Targeting phosphoglycerate kinase 1 with terazosin improves motor neuron phenotypes in multiple models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Helena Chaytow - , Edinburgh Napier University (Author)
  • Emily Carroll - , University of Oxford (Author)
  • David Gordon - , University of Oxford (Author)
  • Yu-Ting Huang - , Edinburgh Napier University (Author)
  • Dinja van der Hoorn - , Edinburgh Napier University (Author)
  • Hannah Louise Smith - , Edinburgh Napier University (Author)
  • Thomas Becker - , Chair of Neural Development and Regeneration, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University (Author)
  • Catherina Gwynne Becker - , Chair of Neural Development and Regeneration, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University (Author)
  • Kiterie Maud Edwige Faller - , Edinburgh Napier University (Author)
  • Kevin Talbot - , University of Oxford (Author)
  • Thomas Henry Gillingwater - , Edinburgh Napier University (Author)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with heterogeneous aetiology and a complex genetic background. Effective therapies are therefore likely to act on convergent pathways such as dysregulated energy metabolism, linked to multiple neurodegenerative diseases including ALS.

METHODS: Activity of the glycolysis enzyme phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) was increased genetically or pharmacologically using terazosin in zebrafish, mouse and ESC-derived motor neuron models of ALS. Multiple disease phenotypes were assessed to determine the therapeutic potential of this approach, including axon growth and motor behaviour, survival and cell death following oxidative stress.

FINDINGS: We have found that targeting a single bioenergetic protein, PGK1, modulates motor neuron vulnerability in vivo. In zebrafish models of ALS, overexpression of PGK1 rescued motor axon phenotypes and improved motor behaviour. Treatment with terazosin, an FDA-approved compound with a known non-canonical action of increasing PGK1 activity, also improved these phenotypes. Terazosin treatment extended survival, improved motor phenotypes and increased motor neuron number in Thy1-hTDP-43 mice. In ESC-derived motor neurons expressing TDP-43M337V, terazosin protected against oxidative stress-induced cell death and increased basal glycolysis rates, while rescuing stress granule assembly.

INTERPRETATION: Our data demonstrate that terazosin protects motor neurons via multiple pathways, including upregulating glycolysis and rescuing stress granule formation. Repurposing terazosin therefore has the potential to increase the limited therapeutic options across all forms of ALS, irrespective of disease cause.

FUNDING: This work was supported by project grant funding from MND Scotland, the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, Medical Research Council Doctoral Student Training Fellowship [Ref: BST0010Z] and Academy of Medical Sciences grant [SGL023\1100].

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number104202
Pages (from-to)104202
JournalEBioMedicine
Volume83
Issue number83
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC9482929
Scopus 85136613365
unpaywall 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104202
Mendeley cab3d54f-6bd7-3d7c-b15a-068f728d2006

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Keywords

  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/drug therapy, Animals, DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics, Humans, Mice, Motor Neurons/metabolism, Phenotype, Phosphoglycerate Kinase/genetics, Prazosin/analogs & derivatives, Zebrafish/metabolism, Neuroprotection, Drug repurposing, Motor neuron disease (MND), Bioenergetics

Library keywords