5-trimethylphenoxy)-3-{4-[4-(4-fluorobenzyl)phenyl]-1-piperazinyl}-2-propanol dimethanesulfonate, which exerts neuroprotective effects by antioxidant effects and induction of VGF nerve growth factor inducible (VGF), has beneficial effects in STHdh cells derived from striatum of knock-in HD mice and R6/2 HD mice. In an in vitro study, SUN N8075 inhibited the cell death caused by mutant huntingtin (mHtt) and upregulated the VGF mRNA level via the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Furthermore, 30 amino acid of VGF C-terminal peptide, AQEE-30 inhibited the cell death and the aggregation of mHtt. In an in vivo study, SUN N8075 improved the survival and the clasping response in the R6/2 mice. Furthermore, SUN N8075 increased the number of surviving neurons in the striatum of the R6/2 mice. These findings suggest that SUN N8075 may be an effective candidate for HD treatments.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan.
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimazawa
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Asubio Pharma Co., Ltd. 6-4-3, Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.affiliation: Asubio Pharma Co., Ltd. 6-4-3, Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Teruyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuruma
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hara
keywords: AQEE-30; Huntington’s disease; SUN N8075; VGF; neuroprotection