Autophagy- and oxidative stress-related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human MJD/SCA3 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural cultures

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been associated with the transport of molecules related to the pathological processes in neurodegenerative diseases. Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is a neurodegenerative disorder triggered by mutant ataxin-3 protein that causes protein misfolding and aggrega...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liliana S. Mendonça, Ricardo Moreira, Daniel Henriques, Mónica Zuzarte, Teresa M. Ribeiro-Rodrigues, Henrique Girão, Luís Pereira de Almeida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-05-01
Series:Cell Death and Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07659-0
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850154723030597632
author Liliana S. Mendonça
Ricardo Moreira
Daniel Henriques
Mónica Zuzarte
Teresa M. Ribeiro-Rodrigues
Henrique Girão
Luís Pereira de Almeida
author_facet Liliana S. Mendonça
Ricardo Moreira
Daniel Henriques
Mónica Zuzarte
Teresa M. Ribeiro-Rodrigues
Henrique Girão
Luís Pereira de Almeida
author_sort Liliana S. Mendonça
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been associated with the transport of molecules related to the pathological processes in neurodegenerative diseases. Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is a neurodegenerative disorder triggered by mutant ataxin-3 protein that causes protein misfolding and aggregation resulting in neuronal death. To evaluate EVs’ role in the potential spread of disease-associated factors in MJD, in this study, EVs were isolated from human Control (CNT) and MJD induced-pluripotent stem cell-derived neuroepithelial stem cells (iPSC-derived NESC) and their differentiated neural cultures (cell cultures composed of neurons and glia). EVs were characterized and investigated for their ability to interfere with cell mechanisms known to be impaired in MJD. The presence of mRNA and proteins related to autophagy, cell survival, and oxidative stress pathways, and the mutant ataxin-3, was evaluated in the EVs. SOD1, p62, and Beclin-1 were found present both in CNT and MJD EVs. Lower levels of the p62 autophagy-related protein and higher levels of the oxidative stress-related SOD1 protein were found in MJD EVs. The oxidative stress-related CYCS mRNA and autophagy-related SQSTM1, BECN1, UBC, ATG12, and LC3B mRNAs were detected in EVs and no significant differences in their levels were observed between CNT and MJD EVs. The internalization of EVs by human CNT neurons was demonstrated, and no effect of the EVs administration was observed on cell viability. Moreover, the incubation of MJD EVs (isolated from NESC or differentiated neural cultures) with human CNT differentiated neural cells resulted in the reduction of SOD1 and autophagy-related proteins ATG3, ATG7, Beclin-1, LC3B, and p62 levels. Finally, a tendency for accumulation of ataxin-3-positive aggregates in CNT differentiated neural cells co-cultured with MJD differentiated neural cells was observed. Overall, our data indicate that EVs carry autophagy- and oxidative stress-related proteins and mRNAs and provide evidence of MJD EVs-mediated interference with autophagy and oxidative stress pathways.
format Article
id doaj-art-ed925adaf74e43b7b47f8e8e577d9739
institution OA Journals
issn 2041-4889
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Publishing Group
record_format Article
series Cell Death and Disease
spelling doaj-art-ed925adaf74e43b7b47f8e8e577d97392025-08-20T02:25:12ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death and Disease2041-48892025-05-0116111210.1038/s41419-025-07659-0Autophagy- and oxidative stress-related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human MJD/SCA3 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural culturesLiliana S. Mendonça0Ricardo Moreira1Daniel Henriques2Mónica Zuzarte3Teresa M. Ribeiro-Rodrigues4Henrique Girão5Luís Pereira de Almeida6Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of CoimbraCenter for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of CoimbraCenter for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of CoimbraFaculty of Pharmacy of the University of CoimbraCenter for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of CoimbraCenter for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of CoimbraCenter for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of CoimbraAbstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been associated with the transport of molecules related to the pathological processes in neurodegenerative diseases. Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is a neurodegenerative disorder triggered by mutant ataxin-3 protein that causes protein misfolding and aggregation resulting in neuronal death. To evaluate EVs’ role in the potential spread of disease-associated factors in MJD, in this study, EVs were isolated from human Control (CNT) and MJD induced-pluripotent stem cell-derived neuroepithelial stem cells (iPSC-derived NESC) and their differentiated neural cultures (cell cultures composed of neurons and glia). EVs were characterized and investigated for their ability to interfere with cell mechanisms known to be impaired in MJD. The presence of mRNA and proteins related to autophagy, cell survival, and oxidative stress pathways, and the mutant ataxin-3, was evaluated in the EVs. SOD1, p62, and Beclin-1 were found present both in CNT and MJD EVs. Lower levels of the p62 autophagy-related protein and higher levels of the oxidative stress-related SOD1 protein were found in MJD EVs. The oxidative stress-related CYCS mRNA and autophagy-related SQSTM1, BECN1, UBC, ATG12, and LC3B mRNAs were detected in EVs and no significant differences in their levels were observed between CNT and MJD EVs. The internalization of EVs by human CNT neurons was demonstrated, and no effect of the EVs administration was observed on cell viability. Moreover, the incubation of MJD EVs (isolated from NESC or differentiated neural cultures) with human CNT differentiated neural cells resulted in the reduction of SOD1 and autophagy-related proteins ATG3, ATG7, Beclin-1, LC3B, and p62 levels. Finally, a tendency for accumulation of ataxin-3-positive aggregates in CNT differentiated neural cells co-cultured with MJD differentiated neural cells was observed. Overall, our data indicate that EVs carry autophagy- and oxidative stress-related proteins and mRNAs and provide evidence of MJD EVs-mediated interference with autophagy and oxidative stress pathways.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07659-0
spellingShingle Liliana S. Mendonça
Ricardo Moreira
Daniel Henriques
Mónica Zuzarte
Teresa M. Ribeiro-Rodrigues
Henrique Girão
Luís Pereira de Almeida
Autophagy- and oxidative stress-related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human MJD/SCA3 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural cultures
Cell Death and Disease
title Autophagy- and oxidative stress-related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human MJD/SCA3 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural cultures
title_full Autophagy- and oxidative stress-related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human MJD/SCA3 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural cultures
title_fullStr Autophagy- and oxidative stress-related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human MJD/SCA3 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural cultures
title_full_unstemmed Autophagy- and oxidative stress-related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human MJD/SCA3 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural cultures
title_short Autophagy- and oxidative stress-related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human MJD/SCA3 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural cultures
title_sort autophagy and oxidative stress related protein deregulation mediated by extracellular vesicles of human mjd sca3 ipsc derived neuroepithelial stem cells and differentiated neural cultures
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07659-0
work_keys_str_mv AT lilianasmendonca autophagyandoxidativestressrelatedproteinderegulationmediatedbyextracellularvesiclesofhumanmjdsca3ipscderivedneuroepithelialstemcellsanddifferentiatedneuralcultures
AT ricardomoreira autophagyandoxidativestressrelatedproteinderegulationmediatedbyextracellularvesiclesofhumanmjdsca3ipscderivedneuroepithelialstemcellsanddifferentiatedneuralcultures
AT danielhenriques autophagyandoxidativestressrelatedproteinderegulationmediatedbyextracellularvesiclesofhumanmjdsca3ipscderivedneuroepithelialstemcellsanddifferentiatedneuralcultures
AT monicazuzarte autophagyandoxidativestressrelatedproteinderegulationmediatedbyextracellularvesiclesofhumanmjdsca3ipscderivedneuroepithelialstemcellsanddifferentiatedneuralcultures
AT teresamribeirorodrigues autophagyandoxidativestressrelatedproteinderegulationmediatedbyextracellularvesiclesofhumanmjdsca3ipscderivedneuroepithelialstemcellsanddifferentiatedneuralcultures
AT henriquegirao autophagyandoxidativestressrelatedproteinderegulationmediatedbyextracellularvesiclesofhumanmjdsca3ipscderivedneuroepithelialstemcellsanddifferentiatedneuralcultures
AT luispereiradealmeida autophagyandoxidativestressrelatedproteinderegulationmediatedbyextracellularvesiclesofhumanmjdsca3ipscderivedneuroepithelialstemcellsanddifferentiatedneuralcultures